Halo PC Goes Gold, Producer Quizzed

Scorpion_1169 writes "According to Bungie.org, Microsoft/Gearbox's long-awaited version of Halo for the PC has gone gold, and is scheduled to hit store shelves on September 30th." There's also an interview with Bungie producer Michel Bastien over at Bungie.net, answering questions such as who might have leaked a Beta version of Halo online ("Nah, we don't know who it was. It really sucks because this build was not the most glorious build we've put together"), and the existence of easter eggs ("Like the Xbox game, you want to play through 'The Maw' on Legendary. We've got a couple of well-kept surprises, which, hopefully, we can roll out in the future...")

Comments

This is the world of Mac gaming..

[Dutchmaan]

Being a former mac gamer, this is exactly what PC game developers did to the mac platform... and I don't need to tell you the state of mac gaming these days in respect to the number of titles available.

It isn't all that surprising to me that Halo PC has been released roughly three? years after the Xbox version was released, when Halo2 is almost done for XBox.

While MS isn't really trying to kill of PC gaming, it's surely depriving it of a good dose of oxygen..as far as MS game titles are concerned.

I'm not fearing for PC gaming yet, but it seems that there is more pressure to switch to a console these days..

This post is of course IMHO.

Re:This is the world of Mac gaming..

[Dot.Com.CEO]

Half Life 2

Doom 3

Deusex 2

Jedi Academy

Homeworld 2

Call of duty

I can name twice as many games that are coming out on the PC - games that are not only good, but are eagerly expected and they are coming out in the next 6 months. Xbox owners are looking forward to Halo 2, PS2 GT4 and a few other first rate games, and Gamecube owners are waiting for a miracle. Owning everything on the list, I am sincere when I say that there is NOTHING coming close to the choice PC owners will have in the next 6 months. Saying that MS is "depriving PC gaming of oxygen" is ridiculous - as a matter of fact Microsoft publish themselves some of the best strategy games. Just because a console's flagship title does not appear on the PC does not mean PC as a gaming platform is doomed - it means the company publishing it has its own plans and priorities. I mean, what next, saying PC gaming is doomed because Mario Sunshine will not appear on the PC?

Re:This is the world of Mac gaming..

[SmallFurryCreature]

Not to be a mac basher or anything but this is hardly the same thing. Apple just doesn't have the market share to make it attractive to publish games for it.

The PC on the other hand has proven itself as a large enough market to make games for. In fact the x-box is a pc. Anyway look at some of the games coming out on both console and PC. Generally the PC version is superior if you like stuff like mods and high-res graphics. But I guess it all depends on what kind of game you like wich platform you buy or even if you gotta own several.

However on to Halo the game stolen from the pc.

Having been one of the naughty people who played with the beta I can't say I have been to impressed. Yes this was a beta so I can forgive the bugs. Just that an awfull lot of the features of the game seem like they weren't all that had when it first came out.

The indoor levels are frankly boring and suffer from extremly bland graphics. The difficulty level seems soly to depend on how many bullets the enemies can soak up. Personally I am getting fed up with FPS were the enemies can soak up anti-armor missles, come on give us AI, not idiotic hitpoints. Despite the fact that AI works and you have vehicles to many levels are still, walk alone into a maze and fight your way in and out again. BORING! espcially when the levels are so bland.

On the positive side, for once you are not alone. First level is a running fight with plenty of other soldiers fighting. There is a nice if short beach assault and you really feel that your fellow soldiers are fighting with you. The AI is also not bad. I like sticking grenades to the enemy.

It is not a bad game but I think it would have been an "also ran" when it first was supposed to be out. Now all it can hope is that it hits the shelfs before the real PC games like Deus Ex 2, doom3 and Half Life 2 come out. Only if it is first does it stand any chance.

Oh well bungie sold out. This will be one of the games I have absolutely no bad feelings about pirating, just like any Gathering of Developer game (1 whole year for a mafia patch!!!!!), they fucked up.

Now lets see how badly valve is going to loose its karma.

Re:This is the world of Mac gaming..

[captainktainer]

I'm not exactly a fan of Microsoft, but I think you're missing something here. First of all, *as you said*, it's a beta. A downloaded, incomplete, officially disavoved beta. Crikeys, man.

You mentioned the graphics being a problem. Has it occurred to you that those might be *beta* textures, mostly untouched by the graphics department? Because that was the first thought that popped into *my* head. Having seen betas of other games- and, yes, even ports from one system to another- I think it's rather safe for me to say that this is a common practice. Engine comes first. Pretty graphics come later, since they increase loading time before final optimization.

AI was also not near completion when that beta was leaked, from what I've heard- so you should be pleasantly surprised when it comes out.

The level design in the original Halo was spotty sometimes, I agree- that's why I didn't play the game for the single player environment. There were some designs that were somewhat interesting, but the campaign wasn't exactly the game's most shining moment.

If I remember correctly, the first level in the X-box version also had some cooperative action going on. I can't be sure from what you're saying whether it was a substantive change or not- guess I'll just have to wait until the game comes out.

If you can afford to buy it, buy it or don't play it. Obviously you've made up your mind about the game beforehand, so don't play it when it comes out. Play one of the "real games" you're so excited about and keep comparing to an unreleasable beta.

Bungie *started* development on the PC, yes. Then came the Microsoft deal, and yes, they did sell out. It's part of the game industry. Microsoft used the title very, very successfully to sell the X-box, and people bought into it. Tough cookies. If you don't like it, again, don't play it. Don't give the rest of us some sanctimonious bullshit about that somehow justifying your piracy. It doesn't.

Re:This is the world of Mac gaming..

[Gr33nNight]

Gamecube owners are waiting for a miracle

Pass some of that crack your smoking. Sure, its a good time to be a PC gamer if your a huge FPS fan (which I am, but only on the PC mind you), but the little box has some excellent games coming out soon. Billy Hatcher, Viewtiful Joe, Rogue Squadren III, Havest Moon, FF:CC, and many others.

Some are saying Nintendo is dying. Personally, I am pumped about all the new games that is coming out for my favorite system.

Re:I would love to play Halo PC

[snubber1]

I used to avoid consoles like the plague, until I realized that I was missing out on such a wealth of gaming to be enjoyed without constant upgrades or hassles often associated with getting crap to run.

Re:I would love to play Halo PC

[Anonvmous Coward]

"But seriously, they aren't going to charge full price for it, are they? That would be the ultimate insult, to charge $50.00 for a frickin' two year old game."

I think this is a valid point, not sure why it was modded as flamebait.

Unless they did something to upgrade this game for the 2 year lag, then I agree with what he said. It's reasonable to assume that the majority of people playing Halo on an XBOX has a PC that could also play the game. Why not give them a reason to buy the game twice? Either make it cheap or offer a reasonable upgrade to it.