Halo 1 & 2 for PC
This topic has moved here: Subject: Halo PC: The Halo That Never Existed
  • Subject: Halo PC: The Halo That Never Existed
Subject: Halo PC: The Halo That Never Existed
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  • Noble Heroic Member

"A life lived for others is the only life worth living" - Albert Einstein

"I have your RCON right here." - Iggwilv

"Always my pleasure to be lazy." - InvasionImminent

WARNING: This thread contains knit-picking. What I say about what people have said might be a case of me looking too deeply into things but it's something that has irritated me for several years now. I do not mean any offense to anyone. (Specifically DeeJ which I think is a pretty cool guy.)

As many of you know, Halo: Combat Evolved PC has seemed to be completely over looked by the rest of the Halo community. That's mainly do to the fact people see Halo as the Xbox powerhouse game. It was the thing that introduced aim assist which to many made console first person shooters feasible and, for all intents and purposes, made the Xbox relevant in the power struggle between the rest of the consoles that generation.

There is one casualty of this feeling that seems to get no break after all these years. That casualty is Halo: Combat Evolved for the PC. Whenever anyone talks about the first time Halo was an online experience, they seem to always mention Halo 2 even though Halo: Combat Evolved was doing it one year before it. (it's also worth note that Xbox Connect was around before Halo 2's release as well) As someone who loves the hell out of this game, it's always irritated me to see/hear people say that. There's also another thing many people have stated over the years that is on the same level as this. It's possibly even worse in my opinion. A recent example came from the article DeeJ wrote while recapping his ride along with "Blueprint":

"It was innovations in the development of Halo 3 that first put the hammer and anvil in the hands of our community." - DeeJ
While this is true for the Xbox side of things, we on the PC side have had the hammer and anvil in our hands since 2004 with Custom Edition. We've had a much better hammer and anvil in which we've created many master pieces over the years with. In fact, you had the ability to create maps in Marathon even before that though I think he means the Halo community specifically. While this is surely me knit picking, I can't help but feel slightly offended that most of the Halo community seems to forget Halo: Combat Evolved PC like this.

How do you guys feel about this? Is this something that purely doesn't matter or is it something that gets under your skin as well? Should Halo PC get more recognition than it does? Should it be set aside and forgotten? Will Timmy get out of the well in time before he dies of hunger?

[Edited on 04.05.2012 6:20 PM PDT]

  • 04.05.2012 5:16 PM PDT

Rain, and Jazz.
Halo: Tactical

I'm either a fool or an inteligent man, depending on how sleepy or angry I am.

I originaly made an account on 07.27.2007 but I wanted to link my GT and made this account. Don't forget your passwords!

I personaly find this annoying as well, though it does add up. I think it's obscurity comes from that Halo is a core X-box game and that people who have X-Boxes or other consoles are less likely to have a gaming PC.

Although to be fair, I have yet to buy the PC versions becasue I fear that I will find the community gone when I look for a server.

  • 04.05.2012 6:27 PM PDT
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  • Noble Heroic Member

"A life lived for others is the only life worth living" - Albert Einstein

"I have your RCON right here." - Iggwilv

"Always my pleasure to be lazy." - InvasionImminent

Actually we have a decent amount of players still. Last time I checked, if you get on version 1.00 of Custom Edition, you get over 1,000 players. That's definitely enough for a PC game with a server browser. It's just a shame that hardly anyone has good taste anymore when it comes to gametypes/maps.

I personaly find this annoying as well, though it does add up. I think it's obscurity comes from that Halo is a core X-box game and that people who have X-Boxes or other consoles are less likely to have a gaming PC. That's partially what I think it is as well. Halo being immediately associated as an Xbox title even though Halo PC exists. It sort of makes it an odd one out of the family. It's just that it deserves more than that.

Halo PC was a successful game, though. People tend to think it didn't do that well in sales but it did rather amazing and still has a decent population for how old the game is.

  • 04.05.2012 6:31 PM PDT

If you build it, I can destroy it.

Just to add another opinion to the mix here...

