- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
If anyone has any questions about Halo 2 which would seem like a reasonable question ask me and I will provide the ansewr if possible. Below are answers to possible questions (some info may not be accurate. inform me of revisisions or things that you know to help me add more knowledge (of Power!!!))
Weapons-
All weapons returning from Halo:CE, except the MA5B AR (shown below: from Halo:CE, Plasma Pistol, Plasma Rifle, Needler, S2AM, M90, M19 SSM, M9 HE-DP, Plasma Grenade)
Pistol toned down: no scope, less power
New Covenant rifle (shown below: held by an Elite)
New Human SMG: medium to low accuracy, low power, very high firing rate (shown below)
New Human Battle Rifle: high accuracy, good power, medium firing rate (shown below)
Covenant Fuel Rod Cannon is now usable: very high power, low firing rate, can be lobbed over obstacles (shown below: from Halo:CE)
New Covenant grenade launcher: high power, has large blade on it (shown below: held by a Brute, 'Characters' section)
New Covenant grenade for launcher has power between a Needler explosion, and a fuel rod explosion (show below: concept sketch)
Grenades will have a concussion stun effect on those outside of lethal range
New armor: Mjolnir mark VI (shown below)
Silencers for small caliber weapons: SMG, Pistol
Role-specific mounted weapons: AA turrets, etc.
More anti-armor weapons, for both Humanity and Covenant
Plasma swords can be used
Vehicles-
All returning from Halo:CE
All are destructible
At least twice the number of pilotable vehicles as Halo:CE
Covenant siege artillery from E3 demo is usable
New Covenant dropship: Phantom - has energy shield (shown below: screenshot)
New Covenant land transport: Creep - turret and vehicle are independently destructible (shown below: concept sketch, screenshot)
New Covenant assault vehicle: Shadow - seats 4: driver, gunner, 2 passengers (shown below: screenshot)
New Human vehicle: ATV, no mounted weapons, can only use one handed weapons, faster then the Ghost (shown below)
Scorpion MBT can now aim and drive in different directions: effectively a strafe (shown below: from Halo:CE)
Warthog variations: different weapon mounts, different purposes - chainguns, rockets, etc. (shown below: unarmed renders and concept renders)
Pelicans are now armed, have landing gear instead of just hovering, and a cockpit with pilot and co-pilot (shown below: from Halo:CE)
All have weakpoints: Shooting off warthogs wheels, etc.
Wraith mortar tank is now pilotable
Plasma weapons firing rate has been tweaked for Banshee and Ghost
Abilities-
Exchange weapons with Marines
Different weapons do different melee damage: blades most powerful
Can use any two one-handed weapons at once: dual SMGs, SMG & pistol, dual pistols, etc. (can’t use grenades during dual mode)
MC and some AI can hijack vehicles in motion: can shoot, kick/throw out, or stick a plasma grenade to driver
MC can lean and peak around corners, and over ledges, while still retaining stealth and cover
MC can lower weapons and sprint at twice normal speed
MC can do melee combos
MC and AI can flip objects, like tables, for cover
Some AI can climb walls, pillars, ladders, and other such objects: Brutes, Elites, etc.
Characters-
All Covenant species returning from Halo:CE
Prophets: Covenant leadership caste, all will have unique headgear and robes
Engineers: Covenant technicians: about 1 meter tall, virtually no threat
Brutes: stronger then Hunter, more agile then Elite
Many more women: soldiers, pilots, etc.
Virtually all Marines will be unique
Sergeant Johnson or equivalent
ODSTs: basically badass Marines
More variation between Covenant
Support characters away from front lines: mortar crews, sniper squads, etc.
Specialty Marines: snipers, heavy-weapons, medics, etc.
Flood returning
AI-
Is now at least 3 times more advanced, or better
Has very advanced pathfinding ability: agile units like Elites will jump, duck, climb, etc. to get through an area, stronger units like Hunters will plow through when possible
Characters will actually "think" to perform an action, instead of a standard scripting algorithm: resulting in more intelligent combat
Characters can now call out threats, and ask for assistance: counter-sniping, vehicle support, etc.
