-
Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!
The Halo 3 Beta Thread
- Thread starter GhaleonEB
- Start date
Buttonbasher
Member
I'm getting a co-op feel here. "player interactions". Dunno.siamesedreamer said:
godhandiscen
There are millions of whiny 5-year olds on Earth, and I AM THEIR KING.
If online co-op is not there, a part of me will die.
Buttonbasher
Member
I just had a horrible vision of finishing a level, where there was an awesome fire fight, and the music from Sonic the Hedgehog starts playing, and it totals up Kills, and hit ratios and stuff.swander said:
Please don't let it be like this.
Dr Zhivago
Member
GDJustin said:waaay too many achievements focused on single playerThe multiplayer has so much depth I'd hoped we'd see some multi achievements tied to specific gametypes (take over a total of 50 territories, or cap 25 flags, or whatever).
I'm happy. I hate games where the majority of the achievements are multi-player.
Buttonbasher
Member
Chief: I'm approaching the facility now, what--swander said:
"DOUBLE KILL."
Lord Hood: You need to access the--
"TRIPLE KILL"
Cornballer
Member
I'd suggest you...swander said:
I get a little busy, and come back to the Halo 3 Beta Thread to see that I missed the news of Shoe going to see Halo 3 SP soon, those BR and Carbine replicas, AND the huge news of the official Halo 3 Achievement list? Whoa!
First off, those replicas look sweet! I wonder how big they are... from the Beta (and in my stats), the Carbine was my go-to weapon, but that could change in the final - but then again, the BR is more recognisable as a Halo weapon... I wouldn't know which to choose...
Secondly, the Achievements are very, very achievable - and I love how
- going to be a blast earning those!
Second of all, the
And finally, the
Man, I can't wait to see what Bungie has in store for us at E3... even if it's a level made just for E3, I just NEED to see an example of Halo 3 SP soon! Or maybe the new customisable armor in action, or even the Elites!
See, this is how people's taste differ - for every person that would want something like that as an Achievement (in this case, you), there'd no doubt be 10 people saying that it's a waste of points... just saying...
First off, those replicas look sweet! I wonder how big they are... from the Beta (and in my stats), the Carbine was my go-to weapon, but that could change in the final - but then again, the BR is more recognisable as a Halo weapon... I wouldn't know which to choose...
Secondly, the Achievements are very, very achievable - and I love how
the Skulls, one of my favorite Easter eggs in the Halo Universe, get their own Achievements like I asked a looooooong time ago - I love looking for their little secrets!
Second of all, the
terminals - another special thing to look for per level... from what I understand, these gave extra info in Marathon, so not only do we get to hunt around for another little mini-objective in the huge levels, but we may get rewarded with extra info too!
And finally, the
meta-games! Could this be the endless enemy modes people were asking for, or from the rumors of Halo 2? We have to get a minimum amount of points, so whatever the objective, it kinda does imply that there may be infinite enemies, or a possible way to earn extra points with stuff like headshots, stickies, etc.... VERY interesting!
Man, I can't wait to see what Bungie has in store for us at E3... even if it's a level made just for E3, I just NEED to see an example of Halo 3 SP soon! Or maybe the new customisable armor in action, or even the Elites!
GDJustin said:
See, this is how people's taste differ - for every person that would want something like that as an Achievement (in this case, you), there'd no doubt be 10 people saying that it's a waste of points... just saying...
Chittagong
Gold Member
Oh god I miss the Beta
I miss people coming up the stairs in High Grounds
I miss racing to the shotgun in Snowbound
I miss fighting at the hill where the man cannon lands at Valhalla
I miss people coming up the stairs in High Grounds
I miss racing to the shotgun in Snowbound
I miss fighting at the hill where the man cannon lands at Valhalla
siamesedreamer
Banned
Skilotonn, I think you could be right with the points varying depending on how you kill the guy. So, instead of just a flat X points for killing a Brute, its X+5 for killing the Brute with a stick or X+10 for killing the Brute with a headshot. That could really help to differentiate the better players on timed runs (especially if they do some kind of leader board).
Buttonbasher
Member
:lolGhaleonEB said:
Uno Ill Nino
Banned
GhaleonEB said:
Oh, I know they've been stating it'll have co-op and all that. I'm just telling the kid that I wanted 4-player co-op for Halo 2 since Halo 1 had the whole 2P thing covered already. Plus, with the Warthog being so awesome, 4 players just seemed like a no-brainer.
