Tallgeese

As of today, the LE version fo the War Games Map Pass comes with both the Strider and Scanner helmet and the Falcon emblem: https://twitter.com/...211848379092992 and... https://twitter.com/...213895711158272 here is another source: http://halo4nation.c...ets-and-emblem/ And here is the official announcment via HaloWaypoint BS Angel: Several months ago, during the infamous Halo 4 news drought, I spent my days curled up in a fetal position under my desk, tears streaming down my face, sobbing about my need to share something, anything, with our information-starved fans. Last week I regressed to the same traumatized state, only this time for the opposite reason: I realized there was no possible way we were going to be able to cover everything about the game that you’ve asked about before it actually comes out. It was always our intent to leave a handful of surprises, though, so surprises you will have, assuming you’ve managed to stay spoiler-free. While there are some things we want you to experience for yourself, there are other things we want you to know right this very second, which is why we’ve been pushing out large amounts of Halo 4 content at a fast and furious pace. The past three Fridays have given you Parts 1, 2, and 3 of Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn (our five-part, live-action web series), last Thursday we premiered “Scanned” (the official launch trailer produced by David Fincher and directed by Tim Miller), and yesterday we released a brand new gameplay trailer (happily nestled between Sons of Anarchy segments). We have a few more tricks up our sleeve (in fact, I’m traveling across the pond for one this weekend), but divulge them I will not. Because then they wouldn’t be tricks. And they wouldn’t be up our sleeve. As the calendar counts down to November 6, many teams within the studio find themselves busy polishing (and still creating, for those on the Spartan Ops and DLC teams) the updated experiences that will be launching alongside the game. We’re refreshing Halo Waypoint (on console, web and mobile web), fancying up the forums (or simplifying, depending on how you look at it), and putting the finishing touches on a completely new Halo 4 stats experience and the soon-to-be-released Halo 4: Interactive Guide. While change is sometimes difficult, every decision we’ve made is based upon providing a better experience, so we’re going to do everything we can to help you become acquainted with these altered areas. We’ll provide text and image tutorials for each one, and also support in the forums. No, we aren’t going to let you get lost in the newness. We will, however, happily show you around your new digs. We know the wait is becoming near unbearable, so to keep you distracted, we’re going to throw a lot of information at you in not a lot of time. In this Bulletin, we’re lifting the curtain on a new map (OMG NEW MAP!), we’re revealing all the objects available in Halo 4 Forge (OMG FORGE!), we’re providing an update about the Halo 4 War Games Map Pass (OMG YOU CAN HAZ!), and, since we covered the Master Chief and his evolution last week, we’re going to kick things off with the same thing this week, only this time with your favorite A.I. Oh yes, it’s time to talk about that blue lady that is definitely not a natural formation. Evolution of Cortana Considered by many to be the most powerful artificial intelligence ever created by humanity, Cortana was paired with the Master Chief in a last ditch effort by the UNSC to end the war with the Covenant. Now perilously beyond her operational lifespan, she teeters on the brink of rampancy as this new world’s threat is finally revealed. She may not have a physical form, but we can still take a look at how Cortana has evolved appearance-wise over the past almost eleven years. So embiggen the picture above by clicking on it (we didn’t have a fancy-schmancy shot of her from CE, so please excuse the quality of that one in particular), and bask in the beauty of her various holographic iterations. Don’t stare at her too long, though, because once she gets in your head, it’s near impossible to get her out. Just ask the Chief… Vortex New Vortex concept art VORTEX Description: The Forerunner structures which occupy Requiem’s equatorial caverns appear to generate power by harnessing its violent squalls. Onsite personnel believe that a full understanding of such a technology would offer the UEG substantial amounts of affordable, clean energy. Nevertheless, its internal mechanisms remain enigmatic. A multi-tiered Big Team Battle map designed to support Dominion and vehicular play, Vortex was originally based on concept imagery of a wide, windswept valley leading to a large wind turbine generator. The valley was lined with rectilinear fins or blades that directed the air towards the turbine like a wind tunnel. Built around the wind turbine was a settlement of high-tech huts that might have been erected around the power source of the turbine’s generator. We set out to convey the notion of a deserted, dry ghost town to influence the natural setting, supporting the grand mystique of the Forerunner structures lying dormant, idling with dust and wind blowing through it. That initial inspiration evolved into the idea of an ancient Forerunner complex unearthed by human inhabitants who worshipped them and aped the forms of their architecture in their primitive buildings. This was further refined into the idea of a Forerunner weather processing complex, which maintained the visual identity of the wind tunnel idea, directing the air through tall fin-like structures into the mouth of a central structure, which then directed the wind currents up into the tall tower above the west base. Early in development, Vortex was large and open. After initial playtests, we realized it was slightly too large and engagements were too infrequent. One difficulty we encountered when shrinking the map was that it made vehicle paths more constrictive, so we had to slowly expand the roads. This expansion impacted the placement of the bases, which we had to adjust in order to line them up along the highly geometric, symmetrical axes of the Forerunner architecture. Through subsequent iterations, large rocks were added and the bases became more closed off to focus the encounter spaces. New Vortex screenshots There are upper and lower paths that link all the bases together and provide vehicle lanes beneath