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Halo 3 Review
From a certain point of view, Halo 3 is without a doubt the biggest game of the year. The combination of fan anticipation, marketing, and the skill of Bungie's design combine to create a game that's larger than life; if gaming has a blockbuster franchise to match the movie industry's punch, it's the tale of Master Chief. The importance of the Halo franchise to gaming is a very big issue, though, and one worth it's own article. Having played through the game, there's really only one question I'm here to answer today. Does it meet expectations? In a word: yes. It's not the best game ever made, and it may not even be the best game this year. Will it make the fans happy, and deservedly sell thousands of Xbox 360s? Very much yes. Read on for my impressions of Bungie's years-in-the-making epic, Halo 3.
I hope you were paying attention at the end of Halo 2, because the folks at Bungie don't waste any time getting new players up to speed. The action picks up right after the Gravemind's infestation of High Charity at the end of the previous game, and the Master Chief's escape from that doomed city in the Prophet of Truth's stolen Forerunner vessel. If that makes no sense to you, I refer you to Wikipedia for a brush-up on Halo's lore. That said, once you're in the thick of things you don't need to know a lot about the past two games to enjoy 3's story. There are a bunch of references back, and continued threads, but really ... it's a first-person shooter. There are aliens on Earth, trying to dig up an alien artifact. You have to stop them. Go to it.
If you are a fan of the previous games, the story of Halo 3 is going to satisfy your need to see things wrapped up. What it's not going to do is surprise you. The plot plays out pretty much the way you'd expect, though the writers do make some very mature choices towards the end of the tale that distinguish it a bit from every other hero's journey. I'm reluctant to say more, as I'm not sure what's common knowledge at this point, but there is one storytelling choice I wanted to point out as being particularly effective. Cortana, Master Chief's AI companion, was left behind with the Flood's master at the end of the previous game. Despite this, she connects regularly with the Chief in a form of psychic connection. This allows a sense of desperation to build throughout the title, and has a satisfying payoff late in the game.
Story is a really important component of the gameplay experience for me. Though I'm no expert, I do actually like the Halo metaplot quite a bit, and I was left well pleased by Bungie's conclusion. Suffice it to say that while you're not going to be blown away by any revelations, there are no cop-outs, no cheap tricks and (best of all) no meaningless cliffhanger endings. Just make sure you watch to the end of the credits.
Beware the Scarabs
In Halo 2 there's a sequence where you attack a building-sized walking tank in the shape of a multi-legged bug, with a giant laser on its front. It's an elaborate experience: rushing alongside it on rooftops, jumping aboard, taking out its crew, and finally destroying its core. It was, for me, one of the highlights of the game. In Halo 3 you take on these tanks at least three times, and at one point you're fighting two at once. That pretty much sums up the experience of gameplay in this title: it's like the other two, only a lot moreso. Everything is bigger, better, and very, very polished.
That polish is something that exists across the title, from moment-to-moment combat through to 'set piece' battles like the Scarab tanks. There are several set pieces like that spread throughout the game, areas that are more than just the movement from point A to point B with enemies in between. None of them are any more particularly challenging than the rest of the game, but provide exclamation points on areas of hard work and forward progress. There are also several vehicle sequences, more (it seemed) that even in Halo 2. Fast action in the Scorpion tank and Warthog return, but there are also sequences designed specifically to show off some of the new vehicles in this title. I felt these were much more seamless experiences than in the last game; jumping in a vehicle seems like the natural thing to do, not a decision forced upon you by game design.
The vehicle sequences - and the whole game, for that matter - would have benefited from some extra time in NPC boot camp. Once again, your AI assistants prove to be poorly equipped at driving, shooting, or doing pretty much anything other than getting in the way. This, frustratingly, is a step up from Halo 2, where they were incapable of driving without continuously flipping your vehicle. The AI is at least smart enough to get from point A to B now, but you're not going to enjoy the journey. The continued incompetence of the AI in moment-to-moment fighting is particularly frustrating because the Elite known as the Arbiter is your constant companion through most of the game. This is a shadow of the co-op play component, a reminder that it's always possible. All the Arbiter was good for in my experience, though, was waving around his energy sword ineffectually. The AI here wasn't as dumb as the grunts in Gears of War (who enjoyed mantling onto the side of cover the enemies were firing at), but they weren't much better.
The enemy AI, at least, isn't entirely ineffective. They seemed particularly adept at using some of the new toys added in since the last game. Brute chieftains regularly came outfitted with the pleasant addition of a ripped-off turret. These mounted weapons, a frequent sight in past titles, can now be removed from their housings and carried around to provide some heavy firepower. A chieftain with one of these in a secured location can mean regular trips through respawning. The ability to dig in and hold a position was greatly enhanced by this game's addition of 'equipment'. The new use for the X button (reloading is now down with the LB and RB bumpers), most equipment allows NPCs and PCs alike to better hold an area. The 'force shield' is shown off in the E3 2006 trailer but deployable cover (a tall shield), a regeneration aura (which keeps your shields charged), and even deployable turrets all allow for positions to be maintained more effectively than in the past. Other equipment is intended to bypass such advantages, like the power-draining opposite of the regenerator, a portable hover-lift device that can allow you a quick hop over enemy fortifications, and a placeable mine great for taking out drawn-in Grunts. I'll admit it: I didn't use the equipment as effectively as I could have, but it was always enjoyable to play against. Particularly the energy shield; Brutes always seemed somehow vaguely surprised when I popped through the translucent wall.
I regularly got unpleasant surprises throughout the game, and I feel like I need to point out a frustration Bungie has managed to preserve intact from Halo 2: checkpoints. Halo 3 features an autosave system that updates your progress every time you complete a specific objective; passing a point on the map, or activating a certain control panel. Most checkpoints, though, are reached by killing enemies, and you very specifically have to kill every enemy in a group. At several points I found myself frustrated by my inability to find hiding bad guys - I'd complete a long stretch of the game and die, only to find myself further back in the game than I had anticipated. On my way back to where I'd died, I would regularly encounter a checkpoint I hadn't used before. These additional checkpoints were there because I'd missed a single hiding Grunt, or one of those stealthy sniper enemies the first time through. It's always frustrating to lose progress, and even more so when you find you lost that progress because you didn't see the point in finding a single cowering trooper.
That frustration with checkpoints, though, is really my only complaint about level design and the actual experience of play. There is a lot less back tracking here than in either of the last two games, and levels themselves feature a great deal of variation. There's a far wider palette used to put together levels, and the greens and brilliant whites used in Halo 3 stand in stark contrast to the greys and browns that have dominated other next-gen shooters. Combat itself is just as much fun as ever, and it's unflinchingly fair. You never feel cheated by gameplay in Halo 3. If you screw up and die, you usually spend the few moments after your death and before you respawn going, "Yeah, fair enough." Pro tip: The loud beeping of your lowered shields should have told you to get behind cover. While everything is polished to a glistening shine, it's great to be able to say they really haven't changed the feel of gameplay that much. Nine million people didn't buy Halo 2 because of a marketing campaign: ultimately they bought it because Bungie puts together one of the best console shooter experiences, hands down.
One Fine Looking Suit of Armor
Halo 3 looks really good, especially in motion. That said, compared with a game like Gears of War or Lair, it doesn't particularly scream 'next-gen'. The water is pretty good, the explosions are works of art, and reflections off of the Chief's visor are satisfyingly accurate ... but for the most part the game looks a lot like Master Chief's previous adventure. That's fine, though, because (unlike in that title) the framerate is pegged at 60fps and never wavers. There was never once a stutter or slowdown, even with dozens of fastmoving objects on screen, swarms of enemies, or a speedy vehicle sequence. I also saw none of the 'texture popping' that I annoyingly associate with last-gen titles. There are also almost no loading times in the game. The only time you'll see a (brief) loading screen is when you start the game or load a new chapter. Otherwise from start to finish your gaming experience is essentially unbroken. Bungie obviously spent time working on the visual elements of the game, but not to the exclusion of equally important components like story and gameplay. The look of the game is conveyed more by the art style used in the varied environments that through sheer power; the graphics here get the job done, and look great doing it.
Firefly Stars and Heavy Guitar Riffs
One game element that needs no qualifiers is the title's sound presentation. Just as in the previous two games, no expense was spared to bring the world to life through sound effects, voice acting, and music. The sound effects are essentially identical to the experience a player may have had in Halo 2, with a few subtle improvements. The voice acting is extremely well done, with the likes of Keith David, Jen Taylor, Steve Downes, and David Scully reprising their roles. Jen Taylor's Cortana has some especially challenging scenes in this game, and I thought she did a great job with them. New (but familiar) voices also add their talents to the cast. Red vs. Blue viewers will recognize the name Burnie Burns, who is one of the voices of the generic soldiery, but fans of Joss Whedon's Firefly will have just as much to enjoy. Alan Tudyk and Adam Baldwin are also soldiers, and Nathan Fillion takes on the role of an NPC sergeant. I noted this during gameplay, actually, as Alan Tudyk's voice is ... distinct.
Martin O'Donnell composed the game's score, reprising his role from the two previous titles. If you've heard the moving music in the E3 2006 trailer you're already well aware of what that implies. Most of his compositions are much more low key, of course, but they nonetheless provide a welcome backdrop for the game's graphics, gameplay and story. The later levels especially benefit from this subtle but important reminder of what's at stake. The music serves as an obvious but not over-the-top pacing element. Ultimately Martin O'Donnell's compositions are the kind of music you'd be more than happy to listen to outside of the game; it's hard to see how you can pay a soundtrack a higher compliment.
Playback and Multiplay
The clearest sign that Halo 3 is a 'next generation' title is its online and playback components. Most startling are the game's video editing and level creation tools. The first time you'll play through the campaign, you'll find that you can relive the whole thing by reviewing the videos stored on your 360's hard drive. There's no need to set a special setting, it just does it automatically. From there, you can enter the recording and rewatch the whole thing, stopping to take screenshots or snip video clips. These clips and pictures are then viewable from your Bungie.net profile, proving your game mastery to awed onlookers. The real awe, for me, was stepping outside of the Chief to fly around the map as action progresses. If you recall a particularly cool moment - a really good grenade stick, for example - you can see what that looked like on the outside ... and take a picture of it. I haven't had much time or inclination to play around with the level creation tool (called the Forge), but it's incredibly robust. Think something along the lines of Gary's Mod for Half-Life 2, and you'll understand the possibilities in Bungie's generous tool offering.
