August 17, 2011 Weekly Update

[John-117]

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

 

This post has been promoted to an article

[Machinga]

hey are the new maps dlc for halo reach or are they actually on cea?

[Machinga]

nevermind

[Machinga]

nevermind

[Mr Muffins 7]

dam im loving the add on's to beaver creak

[Guest Dah Bunneh]

It all looks nice, great graphics, very nice look, although it's not Halo 1. Sure the Halo Reach engine is being used to remake Halo 1, but Halo 1's reputation is ruined! All the Anniversary Edition is going to be, is Halo Reach on Halo 1 maps. This is in no way Halo 1 besides the maps that are similar. I was all for Halo AE when I heard it was going to a full remake of Halo 1 with no changes besides the engine and an added multiplayer because that would be simply awesome. Now that I see there's armor abilities, added weapons, edited maps, I don't think there's any way of me getting Halo AE anymore. Screw 343 for ruining Halo! Yes I am raging.

[Vitamin Pwn]

thx john for the update, keep up the superb work sir

[Father B]

The picture of that mystery weapon has piqued my curiosity. o.o Covvie weapons are all pretty much made from bastardized Forerunner technologies, yeah? So if that mystery weapon is the original Needler or Needle Rifle, I won't be too surprised.

 

And it begs a question more important by default: Will the Forerunners be returning in Halo 4?

 

Followed immediately by another, to some an even MORE important question: Will we be able to choose between Spartan and Forerunner in multiplayer?

 

To find out, as they say, "Stay tuned!"

[Haloboy]

cool maps and that weapon jeez O_O

 

thanks for the update and I hope we'll see some halo 4 gameplay soon

[John-117]

cool maps and that weapon jeez O_O

 

thanks for the update and I hope we'll see some halo 4 gameplay soon

 

 

You and me both!

[BraverKING514]

Sounds good. How many people are in the news group?

[Dean PHD]

That first picture looks like it came from BS Angel. She drops legit stuff so I would not be surprised to see that weapon in H4. However a lot of people know her stuff and could copy her format.