BusierDonkey
Member
Excerpts from a Halo Insider AMA on Reddit with Brian, aka ‘ske7ch’, the community director at 343. I went through and copy-pasta'd the Qs and As as I was reading.
Q: Since MCC on PC will see the games being released chronologically over a period of time, does the team currently have any idea or goals to what that time frame might look like in between each release? Is there currently an internal roadmap that we might be able to get a peak at?
A: Right now the priority is getting Halo: Reach ready for public flighting and work is underway almost in parallel for Halo: CE, which will be the second game. Ultimately we want to get these games into player's hands as soon as possible. We're hesitant to commit to a firm time frame because the truth is they're ready when they're ready. Flighting will be critical to help us get these titles to a great place and depending on how that goes, it could lengthen or extend the release cadence. We'll definitely share more details as we start ramping up flighting.
Q: Will MCC have modding tools
A: We are working closely with the members of the modding community (including some friends on the ElDewrito team) to explore our options for "official" mod support, but we won't have this at launch. Our #1 priority for launch is ensuring we get each of these core games "right" for PC and security/anti-cheat is a big focus. As we've stated, this entire offering will grow and evolve over time.
Q: Should we expect to see the same amazing Ranking/Credit system in Halo:Reach like it was in the past?
A: First, we're happy to say that Halo: Reach in MCC will in fact have the same level of "mix and match" customization found in the original games (all the individual armor pieces, etc..). As to how it's earned, we are exploring a new and deeper progression system that retains the feel of the old systems and blends them with newer models for game progression (all based on in-game play, no type of monetization or anything of that nature)
Q: Will Halo 3 armor be fixed too? I really want to mix and match sets instead of having presets like MCC currently has.
A: Priority one is getting MCC from Xbox One to PC in the right way, as a great PC experience. The current development roadmap for launch doesn't include re-doing how Halo 3 customziation works within MCC but we know this is something fans have been asking for and we will continue to evaluate options for the future. We would like to deliver multi-part armor customization. Halo: Reach will be the first title to support this and we will investigate what is possible for other titles that included armor pieces.
Q: Will the upcoming custom games browser support community dedicated servers, like those found in Halo PC? The ability for players and clans to host their own persistent 24/7 servers, with rulesets that suit their tastes, has helped many games foster incredible, long-lasting communities; I'd love to see the same happen for the Master Chief Collection.
A: This is a topic of discussion here but currently this isn't something we're able to commit to in terms of actual community-hosted dedicated servers. A custom games browser is of course very important to us and something we're looking forward to bringing to MCC on PC and Xbox One.
Q: Will the pack be purchasable as a whole or our only option will be to buy the games separately? Also, just to make sure, will Windows 7 and 8 be supported on the Steam version?
A: Both - It's the players choice if they'd like to purchase each of the games within MCC one-by-one as they release or wait and pick them all up at the end. Currently our focus is on Win10 and Win7. Win8 is still being investigated.
Follow-up Q: Can you buy the whole package immediately and wait until other games are available. Like a season pass of sorts. I think many of us would like to purchase the whole thing and just have the new games unlocked as they come out much like the life is strange games episodes.
A: Players can purchase each title one-by-one along the way or wait until the collection is complete at the end. We don't have any plans for a 'season pass' model. For context, it gets tricky when we have a flexible release plan that ties to flighting and ongoing development - it's hard to definitively promise a player when they'll get the thing they paid for (or even what features may or may not be there at one time). We have to get this right on PC and do so in a way that doesn't potentially upset customers.
Q: Any estimate for the price of each game?
A: We'll have more to share on pricing specifics in the future - our prioritiy now is just getting Halo: Reach flighting ready to go.
Q: In regards to framerates, will Reach be playable at 144 fps? Better yet, will there be a framerate cap at all? Will the PC versions of the games be rebalanced in any way for the sake of adapting to KB+M play? What kind of turnout can we expect for the flight testing? Will most players who sign up be accepted, or will the process be highly selective?
A: Current plan is to support 'uncapped FPS' in each title. But, as we move deeper into development on each title, we'll have to determine what's feasible within each game. Delivering great KB+M controls is one of our top priorities. We are exploring different ways to make a balanced, fun experience for PC and will share more details in the future. We've been blown away by the interest and support for the Halo Insider program! Our goal is to balance accepting as many as possible against the specific needs for a particular flight.