I've talked extensively about the game's campaign mode, but for many gamers online multiplayer is the real reason to buy this game. And understandably so: if you participated in the Halo 3 multiplayer Beta a few months ago you're already well aware of that game element's polish level. The real draw for me, though, is the campaign co-op play. I played entirely through Gears of War three times because the co-op experience was so well done. Here Bungie has provided the opportunity for up to four players to participate in the entire campaign experience. Just as with the 'single player' campaign mode (which is really just co-op with bots), the entire experience will be recorded to your hard drive for later public mockery. Unlike in single-player, by doing a co-op session you and your team-mates participate in what the game's achievements call 'the metagame'. Players are scored on their play throughout the game, and netting a certain total score during a co-op session can earn you some gamerscore points.
As much time as the team has obviously taken on the game itself, it's great to see that they've fleshed out the experience with elements like this. Graphics aside, these playback and co-op components are truly what makes Halo 3 'next generation'.
Consider the Fight Finished
Halo 3, then, is just about everything a player of the previous games in the series could hope for. It looks good, it plays smoothly, and backstory fans are going to finally have some closure. There are obviously flaws, but none are so glaring or frustrating as to be worth more than a passing mention. Even the checkpoint thing, which I'm sure I have run into far more often than the average player, never stopped me from grinning at the chance to melee some more Brutes into submission.
In essence: Bungie has succeeded marvelously at bringing this trilogy to a close. The game's tight story is complete-able in Normal mode in about ten hours, and that feels just about right. At the end of the game you're left wanting more, but not feeling gypped. Folks who have been holding their breath for this since 2004 can relax; the only thing left to do now is play and have a good time. Halo 3 is fun. Any game - regardless of platform, generation, or genre - where you can finish up and immediately want to start playing again ... it's hard to call that anything but a success.
- Title: Halo 3
- Developer/Publisher: Bungie / Microsoft Game Studios
- System: Xbox 360
- Genre: First Person Shooter
- Score: 4/5 - This game is above average, and excels in the genre it supports. A classic for the genre and well worth a look for every gamer.
I hope you were paying attention at the end of Halo 2, because the folks at Bungie don't waste any time getting new players up to speed. The action picks up right after the Gravemind's infestation of High Charity at the end of the previous game, and the Master Chief's escape from that doomed city in the Prophet of Truth's stolen Forerunner vessel. If that makes no sense to you, I refer you to Wikipedia for a brush-up on Halo's lore. That said, once you're in the thick of things you don't need to know a lot about the past two games to enjoy 3's story. There are a bunch of references back, and continued threads, but really ... it's a first-person shooter. There are aliens on Earth, trying to dig up an alien artifact. You have to stop them. Go to it.
If you are a fan of the previous games, the story of Halo 3 is going to satisfy your need to see things wrapped up. What it's not going to do is surprise you. The plot plays out pretty much the way you'd expect, though the writers do make some very mature choices towards the end of the tale that distinguish it a bit from every other hero's journey. I'm reluctant to say more, as I'm not sure what's common knowledge at this point, but there is one storytelling choice I wanted to point out as being particularly effective. Cortana, Master Chief's AI companion, was left behind with the Flood's master at the end of the previous game. Despite this, she connects regularly with the Chief in a form of psychic connection. This allows a sense of desperation to build throughout the title, and has a satisfying payoff late in the game.
Story is a really important component of the gameplay experience for me. Though I'm no expert, I do actually like the Halo metaplot quite a bit, and I was left well pleased by Bungie's conclusion. Suffice it to say that while you're not going to be blown away by any revelations, there are no cop-outs, no cheap tricks and (best of all) no meaningless cliffhanger endings. Just make sure you watch to the end of the credits.
Beware the Scarabs
In Halo 2 there's a sequence where you attack a building-sized walking tank in the shape of a multi-legged bug, with a giant laser on its front. It's an elaborate experience: rushing alongside it on rooftops, jumping aboard, taking out its crew, and finally destroying its core. It was, for me, one of the highlights of the game. In Halo 3 you take on these tanks at least three times, and at one point you're fighting two at once. That pretty much sums up the experience of gameplay in this title: it's like the other two, only a lot moreso. Everything is bigger, better, and very, very polished.
That polish is something that exists across the title, from moment-to-moment combat through to 'set piece' battles like the Scarab tanks. There are several set pieces like that spread throughout the game, areas that are more than just the movement from point A to point B with enemies in between. None of them are any more particularly challenging than the rest of the game, but provide exclamation points on areas of hard work and forward progress. There are also several vehicle sequences, more (it seemed) that even in Halo 2. Fast action in the Scorpion tank and Warthog return, but there are also sequences designed specifically to show off some of the new vehicles in this title. I felt these were much more seamless experiences than in the last game; jumping in a vehicle seems like the natural thing to do, not a decision forced upon you by game design.
The vehicle sequences - and the whole game, for that matter - would have benefited from some extra time in NPC boot camp. Once again, your AI assistants prove to be poorly equipped at driving, shooting, or doing pretty much anything other than getting in the way. This, frustratingly, is a step up from Halo 2, where they were incapable of driving without continuously flipping your vehicle. The AI is at least smart enough to get from point A to B now, but you're not going to enjoy the journey. The continued incompetence of the AI in moment-to-moment fighting is particularly frustrating because the Elite known as the Arbiter is your constant companion through most of the game. This is a shadow of the co-op play component, a reminder that it's always possible. All the Arbiter was good for in my experience, though, was waving around his energy sword ineffectually. The AI here wasn't as dumb as the grunts in Gears of War (who enjoyed mantling onto the side of cover the enemies were firing at), but they weren't much better.
The enemy AI, at least, isn't entirely ineffective. They seemed particularly adept at using some of the new toys added in since the last game. Brute chieftains regularly came outfitted with the pleasant addition of a ripped-off turret. These mounted weapons, a frequent sight in past titles, can now be removed from their housings and carried around to provide some heavy firepower. A chieftain with one of these in a secured location can mean regular trips through respawning. The ability to dig in and hold a position was greatly enhanced by this game's addition of 'equipment'. The new use for the X button (reloading is now down with the LB and RB bumpers), most equipment allows NPCs and PCs alike to better hold an area. The 'force shield' is shown off in the E3 2006 trailer but deployable cover (a tall shield), a regeneration aura (which keeps your shields charged), and even deployable turrets all allow for positions to be maintained more effectively than in the past. Other equipment is intended to bypass such advantages, like the power-draining opposite of the regenerator, a portable hover-lift device that can allow you a quick hop over enemy fortifications, and a placeable mine great for taking out drawn-in Grunts. I'll admit it: I didn't use the equipment as effectively as I could have, but it was always enjoyable to play against. Particularly the energy shield; Brutes always seemed somehow vaguely surprised when I popped through the translucent wall.
I regularly got unpleasant surprises throughout the game, and I feel like I need to point out a frustration Bungie has managed to preserve intact from Halo 2: checkpoints. Halo 3 features an autosave system that updates your progress every time you complete a specific objective; passing a point on the map, or activating a certain control panel. Most checkpoints, though, are reached by killing enemies, and you very specifically have to kill every enemy in a group. At several points I found myself frustrated by my inability to find hiding bad guys - I'd complete a long stretch of the game and die, only to find myself further back in the game than I had anticipated. On my way back to where I'd died, I would regularly encounter a checkpoint I hadn't used before. These additional checkpoints were there because I'd missed a single hiding Grunt, or one of those stealthy sniper enemies the first time through. It's always frustrating to lose progress, and even more so when you find you lost that progress because you didn't see the point in finding a single cowering trooper.
That frustration with checkpoints, though, is really my only complaint about level design and the actual experience of play. There is a lot less back tracking here than in either of the last two games, and levels themselves feature a great deal of variation. There's a far wider palette used to put together levels, and the greens and brilliant whites used in Halo 3 stand in stark contrast to the greys and browns that have dominated other next-gen shooters. Combat itself is just as much fun as ever, and it's unflinchingly fair. You never feel cheated by gameplay in Halo 3. If you screw up and die, you usually spend the few moments after your death and before you respawn going, "Yeah, fair enough." Pro tip: The loud beeping of your lowered shields should have told you to get behind cover. While everything is polished to a glistening shine, it's great to be able to say they really haven't changed the feel of gameplay that much. Nine million people didn't buy Halo 2 because of a marketing campaign: ultimately they bought it because Bungie puts together one of the best console shooter experiences, hands down.
One Fine Looking Suit of Armor
Halo 3 looks really good, especially in motion. That said, compared with a game like Gears of War or Lair, it doesn't particularly scream 'next-gen'. The water is pretty good, the explosions are works of art, and reflections off of the Chief's visor are satisfyingly accurate ... but for the most part the game looks a lot like Master Chief's previous adventure. That's fine, though, because (unlike in that title) the framerate is pegged at 60fps and never wavers. There was never once a stutter or slowdown, even with dozens of fastmoving objects on screen, swarms of enemies, or a speedy vehicle sequence. I also saw none of the 'texture popping' that I annoyingly associate with last-gen titles. There are also almost no loading times in the game. The only time you'll see a (brief) loading screen is when you start the game or load a new chapter. Otherwise from start to finish your gaming experience is essentially unbroken. Bungie obviously spent time working on the visual elements of the game, but not to the exclusion of equally important components like story and gameplay. The look of the game is conveyed more by the art style used in the varied environments that through sheer power; the graphics here get the job done, and look great doing it.
