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The Official Halo 3 Thread

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http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/halo-to-expand-in-many-different-directions

Microsoft Game Studios hopes to expand the Halo franchise in "many different directions", including new genres and entertainment not game-related at all.

"We tend to view the franchise side of Halo as an entertainment property, and something that we hope to expand in many different directions: both through additional genres of gaming and additional ways to tell the story that may not be game-related at all," Jason Pace, Halo Wars lead producer and Halo franchise overseer, told Eurogamer.

"So I think it's fair to say we're always looking for new opportunities, new genres to tell the story in. And whenever we find a great fit we'll pursue it."

Jason Pace will help bring Halo Wars and Halo 3: ODST to market this year. And, when pushed about the future, he told us: "Those are the only projects I can discuss at the moment".

But what about the Peter Jackson Halo project Microsoft announced at X06 and has been recruiting for ever since?

"That I'm not at liberty to comment on
," said Pace.

Not sure what to think of this even though I'm excited to see what Halo Chronicles is becoming.

And I thought Frank was Halo franchise overseer for Microsoft?
 
I'm very glad that I'm finally home to see the Sandbox screenshot on a PC monitor. The iPhone's Safari browser does not do it justice.

Dani said:
I'd settle for a crapton or fuckton. Maybe dream of holyshit-ton.
Ten shit-loads is the correct answer. ;)
 
Domino Theory said:
Not sure what to think of us even though I'm excited to see what Halo Chronicles is becoming.

And I thought Frank was Halo franchise overseer for Microsoft?

Why'd you spoiler that?
I thought he was there as more of a plot-overseer (uhh, you've got Flood all up in my Harvest).

As for Chronicles, his no-comment worries me. It's been a long time, I do hope we hear something this year.
This + ODST + un-announced Bungie game should make for interesting times.
 
Merguson said:
I would also like to throw out that I still don't know how to sign up for your forums after years of checking out the site occasionally.

Someone please tell me how I do this.
Visit this page, fill in the name you want to use, any identifying info you feel like adding (none of it is required), and a password. As long as the name's not taken already, you'll have created a profile. You can then post.

(Just noticed that Ghaleon posted another way. :D )

Kibbles said:
:D I uploaded the original in jpg form basically. It's gigantic... seriously. You can mess with it as you please.
It's here, for anyone who wants it:

Halo3_Mythic-SANDBOX_Environment-01SS.jpg (5120x2880, 7.7 mb)
 
FourDoor said:
I'm going to quote this one more time and put the ball back on Shiska's court regarding a comment he had made before about Foundry's layout. Something along the lines of him wishing he had more time to come up with a good example to show forgers about weapon placement and creating a well balanced map to show as an example.

*crosses fingers that Shiska got the time he needed this time with Sandbox*

Shiska isn't a map designer

Trasher said:
So, if this is indeed the Sandbox we are getting, I wonder what sort of classic maps can be recreated now...

Sanctuary should be possible. :)

My only fear being lack of outside (border) walls. But even without them, sanctuary would be pretty easily re-created... Though a sniper could back really far out / high up and dominate.
 
Azar said:
One thing's for sure: the rest of us are way more excited about Sandbox than you posting naked pictures of yourself.
You sure about that? No forging has been done to my body, I'm all natural baby.

Dax01 said:
TDG,

I need you too look at my avatar.
I need you to admire its cuteness.
I then need you to smile because of the cuteness.
After that, post about it.
It's hideously adorable. I've improved it for you:
2n9jnro.jpg
 
Kibbles said:
Looks like Bungle put the Sandbox Screenshot in their gallery, complete with the Bungie logo. If anyone had any doubts at all, well...

http://www.bungie.net/projects/halo3/asset_thumb_viewer.aspx?at=59&cc=21
I hadn't seen it before because the picture was too small, but if you look close, you will see those same border markers that can be found on Sandtrap.
Edit:
TDG said:
It's hideously adorable. I've improved it for you:
2n9jnro.jpg

Now it's deadly adorable.
 