I agree with everything you guys have said. I can remember back in the day when we would hook up an xbox to a pc and play Halo CE online, way before Halo2 or anything like that. I think what they are talking about in the interview is specifically the matchmaking experience that Halo 2 brought. Before xbox live came out, the online community and the servers, were rather un-tammed. I frequently ran into modders and such while playing Halo CE online (through xbox) and in every other game I have played through the internet. Also, maps were not standardized. And while people could make really great maps, they sometimes were finiky and might not run the same on different computers. I think Forge brought the ability to make maps to the masses, and stabilized it a great deal.
I think these two main things are what has made Halo great. If you look at other examples of online gaming, like the ps3, you can see a consol version of online gaming, without the added support that xbox live has brought. The ps3 servers have issues with modders and hacks and everything else, even to the point that sony has decided to allow dedicated "modded" game lobbies to try and get these people out of regular games.
In all I prefer what Halo has become over any of the other games that I have played online.

  • 04.05.2012 6:51 PM PDT
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"A life lived for others is the only life worth living" - Albert Einstein

"I have your RCON right here." - Iggwilv

"Always my pleasure to be lazy." - InvasionImminent

The article wasn't even talking about the first online experience. I was referring to what other people have said in the past. The only real thing I'm pointing to in the article is DeeJ saying Halo 3 was the first time the Halo community was officially given a hammer and anvil to create play spaces in the Halo games.

Saying that Forge was the first time this was given to the "masses" is exactly what I'm talking about here. Look around here and you'll see that there were/are tons of people enjoying user created content through Custom Edition. To say that this was just a minor little thing compared to Forge seems incredibly insulting and uninformed. What we were able to create with these tool sets far than eclipses anything that's created using the Forge modes in the Halo games. (Not to say that I don't find what people do in Forge with its limited toolsets amazing. I think it's beautiful what the community has done with such limited resources in that regard.)

  • 04.05.2012 7:02 PM PDT
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  • Elder Legendary Member

Yes, I am a hypocrite, and I'm sorry. I really do mean well, but I'm not running on all cylinders.

Everytime someone buys a copy of Halo 2 Vista, a puppy dies.

When someone from Bungie says "community", what they really mean is "group that brings the most revenue". PC gamers aren't the biggest source of income, so they're not worth thinking about or mentioning.

Has anyone from Bungie even once stood up for us over the H2V travesty? Not to my knowledge. Nothing in it for them.

Microsoft, Bungie, EA, Valve, Epic, whatever. They're all the same. Making up false sentiments to cover their extreme greed and power mongering. Screw em.

[Edited on 04.07.2012 3:23 AM PDT]

  • 04.07.2012 3:18 AM PDT

Something smells fishy...

Posted by: n357
When someone from Bungie says "community", what they really mean is "group that brings the most revenue". PC gamers aren't the biggest source of income, so they're not worth thinking about or mentioning.

Has anyone from Bungie even once stood up for us over the H2V travesty? Not to my knowledge. Nothing in it for them.

Microsoft, Bungie, EA, Valve, Epic, whatever. They're all the same. Making up false sentiments to cover their extreme greed and power mongering. Screw em.

Exactly. Apparently, sadly, console gaming is more favored by the gaming industry for some reason even though the games look better on powerful gaming PC's or anything that's good enough to play the latest games that have high requirements (quad core processors and relatively powerful graphics cards).

Yeah I agree the H2V travesty left many people upset and no corporation or gaming company (Microsoft or Bungie) said anything to support the community or did anything to fix the problems with H2V. And you're correct if there is no profit to be gained from a game why would Microsoft or Bungie pursue making it and provide adequate support? The answer is simply that they wouldn't.

Corporations and companies such as Microsoft and Bungie will always gravitate towards making the bigger profit many times at the expense of its customers. Which is sad in my opinion because it's greedy.

I think that Halo Combat Evolved PC was considered to exist during its time. But since so much time has passed since then I think that could be the reason why people don't look back to it as an important event in gaming and Halo history.

Halo Combat Evolved was initially for the XBOX and so was Halo 2 however Halo 2 had online multiplayer that could be accessed from the XBOX console. Online multiplayer was not available for Halo Combat Evolved. So one had online multiplayer via console and the other didn't I believe that pits the Halo 2 community and the Halo Combat Evolved for PC community against each other. Which is why people who are mainly console gamers might not acknowledge Halo Combat Evolved PC as significant in gaming/Halo/PC history.


To add a new point in this discussion I believe the PC community will continue to shrink because people are more willing to play console games now because it's for one more heavily advertised or only so. And for the other gaming on PC is not cheap (parts, computers...etc) which is much more expensive than a 300 dollar console. The prices between purchasing a computer and or parts and purchasing a console are so grossly different it makes me sick.




