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Hands-On With Halo Wars
The Opposable Thumbs blog got some hands-on time with Halo Wars, the upcoming RTS from Ensemble Studios. The early look is promising; concerns about the controls and the game's adherence to Halo's style have effectively been laid to rest. Now that work on the game is complete, Ensemble is shutting down, its employees splitting amongst at least two new game studios.
"Thanks in large part to the game's control and Ensemble's clear consideration for the limitations of a controller when playing an RTS, Halo Wars manages to achieve a level of playability and accessibility that truly is fitting of the Halo dynasty. As Halo brought console FPS games to the masses in a way that Goldeneye couldn't, so too will Halo Wars introduce RTS games to a whole new league of gamers. ... Ensemble has done a great job at emulating what made Bungie's titles so great; from the orchestral themes to the massive battles and the ongoing drama of the Covenant war, Halo Wars is a Halo title through and through."
Other than the people who aren't old enough, who played Halo that didn't play Goldeneye first? I don't get that statement.
That's because this isn't a story. It's fluff about how "great" Halo was, and how Ensemble deserves a medal for forcing a console gamepad upon RTS players.
Just because Bungie/Ensemble nerfed their game to make gamepads usable doesn't mean it's "good."
From the article:
One of the new companies being started by ES employees will be picking up support for ESO (and Halo Wars)
To alleviate the concerns raised by the summary ;-)
I think Bungie, or Microsoft or whoever thinks that Halo is so bloody popular because it's Halo. Which is probably true, but only in the realms of first person shooters. Once you take all that generic space marine action and bring it into the realm of giants like Starcraft, and Dawn of War, and even Command and Conquer (though not really a space marine RTS). Halo starts to look a lot more stale, and it becomes obvious that the developers are more interested in making money than innovative games. If they were interested in good games they'd bring back Myth.
I have nothing compelling to say
If you'd read the article, you would have realised that it's not "their game ported to console", they actually put some thought into design and gameplay to make it a workable concept.
If it works, it could strip PC games of one of the last genres that doesn't successfully translate to consoles; after that, who knows? Of course, nobody might be able to afford gaming systems by then...
You obviously haven't played many FPSs on a console then, because they do in fact "work". Just because you don't want to believe that they can work, doesn't mean they don't.
Would you kindly mod me +1 insightful?
I agree, I was always a firm believe in the KB/mouse combo for FPS games, but having played things like Call of Duty and Halo at friends' houses more and more I finally bought my own xbox and have been hooked and actually like the controller. I do agree that a RTS would be a little tougher on a console though.
I'm actually quite a big XBox fan, I think the 360 is the best console out there quite honestly because it simply has so many fun games.
But even I have to wonder what they mean by Halo brought console FPS to the masses in a way Goldeneye couldn't? Halo 2 only just sold as many units as Goldeneye and they're roughly the join top selling console FPS of all time. Whilst I think the Halo series rocks, suggesting they were over and above Goldeneye in terms of their success is outright false unless you're considering the entire series of Halo vs. the single release of Goldeneye which is like comparing apples and oranges.
I'm really looking forward to Halo Wars, but I'm a little puzzled by that particular comment. I just find it odd of all the console FPS games on the market, the only one they could think to compare against was the only one that has actually sold as many units as the highest selling Halo game!
Take an identical game, have one person play with keyboard and mouse, and the other play with a controller with all the spiffy enhancements. Remove auto-aim from the equation. And what do you get? Yes, thank you for proving my point.
Just because it "works" doesn't mean it works well, nor does it mean that the solution is ideal.
All you proved in your post was that a dumbed down version of the game can "work" on a console. Which is what I said in my post, anyways.
Thanks in large part to the game's control and Ensemble's clear consideration for the limitations of a controller when playing an RTS, Halo Wars manages to achieve a level of playability and accessibility that truly is fitting of the Halo dynasty.
So controller limitations are truly fitting of the Halo dynasty? I hope this game has a demo as I can't possibly believe the controls will be half as responsive and effective as a mouse and keyboard setup. And what level of playability and accessibility are they talking about? How is Halo as a FPS easier to pick up than a fighting game or puzzle game? How does that possibly relate to its RTA counterpart?