Striker said:
I'm curious to how much building blocks we'll be set with. I hope a shit-ton.
This,this, and a little more of this. They should really go all out with the amount and variety of objects. I don't care if they aren't skinned correctly and they just jack them from other maps but I want an unprecedented amount of objects. I hope the budget is also increased. It's a real shame most of the great Foundry maps had to use the budget glitch to realize their design and thus are automatically excluded from ever being in MM.

Also, I hope they're able to bump up the amount of custom content that can be saved. Between film clips and map variants, I've had to keep deleting stuff and it pains me to think of how much I'll have to delete so I can make/download a shit ton of Sandbox variants.
 
EazyB said:
This,this, and a little more of this. They should really go all out with the amount and variety of objects. I don't care if they aren't skinned correctly and they just jack them from other maps but I want an unprecedented amount of objects. I hope the budget is also increased. It's a real shame most of the great Foundry maps had to use the budget glitch to realize their design and thus are automatically excluded from ever being in MM.

Also, I hope they're able to bump up the amount of custom content that can be saved. Between film clips and map variants, I've had to keep deleting stuff and it pains me to think of how much I'll have to delete so I can make/download a shit ton of Sandbox variants.
When they launch their video service we can migrate saved films over to the computer. I know that would free up a lot of space for me, at least. But the 100 file limit does really suck.
 
Cocopjojo said:
Wow, look at the markers around the edge of the map. There's a lot of room there before you reach the boundaries.
The boundaries are on a slope though, so unless you can edit that, good luck building much of anything over there.
 
EazyB said:
Also, I hope they're able to bump up the amount of custom content that can be saved. Between film clips and map variants, I've had to keep deleting stuff and it pains me to think of how much I'll have to delete so I can make/download a shit ton of Sandbox variants.

That would require another TU, no? I think in one of their recent WWU they said they're not working on another TU.
 
Dirtbag said:
My only fear being lack of outside (border) walls. But even without them, sanctuary would be pretty easily re-created... Though a sniper could back really far out / high up and dominate.
If you notice, the light batons on the border seem to make the boundaries because everything beyond that is all shadow. I'm guessing there might be invisible walls where the shadow area begins? If that is the case, then I hope that we will have the ability to set those light batons anywhere we want in the sandbox. If I am correct, then you could make some really interesting boundaries snaking through the sandbox. Could be cool for all the people out there that enjoy making racetracks for hogs and mongeese.
 
TDG said:
The community has been asking for it, but I don't think that the game needs a big forgeable map right now. Besides, I think that in recent months as MM has grown more stale and it has become more clear how janky forge is, the community has moved from demanding big foreable maps, to just damnding maps.

I also find the setting to be fairly boring. The dark, rusty look doesn't do anything for me, and we already have a map that looks almost exactly the same. And obviously Bungie could do a better job of integrating Sandbox variants into MM than they have with Foundry... but a lot of things could happen. MS could send me money. I could post naked pics of myself. But none of those are worth getting excited about at this point since we haven't gotten any indication that they're going to happen.

Plus, we're not going to be playing Sandbox or its' variants in any playlist outside of the special DLC playlists for several months.

I suppose I'm looking like the angry town pessimist right now, but looking at what people are expecting from Sandbox, I suspect that the next year or so will be filled with a lot of disappointed posts about the wasted potential of Sandbox.
You could at least give it a chance first.
I hear you on the integration into all playlists bit, but that is completely out of Bungie's hands right along with the release date of these maps. The community wouldn't be so starved right now if they had any say in the matter.. but obviously they don't.
 
While looking for stuff to put in the Halo Wars Official Thread OP, I found this:

Halo Wars Soundtrack: February 17th

I'm on the fence with this one. I liked the music in the cinematic they showed us that introduced Captain Cutter, Serina, Dr. Anders and Sergeant Forge. On the other hand, this isn't Marty.