Firefly Stars and Heavy Guitar Riffs
One game element that needs no qualifiers is the title's sound presentation. Just as in the previous two games, no expense was spared to bring the world to life through sound effects, voice acting, and music. The sound effects are essentially identical to the experience a player may have had in Halo 2, with a few subtle improvements. The voice acting is extremely well done, with the likes of Keith David, Jen Taylor, Steve Downes, and David Scully reprising their roles. Jen Taylor's Cortana has some especially challenging scenes in this game, and I thought she did a great job with them. New (but familiar) voices also add their talents to the cast. Red vs. Blue viewers will recognize the name Burnie Burns, who is one of the voices of the generic soldiery, but fans of Joss Whedon's Firefly will have just as much to enjoy. Alan Tudyk and Adam Baldwin are also soldiers, and Nathan Fillion takes on the role of an NPC sergeant. I noted this during gameplay, actually, as Alan Tudyk's voice is ... distinct.
Martin O'Donnell composed the game's score, reprising his role from the two previous titles. If you've heard the moving music in the E3 2006 trailer you're already well aware of what that implies. Most of his compositions are much more low key, of course, but they nonetheless provide a welcome backdrop for the game's graphics, gameplay and story. The later levels especially benefit from this subtle but important reminder of what's at stake. The music serves as an obvious but not over-the-top pacing element. Ultimately Martin O'Donnell's compositions are the kind of music you'd be more than happy to listen to outside of the game; it's hard to see how you can pay a soundtrack a higher compliment.
Playback and Multiplay
The clearest sign that Halo 3 is a 'next generation' title is its online and playback components. Most startling are the game's video editing and level creation tools. The first time you'll play through the campaign, you'll find that you can relive the whole thing by reviewing the videos stored on your 360's hard drive. There's no need to set a special setting, it just does it automatically. From there, you can enter the recording and rewatch the whole thing, stopping to take screenshots or snip video clips. These clips and pictures are then viewable from your Bungie.net profile, proving your game mastery to awed onlookers. The real awe, for me, was stepping outside of the Chief to fly around the map as action progresses. If you recall a particularly cool moment - a really good grenade stick, for example - you can see what that looked like on the outside ... and take a picture of it. I haven't had much time or inclination to play around with the level creation tool (called the Forge), but it's incredibly robust. Think something along the lines of Gary's Mod for Half-Life 2, and you'll understand the possibilities in Bungie's generous tool offering.
I've talked extensively about the game's campaign mode, but for many gamers online multiplayer is the real reason to buy this game. And understandably so: if you participated in the Halo 3 multiplayer Beta a few months ago you're already well aware of that game element's polish level. The real draw for me, though, is the campaign co-op play. I played entirely through Gears of War three times because the co-op experience was so well done. Here Bungie has provided the opportunity for up to four players to participate in the entire campaign experience. Just as with the 'single player' campaign mode (which is really just co-op with bots), the entire experience will be recorded to your hard drive for later public mockery. Unlike in single-player, by doing a co-op session you and your team-mates participate in what the game's achievements call 'the metagame'. Players are scored on their play throughout the game, and netting a certain total score during a co-op session can earn you some gamerscore points.
As much time as the team has obviously taken on the game itself, it's great to see that they've fleshed out the experience with elements like this. Graphics aside, these playback and co-op components are truly what makes Halo 3 'next generation'.
Consider the Fight Finished
Halo 3, then, is just about everything a player of the previous games in the series could hope for. It looks good, it plays smoothly, and backstory fans are going to finally have some closure. There are obviously flaws, but none are so glaring or frustrating as to be worth more than a passing mention. Even the checkpoint thing, which I'm sure I have run into far more often than the average player, never stopped me from grinning at the chance to melee some more Brutes into submission.
In essence: Bungie has succeeded marvelously at bringing this trilogy to a close. The game's tight story is complete-able in Normal mode in about ten hours, and that feels just about right. At the end of the game you're left wanting more, but not feeling gypped. Folks who have been holding their breath for this since 2004 can relax; the only thing left to do now is play and have a good time. Halo 3 is fun. Any game - regardless of platform, generation, or genre - where you can finish up and immediately want to start playing again ... it's hard to call that anything but a success.
The lack of online co-op doesn't seem as though it's a big deal any more, as we're not hearing much about it.
I'm looking forward to checking it out at a friend's house, as I haven't bought any of the new consoles yet. If it's as good as expected, it could be the kicker that gets me to buy a 360. Online still isn't an option for those of us on dial-up (too slow) or satellite (Hughes, too much lag/loss), but the single-player looks like it will be a blast.
The Ars Techinca review strictly deals with the single-player component, for those who are looking for another viewpoint (from another tech site that's not solely focused on gaming).
www.purevolume.com/martyd
UK Resistance has another review here
I wonder how many people are aware that 'gypped' is a racial slur. Might as well just say jewed or chinked or niggered. Your doing the same thing. Associating an ethnic group with a negative stereo type. Maybe you should just say "not feeling ripped off" or "feeling they got their moneys worth". I am not of that ethnic group but I find it offensive when someone says "jewed" or calls me "slanty eyed".
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
Anyone else notice a weird pattern with Doom 1, 2, 3... Quake 1, 2, 3... and Halo 1, 2, 3? The third one is the one that has the features the other 2 really should have, and yet all three basically peter out when the next new crazy fps comes out. How long will Halo 3 hang on until the next fps title eclipses it (but with way crappier features, like from Quake 3 -> Halo 1)? Just a thought.
stuff |
Umm....Online co-op is in Halo III. It was on then off then back on. This review says up to 4 players on co-op can play campaign at one time. I am greatly looking forward to this, as split screen even on 56 inch plasma is like kissing your sister.
Of course I could be wrong but this is from Bungie. click me!
or for the lazy.
So you were probably wondering why we didn't want to commit to two player co-op online over Xbox Live. We certainly got plenty of mail asking, no, demanding that we make it happen. Of course we were working on it, but we were also working on something better. Not two player co-op. Not three-player co-op, but up to four player co-op. Online. On Xbox Live, or sure, System Link if you prefer. That is correct - up to four player co-op in Campaign mode on Xbox Live or System Link.
---In a time of Chimpanzees I was a Monkey.
Heh, Online Co-op's been in the game since at least July 31st, according to this article: http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/08/01/1611238 The reason no one is saying anything about co-op not being there, is because it IS there.
its why they play games in the first place. to escape the awful reality where they are responsible for the consequences of their actions and words. sort of like why i rant online lol.
anyways, i predict 10 seconds until someone counter 'argues' that it should be OK to say jewed, n***, etc, because political correctness is evil blah blah blah.
it is the same argument they will have if you point out that murdering prostitutes and stealing their money is not the best thing for our culture to be involved in simulating.
Perhaps I need to clarify. I wasn't saying the game mentions "Gypped" but instead the review closes with a paragraph that contains "gypped". A lot of people aren't aware thats a racial slur and I wanted to bring it to people attentions. I'm all for free speech. Say it how ever you like. But be aware it does offend some people. I know some paragons of the PC movement who say "gypped" all the time because they weren't aware it's a racial slur. I wanted to let people know.
I prefer if people made their points without racial slurs but I also believe in people being able to say what ever they want. But the right to do so comes with the responsibility for what they say.
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
I think that if he really was a "MicroBitch", he would have given the game better than a 4/5.
But then again, everybody else is giving better than 4/5 (Metacritic rating stands at 96 currently).
Alchemist: Be Thou For the People
And somewhere deep inside of me, there's a part that has an unspeakable problem with a game existing only for the benefit of a game console, because it feels it ought to be the other way around.
Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
Alan Tudyk's just glad he didn't have to wear a bright-green wet suit the whole time he was working on the project.
Nothing for 6-digit uids?
Funny, you have no problem with a game that simulates killing. Just make you you speak nicely when doing it though.
It is by the juice of the coffee bean that thoughts acquire speed, the teeth acquire stains. The stains become a warning
FYI: You can co-op the campaign over XBOX Live. 3 friends (from Philly, Washington, and Canada) and I have played through the game thrice already. Online co-op is a big deal and it's working.
Bungie added a "meta-game" to the campaign. When my friends and I are playing through the campaign, we turn on scoring. This allows us to earn points throughout the campaign. The score is updated for each player on screen. Kill a Wraith. Get +2000 points. Kill a Grunt. Get +125 points. Activate some "skulls" that you've found, then a multiplier will be factored into your score.
-516
It's actually an American-coined term. Maybe if you spent less time hiding behind AC, looking for racism where none exists, and instead reading history and sociology books, you would know that. You'd also know that there are very, very few Romas (as they call themselves) in the U.S. So, the possibility that it is based on a racial slur is not only unlikely but as of yet still unproven.
But, hey, welcome to the 21st century where context means nothing as long as someone can be offended by a combination of letters.
"There is absolutely nothing wrong with any of those words, in and of themselves. They're only words. It's the context that counts. It's the user. It's the intention behind the words that makes them good or bad. The words are completely neutral. The words are innocent. I get tired of people talking about 'bad words' and 'bad language.' Bullsh*t! It's the context that makes them good or bad." -- George Carlin
The Overrated mod is for reversing inappropriate, positive mods, not for voicing disagreement with a post.
Funny, you have no problem with a game that simulates killing. Just make you you speak nicely when doing it though.
I say "God I wish my boss wasn't such a tightwad, he gyped me out of a raise". Consequence: This links Cheap/theft with Gypsies.
I kill a Covenant Brute. consequence: A whole bunch of transistors change voltage levels in my 360.
I'm fairly certain both aren't that severe int he grand scheme of things but the first has more real world effects then the second.
PS. I don't' have a 360, I wont' be buying the game. Need I be abstinent before marriage to critique female circumcision? Similar logic applies with your statement.
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
"This links Cheap/theft with Gypsies."
What part of not giving you a raise is theft?
Or is your association of theft to "gyp" in your head, and as such you're projecting your own racist ideas?
I only go to buffets for the unlimited soft serve.
Is there any word on how many copies they managed to pump out for US release?
Perhaps he's still working on completing Heavenly Sword.
if hardly anyone is aware of its origin or its possible interpretation as a racial slur, is it still a racial slur in practice? explain.
