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Halo 3
File:H3fall2007.jpg
Developer(s)Bungie Studios
Publisher(s)Microsoft Game Studios
EngineProprietary
Platform(s)Xbox 360
ReleaseFall (4th quarter), 2007
Genre(s)First-person shooter
Mode(s)Single Player, Multiplayer, Xbox Live, System-Link
For the Nine Inch Nails release, see Head Like a Hole.

Halo 3, the third game in the best-selling Xbox game franchise Halo, is a highly-anticipated first-person shooter video game under development by Bungie Studios for the Xbox 360 and is expected to "set a new high water mark" for next-generation games.[1] An official announcement on the developers' website states that Halo 3 will end the current story arc of the Halo trilogy. A beta test of the multi-player component of the game is scheduled to be available in the 2nd quarter of 2007. The final version of the game is due to be released in 4th quarter 2007.[2]

Halo 3 features

Graphics

File:Battlezwned.jpg
Work-in-progress Halo 3 screenshot of hidden-line rendering in the alpha-build. Not all polygons are shown.

Halo 3 will utilize advanced graphics technologies, as detailed on the Bungie Studios website.[3] HDR lighting will be employed. Bungie has also stated that the draw distance will be in excess of 10 miles. Certain surfaces, including the Master Chief's visor and the armor of a Ghost, will have real-time reflections. Foliage is physics-enabled, meaning it not only moves in the wind, but actually reacts to the player's presence and bullet fire, and casts real-time shadows and reflections. The new atmospheric and lighting models are sophisticated. Dust and smoke particles add to the realism of the environment, and the haze effect which is often used in video games to save processing power is so realistic that it actually costs processing power. Water is also confirmed to be physics enabled, meaning it will flow around objects in its path and splash when players or vehicles travel through it, or when bullets are fired into it. Water will also reflect images while simultaneously showing what is underneath the liquid. Halo 3 will also have a real-time depth of field effect, however it will only be used in cutscenes and not during gameplay.[4]

Audio

There will be many more individual pieces of combat dialogue than in either of the preceding Halo titles, and the AI controlling this dialogue will ensure the exchanges flow naturally and convincingly. Separate recordings have been made for nearby and distant gunfire, making for a more realistic experience. There will also be a greater number of medal announcements in multiplayer, including several "easter egg" medals that will be awarded for very unusual events.[5] Marty O'Donnell is again composing the original score. Actress Julie Benz is not voicing Miranda Keyes for Halo 3,[6] but Jen Taylor will continue to voice Cortana, with Steve Downes returning as the voice of Master Chief.[7]

Plot

The only plot points that have been revealed so far are that Master Chief is back on a thoroughly conquered and Covenant controlled Earth. Cortana is still a prisoner of Gravemind, and Covenant ships are hovering over an excavation site only a few miles from the ruins of New Mombasa.[8] Elites have left the Covenant and are waging a war of insurgency,[9] although whether they have made an alliance with Human forces or not remains unconfirmed. Grunts have so far only been shown fighting alongside Brutes, and the alliance of other races is as yet unconfirmed.

Gameplay

  • AI behaviour of both enemies and allies will be greatly enhanced. Marines' driving and gunning skills on the Warthog, Grunt flanking maneuvers in battle, and "Brute pack" mentality have all been mentioned by Bungie as examples of using the power of the Xbox 360 for more than just increased polygon counts. The Covenant will also have new non-combat behaviors, rather than just sitting around waiting for Master Chief to kill them.
  • The new default controller layout will see the Right Bumper become the "action" button (pick up, reload, activate switch, etc), with the X button being used for an as-yet undisclosed gameplay feature. Also, when dual-wielding, weapons can be individually reloaded using either the Left or Right Bumper. Other buttons are unchanged, but B (melee attack) may also have a different function in a limited context-sensitive situation.
  • When a player is carrying a second weapon in Halo 3, the secondary weapon will be stored on the character's back or leg holster, depending on the size of the weapon.[10]
  • The game will feature the ability to record and send video clips via Xbox Live at any time, making Halo machinima even easier for users.[11]

Multiplayer

  • The matchmaking system from Halo 2 will be revamped. Call signs will be used instead of small HUD emblems to identify allies. Also, Halo 3's matchmaking system will be based on two different ranks, skill and experience, in order to make the system more fair and to reflect the effect of experience on players' profiles.[12]
  • Bungie also stated that they have redesigned the UI (user interface) from Halo 2, apparently making it easier to generate a custom game in Halo 3 multiplayer.[13]
  • Hosts will now be able to "advertise" their custom games via Xbox Live Public; players no longer need to adhere to pre-made Matchmaking playlists because they can simply join a custom game hosted by another player. [12]
  • In the November 11 Bungie Weekly Update, it was stated that due to a "significant chunk" of Halo 2 players being female, there might be an option to have a female voice for the Spartan character in multiplayer.[14]
  • A new feature dubbed the "A-hole button" will be used to mute players in the game.[15]
  • "As it stands", the strength of the effect of gravity is customizable as one of the game settings in creating custom games.[16] It is unknown whether or not this will be in the finished game.

