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Halo 3 Beta Closes Up Shop
"Don't get attached to anything" is the message conveyed by Bungie, concerning the end of the public Halo 3 Beta. The event, which concluded yesterday, was the proving ground for multiplayer portion of the highly anticipated title. Halo 3 is due out this September. "The Beta has been a great success for us in terms of the sheer amount of data it allowed us to gather, for matchmaking, networking, general bug-bashing and of course some gameplay elements. As the Beta heads to the great software graveyard in the sky, it's vital to remember that things you got used to during these short few weeks, are almost certain to change. Some of those changes will be subtle, nuanced, perhaps even invisible. Others will be less subtle - with shifts in game types, weapon functionality, spawn points and map details."
This was the second thing I had heard about it.
This was the first
Graphics don't matter, what is important is that the teabagging is slightly improved.
The question that seems to be on everyone's mind about Bungie and Halo 3 is "What the hell have they been doing for the past three years?"
They didn't really do anything to the networking code. Same 16 player matches and the rumored dedicated servers turned out to be not true.
They didn't really do much in the way of graphics. Beta, multiplayer, blah,blah,blah...But the game looks very, very dated compared to what else is out there right now.
They didn't really do much with the gameplay. Yes there are quite a lot of changes but certainly not three years worth of changes.
I really don't myself picking up the game. There are just too many other fantastic online games out this year for both pcs and consoles. It will be interesting to see just how much Microsoft's gigantic marketing money for the game can generate sales for what would be a very mediocre effort if it was coming from any other company.
The Halo series is a pretty solid game for a console shooter. I dislike PC shooters for their uber-competitive nature, yet most console shooters are annoyingly awkward in multiplayer, which is where most of the fun comes from. Yet as someone who isn't head over heads for FPS games, and also doesn't hold Goldeneye in high regard, I probably had the most fun online in Halo 2 than any other multiplayer game I've played. There's enough consistency and interesting balance in the game that most games end up very entertaining. I think the game rates poorly for people who are very competitive, since it's not as open to clanning and grouping compared to a PC game. I also think the fact that it's based on a gamepad discourages people, especially those who are very focused on using a mouse and getting constant headshots. But for people who like FPS games but don't want to deal with uberweapons, there's enough variety and subtle balance in the game that I really, really enjoyed it. Most FPS games for a broad audience just shoot for cheese or wacky, like TimeSplitters. Or there's too much emphasis on giving everyone crazy weapons or weird customization that does nothing to really make the core game better (just a different avatar). Halo, I think, succeeded very well at being a broad-audience FPS, as I think its sales numbers show. I don't think it's "the best," but "best" is very subjective anyway. I appreciate that the game was serious about strategy and maps and weapon balance, without focusing on the elite gamers who only play for rank or achievements. I hope Halo 3 follows in those footsteps.
I'm not really a Halo fan. Completed the first one on the PC, never played 2 and only played 3 because I wanted Crackdown.
Having said that, I'd expect the final release to have much better graphics than the demo -- and not because they've still got a few months to work on it. Basically, the H3 beta had to be delivered via Xbox Live. So, they had to keep the download size reasonable. Now, if you're looking to strip stuff out of a game, your choices are limited. Simplify the map layouts or alter the game engine and you're (a) making way too much work for yourself and, (b) not really giving an accurate representation of how the game behaves.
The only real way to reduce a game's size without upsetting the aims of the demo/beta is to seriously drop the size and quantity of the world's textures. Possibly drop the complexity of some non-critical models too.
I've seen this happen before. Compare the Xbox Live demos of Crackdown and Forza 2 -- both demos are significantly crappier-looking than their full retail counterparts.
So, whilst I'm not expecting anything jaw-dropping from Halo 3 once it's out, I'd certainly expect it to look significantly crisper and slicker than the beta.
What's the frequency, Kenneth?
So, so far there are a bunch of "haters" out there... so need some positive energy or something here.
Halo 3 is the best Halo MP I've played. Every issue that I had with 1 and 2 has pretty much been dealt with with 3. The maps are laid out really well. The new game types are actually interesting, if not revolutionary. (The new territories makes for such a better game) The weapon balance is fantastic. I never felt like anything was "broken". In any match up if I was killed, it was because they had a skill or strategic advantage, not because they were using the "newb combo" or something. The graphics may not be Teh BomB0rz but they didn't detract from the game nor are they ugly. But by far, the most impressive thing is they fixed the "people".
With the 360's rep system, the easy to mute in game and the ability to turn off having to listen to the other team, I never once was called a racial or homosexual slur. I was amazed. When people drop out of a game, they lose RP (XP points basically?) and you can tell the 360 never to play with those people again. Now, if they can just keep the cheating out, they will have fixed the biggest problem with Halo 2. The People.
And that could make Halo 3 a bigger success than any other online FPS I've played yet.
Oh, and as to, "What have they been doing for 3 years?" It was 3 maps on a limited multiplayer to test their servers. Not three years worth of work. Fool.
..but I'm more interested in the single player. It's what kept the original alive for so long for me. The giant maps, huge battles, shitloads of Flood to feed shotgun pellets to.. Halo isn't really known for its fantastic graphics.. they are good but have never been at the top. Halo 2's storyline was a huge disappointment to me, so I'm hoping that they make up for it this time around. But it seems like they are focusing more on MP, as that is what kept Halo 2 alive for so long.
Assuming you never turned your xbox off or signed out before last night. You won't be able to get into matchmaking, either. But if a friend has a custom game, you can join up and play with him.
The Halo 3 beta really isn't going to change the opinions of the game that gamers have had for years now. Those that like the franchise continue to be wowed by the gameplay, and the sheer fun they have in the multiplayer. On the other hand, if you've never understood what the fuss was about, or even a "Halo hater" (something that's common and the "in" thing to do especially if you're a PC gamer), then it's not like the Beta is going to suddenly change your opinion of the franchise. There's plenty to pick on in the Beta, if you're for or against the series.
IMHO, all the debating and argument that goes on is pretty moot, and just turns into a huge troll-fest. It's like two groups speaking two totally different languages. Personally, I'm a fan of the franchise, but since I grew up as a hardcore PC gamer (keyboard/mouse forever!), I can definitely understand the "meh" attitude from some fellow gamers. As a result, I like the franchise, but I'm not "OMG! I <3 M4ST3R CHEIF".
The one thing that pretty much is indisputable is the massive presence this game will bring come September. Halo fans are vocal, and there are definitely a lot of them. I cringe at the amount of marketing and Halo talk that we'll get plenty of this Fall.
-- jchenx