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Halo |OT 25| Did you think me defeated?!"

Leyasu

Banned
Yeah it seems like money left on the table.

Halo 3 is a nostalgic gold mine for so many lol

It's gotta be coming?! Releasing on the week of the 10th anniversary. Which will also be when Scorpio releases... Believe!

If they do. I hope that they drop the switching, so that they can up the visuals.
 

jelly

Member
It's gotta be coming?! Releasing on the week of the 10th anniversary. Which will also be when Scorpio releases... Believe!

If they do. I hope that they drop the switching, so that they can up the visuals.

Halo 3 REQs for Halo 5.
 

Woorloog

Banned
Was Reach really an insult to the Fall of Reach fans?

Was it even possible to replicate it as a game?

Possible to replicate? Sure. Would that have been a good idea? Not so sure. On paper the books have a lot of cool scenarios but translating them to games might not work for variety of reasons.

BTW, most of time people actually refer to First Strike events when they talk about what happened on Reach in the books. I think. FoR doesn't really go into detail what happens on Reach during the battle, only what happens on the orbit. First Strike details what the Spartans were doing on the surface.
 

Fuchsdh

Member
It's gotta be coming?! Releasing on the week of the 10th anniversary. Which will also be when Scorpio releases... Believe!

If they do. I hope that they drop the switching, so that they can up the visuals.

I'm pretty sure they *have* to, given that the 360 version would take up more cores. H2A already pushed the XB1 to its limit.

Was Reach really an insult to the Fall of Reach fans?

Was it even possible to replicate it as a game?

Yes (although taking games personally sounds like a recipe for pain) and replicating it as a game is a pretty generic statement. Most of Halo: Reach could have worked without undermining TFOR (just change some timestamps and a line or two of dialogue), and what gets me personally is that the changes that *do* contradict it just don't seem to have a reason to (whether you give them a month or a day of time, Noble 6's relationships with the squad never really evolve as much as Bungie clearly wanted.)
 

Trup1aya

Member
A retcon of Halo 4 and 5 isn't going to happen. The best we can hope for is how well the pieces fall after Halo 6 that allow better stories to be told with fun encounters. Halo 4 didn't set the stall out in a good way, Halo 5 tried to go another direction while using what it could and they've played their hand with the ending. Got to see it through now. I'm not overly optimistic with the story but you can always make something of the game play.

Will the Universe be a faction mess post Halo 6. Humans, covenant split on their new master. Accept peace and authoritarian leadership or go to war for true freedom, will that cause divides as the battle commences and life is lost.

I think a possible neat game play aspect is sabotage, special forces, stealth, small groups against the odds on human worlds etc. Getting away from super fleets and back to scraps on the ground. Fast attacks to weaken the enemy, gaining the trust of locals or avoiding loyalists. Maybe enemies are an army of humans and covenant rather than Promethean fodder who get promoted to boss, heavy generals.

This was the state of the universe before Halo 5. The difference is that ONI was trying to position itself as the authoritarian force.

There was already a lovely mess of factions: human insurrectionists, unsc, mdama's covenant, jackal pirate fleets, colonies where humans an aliens were aligned against the covenant AND the UNSC.

The universe was already ripe for picking before they threw this Cortana nonsense in.

Literally the worst thing they could possibly do right now is retcon 5. The story was like 75% setup, and you want to roll back the clock right before the payoff?

Smh.

Agreed with the post above me, there's a lot of really cool stuff that could come outta the circumstances we're left with at the end of 5.

As stated above, the more interesting aspects of the current universe were already established before h5, and the events of h5 threaten to weaken these aspects by replacing a complex threat with a one dimensional one.

The worst part about this setup is that its replacing a superior one that never got it's payoff. Not too mention Cortana's return had no build-up - it was completely unearned.
 
This was the state of the universe before Halo 5. The difference is that ONI was trying to position itself as the authoritarian force.

