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An Oral History of the Halo 2 E3 2003 Demo
- Thread starter Oozer3993
- Start date
Same. So many great memories...
I do remember watching it repeatedly on a XBM DVD I had back in the day. The DVD eventually broke
lol I used to save all my XBM discs. The feels
Great thread OP. I can't get enough of the making of the Halo games.
What did you find disappointing about the campaign? Personally one of my favorite single player campaigns in a first person shooter, although I might be clouded by nostalgia. I should note that I played it years after release and wasn't part of the hype train.
What did you find disappointing about the campaign? Personally one of my favorite single player campaigns in a first person shooter, although I might be clouded by nostalgia. I should note that I played it years after release and wasn't part of the hype train.
Agreed about throwing away Halo CE's amazing engine, still the best gunplay in the series. Halo 2 has more responsive jumping and movement, but Halo CE still combines strafing and shooting better than any other Halo. On top of all the other stuff that Halo CE does, but the core mechanics of moving and shooting is still the best as far as console shooters go.
It's why I love Shadowrun so much, they based it off the Halo CE engine, if it ain't broke, don't fix
rewrite
That being said, amazing OP, one of my favorite E3 stories overall, just so much money and effort poured into a practically useless demo.
Icyflamez96
Member
why is halo doing a rasengan
Indrid Cold1
Member
Amazing work OP, top thread.
giancarlo123x
Banned
Great thread. It would be cool if they end up releasing the demo someday.
Northeastmonk
Gold Member
I got this book sometime in 2005.
Halo 2 was a huge announcement for me because everyone I knew at the time played Halo and wanted a sequel. I remember watching the demo and the live feed where they were on Zanzibar with the rocket launcher. Those times were very memorable. It peaked for a very long time too. Lots of people thought you played Halo if you played video games. I showed the footage to everyone I knew. Thought it would excite the not so hardcore gamers. You could just say, "hey, heard of Halo? There's a sequel that looks awesome!''.
It was great then it felt like you were somewhat being drowned out by the excitement. Those first few impressions were great. Now I hear from gamers who never played it or they don't even like Halo. It feels sort of weird to me. I'd have the menu going full blast at home with people over playing MP.
Halo 2 was a huge announcement for me because everyone I knew at the time played Halo and wanted a sequel. I remember watching the demo and the live feed where they were on Zanzibar with the rocket launcher. Those times were very memorable. It peaked for a very long time too. Lots of people thought you played Halo if you played video games. I showed the footage to everyone I knew. Thought it would excite the not so hardcore gamers. You could just say, "hey, heard of Halo? There's a sequel that looks awesome!''.
It was great then it felt like you were somewhat being drowned out by the excitement. Those first few impressions were great. Now I hear from gamers who never played it or they don't even like Halo. It feels sort of weird to me. I'd have the menu going full blast at home with people over playing MP.
SaganIsGOAT
Junior Member
I thought that the E3 2004 MP demo made it pretty clear the graphics had changed. I was still hyped watching those vehicles explode, the rockets track, the boarding and the ability to play as an Elite.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1AOHoyDFuA
i remember just thinking that MP had reduced effects for other reasons. many MP games look quite a bit different from SP, even today.
Jack Scofield
Member
I'm still bitter about this.
Ozzy Onya A2Z
Member
But did he ever stick it?
Compsiox
Banned
What makes it worse is that they acted like they didn't know it couldn't run on Xbox when they implemented features that would render a consumer version useless.
Like most fans at the time, I was disappointed with the end product. It was unquestionably a great game, but we expected more. Looking back now, I'm impressed by how much Bungie was able to accomplish under pressure, delays, and difficulties.
The story really is epic (correct usage of the word), and the multiplayer is some of the most balanced, competitive, and fun experiences available in gaming.
Most of the content from the E3 demo is actually in game, albeit in a less grand/cinematic way. Sadly, some things were omitted. Everyone knows the line "Bet you can't stick it," and it's not even in game. Missed opportunity. Personally, I really wanted to see the jackal phalanx in game as well (tactics, man).
If you're interested in Halo 2: what could have been, there were at least three levels cut from the game. One of which was aboard a Cov Cap Ship (after entering via EVA) at the end of which you fought a Drinoll (think that's the correct name) boss battle. If only they had more time...
The story really is epic (correct usage of the word), and the multiplayer is some of the most balanced, competitive, and fun experiences available in gaming.
Most of the content from the E3 demo is actually in game, albeit in a less grand/cinematic way. Sadly, some things were omitted. Everyone knows the line "Bet you can't stick it," and it's not even in game. Missed opportunity. Personally, I really wanted to see the jackal phalanx in game as well (tactics, man).
If you're interested in Halo 2: what could have been, there were at least three levels cut from the game. One of which was aboard a Cov Cap Ship (after entering via EVA) at the end of which you fought a Drinoll (think that's the correct name) boss battle. If only they had more time...
It did run on Xbox according to everything they've said, and they did originally intend to ship the game with that system. At some level it wasn't that crazy of an idea; unified lighting+shadowing stencil systems were a cool new thing that was also being pursued by Id, and when they used expensive cutting-edge shading that could occasionally spike and cause drops in Halo 1, it had ultimately worked out okay.
The issue is that stencil systems can experience aggressive fillrate spikes when used in complex environments (depending on the extent to which silhouette extrusions are currently filling the screen), and it can be hard to mitigate it without causing major graphical problems. Which is an area that had been well explored... by absolutely nobody until Bungie put a serious effort into integrating it into representative Halo environments, in the same period of time they were putting the E3 demo together. Sure enough, shortly thereafter is when they ditched the system.
