Support NeoGAF

[Woorloog]

Not sure how i feel about just 8 missions... If they're long, OK, that's good. And i did see Ellis' reassurance, umm, Ellis' reminding of Frankie's reassurance that the campaign will compare favorably to previous entries...
All i can hope for is that the campaign lasts about 8 hours for me instead of the usual 6 hours...

Interesting achivements though some are simply plain stupid. Upload a film clip?

 

[StalkerUKCG]

Achievement's seem fine. Nice to see hunters and possibly brutes back. That was one of my concerns. Hoping to get some nice renders of both before the game ships.

Also, 8 Missions if fine. It's all about how long each mission is. And how good.

 

[Fuchsdh]

Not sure how i feel about just 8 missions... If they're long, OK, that's good. And i did see Ellis' reassurance, umm, Ellis' reminding of Frankie's reassurance that the campaign will compare favorably to previous entries...
All i can hope for is that the campaign lasts about 8 hours for me instead of the usual 6 hours...

Interesting achivements though some are simply plain stupid. Upload a film clip?

The point is to get people using features they might not otherwise. Same thing with achievements for editing a map and gametype.

For us, Forge and Theater are basically essential now, but I imagine to a lot of casual players they might not venture out and explore other options without a little push.

 

[Woorloog]

The point is to get people using features they might not otherwise. Same thing with achievements for editing a map and gametype.

For us, Forge and Theater are basically essential now, but I imagine to a lot of casual players they might not venture out and explore other options without a little push.

Misuse of achivements if you ask me. But then i probably wouldn't make normal "finish campaign" or "complete first mission" type achievements in the first place.

EDIT someone needs to fit Awakening to first Halo 4 teaser trailer.

 

[Fuchsdh]

Misuse of achivements if you ask me. But then i probably wouldn't make normal "finish campaign" or "complete first mission" type achievements in the first place.

I'd love to see your list, then (not being snarky, I'm interested.)

Seems to me that Halo achievements fall in three categories: completion/exploration (find all the terminals, finish all missions), incentive to try out new modes or features (Infection, Headhunter, Stockpile achievements, Theater/File Share ones), and "feats of strength" (Leave It Where It Lay, Look Out for the Little Guys). On occasion they also serve as benchmarks in playing a mission a different way (such as a lot of the CEA achievements, which I think were brilliant because they absolutely did make me play a decade old game differently). I think all those categories are good ones.

 

[FyreWulff]

Not sure how i feel about just 8 missions... If they're long, OK, that's good. And i did see Ellis' reassurance, umm, Ellis' reminding of Frankie's reassurance that the campaign will compare favorably to previous entries...
All i can hope for is that the campaign lasts about 8 hours for me instead of the usual 6 hours...

Interesting achivements though some are simply plain stupid. Upload a film clip?

To put it into perspective:

Halo 1 had 10 missions, with the second one basically being "WELCOME TO THE WARTHOG " and fairly fast if you just drive by everything.

Halo 2 had 14 missions on the selection screen (ignoring The Heretic cutscene), which in a newer game would be condensed down into 9 as such:

The Armory & Cairo Station
Outskirts & Metropolis
The Arbiter & The Oracle
Delta Halo & Regret (this one is probably the most obvious)
Sacred Icon
Quarantine Zone
Gravemind
Uprising & The Great Journey (if you don't put High Charity between them)
High Charity

I wouldn't worry about it

 

[Ken]

Full Awakening track: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0E_r2wUsf-Ahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0E_r2wUsf-A

That didn't sound...very special.

 

[Pop]

Fanexpo begins today, so we might see some off-screen gameplay today. I just need to see what build it'll be. I found out yesterday that a bunch of my halo buddies will be at Fanexpo on Saturday as well, this will be good.

Ya filmed with a potato, Good Enough. Hopefully the build is somewhat current with all the new info of specializations we've heard of so far. I would like to see some of them in action today.

 

[Hypertrooper]

Regarding MP rank:

Spoiler

Not Some Recruit Anymore – Rank up your Spartan-IV to SR-5 (15G)
Movin’ on Up – Rank up your Spartan-IV to SR-20 (30G)

What does this mean? Do you "prestige" after 20?

SR-5= Rank 5. SR= Spartan

And achievement does not have to be spoiler-tagged...

Probably a combo of spartan/service and rank/record

Yeah or that.

 

[Rand0m TAG]

SR-5= Rank 5. SR= Spartan

And achievement does not have to be spoiler-tagged...

Probably a combo of spartan/service and rank/record

 

[Ken]

Spare Ribs.

Duh.