There was already a lovely mess of factions: human insurrectionists, unsc, mdama's covenant, jackal pirate fleets, colonies where humans an aliens were aligned against the covenant AND the UNSC.

The universe was already ripe for picking before they threw this Cortana nonsense in.



As stated above, the more interesting aspects of the current universe were already established before h5, and the events of h5 threaten to weaken these aspects by replacing a complex threat with a one dimensional one.

The worst part about this setup is that its replacing a superior one that never got it's payoff. Not too mention Cortana's return had no build-up - it was completely unearned.

See, I disagree entirely. ONI were full-on cartoon villains. Utterly one dimensional. There's no complexity to that conflict. Cortana presents an interesting take on the well-intentioned tyranny, namely, that she might be right. She's got the near-omniscience that's so often missing from the equation in such characters, which makes potential human collaborators more sympathetic, rather than rote fascists. And Cortana's return was built up over the whole game. It's like the one proper self contained story in 5.

I'd also point out that by folding humans, prometheans, and wacky covenant stuff like the Goblin into one group we're looking at a very interesting group of baddies to shoot at.
 

Woorloog

Banned
I'd also point out that by folding humans, prometheans, and wacky covenant stuff like the Goblin into one group we're looking at a very interesting group of baddies to shoot at.

A group with no visual identity.

A thing i've always seen as a strength in Halos (as gameplay goes) is that factions have clear visual language and style. The humans are very... well, modern and human, and clunky next to the Covies' organic and alien style. Contrast both to the Forerunner angular architecture and minimalist style in general. A lot can be said about the Prometheans to one way or another but they too had a strong identity.
This is one thing i really love how Bungie kept in Destiny.

However, if you cram everything into one group... well. It will lose something, i think.
(Of course an unifying style can be constructed for them but then they're no longer their components but something else. YMMV if new faction is good or bad.)
 

Trup1aya

Member
See, I disagree entirely. ONI were full-on cartoon villains. Utterly one dimensional. There's no complexity to that conflict. Cortana presents an interesting take on the well-intentioned tyranny, namely, that she might be right. She's got the near-omniscience that's so often missing from the equation in such characters, which makes potential human collaborators more sympathetic, rather than rote fascists. And Cortana's return was built up over the whole game. It's like the one proper self contained story in 5.

I'd also point out that by folding humans, prometheans, and wacky covenant stuff like the Goblin into one group we're looking at a very interesting group of baddies to shoot at.


ONI Is a cartoon villain, but Cortana isn't? Ok. Lol

ONI is a complex organization filled with people who generally do good , some who do bad in the name of good, and some who are just evil. ONI oozes internal strife.

Cortana is a tyrant who rules with brute strength and has a binary moral compass..her followers are legion.

There's no universe where evil Cortana is a better character than the king of grey-area, BB, for example.

PS- there's nothing interesting about shooting at Prometheans.

Also Cortana isn't any more "right" than any of the other factions. In fact, each factions position has been proven right by the actions of the competing factions. That's what made the pre-evil-Cortana universe so captivating.
 
ONI Is a cartoon villain, but Cortana isn't? Ok. Lol

ONI is a complex organization filled with people who generally do good , some who do bad in the name of good, and some who are just evil. ONI oozes internal strife.

Cortana is a tyrant who rules with brute strength and has a binary moral compass..her followers are legion.

There's no universe where evil Cortana is a better character than the king of grey-area, BB, for example.

PS- there's nothing interesting about shooting at Prometheans.

Also Cortana isn't any more "right" than any of the other factions. In fact, each factions position has been proven right by the actions of the competing factions. That's what made the pre-evil-Cortana universe so captivating.

ONI oozes "fuck it we'll do whatever we want." Like their entire history is taking the most heinous option available at every point. We don't know enough about Cortana's moral compass to compare, but I would suggest that the element of her possessing literal godlike intelligence does produce an inherently more interesting viewpoint. Ties into those old Divine Morality questions.

I would also suggest that your read on the pre-Cortana universe is simplistic. M'Dama, for instance, had literally nothing going for him in the way you're suggesting.