Miscellaneous

  • Fauna are undergoing testing for inclusion in the final build of the game, specifically seagulls and a cockatoo-like creature[17]. Both will exhibit flocking behavior. Some Bungie employees are reportedly keen on the possibility of going grousing in Halo 3.

Pre-release marketing

As one of the most anticipated videogames in history, the marketing campaign for Halo 3 has been extensive and is planned to be epic in scope. Much of the advertising to date has focused on appealing to the general public, rather than just hardcore fans of the game. Microsoft has announced the launch of an international advertising campaign using the Forerunner Structure imagery (often with massive banners hung from city skyscrapers). The campaign's scope has been compared to that usually seen for a major motion picture.[18]

E3 2006 trailer

A trailer of the game was shown at Microsoft press conference at E3 2006. The trailer ends with the tagline "Finish the fight". The trailer begins in a dry, desolate area, a few miles inland of New Mombasa's remains. Parts of the broken space elevator and bridge are in the background. Through the smoke and rubble, the Master Chief emerges, occasionally obscured by overlaid images of what appears to be Cortana transmitting a distorted message:

"I have defied gods and demons."
"I am your shield; I am your sword[19]."
"I know you; your past, your future"
"This is the way the world ends."
File:H3chiefemerges.jpg
The Master Chief emerges from smoke and rubble that litters an African plain.

One of these lines is in the Cortana Letters. Fans have noted that the voice of the Gravemind can be heard, speaking Cortana's words, leading many to believe that the Gravemind plays a part in Cortana's speech, and is possibly even using Cortana to speak to the Master Chief. Screaming can be heard before the transmissions, further supporting this hypothesis. Other forces may also be acting on Cortana - in the 'Behind the Scenes' video[20], it is stated, "We don't know what has happened to her since then. We don't know it's Cortana. It could be any sort of bizarre, almost Satanic sort of voice. Something seems wrong." Each transmission is clearer than the last. It should also be noted that Cortana's dialogue is highly reminiscent of, and can be attributed to, the dialogue of Durandal, an artificial intelligence originating from Bungie's previous FPS series of games, Marathon [21]. The Master Chief is seen holding a new MA5C assault rifle, an upgraded version of the MA5B rifle used in Halo: Combat Evolved.

Overhead, a massive Covenant "excavation fleet," as it was called by Bungie, holds position over an enormous crater the Chief is overlooking. Within the crater is a large, circular, metallic structure over three miles in diameter, stated by Bungie to be a Forerunner-related structure. Above the crater, there is an immense maelstrom in the sky caused by "massive, never before seen subatomic forces," presumably caused by the gigantic structure.[citation needed] Banshees and Covenant warships fly towards it, paying no attention to the Master Chief, who backs away from the crater's edge as the structure begins to activate and pieces of the crater's edge crumble away.

File:H3artifact.jpg
Covenant ships disperse as the ancient Forerunner artifact, rumored to be the Ark, is activated.

The Chief watches as the structure blooms and a round of pronged spires unfold toward the sky as the surrounding Covenant craft slowly fly away from it. A brilliant light rapidly consumes the area, fading to black as Cortana closes with the line, "This is the way the world ends." Cortana's closing words are directly from T.S. Eliot's famous closing words in his poem, The Hollow Men:

This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.

The trailer was produced entirely using the Xbox 360 hardware in real-time. After the E³ showing, Bungie demonstrated the real-time nature of the demo by moving the camera around and moving Master Chief to demonstrate the game's visual effects. The Assault Rifle was also fired to demonstrate that the muzzle flash was reflected off Chief's visor in real-time.

The music in the trailer utilized a 60-piece orchestra and a 24-member choir, above and beyond what composer Martin O'Donnell used for Halo 3's predecessors. The trailer fanfare sports a wholly new arrangement, the addition of trumpets, and the noted absence of Halo's signature "monks."[20] On Bungie's site, O'Donnell states his goals for the trailer's music.