 

[TheOddOne]

Spare Ribs.

Duh.

You always know what to say to me, Ken. Nom nom nom.

 

[bobs...onGaf]

Yep. Kinda glad they didn't do a Legendary edition this time. Wouldn't be able to afford it.

Great time for rich Halo fans though.

Man even if I won the lottery I wouldn't buy all that. Should be a matter of principle rather than one of affordance. I still can't believe how overpriced the 360 is, could probably buy a PS3 and normal 360 with games for that price.

OST at 75 is just bizarre, how do they justify that price?

I might get the LE depending on what it includes, but the content would have to justify the money, and we dont even know what it includes?

Love the achievments, really impressed with the direction 343 went with them. I don't really mind too much but I think if 343 mentions things might be spoilers that people mark them with spoilers here though.

 

[Woorloog]

I'd love to see your list, then (not being snarky, I'm interested.)

Seems to me that Halo achievements fall in three categories: completion/exploration (find all the terminals, finish all missions), incentive to try out new modes or features (Infection, Headhunter, Stockpile achievements, Theater/File Share ones), and "feats of strength" (Leave It Where It Lay, Look Out for the Little Guys). On occasion they also serve as benchmarks in playing a mission a different way (such as a lot of the CEA achievements, which I think were brilliant because they absolutely did make me play a decade old game differently). I think all those categories are good ones.

If i were making achievements, feats of strenghts give a good idea of what i'd make.
Also, multiple (if similar) conditions for one achivement, if possible.
Need to think more in-depth about this later on

 

[Ken]

Man even if I won the lottery I wouldn't buy all that. Should be a matter of principle rather than one of affordance. I still can't believe how overpriced the 360 is, could probably buy a PS3 and normal 360 with games for that price.

OST at 75 is just bizarre, how do they justify that price?

I might get the LE depending on what it includes, but the content would have to justify the money, and we dont even know what it includes?

Love the achievments, really impressed with the direction 343 went with them. I don't really mind too much but I think if 343 mentions things might be spoilers that people mark them with spoilers here though.

It's Halo.

 

[Pop]

Spartan Rank

:/ Let's be serious here

Spoiler

mmm Ribs

 

[Petrichor]

Full Awakening track: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0E_r2wUsf-Ahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0E_r2wUsf-A

Am I the only one who thinks that this sounds like boss battle music?

(or am I just getting that from the title and its obvious link to the didact?)

 

[Portugeezer]

People trying to say the game will be 3 hours long.

 

[Zeouterlimits]

OST at 75 is just bizarre, how do they justify that price?

I might get the LE depending on what it includes, but the content would have to justify the money, and we dont even know what it includes?

We don't? I thought we got the list of what is in it?

People trying to say the game will be 3 hours long.

Talk is cheap.

 

[Woorloog]

People trying to say the game will be 3 hours long.

Well, that's how long ODST is. I finished it solo Heroic in 3 hours 20 minutes a couple of days back.
OK, ODST is a short game, not really comparable.

But even Halo 3 doesn't take but 4-5 hours at most on Heroic for me.
Halo 4 will, of course, take a bit more time while it is new... but i'd love for any replays to last for at least 8 hours or so at least as well (first playthrough 10-12 hours?).

I doubt my wishes will be true though, i'll expect Halo 4 first playthrough taking about 8 hours. Heroic. Hope i'm wrong and it'll take far longer.

 

[PooBone]

First impression: Really disappointed there's only 8 missions. Figured they'd pack in at least 10 since they're trying to prove themselves with their first game. Hopefully these missions aren't the length of some of the missions in Halo 2, 3, Reach, ODST, basically any campaign that isn't Combat Evolved. *sigh*

Also, damn gravity hammers are back.

No achievements added to Spartan ops each week, as they're already there.

And there's like 10 achievements for doing shit in the menus.

All in all, pretty lame set of cheevos if you ask me, but at least they didn't put a bunch of dumb shit in multiplayer, like get a splatter spree on a map that never shows up in matchmaking.

 

[bobs...onGaf]

We don't? I thought we got the list of what is in it?

Talk is cheap.

I know we got a picture, but I don't think that covered what it includes? I know about the timed access to perks, the avatar costume and free first three map packs, but what else is there?

 

[PooBone]

People trying to say the game will be 3 hours long.

Based on the average length of a Halo mission, I expect the game to be about 6-7 hours on my first heroic playthrough.

 

[PooBone]

I know we got a picture, but I don't think that covered what it includes? I know about the timed access to perks, the avatar costume and free first three map packs, but what else is there?

