The Inevitable Halo 3 Thread

[Falwell]

Had to come sometime I suppose so here ya go.

Am I the only person who's fucking ecstatic that it's been released not because it's Robot Jesus on a stick, but because I'm so god damn sick of hearing about it that now, finally, I can read about something else on gaming sites?

On a lighter note, anyone played it? I've always personally felt the Halo series was one of the most overrated games on record, but to each their own I guess.

[schild]

Halo deserves to exist because it gave birth, indirectly, to I Love Bees, the best radio play ever.

[WayAbvPar]

I have been looking forward to not playing Halo 3 for months now.

[Falwell]

I have been looking forward to not playing Halo 3 for months now.

Heh, now don't get me wrong, it's a solid series. Mainly because of the presentation. But I could never get the super hype around it considering it did nothing that the PC hadn't done for years previous.

[murdoc]

The only reason I even see the Halo franchise being a hit is because people who suck at videogames can be good at Halo.

I was gonna grab it when it went to the 360 "Greatest Hits" library, but I'm having my doubts I'll even do that.

[Yegolev]

Well, to quote my wife, the best thing about Halo was Red vs Blue.

[schild]

TBH, I've always felt that Halo's presentation was bland, generic, and completely second-tier.

Not to mention that there's absolutely nothing cool about a fucking space marine.

[Falwell]

TBH, I've always felt that Halo's presentation was bland, generic, and completely second-tier.

Not to mention that there's absolutely nothing cool about a fucking space marine.

A space marine that wears JT paintball armor none the less.

http://www.jtusa.com/catalog/visionsystems/7918/

[schild]

He wears the JT X-Fire. I suppose that makes it even funnier.

[Morfiend]

Halo: The Future of Gaming

[Sky]

There's been a Halo3 cardboard Master Chief in my pizza place for a month now.

[Riggswolfe]

I enjoy Halo because of the co-op stuff and because I think it's a neat universe they have created. It's not "special" but it's fun.

The only reason I even see the Halo franchise being a hit is because people who suck at videogames can be good at Halo.

This shit though is just as annoying as "Halo is the world's greatest game!!!!" And just as much bull shit. From a gameplay perspective Halo is just as challenging as most other FPS out there so this shit just comes across as posturing.

[Yegolev]

There's been a Halo3 cardboard Master Chief in my pizza place for a month now.

Is he significantly more awesome than the Halo 2 Master Chief cardboard cutout?

[murdoc]

I enjoy Halo because of the co-op stuff and because I think it's a neat universe they have created. It's not "special" but it's fun.

The only reason I even see the Halo franchise being a hit is because people who suck at videogames can be good at Halo.

This shit though is just as annoying as "Halo is the world's greatest game!!!!" And just as much bull shit. From a gameplay perspective Halo is just as challenging as most other FPS out there so this shit just comes across as posturing.

Settle down chief, I suck at videogames, but I was pretty good at Halo. Hence the comment. There's a perfectly valid reason why I'm not playing TF2 right now, and it doesn't have to do with my old crappy PC.

[rattran]

I went to my local ebgames today, Halo3 crap everywhere. Posters, multiple standees, a huge stack of the boxes on the counter. I asked about Hellgate:London preorder boxes, the guy started in on a rant of all the people asking for them, then started in on a rant on the glory of Halo3.

I think I'll just stop going there.

[Mrbloodworth]

I enjoy Halo because of the co-op stuff and because I think it's a neat universe they have created. It's not "special" but it's fun.

The only reason I even see the Halo franchise being a hit is because people who suck at videogames can be good at Halo.

This shit though is just as annoying as "Halo is the world's greatest game!!!!" And just as much bull shit. From a gameplay perspective Halo is just as challenging as most other FPS out there so this shit just comes across as posturing.

Settle down chief, I suck at videogames, but I was pretty good at Halo. Hence the comment. There's a perfectly valid reason why I'm not playing TF2 right now, and it doesn't have to do with my old crappy PC.

The console version does have a little bit of sticky aim, or aim assist.

I enjoyed the co-op, and the single player line..Multiplay?

Sucked.

[Bunk]

I'll admit, I have a preorder on it. I'm a sucker for co-op shooters, and from what I've read, this time your buddies don't play MC clones.

Will it ever live up to the hype? Of course not. Will be a fun fragfest though.