[Edited on 04.07.2012 7:23 AM PDT]

  • 04.07.2012 6:57 AM PDT

I use to be addicted to this game from 04-06. This game brought me into online gaming and Halo. This is so true what you are saying and I have some of my favorite memories with this game (ME=KING on Bungie server days always gave the game a good laugh and a bond between the community)

Now all Halo PC is mods.. heavies... and moar mods

This game STARTED the Halo we know today. RIP Halo PC

  • 04.07.2012 7:19 AM PDT
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  • Noble Heroic Member

"A life lived for others is the only life worth living" - Albert Einstein

"I have your RCON right here." - Iggwilv

"Always my pleasure to be lazy." - InvasionImminent

To all those saying PC gaming is going downhill, you're actually wrong. We've seen a steady increase in PC gaming over the last few years. It was going down for a while but it's now rapidly picking up.

Also, to what node said, I wouldn't lump Valve in with that group. They've done more for bringing back PC gaming and making it a great experience for PC gamers more than greed. PC gaming wouldn't be growing if Steam didn't exist. I'm very strong in my opinion on this.

  • 04.07.2012 9:20 AM PDT

Halo 3


Posted by: Dr Syx
[quote]

How do you guys feel about this? Is this something that purely doesn't matter or is it something that gets under your skin as well? Should Halo PC get more recognition than it does? Should it be set aside and forgotten? Will Timmy get out of the well in time before he dies of hunger?


I'm really an all-around gamer. I don't think it matters, and it shouldn't matter. The fact that Halo PC is doing so well for its age just goes to show that it doesn't need any more recognition than it already has. And yeah, xbox is not PC, and PC is not xbox.

  • 04.07.2012 10:21 AM PDT
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"A life lived for others is the only life worth living" - Albert Einstein

"I have your RCON right here." - Iggwilv

"Always my pleasure to be lazy." - InvasionImminent


Posted by: Ben2974
I'm really an all-around gamer. I don't think it matters, and it shouldn't matter. The fact that Halo PC is doing so well for its age just goes to show that it doesn't need any more recognition than it already has. And yeah, xbox is not PC, and PC is not xbox.
What does any of this have to do with the fact that people completely over look it? I'm saying that it should be considered when people think of the history of the Halo franchise. That people shouldn't just say "Oh that doesn't count because it wasn't on Xbox."

It does need more recognition if people consider Forge on Halo 3 to be the first time the masses got a hammer and anvil to create play spaces in Halo. The ignorance shows when you had that one guy earlier in this thread pretty much inferring many people didn't play Custom Edition. It literally makes me want to throw up.

(By the way, this is not a PC versus Xbox debate. This is only talking about how the PC version of Halo: Combat Evolved isn't recognized by the modern Halo community.)

  • 04.07.2012 10:47 AM PDT

Halo 3


Posted by: Dr Syx

Posted by: Ben2974
I'm really an all-around gamer. I don't think it matters, and it shouldn't matter. The fact that Halo PC is doing so well for its age just goes to show that it doesn't need any more recognition than it already has. And yeah, xbox is not PC, and PC is not xbox.
What does any of this have to do with the fact that people completely over look it? I'm saying that it should be considered when people think of the history of the Halo franchise. That people shouldn't just say "Oh that doesn't count because it wasn't on Xbox."

It does need more recognition if people consider Forge on Halo 3 to be the first time the masses got a hammer and anvil to create play spaces in Halo. The ignorance shows when you had that one guy earlier in this thread pretty much inferring many people didn't play Custom Edition. It literally makes me want to throw up.

(By the way, this is not a PC versus Xbox debate. This is only talking about how the PC version of Halo: Combat Evolved isn't recognized by the modern Halo community.)


The modern halo community consists mainly (practically all) of xbox players. That's all I really have to say. That, and my previous post.

[Edited on 04.07.2012 12:06 PM PDT]

  • 04.07.2012 11:51 AM PDT
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  • Noble Heroic Member

"A life lived for others is the only life worth living" - Albert Einstein

"I have your RCON right here." - Iggwilv

"Always my pleasure to be lazy." - InvasionImminent

I know. i'm saying that it shouldn't matter what platform you played it on you should respect each of them. You shouldn't go around claiming that Halo 2 was the first online Halo and you shouldn't say the first time the Halo community could officially create custom content was in Halo 3.

I know the cause for why Halo PC is over looked so much. This is about whether or not it deserves more recognition. If it should be over looked like it is or not.

[Edited on 04.07.2012 12:52 PM PDT]

  • 04.07.2012 12:51 PM PDT

x7R0LLF4CE FTWx

Halo PC Name: x7R0LLF4CEx, Gamertag, x7R0LLF4CE FTWx


Posted by: n357
Microsoft, Bungie, EA, Valve, Epic, whatever. They're all the same. Making up false sentiments to cover their extreme greed and power mongering. Screw em.


