John-117

Hey Guys, I don’t really know what to tell you about day 1 other than IT WAS THE GREATEST THING EVER!!!! Due to the mass size of videos, photos, info, etc. I will be posting many links. LET’S GET STARTED! I will start from the earliest to the latest! Why You Should Care About Halo: Reach's Title Update This September, 343 Industries will release a title update for Halo Reach that will prep your 360's for Combat Evolved-flavored gameplay. If you've wondered how exactly 343 Industries plans to recreate the multiplayer gameplay you know and love from Halo: Combat Evolved in Halo CE: Anniversary, this is your answer. To explain, we asked 343 Industries' Content Producer David Ellis to give us the inside scoop as to why a typically innocuous thing like a title update could become such a gamechanger or Halo fans. "It's a free downloadable update for Halo: Reach to allow the MP to work seamlessly with the Halo CE: Anniversary MP as well as adding some additional options for adjusting gameplay variables in multiplayer," Ellis explained. Translation: this update will essentially use high-tech ninjary to fool Halo: Reach into playing like Halo: Combat Evolved. The update won't enable content immediately; you'll have to wait until specific multiplayer hoppers go live sometime in October for that. But here's how it will all work when they do. Weapon Changes The insanely overpowered gameplay of the Halo: Combat Evolved Magnum pistol will crash the Halo: Reach party with the Title Update. Now, it won't feature the OG Magnum itself exactly; instead the wizardy of the TU will allow for the configuring of the reticle bloom on the Reach pistol (and other semi-automatic weapons, like the DMR), enabling high-precision firing with increased accuracy in rapid succession, making for a lethal three-shot kill from anywhere on a map. It's strongly reminiscent of the way Combat Evolved felt. Ellis puts it this way: "Bloom is a gameplay mechanic in Reach which encourages players to space their shots to keep accuracy high. For example, the rate of fire for the Reach magnum isn't set. You can fire the gun as fast as you can pull the trigger. However, there is a lag in the time it takes your firing reticule to shrink down between shots. Fire quick, your shots are less accurate; fire slower and your shots will be more accurate." The TU allows changes to how much your reticle "blooms", or expands, when firing 'head shot' weapons. If you set it to zero, there is zero bloom. If you set it to .85, it's 85%. *All* headshot weapons on the map are affected by this setting. Settings will vary for different beta hoppers. Swords will get a tweak as well; specifically the ability to block a sword attack with a melee from any weapon other than another sword will be disabled. Melee Damage and Armor Ability Changes In Halo: Reach, players can basically sprint at you and melee twice for an insta-kill. Not so with the TU; melee beatdowns will require 3 full blows as damage will bleed through your shield into your health, similar to Halo 3. And good news for anyone who hates people who camp Armor Lock: Sticky grenades will no longer be nullified if you use Armor Lock after being stuck. Also, damage received while in armor lock is transferred to remaining Armor Ability energy, and how much the damage depletes your armor lock energy (and how quickly) is configurable. Active Camo will get a dialing back, reducing the bonus time the player gets in Camo while standing still and reducing the overall length the player can be in Active Camo. The update will enable Campaign and Firefight matchmaking for players using an Xbox 360 4GB console without a HDD, which previously required a HDD. "We'll be launching the TU sometime in September with the beta hoppers coming online in early October. One of these reasons we're doing this is to allow the rabid Halo community to provide feedback on the changes we're implementing in this TU. So in essence, the community themselves will help to shape their Halo multiplayer experience going forward." Halo's Warthog Makes its Debut... in Forza 4. What could be cooler than seeing the new Halo 4 Warthog in your favorite racing game? How about racing in it? Well, too bad, but it's still very pretty looking. http://www.ign.com/v...thog-in-forza-4 The Warthog will be featured as part of Forza Motorsports 4's Autovista mode, which allows players to walk around and interact with vehicles. You can't race in it (could you imagine trying to handle Forza's tracks in a giant dune buggy?), but you will be able to interact on some level. Oh, and you're going to have to unlock it, so we hope you're good at Forza. Check out the screens of the new improved Warthog. Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary Multiplayer Installation 04 Flythrough Ridgeline Flythrough Solitary Flythrough Penance Flythrough Battle Canyon Flythrough We will also be getting a remake of Hand em' High and I was also able to find out what the Halo 2 map remake was....are you ready.....HEADLONG!!!!!! Headlong Gameplay Multiplayer Vidoc http://www.ign.com/videos/2011/08/26/halo-ce-anniversary-mulitplayer-vidoc 343 Talks Halo 4 343 Talks Halo 4 CEA Single player Walkthrough http://www.ign.com/videos/2011/08/26/halo-anniversary-single-player-walkthrough Impressions: It's a strange lens at times. Going from the mysterious and oh-so-2001 fog-plagued view of 343 Guilty Spark of Halo CE to a ominous and alien swamp courtesy of Saber Interactive is... jarring, to say the least. It's distracting wandering around a level you thought you knew to see everything that's been done. Everything looks more alive than it did before, which changes the general vibe of the level in distinct ways. The haunted swamp feel has been pushed aside by a foreboding green and yellow light emanating from the trees. You'll lose track of that when the shooting starts though. In that respect, everything is as it was. Halo CE is filled with moments involving a valley, trees, and a dozen or more Grunts and Jackals. These kinds of encounters dwindled in later games, and playing them again, I realize how much they've been missed. There's a great sense of pacing to timing shots from the Halo CE pistol to maximize efficiency, alternating between close grouped head shots on Grunts and well aimed arm shots on shield-bearing Jackals to leave them vulnerable. No other Halo game has gotten that same pistol-powered rhythm down as well. The one-two-three of effective pistol usage is empowering and distinctive and... I really missed Halo: Combat Evolved. It's good to have it back again. There are some wrinkles in the experience right now though. First, hardcore Halo fans will want to foreswear the wireless controller in lieu of a wired one. The finer points of Halo combat were tuned around the wireless-lag-free response of the original Xbox controller, and things might feel a little more floaty than you recall otherwise. Then there's the 3D. This being 2011 and all, a major title can't seem to hit our greedy little hands without some implementation of 3D, and Saber Interactive and 343i have implemented it pretty well. Aside from the world's longest gun barrel, there's a great sense of depth, and a lot of adjustment options. Plus, it supports passive 3D for compatible televisions, so you can spring for lots of cheap, theater style glasses for everyone you want to suffer through watching you play Halo in 3D. CEA gets 3-D Support Halo: CE Anniversary is getting a lot of upgrades in the visual department, but if you're at Halo Fest this weekend there's a pretty major one you can see for yourself: stereoscopic 3D. Microsoft announced that the revamped Halo: Anniversary will feature a 3D system built specifically for the game. The 3D is being demoed during Halo Fest at PAX this weekend. Halofest Terminal Numero Uno Halo CEA Terminal #1 Changes Coming to Waypoint At its "What's Next for Waypoint" panel at this year's Halo Fest, the 343i team announced a number of changes and additions to Halo Waypoint due later this year. Waypoint will receive a visual overhaul for the release of anniversary this November. The Xbox 360 portal will get a new look, with a consolidated look at stats and top level information regarding your Halo experience. Players will also be granted the ability to issue create and issue custom challenges to their friends. The web version of Waypoint will be altered to reflect the console changes to the platform, with an initial full stats view of your personalized Spartan in Halo: Reach. The deep-view information players have come to expect from Bungie.net for Halo: Reach will also transfer over to the new Waypoint site, as well as the Windows 7 Waypoint App. With that said and done, look forward tomorrows recap!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax5H6V8MIxM&feature=player_profilepage#t=18s I feel 343 industries has a lot planned for us. Do you think so too?