As Halo brought console FPS games to the masses in a way that Goldeneye couldn't, so too will Halo Wars introduce RTS games to a whole new league of gamers.
Wow such objective language here. You might as well put that in the Halo Wars advertising campaign. Where is the objectivity in video game previewing and reviewing. I want to read about a game in an objective way, not be subjected to blind praise, and worship. I'm not a 360 or PS3 or Wii fan, I'm an objectivity fan. I own all three consoles, and a (moderately adequate) gaming PC. But my god am I getting really sick of 'independent' video game writers.
In the long run, the ability for the game's campaign to differentiate itself from the pack as something other than just a ho-hum, run-of-the-mill RTS in MJOLNIR armor, as well as the game's multiplayer experience, will determine whether or not Halo Wars has the success and longevity of its FPS predecessors
What ho-hum, run-of-the-mill RTS games are they referring to? Starcraft? Warcraft III? C&C? Warhammer? Just because those games don't use 360 Pad controllers?
corked baseball bats work better too what's your point? The competition in halo is the controller, who is better at manipulating it and who is best at compensating for the slow look speed by being very aware of your surroundings. Not everyone is fond of the Unreal spray and pray run as fast as you can chaos.
Am I the only one who is wary of purchasing this game because Ensemble is being shut down? There are two reasons for this:
1) It feels like I'm rewarding Microsoft for shutting down one of my favorite studios.
2) It pretty much guarantees no substantial post-game support.
I'm normally not counted among the "I hate M$" crowd, but I simply don't want to reward this behavior. I suppose management would look at poor sales as an indication that they did the right thing anyhow, but at least they wouldn't have my money...
Irony: Agile development has too much intertia to be abandoned now.
Looks like this game is leaving quite the trail of destruction behind it.
I've played plenty of RTSs on consoles going back to the 16-bit days and they do not work even remotely on the same level as a PC RTS. They are dumbed down, simplified, GIMPED, because a gamepad is not a dedicated pointing device.
Most PC to console games are stripped of features. Too many compromises are made just to get it work on a gamepad. This is a simple truth which is obvious to those that still game on PCs and also game on consoles.
If you like games that are made accessible for casual gaming, so gaming from a couch, or even a bed, than of course RTSs on a console will work for you. They work at that level. When you take that same RTS and put it on a PC, it's a dumbed-down joke.
I see where you're going with the corked baseball bat and it's a poor analogy. All baseball bats are fundamentally the same design, where as mice and gamepads are not.
:]
You can not win any FPS if you're not aware of your surroundings. Why on earth would assume that it's any different on a PC? Do you really think that PC gamers aren't skilled at a genre that originated on PCs and to this day is is still played best on them?
A skilled gamer -- regardless of the platform -- doesn't need to "pray" about weather or not they'll hit and live. Your comment makes me think that you're not that good at FPSs...
You also have to consider that the design of the map really determines the type of skills needed to win.
We get it, that many console gamers like to play casually. Just stop insisting that a gampad is on par with a mouse for PC derived games, like RTSs and FPSs, because it's not.
The thing that bothers me about gamepads and I think the same is true for any PC gamer, is that they've had an adverse effect on PC gaming. It's always the PC version that gets the shaft, since developers will optimize their game around the lower denominator, which is the console.
If they make a game for both platforms, but give both the care they need for their inputs, I don't care either way, but that's rarely the case.
And just for reference:
I've been gaming on consoles since the seventies and PCs since the eighties. I can game either way, I just don't like how slow and dumb the AI are in most console FPS.
I first played FPSs on a keyboard, then a Gravis gamepad, then later a mouse and keyboard. When gamepads became popular, many of the throw backs from the keyboard age were brought back, like aiming assist. Now we have really lame things like bullet-time and some sort of time stasis.
I still own my copy of GoldenEye and I still have a N64. I played Halo to death with my friends, mainly because it was the first co-op game that I can recall. I later bought this game for the PC and it was unbelievably easy with a mouse and keyboard.
