Seeing the Reaper ships fucking up EVERYTHING in the background was amazing and you know they hit the UK right before they got to you which showed that they can and will mess this planet up very quickly. They took out the moon and the entire space defenses in a matter of minutes then started sending forces onto the ground to just murder the crap out of people.
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Halo |OT| HaloGAF Evolved
- Thread starter GhaleonEB
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Seeing the Reaper ships fucking up EVERYTHING in the background was amazing and you know they hit the UK right before they got to you which showed that they can and will mess this planet up very quickly. They took out the moon and the entire space defenses in a matter of minutes then started sending forces onto the ground to just murder the crap out of people.
The points where the demo achieves that feeling are when they're forcing the player to walk on a two foot wide path with the game taking away camera control to show explosions, then an awful, awful attempt at heartstring tugging. If they have to do that to achieve that feeling in a Halo game, they can keep it out as far as I'm concerned. Even beyond that, the city felt just as sterile as the one in Exodus. The difference is that they force you to look at what's happening in lieu of giving the player agency to control his own camera and possibly miss their beloved setpieces.
Brolic Gaoler
formerly Alienshogun
The difference between Reach and ME3 was that the covenant glassing Reach felt sterile and disconnected. The invasion was simply to get to the forerunner structure, everything else was a disconnected annihilation. The covenant simply destroyed the planet from orbit.
ME3 was a much more visceral hands on genocide.
ME3 was a much more visceral hands on genocide.
I agree with that but I am mostly talking about the the story leading up to the events and seeing the reapers in the background destroying the city. I agree taking away controls for the camera got annoying and I also did not like that but everything else was awesome.
The Librarian
Banned
New Alexandria was a better, more somber depiction of an alien invasion than what I saw in the ME3 demo.
Tha Robbertster
Member
I'm pretty sure the invasion was to completely destroy Reach. Otherwise, they wouldn't have come with around 500 ships. They knew Reach was a human stronghold so they came in full forces (according to the book). But that's the problem with Reach's story, we don't really know anymore how the invasion went.
Somber Alien Invasion......an alien invasion is not supposed to be somber.
Demoncarnotaur
Member
I havent played the ME3 demo to compare, but TBH I also agree that Halo reach really dropped the ball with the idea of the city being destroyed and the population trying to survive and escape. It just didn't feel as chaotic nor did it have the emotional impact that it could/should have had.
Brolic Gaoler
formerly Alienshogun
Well, they came with the ships because it was a stronghold, but they landed because they wanted the technology on the planet. The "killing" was mostly done from space.
In the case of the reapers, they are landing and doing shit "themselves."
"The Covenant are on Reach"
The Librarian
Banned
Aha. Says who? The effects of an alien invasion are mass murder, crumbling infrastructure, decimation of a planet, etc... Those effects are all "gloomy, depressing, or dismal," to take one definition of the word. A point of no hope, desperation.
An alien invasion can be anything given the context of the story.
Dreamed about owning a Gauss cannon last night.
And that Longshore port looks great. Author: Fyrewulff, yes?
Still though, it was a good atmosphere. I played that at 1 in the morning, easily the most memorable level for me.
And that Longshore port looks great. Author: Fyrewulff, yes?
Still though, it was a good atmosphere. I played that at 1 in the morning, easily the most memorable level for me.
The Librarian
Banned
When I think somber I mostly think grey, boring and depressing, all things the Reach story was to me lol
Actually I liked Lone Wolf a lot fighting for your life to know it will all end soon was amazing. There where a few times in Reach where they get the point that Reach is screwed but much more could have been done, It actually felt like we where more a less on a covenant planet as it felt like they where already there to begin with.
New Alexandria is more a depiction of the invasion's aftermath, than the invasion itself.
Which we never really see in Reach. I still don't understand how they got on the planet - the largest human military installation (which we also don't see evidence of) without being noticed. The whole handling of the invasion and the lack of context around it is still baffling to me. It was a huge fleet invading a huge military planet, and it feels like a small, isolated skirmish.
Hypertrooper
Member
The Data Drops are explaining it kind of. ONI let them on the Planet to hijack a cruiser.
Yep. The problem is the slow start of the campaign. They should have started with TotS.
Brolic Gaoler
formerly Alienshogun
Well, the main glimpse you get is after Jorge dies and all the ships come out of slipspace. If I remember right, it cuts away before they stop coming.
Wasn't the first part a "shock" troop? The main invasion doesn't kick off till after Jorge dies, right?
ncsuDuncan
Member
This is one area COD kicks Halo's ass so many ways, the campaign is all out crazy invasion style. Why do I have to read a datapad to know how the Covenant arrived.
Remember that old Halo 2 reveal Trailer? (the one with the invasion) That is what I thought we were going to get with Reach, since they failed to properly show this in Halo 2 as well.