the central base. These lanes have plenty of rocky cover and some connecting paths to allow infantry to utilize them with some degree of safety. If you happen to prefer vehicular combat, the power vehicles are located in the cave and side bases. Sitting high in the map is a large, central Forerunner structure that is accessible by ramps, man cannons and gravity lifts. It has a few sniper points but much of the base is only accessible from the interior. The smaller bases around the edges of the map are used for spawning and as Dominion bases. All of these have multiple access points, as well as various vehicle spawns and ordnance drop locations. The hardest design challenge we had with Vortex was making sure there was fun interplay between vehicles and infantry. We went through iterations where vehicles were dominant and people were complaining that they couldn’t traverse from base to base without getting killed by a vehicle. Adding man cannons as quick entrances into the middle base helped this problem greatly. Semi-related, at one point during Vortex’s development, the man cannon on the eastern end would always shoot the player into a wall and kill them. While I found it hilarious, others found it frustrating, so we improved the consistency of the jumps. Sightlines made long range weapons initially dominant on this map, so we added caves and tunnels to circumvent the long open roads and provide additional options for medium and short range players. Despite being a very large map, the traversal time from one side to another is surprisingly short. One small piece of advice, though: getting caught in the open on the vehicle paths will result in a one-way ticket to Splattersville. Consider yourself warned. Now that you know the basics about Vortex, you probably want to see it in action. Assuming that’s the case, check out the brand new video below featuring a recent game in which I dominated anybody and everybody. Okay, so maybe I didn’t play in this game, but if I had, the previous sentence would totally ring true. Anyway, press play, and enjoy! PLEASE ENTER YOUR DATE OF BIRTH JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 20122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900 Submit Section 3 Recover Garbled Bits.. . Halo 4 Forge Existing in Halo 3 and Halo: Reach, Forge is a game mode which offers the ability to edit multiplayer maps. You can add, remove and move around map objects such as weapons, vehicles, power-ups and props. You can even modify some of the structures found on the map, with a handful of maps allowing an extreme level of modification within large open spaces. In Halo 4, Forge is introducing several new features, such as the real-time highlighting and labeling of objects, the ability to lock, duplicate, and magnetically link objects together, and the option to change player traits in a given location on a map. Forge is available for all ten Multiplayer maps shipping with Halo 4. There are also three additional spaces that were created just for this mode. We originally revealed Halo 4 Forge at RTX via a live demo with special guests Jack and Geoff from Achievement Hunter. Since then, the Forge fanatics amongst you have been begging for a detailed list of all the objects that will soon be available for your building pleasure. There’s no time like the present to share that list, but before we do that, here’s a brief description of Halo 4’s Forge maps. IMPACT Description: This observation outpost was established to examine the site of a spectacularly violent meteor collision recorded by an ONI patrol drone in 2547. When researchers first arrived, they were startled to find a non-native fragment of the impacting agent had actually survived and was of unknown origin. More recently, interest in the site has grown as the fragment has proven to have originated from long before the earliest of known Forerunner artifacts. RAVINE Description: When ONI dispatched its first expeditionary group to this sector, it was believed that these impressive citadels were individual constructs strategically organized to protect this portion of Requiem. Teams on the ground now believe that they are actually the ramparts and battlements of an impossibly large structure below the surface of the sea. EROSION Description: With hundreds of human colonies now razed in the wake of the Covenant War, the UNSC has dispatched large numbers of advanced pioneer groups to survey potential new worlds. The discovery of Eudemon X49-05 was considered lucky, but concerns remain about the moon’s structural integrity. And now, here is a semi-comprehensive breakdown of all the objects available in Halo 4 Forge. (I say semi-comprehensive because I'm sure I missed something along the way. That's just the way I roll.) Magnum Assault Rifle Battle Rifle DMR Sniper Rifle Rocket Launcher Shotgun Sticky Detonator SAW Railgun Spartan Laser Frag Grenade Mounted Machine Gun Turret Plasma Pistol Storm Rifle Covenant Carbine Needler Beam Rifle Energy Sword Fuel Rod Cannon Gravity Hammer Concussion Rifle Plasma Grenade Mounted Plasma Cannon Boltshot LightRifle Suppressor Scattershot Binary Rifle Incineration Cannon Pulse Grenade Jet Pack Thruster Pack Active Camouflage Hardlight Shield Autosentry Promethan Vision Hologram Regeneration Field Explosives Fusion Coil Landmine Fuel Canister Man Cannons Cannon, Man Cannon, Man, Heavy Cannon, Man, Light Gravity Lift Gravity Lift, Heavy Gravity Volumes Gravity Volume, 5x5 Gravity Volume, 5x5 Inv Gravity Volume, 10x10 Gravity Volume, 10x10 Inv Trait Zone Trait Zone Teleporters Receiver Node Sender Node Two-Way Node Shields Shield, One Way, Small Shield, One Way, Medium Shield, One Way, Large Shield, Door, Small Shield, Door, Medium Shield, Door, Large Special FX Colorblind Next Gen Juicy Nova Olde Timey Pen and Ink Toys Dice Golf Ball Kill Ball Soccer Ball Tin Cup Lights Light, Red Light, Blue Light, Green Light, Orange Light, Purple Light, Yellow Light, White Light, Red, Flashing Light, Yellow, Flashing Initial Spawn Respawn Point Initial Loadout Camera Respawn Zone Respawn Zone, Weak Respawn Zone, Anti Respawn Zone, Weak Anti Safe Area Boundaries Kill Area Boundaries Initial Drop Random Drop Objective Drop Objective Objects Flag Stand Capture Plate Hill Marker Extraction Decal Extraction Targets Extraction Crate, Small Extraction Crate, Medium Extraction Crate Cylinder Dominion Objects Base Terminal Base Turret Base Stripes