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This topic has moved here: Subject: Halo 2 Lobby Concept
  • Subject: Halo 2 Lobby Concept
Subject: Halo 2 Lobby Concept
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I’ve been going back and forth with Parsons (I’m winning) about what we should reveal about our secret Xbox Live plans that will change the way people play online forever. Not only have we got a system that fixes the bad things about playing on Live, but one that makes the experience even more fun. We’re shooting to make playing on Live as close to the amount of fun as playing at a friend’s LAN party. This plan will put an end to war and poverty. It will align the planets and bring them into universal harmony, allowing meaningful contact with all forms of life.

This was from David Candland, who works on the user interfacing for Halo 2 in conjunction with what will be on Live. I tried to think of ways an interface could make things "more fun" and it escapes me, save for one idea:

There's a possibility that Halo 2 on Live will have lobbies, like any other game (despite there not being any lobbies on the first game because there was a continual respawn) you have respawn limits or just enter a game late. Why shouldn't you be able to watch the game, but not in a camera following one player around at a time. Rather, what about an interface where you're in a cage or compartment, separate from the match but with a view overlooking it. Your player doesn't have a weapon in this room, but is free to walk around, communicate to other players and even watch the match, from this distant spot. You could zoom in using the same controls and watch it like a spectator and discuss strategy with other players.

Would this work or is it even worthwhile? I can't for the life of me think of another way to make the user interface more entertaining...

  • 05.01.2004 5:08 PM PDT
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I guess people are too busy with the who's stronger Brutes or Elites thread to tell if this is a decent idea or not...

  • 05.01.2004 6:17 PM PDT
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It is a cool idea, but I don't think it would be good use of resources. Having spectator mode, where a camera follows the players takes up very little resources, whereas having an extra player that isn't playing, will use more processing power, and bandwith. I don't like respawn limits anyway.

  • 05.01.2004 6:24 PM PDT
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I like this idea, it could be pretty cool to have. Maybe each team could have it's own vantage point on the map to look at the battle, and they can communicate with their teammates about what's going on and such. I think a more realistic approach to this would be to have camera systems that can be viewed from each team base. Then you could infiltrate the enemies base and see through their cameras, or maybe disable their cameras somehow. Or maybe they could have a 343GS mode where you are 343GS and can fly around the map watching the battle. Players can shoot you but you're indestructable, but you of course can't attack. I wonder how many people would play as GS just so they could fly around humming.

  • 05.01.2004 6:31 PM PDT
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Hehe, then GS goes near the ground, a spartan jumps on and wheeeeee, level exploration, ehre we come!

  • 05.01.2004 6:33 PM PDT
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Posted by: jharbst
It is a cool idea, but I don't think it would be good use of resources. Having spectator mode, where a camera follows the players takes up very little resources, whereas having an extra player that isn't playing, will use more processing power, and bandwith. I don't like respawn limits anyway.


Yeah, it's definately not one of the best uses of resources, but there's a lot of talk about dedicated servers and to be perfectly honest, Halo 2 will be the biggest online game ever for consoles. My guess is that Microsoft may have multiple servers up and running, and these servers will be built to handle the data sent and received from each Xbox. To be perfectly honest, if you start a team match with 16 players and 8 die their set number of times, and get booted into the lobby then you still have 16 players playing, just 8 are sectioned off from the group as penalty for dying too many times (and will more than likely use less bandwidth since they are watchin the map).

The major problem I do have with this idea is the no respawn. Halo's a frag-fest type game so respawn is a key for it, but I just can't for the life of me figure out what is so special about the user interface that it will change the experience of Live forever. Nothing about the user interface is that significant to warrant that much change. Perhaps it has something to do with clan orientation, or maybe it ties in with Version 3.0 of Live some way. Any other noteworthy speculation?

  • 05.01.2004 7:05 PM PDT
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  • Exalted Legendary Member

Through war we will teach your heresy.
Through battle we will teach your frailty.
Through death we will teach your fate.

I thought they where just talking about where XL will be integrated into the pause menu?

  • 05.01.2004 7:10 PM PDT
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a spectator room sound like a great idea!!!

  • 05.01.2004 7:25 PM PDT
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A spectator room like KoTOR's would be nice. It's unfortunate that you couldn't actually look through the monitors... That's a bad example. Let me think of another.

On the Half-Life mod Natural Selection, there are lobbies. I suppose those types of rooms plus monitors to view the games from certain perspectives would be nice. Then again, I don't have Xbox Live and couldn't take part in this. :(

  • 05.01.2004 7:28 PM PDT
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I share your pain brother :( i dont have live either :(

*hugs neonight, sobbing*

  • 05.01.2004 7:38 PM PDT