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The Halo 3 Beta Thread

If you have a look on the video Bungie released yesterday, there looks to be a bit of auto-aim. With the sniper rifle there was anyway.
 
Shake Appeal said:
I was afraid they might nerf duels entirely, which sort of undermines their thinking for Halo 2. they should still be a viable preference, and brutal at close range (although as long as the BR is pretty much intact and the AR functional I'll probably rarely touch them).
Dual weapons are pretty potent. Two spiker rifles raining down upon you is terrifying. I think at this point people are still really experimenting, but I've taken out guys with spiker rifles, SMGs and plasma rifles at this point. All three are excellent close range weapons.

One detail I've noticed - in the GUI, nothing just appears on the screen. For example, players have call signs above their heads. When you target them, the text stretches out and the gamer tag is added - it doesn't just appear. When you pick up a piece of equipment, the icon moves from your feet where it was over to the HUD quickly and seamlessly, like it's being added - it doesn't just pop in there. The booting screen when you start up fades into view quickly. It all adds up to a smoother experience - everything flows together nicely. It's so polished.
 
Watching the beta videos now, I'm noticing that a lot of weapons seem to have infinite ammo? (noticed this on the sniper and rocket launcher). Can't be true right? Can anyone in the beta comment on this?


Few other questions:

- Is the sword or pistol in there? how are they, any different?
- Does the needler still suck?
 
DreamMachine said:
Looks, like a blast to play..

how are so many people playing it already?


I am up for a pm ;)

about 700 in team training last i was on. sadly, only 40 in skirmish :P
 
GhaleonEB said:
Dual weapons are pretty potent. Two spiker rifles raining down upon you is terrifying. I think at this point people are still really experimenting, but I've taken out guys with spiker rifles, SMGs and plasma rifles at this point. All three are excellent close range weapons.

One detail I've noticed - in the GUI, nothing just appears on the screen. For example, players have call signs above their heads. When you target them, the text stretches out and the gamer tag is added - it doesn't just appear. When you pick up a piece of equipment, the icon moves from your feet where it was over to the HUD quickly and seamlessly, like it's being added - it doesn't just pop in there. The booting screen when you start up fades into view quickly. It all adds up to a smoother experience - everything flows together nicely. It's so polished.

I love that! It makes you feel like you're inside the helmet instead of controlling the guy inside the helmet. It's stuff they did in Metroid Prime, but it feels so appropriate here. Also, the "low health" beeping is a great sound this time. Also, I love the health bar centrally located...easier to see in firefights.

Dual wielding is kinda scary to me because the sound that two spiker rifles makes when they're hitting you. The SOUND of bullets hitting you even sounds awesome. :lol

edit: I didn't see the sword or the pistol. Plasma pistol yes though. Did it always use to waste energy when you were charging but not firing?

Also, I think the needler still blows.
 
Sean said:
Watching the beta videos now, I'm noticing that a lot of weapons seem to have infinite ammo? (noticed this on the sniper and rocket launcher). Can't be true right? Can anyone in the beta comment on this?


Few other questions:

- Is the sword or pistol in there? how are they, any different?
- Does the needler still suck?

I think they are playing the Shotgun/Sniper/Rocket game types in those videos. So you only get those weapons and they have infinite ammo.
 
Son of Godzilla said:
I just downloaded the second of Blim's 720 vids. What th hell, that's what people are badmouthing? Looks improved in every imagineable way.

Yep, I don't really understand it either, I'm thinking its the geometry or something. But the effects and lighting are some of the best I've ever seen (especially the effects).
 
PnCIa said:
Screenshots are unrealistically smooth while there is a noticable aliasing effect in the beta.

Well a lot of people in this thread are actually playing the real game, and by the sounds of it there really havn't been a lot of 'jaggies' to report.

Edit: I stand corrected.
 
Well all the shit about "Halo 2 HD" is officially over now. Even I am amazed by the fact that it actually looks really nice. Am looking forward to the beta.
 
GhaleonEB said:
Dual weapons are pretty potent.
exxxcellent. I just worry that with so many weapons to choose from, and equipment and everything else thrown into the mix, that balancing the lot is going to be a nightmare. I'm not a big fan of dual-wielding personally, but I'd hate to see them take a step back from a design choice I admired in Halo 2, even if it was a little too predominant in that game, especially pre-patch

tell me about grenades! everything I've seen suggests the frags aren't as light/skippy as they were in 2, which is a worry for me because bouncing them off walls/up ramps/around corners etc. was just about the one thing I was good at
 
giga said:
Watched the videos?
Of course.

FFChris said:
Well a lot of people in this thread are actually playing the real game, and by the sounds of it there really havn't been a lot of 'jaggies' to report.
See for yourself and take a look at blims 720p video captures. It´s not as bad as PDZ but its noticable, at least in my eyes.
 
giga said:
Watched the videos?

no, hes right. there are jaggies, i imagine some will dwell on it, but jaggies in HD dont bother me much at all.
 