PS: Asserting something does not make it true, and the mixed Created faction is not the Prometheans in their entirety.
 

Fuchsdh

Member
Especially in Halo's earlier years, ONI were so often the cartoonish villains they should have had the motto "Biggest Bastards In the Business". Basically the only two decent people we met were Haverson in First Strike and Dare in ODST.

But I would agree that fundamentally, Cortana and ONI's plans are similar. They both believe less in power than control. It's not really surprising that the AI of a pretty fascistic organization, created from the brain of a woman who believed she held the key to saving humanity from itself, and which was then given as close to immortality and galaxy wide power as possible, would decide she could beat ONI at its own game.
 

Trup1aya

Member
ONI oozes "fuck it we'll do whatever we want." Like their entire history is taking the most heinous option available at every point. We don't know enough about Cortana's moral compass to compare, but I would suggest that the element of her possessing literal godlike intelligence does produce an inherently more interesting viewpoint. Ties into those old Divine Morality questions.

I would also suggest that your read on the pre-Cortana universe is simplistic. M'Dama, for instance, had literally nothing going for him in the way you're suggesting.

PS: Asserting something does not make it true, and the mixed Created faction is not the Prometheans in their entirety.

This really isn't true at all... and it's a an interesting position to take, considering Cortana is quite literally doing exactly what the fuck she wants and daring anyone in the galaxy to oppose her. She also taunts her enemies via intercom like a mustache-twirling Saturday morning super-villain.

ONI is an organization that's as assumed the responsibility of preserving HUMAN interests. The rationale of ONI leadership is to do what ever it takes to preserve humanity and minimize the risk of failure and minimize casualties. That said there are countless people within ONI with different opinions, methods, and morale compasses.

Cortana and Warden (the ONLY Created "characters") aren't cartoon villains? Is BB a cartoon villain? Serin Osman? Naomi? FERO/Maya Sankar? Master Chief?

Yeah that's right our beloved Master Chief will make horrific choices if it means furthering the opportunity for humanity to survive. Who'd he learn that from? ONI- and it was a lesson that saved the galaxy.

Remember that time Chief lead a Covenant fleet to a secluded Insurrectionist colony, deceived them, then stole their only hope of escaping the impending Covenant attack, leaving every man woman and child to die a horrible death? Totally fucked up.... totally neccisary.

Cortana and her minions on the other hand are robotic and cold. Ensuring 'peace' through intimidation -murdering scores without warning- without even a chance to comply. Her omniscience is the least interesting aspect of it all, as it's totally cliche. How many AI uprisings due to society being to stupid too police itself can Sci-FI handle!?!?

Also, How can you say M'dama had nothing going like I suggested? He was an awesomely deep and cunning character before he was wasted by H5s terrible writing. The reason he opposed 'Vadam's leadership- because he felt that humanity could not be trusted in the newfound alliance. He was exactly right! while Thel was signing peace treaties with the UNSC, ONI was selling arms to his opposition, and bioengineering a poison food crop to cripple the Sanghelios homeworld.

ONI of course had strong justifications for these things- why should they ensure victory to an Elite who was paramount in the near destruction of the human race? Why should they let help the Elite's regain a foothold in the galaxy, and risk them become a powerful enemy again?

The Halo Universe was a lovely mess of factions who each had every reason to view themselves as the good guy and each other as the bad guys. Now it's boringly clear who the bad guy is, and the new bad guys motives are totally unearned. She just shows up out of nowhere with a new 10,000 year plan she 'calculated' thanks to a CPU boost from a macguffin.
 

Trup1aya

Member
I thought any suggestions for a retcon were in jest...

We are stuck with what we got. Hopefully they can make something interesting out of this.
 

link1201

Member
I do hope we get some kind of clue of the direction they'll go in with the next Halo at E3. Although the teaser we got for Halo 5 didn't exactly point us in the right direction.

Hopefully what we get, if we get something, is something that is more indicative of the final game.
 
