Quote:
Originally Posted by brown_dogg
aussies turn for beta has not even come around yet
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brown_dogg
aussies turn for beta has not even come around yet
I don't think the Halo 3 multiplayer beta has come out in the UK either
^^ You guys should check out copies of the game "Crackdown" at EB and shit like that. If it has a sticker on the cover saying something about the Halo 3 beta, then that's your ticket in i'm pretty sure.
No Halo.
hahaha yeah i know this......... just herd last night our chance starts on the 16th of may. thanks for keeping up to date jaspQuote:
Originally Posted by brown_dogg
Yeah I've already got that one but still no Halo 3 :(Quote:
Originally Posted by brown_dogg
I checked the bungie website and they said it would be released May 16th
Yea the beta starts on May 16th in North America too. I don't know if you guys got a chance to see the leaked Zanzibar footage. Shit was amazing.
Actually i'll post it.
It's pretty cool to see how the shield bubble works, but I still think it's pretty gay. Also the portable gravity lift and tripmine are gay. To me it just feels like the game might not have a "halo" feel to it, but we'll see what happens when it comes out.
The sniper rifle looks sickk!
its the original sniper from halo 1Quote:
Originally Posted by brown_dogg
Yepp, that's why it's sick!
Portable grav lift is the dumbest shit ever. When the hell would you use that?
are you serious ? example: say your playing assault or capture the flag and your attacking, the other team has their base locked down apart from unsuspecting windows, ledges or roof tops, then you sneak ya portable grav lift up under that bitch then POW you got three of your team mates and you into the unprotected area 4 strong and they might not even know your in the base yet. i reckon they are just adding things that the game lacked, thanks for the vid of zanzibar shit looks mad. peace.
bumpa to bumpa
At least I know where you're gonna be attacking if we ever have a match
nice sig by the way
thats the thing, you think you know, but you never will *evil laugh*
oh yeah she's a fox huh *rubs groin*
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halo 3 co-op online ? makes you wonder huh.
Design a Halo 3 Emblem!
Posted by Frankie at 5/2/2007 11:06 AM PDT
David Candland, our UI artiste extraordinaire, asked, “Wouldn’t it be fun to have a Bnet reader design an emblem and include it in the shipping game?” Well wouldn’t it? Of course it would. So we’re going to give one lucky Bnet reader the chance to design an emblem to be emblazoned forever in Halo 3. Below is a template of a typical emblem. The rules are simple:
- Your emblem must consist of only two colors.
- Your emblem must be able be identified if the secondary portion is toggled off. See below for examples.
- Your emblem must look good when it’s tiny.
- Your emblem must be original art. Do NOT copy anything. All entries that look remotely like other logos or corporate images will be ejected. Same goes for National flags.
- Nothing offensive. Nothing rude, racist, -secks-ual!- or otherwise stupid in nature.
Remember, we’re looking for something cool and original. Maybe your Halo clan has a cool original logo, but this will be used by folks outside of your clan too, so don’t send us something you don’t want others to use. And obvious as this sounds – don’t send us one you made in Halo 2 please. We have those already…
The winner will have their emblem design featured in Halo 3, and we will pick the winner based on purely aesthetic considerations. We will pick the one we deem best suited to appear in the game and if we don’t get one we like, we won’t use one.
Make sure that your examples are 128x128 pixels and in either gif or Jpeg format. Don’t worry if you’re not an artist – we will redraw the winning image anyway, so if it’s not pixel-perfect don’t sweat it.
Send jpegs or gifs, with file sizes NOT to exceed 128k to:
[email protected]
And if you’re not au fait with Photoshop, Paint or whatever, then simply draw your entry on a piece of paper and send it to:
Emblem Assembly
Bungie Studios
One Microsoft Way
Redmond
WA
98052
Unfortunately, this contest is not open to everyone (US and Canada only, for starters). Make sure to read the full list of official rules and regulations HERE.