"I want them to feel pride and longing the moment Master Chief walks out of the smoke, I want them to get excited and perhaps even froth at the mouth when they see the Covenant Capital ship and then the incredible buried artifact. I want them to be left with that, 'I can hardly wait to play this game' feeling by the end with a slight, 'I wonder what she meant by that' aftertaste."[22]

Due to speculation of the identity of the Spartan shown in the trailer, Bungie has confirmed that it is the Master Chief. "[19]

File:Grunt 360.PNG
A wobbling "Grunt Crossing" sign

There is also an "easter egg" hidden within the trailer: a wobbling sign on the side of the road which appears to be a "Grunt Crossing" sign. Bungie's official response to the sign was "The New Mombasa City Council had an incredibly efficient public works department until and even during the tragic and devastating Covenant invasion".[22] There is another Easter Egg in the trailer when the structure is activated: Bungie's original Marathon symbol is in the lights around the installation. This picture is a choice of many symbols for players' multiplayer icon in Halo 2 and is an inside-joke which Bungie regularly features in their games. Also, avid fans of the series froze and magnified an image of the Master Chief, and found the Marathon logo imprinted on the Assault Rifle (As seen in the "Newsweek" screenshot below).

ESPN TV advertisement

File:Halo3 Shield.jpg
Master Chief using the new Bubble Shield device, which causes a shield to appear around him. Nearby is a Mongoose ATV.

On December 4, 2006, a 60-second CGI commercial for Halo 3 was aired on ESPN, followed by a release on Xbox.com and Xbox LIVE. The advertisement does not contain any gameplay footage, and was created entirely by Digital Domain, using a mix of live action (for the two children) and animation; Bungie-supplied assets for vehicles and models, and pure CGI.[23]

The ad comprises two main scenes. The first shows two children lying in long grass looking at the night sky, wondering whether they will ever meet beings from "up there". The location and identity of the children are deliberately ambiguous; Bungie have stated that this is up to the interpretation of the viewer. This scene then cuts to Master Chief's point of view, waking from unconsciousness after being thrown from a vehicle. He is on Earth, in the middle of the Covenant invasion soon after the events of the E3 Announcement. Separated from the Marines, the Chief evades plasma mortar impacts and engages a group of Covenant Brutes and Wraith tanks. The ad closes with the same "HALO 3", "FINISH THE FIGHT - 2007" and Xbox 360 taglines as the E3 trailer, and an additional caption: the "Jump In" slogan of the Xbox 360 marketing campaign.

File:Halo-3-Ad-Still.jpg
The Master Chief's MA5C Assault Rifle, along with the charred wreckage of a Warthog visible in the background.

Reaction to the advertisement was enthusiastic. It was the first cinematic-quality glimpse into the Halo Universe, designed to appeal to a mass audience. Fans of the series immediately started picking over the imagery for clues relating to the plot or gameplay of Halo 3. Some previously unseen elements include:

  • The "Bubble Dome", a protective shield resembling a transparent geodesic dome generated by a grenade-like device,
  • The secondary weapon being stored magnetically on the Chief's back, or on a leg holster for smaller weapons,
  • The Chief's voice, confirming that actor Steve Downes will continue to voice this role.

"Et tu, Brute?" Video Documentary

The "Et tu, Brute?" ViDoc (a portmanteau of video documentary), released on December 20, 2006, shows how the Brutes have been almost completely redesigned for Halo 3 to better reflect the idea that they are meant to be a worthy adversary for the player. Bungie clarified that none of the graphics shown in the ViDoc are final, and that some elements may be completely redesigned before launch.[24]

The ViDoc explains that the three classes of Brutes have been differentiated, the same way Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2 featured different classes of Elites, Grunts, and Jackals. There are 'standard' infantry Brutes, Brute Captains and the Brute Chieftain. All are shown with much heavier armor than the Brutes in Halo 2. The Minor Brutes wear blue armor held together by buckles. The Captains have more elaborate helmets and armor, and the Chieftains have the most elaborate helmets and armor. The color scheme of Elites in the prior games seems to have been applied to Brutes (blue is the lowest rank, red is higher, and gold is the highest). To reflect the Brutes' violent nature, some new animations have been created. Examples shown in the ViDoc include a Brute ripping off the arms of a Marine, a Brute ramming a Marine into a vehicle, and another Brute punching the stomach of a Marine lying on the ground.

The AI has also been updated to incorporate the new idea of a Brute pack. A Chieftain in Halo 3 may order all of its troops to throw grenades at the enemy together, or may decide to focus on attacking one character.

The film also includes many previously unseen elements, such as dual-wieldable Energy Swords (at least, by AI) and the new "spike grenade". Early play tests have shown that these "Spike Grenades" may stick to any surface except water and release directional spikes upon explosion. The Brute Chieftain is seen firing a weapon resembling an un-deployed plasma turret from Halo 2. However, as previously mentioned, the game is still in a pre-alpha stage, and the graphics and game elements in the ViDoc are currently unconfirmed for final release in the game.