Follow-up Q: Is there 144hz support for all of the games? If you're limited to just talking about Reach today that's cool
A: Yes, the goal is to support 144hz+ for all of the games in MCC, though as with things like FOV sliders and framerates, it could vary slightly by title. Fahrny has a brand new 240Hz Alienware monitor he's dying to unbox and start testing on.
Q: Will it have some form of Anti Cheat?
A: Yes! And we'll share more details down the road.
Q: Seeing that a Xbox Live account will be required, will progress / multiplayer progression carry over from console to PC (ie: Halo Reach multiplayer ranks and unlocked armors)?
A: Within MCC, yes, your progress and progression will carry-over between the console and PC versions. All stats, achievements, Forged maps, and game variants will be shared between all of the games within MCC. Mid mission saves will be unique to each platform and cannot be shared.
Your Halo: Reach unlocks and progression from the original game on Xbox 360 will NOT carry over to MCC.
And as a reminder, MCC on Steam will require a free Microsoft Account, but not Xbox Live Gold.
Q: Simply put, what's the ballpark estimate of when people can play Reach in the MCC?
A: Our first major step was opening up the Halo Insider program and building up a participant pool to help us flight all of these games. The response has been amazing, thank you! Our flighting team is working on building out the first audience based on the needs of the game. In parallel, the dev team is working on getting Reach for PC including a solid first pass at the PC UI/controls before we release the first flight. This is underway now and is really the determining factor for timing of the first flight.
Q: Should we expect a Field of View slider, if so, what's the maximum it can go to? How will the frame rate options be? Capped at 60, 144?
A: Yes, support for FOV-sliders is the plan. We will adjust what level of FOV is supported on a title by title basis. As an example, if adjusting the FOV causes significant player/weapon model distortion, we may need to put limits in. Uncapped framerate is the plan, but the specific level of support will vary by title.
Q: -You had mentioned a "Ready when it's ready" approach to the release. Is that literal in the sense of, lets say the first flight somehow goes perfectly and the next flight or 2 go great as well. Will the release be bumped up?
-For Halo Reach, by the time it hit it's EoL we had too many different settings (Base, TU, MLG, CEA) are there plans to condense this down? I would personally love no bloom and the nerfed Armor Lock (or no armor lock lol)
-In the waypoint blog posts there was mention of getting Custom Edition maps working in CE, will there be Custom Edition Map support for MCC on the PC?
A: -We want to get these games into the hands of PC players as soon as possible once they're ready.
-It's too early to get into specifics on what playlists will be available and with what settings, but as always, we'll look to the community for feedback and input as we craft these experiences together.
-We are always investigating ways to bring the wealth of Halo user created content to a larger audience for everyone to enjoy. Halo Custom Edition content is definitely on our list and is actively being explored.
Q: PC System requirements?
A: Ultimately, flighting and the results of those tests will help finalize the min specs but we want to support the widest range of hardware possible. We'll definitely share spec details soon.
Q: Are we going to get dedicated Servers for Reach?
A: Our goal is to continue using dedicated servers to power the matchmaking experiences within MCC. We'll definitely share more details as development progresses.
Q: How many people are currently working on the MCC?
A: While the majority of 343 is hard at work on Halo Infinite, the Publishing Team has partnered with Ruffian and Splash Damage to hep us bring this ambitious project to life. When flighting kicks off, Halo Insiders will also be partnering with us.
Q: Why did you chose to release the games in chronological order and not in release order?
A: Bringing MCC to PC represents a chance to introduce Master Chief's story to a brand new audience and Reach is the fictional starting point for that journey.
Q: Will it be possible for those who own MCC digitally on Xbox be able to play/own the game on PC via "Play Anywhere"?
A: While MCC was released prior to the Xbox Play Anywhere program, we are still exploring ways to recognize the continued support of our Xbox One players so they are also able to enjoy MCC on PC. We will have more details as we get closer to launch.
Q: Will Halo Reach's credit/progression system return? Out of all the Halo titles, Reach had the best customisation and progression system IMO. To add onto this, will the daily and weekly credit challenges return?
A: Halo Reach will be receiving a new and more deeply thought out progression system compared to it's original release. Daily and Weekly challenges likely to return.
Q: Ultrawide Pc support?