An advance look at Halo 4 will be found in the unlikeliest of places: Microsoft’s Forza Motorsport racing game. Hidden deep within Forza’s fourth installment, to be released on October 11, will be an in-depth look at the Warthog vehicle design that will be used in the upcoming Halo 4. The interactive Warthog model will be viewable in the game’s “Autovista” mode, which allows players to use the Kinect motion controller to move around an intricately detailed model of a car, opening the door, popping the hood, even sliding into the driver’s seat and starting her up. While you investigate the Warthog (which Microsoft says will be a well-hidden Easter egg), Halo’s central character Cortana will narrate and tell stories about the vehicle’s prowess. Microsoft reps were quick to add that players will not be able to drive the Warthog around Forza Motorsport 4’s race tracks. Visitors to this weekend’s Halo Fest in Seattle will be able to check out the Autovista viewer for themselves. Images courtesy Microsoft

Ok so I know a lot of people are wondering what maps we are getting with CEA....well I have some exclusive confirmations on some we will get and see and also some possible ones! Without further ado lets get started! The confirmed maps: Pennace (Damnation) Battle Canyon (Beaver Creek) Hang Em' High Timberland The rumored/possible maps: Infinity Death Island Unknown Firefight map

Twist Control is the name of the new Xbox 360 dashboard according to Robin Burrowes, Xbox Live product marketing manager for EMEA. The new dashboard is supposedly coming out later this year. Due to the massive amounts of content on the Xbox Live Marketplace, nearing 20,000, the new dashboard was necessary to make it look less cluttered and easier to use. Twist will make it easier to browse for this content as well as for games. “Hopefully the new dash will show this service proposition goes beyond gaming,” said Burrowes. “We’ll never lose our focus on that gaming audience. In fact, developing the investment infrastructure to develop programs like cloud storage and Facebook posting and the beacons, are three examples of continuing to invest in that space." If you have a Xbox Kinect, the redesign will allow you to have voice and motion control over the menu. Twist Control also includes new channels and a top display, allowing for easier use for those still using the 360 controller. The Beacons section will allow users to post what they're doing on Xbox Live and Facebook, and will make it easier for you to contact your friends. “Our games Marketplace environment is really beginning to get optimized. We’re now selling more with new transaction space than we are with subscription space for the first, which is showing to us our core audience is staying with us and spending more time, money and effort within games as well as entertainment.” Twist Control is expected to launch sometime before Christmas. As we get more details we'll be sure to get them to you. In the meantime, are you excited for the new dash? It's very...not green, so I like that atleast. [via g4tv.com]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDTkHzA4rDE&feature=player_embedded Have the Heavens Finally opened to the public? Haha As you can see, bloom has been taken out. Also the armor lock has been modified, now when you melee someone while in armor lock they will lose about 25-50% of it. Thanks FullerPendragon for pointing this out!

Sad News/ Happy News! I am sad to say that after spending countless hours of searching for info on the recent map rumors and vehicle rumors related to Halo 4, all the vehicles are concept art for Halo Wars and then the map that was rumored to be call “Canary” was just concept art for “Highground” on Halo 3. Now, to make up for the sad news on the rumors I found this photo below: This photo is supposed to be a weapon that will be featured in Halo 4. I personally find this pretty hard to believe. My reasoning is, it just looks like some concept art of the Brute shot with a giant red needle in the middle. Also another reason is because if you look at the 343i logo, it looks like the word industries was moved a little to the right. Halofest info! Tournaments info: Friday, August 26th Anniversary 4v4 Team Slayer – First Round 10:00am-12:00pm Bracketed, single elimination - First Round of the two day event. First Strike! Jump into the fray as teams of four compete in a single-elimination tournament featuring: Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. Saturday, August 27th Anniversary 4v4 Team Slayer – Final Round 10:00am-12:00pm Bracketed, single elimination - Final Round of the two day event. Enter the melee Saturday morning with a 4v4, single-elimination tournament featuring Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. Reach Racing 12:00pm-1:00pm 8-person races, race maps provided by Halo community member CruelLEGACEY. Hit the track Saturday