Dominion Base Shields Base Shield, Small Base Shield, Medium Base Shield, Large Dominion Vehicle Pads Vehicle Pad, Ghost Vehicle Pad, Banshee Vehicle Pad, Wraith Vehicle Pad, Mongoose Vehicle Pad, Warthog Vehicle Pad, Rocket Hog Vehicle Pad, Gauss Hog Vehicle Pad, Mantis Vehicle Pad, Scorpion Dominion Barricades Line Upgrade Barricade Corner Upgrade Barricade Winged Upgrade Barricade Base Status Monitors Base Monitor Monitor, 4Foot Turret Status Monitors Turret Monitor, Small Turret Monitor, Large Antennas Antenna, Small Antenna, Large Visuals Terminal Battery Terminal Case Terminal Light Terminal Wires, 1 Terminal Wires, 2 Terminal Wires, 3 Terminal Wires Junc. Box Scenery Objects Camping Stool Folder Chair Street Cone Barricades Barricade, Small Barricade, Large Jersey Barrier Jersey Barrier, Short Crates Crate, Small Crate, Large Crate, Packing, Small Crate, Packing, Large Container, Small Container, Open, Small Container, Large Container, Open, Large Sandbags Sandbag Wall Sandbag Corner, 90 Sandbag Endcap Sandbag Pile Sandbag Single Sandbag Triple Sandbag Group Pallets Pallet Pallet, Large Pallet, Metal Mongoose Warthog, Default Warthog, Gauss Warthog, Rocket Scorpion Mantis Ghost Wraith Banshee Shade Turret Structure - Impact Station, Console Station, Core Station, Corridor Station, Ramp Station, 90 Station, 45 Station, 4 Way Lrg Cap Station, 4 Way Lrg Station, 4 Way Station, T Station, Airlock Station, Transistion Station, Door Jam Station, Door Jam 2 Station, Airlock, SML UNSC Tower UNSC 2 Story UNSC 1 Story Silo 1 Silo 2 Silo 2, Closed Silo 3 Central Floor Cap Nature - Impact Rock, Small Rock, Flat Rock, Medium 1 Rock, Medium 2 Rock, Spire 1 Rock, Spire 2 Rock, Seastack Structure - Ravine Artifact Base Base 1 Base 2, Left Base 2, Right Bridge Wall Catwalk 1 Catwalk Lip Nature - Ravine Rock 1 Rock 2 Rock 3 Rock 4 Structure - Erosion Pipe, 1x2 Pipe, 45 Pipe, Cross Pipe, Curved Pipe, End Pipe, Slanted Pipe, Y Nature - Erosion Rock, Flat Rock, Medium 1 Rock, Medium 2 Rock, Seastack Rock, Small Rock, Spire 1 Rock, Spire 2 Building Blocks Block, 1x1 Block, 1x1, Flat Block, 1x1, Short Block, 1x1, Tall Block, 1x1, Tall and Thin Block, 1x2 Block, 1x4 Block, 2x1, Flat Block, 2x2 Block, 2x2, Flat Block, 2x2, Short Block, 2x2, Tall Block, 2x3 Block, 2x4 Block, 3x1, Flat Block, 3x3 Block, 3x3, Flat Block, 3x3, Short Block, 3x3, Tall Block, 3x4 Block, 4x4 Block, 4x4, Flat Block, 4x4, Short Block, 4x4, Tall Block, 5x1, Short Block, 5x5, Flat Bridges and Platforms Bridge, Small Bridge, Medium Bridge, Large Bridge, XLarge Bridge, Diagonal Bridge, Diag, Small Dish Dish, Open Corner, 45 Degrees Corner, 2x2 Corner, 4x4 Landing Pad Platform, Ramped Platform, Large Platform, XLarge Cylinder Large Y Cross Y Cross, Large Sniper Nest Staircase Walkway, Large Buildings Bunker, Small Bunker, Small, Covered Bunker, Box Bunker, Round Bunker, Ramp Pyramid Tower, 2 Story Tower, 3 Story Tower, Tall Room, Double Room, Triple Decorative Antenna, Small Antenna, Satellite Brace Brace, Large Brace, Tunnel Column Cover Cover, Crenellation Cover, Glass Railing, Small Railing, Medium Railing, Long Teleporter Frame Strut Large Walkway Cover Doors, Windows, and Walls Door Door, Double Window Window, Double Wall Wall, Double Wall, Corner Wall, Curved Wall, Coliseum Window, Coliseum Tunnel, Short Tunnel, Long Inclines Bank, 1x1 Bank, 1x2 Bank, 2x1 Bank, 2x2 Ramp, 1x2 Ramp, 1x2, Shallow Ramp, 2x2 Ramp, 2x2, Steep Ramp, Circular, Small Ramp, Circular, Large Ramp, Bridge, Small Ramp, Bridge, Medium Ramp, Bridge, Large Ramp, XL Ramp, Stunt Grid Grid War Games Map Pass Update The very first Halo 4 bundle we put together was the Limited Edition. We were extremely excited about it, and filled it to the brim with everything that was available at the time. Since then, in an effort to provide options for as many different people as possible (those on a tight budget, those who enjoy Multiplayer, those who like in-game content, etc.), we have created additional SKUs, the standalone War Games Map Pass being one of those things. The standalone version was advertised as including bonus content (two in-game helmets and an emblem) that the LE version did not have. In an effort to aid completionists in their quest for collecting as many items as possible, we wanted to include the in-game content in BOTH versions. Now that the “I”s are dotted and the “T”s are crossed, we can finally confirm that the LE War Games Map Pass and the standalone War Games Map Pass both come with two bonus in-game helmets (Scanner and Strider), as well as a unique in-game emblem (Falcon). We’re also excited to reveal the specifics of the three map packs included in the Map Pass. The Halo 4 War Games Map Pass confirms your access to three War Games map packs as they become available in December, February and April, and represents a savings of more than 15 percent versus purchasing the packs individually. Descriptions and tentative release dates are as follows: Crimson Map Pack (December) Maps: Wreckage, Harvest, Shatter Witness the chaos of a clash of civilizations in Wreckage, with its blend of claustrophobic spaces and dangerous exposures and venture into the human colony environs of Harvest, and explore a human foray on an alien moon in Shatter. Majestic Map Pack (February) Maps: Landfall, Monolith, Skyline Landfall’s emphasis is on infantry battles against a glittering ocean on a distant world, while Monolith exposes you to the naked vacuum of space – and the firepower of opposing teams, and Skyline’s distinctly industrial feel provides new challenges in somewhat familiar, but occasionally confined spaces. Castle Map Pack (April) Maps: Daybreak, Outcast, Perdition Daybreak is set in a military facility against the backdrop of an idyllic mountain range, while Outcast plunges you into the warrens, canyons and arches of an alien edifice, and Perdition takes players into the heart of an urban sprawl, with tactical speed and situational awareness its key features. And with that, another Bulletin comes to a close. Oh, and one more thing: to celebrate less than two weeks out, there will be a Super Jackpot present in every playlist in Halo: Reach until launch. We upped your chances of hitting it ever so slightly (and by ever so slightly, I mean a significant amount), so get yourself some credits, and hopefully that helmet you've been eyeing in the Armory. 11 days, my friends, 11 days... <3, bs angel View full article