Tha Robbertster
Member
Yep, when Jorge blows up the super cruiser, the main covenant fleet showed up. I think that is supposed to be the down described in the books. With a little bit of rewriting, Reach could have fit in with the book easily.
What they should have done is made that part longer when the ships come in, show them all over the planet glassing it and people running and screaming while we see the covenant on the ground messing everything up and end with an elite stabbing someone in the back and then yell at the camera right before it cuts off.
All we got to see was a bunch of ships, which was cool but we didnt see what all they did.
Worst delivery ever. I've heard more passion in the voice coming out of a Mcdonalds drive-thru speaker.
I haven't been following those lately - I need to catch up - but they don't change the experience in the game. As Frankie often says, each game and story needs to function as a self contained piece. Post release content explaining narrative problems in the prior game just doesn't work for me.
I still wonder if that was placeholder stuff left in for some reason.
Steelyuhas
Member
Personally, I don't expect it to change much, if at all.
You don't hire Ron Livingston to deliver your placeholder lines.
I have no excuse for Carter's delivery later in the level.
Brolic Gaoler
formerly Alienshogun
sorry for double, meant to edit.
Brolic Gaoler
formerly Alienshogun
True, but at the same moment you have a sense of urgency as six is plummeting to Reach.
I think they capitalized on the "Holy shit look at all those ships" and transitioning to the now injured, alone, and against a huge army, six, who while coping with the loss of a comrad, also has to get back with his teammates, while navigating this genocide in progress he's crash landed into.
I mean with the transition.
Bungie.net stopped supporting it right?
See, to me it was perfect.
Carter is a cold blooded war veteran and superb/calm leader.
There's only a hint of dread in his voice when he says that line, which was perfect.
Yeah I understand that but they could have also done something like I suggested to show when you get back on earth things are about to get a lot worse.
"Its the Winter Contingency"
Steelyuhas
Member
Oh I see. Bungie's support stops on the 31st of March I believe. 343 will be giving everyone 24 slots in file share, but there is no word on rendering film.
Carter didn't say the particular one that's infamous.
Brolic Gaoler
formerly Alienshogun
Huh?
The Real Napsta
Member
Wasn't there word on rendering film? Something along the lines of they aren't doing it?
Brolic Gaoler
formerly Alienshogun
Oh wow, that would be lame if true. Even COD allows you to render, it even auto posts to youtube.
Whole other can of worms.
I'm in the "emp from a nuke" camp.
Hypertrooper
Member
I agree. But the most people don't really care about "small" things like this. I know some people who like the story of Reach, and are thinking it is the best story in the Halo series. Overall I like that 343i tries to fix some of Reach's plotholes afterwards.
Brolic Gaoler
formerly Alienshogun
Ah, yeah, I gotcha.
Yeah, coming from regular troops you would expect a bit more "emotion." I don't think it effected me much because of my background though. Coms are supposed to be calm (military channels), but yeah, for his first time coming across the net about a completely unexpected alien invasion there should have been more emotion.
The Librarian
Banned
That's what I was saying. Kind of. "The effects of an alien invasion..." I mean, the effects are as much a part of the invasion as the actual invading.
I guess what I was trying to say was New Alexandria does what it sets out to do better than what ME3 does what it sets out to do.
"May God help us all."
That's a fair reason though. Halo 3 spoiled us with (sometimes overly) emotional regulars. And when I think about it, considering Reach is supposedly the largest military stronghold, the relatively small infiltration we see wouldn't be a huge thing to panic over.
It's mostly just the poor choice of voice actor; his voice exudes "placeholder."
If I may direct you to a Tunavilol banned) production: Halo: Reach Alternative Intro.
I really, really liked that. Especially the reversal of time. Starting with LNoS would be odd, but fun.
ElzarTheBam
Member
Gonna play Halo wars customs in 15 mins, hoping for a 3v3, already have 2 in the lobby (including me), send me a message over XBL, if you wanna join us.
Batteries on iPad is dying, won't be able to check forum responses.
Batteries on iPad is dying, won't be able to check forum responses.
bobs...onGaf
Member
Im up for that!
I'm with the "She forgot to activate her shields" guys, if they exist. Isn't that one of her informed character flaws that was never brought up at any prior point in time during the campaign?
Lack of situational awareness, I mean. Which is sort of important in a soldier. I'm absolutely dumbfounded that she managed to move up the ranks if one of her most prevalent character traits is her inability to grasp what's going on around her.
HigherLevel
Member
I just noticed on waypoint.com I've only played 12 custom games in Reach. I hope Halo 4 brings everyone back so that customs are a nightly occurrence.
your iPad takes batteries?
Bad direction, maybe. The guy is a famous film actor, I'm pretty sure he could have injected some emotion into those lines if told to do so.
ElzarTheBam
Member
Fine, charge, you scumbag!
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