afternoon in an eight person race through Halo: Reach's most popular forged race tracks. Reach Forge Contest 1:00pm-2:30pm 3-4 Challenges. I need a hammer! Compete against other players to create the best forge map in Halo: Reach. Sunday, August 28th FLAG Firefight 11:00am-1:00pm Beat the best score! Compete to earn the highest score in Halo: Reach Firefight. Entry Fee: $10 (all proceeds go to fight breast cancer). Anniversary 4v4 CTF 1:30pm-3:00pm Bracketed, single elimination. Ransack the enemy base in a 4v4, single elimination tournament featuring: Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. FLAG Firefight 4:00pm-6:00pm Beat the best score! Fight for honor, bravery and the cure. This tournament features Halo: Reach. Entry Fee: $10 (all proceeds go to fight breast cancer). Don’t forget, the Official Halo Fest Information page is your one-stop shop for tournament and panel schedules, along with all the general information concerning the three-day event. What you won’t find on that page, however, is answers to your already-asked questions. You know why? Because they’re below! Rollin like a B-7! For those who have not seen my videos I posted later about the B-Roll for two maps from CEA. Those two maps are Damnation and Beaver Creek! Damnation! [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a--EutYckr0&feature=player_detailpage[/media] Damnation Gameplay! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSrlaIJkm0M&feature=player_embedded Beaver Creek! http://www.youtube.c...ayer_detailpage Halo CEA Multiplayer Maps are basic math, 6=12: As some eagle-eyed social media consumers have already noticed, a select few members of the gaming press have visited the outer halls of the 343 mothership recently. While they're not quite ready to fully reveal the fruits of their coverage just yet, we do have some delicious question answering morsels to satiate you as we continue to countdown the hours until the metaphorical informational floodgates begin to open at Halo Fest on August 26th. With members of the Halo: Anniversary team hard at work across multiple continents and countries, this particular deep dive fell to my feeble fingers to peck out some pertinent particulars on the Multiplayer map variants that will ship on disc when Halo: Anniversary launches in November of this year. Map remakes have always been a contentious topic for Halo fans. The paths, jumps, and sightlines for these carnage-filled locations are ingrained in the muscle memory of the hardcore players. The designers, artists, and engineers on the Anniversary team have no small task: they have to create spaces that feel new and fresh while retaining the overarching flow for the spaces they're based on. The Multiplayer team has come up with a unique solution to this particular challenge: EVERY Multiplayer map that ships with Anniversary will have two distinct variants. What exactly does that mean? Well, one forum poster put it this way: "Oh, so you're actually shipping 12 new MP maps?" While we'd never make that claim ourselves, there is a tiny kernel of truth to the sentiment behind the post. One variant will replicate the classic layout of their namesakes while the other will offer new tunnels, rooms and maneuvering options that take full advantage of the base Reach sandbox. In fact, these new variants are so unique, they'll actually have new names to go along with their new digs. Today, we're turning our attention to two of these maps: Beaver Creek and Damnation. No doubt you've already been glancing lovingly at screens of both maps since we revealed Anniversary at this year’s E3. We touched on some of the differences in broad detail on the latest episode of the 343 Sparkast, but today we're showing images of both variants for these two maps. The first maps we’re going to take a gander at are Beaver Creek (which is in some ways a hybrid of Battle Creek and Beaver Creek-proper), and the vernal battlefield that is Battle Canyon. Experienced warriors will feel immediately comfortable in the tight confines of this basically symmetrical playspace nestled in the mysterious confines of an unknown Forerunner structure. The Beaver Creek iteration replicates the flow and layout of the classic environment it's based on. Matching teleporters still adorn the backside of both bases, while Battle Canyon prefers to stretch out its environment to take advantage of tunnels built into both backsides of the map. The base teleporters are replaced with a vertical mancannon to help vertically-challenged Spartans make the blind leap into the enemy base. If you're an assaulter with a case of acrophobia, fear not; your trusty teleporters still grace this space. But instead of adjoining the base, they now have their own private bivouac in the back walls of the map. This serves several purposes, but basically this makes it more difficult for the defending team to camp the backroom without