A: We plan to support Windowed Mode, 21:9, 16:9, 16:10, 3:2, 4:3
Q: Since MCC on PC will see the games being released chronologically over a period of time, does the team currently have any idea or goals to what that time frame might look like in between each release? Is there currently an internal roadmap that we might be able to get a peak at?
A: Right now the priority is getting Halo: Reach ready for public flighting and work is underway almost in parallel for Halo: CE, which will be the second game. Ultimately we want to get these games into player's hands as soon as possible. We're hesitant to commit to a firm time frame because the truth is they're ready when they're ready. Flighting will be critical to help us get these titles to a great place and depending on how that goes, it could lengthen or extend the release cadence. We'll definitely share more details as we start ramping up flighting.
Q: Will MCC have modding tools
A: We are working closely with the members of the modding community (including some friends on the ElDewrito team) to explore our options for "official" mod support, but we won't have this at launch. Our #1 priority for launch is ensuring we get each of these core games "right" for PC and security/anti-cheat is a big focus. As we've stated, this entire offering will grow and evolve over time.
Q: Should we expect to see the same amazing Ranking/Credit system in Halo:Reach like it was in the past?
A: First, we're happy to say that Halo: Reach in MCC will in fact have the same level of "mix and match" customization found in the original games (all the individual armor pieces, etc..). As to how it's earned, we are exploring a new and deeper progression system that retains the feel of the old systems and blends them with newer models for game progression (all based on in-game play, no type of monetization or anything of that nature)
Q: Will Halo 3 armor be fixed too? I really want to mix and match sets instead of having presets like MCC currently has.
A: Priority one is getting MCC from Xbox One to PC in the right way, as a great PC experience. The current development roadmap for launch doesn't include re-doing how Halo 3 customziation works within MCC but we know this is something fans have been asking for and we will continue to evaluate options for the future. We would like to deliver multi-part armor customization. Halo: Reach will be the first title to support this and we will investigate what is possible for other titles that included armor pieces.
Q: Will the upcoming custom games browser support community dedicated servers, like those found in Halo PC? The ability for players and clans to host their own persistent 24/7 servers, with rulesets that suit their tastes, has helped many games foster incredible, long-lasting communities; I'd love to see the same happen for the Master Chief Collection.
A: This is a topic of discussion here but currently this isn't something we're able to commit to in terms of actual community-hosted dedicated servers. A custom games browser is of course very important to us and something we're looking forward to bringing to MCC on PC and Xbox One.
Q: Will the pack be purchasable as a whole or our only option will be to buy the games separately? Also, just to make sure, will Windows 7 and 8 be supported on the Steam version?
A: Both - It's the players choice if they'd like to purchase each of the games within MCC one-by-one as they release or wait and pick them all up at the end. Currently our focus is on Win10 and Win7. Win8 is still being investigated.
Follow-up Q: Can you buy the whole package immediately and wait until other games are available. Like a season pass of sorts. I think many of us would like to purchase the whole thing and just have the new games unlocked as they come out much like the life is strange games episodes.
A: Players can purchase each title one-by-one along the way or wait until the collection is complete at the end. We don't have any plans for a 'season pass' model. For context, it gets tricky when we have a flexible release plan that ties to flighting and ongoing development - it's hard to definitively promise a player when they'll get the thing they paid for (or even what features may or may not be there at one time). We have to get this right on PC and do so in a way that doesn't potentially upset customers.
Q: Any estimate for the price of each game?
A: We'll have more to share on pricing specifics in the future - our prioritiy now is just getting Halo: Reach flighting ready to go.
Q: In regards to framerates, will Reach be playable at 144 fps? Better yet, will there be a framerate cap at all? Will the PC versions of the games be rebalanced in any way for the sake of adapting to KB+M play? What kind of turnout can we expect for the flight testing? Will most players who sign up be accepted, or will the process be highly selective?
A: Current plan is to support 'uncapped FPS' in each title. But, as we move deeper into development on each title, we'll have to determine what's feasible within each game. Delivering great KB+M controls is one of our top priorities. We are exploring different ways to make a balanced, fun experience for PC and will share more details in the future. We've been blown away by the interest and support for the Halo Insider program! Our goal is to balance accepting as many as possible against the specific needs for a particular flight.