I saw a list of what it includes, the two disks, a t shirt with your avatar on it, making of featurette, a book, and some other stuff. I don't think I'll be getting it, and if I saw someone with a tshirt of their avatar I'd have to fight the urge to punch them in the face.

EDIT: Official list, there's a link in the bulletin for those internet challenged:

- The Special Edition is available in a limited quantity, each exclusively numbered.
- Original Soundtrack CD includes 15 Tracks!

- Bonus remix CD of remix CD includes DJ Skee & THX, Gui Boratto, Sander Van Doorn & Julian Jordan, Apocalyptica, Caspa and more.

- 180 Gram, 12" Master Chief picture disk vinyl of remixes.

- Making of Halo 4 Music DVD and book that feature behind the scenes photos and, footage from the Abbey Road sessions, and Neil Davidge's production and composition notes.

- 12"X12" Halo 4 Art Print.

- PLUS for the first 5000 special edition box sales only, a Halo 4 Avatar download code.

DOUBLE EDIT: Not for me.

 

[Rickenslacker]

Considering most Halo games would actually benefit from cutting a level entirely I'm not really worried about Halo 4's level count. The quantity is irrelevant, the length and quality of the levels themselves are paramount.

 

[Ken]

I know we got a picture, but I don't think that covered what it includes? I know about the timed access to perks, the avatar costume and free first three map packs, but what else is there?

A limited edition plastic bag.

 

[Zeouterlimits]

I know we got a picture, but I don't think that covered what it includes? I know about the timed access to perks, the avatar costume and free first three map packs, but what else is there?

Wait, you're not talking about the OST LE?
The Game (and the OST) LE contents are known, no?

War Games Map Packs
Specializations Access
The Special Edition of Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn
unique in-game Spartan IV armour skin,
unique in-game weapon skin for the Assault Rifle,
an exclusive in-game emblem,
Xbox LIVE Avatar prop
Xbox LIVE Avatar Spartan IV armour set.
UNSC Infinity Briefing Packet which includes a Spartan armour customisation schematic, an introduction to the massive ship UNSC Infinity and SIV fiction pamphlets

I saw a list of what it includes, the two disks, a t shirt with your avatar on it, making of featurette, a book, and some other stuff.

What?

 

[StalkerUKCG]

Well, that's how long ODST is. I finished it solo Heroic in 3 hours 20 minutes a couple of days back.
OK, ODST is a short game, not really comparable.

But even Halo 3 doesn't take but 4-5 hours at most on Heroic for me.
Halo 4 will, of course, take a bit more time while it is new... but i'd love for any replays to last for at least 8 hours or so at least as well (first playthrough 10-12 hours?).

I doubt my wishes will be true though, i'll expect Halo 4 first playthrough taking about 8 hours. Heroic. Hope i'm wrong and it'll take far longer.

3 Hours 20 is not counting cutscene's and stuff right?

Saying any game have a X hour campaign is entirely subjective on so many factors.

Did they run it like a normal person
Did they stop and explore areas like a fan would
Did they spreed run it to get it over with
Did they try and complete all the side missions/achievements on each level before moving on
Did they skip cutscenes.

A few of the above is going to greatly change the play time and thats only an example people play the campaign in so many different ways and die a different number of times.

I recently played darksiders and reported a 20 hour plus completetion times. Others however have said they finished that game in 6-8 hours.

Im not bad at the game and i rarely died but i did backtrack and explore a great deal.

Along side H4 campaign we have SpOps which is going to be about LONG when its all released.

No one can judge campaign until its release but iv never been disappointed in the length of a halo game yet.

 

[PooBone]

To put it into perspective:

Halo 1 had 10 missions, with the second one basically being "WELCOME TO THE WARTHOG " and fairly fast if you just drive by everything.

Halo 2 had 14 missions on the selection screen (ignoring The Heretic cutscene), which in a newer game would be condensed down into 9 as such:

The Armory & Cairo Station
Outskirts & Metropolis
The Arbiter & The Oracle
Delta Halo & Regret (this one is probably the most obvious)
Sacred Icon
Quarantine Zone
Gravemind
Uprising & The Great Journey (if you don't put High Charity between them)
High Charity

I wouldn't worry about it

Condensed? Pfft. Where are you getting this from?

 

[User 73706]

This has to stop. People's mobile site's are going to explode.

 

[PooBone]

What?

Thought he was talkin about the OST LE.

 

[FyreWulff]

Condensed? Pfft. Where are you getting this from?

Condensed as they'd only be one slot on a mission select UI. Stuff like Metropolis and Regret would just become Rally Points instead.