And here is the official announcment via HaloWaypoint BS Angel: http://blogs.halowaypoint.com/Headlines/post/2012/10/25/The-Halo-Bulletin-102512-.aspx

Haha yeah knowing M$ they wont even tell the community lol...

You could always pre-order off of Ebay...there a quite a few LE's listed on Ebay at the moment and from the listings it looks like they will ship as soon as they Launch on Nov. 6th. You may not get the game right away but you will still get the LE.

Nope...the hardlight shield will not protect you from a vehicle coming at you, especially if they are boosting. The hardlight shield is only meant to stop gredaes in front of you and infantry fire. Rocket launcher, fuel rod etc. and vehicles will destroy the shield and kill the player.

The reticle does indeed chnage when going from plasma to bomb. It is clearly depicted in the latest Exile walkthrough: http://halo4nation.com/news/exile-map-walkthrough/

Nope...I sprinted in an out...if someone pulled AL I just peaced out and focused on someone else...or waited for him to pop out and kill him...its all about patience Ahh then yes, both had very similar traits...

Lol if the supposedly becomes concrete...than 343i/M$ have lost their minds thinking that this sort of marketing is ok...

Here are some new HD gameplays from those who received the game for early reviews. In the first video, at the end you can see the player is already SR-51 and is leveling through Wetworks, seeing as review copies were sent out 2 weeks ago and the player is already SR-51, it does not look like it will take too long to level up Sr-1 to SR-50. http://halo4nation.com/videos/new-hd-multiplayer-gameplays/

DLC reguired playlist separate form the rest of the playlists...caters to both those that have the DLC and those that dont...simple enough

The Didact was exiled for speaking out against the construction and possible use of the Rings. The Didact did not think firing the rings was the right decision and though that the military could handle the flood. The Didact spoke out and physically refused to be a part of it, he was thus exiled to a shield world (Requiem). Those that supported him followed/were exiled as well (Prometheans).

lol good stuff

Supposedly Console owners get a variant of the FOTUS armor with the exclusive Console skin, similar to how LE owners get a variant of the Recruit armor called Prime. Supposedly everyone can unlock FOTUS at SR-130 (max rank)

That is what has been stated over on Halo Waypoint...as I said it is "supposedly"...the rest of the FOTUS information is legit, who knows if FOTUS really will be unlocked at SR-130...