They probably should have planned better on an engineering level. They maybe could have been more honest about the rebuild. But at the time, they weren't lying about intending to use the original approach.
Ozzy Onya A2Z
Member
If I recall correctly Bungie had 3 dev kits sync'd running the demo so it could crunch it. Someone correct or confirm my old man memory...
Miles Quaritch
Member
I didn't know this was a rule.
Makes sense though. Otherwise everyone would bring along unrepresentative video demos.
Vindicator
Member
That's a great read, thanks for the effort.
The Dutch Slayer
Member
What a great topic OP well done fantastic work.
Thanks everyone!
I've been working on it here and there for the past two weeks or so. I actually ran up against the character limit for the first post. I also came across a bunch of non-interview stuff and I wanted to include that, so I threw together the second post.
I've been working on it here and there for the past two weeks or so. I actually ran up against the character limit for the first post. I also came across a bunch of non-interview stuff and I wanted to include that, so I threw together the second post.
The Lamonster
Member
Watching this demo over and over was certainly a magical time, as was finally getting to play Halo 2 itself.
I thought the Halo 2 campaign did indeed live up to this demo and I was only unsatisfied by the game's ending (or lack thereof). Can't wait to play through it again when I have confidence that MCC won't erase my progress, break my Xbox One and spit on my mother's grave.
I thought the Halo 2 campaign did indeed live up to this demo and I was only unsatisfied by the game's ending (or lack thereof). Can't wait to play through it again when I have confidence that MCC won't erase my progress, break my Xbox One and spit on my mother's grave.
The Lamonster
Member
Damn you for planting these awesome ideas in my head.
I think they had it running on three different machines so if one failed the demo would still continue on stage without fault.
Dev kit to consumer box memory ratio is correct. I doubt anyone actually forgot that. If my recollection is correct, at one point the game was running on four Xboxen in tandem during development. I still need to watch that one hour anniversary documentary so I am probably losing some facts to history. This game and Half-Life 2 sure seemed to change a lot in their last 18 months of development.
Fattony12000
Member
Good post.
Ein Bear
Member
Amazing thread, incredible work OP!
Halo 2's development has always absolutely fascinated me. I'd love to play that demo for myself one day and see some footage of the cut levels.
I think I remember hearing in an interview once that Bungie have all the dialogue recorded for the original ending of the game... Hearing that is like my gaming holy grail.
Halo 2's development has always absolutely fascinated me. I'd love to play that demo for myself one day and see some footage of the cut levels.
I think I remember hearing in an interview once that Bungie have all the dialogue recorded for the original ending of the game... Hearing that is like my gaming holy grail.
I can only imagine...
H2A recreation. Fully playable... no bugs... H2A assets...
OR
Blur CGI asset-quality awesomeness. Kind of like the infamous Killzone 2 2005 E3 trailer with first person view "gameplay".
man. The latter would be so epic.
Superb article and an awesome trip down memory lane! I'll certainly never forget the studio, the people, the work, the fans and the entire experience surrounding the demo and e3. I'm fairly certain I have a kit still with this build on it. Now I'm feeling nostalgic and might just dig it up (akin to finding the unmarked Ark of the Covenant box in the government warehouse).
As a kid who didn't really know much about Halo until late 2004, this was the trailer that sold me on Bungie's vision.
Not even the gameplay, just that glorious establishing shot:
The looming hivelike arcology, the quiet music, the intriguing subtitle of "New Mombasa, East African Protectorate" that hinted at a deep and richly-imagined universe. And what do you know, Outskirts and Metropolis remain my favorite examples of video game worldbuilding environmental design ever.
Fantastic post.
Not even the gameplay, just that glorious establishing shot:
The looming hivelike arcology, the quiet music, the intriguing subtitle of "New Mombasa, East African Protectorate" that hinted at a deep and richly-imagined universe. And what do you know, Outskirts and Metropolis remain my favorite examples of video game worldbuilding environmental design ever.
Fantastic post.
freeofgreed
Member
Holy crap OP you brought me back. I remember watching this trailer on G4 12 years ago...the feels. I do remember not caring back then and wondering what all the hype was about.
Mr. Nice_Guy
Member
This is incredible, great work OP! This is also one of the reasons why, no matter how much I like a developer, or what their track record is, I don't generally believe anything until I have the product in front of me.
A small bit of speculation on my part:
Joe Staten mentions cutting one thing from the original plan for the demo.
Then during the Halo 2 Developer's Commentary included in the Legendary Edition of Halo 3, he says this:
It's possible the Scarab is what Joe was referring to when mentioning something "too big to fit into the classroom." Side note: in the commentary, Joe also reveals that the Scarab was originally intended for Halo 1.
Yup, Marty mentioned on the Bungie podcast in 2007 that the entire ending had been recorded. And that it wasn't just a mini Halo 3. And while doing an interview for Destiny in 2013, Jason Jones seemed open to discussing the ending of Halo 2 at some point. I haven't given up hope of the ending getting out some day.
Joe Staten mentions cutting one thing from the original plan for the demo.
Then during the Halo 2 Developer's Commentary included in the Legendary Edition of Halo 3, he says this:
Joe Staten said:
It's possible the Scarab is what Joe was referring to when mentioning something "too big to fit into the classroom." Side note: in the commentary, Joe also reveals that the Scarab was originally intended for Halo 1.
Yup, Marty mentioned on the Bungie podcast in 2007 that the entire ending had been recorded. And that it wasn't just a mini Halo 3. And while doing an interview for Destiny in 2013, Jason Jones seemed open to discussing the ending of Halo 2 at some point. I haven't given up hope of the ending getting out some day.