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This topic has moved here: Subject: The potential for massive environments and epic battles
  • Subject: The potential for massive environments and epic battles
Subject: The potential for massive environments and epic battles
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The most striking thing about the Halo 3 trailer (all in-game engine, mind you) was the Oblivion-scale draw distance. Although a fog is used to mask extremely distant objects, this is probably out of effect then due to hardware constraints. Also, the number of banshees, phantoms, and cruisers rendered on the screen at once was astounding. Vehicular battles in halo 2 had 5 or 6 vehicles on screen at once, but the size of these battle fields and the number of shown vehicles creates ENORMUS potential.

Imagine! The chief jacks a banshee and heads to the artifact. The result is a massive arial battle with SWARMS of enemy vessels! THINK! How awsome would it be to have the arbitor trapped in a room fighting HUNDREDS of flood off (i like the arbitor, but still, it would be awsome!).

To comment on the trailer itself, notice how the banshees make no effort to attack the chief. Looks like Earth is so secure nothing can stop Truth now. Also, where those Elites or Brutes in the banshees?

Edit:
Because textures and maps dont need to be stored in the 360's ram, that opens up more room for AI routienes. These battles could have many sides at once! The thought of Sentinels, Guardians, Flood, and other factions duking it out in a region that is not a narrow gorge makes me salivate. Although well concieved, the outdoor environments on the XBOX were very confined.

[Edited on 5/9/2006]

  • 05.09.2006 3:57 PM PDT
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The epic battles would be cool.

PS: BENGALS ROCK!

  • 05.09.2006 3:59 PM PDT

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Where UK gamers Go to Know! (about good Halo 2 custom games)

What about Driving a warthog through a wartorn city with swarms of covenant! And like bands of human soliders fighting back, that would be great.

  • 05.09.2006 4:03 PM PDT
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I always thought Halo 2, even more so than halo 1, lacked large open areas of map. The bridge was about as big as it got. It would be cool to see two ranks, one human, one covenant, charge at eachother and do battle

  • 05.09.2006 4:06 PM PDT
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what about if the humans mounted a last ditch offensive attack with nuclear weapons and hidden uderground MAC cannons and you have to distract the covenant forces with your band of UNSC troops that have survived the attack long enough so that the ground forces don't crush them immediately. hundreds of soldiers are cut down by white hot plasma and grenades in the expansive ruins of a once great city. warthogs and ghosts are mangled by the dozens in the city streets and outlying open fields. groups of soldiers fight to the death with wave after wave of enemies.

Just something that i was thinking of.

  • 05.09.2006 4:39 PM PDT
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GT: Greg Is So Hot

I DON'T THINK THE XB360 COULD TAKE IT.


And massive battles are actually pretty boring in FPSs...

  • 05.09.2006 4:40 PM PDT
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Yea, really, this is not Gears of War.

  • 05.09.2006 4:41 PM PDT
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I think the epic battles have already taken place. Read this part of the first impressions article from IGN.

"It was intended to be an understated announce of Halo 3 - the tone is that of mystery and suspense - the calm before the storm. I wanted to make sure that we re-introduced the Chief, show that Earth is thoroughly conquered, with Covenant everywhere, and that there is a glorious, ancient artifact buried under the Earth's crust which will provide H3 with the epic journey which we all want," said art director Marcus Lehto.

Master Chief is clearly weary and war-worn and glimpses of Cortana imply she's not doing much better. "The Chief is shown as warrior who has seen horrific battle - and it shows. The Earth is dry, barren, ravaged by the Covenant," said Lehto.



I gather humanity has been absolutely conquered by the covenant and Master Chief is all that stands in the way between ultimate victory and ultimate annihilation.

  • 05.09.2006 4:41 PM PDT
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When I saw the Halo 2 trailer, I doubted graphics like that could become a reality, but now i'm a believer. The unique features of ATI's graphics card makes battles with 50 plus enemies and allies not only possible but probable.

As for massive battles being boring, people used to say that having only two weapons in your inventory would cripple a FPS. If implemented with the care and quality put into Halo 1 and Halo 2, a Battle of Helm's Deep could be unreal. Also, it would provide an excuse for 4 player online co-op!

  • 05.09.2006 4:46 PM PDT
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Posted by: dcase
I think the epic battles have already taken place. Read this part of the first impressions article from IGN.

"It was intended to be an understated announce of Halo 3 - the tone is that of mystery and suspense - the calm before the storm. I wanted to make sure that we re-introduced the Chief, show that Earth is thoroughly conquered, with Covenant everywhere, and that there is a glorious, ancient artifact buried under the Earth's crust which will provide H3 with the epic journey which we all want," said art director Marcus Lehto.

Master Chief is clearly weary and war-worn and glimpses of Cortana imply she's not doing much better. "The Chief is shown as warrior who has seen horrific battle - and it shows. The Earth is dry, barren, ravaged by the Covenant," said Lehto.