Halo 2 Playlist Update and Stat Reset
Posted by Achronos at 5/9/2007 5:18 PM PDT
SketchFactor writes: It took a little longer than we would have liked but we're happy to announce that later tonight the new maps will finally be integrated into the Halo 2 Xbox Live matchmaking playlists. As you know by now, the original map release didn't go as smooth as we had hoped due to some billing and download issues and then afew wrinkles with the maps themselves. Over the past two weeks those problems were all addressed - everyone should be able to download the maps just fine and the geometry issues that were discovered in Tombstone have been addressed.
As a result of this map "repair", everyone who purchased the maps prior to Monday 5/7will need to download them again. This is required if you want to play the maps online - only the new versions will work in Matchmaking and they are not compatible with the older versions for custom games or offilne play. You will not, I repeat, you will NOT be billed a second time if you already purchased the maps. However, do keep in mind that each purchase is tied to a single Xbox console. If you downloaded it on your Xbox 1 the first time and try to download it again on your Xbox 360, you will be charged again. Or, if you were one of the few who found the billing loop-hole the first time and weren't charged, you will be charged this time.
Tonight's update means that both new maps will be REQUIRED in order to participate in some of our matchmaking playlists. However, we are keeping several playlists in their oldschool state so if you don't have the new maps you will still have some options. Here's the breakdown of what will be available after this update:
Rumble Pit - Unranked - New Maps Required
Double Team - Ranked
Team Slayer - Ranked - New Maps Required
Team Skirmish - Ranked - New Maps Required
Team Training - Unranked
Team Snipers - Ranked - New Maps Required
Team Hardcore - Ranked
Team SWAT - Unranked - New Maps Required
Big Team Battle - Unranked
Of course you can continue to play custom games with or without the new maps as much as you'd like.
We've been bracing you for this for a little while now but we're also resetting all Halo 2 online rankings tonight as part of this update. In light of the new maps, changes we've made to some banhammer functionality and a desire to regroup the population to better facilitate game matches, we are wiping the slate clean. Naturally this will cause joy for some and outrage for others. Hey, it's "just a number", right? And the people who were legitimate high level players should have no problem quickly ascending the ranks once again.
Lastly, we are finally happy to confirm that Tombstone and Desolation will be available for free download in early July. We don't have the exact date locked but it will be around the first week. Stay tuned to Bungie.net for the final details.
Thank you to everyone for your continued support of Halo 2 and your patience as we've been working through some of these issues.
I feel sorry for the high ranking elite on this game having to do it all again
fuck em, like it says they should not have any troubles getting back where they were. i just jumped on - shit is hectic, motherfuckers ranked one are owning the shit all over the place, i might give it a day or two too cool down.
How long does this whole beta thing last. Because as you can see my 360 is pretty fucked up at the moment(http://www.wutang-corp.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=36572). I shipped it out to be fixed in MCALLEN, TX, US (I reside in Durham, NC) Just by looking at UPS's tracking info the way my console is being transported i don't think it will get back to me in time enough for me to play it.
The Beta starts on the 16th, and it's three weeks long. Buy Crackdown if you wanna play the Beta.
But
I'm downloading that shit TONITE! Bungie had this "Family and Friends" thing where they give random ppl on their forum an early Beta invite. I got one of em!! I don't think I've ever this childishly happy since I got Charizard in a booster pack.
Haha, I'll give you guys my impressions.
I'll be checkin youtube for vids soon then
Yea man definitely. Especially because they have this new "saved films" feature. It records the game and lets you watch replays and save some clips. People should be uploading stuff already.
Check this one out...Quote:
Originally Posted by shaolinsword
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/11/to...-beta-footage/
This is what I wrote up for the ppl at the Bungie.net forums after playing the Beta.
==========================
Ok, so I think I've played enough Halo 3 to have a good idea of what I like and what I don't like. I've had a chance to play on each map enough times, and try out all the weapons. Yes, this is a daunting read, but you can do it!