Like, while you're playing the game, you probably didn't even notice at first that you were suddenly in a new level when you got to The Oracle or Regret, since it's one coherent space.

 

[PooBone]

Considering most Halo games would actually benefit from cutting a level entirely I'm not really worried about Halo 4's level count. The quantity is irrelevant, the length and quality of the levels themselves are paramount.

While I sort of agree with you, there is something to be said for levels like the library (which I like) or Cortana adding PACING to the journey. I don't want 8 missions that blow you away nonstop. If I wanted that I'd play Call of.....


Oh no.

 

[PooBone]

Condensed as they'd only be one slot on a mission select UI. Stuff like Metropolis and Regret would just become Rally Points instead.

And they wouldn't have a mission selection for a cutscene, followed by another mission that checks your stick settings....

 

[Rickenslacker]

While I sort of agree with you, there is something to be said for levels like the library (which I like) or Cortana adding PACING to the journey. I don't want 8 missions that blow you away nonstop. If I wanted that I'd play Call of.....


Oh no.

Halo 3's pacing is fine without a grueling fun killing level like Cortana. There's nothing defensible about it. Though while Library gets pretty boring, it was a fun little zombie shotgunning romp on my first playthrough I'll admit.

 

[PooBone]

Halo 3's pacing is fine without a grueling fun killing level like Cortana. There's nothing defensible about it. Though while Library gets pretty boring, it was a fun little zombie shotgunning romp on my first playthrough I'll admit.

I liked the environment, it was interesting to look at.

What's everyone's thoughts on the music samples they released? Sounds more like a generic action movie score to me. Not hearing any of the sense of wonder you get from the O'Donnell soundtracks (besides Reach, which had completely militaristic and forgettable tracks in my opinion).

 

[willow ve]

Well, that's how long ODST is. I finished it solo Heroic in 3 hours 20 minutes a couple of days back.
OK, ODST is a short game, not really comparable.

But even Halo 3 doesn't take but 4-5 hours at most on Heroic for me.
Halo 4 will, of course, take a bit more time while it is new... but i'd love for any replays to last for at least 8 hours or so at least as well (first playthrough 10-12 hours?).

I doubt my wishes will be true though, i'll expect Halo 4 first playthrough taking about 8 hours. Heroic. Hope i'm wrong and it'll take far longer.

The only way to make a 8 hour game would be to have either A) a lot of running/driving/travel time or B) a lot of repetitive battles.

If it takes 10-12 hours to beat the game (on Heroic) that would be 1 hour 15 minutes per level. I don't know about you, but rarely do I want to sit down a play a campaign level (after beating the game) for fun and/or achievements and have to invest over a full hour for it.

The campaign should be about 6-8 hours on Heroic while playing Solo. Add in 2 hours of cutscenes and I would be fine with that.

 

[monome]

As regards to prices for Halo 4 :

Limited console bundle : 400$
Regular console bundle : 280$
Tritton Warheads halo 4 themed : 300$
Limited edition game : 100$
Art book : 35$
Game : 60$
Limited Controller : 60$
Regular controller + game : 70$
Other Tritton set : 180$
CD : 14$
MP3 : 10$
Limited CD : 75$

Also the books retail on hardcopies first these days making them rather 25$ than 15$ and McFarlane toys have competition from the 50$ Play Arts which are very poseable too.

But they do make an effort to keep all base products affordable while giving invested fans truly (Tritton Warheads being glossy black with painted decals on it is shit!!!) rewarding premium items.

An OST for 75$ is horrible, yet producing the additionnal music is mostly done outside of the game's development budget, not supported by a music's Major and destined for a very limited crowd.

Considering that Halo games are all destined to have MP, I wouldn't mind shelving 100$ for day 1 digital editions, no avatar tshirt needed.

 

[Plywood]

Halo 3's pacing is fine without a grueling fun killing level like Cortana. There's nothing defensible about it. Though while Library gets pretty boring, it was a fun little zombie shotgunning romp on my first playthrough I'll admit.

Halo 3's pacing is shite for as long as there are Cortana flashing in your face segments. I hated that so much. At the very least there should've been an option to disable it upon beating the campaign.

 

[squidhands]

Halo 3's pacing is shite for as long as there are Cortana flashing in your face segments. I hated that so much. At the very least there should've been an option to disable it upon beating the campaign.

Flashbacks are always the price for doing (or in the Chief's case, forced to do) heavy drugs. You learn to live with it eventually.

Loving the dongblain achievement, I feel so insular!