Agreed

True...but some prefer armor skins which are the LE and Console skins are exclusive over weapon skins...it is really your own personal preference

Well essentially Console get a exclusive skin for the FOTUS armor and LE get a exclusive skin for the Recruit armor. Everyone can have the FOTUS and Recruit armor, but not the exclusive skins for them

yeah after all the flip flopping and bait and switch 343i/M$ have been doing who knows what will change...I wouldnt be surprised if they take the Scanner and Strider helmets away from the LE again lol

Yeah idk man...making it so that console owners have to spend SP on the LR first before they could use the LR with the console skin would be the only way to really make it fair I suppose. But who knows

Yeah idk...getting the BR and LR from the start would be a bit OP to be honest, especaily since you have to technically buy them first...I think the weapons and armor work differently though. You do not have to purchase armor in the game, you just unlock it. Where as you have to purchase the guns and packages. So perhaps you unlock the armor from the skins right off the bat, but you have to purchase the guns first than you can automatically apply the skins. I really dont know

Just as LE owners get an exclusive version of the AR with the prime skin, console owners get an exclusive version of the LR with the LR console skin. Just as LE owners get an exclusive version of the Recruit armor with the Prime skin, console owners get an exclusive version of the FOTUS armor with the FOTUS console skin I agree that 343i/M$ do not have a good reputation going so far

yeah but in Reach the drop shield actually deflected enemy fire didnt it? The regen field more resembles the regen drop form Halo 3

I would agree...especially now that the Console bundle no longer gets the FOTUS armor as an exclusive either lol