I'll organize this into:
1. Graphics and sound
1.1 Graphics
1.2 Sound
2. Matchmaking system
2.1 Veto
2.2 Party Up feature
2.3 Post-game carnage report
3. Weapons
3.1 Assault Rifle
3.2 Brute Shot
3.3 Needler
3.4 Spartan Lazer
3.5 Plasma Pistol
3.6 Brute Spiker
3.7 Carbine and Battle Rifle
3.8 Rocket Launcher
3.9 Turrets
3.10 Missle Pod
3.11 Grenades
3.12 Sniper Rifle and Beam Rifle
3.13 Shotgun
4. Equipment
4.1 Bubble Shield
4.2 Portable Gravity Lift
4.3 Energy Drainer
4.4 Tripmine
5. Vehicles
5.1 Warthog
5.2 Ghost
5.3 Mongoose
6. Maps
6.1 Valhalla
6.2 High Ground
6.3 Snow Bound
7. Saved Films feature
8. Other things I noticed
8.1 Custom settings
8.2 New medals
8.3 Tags
9. Closing remarks
1. Graphics and other technical stuff
1.1 I'm not really one to care about graphics. I mean, I still play N64 sometimes because it's fun. Graphics usually don't factor into my decision to play a game. Now what I'll say might be a little controversial, but it's my opinion: the graphics didn't "WOW" me. This is completely understandable though because the game isn't even polished yet. Gears of War was a game where I was amazed by the graphics; Halo 3 just didn't do it for me. The graphics are definitely better than Halo 2 though. However, the textures are really nice. When I took the time to slow down and just look around, I noticed that the textures were really well done. When care is being taken to make sure the minutest graphical details are excellent, you know the developpers will add even more polish. I expect the graphics of the final game to be ground-breaking.
1.2 I remember in one of the updates, Frankie said that the sound of distant fighting was amazing. This is very, very true. You'll notice this right away in Valhalla, especially if you're playing a Shotty/Snipers match (one of the gametypes in the Beta). The sound of distant sniper shots is atmospheric. It really creates a nice ambiance. The sounds even echo somewhat in the canyon. You'll be convinced. The Assault Rifle sounds just as good too. It's definitely something that you'll notice right away.
2. Matchmaking system
The matchmaking system is essentially the same as it was before. There's a bit of more detail when you're searching for a game. For example it shows what rank range the system is searching for. There are some new conveniences though:
2.1 The new veto feature lets you vote out a gametype and map if you don't like them. If the majority of the players feel the same way, a new map and gametype are choosen. The system just keeps getting better. Had this been in Halo 2, I don't think I'd ever play a Warlock match again.
2.2 The Party Up feature is also very, very convenient. When a match ends you don't need to return to the lobby and start it up again. Instead you can just wait in the post-game screen until it searches for the next game in the playlist. However, if you wanna party up with someone, instead of making a party and inviting him or her, you both can just press X to "Party Up". This is marked by a checkmark beside both of your names. It's the equivalent of making a party without having to go through the hassle of returning to the lobby, sending invites, and waiting. This feature is only there for team-based playlists. Rumble Pit playlists no longer have a party feature at all. Essentially the system is made faster.
2.3 The post-game carnage report is a lot more detailed now. For team games, it shows the game MVP. It also shows the three highest earned medals and the players who earned them. Going into more detail, if you select a players name it shows his or her weapon of choice ("tool of destruction"). It also shows their medals and the basic stats found in Halo 2. There's also stats to show how many grenade and melee kills they had.
3. Weapons
3.1 I'll start with the assault rifle. I really like this gun. I never enjoyed using the SMG in Halo 2 because it had very limited range. The AR has some good range though. Good enough to be useful on big maps like Valhalla (the SMG failed so miserably on Coagulation). To balance it out, they obviously shortened the clip to 32 rounds. The short clip emphasizes that EVERY SHOT COUNTS. I've been in a few AR battles where both of us unload our clips, and then we just dance around each other while reloading. Whoever reloads the fastest gets to shoot off a few more bullets to finish the other person off. If you don't want that happening to you, make sure you hit every shot and you reload often.
3.2 The Brute Shot's been upgraded to a six grenade clip from a four grenade clip. I was never able to use the Brute Shot (I'll call it the BS from now on) in Halo 2. For some reason I was just so garbage with it in Halo 2. But in Halo 3, it's now one of my go-to weapons if I see it lying around. It's powerful now; not overly powerful, but good enough to get a kill with one full clip.
