Yeah I'm pretty sure you could show Cortana to any person out there and they would wonder why it's a naked blue chick. That's not just a few people being prudes.
A lot of the reason has to do with the transparency, though--the Halo 1 and Halo 2 incarnations, besides not being as busty, are a lot more transparent and formless.
No, but my bet from what we know from the previous two Bear books is that we awakened the Ur-Didact who goes off the deep end in Silentium, while the Bornstellar-Didact who's replaced him by the Librarian's side is the one who fires the rings.
What story elements presented in this game - not elsewhere - even lets you know that there is more than one Didact? Where are people getting this from ?
I don't know how anyone can look at this and not see a character design made deliberately more sexual (as in erotic):
I appreciated it. She's fucking hot. Halo universe could use a little sexuality. What's wrong with playing with a banging hot AI? It's not like her and chief started fucking
Not yet, but it's the Bornstellar Didact who's described as having "betrayed them all", which doesn't seem to fit the Halo 3's Didact, who eventually carried out the Librarian's plan (assuming we're not about to get hit with a twist within a twist within a twist, or introduced to a few more Didacts for the hell of it).
The whole Flood-infested system thing doesn't even come into play until Silentium. As far as readers who aren't aware of the third book's description know, the original Didact died in Cryptum.
I'm up-to-date with the books and I was unaware there were 2 Didacts. I thought Faber killed The Didact, and he came back inside Bornstellar and influenced his evolution, and acted like a Gaes or whatever.What story elements presented in this game - not elsewhere - even lets you know that there is more than one Didact? Where are people getting this from ?
You clearly haven't seen the Mythic ending.
I'm up-to-date with the books and I was unaware there were 2 Didacts. I thought Faber killed The Didact, and he came back inside Bornstellar and influenced his evolution, and acted like a Gaes or whatever.
Is this sarcasm or something
No.Is this sarcasm or something
The Master builder. The guy who constructed the Halo Array.Da fuck is a Faber, a Gaes ?
I FIND IT REALLY WEIRD how people are saying that the game should have spent more time in cutscenes, or how they didn't understand things, or how you have to read the novels to "get it." Of the Reclaimer Saga, I've read one novel--the first Greg Bear one. I did not get all the terminals, nor did I watch any of them. I had no problems understanding anything. Forerunner planet picks up Chief, Chief is tricked into releasing the Didact, the Librarian saves Chief by making him immune (And who cares HOW it works? It's advanced science by one of the most brilliant minds in the universe--why not just accept that she can do crazy things rather than have a disappointing bullshit explanation?) to the thing that imprisons people in computers and drives them crazy (making them Prometheans), Cortana goes crazy, they stop the bad guy, Chief is alone, the end.
Was any of that really so challenging to understand? The game explained a lot of things with great economy. The main thing is that the game didn't really explain what The Mantle was, which it should have done, since that is the motivation behind The Didact's every action. He's all "AH YOU HAVE NOT ATTAINED THE MANTLE YET" and you're all "the what now?" and he's all "I WILL DESTROY YOUUUUU!" and that's about it.
I feel like the game was missing an entire act somewhere between when they scared the Didact off and the Goliath chapter. It's like "woo, we scared him off, time to go home, I guess!" It really needed something substantial in there. Having the Captain of the Infinity be such an asshole seemed to be utterly pointless, as it offered no tangible dramatic tension.
They did a lot of things right, and it was WAY better than FUD's script, but much like FUD, I feel that I personally could have made some much-needed edits to the script.
That said, I'm not really sure where they are going to go from here. The story wrapped itself up in a little bow. Cortana's gone, Chief's back home, the Didact is presumably dead.
...and yeah, you could say "Well, Cortana isn't really gone--she's just entering rampancy," which would be fun, because rampant AIs are AMAZING (see Durandal, SHODAN). You could also say "we didn't really see Didact die."
But... to me, it would be like if, back in the 1980s, George Lucas had made a sequel to Empire, where it turned out that Darth Vader hadn't really died and the Emperor totally survived being thrown into a hole.
Halo 4 didn't introduce enough elements to make me go "okay, there is still room to grow here," which means that... if they do something, I'm going to end up feeling as though it was just shoehorned in to have another Halo. I don't feel like they've prepared adequately for another game.
The introduction of the Spartan IVs seemed pointless. I got no sense of whatsherface being a Spartan, other than the fact that she's tall and in special armor. That 'missing act' I mentioned could have benefited from Chief working alongside her and the Spartan IVs, reminding everyone why the IIs are the best.