As of today, the LE version fo the War Games Map Pass comes with both the Strider and Scanner helmet and the Falcon emblem: https://twitter.com/...211848379092992 and... https://twitter.com/...213895711158272 here is another source: http://halo4nation.c...ets-and-emblem/ And here is the official announcment via HaloWaypoint BS Angel: Several months ago, during the infamous Halo 4 news drought, I spent my days curled up in a fetal position under my desk, tears streaming down my face, sobbing about my need to share something, anything, with our information-starved fans. Last week I regressed to the same traumatized state, only this time for the opposite reason: I realized there was no possible way we were going to be able to cover everything about the game that you’ve asked about before it actually comes out. It was always our intent to leave a handful of surprises, though, so surprises you will have, assuming you’ve managed to stay spoiler-free. While there are some things we want you to experience for yourself, there are other things we want you to know right this very second, which is why we’ve been pushing out large amounts of Halo 4 content at a fast and furious pace. The past three Fridays have given you Parts 1, 2, and 3 of Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn (our five-part, live-action web series), last Thursday we premiered “Scanned” (the official launch trailer produced by David Fincher and directed by Tim Miller), and yesterday we released a brand new gameplay trailer (happily nestled between Sons of Anarchy segments). We have a few more tricks up our sleeve (in fact, I’m traveling across the pond for one this weekend), but divulge them I will not. Because then they wouldn’t be tricks. And they wouldn’t be up our sleeve. As the calendar counts down to November 6, many teams within the studio find themselves busy polishing (and still creating, for those on the Spartan Ops and DLC teams) the updated experiences that will be launching alongside the game. We’re refreshing Halo Waypoint (on console, web and mobile web), fancying up the forums (or simplifying, depending on how you look at it), and putting the finishing touches on a completely new Halo 4 stats experience and the soon-to-be-released Halo 4: Interactive Guide. While change is sometimes difficult, every decision we’ve made is based upon providing a better experience, so we’re going to do everything we can to help you become acquainted with these altered areas. We’ll provide text and image tutorials for each one, and also support in the forums. No, we aren’t going to let you get lost in the newness. We will, however, happily show you around your new digs. We know the wait is becoming near unbearable, so to keep you distracted, we’re going to throw a lot of information at you in not a lot of time. In this Bulletin, we’re lifting the curtain on a new map (OMG NEW MAP!), we’re revealing all the objects available in Halo 4 Forge (OMG FORGE!), we’re providing an update about the Halo 4 War Games Map Pass (OMG YOU CAN HAZ!), and, since we covered the Master Chief and his evolution last week, we’re going to kick things off with the same thing this week, only this time with your favorite A.I. Oh yes, it’s time to talk about that blue lady that is definitely not a natural formation. Evolution of Cortana Considered by many to be the most powerful artificial intelligence ever created by humanity, Cortana was paired with the Master Chief in a last ditch effort by the UNSC to end the war with the Covenant. Now perilously beyond her operational lifespan, she teeters on the brink of rampancy as this new world’s threat is finally revealed. She may not have a physical form, but we can still take a look at how Cortana has evolved appearance-wise over the past almost eleven years. So embiggen the picture above by clicking on it (we didn’t have a fancy-schmancy shot of her from CE, so please excuse the quality of that one in particular), and bask in the beauty of her various holographic iterations. Don’t stare at her too long, though, because once she gets in your head, it’s near impossible to get her out. Just ask the Chief… Vortex New Vortex concept art VORTEX Description: The Forerunner structures which occupy Requiem’s equatorial caverns appear to generate power by harnessing its violent squalls. Onsite personnel believe that a full understanding of such a technology would offer the UEG substantial amounts of affordable, clean energy. Nevertheless, its internal mechanisms remain enigmatic. A multi-tiered Big Team Battle map designed to support Dominion and vehicular play, Vortex was originally based on concept imagery of a wide, windswept valley leading to a large wind turbine generator. The valley was lined with rectilinear fins or blades that directed the air towards the turbine like a wind tunnel. Built around the wind turbine was a settlement of high-tech huts that might have been erected around the power source of the turbine’s generator. We set out to convey the notion of a deserted, dry ghost town to influence the natural setting, supporting the grand mystique of the Forerunner structures lying dormant, idling with dust and wind blowing through it. That initial inspiration evolved into the idea of an ancient Forerunner complex unearthed by human inhabitants who worshipped them and aped the forms of their architecture in their primitive buildings. This was further refined into the idea of a Forerunner weather processing complex, which maintained the visual identity of the wind tunnel idea, directing the air through tall fin-like structures into the mouth of a central structure, which then directed the wind currents up into the tall tower above the west base. Early in development, Vortex was large and open. After initial playtests, we realized it was slightly too large and engagements were too infrequent. One difficulty we encountered when shrinking the map was that it made vehicle paths more constrictive, so we had to slowly expand the roads. This expansion impacted the placement of the bases, which we had to adjust in order to line them up along the highly geometric, symmetrical axes of the Forerunner architecture. Through subsequent iterations, large rocks were added and the bases became more closed off to focus the encounter spaces. New Vortex screenshots There are upper and lower paths that link all the bases together and provide vehicle lanes beneath the central