 

[Ken]

As regards to prices for Halo 4 :

Limited console bundle : 400$
Regular console bundle : 280$
Tritton Warheads halo 4 themed : 300$
Limited edition game : 100$
Art book : 35$
Game : 60$
Limited Controller : 60$
Regular controller + game : 70$
Other Tritton set : 180$
CD : 14$
MP3 : 10$
Limited CD : 75$

Also the books retail on hardcopies first these days making them rather 25$ than 15$ and McFarlane toys have competition from the 50$ Play Arts which are very poseable too.

But they do make an effort to keep all base products affordable while giving invested fans truly (Tritton Warheads being glossy black with painted decals on it is shit!!!) rewarding premium items.

An OST for 75$ is horrible, yet producing the additionnal music is mostly done outside of the game's development budget, not supported by a music's Major and destined for a very limited crowd.

Considering that Halo games are all destined to have MP, I wouldn't mind shelving 100$ for day 1 digital editions, no avatar tshirt needed.

Don't forget the H4 Mountain Dew.

 

[monome]

Don't forget the H4 Mountain Dew.

Do you have a price to quote? It clearly is a premium item as a gamer can sustain a playthrough using regular water only.

Truly, 343i cares for all of its fanbase.

 

[Rickenslacker]

Halo 3's pacing is shite for as long as there are Cortana flashing in your face segments. I hated that so much. At the very least there should've been an option to disable it upon beating the campaign.

Agreed, I'm not a fan in general when scripting or story elements take priority to playability. Really liked that you could pretty much run past moments like that in Reach for replayability.

 

[Tawpgun]

Im totally down with an 8 mission long campaign if the missions are relatively long.

And more importantly, if SpOps live up to its hype.

 

[Plywood]

Agreed, I'm not a fan in general when scripting or story elements take priority to playability. Really liked that you could pretty much run past moments like that in Reach for replayability.

It really did hamper the replayability of the campaign for me which sucks because H3 does have some really enjoyable levels.

 

[Vire]

The only problem I have with 8 missions is the potential to lose out on different environments. If the level morphs along the way and you get drastic scenery changes (The Covenant) I'll be okay with it.

 

[Ramirez]

SpOps success hinges on coop lag, Im not getting my hopes up.

 

[monome]

The only problem I have with 8 missions is the potential to lose out on different environments. If the level morphs along the way and you get drastic scenery changes (The Covenant) I'll be okay with it.

8 missions = 8 visually different environments.

Spoiler

and the Composer bit from the achievements means shit will happen.
It should make shit rain all over humans/forerunners and announce the terrible events of Halo 5. So whether Flood comes back and rips environments or some more disturbing shit, I do believe Requiem won't end up nice and cozy if the Chief, the Didact and the Composer end up there.
Requiem being ravaged/mutated will probably pose as to how you don't want the rest of the galaxy to end up if the Chief does not act and lead into Halo 5 events.

 

[The P of Poland]

Never gotten all the hate for Cortana (level). Personally, I think, as do several other people on here, that it doesn't matter how many missions there are nearly so much as what's in those missions.
Varied environments.
Interesting and challenging encounters.
Good storytelling.
And so on.

 

[Hypertrooper]

I hope I am fine because I pre-ordered the Halo 4 OST Special edition at halo4soundtrack.com/row.html . Now everyone is linking to halo4soundtrack.com. Both are two different retailers if I see correctly. :/

8 missions = 8 visually different environments.

Don't count on going from mountain to a sea to lush prairies in the course of one mission.

That and all the structures will be forerunner themed.

I do expect scripted environmental mutations though, if only to close previously available sections and move the player towards the endgame at a rather fast (and cinematic) pace.

The number of levels in the game (as revealed via Achievement listings) has no particular bearing on the length of the Campaign – and our levels are split thematically and for reasons of fiction as much as they are by location or “map.” There are a couple of instances in the game where a “level” actually comprises different environments and radically different play styles that might otherwise have been split into different levels. In terms of length of Campaign, it’s similar to most other Halo games and the number of hours to complete will depend on difficulty level, number of players and play style, just like before. Some folks will rock as many vehicles as they can and try to blast through as fast as they can, while others will stare at every rock, blade of grass or hidden corner and take weeks to get through a level.

And Halo 4 - in a doubling down of the grand tradition of previous Halo games, encourages exploration, experimentation and replay with all sorts of methods, from hidden story content, to achievements, to easter eggs and beyond.

Over and above that, every copy of Halo 4 includes access to Spartan Ops, with ten weeks of content, and five missions for each of those weeks means that in terms of story-driven gameplay experience, this has far more single player and cooperative content than any other Halo game, period.