Call of Duty is a game I'll only play on a PC. Just like any of Valve's FPSs. I might try it on a Wii though, because Medal of Honor 2 was fun with a Wiimote.
Who are these people? Because Ive got a fair bit of experience playing halo with a controller, so if you sat someone down at a comp with limited experience playing fps' Id cream them, keyboard or no.
On the other hand, put someone down who is a master at it, and they'd cream me.
So what you're really saying is put down two people who have an absolutely identical amount of experience playing with their controller of choice, and the keyboard person will cream them. Which I dont think is necessarily true, but if you find the two people who have absolutely identical experience, i'd be glad to find out.
Im so sick of this, every time the whole fps-keyboard-vs-gamepad argument pops up, someone has to say "a person with a keyboard would cream a person with a gamepad, just because!"
it's bullshit, meaningless bullshit.
We get it, that many console gamers like to play casually. Just stop insisting that a gamepad is on par with a mouse for PC derived games, like RTSs and FPSs, because it's not.
Tell this to the however many thousands play it every day. Lot's of console players consider themselves more then casual and some are actually starting to get paid pretty decent money to play professionally, so I don't think you can make the claim they are not on par they are just two different categories. Maybe another poor sports analogy will help me explain what I'm getting at. Why Put the basketball hoop at 10feet when it would be a lot easier to reach at 6 or 7. And as what I meant about your surrounding's is that in a console fps the sticks don't spin you around instantly like a mouse with the sensitivity up will, so if someone sneaks up behind you on a console you have to be a little more ready then just spinning and firing. Also I'm pretty sure people that QQ about the mouse being better just hate getting ownd with the sticks. With enough practice you too could own analogous.
Also dribbling can be tough as well, so let's carry the ball between the 6 foot hoops.
It has nothing to do with a keyboard. It has to do with the computer player having a mouse.
A mouse allows way more precision. Precision is absolutely necessary for FPS games. Try to draw a complex shape with your mouse right now. Then tell me if you can mimic that shape using a console controller.
I for one am sick of this argument too. And I want it settled just as much as you do, probably. I wish they would just put out a PC vs Console competition. Console players would be disallowed to use mice and keyboards, and only allowed to use their console controllers.
wow. a mice is more precise which is why you couldn't pick up a controller and own me. Your too used having your pointer doing exactly what you tell it. The controller is an abstract art. Yes the keyboard and mouse is faster and more precise but for the last time the fun of a controller is that its not as fast a mouse and you have to work it and your surroundings harder to maintain edge. You guys love to bully the controller people with your speed and precision but the truth is the controller is a sentimental device and all the little halo kids who are growing up now with a controller in hand are gonna have similar feelings. One of my first memories is playing Popeye on colecovision, and i hope consoles and controllers thrive for the rest of my life even if you think they are garbage they make me and apparently the people I compete with happy and I think at the end of the day that's all that matters. I don't think any laws are being passed in the near future dictating what type of controls are to be used when playing a first person shooter so there is no need to argue mice superiority anymore.
Also try to draw a complex shape with your mouse right now. Now try that with a tablet or touch screen, way easier. So lets all get touch screens since they are more precise and just tap each others faces to death that sounds like a whole lot of fun!!! =/
>>Remove auto-aim from the equation. And what do you get? Yes, thank you for proving my point.
Ssh! The console people who think they're elite FPSers will become irate if they realize the game is actually doing the aiming for them!
>>Remove auto-aim from the equation. And what do you get? Yes, thank you for proving my point.
Ssh! The console people who think they're elite FPSers will become irate if they realize the game is actually doing the aiming for them!
actually a lot of competitive people turn this feature off to avoid getting pulled onto an undesired target. /gasp some people CAN use their thumbs with precision.
Also some people win in halo a lot more then others and some people loose more then others. Both have autoaim and both are using controllers. Its a different skill and a different game. Just because you couldn't beat your friend that one time he asked you to come over doesn't mean he had more auto aim then you.
I'm really looking forward to Halo Wars, liked the previous games very much