[stu]

Halo: The Future of Gaming

Believe

[Sairon]

So, it's currently ranked as the 5th best game ever, all platforms included. Hype machine success? I've also never understood what was so great with Halo, it's a polished good shooter, nothing more to it at fucking all. Going by the reviews Halo 3 is exactly the same shit as its predecessors, how this can earn 10/10 on a lot of pretty harsh sites is way beyond me. I'll be sure to give it a shot at my Halo crazy friends house this week though.

[Chimpy]

My only comment about Halo 3 is this:

DON'T DRINK THE HALO 3 MOUNTAIN DEW! It tastes like (what I can only assume) the Jonestown Kool-Aid must have tasted like.

[Velorath]

I don't know, I'd have to say that the Forge sounds pretty cool, and would seem to be one of Halo 3's major selling points.

Edit: For those who don't know what the Forge is, taken from IGN's review:

If you don't dig the layout of a particular map, you can make some adjustments with the Forge. This new addition to the Halo series will keep these eleven maps fresh for years. While you can't alter the geometry of the level, you can make any other adjustments you wish in the Forge. On your own, you can hop into any map using The Forge and rearrange the placement of objects, weapons, power-ups, spawn points, and objectives. You can also access a Counter Strike-style menu and spend money to drop new vehicles, equipment, objects, and more anywhere you like in the map. Then you can save the new map you've created and upload it to Bungie.net for others to check out.

But the Forge offers much more than just some map-editing tools. You can also play games in the Forge while the map is being edited. When you decide to edit, your player transforms into a monitor (a la Guilty Spark). Change to the monitor and zip away from a firefight. Or buy yourself a rocket launcher and drop back in the middle of a fight ready to blow away the competition. Depending on the settings you choose for The Forge, you could potentially have a dozen players manipulating the surroundings. Perhaps you'll form teams of two, where one person plays the monitor, dropping supplies for the other player. Or you could have the host act as a sort of Dungeon Master, changing the location of items as a Slayer match roles on. There are near limitless possibilities. You don't even have to fight to enjoy the Forge.

As a prime example, four editors from competing websites met to test out the Forge recently. At first, we spent some time fragging one another and learning nifty ways to manipulate the system to gain the upper hand on our opponents. But within an hour, we were joining forces to create the biggest pyrotechnics show ever witnessed in Halo. We stacked every possible explosive, then discovered a way to cause one canister to respawn in the air, falling into the pile every 30 seconds to create a spectacular explosive display. The result was a repeating series of massive explosions, which created a unique new environmental danger during firefights.

[schild]

11. maps.

I bet none are as good as 2fort or Dustbowl.

Had to say it, mostly because I hated the Halo maps. It was like amateur hour at Epic.

[Signe]

Halo 3' Packaging Scratches Disks

By: Jessica Mintz

For: Associated Press

Within hours after die-hard fans finally got their hands on a copy of "Halo 3," blogs brimmed with reports that special limited-edition packaging is scratching the video game disks.

Microsoft, which owns the studio that makes 'Halo 3,' responded quickly on its Xbox Web site with details for a replacement program. Customers can fill out a form and send in their scratched limited-edition disks for a free exchange through the end of December.

A Microsoft spokesman and a member of the company's outside PR firm did not immediately respond to calls and e-mails from The Associated Press requesting more information.

Microsoft is selling the limited-edition version, which comes in a tin decorated with the 'Halo 3' logo, for $70. A regular copy of the game costs $60, and a "legendary" version, which comes with a replica of the helmet worn by game protagonist Master Chief, costs $130. The game officially went on sale early Tuesday.

Richard Mitchell, the lead writer of the Xbox 360 Fanboy blog, said one of the disks that came in his limited-edition set is scratched but the damage didn't seem to interfere with its playing.

The AP received several review copies of 'Halo 3' in limited-edition tins. Both the game disk and an "essentials" disk had come loose from plastic housing designed to keep them in place. The game disk had been scratched but seemed to work fine.

Microsoft has been plagued by Xbox 360 problems in recent months. In July, the software maker said it would spend more than $1 billion to repair broken Xbox 360 consoles, and in August it disclosed that some Wireless Racing Wheel game controllers were overheating and smoking.

Since its launch, the Xbox 360 has outsold Sony Corp.'s next-generation PlayStation 3 console, but it hasn't been as popular as Nintendo Corp.'s Wii. Investors and analysts are watching whether Microsoft can turn a profit in the division that makes the Xbox 360. Microsoft, which expects to hit that milestone in the current fiscal year, has said 'Halo 3' is one part of its strategy for reaching that goal.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

HA!