The intro Halsey Video didn't really seem to connect to anything. They were all "oh, you're trying to replace him, aren't you?" but that plot thread never really happened in the game, and it doesn't seem like much to go on for a future Halo game.
One story bit that confused me was how he was like "hi guys, this is Master Chief, I'm riding an alien vessel and I know you're not expecting me, but..." and yet everyone seemed like they were ready and waiting for him, totally knew he was coming, etc. It would seem to me like the people at Installation 03 wouldn't know to expect Chief, since my understanding is that Infinity didn't leave until after Didact, and we didn't spend much time at Installation 3 (NOT GETTING BOOTS ON GROUND ON INSTALLATION 3 MADE ME SAD), so they must have gone directly to Earth... so, yeah, how did these people know who he was or what he was doing?
This is all mostly nitpick stuff, but for a story so well told, it's frustrating to see little bits and pieces that don't quite work. If the story was less, I would actually be less inclined to poke at some of the things that bother me.
That said, they did quite a few things EXTREMELY well, particularly in establishing Cortana and Chief's relationship.
Yes. This is explicitly stated in the cutscene where Chief is talking to The Librarian. The Composer turns things into digital information, but they go crazy when they do. Prometheans are humans given a new form after having been composed.
So you're saying that one vague-ass line is somehow responsible for the poor quality of a trilogy that's otherwise terrible in just about every way? Oh. Okay.Just... don't do that please. Its what turned the Star Wars Prequels into crap (midochlorians or whatever the fuck it is) and just a big circlejerk for "true fans" to mention obscure novel from the Jedi Academy series or some other nonsense
I see many have answered in my place, but really? I don't even think she's attractive, quite the contrary. "Sleazy mindset"? Really?I have been made dumber after reading this post. An extremely tiny but irritating amount of people have looked at Halo 4 and made some crass remarks about Cortana and how 343 handled her appearance. This is so incredibly stupid. It's people actively displaying their own sleazy mindset about something that hasn't been sexualized at all.
So you're saying that one vague-ass line is somehow responsible for the poor quality of a trilogy that's otherwise terrible in just about every way? Oh. Okay.
Speaking of which, did they ever explain why Cortana's appearance changed so much between 3 and 4?
Personally, I feel she's a lot more sexy in Halo 4 then any of the previous games. But like you said, better face and body works here.Honestly, because Bungie is terrible with human faces/anatomy. Cortana in the Bungie trilogy suffers from block face, just like both Keyes and Admiral Hood. Plus she now has a more normal anatomical features that aren't super skinny stripper porn star. She's still relatively attractive, but not modeled after some lame fanboy wetdream of "mah waifu".
Personally, I feel she's a lot more sexy in Halo 4 then any of the previous games. But like you said, better face and body works here.
Wow. Not only did the midichlorian nonsense not change anything about the concept of the Force (it's not even an explanation, it's just a different way of saying "I sense that this kid will be the bestest space wizard"), but those movies aren't pandering to anyone except toy manufacturers and Lucas's own ego/wallet. Definitely not to any hardcore fans. Get real.Yeh, it actually is. Someone, a fan or diehard truest wanted a solid reason for it, and Lucas in poor judgment gave it to them. It was a extra blow to not just the movie but the entire concept of the Force and changed it from skill/enlightenment into a blood count number.
Honestly, because Bungie is terrible with human faces/anatomy.
No need to blame Bungie. The technology has just advanced in 10 years, allowing for a more realistic look.
-- Finally watched all the terminal videos for Halo 4.
-- WHAT. THE. HELL.
-- Why was that story masterfully told, great music, great voice acting, emotionally moving. Wow it had it all. Why the hell was this hidden behind terminals?! A HUGE number of questions people had about the story were answered there.
-- Wow. I'm just.... wow. Boggled at the design decision here. Wish I could see the minutes of the meeting where they decided this.
It wasn't clear in the videos what physical differences the early humans had with the modern versions, or what they were doing with the Admiral of Fleets and his dudes. I assume indexing them or storing them away for crimes against the Forerunners? The Didact didn't digitize those dudes.
Never played Reach?
I'm guessing the terminals weren't going to be ready to ship at the same time the game was certified, or there wasn't the space, or some other logistics reason. But, as you said, it really was a poor choice.
I see many have answered in my place, but really? I don't even think she's attractive, quite the contrary. "Sleazy mindset"? Really?
No need to blame Bungie. The technology has just advanced in 10 years, allowing for a more realistic look.
Well its also hidden behind like a million menus in Halo Waypoint too, if these were just part of the game it would have probably made it more enjoyable (plot wise) for A LOT of people.