The only one I disagree on with this statement is Valve. They love the PC. Half-Life, Team Fortress, Portal, they all sold better in PC and are made better. However, I can't have the pleasure on playing them on PC because my computer is craptacular.

  • 04.07.2012 3:19 PM PDT

Halo 3


Posted by: Dr Syx
I know. i'm saying that it shouldn't matter what platform you played it on you should respect each of them. You shouldn't go around claiming that Halo 2 was the first online Halo and you shouldn't say the first time the Halo community could officially create custom content was in Halo 3.

I know the cause for why Halo PC is over looked so much. This is about whether or not it deserves more recognition. If it should be over looked like it is or not.


As a PC game, the game does not deserve that specific recognition. But what the hell do I know about modding. Halo 2 was the first multiplayer Halo experience for the xbox and Halo 3 had the first map editing for the xbox.

And besides, it wouldn't be fair to compare the PC's capabilities with that of the xbox's capabilities. They are two different beasts. And when I say this, I mean that you ultimately cannot compare Halo PC with any Halo for the xbox.

[Edited on 04.07.2012 4:08 PM PDT]

  • 04.07.2012 3:56 PM PDT
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  • Noble Heroic Member

"A life lived for others is the only life worth living" - Albert Einstein

"I have your RCON right here." - Iggwilv

"Always my pleasure to be lazy." - InvasionImminent


Posted by: Ben2974
As a PC game, the game does not deserve that specific recognition. But what the hell do I know about modding. Halo 2 was the first multiplayer Halo experience for the xbox and Halo 3 had the first map editing for the xbox.

And besides, it wouldn't be fair to compare the PC's capabilities with that of the xbox's capabilities. They are two different beasts.
You are frustrating the hell out of me for not understanding what I'm trying to tell you...

I'm not comparing the Xbox versions of the Halos to the PC versions. What I'm trying to say is that it's not fair at all to say that Halo 3 was the first Halo game with official tools to create custom content and Halo 2 was the first online multiplayer experience when Halo PC was both. It shouldn't matter that it was on the PC. That does not make it any less of a Halo.

I'm fine with someone saying "Halo 2 had the first official online multiplayer for the Xbox" or "Halo 3 had the first official 'map editor' for the Xbox". What I have a problem with is people claiming it's the first for the Halo community in general. There was a large community built around Halo: Combat Evolved in the not so distant past that worked on marvelous things. Treating it as though it doesn't count just because it's on the PC platform is repulsive. It's an absolute insult to everyone who played Halo PC online and created maps for Halo Custom Edition.

If your only response to any of this is "Well, it doesn't matter because I play both." you're completely selfish. Apparently nothing ever matters if it doesn't directly affect you. You're not that important.

  • 04.07.2012 4:08 PM PDT


Posted by: Dr Syx
I know. i'm saying that it shouldn't matter what platform you played it on you should respect each of them. You shouldn't go around claiming that Halo 2 was the first online Halo and you shouldn't say the first time the Halo community could officially create custom content was in Halo 3.

I know the cause for why Halo PC is over looked so much. This is about whether or not it deserves more recognition. If it should be over looked like it is or not.

If anything, Halo 3 did introduce a nice, accessible form of editing to the masses as the maps were all small in size and took seconds to download. However, they are nothing but map variants compared to Custom Editions whole new maps (SPv3, Hugeass, Coldsnap, a few mainstream ones to name?) and therefore, Halo PC should be recognised more in that aspect. But equally, it is an old game. Halo 2's legacy lives on because it's no longer accessible, something i'm sure would happen if Halo PC went down that same route. That said, i'm glad Halo PC is still going strong and as i mentioned to Syx before, believe it deserves more recognition and awareness within the modern Halo community.

[Edited on 04.07.2012 7:14 PM PDT]

  • 04.07.2012 7:12 PM PDT

Halo 3


Posted by: Dr Syx

Posted by: Ben2974
As a PC game, the game does not deserve that specific recognition. But what the hell do I know about modding. Halo 2 was the first multiplayer Halo experience for the xbox and Halo 3 had the first map editing for the xbox.

And besides, it wouldn't be fair to compare the PC's capabilities with that of the xbox's capabilities. They are two different beasts.
You are frustrating the hell out of me for not understanding what I'm trying to tell you...