Found it here!

[Righ]

Halo was pre-hyped in a large part because it was going to be the next big thing on the Macintosh, a computer platform whose major games are ports of three year old PC titles. Microsoft bought Bungie based on the hype, and somehow managed to keep the noise going, despite the fact that Halo was never going to be technically ground-breaking, not least after the inevitable delay introduced by recoding the whole bloody thing for different APIs.

Here's a copy of Halo 3 for sale on eBay.

[Murgos]

You know what would be awesome?  If the Bill Gates signed Xbox 360 red ringed and had to be sent back.

[rk47]

i gave it a try at the world wide launch. I can't do the 'gamepad FPS' it's just retarded. It's funny how the console kids around me snigger and laugh when I fumbled on my gamepad. I just wonder how much crap they can take if I can whip out my USB mouse n keyboard n plug it in on a Halo competition.

[AcidCat]

You know, for its time, Halo was a really great console FPS. I still have nostalgia for those times, even though they were dampened by the lackluster Halo 2. I had some games sitting around that I traded in for Halo 3 so I only paid five bucks for the game ($ 30 credit for BioShock alone, nice) ... I haven't been able to connect to Live for some reason, but I played about an hour of the single player game.

Keep in mind I've been playing Half Life 2 for the first time the last several days.

Halo 3 single player plays and looks like some ancient relic by comparison. After an hour I wondered why I was wasting my time. I am still looking forward to playing multiplayer as a change of pace from playing at the PC ... but if this game is the "savior" of the 360 we are all in trouble. The Next Great Hope: Mass Effect, please don't let me down baby!

[stray]

I think you're setting yourself up for disappointment if you want Mass Effect to be the savior. It'll probably be good and better than Jade Empire at least, but it's probably best to not hype it too much.  The great stuff seems to always come out of nowhere.

[schild]

No offense to Bioware, at this point it's Lost Odyssey or bust for me.

[Samwise]

I don't know, I'd have to say that the Forge sounds pretty cool, and would seem to be one of Halo 3's major selling points.

(snip)

Big Game Hunters, Halo 3 style?

Or for those who didn't get the Starcraft reference: like Garry's Mod but shitty?

[UnSub]

Halo was pre-hyped in a large part because it was going to be the next big thing on the Macintosh, a computer platform whose major games are ports of three year old PC titles. Microsoft bought Bungie based on the hype, and somehow managed to keep the noise going, despite the fact that Halo was never going to be technically ground-breaking, not least after the inevitable delay introduced by recoding the whole bloody thing for different APIs.

Here's a copy of Halo 3 for sale on eBay.

The original Bungie plans for Halo / Marathon IV had some really nifty features. However, it seems like a lot of them were jettisoned after MS bought Bungie out and turned them into the Halo Factory (says someone who wishes the Myth series was continued). I remember the early video showing units surrendering and players being able to set up ambushes against the AI.

If I can credit Halo with doing anything exceptionally well, it's the music. Haven't played Halo3, but Halo and Halo2 had fantastic music.

[Margalis]

No console FPS has ever impressed me and I'm not a PC snob.

[Morfiend]

No console FPS has ever impressed me and I'm not a PC snob.

Gears of War impressed the shit out of me. That is all.

[Velorath]

I don't know, I'd have to say that the Forge sounds pretty cool, and would seem to be one of Halo 3's major selling points.

(snip)

Big Game Hunters, Halo 3 style?

Or for those who didn't get the Starcraft reference: like Garry's Mod but shitty?

Console games have to start somewhere with this kind of thing.  I mean, do you seriously want to criticize them for not having something on par with Garry's Mod, when the extent of map customization in console FPS games before this was pretty much only being able to select what weapons you wanted available?

[Driakos]

I played co-op campaign for a few hours tonight.  We had 4 people rolling around blowing shit up.  It was a lot of fun.  You can watch previous levels, view from any player, save, upload, all that junk.  Fun decimating each other in creative ways, while the mediocre AI keeps on plugging.  Watching the replays later (everyone watches the replay at the same speed, the game owner can fast forward/rewind through it), and flipping over to the more inept console-FPS friend is good for some laughs, teasing him for shooting at the ground.

Most of the fun is co-op itself, not Halo.  Halo just lets us play 4-player campaign :)