Halo Wars: DLC a possibility

And...

Review Embargo to be lifted on Feb. 20th.

Edit:
Louis Wu said:
So... what is this thing?

oddgrill.jpg
I think Trasher is right: it looks like a BR.
 
Wu, that looks weird. I have no idea what that could be.

Also, check this out in the center of the map:

orb.jpg


It's placed too high to be a grabbable powerup.
 
Cocopjojo said:
Wu, that looks weird. I have no idea what that could be.

Also, check this out in the center of the map:

orb.jpg


It's placed too high to be a grabbable powerup.
Yeah, I noticed that too. Whoever made this map is a friggin retard.
 
Shishka said:
Oh I was mistaken, sorry.

Shishka is a map designer. Dirtbag is an idiot.
Thought your role was just about the playlists and overlap into overall mechanics... oops!
Cocopjojo said:
Wu, that looks weird. I have no idea what that could be.

Also, check this out in the center of the map:

orb.jpg


It's placed too high to be a grabbable powerup.
It already sounds like this isn't the finalized default layout, so I wouldn't over-think this one.
 
Captain Blood said:
There seems to be another chopper hidden towards the bottom left corner of the screen, right behind one of the pillars with a the blue vertical line. :lol
It seems the bigger the screen the more choppers. I can't wait for the 50 MB shot that reveals the third chopper.

And anyone notice this in the extra-large resolution screen?
BR?

Edit: Super-duper beatin by the Wu
 
Dax01 said:
:lol :lol

I think it's a power-up, but it is probably there just to tease you. People have done with with Foundry.
You're probably right.

Dirtbag said:
maybe its the blue grid breaking the 4th wall... OH MY GOD!!!!
:lol :lol
 
Ya'll hadn't noticed that second Chopper? The map is symmetrical.
 
That thing that looks funny is just a BR, there's just a weird visiaul effect on the screenshot that makes it look that way. The red thing above the red base has the same strange appearance.
Dirtbag said:
You could at least give it a chance first.
I hear you on the integration into all playlists bit, but that is completely out of Bungie's hands right along with the release date of these maps. The community wouldn't be so starved right now if they had any say in the matter.. but obviously they don't.
I'm going to give it as much of a chance as I could possibly give it without buying it.
And obviously the integration into playlists is mostly out of Bungie's hands (we don't really know the extent of that specifically,) but the failure to integrate forged versions of Foundry into MM is the fault of none other than Bungie, and that's one of the many things that worries me.

Cocopjojo said:
Also, check this out in the center of the map:

orb.jpg


It's placed too high to be a grabbable powerup.
It is, yet it's clearly an overshield.
 
sandyBRzzzzzzz.jpg


Check it out... That half-shelter is made from two pieces. You can see a fully assembled one in the center of the map, using four pieces.
 
Cocopjojo said:
Ya'll hadn't noticed that second Chopper? The map is symmetrical.
Yeppers.
Cocopjojo said:
sandyBRzzzzzzz.jpg


Check it out... That half-shelter is made from two pieces. You can see a fully assembled one in the center of the map, using four pieces.

I'm sometimes amazed by how you (and Voc -- AJ says more than enough), sometimes Ghal, and other people like you are able to notice the small things.

I am glad there are people like you. Forge on.
 
TDG said:
I'm going to give it as much of a chance as I could possibly give it without buying it.
And obviously the integration into playlists is mostly out of Bungie's hands (we don't really know the extent of that specifically,) but the failure to integrate forged versions of Foundry into MM is the fault of none other than Bungie, and that's one of the many things that worries me.

But the default layout will be integrated just like any other map, so you are raising a double standard... First you say, no forge-able maps just give us maps... but those non-forged maps wouldn't have had multiple variants at all. So your own argument is kind of two-faced.
So which is it? You just want maps, or you just want forge maps in MM ?
Because Sandbox is clearly a map.
 