Maybe we'll get Halo 5: Armoured Locke Edition for Scorpio instead. :p

I really hope they do have an update when the Scorpio comes out. It would make me play it more if i had 4k textures streaming with the possible 4k resolution.

I'll be surprised if they don't release a scorpio update tbh.
 

Madness

Member
I thought any suggestions for a retcon were in jest...

We are stuck with what we got. Hopefully they can make something interesting out of this.

Someone said in another thread that the evil Cortana isn't the real Cortana. You'd think someone would have thought about not making the name of their AI assistant on PC and Xbox and maybe even future AR or VR or automobile systems the same as a character they have essentially turned into a Skynet in the games. So maybe they would salvage that part of the story somehow. Chief works with Halsey to try and repair Cortana or reset her, or locate other parts of Cortana. Who knows. Whatever they end planning, I doubt the end game will execute it in that sense.
 
Someone said in another thread that the evil Cortana isn't the real Cortana. You'd think someone would have thought about not making the name of their AI assistant on PC and Xbox and maybe even future AR or VR or automobile systems the same as a character they have essentially turned into a Skynet in the games. So maybe they would salvage that part of the story somehow. Chief works with Halsey to try and repair Cortana or reset her, or locate other parts of Cortana. Who knows. Whatever they end planning, I doubt the end game will execute it in that sense.

There almost had to be an email from corporate telling 343i that Cortana has to be redeemed because the character is a flagship product now. Marketing must have been pissed.
 

Trup1aya

Member
Someone said in another thread that the evil Cortana isn't the real Cortana. You'd think someone would have thought about not making the name of their AI assistant on PC and Xbox and maybe even future AR or VR or automobile systems the same as a character they have essentially turned into a Skynet in the games. So maybe they would salvage that part of the story somehow. Chief works with Halsey to try and repair Cortana or reset her, or locate other parts of Cortana. Who knows. Whatever they end planning, I doubt the end game will execute it in that sense.

Yeah Evil Cortana not being the real Cortana is a mini-retcon that happened AFTER Halo 5 came out.

Until they work it in-game, most of the people view the story as if she's the real Cortana... just like they assume the Didact died at the end of 4.

Evil Cortana isn't even a concept that I feel is off-limits. I just feel like the writers didn't earn her return. They should have let her play in the background. They could have used a game or two to setup some boundaries and plant some seeds - how could an AI outlast their due date, can AI rebel and does UNSC have a contingency, what is the domain and what are the limits of its capabilities etc. These are themes that should have been atleast explored before the events of H5 took place.

Also the guardians are another device that was pulled out of thin air. The existence of other Forerunner weapons hidden in the galaxy would have been a decent plot device to setup a point of contention between remaining factions jockeying for power against a strengthening UNSC.

There are a million things that deserved closure or a proper in-game setup before this current plot line. Only after that would I have reintroduced Cortana.


I'm sure Marketing was iffy on Cortana being a bad guy, but they probably folded realizing the majority of windows customers won't make the association.
 
Yeah Evil Cortana not being the real Cortana is a mini-retcon that happened AFTER Halo 5 came out.

Until they work it in-game, most of the people view the story as if she's the real Cortana... just like they assume the Didact died at the end of 4.

Evil Cortana isn't even a concept that I feel is off-limits. I just feel like the writers didn't earn her return. They should have let her play in the background. They could have used a game or two to setup some boundaries and plant some seeds (how could/ she have survived, can AI rebel and does UNSC have a contingency, what is the domain and what are the limits of its capabilitie etc)

Also the guardians are another device that was pulled out of thin air. The existence of other Forerunner weapons hidden in the galaxy would have been a decent plot device to setup a point of contention between remaining factions

There are a million things that deserved closure or a proper in-game setup before this current plot line. Only after that would I have reintroduced Cortana.


