- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
Great job on that list to StarWarsFanMan, it's pretty extensive and although not wholly accurate (or should I say proven), it's very close.
A few things I want to point out. A previous individual advised that all the weapons from the original Halo would be in this game and although that is true, it is also false. The exact weapons will not return (ie. MA5B Assault Rifle, M6D Pistol). In the place of the these missing weapons will be a new one, with similar if not identical effciency. That being said, one shouldn't take the leaked Game Informer article at its face value, since they were playing an alpha version of the multiplayer game, and not the final version. I expect to see some sort of human pistol in the final cut, but there won't be a very heavy need for it since the weapon currently named "Battle Rifle" will have similar zoom capacity and a far heavier hit (the difference between a .45 caliber slug and a 7.62 magazine). You can guess, the rather finite MA5B would be obselete among such a weapon, so don't expect to see that in the final version. Expect a lot of old weapons with new names and features, specifically the S2 AM which may or may not have a more impressive aiming feature (controlling the distance by not only pushing in the analog stick, but holding down on the left trigger).
It would be nice as well for there to be a human flying vehicle, but there has been no evidence of such. With the enhancements made to the Banshee (being able to burst speed across a map) there's really no need for one save for the novelty of it, and incidentally the ability to use hard ammo human weaponry aboard it (which also falls under the novelty category). I wouldn't hold your breath for this. Most people assumed it would be a weapon mounted Pelican, perhaps the Chiroptera-class vessel from "Halo: First Strike" where the Pelican was modified and fitted by pirates for dog-fighting. There was even the suggestion of human Longsword fighters, or their Covenant counterparts, Seraphs, but that would be ideally for another completely differen type of game. While it would be nice for a human or even just a secondary flying vehicle, there's no indication yet of anything of this nature. Bungie's holding it's cards in this respect especially close.
Concerning the grenades, there's a lot of chatter of a variety of different kinds apart from the standard M9-HE DP and plasma grenade. There will obviously be a new type of RPG system in the new Halo, whether that's secluded to the Brute's new assault rifle or the "beefing up" of the human assault rifle reported earlier, you will be able to shoot grenades which means they will go a lot farther and with much greater accuracy, something I'm sure will be indispensible in multiplayer gametypes like Assault (the new game where one team tries to enter the oppnents base, past their various defenses and lay a bomb, while the other team defends until the last man). Firing a grenade high above enemy defenses, dropping it vertically into their encampment means satisfaction, especially when they don't see it coming. You may recall from "Halo: First Strike" the Lotus anti-tank mines, and while it's not mentioned, it seems entirely plausible for the sequel. The mines appear to be high range explosives (perhaps the one seen in the far distance on what appears to be a screen of Burial Mounds). It's tossed at the ground, armed and thereby detonated. One of the interesting thing about these is that they could also be impaled in walls and ceilings, leaving them very inconspicuous. There's little information on them in the novel, but it does appear that they can not only be set to time detonation, but they have other purposes (perhaps proximity, laser trip or otherwise). With Halo 2's destructible environments, you may find them more useful in finding your way around campaign mode than anything else.
It should be noted that virtually nothing mentioned on the new "hi-jacking feature" is confirmed. Nothing is known of this feature because it hasn't been implemented during the alpha testing and has only been seen during the previous E3 in-game demo. All that we can assume at this point is that there are certain vehicles which will allow us to time a jump appropriately to put ourselves on the external housing of it, and then nearly simulataneously take it. Expect this available only on a few vechiles as it would not be practical for it on some (ie. M808B Scorpion MBT) and it would become a useless against a talented opponent on multiplayer as they would simply disembark from the vehicle and take a standing shot at the hi-jacker who would be unprotected. Of course it would maintain some interest, especially if there are multiplayer games engineered for just that function (by the developer or by gamers), but in the end it's a peripheral feature for multiplayer gaming and something probably best used during campaign mode. They may not even include it during multiplayer for the aforementioned reason.
Online co-op is not only extremely likely, but almost unavoidable. The main ingredient that set this game apart from most of the competition is playing single player mode with a friend. Expect four players (similar to Rainbow Six 3's "Terrorist Hunt"), connected via LAN or Live to be able to play through various missions individually or through the entire campaign all at once. It's unlikely that they will have four-player splitscreen in this fashion, but the two-player splitscreen co-op should remain intact. Expect 16 players on Live, and nothing more than that. It's increasingly difficult to have more players with Live's current interface, and with voice communication it's nearly impossible (although I would like to see more). If they do have more than 16 players, which I would definately hope for, expect for it to be for LAN use and expect to be able to have your own splitscreen with the LAN, meaning mutiple televisions and routers. It would be a godsend for people who have their Xbox connected to a large LAN already, for example college dorms and casual places of business. Deftinately worthwhile, and not too difficult on programmers.
Don't expect a Forerunner in this game. It's still very early in the Halo story, and the Forerunner is a significant aspect of it. Their revelation will more than likely be later in the story. You should expect to do a lot of battling on Earth, more than I originally thought apparently. It would be accurate to assume that half, or more than half will be on the human's soil. The battle will also find its way on another Halo construct and even deeper into Convenant territory, into their homeworld which is very interestingly described in the final chapter of "Halo: First Strike."
Go thread though, this thing should double in size (concerning what is known about Halo 2) in the next month, as with the advent of the Game Informer article, expect the other magazines to follow suit with their take on the alpha version or even the beta version. I'm certain O'Connor's buddies at OXM are already preparing their next issue on this very thing, and I'd say OXM will have some exclusivities that other mags more than likely won't.
[Edited on 4/21/2004 3:57:11 PM]