I don't know if anyone else noticed this, but if you look at the blue base it appears there is a lower level of the base. I didn't notice it until I looked at the larger version of the screenshot.
 
Cocopjojo said:
sandyBRzzzzzzz.jpg


Check it out... That half-shelter is made from two pieces. You can see a fully assembled one in the center of the map, using four pieces.

Yup. I'm wondering about these:

caps.jpg


They look like a kind of plug, as if the stone blocks could be hollow. As in you could put them vertical (suspended on something), put a vent/lift under it and send people up through them. Or put them on the side for sight lines through. Or, plug them.
 
Dirtbag said:
But the default layout will be integrated just like any other map, so you are raising a double standard... First you say, no forge-able maps just give us maps... but those non-forged maps wouldn't have had multiple variants at all. So your own argument is kind of two-faced.
So which is it? You just want maps, or you just want forge maps in MM ?
Because Sandbox is clearly a map.
No no, I'm saying I'd prefer good quality maps to maps built for forge because there won't likely be forge variants in matchmaking. I'd be okay with forge-centric maps if I knew that we'd see forged variations of the map popping up in matchmaking and adding variety to matchmaking, but I don't know that... in fact all evidence points to that NOT happening.

And of course, it's possible that Sandbox is a good, quality map. But that seems unlikely, and it's even more unlikely if default Sandbox is what's in that screen.
 
I would not be disappointed if this is the map we got and that's it. Looks sweet. Bundled with Assembly and Orbital, it easily looks like the full $10 worth for me -- specifically for the reasons I stated above. Blue grid or not, the map looks like a lot of fun for someone who loved Halo 2's multiplayer environments.

That being the case, let's think about this logically. We know it's a Forge-centric map. We also know that the lighting looks peculiar here (sun is crossing the horizon 160 degrees, but the light flow drops vertically onto the map at 90 degrees like its high noon, but only on the center of the map only). We also know that the playable area here is just a fraction of the traversable area. There's a ton of cool stuff going on here. Regardless if Forge doesn't let us toggle amongst preset skyboxes, lighting or landscapes, there's a lot of really cool possibilities on this map. My Sanctuary conclusions about Cold Storage yay those many months ago might finally be vindicated! I will make it so!
 
Trasher said:
I don't know if anyone else noticed this, but if you look at the blue base it appears there is a lower level of the base. I didn't notice it until I looked at the larger version of the screenshot.

I don't see it.
 
GhaleonEB said:
Yup. I'm wondering about these:



They look like a kind of plug, as if the stone blocks could be hollow. As in you could put them vertical (suspended on something), put a vent/lift under it and send people up through them. Or put them on the side for sight lines through. Or, plug them.[/QUOTE]
They don't appear to be hollow, but I agree with you that they are some sort of plug that lets you connect it to other objects.

Btw, Wu, I think I found another one of those weird objects. This one looks like a sniper. :lol It's on one of the 4 stones (that make up the blue base's right wall).

[QUOTE=GM Bullfrog]I don't see it.[/QUOTE]

[IMG]http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p172/ghaleoneb/caps.jpg

Look at the blocks to the right of the ramp going up. It looks like this ramp is sitting on top of one of the bigger blocks. My eyes might be pulling a trick on me, but I swear it looks like there is a bottom level there.
 
GhaleonEB said:
Yup. I'm wondering about these:

caps.jpg


They look like a kind of plug, as if the stone blocks could be hollow. As in you could put them vertical (suspended on something), put a vent/lift under it and send people up through them. Or put them on the side for sight lines through. Or, plug them.

Ghal, you disappoint me.
2570xah.jpg


28002c.jpg
 
Trasher said:
They don't appear to be hollow, but I agree with you that they are some sort of plug that lets you connect it to other objects.
Ooooooooh. Legos.

Edit: Dax, never noticed that before. Not sure they're the same, but could be.
 
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