3.3 The needler was one of my favourite guns from Halo 1. I just liked the idea of spikes that enter your body and then explode. My imagination raced on how painful that would be and how mangled the body would be afterwards. But the weapon had some serious issues that limited it to AIs that stood still in campaign. This is changed now. The needler is very powerful. The needles seem to travel faster and it seems easy to use. The trade-off obviously is that the clip is shortened and it's only single-wieldable.
3.4 The Spartan Lazer is an excellent weapon. It's a bit hard to get used to because of the 3-second charge, but it's devastating. What I like is how if you start charging the shot, you're not commited to it. So if the person or vehicle you're aiming at manages to hide, you can let go of the trigger to cancel the shot and conserve your ammo.
3.5 The Plasma Pistol (PP) has some interesting "fixes" to it. I noticed that its homing ability is decreased. It'll be a bit harder to hit people, but it's still do-able. What's nice though is how if you shoot a moving vehicle with a fully charged shot, the vehicle will immediately de-power for a few critical seconds. It's a nifty feature that doesn't make the gun useless. I also noticed that the battery depletes while you're holding a charged shot. I guess it emphasizes that you must conserve your ammo with that gun.
3.6 The Brute Spiker is cool. I think of it as the equivalent to the human SMG. You need to have pretty good aim though, because otherwise the opponent could just dodge the shots. It's also good to dual-wield this weapon with an SMG or Plasma Rifle. I think the Brute Spiker was one of the guns that took me a few tries to understand its range and ability.
3.7 The Carbine and Battle Rifle (BR) seem to be unchanged. There's a few visual improvements to the guns themselves, but they play the same. The carbine's bullet "trail" looks a lot cooler now!
3.8 The Rocket Launcher (RL) seems to be unchanged, except it can't lock onto vehicles now. I think it does more damage though.
3.9 Turrets are now very fun to use. Of course you could use them like how you would in Halo 2 (not moving), or you can detach them and walk around. When you do, you go into a third-person view. You can't melee, you're slower, you can't switch weapons without dropping it, and I think you can't jump as high. When detached it has a limited clip. It's devastating in short ranges, but it has some pretty limited accuracy.
3.10 The Missle Pod is this massive turret-like gun that shoots out homing grenades. I think the clip is 10 grenades, but I can't remember. It easily locks on the vehicles. I've seen some people use it really well on other people, but I haven't been able to master it yet.
3.11 The grenades are extremely important now. Because of the short clip of the AR, you'll want to rely on your frag grenades to get kills. You'll find other grenades littered all over the map, so you should never be out. The spike grenades are probably one of the most difficult things to master in the game. You have to use them a lot of understand how they explode (they explode forward, not in a circular blast radius like the other grenadeS), but they'll kill an opponent usually with one grenade. Also, I noticed that if the spike grenade blows up in a tight area (inside a building in High Ground for example), the spikes will riccochet for a bit, inflicting damage. With practice, these grenades could become very useful, and there's tons of them on the maps. Plasma grenades seem to be the same. Their explosion is beautiful though.
3.12 The Sniper Rifle (SR) and Beam Rifle seem to be unchanged. They have the usual visual upgrades. The SR's scope (when you're walking around un-zoomed) seems to be similar to night-vision and heat-vision. It's good for spotting enemies in the dark.
3.13 The Shotgun also has some nice visual upgrades, but the clip was shortened. I think it's also more powerful now.
4. Equipment
In the Beta we are given four pieces of equipment. I expect Bungie will include more in the final version of the game.
4.1 Everyone knows about the Bubble Shield already. It actually has a pretty long life once it's deployed. It'll save you from rockets and the spartan lazer usually. There's also some interesting dynamics when someone decides to enter: you can run out and leave a grenade behind for example.
4.2 The Portable Gravity Lift is the most useful equipment, especially in High Ground. It allows you to raise up to a pretty good height to overcome walls and such. When I heard about this lift I originally laughed at the idea, but it works really well. You'll be using this a lot.