So with that in mind, I'm trying to keep the "No-brainers" at a minimum for Halo 3. You go expecting something and you'll never get it. I'm pretty sure 2P online is in the bag though. 4 would be asking too much even though there's not a person alive who wouldn't want it.
siamesedreamer said:
Yup - I like how they are doing this (whatever it may be exactly) to enhance an-already replayable Campaign-type series as Halo... as if saving replays wasn't a hell of shot of replayability already!
Bungie really isn't playing around at all... Since E3 will only be two months away from release, I wouldn't be surprised that they'd tell us about this there...
CreepingDea7h
Member
I'm a little lttp here but...
Terminals? Meta-game? Campaign hype + 100000. I have no idea why but I am so excited over the terminals, should be a great way to incorporate some back story into the game, and those who are uninterested (uninterested in Halo's story? How can that be...) can just skip over them.
Son of Godzilla
Banned
Just wondering, is it Guilty Spark that Tartarus has at the end? For some reason I thought Truth had a little servbot with him, but guess not. Oh and speaking of the moron council, was it ever explained why Regret invaded Earth? Beyond the whole "he had an itch in his pants" thing.
CreepingDea7h
Member
I believe Regret invaded earth to look for forerunner artifacts (the ark), Cortana mentions that the Covenant weren't expecting humans to be there which is why they came with such a small force.Son of Godzilla said:
While on the topic of past Halo games, I was wondering if anyone else had any framerate problems while playing Halo:CE on their 360. It usually doesn't last very long but can be annoying at times.
ToyMachine228
Member
Online Co-Op is a must. It was planned for Halo 2 and I'll be damned if Bungie didn't want to include it in Halo 3. Also psyched to see a bit of focus on the single-player in the achievements. Single-player is what originally made me love Halo.
Xenon
Member
GDJustin said:waaay too many achievements focused on single player
MP sould have standings not achievments. I don't think people need the hoops to make online more interesting.
siamesedreamer
Banned
CreepingDea7h said:
Yes........the Library really chuggs in some spots.
the first two arbiter levels in halo 2 are just awful -- lax and sloppy and dull in a way that the first halo never is. and halo 1 has got a couple dud levels itself. i must have been too distracted by the coolness of fighting alongside elites to notice how bad this stuff was. i still think the covies are really well characterized.
delta halo is a classic, though. lots of memorable firefights on awesome craggy terrain, plenty of br and sniper ammo, helljumpers, a scorpion. it's everything you could want in a halo level. though there probably are too many respawning ghosts.
delta halo is a classic, though. lots of memorable firefights on awesome craggy terrain, plenty of br and sniper ammo, helljumpers, a scorpion. it's everything you could want in a halo level. though there probably are too many respawning ghosts.
Recently replaying 2 and I have to disagree with the Arbiter levels. I actually enjoyed them quite a bit more than I remembered...probably because of instead staying back and shooting I've been focusing on the sword. The camo gives the ability to be running out in the open more often, and an abundance of swords means you get through most fights much more quickly...my gameplay strategy is much different with the Arbiter. Your elites survive longer because if their shields, the banshee levels pretty fun, and I dug the flood + covenant portions. Annoying boss fight at the end though
In comparison, on Earth and in Delta Halo I remember destroying about 100 ghosts and treading slowly in the way too many areas to avoid getting insta-killed by a sniper. Damn Bungie I hope you dont make snipers insta kills on Legendary for Halo 3, because this shit is not fun. The Sniper is like a dot on the screen, sees me immediately and then shoots perfectly the first shot. And if he manages to miss, he is never alone so you probably are still screwed. Plus some snipers always manage to spawn ONLY after you enter a certain area. So if I look at a roof and its clear, walk two feet, then the sniper magically appears and shoots me down. WTF
I'll agree that the level design and appearance on the Master Chief levels are great though. Especially on Delta Halo. Big improvement over the majority of Halo1
In comparison, on Earth and in Delta Halo I remember destroying about 100 ghosts and treading slowly in the way too many areas to avoid getting insta-killed by a sniper. Damn Bungie I hope you dont make snipers insta kills on Legendary for Halo 3, because this shit is not fun. The Sniper is like a dot on the screen, sees me immediately and then shoots perfectly the first shot. And if he manages to miss, he is never alone so you probably are still screwed. Plus some snipers always manage to spawn ONLY after you enter a certain area. So if I look at a roof and its clear, walk two feet, then the sniper magically appears and shoots me down. WTF
I'll agree that the level design and appearance on the Master Chief levels are great though. Especially on Delta Halo. Big improvement over the majority of Halo1
Saw this on HBO: BOLL create a cool animated gif from the beta, but I'm not going to embed it in this post, as it could cause epileptic seizures.