It's because of the MGS series of games that I will never, ever, buy a Sony game console. The game should be released on the PC at the same time as the console. The only reason it isn't is because Sony wants to sell more consoles. This is complete bullshit and they might as well be giving the PC gamers the finger. Fuck that. The sad thing is there are some games on the PS2/3 that I really would like to play. They chose this route, and I'm stubborn enough to sacrifice some of my own fun because of it. I wonder how many other people feel the same way?
This argument can be made for a LOT of games, not just the Halo series. Bawwwwwww a little more and maybe they'll listen.
Alchemist: Be Thou For the People
I don't understand your argument. You're saying that you would buy an XBox to play some games that only exist on it, but you won't because there exists a game that only runs on the XBox? It makes perfect sense why Halo exists only for the XBox - why would they want to fragment their multiplayer fan base by releasing on multiple platforms. Years ago Bungie determined that Halo was more of a "sport" than a video game, and has been driving development of it since then with the primary focus being towards balancing multiplayer. It's not practical to have multiplayer title be cross-platform, Shadowrun notwithstanding.
Plus, the ROI for console and console game sales is far greater than PC game sales. Why should Bungie/MS waste time & resources doing joint development, jeopardizing the release date of the 360 title, just for a marginal ROI that would be seen on sales of the PC version? Face it - PC game sales levels don't justify the kinds of budgets that A-list console titles pull down. PC gaming still has a place, but that place is niche gaming, independent gaming, and strategy wargaming.
Finally, why would you want to buy the PC version? PCs are just a money pit when it comes to keeping a gaming rig current. You can easily spend the cost of a 360 on video cards alone each year just to maintain a machine that will play the latest & greatest FPS titles at maximum fidelity. It's not worth a company's time to produce massively expensive titles for a tiny fraction of the game-playing public.
-BbT
and
I have to wonder if this game is for me though.
Yeah, somehow I must have been living under a rock and not played the first two Halos.
I know that a game doesn't have to cater to new followers (who may as well be completely in the dark), as well as "The Faithful", but from the perspective of the review, it seems that they aren't even a blip on the radar.
This space for rent. All reasonable inquiries will be entertained at proprietors discretion.
Damn them for wanting to maximize profits on their product offerings.
if hardly anyone is aware of its origin or its possible interpretation as a racial slur, is it still a racial slur in practice? explain.
the etymology has no confirmed alternative origin. Event he closest plausible alternative is actually a term that also derived from gypsies. It's as highly likely it back links to gypsies as it is that jewed back links to Jews. Read up on it. It's not common knowledge but that doesn't it make it true. Saying "god That car salesmen just jewed my wife" does no damage if everyone in the room is not offended by that jewed. Does it make it okay?
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
From a certain point of view, Halo 3 is without a doubt the biggest game of the year.
From a certain point of view a mouse is without a doubt the biggest animal in a forest.
The original Halo was released for the PC, and Halo 2 was also released for the PC, albeit much later than the Xbox release and as yet another of Microsoft's "See? If you don't upgrade to Vista, you'll never be able to do this" incentives to buck up less-than-stellar sales of its latest grab for control of your desktop.
What part of not giving you a raise is theft?
He doesn't say that. The fact is that part of the racial discrimination against gypsies has to do with theft. Look it up. Books good. Wikipedia works, I'm sure.
So, using "gypped" is a reference to gypsy theft, like it or not. Same way that if you say some guy jewed you out of a deal, you're evoking stinginess, greediness, etc. The meaning of the word itself counts as content in the sentence, if you're wondering. Nigger-rigging is a reference to black people being lazy.
You're just trolling anyway. (sorry to all the real trolls out there)
Please stop stalking me, bro.
Halo was originally a Mac title.
Alchemist: Be Thou For the People
I, too, used to be bitter about Halo. It was originally developed for the Mac, way back in the day before Bungie got bought by MS. It took four years from when it was shown at MacWorld (1999) to when it finally was released for OS X (2003), and it didn't even support basic options like co-op play.
However, you have to remember that MS doesn't really make money on the console itself. It makes the money back on games, and licensing the games. If you really, truly hate them, you can just go buy three or four consoles and no games, just to give them the finger right back!
Or you could just not worry about it and play some damn games, already.
When did the future switch from being a promise to a threat? -C. Palahniuk
if hardly anyone is aware of its origin or its possible interpretation as a racial slur, is it still a racial slur in practice? explain.
Yes. You're not a gypsy. Some people are gypsies. The racial problems with many gypsies are very recent, and world-wide. If you're posting on a public international forum, then be more careful than when you're sitting around with your friends.
Please stop stalking me, bro.
"He doesn't say that."
Yes he does.
With that in mind, I have no desire to respond to the "argument" of an individual who makes provably inaccurate statements like you did there.
Argue with someone who will put up with your tactics, liars infuriate me and I have no desire to tolerate you as a result.
I only go to buffets for the unlimited soft serve.
"Shit, Piss, Fuck, Cunt, Cocksucker, Motherfucker, and Tits" -- George Carlin
A Norwegian reviewer gave the game 4/6, and received death threats from fanboys. Probably not serious ones -- everyone knows a console controller doesn't teach you to aim the same way a PC with a mouse does -- but various people in the comment section advised the man to get a bullet proof vest.
Because of this, I won't dare publishing my review of the holy Qur'an, which I rate at 4 out of 7 (better than the New Testament, but not quite as good as Dostoevsky, Philip K. Dick and Halo 2).
Maybe you should be the one looking it up, hmm?
"Obscenity is the crutch of the inarticulate motherfucker." - cloak42
"the etymology has no confirmed origin."
I fixed that to make it accurate.
And you didn't answer his question, you pontificated on an unrelated point.
I only go to buffets for the unlimited soft serve.
Comparing apples to oranges here. World of Warcraft is so big, so immersive, and has so many options and controls that it would be futility to try and play it on a console.
Alchemist: Be Thou For the People
Perhaps you've only discovered this about MS, many of us discovered this about BUNGIE seven years ago when they flipped off their loyal PC gamer fans.
Fucking airchair economist who has no idea what he's talking about. Bungie has released Halo/2 for PC, they have already developed it cross platform, TWICE already. THERE IS ROI. The ONLY reason they don't release it right now for the PC is because Microsoft is MISTAKEN that they will make any more money by doing so. They are WRONG. Releasing it on the PC right now would sell MORE copies than later. The hype is here now. The game is new NOW. Releasing on the PC a year or more later is the wrong decision. They do not understand the fan base difference between PC FPS players and consoles.
Any good FPS player will tell you that the controls on a PC are superior. The mouse and keyboard player will always beat the equally skilled console player. So why don't Microsoft and Sony release mouse and keyboard controls for their consoles? Because they want to keep the distinction between consoles and PCs. This is stupid. The first company who realizes this and fixes it will immediately increase their sales in the console wars, and the others will be soon to follow. It's time for this now. Time to stop the arbitrary bullshit. It's been too long coming already.
The only advantage a console gives you in the FPS games arena is that people cannot use aimbots and other hacks. If the consoles were allowed to have mouse and keyboard controls they would be IMMEDIATELY considered better than a PC for FPS gaming simply because of this fact that cheating, and installing cheat programs, on consoles, is much, much more difficult for the average cheater.
I do not respond to cowards. Especially anonymous ones.
Fallout 3?
No offense, but I've stopped responding to AC's.
If one of the big console makers realized that adding mouse/keyboard support for FPS games would drastically increase FPS games sales on consoles maybe we'd be getting somewhere. I'd buy Halo/whatever for the consoles if they did that. And I promise you many other people would as well.
I do not respond to cowards. Especially anonymous ones.
Amen... only if I had +10 mod points...
Do people still play those 'computer game' things? I suppose they have a fancy 3D Ms Pacman or something by now.
How many quarters does it take to pay a game of this 'halo' thing anyway? If i remember right, it was like a buck to play that videodisk based fantasy game. ( damned if i can remember its name.. )
---- Booth was a patriot ----
I don't get why Halo is a big deal on Slashdot. I think it's the most overrated series ever. To me, it seems that if it were originally a PC FPS, it would be considered completely mediocre. The only thing I see that makes it popular is that it's a decent FPS on a console.
Are there really that many Halo fanboys on Slashdot? I would imagine there would be many PC gamers here that would be aware of much better FPSs than Halo.
If you have a decent PC, you already own the best FPS platform with the best FPSes, so I would completely ignore Halo. In fact, I do completely ignore Halo.
:)
In console terms, it's a decent shooter (but Gears of War is much better, IMO), but in PC terms, it's sooooooooo five years ago.
Just get Team Fortress 2 and forget Halo.
I am a pretty calm person. It's not easy to get me riled up. But when someone starts spouting off bullshit about my favorite kind of games, FPS -- games which I have played professionally, games which I have loved since they existed, then I really just can't help it.
;p
My original post was modded flamebait. I understand that, because I came off with the attitude. Oh well... It's not like anything I said on Slashdot would make a difference anyway
But hey, at least you agree. I don't feel totally alone now.
I do not respond to cowards. Especially anonymous ones.
It's not just Microsoft. It's all the console makers. Microsoft happens to be 50% of the ones who make FPS games that I care about. Halo happens to be on a Microsoft console. I feel the same way about Sony.
They both make the game for both PC and Console. They both release games for the console way, way earlier than the PC. They both have no good reason for it.
They both piss me off because of it.
I do not respond to cowards. Especially anonymous ones.
Maybe if you let yourself loosen up and played some games you wouldn't be such a 1930's history nazi.
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. This comment may not be copied in any way including, but not limited to caching.
You don't know me. You have no idea what I do for a living. You have no place to tell me whether or not I know better, and there is NO PROOF to prove me wrong. I am speculating, yes. But you cannot tell me I am wrong simply because some corporation hasn't done something. Corporations have made mistakes in the past. MANY OF THEM. And many, many times there were people who were standing around going I FUCKING TOLD YOU SO. But wait, they have billions of dollars, they must be smarter than god!
You are the fucking moron. Keep living believing that Corporate America knows better. Keep yourself in your little shell of a world. Keep letting them pull your puppet strings. You are pathetic. You are an example of why the USA is so fucked up right now, because you can't have a fucking original thought to save your life.
I do not respond to cowards. Especially anonymous ones.