Follow-up Q: Is there 144hz support for all of the games? If you're limited to just talking about Reach today that's cool
A: Yes, the goal is to support 144hz+ for all of the games in MCC, though as with things like FOV sliders and framerates, it could vary slightly by title. Fahrny has a brand new 240Hz Alienware monitor he's dying to unbox and start testing on.
Q: Will it have some form of Anti Cheat?
A: Yes! And we'll share more details down the road.
Q: Seeing that a Xbox Live account will be required, will progress / multiplayer progression carry over from console to PC (ie: Halo Reach multiplayer ranks and unlocked armors)?
A: Within MCC, yes, your progress and progression will carry-over between the console and PC versions. All stats, achievements, Forged maps, and game variants will be shared between all of the games within MCC. Mid mission saves will be unique to each platform and cannot be shared.
Your Halo: Reach unlocks and progression from the original game on Xbox 360 will NOT carry over to MCC.
And as a reminder, MCC on Steam will require a free Microsoft Account, but not Xbox Live Gold.
Q: Simply put, what's the ballpark estimate of when people can play Reach in the MCC?
A: Our first major step was opening up the Halo Insider program and building up a participant pool to help us flight all of these games. The response has been amazing, thank you! Our flighting team is working on building out the first audience based on the needs of the game. In parallel, the dev team is working on getting Reach for PC including a solid first pass at the PC UI/controls before we release the first flight. This is underway now and is really the determining factor for timing of the first flight.
Q: Should we expect a Field of View slider, if so, what's the maximum it can go to? How will the frame rate options be? Capped at 60, 144?
A: Yes, support for FOV-sliders is the plan. We will adjust what level of FOV is supported on a title by title basis. As an example, if adjusting the FOV causes significant player/weapon model distortion, we may need to put limits in. Uncapped framerate is the plan, but the specific level of support will vary by title.
Q: -You had mentioned a "Ready when it's ready" approach to the release. Is that literal in the sense of, lets say the first flight somehow goes perfectly and the next flight or 2 go great as well. Will the release be bumped up?
-For Halo Reach, by the time it hit it's EoL we had too many different settings (Base, TU, MLG, CEA) are there plans to condense this down? I would personally love no bloom and the nerfed Armor Lock (or no armor lock lol)
-In the waypoint blog posts there was mention of getting Custom Edition maps working in CE, will there be Custom Edition Map support for MCC on the PC?
A: -We want to get these games into the hands of PC players as soon as possible once they're ready.
-It's too early to get into specifics on what playlists will be available and with what settings, but as always, we'll look to the community for feedback and input as we craft these experiences together.
-We are always investigating ways to bring the wealth of Halo user created content to a larger audience for everyone to enjoy. Halo Custom Edition content is definitely on our list and is actively being explored.
Q: PC System requirements?
A: Ultimately, flighting and the results of those tests will help finalize the min specs but we want to support the widest range of hardware possible. We'll definitely share spec details soon.
Q: Are we going to get dedicated Servers for Reach?
A: Our goal is to continue using dedicated servers to power the matchmaking experiences within MCC. We'll definitely share more details as development progresses.
Q: How many people are currently working on the MCC?
A: While the majority of 343 is hard at work on Halo Infinite, the Publishing Team has partnered with Ruffian and Splash Damage to hep us bring this ambitious project to life. When flighting kicks off, Halo Insiders will also be partnering with us.
Q: Why did you chose to release the games in chronological order and not in release order?
A: Bringing MCC to PC represents a chance to introduce Master Chief's story to a brand new audience and Reach is the fictional starting point for that journey.
Q: Will it be possible for those who own MCC digitally on Xbox be able to play/own the game on PC via "Play Anywhere"?
A: While MCC was released prior to the Xbox Play Anywhere program, we are still exploring ways to recognize the continued support of our Xbox One players so they are also able to enjoy MCC on PC. We will have more details as we get closer to launch.
Q: Will Halo Reach's credit/progression system return? Out of all the Halo titles, Reach had the best customisation and progression system IMO. To add onto this, will the daily and weekly credit challenges return?
A: Halo Reach will be receiving a new and more deeply thought out progression system compared to it's original release. Daily and Weekly challenges likely to return.
Q: Ultrawide Pc support?
A: We plan to support Windowed Mode, 21:9, 16:9, 16:10, 3:2, 4:3