base. These lanes have plenty of rocky cover and some connecting paths to allow infantry to utilize them with some degree of safety. If you happen to prefer vehicular combat, the power vehicles are located in the cave and side bases. Sitting high in the map is a large, central Forerunner structure that is accessible by ramps, man cannons and gravity lifts. It has a few sniper points but much of the base is only accessible from the interior. The smaller bases around the edges of the map are used for spawning and as Dominion bases. All of these have multiple access points, as well as various vehicle spawns and ordnance drop locations. The hardest design challenge we had with Vortex was making sure there was fun interplay between vehicles and infantry. We went through iterations where vehicles were dominant and people were complaining that they couldn’t traverse from base to base without getting killed by a vehicle. Adding man cannons as quick entrances into the middle base helped this problem greatly. Semi-related, at one point during Vortex’s development, the man cannon on the eastern end would always shoot the player into a wall and kill them. While I found it hilarious, others found it frustrating, so we improved the consistency of the jumps. Sightlines made long range weapons initially dominant on this map, so we added caves and tunnels to circumvent the long open roads and provide additional options for medium and short range players. Despite being a very large map, the traversal time from one side to another is surprisingly short. One small piece of advice, though: getting caught in the open on the vehicle paths will result in a one-way ticket to Splattersville. Consider yourself warned. Now that you know the basics about Vortex, you probably want to see it in action. Assuming that’s the case, check out the brand new video below featuring a recent game in which I dominated anybody and everybody. Okay, so maybe I didn’t play in this game, but if I had, the previous sentence would totally ring true. Anyway, press play, and enjoy! PLEASE ENTER YOUR DATE OF BIRTH JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 20122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900 Submit Section 3 Recover Garbled Bits.. . Halo 4 Forge Existing in Halo 3 and Halo: Reach, Forge is a game mode which offers the ability to edit multiplayer maps. You can add, remove and move around map objects such as weapons, vehicles, power-ups and props. You can even modify some of the structures found on the map, with a handful of maps allowing an extreme level of modification within large open spaces. In Halo 4, Forge is introducing several new features, such as the real-time highlighting and labeling of objects, the ability to lock, duplicate, and magnetically link objects together, and the option to change player traits in a given location on a map. Forge is available for all ten Multiplayer maps shipping with Halo 4. There are also three additional spaces that were created just for this mode. We originally revealed Halo 4 Forge at RTX via a live demo with special guests Jack and Geoff from Achievement Hunter. Since then, the Forge fanatics amongst you have been begging for a detailed list of all the objects that will soon be available for your building pleasure. There’s no time like the present to share that list, but before we do that, here’s a brief description of Halo 4’s Forge maps. IMPACT Description: This observation outpost was established to examine the site of a spectacularly violent meteor collision recorded by an ONI patrol drone in 2547. When researchers first arrived, they were startled to find a non-native fragment of the impacting agent had actually survived and was of unknown origin. More recently, interest in the site has grown as the fragment has proven to have originated from long before the earliest of known Forerunner artifacts. RAVINE Description: When ONI dispatched its first expeditionary group to this sector, it was believed that these impressive citadels were individual constructs strategically organized to protect this portion of Requiem. Teams on the ground now believe that they are actually the ramparts and battlements of an impossibly large structure below the surface of the sea. EROSION Description: With hundreds of human colonies now razed in the wake of the Covenant War, the UNSC has dispatched large numbers of advanced pioneer groups to survey potential new worlds. The discovery of Eudemon X49-05 was considered lucky, but concerns remain about the moon’s structural integrity. And now, here is a semi-comprehensive breakdown of all the objects available in Halo 4 Forge. (I say semi-comprehensive because I'm sure I missed something along the way. That's just the way I roll.) Magnum Assault Rifle Battle Rifle DMR Sniper Rifle Rocket Launcher Shotgun Sticky Detonator SAW Railgun Spartan Laser Frag Grenade Mounted Machine Gun Turret Plasma Pistol Storm Rifle Covenant Carbine Needler Beam Rifle Energy Sword Fuel Rod Cannon Gravity Hammer Concussion Rifle Plasma Grenade Mounted Plasma Cannon Boltshot LightRifle Suppressor Scattershot Binary Rifle Incineration Cannon Pulse Grenade Jet Pack Thruster Pack Active Camouflage Hardlight Shield Autosentry Promethan Vision Hologram Regeneration Field Explosives Fusion Coil Landmine Fuel Canister Man Cannons Cannon, Man Cannon, Man, Heavy Cannon, Man, Light Gravity Lift Gravity Lift, Heavy Gravity Volumes Gravity Volume, 5x5 Gravity Volume, 5x5 Inv Gravity Volume, 10x10 Gravity Volume, 10x10 Inv Trait Zone Trait Zone Teleporters Receiver Node Sender Node Two-Way Node Shields Shield, One Way, Small Shield, One Way, Medium Shield, One Way, Large Shield, Door, Small Shield, Door, Medium Shield, Door, Large Special FX Colorblind Next Gen Juicy Nova Olde Timey Pen and Ink Toys Dice Golf Ball Kill Ball Soccer Ball Tin Cup Lights Light, Red Light, Blue Light, Green Light, Orange Light, Purple Light, Yellow Light, White Light, Red, Flashing Light, Yellow, Flashing Initial Spawn Respawn Point Initial Loadout Camera Respawn Zone Respawn Zone, Weak Respawn Zone, Anti Respawn Zone, Weak Anti Safe Area Boundaries Kill Area Boundaries Initial Drop Random Drop Objective Drop Objective Objects Flag Stand Capture Plate Hill Marker Extraction Decal Extraction Targets Extraction Crate, Small Extraction Crate, Medium Extraction Crate Cylinder Dominion Objects Base Terminal Base Turret Base Stripes Dominion Base