I'm not comparing the Xbox versions of the Halos to the PC versions. What I'm trying to say is that it's not fair at all to say that Halo 3 was the first Halo game with official tools to create custom content and Halo 2 was the first online multiplayer experience when Halo PC was both. It shouldn't matter that it was on the PC. That does not make it any less of a Halo.

I'm fine with someone saying "Halo 2 had the first official online multiplayer for the Xbox" or "Halo 3 had the first official 'map editor' for the Xbox". What I have a problem with is people claiming it's the first for the Halo community in general. There was a large community built around Halo: Combat Evolved in the not so distant past that worked on marvelous things. Treating it as though it doesn't count just because it's on the PC platform is repulsive. It's an absolute insult to everyone who played Halo PC online and created maps for Halo Custom Edition.

If your only response to any of this is "Well, it doesn't matter because I play both." you're completely selfish. Apparently nothing ever matters if it doesn't directly affect you. You're not that important.


But the thing is I don't think they, the modern Halo community, are trying to treat it "as though it doesn't count just because it's on the PC platform." Since the majority of the Halo gamers are xbox guys, you can expect a big portion of those people to have never even touched the PC version. They simply don't know about it. If they don't know about it, how can you expect people to appreciate it?

  • 04.07.2012 8:50 PM PDT
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  • Noble Heroic Member

"A life lived for others is the only life worth living" - Albert Einstein

"I have your RCON right here." - Iggwilv

"Always my pleasure to be lazy." - InvasionImminent


Posted by: Ben2974
But the thing is I don't think they, the modern Halo community, are trying to treat it "as though it doesn't count just because it's on the PC platform." Since the majority of the Halo gamers are xbox guys, you can expect a big portion of those people to have never even touched the PC version. They simply don't know about it. If they don't know about it, how can you expect people to appreciate it?
I'm talking specifically about people who do know of the PC version. People that simply don't count it because it was on the PC. I'm sure DeeJ knows that there was a PC version that had an official editing kit. No disrespect to him but if he didn't know that, I don't think he's the right guy to be doing management for the Bungie community while Urk is too busy. :P

  • 04.07.2012 9:15 PM PDT

Halo 3

Then in this select case, you can be as disappointed as you want. Why would one deny, or "forget," the installment of Halo for the PC when it's far outdone anything that the sequels offered?

Yeah it's wrong to do that, and it can be insulting. So yes, I do agree with you on this point.

Maybe he's being a corporate mastermind (a man with no soul) and feeding the masses while forgetting the minority.

  • 04.07.2012 9:33 PM PDT
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  • Noble Heroic Member

"A life lived for others is the only life worth living" - Albert Einstein

"I have your RCON right here." - Iggwilv

"Always my pleasure to be lazy." - InvasionImminent

Meh... I don't think he forgot on purpose. I think people that do know just sub-consciously don't consider Halo PC when thinking about these things. I'm not angry at people for doing this. I'm just disappointed that it isn't held as high as the rest of the Halos.

[Edited on 04.07.2012 10:37 PM PDT]

  • 04.07.2012 10:24 PM PDT

Halo 3


Posted by: Dr Syx
I'm just disappointed that it isn't held as high as the rest of the Halos.


So the truth comes out at last.
xD

  • 04.07.2012 10:46 PM PDT
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"A life lived for others is the only life worth living" - Albert Einstein

"I have your RCON right here." - Iggwilv

"Always my pleasure to be lazy." - InvasionImminent


Posted by: Ben2974
So the truth comes out at last.
xD
That's what I've been saying this entire time! You just weren't listening! :(

  • 04.08.2012 12:09 AM PDT
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  • Exalted Mythic Member
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Posted by: Anton P Nym
who says you have to be an ace to have fun?

Posted by: TUI_Obi_Wan
Stupid parents let their stupid children play games that are rated M when they should be playing Big Birds Spelling Adventures

Posted by: Kira Onime
Also the AR is actually good in CQB now and no longer a glorified baseball bat.

Pretty much all you need to show the longevity of Halo PC.

  • 04.08.2012 12:26 AM PDT
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  • Noble Heroic Member

"A life lived for others is the only life worth living" - Albert Einstein

"I have your RCON right here." - Iggwilv

"Always my pleasure to be lazy." - InvasionImminent


Posted by: Aj6627
Pretty much all you need to show the longevity of Halo PC.
Yep! Over 2,000 players per day. That's only counting the ones with Xfire on while they play!

  • 04.08.2012 1:00 AM PDT