Perspective. It's all about perspective.
Having never played Marathon, I was completely blown away by how well the story was told. Maybe it was just that it *had* a story, but keep in mind that as a PC gamer I have played Half Life, and Deus Ex. Halo had its rough spots (whether in gameplay or story), but overall was an excellent game. So good, that if it had been released on PC, I'd have bought Halos 2 and 3 in a heartbeat.
Playing Halo 1 will acquaint you with the major character (the Master Chief), and you'll understand basics about who the Covenant are (jihadistic aliens w/ superior weaponry), who the Flood are (a galaxy-devouring parasite), etc. From there, you can decide whether you want to rent/borrow Halo 2 (or just read the plot synopsis at Wikipedia
If there are so many games on the Xbox you'd like to play, then why don't you get an Xbox? Of course Microsoft wants to sell more Xboxes, so they withheld the PC version, in the exact same way they just bought Bungie out straight up to make Halo the "killer app" for the Xbox (as opposed to being a Mac/PC hybrid). It's called business. Unless it makes the game a steamy p.o.s, what's the harm?
Anyway, simply put, if a game isn't good, it doesn't sell well. Halo 3 is big deal for one reason, both Halo and Halo 2 were great games. Halo 2 in particular is renowned for its incredibly well made multiplayer.
In addition Halo 3 has 2 and 4 player coop, offline and online. Full gameplay recording, both single and multi, which can be played back with slowmo, free camera etc. It also has the inbuilt garrys mod style editor: "Forge". Which can even be used during a multiplayer game.
As for myself, i've been gaming since I was around 7 years old (1990) and have played pretty much every great FPS there is, including doom, doom 2, quake 1,2,3, half life 1,2, RTCW, Deus Ex, System Shock, Bioshock, The original marathons 1,2, Chronicles of Riddick, Goldeneye and probably a lot more I can't remember.
I actually much preferred Halo 2 to Half-Life 2. And indeed, so little did I care for Half Life 2's story that I didn't even complete that particular game. With Halo however, I actually care about the characters and want to know what happens. That's why I enjoyed halo and halo 2. Sure the environments repeated a bit and the story isn't totally incredibly original, but what Halo does well is the basic gameplay and "30 seconds of fun" is *surprise* incredibly fun.
But of course, all those magazines and websites who are rating Halo 3 so well are all wrong. And you mr Internet man are obviously correct.
When did gypsies get their own race? Does that mean I can start being racist against Pirates now too?
...Zonk WANTS to pour more gasoline on the Halo 3 fire.
/popcorn
I mean, I don't see what he thought reviewing Halo 3 would do. By now, he's got to realize people are going to read the first 3 lines of the summary, misquote him and proceed to flame people who don't agree with them... posting this review will change the opinions of like zero people.
Anyway, carry on with the flame war, guys.... trust me when I say I REALLY care about how you've played every FPS in existence and Halo 3 is the worst/best one ever. Seriously.
Tell me something...it's still "We, the people"... right?
He says it links "gypsy" to "cheap/theft."
1. not the same as "gypsy"="theft"
2. he does not create the theft assumption, it already exists. This is the same as my friend hating that big fat stupid black comedian who just did the KFC commercial. It's not because my friend's mind is dirty, it's because he is bothered by the social implications of using a Fried Chicken Loving Negro to sell your fried chicken.
You won't argue with people when you can provide proof against their argument? Wow, what a winner.
Please stop stalking me, bro.
What has this got to do with my website? It was a weekend project. I could care less if it has one or one million users. My friends use it for storing personal files and off-site linking them to various places. That is the primary purpose it exists. If someone wants to make what they upload public, the website allows that, for free. The rest is irrelevant, especially to this discussion.
BTW, responding to replies to my posts doesn't take long, and I consider it a necessary part of continuing discussion. People post specific points. If I disgaree I reply with why I disagree. This reply took me all of one minute to type. Wow, that means I must've used a total of 10 (gasp) minutes of my time for this entire thread. I must have so much spare time...
At least I'm not an AC coming here posting without the balls to login, and making empty statements which they cannot possibly backup. You don't know jack what I know about running a corporation.
You know, I'm not really angry. I'm frustrated that people can be so dense. Isn't this supposed to be Slashdot? The land where Corporate America is always on trial?
I do not respond to cowards. Especially anonymous ones.
What does an Entropia Universe Fast Aid Pack (fap) have to do with any of this?
http://www.entropedia.info/Chart.aspx?chart=FAP
We have enough youth, how about a fountain of SMART?
Nice to see that NERD RAGE and ARBITRARY CAPITALIZATION are still alive and well here on /.
(-1, Raw and Uncut is the only way to read)
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=gyp
http://www.vocaboly.com/forums/ftopic4766.html
A discussion, I'm not quoting anything.
http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/8/messages/634.html
There's some disagreement. But shoving wiktionary in my face is hardly a winning tactic. I suppose you've never heard people say they got "gypsied" out of something, used instead of "gypped." Lucky you. Regardless of the etymological root, it is undeniably linked to gypsies.
The point of this whole goddamn thing is that if you write an article, you want might want to avoid speech that could be considered an ethnic slur.
Consider the reviewer ending the article, "The only problem I had with this game was a scratch I put on the disc--however, a little toothpaste and nigger-rigging got everything underway!" More offensive than a gypsy reference, due to our social climate, but the reviewer still may want to consider his language. The original poster didn't get on anybody's ass about anything. Why are people so fucking pissed off about this?
Please stop stalking me, bro.
:) Touché. I hope that no one gets offended by my using the French word for "touch" -- sexual harassment and all of that...
The Overrated mod is for reversing inappropriate, positive mods, not for voicing disagreement with a post.
"He says it links "gypsy" to "cheap/theft.""
Exactly, thank you for admitting I was correct.
"2. he does not create the theft assumption, it already exists. "
Really? Not for me. Now what?
"You won't argue with people when you can provide proof against their argument?"
No, I won't argue with people who claim to know what others are thinking in direct opposition to what they type, because you can't possibly pretend to know what he meant, and what he actually typed makes you a liar. As your own post proves, right there at the top.
Besides, you proved me right with your statement earlier.
I only go to buffets for the unlimited soft serve.
Apparently a definition that says "probably short for Gypsy" as well as a quote of a forum post that quotes only one of at least 2 definitions of the term from a Random House publication counts as undeniable proof.
I'm not pissed, just thought it was funny that one of the bases of your argument included that a Wiki entry would back you up, and upon googling for "wiki gypped" I was returned a page that took a shit on your argument instead.
"Obscenity is the crutch of the inarticulate motherfucker." - cloak42
Mod parent funny. Probably the best line I've heard about ANY video game.
First rule of trauma: Bleeding always stops.
I keep wondering this too, and people with PC gaming "experience" all say different things.
Sometimes it gets compared to Half Life, then they say Halo's story is unoriginal and the environments repeat. So what part of Half Life are they comparing it to?
Other times it's the "online play" that makes the game. Ugh. Finding a game to join may be easier on a console, but it's next to impossible to find a mature group of people to play with (maybe because it's easier to play online than "hard" PC FPS's). That, and I don't know how into online PC FPS you are, but mods are what make most of the good games great.
I don't think you're missing anything. If you're going to get a next gen console for a single game, look at the ones in a genre consoles really are better at. Racing, fighting, or maybe a FPS with a unique online experience.
Guess your mind is not open to the notion that maybe many Halo fans are also PC gamers, either past or present? It seems that your admitted bias will not allow you to believe that people are aware of other choices when in fact we are likely completely aware of them, we simply choose differently than you (yes, the rhetorical we, as I know I'm not alone). You think it's overrated, I think it's close to perfect. We agree to disagree, just don't whine about it. No need for negativity, go play a game that makes *you* happy, and don't worry about us. I, for one, am in no need of your version of enlightenment. Been there, done that. I am self aware and not a sheep.
We have enough youth, how about a fountain of SMART?
You're the one that stated that something he said was plucking some bullshit out the air, which is not true, and just because you lack the appropriate cultural background to appreciate what he said doesn't mean what he said is invalid. It doesn't mean you're stupid, either. Or a liar. You could, however, get a better background in language. And if you have one already, maybe you should kill yourself, because you wasted your time.
Red herring.
Straw man.
False comparison.
Poisoning the well.
Thanks, it's been great.
Please stop stalking me, bro.
Well, Jack Thompson hates it. It must be good. That's all the review I need anymore. Hey eepok, Butt-Darts 4 is coming out tomorrow! What's Jack think? He says it will summon the anti-christ if even one child plays it. What time does Best Buy open?
I'm not saying there's undeniable proof. I'm saying that there is an undeniable association between the words "gypped" and "gypsy"
Etymology sometimes experiences unexplainable mutations. To quote the dictionary guy:
"Lexicographer's business is solely to collect, arrange, and define the words that usage presents to his hands. He has no right to proscribe words; he is to present them as they are."
--Noah Webster, lexicographer (1758-1843)
And in light of that, I think it's foolish to deny the linguistic and social association that exists here.
I thought that was funny, too. While we're splitting hairs here, I was talking wikipedia, which we all know is infallible, not wiktionary, which we all know is a big lie machine created by our zionist jew overlords to enslave us. But in seriousness, we know a wiki reference is not a golden anything. I said "even wikipedia" as a way of saying that even the lazy man's reference bible would provide you with an ethnic background on the gypsies. I was referring to an encyclopedia, and you came back with a dictionary.
So boo. At least you're making reasoned arguments and you seem to have a sense of humour, which is more than can be said for a couple of people around here.
Cheers.
Please stop stalking me, bro.
Any good FPS player will tell you that the controls on a PC are superior. The mouse and keyboard player will always beat the equally skilled console player. So why don't Microsoft and Sony release mouse and keyboard controls for their consoles?
I would correct that somewhat: The best controls for a FPS are a high-resolution pointer in one hand, and an array of accessible buttons in the other. It doesn't have to be a mouse/keyboard combo. The Wii comes close, but I'm not convinced the wiimote is precise and fast enough to completely replace a mouse. However, I think something could be built that's much improved over a keyboard.
