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Halo |OT9| One Final Effort Is All That Remains

Havok

Member
Are there any returning aerial vehicles besides the Banshee that have been announced? I wouldn't mind seeing some revamped versions of the Hornet or even the Falcon, but I won't be terribly disappointed if they don't come back.

Indeed, there are plenty of new weapons that could easily take the Laser's place and would undoubtedly work better. It will be interesting to see how it's set up with the ordnance drops.
Falcons can be seen in this screenshot, though we don't know if it's returning to multiplayer. I think that's the right one to bring back--they can afford to make it powerful since it requires 2 people.

Catching up on today's news, laser is disappointing. Hope it isn't final.
 

wwm0nkey

Member
If anyone is wondering why I kept missing the Watchers and the Banshees (and kind of the Elites, but I was able to lead those shots) it's because there was RIDICULOUS lag in the AV system in the hall. Made me miss a neat little vignette, but we will put out a better playthrough at some point.

Sucks how there is always video lag in every event Halo 4 is in considering you guys did great work with the aiming system.

Also the level looked great!


I had to fix all the TVs for the Halo Freeplay at PAX. You'd think PAX, a thing run by gamers would be able to get TVs properly set up... nope

I mean it isn't even that hard! Just set it to game mode, take off the Trumotion BS and to be extra sure just set the input label to PC.
 

Vire

Member
I thought the remake was supposed to cause the least amount of drama. Welp...

*shrug*

I'm really pleased with what I've seen.

Every Halo game needs a box canyon map, it just wouldn't feel right without it. This iteration has the classic feel of "Halo" and looks beautiful compared to the dull version of Forge World. The lighting and grass are bright and colorful and everything just pops. This is something I felt was lacking in forge world environments.
 
Indeed, there are plenty of new weapons that could easily take the Laser's place and would undoubtedly work better. It will be interesting to see how it's set up with the ordnance drops.

That's a pretty good point, the laser could have been a ordnance drop.

Edit: Although cant really see an ordnance meter on those screens because of the quality.
 
But the least amount of drama? We're already complaining about the laser on the map again (rightfully so), there's discussion/concerns of how true the remake is (ramps to top of the bases, etc.), and they threw a mech on the map. Man, I really wished it was death island lol
 

Slightly Live

Dirty tag dodger
I thought the remake was supposed to cause the least amount of drama. Welp...

They brought back one of the most favourite maps from the original trilogy. But they kept the laser. And they added mechs. And they haven't had a chance to address why they think Valhalla works well with Halo 4's sandbox (but anyone with lick of common sense would easily point to the DMR on the map being a bad thing).

We need to wait to hear their explanations but there's a real chance they've brought back a beloved map and ruined it.
 

GhaleonEB

Member
No way, no fucking way. And what design flaws I might ask? As far as I'm concerned Valhalla fixed nothing and only introduced problems. The middle hill being one, the terrible bases second.

We're obviously pretty entrenched in our views here, so we're not going to come to agreement, and this has been argued for years in prior threads. But the short version of my take is:

The hill bisects the sight lines across the map and makes it so players cannot cross-map with the sniper rifle. You can't snipe base to base or from your side of the map to the other players base. This is an enormous flaw on BG.

The sides of the map on Valhalla got rid of the high ledges on BG that allowed for the cross-map sniping. On Hemorrhage you can spawn and get sniped from the other team's ledge (across the map) before you can get to cover. With frequency. Terrible design, fixed on Valhalla.

The central hill is nicely self-balancing in that you have a commanding position on the map - but are also exposed. The other team gets a sniper rifle in their base, and has other tools to flush you off the hill (power drain) or flank you entirely (side man cannon, Warthog, Mongoose). The BR didn't have the range to lock down the entire map from center. Ever hold up on the hill with your team and then watch the attackers drive around you with their Warthog to snag the flag? Yeah.

The base design on Blood Gulch is too binary and too cramped. It's a very small space, and since there are so few ways in, it's very easy to defend. Placing the flag at lower level meant attackers were a fish in a barrel. In a BTB context it's way too cramped.

Too much dead space on Blood Gulch, particularly with the DMR added in Reach. You get pinged from all angles, meaning the majority of the map - the middle - becomes a no mans land. Valhalla scaled the space down, added ravines and high rocks, and made the center as viable as the edges. The entire map plays well, unlike Blood Gulch/Hemorrhage which is basically a big bowl (with high sides!) for players to shoot guys in the center.