4.3 The Energy Drainer is also very useful because it rolls. If you see a group of enemies, just roll it towards them and it'll zap away all their shields. You can throw a grenade right away and get many kills. Be careful of it though, it explodes after a few seconds, which can also do damage to you. When it's deployed it gives off a distinct blue bubble that affects anyone who's in the bubble. Just steer clear of it and you'll be alright.
4.4 I find the Tripmine to be the least used equipment. It's only useful if it's done the way Bungie showed it: a vehicle's coming towards you and at the last second you deploy it to blow them up. Other than that, it's easily avoidable because it glows bright orange and it gives off a distinct beeping sound that gets louder as you approach it. You'll have enough time to jump over this thing if someone deploys it right in front of you. Not very useful.
5. Vehicles
The Beta only gives us three vehicles: the chain gun Warthog, the Ghost, and the Mongoose.
5.1 The warthog is the same as ever. It's easy to dominate Valhalla with it.
5.2 Except for the visual upgrades, I think the Ghost is the same.
5.3 The Mongoose is one of the most fun things you'll do in the Beta. It's incredibly light, so this means you get a lot of air when you go off the hills in Valhalla. It's sheer speed also makes it fun to just cruise around. A flag match can be won by putting the flag carrier on the back of one. It's very unprotected though. An assault rifle could easily mow it down. And because the Mongoose has a high chance of tipping, grenades work well to send it crashing.
6. Maps
5.1 Valhalla is essentially the Coagulation remake. It's more hilly, so it's difficult to see the other base from your base. There is also a lot more cover for people on foot. The bubble sheild and tripmine are on this map, as well as the missle pod, spartan lazer, and sniper rifle. There is one turret as well. Most people rush the spartan lazer right away. Also, the AR works well on this map. A team of coordinated players can easily dominate this map.
5.2 High Ground is a fun map. The Portable Grav Lift spawns outside the gate, so this allows you to use it to get over the wall to where the spartan lazer spawns. There is active camo also available for the people who spawn at the beach. There is a turret facing the beach, but there is a rocket launcher to counter this. Mongooses are also available on this map, and so are Brute Shots.
5.3 Snow Bound has a Ghost. The shield doors add some interesting gameplay dynamics. The border turrets seem out of place however. They shoot you if you stray too far out of bounds. It just seems random to me; walls could've been placed to keep players in.
7. Saved Films feature
According to Bungie, the Beta only offers a very limited version of this feature. Right now it can save an entire match, but only from a first-person view. I think you can save upto 6 six films if I can remember correctly. It's also very easy to share these films with other players. Very convenient.
8. Other things I noticed
Here's a collection of random things that I found while playing:
8.1 Unlimited ammo is a setting used in the Shotty/Snipers gametype. I think other fun gameplay features will be made available in the final version. I guessing we'll see more "fun" features like the re-introduction of unlimited grenades.
8.2 There's a few new medals that I noticed: "Kill from the Grave", "Kill Joy", "Lazer Kill", and "Sniper Spree". A sniper spree is when you get five kills in a row without dying with the sniper rifle. A Kill from the Grave is when you die, but your last ditch effort grenade blows up and kills someone. A lazer kill is when you kill someone using the spartan lazer. You get a Kill Joy medal when you end someone's killing spree.
8.3 The new tags are extremely useful. So many times in Halo 2 I wasn't able to address someone because I couldn't tell what their little logo was. But with these new 3-digit tags, it's easy to identify someone. For example my tag is R11, so people can usually say "R11, get in the hog" or something around those lines. It's easy for them and me. Much easier than trying to identify someone's logo.
9. Closing remarks
I hope this was an interesting read for you guys. Hopefully you'll have a better idea of what to expect in the Beta. I guess the main thing to remember is that the game is still in its testing phase, and it's not even close to being polished yet. Hope you enjoyed reading, and maybe I'll see you online on the 16th. PEACE!
Hahaha, just found this out now. There's a new medal called "Cheneymania". You get it when you kill 10 ppl in a row with the shotgun.
Seems like a cool game, I don't like the human cannon thing though. Seeing as I never had XBL when I had Halo 1+2 would it be better to start on one of those before playing number 3?