There seems to be some reluctance by console manufacturers to sell keyboard/mouse combos for consoles; maybe they don't want to open that whole can of worms. But some sort of FPS interface controller could be sold, that had the same functionality but was more focused on console gameplay.
Everybody hates Vista, entire countries are involved in lawsuits with Microsoft, and it is being run well?
ROFL
I do not respond to cowards. Especially anonymous ones.
Once upon a time there were 20 hour FPS games & in times of yore even longer single player campaigns. Now a 10 hour single player campaign....
So how long is it going to be before there are no single player FPS's at all? I've never been thrilled by Halo multiplayer, TeamFortress2 looks interesting but I do like my single player, my 'stories' as it were.
I guess I was fooling myself that Halo3 was going to be anything but a multiplayer game with a campaign tacked on as an after thought.
I've experiments to run, there is research to be done on the people who are still alive.
Can someone please answer this question for me? I swear to god, I've cruised game sites for days and googled it every way I know how, and there seems to be no answer on the Internet to this most basic of all questions:
Does Halo 3 have 4-player split-screen multiplayer?
I don't understand why this answer cannot be found anywhere. It took me days (as a non-hardcore FPS gamer) to understand that co-op/campaign and multiplayer were different (okay, I get it now, multiplayer is the opposite of co-op). I have found sites that mention how many players you can have via system-link or XBox live for co-op (4) or multiplayer (I think 16). I have even seen sites that tout "split-screen multiplayer" without saying whether this is 2-player split-screen, or 4-player. I have seen screenshots of 2-player split screen, but mostly everyone goes for the eye-candy of full screen screenshots.
So, does Halo 3 have this feature? It is truly the best thing in the world to play 4-player with your friends in one room, on one tv, while you trash talk. Sure, the screen is a bit small, but 4 games on one 46" 1080p TV is a hell of a lot better than when we were doing this on 25" TVs with only 480 lines of resolution.
I thank you greatly for your response. Yeah, I've got H3 on preorder, but I'll be buying a couple more controllers if it supports 4-player split screen. I'm sort of afraid I won't even be able to tell once I have my hands on the game, unless I have a 3rd controller turned on to test..
Thanks for the warning.
It seemed like Halo 3 was for people who had played the other two. I wasn't sure about buying it. Now I know that I shouldn't.
http://www.loadingreadyrun.com/videos/view/228
These guys have already made a short documentary about what the Halo series has meant for humanity:
http://www.loadingreadyrun.com/videos/view/228/Halo%3A+The+Future+of+Gaming
Unproven but highly likely as others have pointed out. They can't find any other lead on it's origin. As well "gypsied" was also used as a term for being cheated at one time. Seems a bit too similar to completely disavow the connection.
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
You still haven't answered my question as to why you'd want to buy the XBox to play XBox-only games, but you won't because Halo is XBox only.
Of course FPS's control better with a mouse than they do with a controller. Who cares? My car has better handling than a motorcycle; it doesn't mean riding a motorcycle is less fun. Everyone on a given platform is using the same controller, so it all evens out. Sure, using a controller is harder at first. You probably don't remember, but using a mouse was hard too - I still have friends that play FPS games on the PC using only keyboard, no mouse, because they believe the control is more "precise".
Frankly, I'll take a little slop in my controller over aimbots any day. Plus, I find the controller gives a more "realistic" feeling when playing simply because I can't be superhumanly accurate with my aiming like you can with a mouse. I rarely feel panicked when playing an FPS on the PC - it's just too easy. On a console, it's more immersive experience.
-BbT
I may be missing something, but what exactly is the big deal about this?
Having never played any of the Halo games, I don't know why this is getting so much attention.
Is there something special about this game that makes it anything other than "just another FPS"?
Is there something innovative about it that isn't immediately obvious? Or is it just the next Halo game with better graphics?
I really don't see why people are saying this is going to be such a system seller.
What sets this apart from something like Bioshock or Gears of War?
/sig
Well, Zonk, since THE GAME ISNT EVEN OUT YET, the amount of 'common knowledge' is pretty damn close to zilch. Not that it matters all that much. I've always found the story to be kind of lacking in the Halo games. All the characters look alike. It's pretty fun mindless shooter, tho.
FUNK!
Well, I'll say that there is a definite phonetic connection between gypped & gypsy, but further than that I'm not convinced. FWIW, your on my 'exclusive' friends list now, be excited!
"Obscenity is the crutch of the inarticulate motherfucker." - cloak42
You mean that it's annoying that you associate 'texture popping' with last-gen titles?
You keep using that sentence construction. I don't think it means what you think it means. :-)
This is from someone who has (to the best of his knowledge) never used the word "gypped" in any sort of conversation (though understood it to mean "cheated out of"), probably never would use the word, and is now even less likely to use it (now knowing its origins).
Indeed, I imagine from a Japanese perspective (where I understand their language has many different levels of politeness), that statement was probably very informal (blunt), and also probably quite offensive to someone you don't know personally. Which I suppose leaves us at "When in unknown company, say nothing", but that would make conversation a little dull.
I think people like you (of course anonymous) would find a perfect place at one of these support places.
... a clear indication of a network ploblem on my end you retarded troll.
Congratulations on your intelligent comment.
Multiple forums are full of people who have trouble with certain games after the update. I Only play 2 games online, and one totally got useless after the update. Suddenly all the players have a problem with their net,
Oh, btw being able to list only ranked mathces, and not player matches (while be able to play perfectly). is yes uhmm
"Hope this helps and now it is time for fanboys to roast my karma."
And indeed they did.
/sig
if gaming has a blockbuster franchise to match the movie industry's punch, it's the tale of Master Chief
Give me a break. Just look at the sales numbers, production cost, soundtrack, and acting talent (and just plain GAMEPLAY, in fact!) If gaming "has a blockbuster franchise to match the movie industry's punch", there is NO WAY it's Halo. The real blockbuster has 3 letters, not 4. And they spell GTA.
They have great reasons for it! They sell more copies with higher profit margins ($10 more per copy on average - and that's ignoring special editions) and it's extremely important to each of them that they sell as many consoles as they can. They ship the big games for the console first so that they can have the secondary effect of selling consoles - and so that they can avoid being distracted and/or delaying their release dates by the far less important (in terms of sales) PC version. They'll port to PC later and make some more money - the margins will be good because most of the work was done upfront for the console version. So if by "no good reason" you mean "excellent business justification" then we totally agree
Gears was a system seller (not like Halo will be but still significant) - Bioshock not so much. While I think Bioshock is a better game than either Halo 3 or Gears, because it's single player it doesn't have the same sort of network effect the others do. Sure, you see your friends playing it - but you don't have your friends harassing you to get it so that they can play it with you. That, and the fact that Bioshock is artsy (i.e. it's a freaking work of art), means that it has a smaller audience that's really going to 'get it'. The gameplay is great - but Bioshock's story makes it more - and if you haven't, for example, been exposed to Ayn Rand, you aren't all that likely to get it.
"Having never played any of the Halo games"
Well I see what your problem is right there.
We have enough youth, how about a fountain of SMART?
I think the problem is that there doesn't seem to be anything about the game that sets it apart from any other FPS game. It's just the one with a guy with a gold faceplate on his helmet.
I still haven't seen nor heard anything about the game that makes me really want to play it, much less go out and buy the console to play it on.
There just doesn't seem to be anything distinctive about it. I don't see how this is going to be a 'system seller'...
I think their marketing division is doing a better job of getting me interested in gold-covered helmets than playing their game.
/sig
And here we go again with the frothing at the mouth rant because somebody is denied their keyboard and mouse. You might look into a bit of anger management before you have an aneurysm.
I've heard it all before, so don't waste your time trying to convert me. I quite like my controller, and yes, I've played FPS games since Wolf3D, so please don't insult me by assuming I "just don't know any better".. or some such other nonsense.
We have enough youth, how about a fountain of SMART?
Yeah, I guess that's why in the interviews I've seen with Asian players the vast majority of them thought it was good, but hard to play, because they like easier, more casual games. Yeah, they're really hardcore over there.
We have enough youth, how about a fountain of SMART?
"Halo 3's target audience is 8-14 year olds"
Is that what that big "M" thingy on the cover means? Cool.. I wondered about that, one of life's great mysteries. *rolls eyes*
We have enough youth, how about a fountain of SMART?
Ok, fair enough. I must admit that when I knew nothing about it, I had no interest as well. I saw nothing but a somewhat nondescript lead character (lesson learned to not judge a book by it's cover). Not to mention I had already sworn that I would never buy an Xbox just because it was made by MS (heaven forbid anyone would think I'm a MS fan.. far from it). Then came the fateful day, when I was visiting a friend who was at the time, basically bedridden with a severe illness, who had gotten it to occupy his time and mind. Well, all I can say is, within 10 minutes of watching him play I was hypnotized. The music, gameplay and story taken together seemed to add up to much more than the sum of it's parts. It's just darn fun to play, has a wonderful control scheme, logical and intuitive. You can play with 3 of your friends all at the same time with 1 console, 1 copy of the game and 1 tv. The soundtrack is amazing, has won awards, and even now is my normal listening fare on a regular basis.
It's late, and the best analogy I can come up with might be something to the effect of why should I be interested in Disneyworld when all I see is some mouse looking character with big ears. Yeah, it's bad, but relevant in a twisted, late night sorta way.
To sum it up, gameplay, story, music, polish, fun and challenging. It's all there.
My advice, find somebody who has Halo. That really shouldn't be too hard, honestly. Have a run at the level "Halo" or "Attack on the Control Room" (you'll want to use easy or normal difficulty your first time, you will get frustrated at higher difficulties or later levels until you know them like the back of your hand.. and set your thumbstick inverts and such to what feels normal to you). If you don't enjoy it, then the series is just not for you.
We have enough youth, how about a fountain of SMART?
Jewellery had it's origin in Jewel, which come from the French for plaything. You chump.
What if Tetris was invented by Nazis?