-- Finally watched all the terminal videos for Halo 4.
-- WHAT. THE. HELL.
-- Why was that story masterfully told, great music, great voice acting, emotionally moving. Wow it had it all. Why the hell was this hidden behind terminals?! A HUGE number of questions people had about the story were answered there.
-- Wow. I'm just.... wow. Boggled at the design decision here. Wish I could see the minutes of the meeting where they decided this.
It wasn't clear in the videos what physical differences the early humans had with the modern versions, or what they were doing with the Admiral of Fleets and his dudes. I assume indexing them or storing them away for crimes against the Forerunners? The Didact didn't digitize those dudes.
I'm a bit disappointed in the fact that Master Chief is just a culmination in an evolutionary plan set in place by the Librarian. It kind of takes away from his accomplishments, because essentially the only reason he is as talented as he is, is because of some predestined, preordained nonsense that drives him without his knowledge.
It makes me feel that Master Chief hasn't earned anything, like all of the work he put in (we put it) to fight the Covenant, the Flood, the Brutes and now the Prometheans and the Didact meant nothing.
I don't believe in Destiny, I don't believe in God and his devine plan, it's just another way to strip back humanities successes and this is how I feel about Master Chief's existence now.
I hope they contextualise and specify it more in the next two games and allow some room for Chief to have his own successes that aren't based on pseudo-scientific, deterministic, deus ex machina plot devices.
I really enjoyed the storyline overall, this just really bugged me and I feel a little less impressed by the Chief's (and my) accomplishments now.
Also, as an aside; was the implication at the end of the Campaign that Chief was getting upgraded to Mark VII armour or was it supposed to indigate that he was retiring after losing Cortana? It felt like the latter to me, but I just wasn't sure.
Also, as an aside; was the implication at the end of the Campaign that Chief was getting upgraded to Mark VII armour or was it supposed to indigate that he was retiring after losing Cortana? It felt like the latter to me, but I just wasn't sure.
I played through the first chapter of Spartan Ops by jumping straight in to matchmaking, and I had no idea there were actual cutscenes. Made me think that the story promised for SpOps was just Palmer barking at you over the com. So I was pleasantly surprised when I went back and actually watched the cutscenes while clearing chapters 2 and 3.
I've never liked Master Chief as a character. Or the fact that this entire huge universe has been created, with all of this convoluted backstory, all to focus on what this one robot guy does. So I actually really liked the story in Reach. Then Halo 4 took a huge step back for me. Not only was Master Chief this one special destined guy, chosen specifically by Halsey and Cortana to save humanity, now he's also this one special destined guy, chosen specifically by the librarian, even though she's a goddamn computer copy of an alien or something.
So it's great that Spartan Ops actually has a bunch of characters with differing personalities! And dramatic conflicts besides gotta shoot/blow up some dinosaurs/zombies/computers!
Oh yeah, who's your favourite member of Crimson then?
IMO SpOps is a missed opportunity to do some Left 4 Dead/Reach storytelling with a defined cast of 4 Spartans that you play as in the missions. It would be great.
Armando Troisi leads the narrative team at 343. Shocker, he worked on Mass Effect!I've just seen all the terminal videos. Wow, didn't have a clue what was going on before that. There is enough lore to do a Mass Effect style Forerunner era game/ games. I have to say, if it weren't for an online forum I wouldn't never have found out about them, which is a shame because they're amazing.
Well its also hidden behind like a million menus in Halo Waypoint too, if these were just part of the game it would have probably made it more enjoyable (plot wise) for A LOT of people.
That doesn't really have anything to do with that comparison. Not only is he not a writer, he joined 343 long after Cryptum came out and the backstory's backstory explosion was already in effect.Armando Troisi leads the narrative team at 343. Shocker, he worked on Mass Effect!
There has to be some input that is his own trademark. With the comment I didn't want to imply that he was the only one pulling all the strings, but some of the influences might have come from the titles he worked on before. While the concept was already out there, he might have focused on specific aspects when he came aboard.That doesn't really have anything to do with that comparison. Not only is he not a writer, he joined 343 long after Cryptum came out and the backstory's backstory explosion was already in effect.
Why was the campaign so short?
I'm pretty sure it's supposed to go with the whole "man vs. machine" thing that's present throughout the story. For the first time in the series, we see Master Chief take off his armour and we even see a glimpse at his eyes in the Legendary ending.
Just finished the game, I have a really stupid question...
How did Master Chief survive the nuclear blast? Did Cortana teleport him into a bubble shield as he pressed the detonator? That makes no sense.
Why was the campaign so short?