Click here if you dare
Click here if you dare
I have to agree with your thoughts on the Arbiter levels. I don't think his cloaking device gets enough love - it completely changes the way I play the game. Combined with the sword, it's much more tactical. Losing enemies around a corner via cloak and circling around to nail them from behind never gets old. The Arbiter's first two levels are among my favorite in the game, partly because of that.Future said:
Why are people complaining about snipers killing you with one headshot? Isn't that what a sniper is supposed to do? :lol
Maybe tone down their aim a little bit where they miss part of the time. But I never had a problem with Outskirts on Legendary. It was a challenge, but not "punishing" as some people say.
Maybe tone down their aim a little bit where they miss part of the time. But I never had a problem with Outskirts on Legendary. It was a challenge, but not "punishing" as some people say.
CreepingDea7h said:
I'm playing through it at the moment and i do get a fair bit of stuttering when it tries to load certain areas.
This is my second time playing through the game, after beating it when it first came out. Legendary is fun, it's a decent challenge in some parts but not as tough as i thought it might be.
After this i'll finally try to play through H2
I only played like 2-3 levels at most when it came out and i thought it was too repetitive and never played it again (was a friends copy anyway ).I want to have played through them both before i play H3
A bit of a bump, but I thought this belonged in here as a coda.
Edge wrote their review of the Beta (framed as a preview of Halo 3) online, and Next-Gen is hosting it. It's a great read and one of the ones that most lines up with my thoughts. It's all excellent so I'll quote the whole thing below.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Love, Bungie reads the message on the screen as your first look at Halo 3 loads. It can never be argued that Bungie hasnt been good to its fans. If anything, the success of Halo 2s multiplayer is testament to the care the studio takes of its audience.
With the public multiplayer beta of Halo 3, Bungie once again gave something back: more than a demo, its a chance for fans to take part in the development process, a big thank you for the success of the series.
But the gifts dont end there, as jumping in for the first time you were immediately reminded of how Bungie operates, of how incredibly user-friendly everything is. Halo 2s matchmaking system should have revolutionised the way online gaming is handled on consoles, yet for some reason has yet to be matched. Halo 3 promises to do just that.
Visually, Halo 3 has a lot to prove, with the success of Epics Gears Of War raising the expectations and Bungie itself stoking the fires each week in studio updates via its website. Halo 3 doesnt disappoint. The rich, colourful environments debuted in the multiplayer beta have a bright clarity, creating an unusually consistent game-world in which everything looks like it belongs.
Realism has never been a goal that Halo has chased, but thats never prevented the series from creating vibrant, believable worlds and that stands true a third time around. The HDR lighting which floods every map as you tear around them on bright sunny days may be the first thing you notice over Halo 2, but its Halo 3s use of environmental detail (greenery, water, snow) and, most importantly, scale, that makes a lasting impression.
The three maps on offer were cleverly chosen specifically to demonstrate the most popular Halo game-types: Highground, a dusty run-down military compound similar in structure both visually and tactically to Halo 2s Zanzibar, for team-based games; Valhalla, a huge grassy canyon reminiscent of Halos Blood Gulch and playing a similar role in objective-based play; and finally Snowbound, a smaller, bowl-like ice map for one-on-one deathmatches.
All three are considerably larger than anything seen in the previous games, causing players to rely heavily on Bungies new additions to gameplay with regards to long-distance travelling, namely the Mongoose ATV, rescued from the cutting-room floor of Halo 2, and the highly entertaining Man Cannon (something like Unreal Tournaments jump pad). While each offers a serious tactical advantage, both have clearly been tuned for fun, spicing matches with dashes of slapstick and daredevilry.
But when compared to the previous games, Halo 3 is little odd. It would be difficult to pick any real standout advances here on the surface, similar in scale to, say, the addition of dual wielding in Halo 2, yet subtle refinements in the series multiplayer offerings abound. Listening to criticisms of fans and combined with lessons learned from releasing Halo 2 under pressure (and in near-immediate need of a serious update) has proven worthwhile.