Frankly, I'll take a little slop in my controller over aimbots any day. Plus, I find the controller gives a more "realistic" feeling when playing simply because I can't be superhumanly accurate with my aiming like you can with a mouse. I rarely feel panicked when playing an FPS on the PC - it's just too easy. On a console, it's more immersive experience.
Well, to each their own I suppose...but frankly I'm not really following your argument. To me it is equivalent to saying (forgive the painfully lame baseball analogy): "it's okay if everyone has to use a nice glazed ham when batting because everyone else has to use a ham too! Besides, the fact that everyone in the field is using a bra to catch the ball evens it out."
I recall playing FPS on consoles years ago, and some were pretty good but they did feel rather lacking is depth and substance. Ultimately though, I suspect that console companies do not offer such a controller scheme (or something like the Fang + mouse) simply because it would require the person to be behind some sort of flat surface to be comfortable (read: a desk, table, etc..). To roll that out with a new console would be a negative thing in the eyes of many folks who only know the gamepad controller and find it intimidating. This would probably drive down sales. To introduce it as an optional peripheral would mean that game programmers would not spend a heck of a lot of time coding configurations and full support since it is a niche market as most folks would still be using the controllers as they are "free" (as in they already paid for them when they bought the console).
So, I get why they don't roll out keypad/mouse support, but ultimately I think that the first company that does will surge ahead in the market. PCs ARE expensive, so such a controller scheme would really tempt may PC gamers, especially with what appears to be a slowing in the PC gaming marking (IMHO). In addition, it opens the doors to, shutter, MMORPGs and other styles of game that demand more complex input mechanisms. Do me, that's probably the biggest thing. While I'm not a WoW fan, I can only imagine the goldmine that awaits for Console 'X' who suddenly has the means to support a port of it.
lol wow a foolish slashdot reader, hard to come by, haha, maybe you should do some reading first before you comment. Research has shown that M games target the 10-14 year old audience because they 'think it's cool' and that is why there is so much flak on gaming in general right now. I don't remember the statistic off hand, but I think an M rated game out sells a teen rated game by about 10 to 1??? So go back to playing your kiddy games, I'll stick to real games like World in Conflict, Bioshock, and the likes.
I'm surprised they even found an asian player in Asia who owned an xbox, lol. Are you sure those aren't Asian American's? They have been pretty dumbed the fook down since they were born in the US.
Microsoft is going to have a HUGE number of returns on their hands if my experience at the Walmart in Gilroy, California was any indication.
When I told the customer service rep I wanted the Limited Edition, he said the last couple of customers had already returned theirs, since the discs were all scratched up. (The Limited Edition comes in a metal case.) It turns out that the case has a poor design that causes the disc to easily pop out and start banging around loose. So after I paid, they opened my box up, and found that the discs were scratched up enough that they exchanged it on the spot. We ended up opening three more of them until they found one that was in pristine condition.
With that kind of defect rate, Microsoft could easily have a huge problem on their hands.
I'm already starting to see news reports on Google News that this problem is widespread.
One other thing. I'm a bit disappointed that Halo 3 appears to have no anti-aliasing at all. It's painful to see all those jaggies on an HD display. I suppose most players are using standard def TVs to play, but it still sucks that such a supposedly modern game title is not using AA.
Who's deeply offended? The conversation seems to be about the relative offensiveness of 'gypped,' which I think the consensus is that it's definitely less offensive than jewing and the n-word, but surely more offensive than a tasty cake.
People can, however, point out the relative offensiveness of something without having to themselves experience violent inner turmoil. Whenever someone uses the n-word in an inappropriate manner in my presence, I bring it up if I feel it's worth it. For example, I think calling Senator Larry Craig a faggot-basher is inoffensive, because the linguistic construct implies his disdain for homosexuals. Others (my ex, for one) find this inappropriate. I tend to keep these word selections to myself.
http://www.iep.utm.edu/r/reductio.htm
First, I think the Japanese have a mode of conduct suitable to perusing the tubes. Second, I didn't say that. Third, if you're not with us, you're a donkey's cousin. Similarly, if I think people would do service to other people by being judicious about their choice of words, I must be the kind of person suddenly overtaken by the desire to dance cheerfully about in full Nazi regalia.
I think that a good rule of thumb is that if you could be reasonably concerned that what you are going to say might offend someone if you said it in a room full of 50 random people, consider whether it's worth it to say. Then say it, or not, and deal with people's comments.
Please stop stalking me, bro.
I say "God I wish my boss wasn't such a tightwad, he gyped me out of a raise". Consequence: This links Cheap/theft with Gypsies.
Only if people realize that "gyp" is short for "gypsy". And since most don't, the slur has no power, and becomes just another word.
Frankly, I would argue it is *you* that is the problem. By getting offended, you are essentially imbuing the word with power it didn't previously have. Oh well, I'm sure you can get offended enough for the rest of us, while we find better things to do.
By the way, I'd recommend watching the season 4 episode of Southpark entitled "Chef Goes Nanners"... it might be enlightening.
Only if people realize that "gyp" is short for "gypsy". And since most don't, the slur has no power, and becomes just another word.
Frankly, I would argue it is *you* that is the problem. By getting offended, you are essentially imbuing the word with power it didn't previously have. Oh well, I'm sure you can get offended enough for the rest of us, while we find better things to do.
By the way, I'd recommend watching the season 4 episode of Southpark entitled "Chef Goes Nanners"... it might be enlightening.
The power of a slur is it makes certain people feel smaller. Fighting it by doing nothing just lets people get away with that. The whole idea is a slur denigrates someone for something they have no control over. I can brush off random internet people calling me stuff but if it's in real life and if it's your peers, school mates, boss, teacher, friends. Thats different. In my days at school if someone called me a chink either someone would tell a teacher and they'd get in trouble or there'd be a scuffle. Back in my older cousins day or my uncles day the only alternative would be a scuffle because if they told someone they'd be told back "suck it up chinamen."
Letting it go is not the way to stand up for your rights or to prevent this form of social violence. Making it a issues is how you stand up for yourself. SO what did I do, I put my neck out to stand up for a disadvantaged minority whom I don't know. Look back in this thread. I never let anyone get to me but I tried to stand up for the little guys because not each one is as able to fight. History hasn't shown "letting it go" to be a very good strategy.
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
Maybe we just come from different planets, because your analogy seems to illustrate my point clearly - playing baseball with bras and hams would make perfect sense, if that's what the rules of the game were. Just because something is easier (mouse & keyboard), doesn't mean that's what you should use. I'm sure it would be easier to get home runs if the bat were larger, or more strikeouts if the ball were smaller, but the rules are what they are. Ideally you want to balance the rules of a sport or game such that it is easy enough for novices to muddle about in, but difficult enough such that mastery is not trivial. It's quite possible (although I doubt this was a consideration in the design of console shooters) that the difficulty curve of mouse/keyboard control is such that you don't get a good distribution of skill levels - everyone "masters" it too quickly and you you're left with a group where everyone who's played the game for a month or two is pretty much equal in skill, barring the superstar-savants that play professionally.
The fact that consoles use a common controller (more or less), not to mention common computing hardware, is what makes them so much more appealing from a competitive standpoint than the PC domain, where someone might have an ultra-high rez display, or mouse with extra features, or cheats. There are sports where the design of the equipment is a big part of the competition (auto racing, for example), but it's not appropriate for a mass-market online game where 95% of the players are going to be using the equipment that came with the system they bought. Introducing an alternative control scheme into a competitive online game like Halo would just complicate things, unless the game chose to segregate players into groups based on the controller they were using.
-BbT
You know what? You're a hyper-sensitive idiot. If you can't understand why there's a clear difference between deliberately using a slur to attack someone, and innocently using a word while ignorant of the fact that it's etymological roots are based in racism, then there's no possible way I can reason with you. Clearly, you see racism, bigotry, and hate everywhere, even where there is none. Frankly, I feel kind of sad for you... your world must be a pretty horrible place.
I don't know when it started but games are omitting local co-op or multiplayer "in favor" of online modes. Both Crackdown and Motorstorm pissed me off for this reason.
Since you have a 360, and like Bomberman I highly recommend the Bomberman "Live" version. It's FAR better than ZERO, $10 and supports 8 players online or 4 players local. Also if you are a fan of Local Multiplayer you may want to consider getting a Wii (if you haven't already) since that's where it excels most. As a bonus on the VC you can get the Turbo16 Version of Bomberman '93 that supports 5 people locally (you need at least 1 Gamecube controller in the mix).
You know what? You're a hyper-sensitive idiot. If you can't understand why there's a clear difference between deliberately using a slur to attack someone, and innocently using a word while ignorant of the fact that it's etymological roots are based in racism, then there's no possible way I can reason with you. Clearly, you see racism, bigotry, and hate everywhere, even where there is none. Frankly, I feel kind of sad for you... your world must be a pretty horrible place.
You get this from my objection to certain words being used?
It's similar to sexual harassment. You may not mean to offend your female co-workers by making lewd jokes or putting up porn, but they needn't have to tell you to stop. My GF loves porn. Enjoys watching it etc.. but it should be up to her where and when she views it.
Casual use of slurs is one of the more callous forms of racism. It's a systemic form. It means that the associations of a stereo type and ethnicity is so ingrained that the word is now synonymous. Now, If I were jewish and people casually used Jewed as a verb it does in fact belittle me in the same way as if it was deliberate. You associate my ethnicity with a negative stereo type. what is the difference between openly attacking someone and casually attacking someone?
Are you a minority? Can you honestly tell me there is no racism? There is significant racism within my own community. In North America it's been mitigated by a lot of idealism regarding equality but it didn't come about because people let things go. Racism isn't' gone but it's laying low only because individuals like myself react to it.
I am exercising my right to free speech. I criticize a person for using a word. I have never said he should be forcefully prevented form using that word but I have merely stated the link and the reasoning for my objection. Perhaps you should investigate why you react to my reasoning with such vitriol.
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
A-WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Please stop stalking me, bro.
It means that the associations of a stereo type and ethnicity is so ingrained that the word is now synonymous.