having to sacrifice sightlines down each side of the base. The creek running through the middle of the map has always been a hotbed for multiplayer carnage in every iteration of this map. Beaver Creek still features an Overshield and Active Camo facing off at each end of the waterway while the Battle Canyon variant differentiates itself by following the water into the sides of canyon wall. These alternate paths allow for additional cover while making your way down the side while also allowing pursuers to pelt the openings with a plethora of well-placed grenades. These cave spaces feel reminiscent of the water-filled side passage in Hemorrhage. These cosmetic changes aren't the only additions for this environment, though. There are also unique weapon placements on Beaver Creek and Battle Canyon. The next map we're digging into is Damnation, or Penance as its feisty upstart alter-ego prefers to go by. Instead of the light purple geometric layout from the classic map, this new space is set in the midst of an alien Covenant water treatment facility. Did I mention this particular plant has seen better days? The waterfalls rushing down the side of the level aren't the only drenching flows in this map. The entire place seems to have sprung a leak so please watch your step as you might slip on the many ramps and walkways that carry you around the map. [Writer’s note: No, we haven't added a real-time traction mechanic to the Halo sandbox. This was just a bit of metaphorical flourish to set the stage for this particular arena.] There aren't many dramatic differences between both of these spaces other than the differing weapon placements. However, the changes that do exist alter the flow in subtle, but still substantial ways. The first and most immediately noticeable difference is the lower walkway by the waterfalls. In the original Damnation, a trio of spokes shot out of the middle which sure-footed Spartans could jump across for a quick dash to the other side. Other, less steady soldiers (like me) would often fall to their doom while looking up at the other elevated spaces. Penance offers an unbroken path across the underside while Damnation still features the trio of lubricious outcroppings for the purists out there. Since Halo: Reach doesn’t support ladders for vertical locomotion (a method that was evolved out of the game in the early days because it slowed combat), a lift now allows players to move up from the middle rocket spawn. As a testament to the original layout of the classic map on Penance, the only other substantial difference is a lift that allows a quick option to gain verticality for those without a jetpack strapped on their backs, as well as iterations of the map where armor abilities or jetpacks specifically are removed. The great and mighty bs angel drops many hints! I found this and drops some hints of things we might see in the title update! I was actually in that last match, doing the following amazing things: no scoping the air next to David’s head, throwing grenades then immediately rushing into their blast radius, and falling off the edge to my death, time and time again. When I relayed that last part to Max Hoberman, President of Certain Affinity, he had this to say: “Falling to your death is never much fun (unless maybe you try something utterly stupid or ballsy and got your just desserts). A lot of people disliked this aspect of the central bridge in Damnation. So we left the gaps in the bridge in the classic variant, but added custom Forge pieces to fill them in for the new variant.” Remind me to load up that version next time. He also provided a little more insight into this particular map. “One of the challenges that we faced was that current generation maps typically have epic vistas, while the early Halo maps were mostly closed boxes. We really wanted to give Damnation an epic feel, but without altering the fundamental nature of the spaces. We worked really hard at this, one example being the natural area that you can see past the windows. We also added a gravity lift to the pump room (lower level, right off the central bridge). This was due to people feeling vulnerable on the long ramp. It results in shotgun alley being an even heavier traffic area on the new variant. Of course, it's a Forge piece, so doesn't exist on the original variant.” Oh Max, you had me at shotgun! Speaking of which, I’d just like to take a moment to say that some of my favorite Halo 2 moments involved sitting a few feet back from the Beaver Creek base teleporter, patiently gifting exiting Spartans with shotgun blasts to the face. Many a spree was attained this way, and I’m determined to do something similar in the new version. Mark my words, because where there’s a will, there’s a Shea. Well thats it for this week. I am unsure if I will do a weekly update next week due to Halofest. PREPARE FOR THE FLOODGATES TO OPEN NEXT WEEK! John-117