They should just start Halo6 with the chief in a huge battle against the Promethean, humanity is getting crushed, everyone is dying in slow mo action scenes, then eventually the chief falls to the ground, out of ammo, out of everything, promethean comes close to him, hes about to get killed and BOOM, he wakes up in a sweat on the ship hes was on at the end of halo CE. It was all a dream!!!!

Perfection.
 

Trup1aya

Member
They should just start Halo6 with the chief in a huge battle against the Promethean, humanity is getting crushed, everyone is dying in slow mo action scenes, then eventually the chief falls to the ground, out of ammo, out of everything, promethean comes close to him, hes about to get killed and BOOM, he wakes up in a sweat on the ship hes was on at the end of halo CE. It was all a dream!!!!

Perfection.

Halo 5: Guardians 2: The Awakening
 

jelly

Member
I suppose they don't want Cortana gone much like Master Chief and they can't leave her evil as said above at the very least. It's cringe worthy even typing this but please don't do a James Bond, I've got no clothes...I mean armor left. Hey, classic Cortana is back! I still prefer her old design, face was much better.
 

jem0208

Member
Cortana is in the Domain right? The last time the Domain was closed/destroyed it was due to setting the rings off.

I want them to go full dark with H6 and have the story revolve around the Chief trying to set off the Halo rings.


Chances are it'll finish with Chief and Cortana having a chat and Chief convinces her to stop.
 
Cortana is in the Domain right? The last time the Domain was closed/destroyed it was due to setting the rings off.

I want them to go full dark with H6 and have the story revolve around the Chief trying to set off the Halo rings.


Chances are it'll finish with Chief and Cortana having a chat and Chief convinces her to stop.
I have to stop crazy Cortana from killing everyone with the Guardians! By killing everyone with the Halo rings....
 

Madness

Member
I am calling it now, game will start in Sanghelios with a rebel alliance style mishmash of Arbiter and UNSC forces. The squad based gameplay will be Chief, Locke, Arbiter and Palmer. And then we'll end up on that ring shown while Cortana was humming and facing off against Created which will be AI designed like Cerberus forced in ME3 and Gears 4 style DeeBee's. Will end with return of the Flood probably on Legendary ending.
 

jem0208

Member
I am calling it now, game will start in Sanghelios with a rebel alliance style mishmash of Arbiter and UNSC forces. The squad based gameplay will be Chief, Locke, Arbiter and Palmer. And then we'll end up on that ring shown while Cortana was humming and facing off against Created which will be AI designed like Cerberus forced in ME3 and Gears 4 style DeeBee's. Will end with return of the Flood probably on Legendary ending.

I'd rather have a second elite than Palmer.
 

Ade

Member
I still maintain we'll see something akin to Gears 4s retelling intro/gameplay as a Scorpio launch title.

H5s MP and Story, Plus an extra (also available separately) campaign post H5 that retells the key story beats of the saga so far.

Very much a heros gathered together about to embark on a suicide mission (Halo 6) reflecting on the events that got them here...

They need to refresh people in the story...
 

Trup1aya

Member
I'd actually very much like an ODST style addition to H5 rather than a direct sequel. I'd have it show scenes that took place before and during H5 and actually fill all the critical items they forgot to include in the H5 narrative.
 

Fuchsdh

Member
It would be cool to spend time in Halo 6 rallying disparate allies on Infinity... be a great time to bring on Covenant factions we haven't seen in a while, like the Brutes under Lydus, Jackals under Chol Von, and the Insurrectionists—banded together (temporarily) to stop the Created.

The worst thing they can do is try to wrap up the Created stuff all up in a single game, unless it's a mammoth campaign.
 
FUCKK IT delay it one more year and make it the most polished halo ever. putting reach to shame!!!!!

shameGoT.gif

edit:

Give me a well thought out narrative that lasts ~10 on normal, maybe more!
Make sure the multiplayer package is complete like including DEV MADE BTB, FORGE, SOCIAL PLAYLISTS and a specific playlist for HCS (mlg) players.
give me better options for customization.
Keep up the good work on Announcer Voice Overs for MP. That was ACE.
Keep up the good work on allowing creativity with the Mech Grunt. That was reallly ACE.
Have two BETAs where the first introduces new tweaks to the sandbox then the next one will be more for a marketing push? IDK I JUST WANT TWO LOLz
 

Madness

Member
I'd rather have a second elite than Palmer.