Wrong, simply because the link between the term "to gyp" and the ethnic group "gypsy" is by-and-large broken, except for the hyper-sensitive few, such as yourself. IOW, the words can't be synonymous because the vast majority of people aren't even aware they're connected. Go on, walk down the street and ask random people if a) they think the term "gypped" is racist, and b) what race or ethnic group they associate the term with. I'd be *shocked* if more than a small minority even know of the connection you're railing against.
Meanwhile, have you ever wondered why the word "hysterical" and "hysterectomy" seem to have the same root? Are you aware of the etymology of the term "hysterical"? Here, let me provide it for you:
"1615, from L. hystericus "of the womb," from Gk. hysterikos "of the womb, suffering in the womb," from hystera "womb" (see uterus). Originally defined as a neurotic condition peculiar to women and thought to be caused by a dysfunction of the uterus. Hysterics is 1727; hysteria, abstract noun, formed 1801."
link
So, by your own standards, the term "hysterical" is, in fact, sexist, and we should avoid it's use, and abuse and deride those who do use it, correct? And yet, we don't. Nor does anyone associate a sexist connotation with the word. And why? Because the sexist roots of the word are lost to time. Similarly, the racist roots of the word "gypped" (assuming there are any... others have proposed alternate explanations for it's genesis) would probably have vanished by now, if it weren't for the rabid few who can't seem to let it go.
So just let it the fuck go! I have *never once* heard someone use the term "gypped" in a negative way, intending to demean gypsies. Hell, I'll bet dollars to donuts you haven't either. But, hey, god forbid you should step down from that moral high horse you're perched so precariously upon.
everyone "masters" it too quickly and you you're left with a group where everyone who's played the game for a month or two is pretty much equal in skill ...ah, now this I can't agree with. Uber skilled folks aside, everyone does tend to peak controller wise at about the same level with a keyboard and mouse...but that's a good thing. The difference between sucking and being a master shouldn't be in how well you manage to use the controls (exception being simulators of course), but rather how well you use the game mechanics to your advantage. A couple of examples:
-- Tactical FPS (Battlefield, CoD, TF2, etc.): Teamwork, stealth, intelligence, situational awareness, etc..
-- MMORPG (Guild Wars, WoW, Vanguard, etc.): Equipment selection, professions, character builds (attribute levels, spell sets, etc.).
I would argue that if the ability to use the controller is the key determiner of a poor player versus a good one, then the controller is a big problem since it should be intuitive enough that gaining sufficient skill with it is trivial.
Now, regarding what you said about competition: I actually was semi-pro (pro league but in a lower ranked team) in Battlefield 2142 and you definitely have a point there. In MOST competitions on the PC, you have no way of being sure that the other team isn't cheating. Sure, there PunkBuster and the like, but they aren't that good and always are behind the curve. Beyond that, the playing field isn't level to begin with since some folks have uber systems while others are working with minimal requirements (if that). Ironically, the latter issue influences the former in that folks who are not cheating often are accused of it merely due to the power (or lack there of) of their rig and how they've got it configured. The truly high-level PC matches are like high-level console tournament matches and take part on tournament systems setup by the tournament administrators...but that's an experience that very few folks ever get.
Wrong, simply because the link between the term "to gyp" and the ethnic group "gypsy" is by-and-large broken, except for the hyper-sensitive few, such as yourself. IOW, the words can't be synonymous because the vast majority of people aren't even aware they're connected. Go on, walk down the street and ask random people if a) they think the term "gypped" is racist, and b) what race or ethnic group they associate the term with. I'd be *shocked* if more than a small minority even know of the connection you're railing against.
Racism isn't about the majority it's about the minority. It's not if G dubya has an issue with the word "chink" it's if Asians have a problem with that word. In North America the odds of meeting a Romani is slim. why? Because the US enacted laws to prevent the immigration of gypsies/Romani. Canada has a small population. So while you may have a almost 0% chance of offending someone by using gypped, here in Canada it's a non 0 percentage. In many parts of Europe the associating between the word and the race is much stronger. Do they feel bad about it? I had a acquaintance once who was part Romani. He was annoyed at the connection with his ethnicity and being a thief. So to you the link is dead. sample size: 1, objective meaning: hard to say. To him it's a racial slur. So does it mean it's okay so long as no one of that race is around?
As well hysterical was originally coined because Hippocrates thought the uterus was actually wandering around within a womans body. The word has fallen out of professional psychiatric use. So in fact that profession did take steps to avoid a somewhat loaded word.
In the end I'm not asking anyone to be aware of the history of each word they use. I merely point out the history of a word and the implied meaning and I let it up to the speaker to decide what to do. If in light of this information you continue to use the word it paints you in a certain way. Thats the nature of free speech. Say it however you like but deal with the consequences. If you didn't know who can fault you. Now you do know, continued use of the word may paint you as a racist, it is a consequence of your decision.
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
This whole argument is a tar baby.
http://kotaku.com/gaming/gamespy/ps3-ut3-supports-keyboard-mouse-sixaxis-243125.php
Yeah, Spider-man 3 was also supposed to be the big blockbuster of the year, and Vista was supposed to be the biggest release since Windows 95. Marketing doesn't always match reality.
"Sufferin' succotash."
OK, probably it is then a coincidence. Also MS never updates anything without letting you know.
If you go to forums, you can see that things stopped working for many people after they updated.
Whether the update added support to a controller or not, it did some mess on some consoles it seems, as people have problems.
Not really with the connection, but e.g you cannot search player games only ranked, and other weird stuff.
I was only putting it forth as a possibility, not really pushing it. But I know from my own experience that I've never felt as confident using the controller as I have with the keyboard/mouse. Our social group contains players that have all been playing Halo for 3 years or more, yet there is clearly a great difference in controller aptitude, as evidenced in low-strategy games like "Slayer". The best player in our group routinely scores 10x the number of kills as the worst player when we play against each other. I rank about 3rd in our group, and I know that my issues all have to do with aiming control. I never felt that was an issue when I was playing games like Team Fortress Classic or Counterstrike on the PC. Of course, when we get really slaughtered online by other players in team games, it's usually due to better teamwork on their part, but frequently it's because they have an uncommonly good player that scores almost all the kills for those teams. This happens frequently enough that I can't include these modest superstars in the ranks of the Uber.
-BbT
"Red herring.
Straw man.
False comparison.
Poisoning the well."
I don't understand why you'd summarize your posts since I've already read them.
As to what you said, it is both wrong and idiotic. I would expect that from one such as you, based on your pseudo-intellectual attempts to denounce me.
I guess that's what is to be expected from your kind when you get out debated.
Like I did to you, and him, and all the other people who think being stupid and lying is a substitute for facta and reason.
As an aside, I've never seen you post anything worth reading, ever. Nice of you to keep the streak going.
I only go to buffets for the unlimited soft serve.
"Holy crap dude. You're an idiot. Or 12. Or both."
All of the above, and right too.
So what does that say about you and the other loser who got manhandled by a 12 year old idiot?
By the way, nice of you to man up and put your name to that post. It's exactly what I'd expect from you after I crushed your stupid points about this and proved you're a liar.
I only go to buffets for the unlimited soft serve.
The Xbox 360 does support a keyboard and mouse. USB, of course. Just plug the bastard in and your game should work with it. I think your game itself needs to support it though, a few don't. Don't believe anyone who throws you links to articles about a PS3 game supporting a mouse and keyboard acting as if only the PS3 could possibly do it.
For a site about things like basic rights, Slashdot users sure do like to censor "dissent".
No, this was a clip from I believe Japan.. wherever it is that they are having some gaming convention currently.
We have enough youth, how about a fountain of SMART?
All About Halo 3 Over all review Halo 3 is an awesome game and well worth the R599 you pay for it (SA only). Everything about it is almost flawless. The A.I is very good although the characters friendly or not have a very "lone wolf" type mind set. Even in groups they will not work together to take you or your co-op partner down and think of nothing if their frag blows you away. But still as a whole it works well and makes game play challenging rather than just a plain shoot em up. Graphics are amazing and I have yet to see models merging into each other, the xbox does have problems from time to time where models will appear flat n mono tonal but it quickly recovers. One downfall which lies not in the game but the machine itself is that without an HDMI cable and TV or projector (Recommended) it looks crap, everything is down converted and squashed which makes it rely hard to change settings as the txt is very small soft and fuzzy cramped and soft, makes it hard to pot enemy's from a distance too. Obviously projected image is worse down converted.. This problem occurs for all xbox 360 games going through composite cables. Don't use composite on a projector rather just a very big TV. The game play is very different compared to the first two games. Everything's faster, faster weapons faster punches faster vehicles faster run speed faster everything, which is a big relief. It makes for a more enjoyable faster more exciting Halo 3 experience. Game content was vastly updated there's a load of new stuff in the game to a point where it's a bit much, none of its consistent, there's a lot of guns/vehicles you only get to try a few times through out the entire game and some weapons make others pointless.. a lot of the old weapons that were abundant are now rare n replaced by bazooka weapons(big guns) however everything seems a lot more possible in the game when in fact its harder to do, for instance taking down a scarab. A lot of the time you get given tasks to do but not the means to do it like say a flying vehicle to get somewhere would be nice and fun, unfortunately they don't supply one. Yes it makes it more challenging but not as fun or exciting and very frustrating when the check point is a while back. Check points... check points have triggers attached to them which to be honest is old now, a lot of the time you'll miss them because you didn't kill that one grunt hiding in the waterfall. So that added to the badly designed difficulty which is realistic weapon damage in an unrealistic game where you are ment to be all powerful makes you switch off. That is if you're playing heroic or legendary. The one thing where I thought Bungie would have corrected by now is the vehicle to Spartan damage ratio. Basically if your warthogs tire gets shot you take some damage, this makes getting into a vehicle suicide at times. One other thing is the new achievements the xbox 360 has, in Halo 3 most of them can only be completed during online play which is very annoying seems you just bought the most expensive game yet and you cant even unlock all its content. So most of the above can be avoided if you put in the right settings and buy the right stuff. That is a HD TV, HDMI cable and internet. Also put the game difficulty on normal or lower. For more on halo 3 and others (coming soon) Visit www.CineHD.biz/Halo_3.asp