Some hated Halo 2 for its reliance on dual wielding. Others loved it for that very reason. Some will only ever touch Halo, offended by the sequel and its changes, while others swear the sequel was where the series began. Its clear Bungie has taken all of this on board, balancing every single aspect of the game from weapon rates of fire to map design, and enforcing an enjoyable game the 500th time you boot up. Its paid off, too, as despite the wide range of weapons not one feels as though it entirely supplants the rest.
Never in Halo 3 will you feel as though youre ill equipped for the task at hand, or that you cant eliminate your opponent with the weapon already equipped. On the subject of equipment, arguably Bungies big twist this time around is the addition of tactical deployables mapped to the X button. Similar in frequency of use to the Overshield or Active Camo, these one-shot power-ups offer a last-chance escape in overbearing situations. The Bubble Shield puts up an energy wall through which bullets wont pass. The Power Drainer removes the shields of all in the vicinity as well as disabling vehicles, the Grav Lift is a portable jump pad for a speedy exit, and the Tripmine enables stealthy vehicular destruction.
Slotting into the flow and feel of Halo immediately, and with weapon balancing as close to perfect as this, your deployable kit can mean the difference between winning and losing. It adds yet more choice to a game that fundamentally relies on decision making rather then execution the opportunity, not the outcome for its thrills and spills. With a September release approaching fast, its clear Bungie is feeling confident. Its already learned all it needed to for Halo, and is now concentrating on incorporating absolutely everything it can to enable it to excel. Three games in, and Halo is still as much a labour of love today as it was when the series launched, and that care and dedication is reflected back from its fans. Love, Bungie indeed.
http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6139&Itemid=2
Edge wrote their review of the Beta (framed as a preview of Halo 3) online, and Next-Gen is hosting it. It's a great read and one of the ones that most lines up with my thoughts. It's all excellent so I'll quote the whole thing below.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Love, Bungie reads the message on the screen as your first look at Halo 3 loads. It can never be argued that Bungie hasnt been good to its fans. If anything, the success of Halo 2s multiplayer is testament to the care the studio takes of its audience.
With the public multiplayer beta of Halo 3, Bungie once again gave something back: more than a demo, its a chance for fans to take part in the development process, a big thank you for the success of the series.
But the gifts dont end there, as jumping in for the first time you were immediately reminded of how Bungie operates, of how incredibly user-friendly everything is. Halo 2s matchmaking system should have revolutionised the way online gaming is handled on consoles, yet for some reason has yet to be matched. Halo 3 promises to do just that.
Visually, Halo 3 has a lot to prove, with the success of Epics Gears Of War raising the expectations and Bungie itself stoking the fires each week in studio updates via its website. Halo 3 doesnt disappoint. The rich, colourful environments debuted in the multiplayer beta have a bright clarity, creating an unusually consistent game-world in which everything looks like it belongs.
Realism has never been a goal that Halo has chased, but thats never prevented the series from creating vibrant, believable worlds and that stands true a third time around. The HDR lighting which floods every map as you tear around them on bright sunny days may be the first thing you notice over Halo 2, but its Halo 3s use of environmental detail (greenery, water, snow) and, most importantly, scale, that makes a lasting impression.
The three maps on offer were cleverly chosen specifically to demonstrate the most popular Halo game-types: Highground, a dusty run-down military compound similar in structure both visually and tactically to Halo 2s Zanzibar, for team-based games; Valhalla, a huge grassy canyon reminiscent of Halos Blood Gulch and playing a similar role in objective-based play; and finally Snowbound, a smaller, bowl-like ice map for one-on-one deathmatches.
All three are considerably larger than anything seen in the previous games, causing players to rely heavily on Bungies new additions to gameplay with regards to long-distance travelling, namely the Mongoose ATV, rescued from the cutting-room floor of Halo 2, and the highly entertaining Man Cannon (something like Unreal Tournaments jump pad). While each offers a serious tactical advantage, both have clearly been tuned for fun, spicing matches with dashes of slapstick and daredevilry.
But when compared to the previous games, Halo 3 is little odd. It would be difficult to pick any real standout advances here on the surface, similar in scale to, say, the addition of dual wielding in Halo 2, yet subtle refinements in the series multiplayer offerings abound. Listening to criticisms of fans and combined with lessons learned from releasing Halo 2 under pressure (and in near-immediate need of a serious update) has proven worthwhile.