Shields Base Shield, Small Base Shield, Medium Base Shield, Large Dominion Vehicle Pads Vehicle Pad, Ghost Vehicle Pad, Banshee Vehicle Pad, Wraith Vehicle Pad, Mongoose Vehicle Pad, Warthog Vehicle Pad, Rocket Hog Vehicle Pad, Gauss Hog Vehicle Pad, Mantis Vehicle Pad, Scorpion Dominion Barricades Line Upgrade Barricade Corner Upgrade Barricade Winged Upgrade Barricade Base Status Monitors Base Monitor Monitor, 4Foot Turret Status Monitors Turret Monitor, Small Turret Monitor, Large Antennas Antenna, Small Antenna, Large Visuals Terminal Battery Terminal Case Terminal Light Terminal Wires, 1 Terminal Wires, 2 Terminal Wires, 3 Terminal Wires Junc. Box Scenery Objects Camping Stool Folder Chair Street Cone Barricades Barricade, Small Barricade, Large Jersey Barrier Jersey Barrier, Short Crates Crate, Small Crate, Large Crate, Packing, Small Crate, Packing, Large Container, Small Container, Open, Small Container, Large Container, Open, Large Sandbags Sandbag Wall Sandbag Corner, 90 Sandbag Endcap Sandbag Pile Sandbag Single Sandbag Triple Sandbag Group Pallets Pallet Pallet, Large Pallet, Metal Mongoose Warthog, Default Warthog, Gauss Warthog, Rocket Scorpion Mantis Ghost Wraith Banshee Shade Turret Structure - Impact Station, Console Station, Core Station, Corridor Station, Ramp Station, 90 Station, 45 Station, 4 Way Lrg Cap Station, 4 Way Lrg Station, 4 Way Station, T Station, Airlock Station, Transistion Station, Door Jam Station, Door Jam 2 Station, Airlock, SML UNSC Tower UNSC 2 Story UNSC 1 Story Silo 1 Silo 2 Silo 2, Closed Silo 3 Central Floor Cap Nature - Impact Rock, Small Rock, Flat Rock, Medium 1 Rock, Medium 2 Rock, Spire 1 Rock, Spire 2 Rock, Seastack Structure - Ravine Artifact Base Base 1 Base 2, Left Base 2, Right Bridge Wall Catwalk 1 Catwalk Lip Nature - Ravine Rock 1 Rock 2 Rock 3 Rock 4 Structure - Erosion Pipe, 1x2 Pipe, 45 Pipe, Cross Pipe, Curved Pipe, End Pipe, Slanted Pipe, Y Nature - Erosion Rock, Flat Rock, Medium 1 Rock, Medium 2 Rock, Seastack Rock, Small Rock, Spire 1 Rock, Spire 2 Building Blocks Block, 1x1 Block, 1x1, Flat Block, 1x1, Short Block, 1x1, Tall Block, 1x1, Tall and Thin Block, 1x2 Block, 1x4 Block, 2x1, Flat Block, 2x2 Block, 2x2, Flat Block, 2x2, Short Block, 2x2, Tall Block, 2x3 Block, 2x4 Block, 3x1, Flat Block, 3x3 Block, 3x3, Flat Block, 3x3, Short Block, 3x3, Tall Block, 3x4 Block, 4x4 Block, 4x4, Flat Block, 4x4, Short Block, 4x4, Tall Block, 5x1, Short Block, 5x5, Flat Bridges and Platforms Bridge, Small Bridge, Medium Bridge, Large Bridge, XLarge Bridge, Diagonal Bridge, Diag, Small Dish Dish, Open Corner, 45 Degrees Corner, 2x2 Corner, 4x4 Landing Pad Platform, Ramped Platform, Large Platform, XLarge Cylinder Large Y Cross Y Cross, Large Sniper Nest Staircase Walkway, Large Buildings Bunker, Small Bunker, Small, Covered Bunker, Box Bunker, Round Bunker, Ramp Pyramid Tower, 2 Story Tower, 3 Story Tower, Tall Room, Double Room, Triple Decorative Antenna, Small Antenna, Satellite Brace Brace, Large Brace, Tunnel Column Cover Cover, Crenellation Cover, Glass Railing, Small Railing, Medium Railing, Long Teleporter Frame Strut Large Walkway Cover Doors, Windows, and Walls Door Door, Double Window Window, Double Wall Wall, Double Wall, Corner Wall, Curved Wall, Coliseum Window, Coliseum Tunnel, Short Tunnel, Long Inclines Bank, 1x1 Bank, 1x2 Bank, 2x1 Bank, 2x2 Ramp, 1x2 Ramp, 1x2, Shallow Ramp, 2x2 Ramp, 2x2, Steep Ramp, Circular, Small Ramp, Circular, Large Ramp, Bridge, Small Ramp, Bridge, Medium Ramp, Bridge, Large Ramp, XL Ramp, Stunt Grid Grid War Games Map Pass Update The very first Halo 4 bundle we put together was the Limited Edition. We were extremely excited about it, and filled it to the brim with everything that was available at the time. Since then, in an effort to provide options for as many different people as possible (those on a tight budget, those who enjoy Multiplayer, those who like in-game content, etc.), we have created additional SKUs, the standalone War Games Map Pass being one of those things. The standalone version was advertised as including bonus content (two in-game helmets and an emblem) that the LE version did not have. In an effort to aid completionists in their quest for collecting as many items as possible, we wanted to include the in-game content in BOTH versions. Now that the “I”s are dotted and the “T”s are crossed, we can finally confirm that the LE War Games Map Pass and the standalone War Games Map Pass both come with two bonus in-game helmets (Scanner and Strider), as well as a unique in-game emblem (Falcon). We’re also excited to reveal the specifics of the three map packs included in the Map Pass. The Halo 4 War Games Map Pass confirms your access to three War Games map packs as they become available in December, February and April, and represents a savings of more than 15 percent versus purchasing the packs individually. Descriptions and tentative release dates are as follows: Crimson Map Pack (December) Maps: Wreckage, Harvest, Shatter Witness the chaos of a clash of civilizations in Wreckage, with its blend of claustrophobic spaces and dangerous exposures and venture into the human colony environs of Harvest, and explore a human foray on an alien moon in Shatter. Majestic Map Pack (February) Maps: Landfall, Monolith, Skyline Landfall’s emphasis is on infantry battles against a glittering ocean on a distant world, while Monolith exposes you to the naked vacuum of space – and the firepower of opposing teams, and Skyline’s distinctly industrial feel provides new challenges in somewhat familiar, but occasionally confined spaces. Castle Map Pack (April) Maps: Daybreak, Outcast, Perdition Daybreak is set in a military facility against the backdrop of an idyllic mountain range, while Outcast plunges you into the warrens, canyons and arches of an alien edifice, and Perdition takes players into the heart of an urban sprawl, with tactical speed and situational awareness its key features. And with that, another Bulletin comes to a close. Oh, and one more thing: to celebrate less than two weeks out, there will be a Super Jackpot present in every playlist in Halo: Reach until launch. We upped your chances of hitting it ever so slightly (and by ever so slightly, I mean a significant amount), so get yourself some credits, and hopefully that helmet you've been eyeing in the Armory. 11 days, my friends, 11 days... <3, bs angel This post has been promoted to an article