Can recognize the quality of their cover, and their enemies cover, and act accordingly
Marines now act as a squad and help each other
Marines can now pilot vehicles other then the Ghost, and rather well
Marines come together to tip over heavy objects for cover, or to flip a vehicle
Marines will now use real-world battle techniques
Far more advanced terrain awareness: threats, cover, elevation, etc.
Higher ranking soldiers give orders, lower ranking actually follow those orders
More Covenant can pilot vehicles: Grunts, Brutes, etc.
Covenant will have enhanced animalistic behavior
Dropships are now piloted by AI, and are no longer scripted events, and will react to the enemy: drop troops at a pathway box in threat, etc.
Will use flashlights to hunt in the dark
Will be far better opportunists: flanking, moving to better positions, etc.
Will be able to set "traps" for enemies: ambushes, etc.
PART 2: Environment, Gameplay, Multiplayer, Physics, Graphics, Audio, Game Plot, Miscellaneous, Rumors, Halo Universe Plot.
Environment-
Low-gravity environments, can leap much higher, shoot down to slow descent: moon, etc.
Different objects have different defensive quality, and will last only so long under fire
All lights can be destroyed, to induce total darkness in contained areas
Levels will be much more fluid and dymanic to greatly enhance replay
Missions will have multiple paths to take
Minimal repetition: no Library-like levels
Virtually all objects can be destroyed
New arenas of play: cities, etc.
Much larger battlefields
Gameplay-
Game will have far greater replay value due to advanced AI, more random events, level setups, etc.
Battles will be much more difficult due to advanced AI, and greater enemy abilities
Battles will have many more characters and vehicles involved at once
Firefights will be much longer due to more advanced AI, etc.
Stealth can be used as little or as much as wanted
Multiplayer-
Covenant vs. Humanity: Elites vs. Spartans to better differentiate between teams
All weapons and pilotable vehicles usable in the campaign can be used: including turrets and flying vehicles
All abilities carry over from campaign
Xbox Live
Physics-
All loose models can be moved by pushing, or propelled by weapons to create cover, or to move it out of the way: rocks, burned-out cars, etc.
Objects have a better concept of "wieght": react more realistically to explosions, etc.
Totally re-written physics engine
Graphics-
Inverse kinematics are being used on the arms and legs, feet and other areas, forward kinematics are being used for the spine, neck, head and wrists and toes for enhanced movement realism
New self-lighting engine: all models cast shadows on themselves, and all other models
New bump-mapping engine: allows for almost unprecedented gameplay detail
Models can now have hanging objects attached that move like they should: grenades dangling from a bandoleer, etc.
Characters will have far more articulation: Elites with moving mandibles, etc. (shown below)
Objects and vehicles will take far more realistic damage
All characters will have far more animations, granting them far more and real-looking abilities
Audio-
More musical purpose: does better to convey the feeling of the specific moment, and changes depending upon choices made, etc.
Dynamic sound, based on environment: sounds echo off ice walls differently, etc.
Weapons sound much more realistic
It kicks ***
Game Plot-
Takes place just after the novel Halo: First Strike
Details about Covenant history and relations will be heavy in the story
Most of the plot will be conveyed through in-game dialog, instead of mostly between-level cinematic
Another Halo will be involved
First few levels will deal with saving Earth itself
Counter-offensive against Covenant in later levels
Game will end with a sense of closure
Miscellaneous-
Will not be released on any other consoles, and no PC/MAC port has been planned.
Remaining time is being used to polish all aspects of the game, all graphics will look far better then any screenshot currently in circulation, etc.
Flame-thrower will be included if Bungie can write a program that allows objects to catch fire (shown below: from Halo PC)
Facial expressions of voice actors are being recorded and animated on the characters for far more realistic speach
MC’s face will not be seen
Release date unknown
· Rumors-
Multiplayer options may be as powerful as in Halo PC: weapon spawns, vehicle selection, etc.
Maybe able to use grenades while driving the ATV
May have timed/remote detonated bombs
Multiplayer bots