I gather humanity has been absolutely conquered by the covenant and Master Chief is all that stands in the way between ultimate victory and ultimate annihilation.


No offense, Do you believe Halo 3 starts at that point in the plot ark? Its more likely that the game begins where Halo 2 ends, with both the Arbiter and the Chief playing vital roles. In my own opinion, what the trailer shows will occur about halfway through the game. Plus, Marines have always been a sweet part of the campaing. It's hard to see the Chief doing everything himself.

  • 05.09.2006 4:51 PM PDT
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Posted by: dcase
I think the epic battles have already taken place. Read this part of the first impressions article from IGN.

"It was intended to be an understated announce of Halo 3 - the tone is that of mystery and suspense - the calm before the storm. I wanted to make sure that we re-introduced the Chief, show that Earth is thoroughly conquered, with Covenant everywhere, and that there is a glorious, ancient artifact buried under the Earth's crust which will provide H3 with the epic journey which we all want," said art director Marcus Lehto.

Master Chief is clearly weary and war-worn and glimpses of Cortana imply she's not doing much better. "The Chief is shown as warrior who has seen horrific battle - and it shows. The Earth is dry, barren, ravaged by the Covenant," said Lehto.



I gather humanity has been absolutely conquered by the covenant and Master Chief is all that stands in the way between ultimate victory and ultimate annihilation.


Meh, I don't think to that extent. Not "Just" the Master Chief, but there will still be the rebel forces (which I hope make an entrance into the story) and UNSC members, just not a lot of them. But still, they would be war torn and nothing compared to the Covenant. Remember that in New Mombassa, or any urban area, the Covenant had a hard time getting to humans because of the "confusing architecture." Now imagine the confusing architecture in ruin. Sorta hard to find a few humans under a mass ruin. I'm sure that there will be small "checkpoints" and bases formulating a resistance, possibly with the Elites and grunts.

  • 05.09.2006 4:56 PM PDT
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remember that the Arbiter now knows the truth about halo and could change the Elites,grunts,hunters minds about halo and lead an army against the prophets.

  • 05.09.2006 5:02 PM PDT
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actually, I'm getting the feeling that the trailer is almost the end of the game. Think, they have to end the Halo series in a big way. What better way then to have the Chief watching the covanent activate the ark, powerless to react because the overmind has impacted High Charity with earth and both Covanent and Human forces cannot face the flood.

Imagine a series of endearing flashbacks in which the forerunners activate the ark, millions of years ago, paralelled with current events in which the Master Chief asks that omenous line "if it were your choice, would you do it?" before repeating history. Humanity, Covanent, and all other multicellular life dies in one epic burst of light, and the universe is freed of the flood forever.

  • 05.09.2006 5:14 PM PDT
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Posted by: CountBlog
actually, I'm getting the feeling that the trailer is almost the end of the game. Think, they have to end the Halo series in a big way. What better way then to have the Chief watching the covanent activate the ark, powerless to react because the overmind has impacted High Charity with earth and both Covanent and Human forces cannot face the flood.

Imagine a series of endearing flashbacks in which the forerunners activate the ark, millions of years ago, paralelled with current events in which the Master Chief asks that omenous line "if it were your choice, would you do it?" before repeating history. Humanity, Covanent, and all other multicellular life dies in one epic burst of light, and the universe is freed of the flood forever.


The only thing wrong with that is the part when you say "the ark was activated millions of years ago" the halo's only are 101,007 some years, and they were fired 100,000 years ago. But i do liek the rest... it is sad, but necassary.

  • 05.09.2006 5:24 PM PDT

"Oh noes your BULLET SPAMMING me with your assault rifle"

---High Commander Frogger
---Captain of the Elites

i wana see an epic ground battle that breaks the limits of the 360's hardware im talkin at least 200 NPC's on the ground with marines vs covies it would be nuts

  • 05.09.2006 5:30 PM PDT
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it says in the FAQ that halo 3 will have amazing new graphic engines. Apart o this will be large environments and large visual ranges. So big maps are very possible. Epic battles are almost guaranteed

  • 05.09.2006 5:32 PM PDT
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I'm curious, did they ever mention when the rings were fired in the games? 100,000 years is too recent, i feel. The evolution of the races of the covanent would have taken millions of years, not 100,000. I thought the date was announced in a Halo novel, where the author takes certain liberties in expressing the universes story.

In every plot there is flaws; but its the experience that matters. I'm glad you like my idea, though. I heard Marathon had a similar ending.

  • 05.09.2006 5:33 PM PDT
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Imagine something on the scale of the demo's of 99 Knights, but with flood and sentinels!! Take that Sony, the 360 is JUST AS POWERFUL!!! Finesse beats brute force every time!

  • 05.09.2006 5:35 PM PDT