Shake Appeal said:
exxxcellent. I just worry that with so many weapons to choose from, and equipment and everything else thrown into the mix, that balancing the lot is going to be a nightmare. I'm not a big fan of dual-wielding personally, but I'd hate to see them take a step back from a design choice I admired in Halo 2, even if it was a little too predominant in that game, especially pre-patch

tell me about grenades! everything I've seen suggests the frags aren't as light/skippy as they were in 2, which is a worry for me because bouncing them off walls/up ramps/around corners etc. was just about the one thing I was good at

They aren't, but another nice thing is the spike grenade thing, which actually STICKS to the ground...and I'm pretty sure sticks into the ceiling as well. I was playing on High Ground under the bridge where the turret is located and some guy was manning it. I was on the other side. I jumped up, tossed the spike grenade thing, it stuck into the ground and he was mincemeat before he had a chance to know what hit him. :D

If it was H2 style, it probably would have bounced out of the little pathway before it exploded.
 
op_ivy said:
no, hes right. there are jaggies, i imagine some will dwell on it, but jaggies in HD dont bother me much at all.
They're not very apparent to me at all. Maybe because i'm too engrossed at how much fun everything looks. :)
 
Shake Appeal said:
exxxcellent. I just worry that with so many weapons to choose from, and equipment and everything else thrown into the mix, that balancing the lot is going to be a nightmare. I'm not a big fan of dual-wielding personally, but I'd hate to see them take a step back from a design choice I admired in Halo 2, even if it was a little too predominant in that game, especially pre-patch

tell me about grenades! everything I've seen suggests the frags aren't as light/skippy as they were in 2, which is a worry for me because bouncing them off walls/up ramps/around corners etc. was just about the one thing I was good at

the frags still bounce, but arent as bouce happy as halo 2. more like halo 1 in that regard. the spike nades simply rock. its very nice to toss a grenade at something and have it set itself directly into the target. a lot of strat with those things, and they are PLENTIFUL on high ground
 
I like the new medals Bungie has put into the game. There are several accomplishments that went unrewarded in Halo 2 but now they are covered...such as killing the whole team, ending someone's spree, killing someone after you died, etc. Good stuff there. I'm very pleased with this aspect and the whole MP from what I've seen in the vids so far. (thanks Blim)
 
I think I know how they balanced the needler that IMO makes it not very useful. The individual needles are pretty potent, but the "travel time" it takes for the needles to actually impact is a bit too long for me.

I was chasing this guy down and I fired my needles and he managed to out run them and then someone hit me with a mongoose :(

edit: YOu have to remember I'm not a pro, and therefore I'm not using the weapons to "maximum efficiency." I move quickly to new weapons if I don't like what I'm working with...the needler felt slow to me.

I should comment the guy was running sideways.
 
Sean said:
so which is it? :lol

now that the needler is no longer dual wieldable, I thought it'd be a powerful weapon or at least more useful...

it is. dont knw why that guy thinks it sucks...

if your trying to hit someone running sideways from you, most needles will miss, but anyone running at or away is sitting duck if you have the needler. they are fast, and it takes FAR less of them to get a lethal explosion going
 
Y2Kev said:
I think I know how they balanced the needler that IMO makes it not very useful. The individual needles are pretty potent, but the "travel time" it takes for the needles to actually impact is a bit too long for me.

I was chasing this guy down and I fired my needles and he managed to out run them and then someone hit me with a mongoose :(

So the needles still travel that slow? :( From one of the vidocs it looked like there were sped up a lot.

Edit: Just read the posts above and below mine... looks like my worries are gone.
 
Sean said:
so which is it? :lol

now that the needler is no longer dual wieldable, I thought it'd be a powerful weapon or at least more useful...
I've killed people with it every time I pick it up. you can side step it, but if you have direct line of fire, it's all over.
 
yeah I was excited when spike grenades were announced because they appeal to my devious, cowardly side. dropping plasmas at my feet or around corners or in little nooks was always a joy, so being able to wedge a grenade in a doorway or a wall or ceiling just widens the range of possibilities
 
CreepingDea7h said:
So the needles still travel that slow? :( From one of the vidocs it looked like there were sped up a lot.

Edit: Just read the posts above and below mine... looks like my worries are gone.

faster then halo 1 or 2, but still (relatively) slow
 
You're really looking at it the wrong way, angry segarr guy.

Here's how this beta thing goes. (I'm making up numbers and names, but you get the idea.)

Phase 1: Bungie plays by themselves. A pool of 100 players. They makes sure stuff is solid, fix problems they find.

Phase 2: +Select Microsoft employees play. 1000 players. Bungie makes sure stuff is solid, fixes it if not.

Phase 3: +Friends and Family play. 10,000 players. Big stress test, let's make sure things hold up, fix if they don't.

Phase 4: +Crackdown beta, etc. 500,000 players. Internets asplode.


If you go right from Phase1 to Phase4, you're just asking for trouble. It looks like the beta is going really well today, so that's great. But what if, with all these new players, problems were found and it was ****ed? It would mean they have a chance to fix it this week, before everyone like you (who payed their $60 for the beta, apparently) jumps in and finds a broken game.

It's not just the game itself, which is complicated enough. It's XBLive, and all the stats servers, etc. Blindly hoping for the best without solid stress testing is a good way to accidentally have a broken experience.
 
PnCIa said:
Of course.


See for yourself and take a look at blims 720p video captures. It´s not as bad as PDZ but its noticable, at least in my eyes.
Very subtle--looks to be at least 2xAA if not more. Of course though, it's a lot more noticeable from a still picture rather than motion where everything is moving quite fast.

snapshot20070511192741bbw2.jpg


snapshot20070511192938ld7.jpg


snapshot20070511193025nf5.jpg
 
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