The Valhalla bases offer a larger number of ways in and strike good balance between the attacking and defending teams. Players can assault the base from the front ramp, two back ramps, jumping over the center gap in back, or sneak in from the two side entrances and work their way up. The floor is glass, so players can be seen from below, creating some tense cat and mouse moments. A coordinated assault on the base can be devastating, but so can coordinated defense. There's a risk/reward dynamic to the front ramp, and once the flag is taken two immediate ways to get some distance from the bases via the man cannons. The bases are large enough and with enough space within them to fan out players, so it's not a catastrafuck of guys piling into the lower level, as on BG/Hemorrhage.

The smaller scale of Valhalla means base placement is better. There's not a huge, open span between the bases and the sides of the map, so players on foot can actually sneak into them via the cave side or open side, and have cover along the way should they get spotted. That means base assaults on foot are more viable (how often do you walk into the bases on Hemorrhage?). Overall, Valhalla has dramatically improved infantry/vehicle balancing.

Okay, that wasn't so short. But it's actually the short version. You don't need to retort unless you really want to espouse your love of BG - like I said we're probably entrenched here. I hate that map, had few enjoyable games on it, and consider Valhalla the best BTB map in the series.

Incidentally, I think Valhalla will not play well at all with Halo 4's combat sandbox, but we'll see.
 

Karl2177

Member
I, too, love when things fall from the sky to decide matches.
So I hear that the NFL replacement refs were working on Halo 4 before they switched to calling touchdowns.

Sorry, but this is just wrong.

Aside from the Valhalla base thing, you've pretty much been spot on with me today. For the Valhalla bases, to get from the base to the middle of the map, BG gave you a teleporter that lacked danger, but it also gave you a wall of protection from the middle. Valhalla has the mancannons, plus it is a bit more open. If you are going to camp your base in a CTF game, you can't unless you have a slight form of out-of-base control. If you don't they just sweep in and grab the flag and launch it halfway across the map.

I'd say Coag's bases are on par with Valhalla, but one major improvement would be to create a way from the middle floor to the roof of the base.

Valhalla could of course use some improvements, but mainly with weapons. Swap out Laser because it is shit, and spawn everyone with a BR.
 

Stinkles

Clothed, sober, cooperative
Why haven't they at least given us a date to when they'll release the info about the ranking system, instead of just 'later' 5 months later 'later' 5 months later 'later date.'

Because the ranking system is going to be crap and they want as many people to pre-order the game as possible before they release information on it?

email me every Tuesday and I will tell you your rank.

I thought the remake was supposed to cause the least amount of drama. Welp...

Still literally true.
 

Beckx

Member
I wouldn't mind seeing some revamped versions of the Hornet or even the Falcons.

I would dearly love to see the Hornet back, but with a (purely aesthetic) makeover. That thing is a joy to fly.


We need to wait to hear their explanations but there's a real chance they've brought back a beloved map and ruined it.

I hear you, but really, what if the mech is just a tall, armored missile pod? That's what it looks like to me in the action shot of it: two missile pods on either side. So largely an anti air role. And it walks, it stomps on things near it, and it has such a high profile that it gets team shot with no way to effectively respond. We need to know more.

As for the laser, I will happily support team NoSplaser, since I can't hit anything with the damn thing anyway.
 

BigShow36

Member
The shooting skill gap was nonexistent?

Well you certainly didnt play halo 2 at all because the gap is larger in halo 2 than any other halo game by a far margin

Yes, I totally wasn't top 5 on the head to head leaderboards. I totally didn't beat Karma in the only 1v1 we played. You got me there; never played Halo 2.

"nonexistent" was hyperbole, obviously. However, the shooting skill gap in Halo 2 was not good. The game had MASSIVE aim assist.
 

senador

Banned
I think Valhalla is going to be fine with DMR. You'll be able to shoot right back at people using it and there are other routes to the hill. Meh.

Not sure about the mech, but I'm not worried about Laser. Whatever.

Also, Reggie pls.
 

Stinkles

Clothed, sober, cooperative
Frankie's watch looks damn nice. Anyone know what it is?

TagHeuer Aquaracer WAF2110-0 but it looks weird because I hate metal bands because they tear out your wrist pubes, so I swapped it for a rubber strap from one of their proper diving watches. BTW, this is the only nice "thing" I have ever owned. Apart from my TV. I have a crap car, crap clothes, etc, etc.
 

Vire

Member
Yeah I don't see what the big deal is about the laser.

It's part of Valhalla.

I never really had a problem with it.

And I'm glad that there is no longer AR starts on Valhalla since that was terrible.
 

Gui_PT

Member
TagHeuer Aquaracer WAF2110-0 but it looks weird because I hate metal bands because they tear out your wrist pubes, so I swapped it for a rubber strap from one of their proper diving watches. BTW, this is the only nice "thing" I have ever owned. Apart from my TV. I have a crap car, crap clothes, etc, etc.

Well you'll always have your wrist pubes.
 