Good read man. Imma gonna dominate once again :thumbup: hahahaha.Quote:
Originally Posted by brown_dogg
Yea right.. I've already got the upper hand! Been playing this since friday!!
yeah i just logged into bungie and recieved a invite to the beta. how shit i dont even own a 360 hahah!
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...ech/invite.jpg
im gunna go buy a 360 this arvy :|
hahah nice one. you're missing out!
This sucks, the beta has been delayed
fuck realy ?
halo 3 release:
SEPT. 25TH
Finish the Fight on September 25, 2007
Posted by lukems at 5/15/2007 9:01 PM PDT
We said Fall 2007, but did you expect Halo 3’s release date to be just two days into the Fall? On September 25, 2007 (just two days after the Autumnal Equinox), players will be able to finish the fight they started in Halo: Combat Evolved and continued in Halo 2. Halo 3 will release in Europe on September 26, 2007. Worldwide dates may vary slightly depending on local rules and conditions.
What does a release date mean to the team, aside from a concrete date when folks can go home to their wives and children? I chatted with Executive Producer Jonty Barnes, to see how announcing a release date affects Bungie.
Q: Jonty, describe what your day to day job at Bungie entails:
As Executive Producer on Halo 3, pretty much every day is different. Essentially at this point in the project all the hard-planned scheduling time is behind us and we’re no longer reevaluating or unblocking dependencies we’re moving into polish the game.
What this means is when I’m looking at the game now it’s a representative experience and working with the team to make targeted and iterative improvements.
Today’s world is more about design polish and using feedback from the Public Beta to make improvements. Plus fixing enough bugs and keeping the team sane.
Q: September 25 is the big day, does announcing the release date actually change anything internally for Bungie?
A: Nope not much for Bungie, that’s been the plan for months and months. The only thing it does however is make the end seem very, very real to people.
To be honest, the critics in the studio are those who drive and stress the team the most. External dates and announcements just bring home the excitement and expectation the public has for the game, and this makes the hard work feel worth it.
Q: Previously, making games at Bungie has been described as “trying to assemble a cathedral in a hurricane,” does this metaphor apply to Halo 3’s process? Give us your own, appropriately British and erudite metaphor to describe Halo 3’s development cycle this time?
A: Hmm… it’s more like a swarm of ants devouring a food mountain at a picnic with rain clouds heading towards us.
This time around the team is bigger and more coordinated, the goals are known but the scope is greater than we’re used to, and irrespective of being far more organized it’s not without chaotic elements looming… not least September 25th.
Q: In terms of snack foods, how crunchy is a Bungie Crunch?
A: Like a meteor hitting a sea of Doritos.
The concluding third of the Halo trilogy takes place on September 25, but other major events dot history's horizon. Here's a few, courtesy of the Internet.
1513 Vasco Nunez de Balboa is 1st European to see Pacific Ocean
1639 1st printing press in America
1926 Henry Ford announces 8 hour, 5-day work week
1956 The first trans-Atlantic telephone cable is put into service from Oban, Scotland to Clarenville, Newfoundland.
1970 Ringo releases his "Beaucoups of Blues" album
1992 "Barry Manilow's Showstoppers" opens at Paramount New York City
beta's gunna go off this weekend, if everyone gets to download it b4 then........ but still im having a fuckin awsome time on there. new feel to the whole game, walking is a bit faster weapons sound diffrent specialy at a distance, the grav lifts trip mines energy drainers - im not gunna be on the corp much for a few weeks. PEACE!
Yeah, it was delayed a few hours but only for people d/l the beta from Crackdown, I'm amazed at how many fanboys there were on the bungie forum saying they're gonna kill themselves and giving bungie shit. People even skipped school and work for the beta
Yeaaa A LOT of the ppl on the bungie forums are crazy. Shit man the beta was a lot better before all the Crackdown players got on. It's gonna turn out just like Halo 2.. with all the screaming and stuff.
Only started playing last night and I don't like the snowbound map I want to try the High Ground map but I can't find the right game type to play on it, all they normally put me on is valhalla. I played my first VIP match ever last night, that's a cool game