- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
Do you plan to enable anti-aliasing? Other visual features?
Halo 2 for Windows Vista makes use of several DirectX 9 features such as edge anti-aliasing, anisotropic texture filtering, enhanced resolution shadow buffering, additional dynamic shadows, improved normal map filtering, parallax mapping, and per pixel specular mapping.
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Sweet, Halo 2 is going to look so awesome, also interesting on the anti-aliasing, Gearbox said that they couldn't enable this on Halo PC becasue of how the game works on the xbox, but apprantly they can with Halo 2.
Will Halo 2 for Windows Vista boast the same detailed ranking and stat tracking systems as Halo 2 online via Xbox Live?
No, H2V won’t feature the same global ranking system currently supported by the Xbox version. We are opening up the online experience to better fit the PC platform and provide more flexibility for players. While there is no global stat mechanism, we are investigating the ability for dedicated server hosts to gather and display their own stats for their own servers.
Will Halo 2 for Windows Vista offer the same clan support as Halo 2 online via Xbox Live?
No, Halo 2 for Windows Vista will not offer clan support. However, organized groups of players are free to create their own dedicated servers and playlists for competitive gaming.
How does Halo 2 for Windows Vista cope with cheating, aimbots, and so on?
Cheating is a big concern for us, especially in online play, just as it is for any online game regardless of platform. Windows Vista and Live include several features intended to prevent cheating in online games, and players who need an extra degree of certainty can control their own community using Dedicated Servers or Live Friends lists. Even so, there will always be those who work around these measures and make it impossible to eliminate cheating completely. We’re doing all we can to make sure that online play is fun for the majority of honest H2V players.
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interesting news......
Are there any new multiplayer maps shipping with Halo 2 for Windows Vista?
We aren’t ready yet to announce anything about new official content. However, Halo 2 for Windows Vista will include all twenty-one maps from Halo 2 and the Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack. With the inclusion of the H2V Map Editor, the Halo community will be able to create a wide variety of custom multiplayer maps.
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awesome and sweet! :D
Will Bungie host its own H2V Dedicated Servers?
Yes, most likely Bungie will operate a few Dedicated Servers for use by the community, just as we did for Halo 1 PC. The exact number remains TBD. More importantly, we look forward to seeing a vibrant network of community-run servers, each running custom playlists and content.
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ok, so bungie operated servers are confirmed, but what about possible admins??
What does this toolkit include?
Just as with the HEK from Halo 1 PC, Halo 2 for Windows Vista will ship with updated versions of the three programs Bungie itself uses for map creation: Guerilla, Sapien, and Tool. Users may create 3D objects and textures in their preferred editing programs, then specify rules for those objects in Guerilla, and finally integrate them into gameplay with Sapien. Tool provides a processing pipeline between these programs.
Why doesn’t the toolkit include a 3D modeler or texture editor?
There are several extremely good 3D modeling and artistic programs on the market, including some available at no cost. Bungie itself uses third-party tools for modeling and texture creation.
Are these tools user-friendly?
We expect most users of H2V will simply enjoy the custom content created by others, rather than make their own. Guerilla, Sapien, and Tool were originally created by and for Bungie’s own developers and require some dedication to learn. That said, the toolkit for H2V is friendlier and more polished than the Halo 1 PC HEK, which the Halo community used to create over a thousand unique multiplayer maps.
How will Bungie support players who need technical advice when creating maps?
The map editor from Pi Studios will ship with a considerable amount of documentation, and we hope to release reference projects that will give players an idea of how maps are made. The tools themselves are an evolution of the Halo 1 PC map editing kit, and as such experienced HEK map-makers should feel at home. It’s also likely that Bungie will create a forum on its website for users who want to trade technical information about the new tools. And of course, the map editing community itself is always great about sharing tips and techniques across the internet.
How will an experienced HEK user benefit from upgrading to the new toolset?
The map creation toolkit in H2V has a higher degree of polish and is better supported and documented than the HEK. For example, Guerilla now automatically indexes game objects for easy access, and Sapien now supports auto-backup and undo. Pi Studios has added several other convenient features, such as the ability to view full pre-renders of maps within Sapien, and tolerance for geometry issues including object collision and open edges.
How will users get access to custom maps created by other players?
We’re investigating our options here, but aren’t ready to discuss the details. It’s important for the H2V team to strike a balance between convenience and community-building. Security and performance concerns must also be addressed.
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some good information on the mod tools, but still nothing on the distribution of the maps...
When will Halo 2 for Windows Vista ship?
The team plans to ship H2V early in 2007, some time after Windows Vista is available
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Possibly one month or a little more?
Will Halo 1 PC still run on a machine set up with Windows Vista?
Yes, the final version of Windows Vista will play Halo 1 PC with no changes required. Pre-release versions of Windows Vista such as RC-1 or RC-2 require a temporary patch to play Halo 1 PC. These early versions of Windows automatically direct Halo 1 PC users to the necessary interim patch.
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Nice, very very nice :D
I hate/love auto-aim. Will it be enabled in Halo 2 for Windows Vista?
The team will balance each input device uniquely. We don’t plan to create a one-size-fits-all solution.
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Odd interesting, and mysterious