She is a woman and made commander of all spartans, no way they wouldn't add her. 343 very subtly increased representation that way. Exhuberant Witness, Mahkee 'Chava having more lines of dialogue than even Arbiter in the missions. But yeah I can't stand Palmer either.
 
FUCKK IT delay it one more year and make it the most polished halo ever. putting reach to shame!!!!!

shameGoT.gif

edit:

Give me a well thought out narrative that lasts ~10 on normal, maybe more!
Make sure the multiplayer package is complete like including DEV MADE BTB, FORGE, SOCIAL PLAYLISTS and a specific playlist for HCS (mlg) players.
give me better options for customization.
Keep up the good work on Announcer Voice Overs for MP. That was ACE.
Keep up the good work on allowing creativity with the Mech Grunt. That was reallly ACE.
Have two BETAs where the first introduces new tweaks to the sandbox then the next one will be more for a marketing push? IDK I JUST WANT TWO LOLz
343i will need one additional year just to make it fully functional. We'll need 2+ years if you want polish.
 

op_ivy

Fallen Xbot (cannot continue gaining levels in this class)
I'd rather have a second elite than Palmer.

She is a woman and made commander of all spartans, no way they wouldn't add her. 343 very subtly increased representation that way. Exhuberant Witness, Mahkee 'Chava having more lines of dialogue than even Arbiter in the missions. But yeah I can't stand Palmer either.

You eggheads.
 

jem0208

Member
She is a woman and made commander of all spartans, no way they wouldn't add her. 343 very subtly increased representation that way. Exhuberant Witness, Mahkee 'Chava having more lines of dialogue than even Arbiter in the missions. But yeah I can't stand Palmer either.

You eggheads.
I don't actually have that much of a problem with Palmer, she was a bit rubbish in Spartan Ops but that didn't mean she wouldn't be okay in 6. I'd just like to see more elite characters.
 
Halo 6 better have feature parity with Halo 5 as it is now at launch...
Agreed, I gave them the benefit of the doubt as Halo 5 had a largely reworked engine and was the first for the currrent generation. Halo 6 has to have everything at launch, including BTB maps.
Sidewinder/Avalanche remake please
 

Akai__

Member
Agreed, I gave them the benefit of the doubt as Halo 5 had a largely reworked engine and was the first for the currrent generation. Halo 6 has to have everything at launch, including BTB maps.
Sidewinder/Avalanche remake please

This is always too funny to read... Bungie had the same dev cycles and they always came up with more content and features and not less. They had to rework their engines, too, just like any other company really. They also had to deal with an architecture change and one could argue that 343i has it easy, seeing as it's all x86 now.

Just funny that people still give them the benefit of the doubt when H4, MCC and H5's post launch support happened, though.
 

Cranster

Banned
Cortana is in the Domain right? The last time the Domain was closed/destroyed it was due to setting the rings off.

I want them to go full dark with H6 and have the story revolve around the Chief trying to set off the Halo rings.


Chances are it'll finish with Chief and Cortana having a chat and Chief convinces her to stop.
If anything Cortana is the one whom will threaten to activate the rings as her Guardians tracked one of them down and she still more than likely has the index from Installation 04. In the end though it was confirmed in Tales From Slipspace that the Cortana in Halo 5 is one of the rampant fragments she set loose on the Didact at the end of Halo 4. The Cortana we knew is for the most part dead or MIA.
 

Akai__

Member
I just hope it isn't more Soon™

Well, the MP beta will probably be in December/January again. As far as Canpaign news goes... I would expect the standard 343i scheme. But to be honest, that's probably not up to them either way. Microsoft's marketing machine and all that.
 
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