Some hated Halo 2 for its reliance on dual wielding. Others loved it for that very reason. Some will only ever touch Halo, offended by the sequel and its changes, while others swear the sequel was where the series began. Its clear Bungie has taken all of this on board, balancing every single aspect of the game from weapon rates of fire to map design, and enforcing an enjoyable game the 500th time you boot up. Its paid off, too, as despite the wide range of weapons not one feels as though it entirely supplants the rest.
Never in Halo 3 will you feel as though youre ill equipped for the task at hand, or that you cant eliminate your opponent with the weapon already equipped. On the subject of equipment, arguably Bungies big twist this time around is the addition of tactical deployables mapped to the X button. Similar in frequency of use to the Overshield or Active Camo, these one-shot power-ups offer a last-chance escape in overbearing situations. The Bubble Shield puts up an energy wall through which bullets wont pass. The Power Drainer removes the shields of all in the vicinity as well as disabling vehicles, the Grav Lift is a portable jump pad for a speedy exit, and the Tripmine enables stealthy vehicular destruction.
Slotting into the flow and feel of Halo immediately, and with weapon balancing as close to perfect as this, your deployable kit can mean the difference between winning and losing. It adds yet more choice to a game that fundamentally relies on decision making rather then execution the opportunity, not the outcome for its thrills and spills. With a September release approaching fast, its clear Bungie is feeling confident. Its already learned all it needed to for Halo, and is now concentrating on incorporating absolutely everything it can to enable it to excel. Three games in, and Halo is still as much a labour of love today as it was when the series launched, and that care and dedication is reflected back from its fans. Love, Bungie indeed.
http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6139&Itemid=2
Mr Vociferous
Member
That was a good read. I have a hard time forging small, compact articles like that so its good to see it and see the thought put behind it...
The author nailed a few aspects of Halo and Bungie so succinctly it's almost criminal. I've re-read that write-up several times, and I keep coming back to this:Mr Vociferous said:
If there's a more precise description of Halo's gameplay strength, I haven't seen it.
He also understands how Bungie - and their fans - work.
Love, Bungie reads the message on the screen as your first look at Halo 3 loads. It can never be argued that Bungie hasnt been good to its fans. If anything, the success of Halo 2s multiplayer is testament to the care the studio takes of its audience.
Three games in, and Halo is still as much a labour of love today as it was when the series launched, and that care and dedication is reflected back from its fans. Love, Bungie indeed.
It's not often that you hear of sequels to major blockbusters described as a "labor of love", but it is certainly applicable here. The Beta is a clear demonstration that Bungie wants this game to be the best they can possibly make it, and how deeply they took their fans reaction to Halo 2. So many developers/publishers would have taken the millions of copies sold and cranked out annual installments, or at least a two-year development cycle, but Bungie is taking their time to do it right. As long a the wait is, the Beta showed to me that it will be more than worth it.
Mr Vociferous
Member
The best lighting for me was easily Snowbound, but maybe that had to do with the reflections on the textures more than the lighting systems themselves. High Ground had some pretty bad ass exposure scenarios when you stepped out of the bunker. There was a lot of fun to be had there...Skilotonn said:
Instigator
Banned
This has been nagging me for a while, but was anyone bothered by the low number of grenades in the beta (and possibly the final game)? 6 max versus 8 in the first Halo games? Now that could be enough for multiplayer, but I have my doubts for the Campaign mode on Legendary. Halo 2 already reduced grenade damage (especially plasma grenades) and the reduction of the number of grenades you can carry in Halo 3 is not a good sign.
When you don't have the right weapon, grenades (when used skillfully) can be life-savers, but apparently less so with each sequel.
When you don't have the right weapon, grenades (when used skillfully) can be life-savers, but apparently less so with each sequel.
Bungie did talk about that decision a few times. The lower number of grenades you can carry is balanced against a larger number of them made available around the maps. The idea was to make the combat more active - a little less hunkering down and raining grenades eight at a time, and more throwing a few and then moving to find more. You never had to go far to find large caches of them. It forces a subtle change in the way the game plays.Instigator said:
It had a side effect of making me take a bit more care in how I used them, since they had to count that much more. I thought it worked pretty well.