TagHeuer Aquaracer WAF2110-0 but it looks weird because I hate metal bands because they tear out your wrist pubes, so I swapped it for a rubber strap from one of their proper diving watches. BTW, this is the only nice "thing" I have ever owned. Apart from my TV. I have a crap car, crap clothes, etc, etc.

Your car is probably better than my '98 jeep grand cherokee
 

CyReN

Member
One of my gripes with these gaming events is when they show off new gameplay, and the production director get's it in their head that they are shooting a indie movie or something. Slowly fade out to the crowds and the back of theirs heads, then slowly pan onto Frankie concentrated face. I just want gameplay..
 
Falcons can be seen in this screenshot, though we don't know if it's returning to multiplayer. I think that's the right one to bring back--they can afford to make it powerful since it requires 2 people.

Catching up on today's news, laser is disappointing. Hope it isn't final.
Thanks, I completely forgot about that screenshot. I preferred the Falcon to the Hornet myself and hope that if it comes back, it could be adjusted to allow flag carriers to be passengers by disengaging one of the side guns.

I would dearly love to see the Hornet back, but with a (purely aesthetic) makeover. That thing is a joy to fly.
It was so completely satisfying to 'catch' your flag carrier coming off the mancannons on Avalanche.

This is NeoGAF. We're basically a soap opera.
Why do you strive to hurt my feelings with posts like this?! /dramasquid

Oh, that's been perfectly clear all along.
ruthless, I love it.
 
TagHeuer Aquaracer WAF2110-0 but it looks weird because I hate metal bands because they tear out your wrist pubes, so I swapped it for a rubber strap from one of their proper diving watches. BTW, this is the only nice "thing" I have ever owned. Apart from my TV. I have a crap car, crap clothes, etc, etc.

You would still be the most extravagant person in Scotland right now.
 

Vire

Member
Instant death from any range; invisible red warning beam over XBL; Halo 3's could graze your toe and you'd be dead.

Sure, it's a power weapon. If it wasn't in place the Warthogs would have been terribly overpowered and you could have been easily spawn camped much like the Banshee on Boneyard.

But now you have a DMR so you could easily fight back against a guy with a Spartan Laser.
 

Talents

Banned
Oh, that's been perfectly clear all along.

(Y)
20651774.jpg
 
TagHeuer Aquaracer WAF2110-0 but it looks weird because I hate metal bands because they tear out your wrist pubes, so I swapped it for a rubber strap from one of their proper diving watches. BTW, this is the only nice "thing" I have ever owned. Apart from my TV. I have a crap car, crap clothes, etc, etc.

Don't talk shit about the Fit.
 
If anyone is wondering why I kept missing the Watchers and the Banshees (and kind of the Elites, but I was able to lead those shots) it's because there was RIDICULOUS lag in the AV system in the hall. Made me miss a neat little vignette, but we will put out a better playthrough at some point.

Man, the input lag strikes again, haha. Ah well, they game looks amazing. I guess the part you missed involved the dead Elites with Ghosts around that Knight? It struck me as something that probably had a little more importance.
 

Karl2177

Member
Sure, it's a power weapon. If it wasn't in place the Warthogs would have been terribly overpowered.

But now you have a DMR so you could easily fight back against a guy with a Spartan Laser.

If you're the driver in a vehicle, you can't fight back. It's also very frustrating when you lost the fight for the middle hill in one engagement and now they have control of it. Then you can't use your Hog, Banshee, or two Mongeese; while they still have 1 shot after destroying those vehicles.

Dax has a variant where it is swapped for a Rocket and it works very well. I'd also throw a few more Brute Shots on the map, to mess with the drivers even more.


(Y)
http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/250x250/20651774.jpg[/MG][/QUOTE]
You lack talents when creating memes.
 

Bsigg12

Member
One of my gripes with these gaming events is when they show off new gameplay, and the production director get's it in their head that they are shooting a indie movie or something. Slowly fade out to the crowds and the back of theirs heads, then slowly pan onto Frankie concentrated face. I just want gameplay..

Wait, you don't find it oddly hilarious that they go to pretty much a still shot of Frankie in gamer mode? I was hoping he would have his tongue out at one point during that presentation.


I know I'm late to the Eurogamer demo party, but it looks good. I'm really liking the multiple enemies fighting each other while you fight them as well concept. It could result in some mass chaos which I'm excited for.
 
TagHeuer Aquaracer WAF2110-0 but it looks weird because I hate metal bands because they tear out your wrist pubes, so I swapped it for a rubber strap from one of their proper diving watches. BTW, this is the only nice "thing" I have ever owned. Apart from my TV. I have a crap car, crap clothes, etc, etc.

A humble man..

Oh, that's been perfectly clear all along.

..with jokes


Frankie: The man. The myth. The legend.
 
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