File:H3collectors.JPG
The Halo 3 Limited Edition case
File:HaloLegendaryHuge.jpg
The Legendary Edition set for Halo 3

Halo 3 will be released in Fall of 2007. Three versions of the game package have been announced:

Standard Edition (USD $59.99)
  • Halo 3
Limited Edition (USD $69.99)
  • Halo 3
  • Metal Collectors Edition Case
  • The Making of Halo 3 (featurettes, possibly the ViDOCs, concept art, A/V calibration tool)
  • Halo Collectors Source Guide (species, factions, story)
Legendary Edition (USD $129.99)
  • Halo 3
  • MJOLNIR Mark VI Game Case
  • The Making of Halo 3 (featurettes, possibly the ViDOCs, concept art, A/V calibration tool)
  • Halo Collectors Source Guide (species, factions, story)
  • Exclusive Disc (cut scenes, commentary, featurette on a day at Bungie, machinima content)
  • Lee Wilson Key-Moments Story Art

Media releases

On May 9, 2006, exactly a year and a half after the release of Halo 2, the announcement trailer to Halo 3 appeared on the Xbox Live Marketplace, shortly before the trailer made its appearance at E3, due in part to the E3 conference's late start. Halo 3's announcement was soon posted on other gaming sites. [25] After some downtime on the official Bungie website, the game was announced officially and the trailer was made available for download.[26]

On June 6, 2006, Bungie Studios released a behind-the-scenes look at the E3 announcement trailer on their website. The video included many elements intended to produce speculation in the fan community. Some of these elements include glimpses of the updated UNSC Marines' appearance, an unknown race holding a new weapon, and Master Chief holding the M90 Shotgun from previous Halo titles. The video also showed different angles and takes of the announcement video, showing how powerful the engine was (and proving the video was not pre-rendered).

File:MCHalo3.jpg
Halo 3 screenshot shown in Newsweek magazine.

On October 2, 1UP.com featured an article about the November 14 issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM). The magazine featured a "blowout" on the game, featuring new information along with new screenshots and videos available on the 1UP website. [27] In addition, three weeks worth of continuous coverage of Halo 3 was added to the site throughout November.[11]

Bungie began using Halo 3 for its Humpday Challenges, a weekly event where Bungie plays Halo games against members of the community.[28][29]

Joystiq reported a Microsoft blogger claimed Brutes would be a playable race, but this rumor was quickly addressed by Bungie's Frank O'Connor who confirmed otherwise.[30]. However, it revealed that upcoming Bungie gameplay videos would feature "new insights into elements of the campaign and will peel back the curtain on a certain prominent character in Halo 3."[31] O'Connor would later say that Brutes would be "more exciting, clever, graphically impressive, terrifying, numerous and angrier."[32] Bungie promised a "Vidoc" (Video Documentary) focusing on the Brutes, which was released initially on Xbox Live Marketplace at 2AM PST on December 20, 2006.

The soundtrack to the E3 announcement trailer, titled "Finish the Fight", was released on the iTunes Store (December 14, 2006) [33]. So far there is no information on the release of the Official Soundtrack.

On January 1, 2007, gameplay footage of Halo 3 was posted on various websites. Selected army personnel stationed in Iraq were privileged to test a recent build of the game and apparently had recorded the events on-screen. The footage, six seconds in length, contains the first glimpse of up-to-date, real Halo 3 gameplay that the general gaming community has seen. The footage shows a Spartan traversing the multiplayer map, High Ground with Assault Rifle in hand. No other elements were shown. Stills have also been found through the same sources, featuring Halo 3's user interface and stills of gameplay footage.

Beta Testing

On November 15, 2006 it was announced that the online beta would be released to the public in Spring 2007, along with new Halo 2 maps exclusively for Xbox 360 owners. [34]

As of January 24, 2007, registration for the first segment of the beta test selection is closed to North American entrants. However, the Australian and New Zealand Xbox sites are still offering 15 Beta test places (10 for Australia, 5 for New Zealand). Entrants must provide a 25-word opinion on how they think the Master Chief would "finish the fight" in Halo 3. In Europe, the available slots are available through online media outlets. Bungie has stated that this is only "phase one" of the registration process and that there will be more options for players outside of North America to register for the public beta. According to IGN, over 140,000 players signed up to play in the multiplayer beta as of December 13, 2006.[35] Applicants for this segment of the Halo 3 Beta test began to receive acceptance e-mails on January 22, 2007.

On January 3, 2007, Bungie Studios announced that the Halo 3 beta would be obtainable by registering on Halo3.com. However, players must own an Xbox 360, they must have played 3 hours of Halo 2 (between 12:01 AM EST on February 1 and 11:59 PM EST on February 3, 2007) on Xbox Live, and they must be one of the first 13,333 players to have registered on February 5, 2007.[36]

Players may also purchase specially marked versions of the video game Crackdown to download the Halo 3 beta. Only the initial launch shipment copies of the game will include the ability to download the Halo 3 beta. The "Download Halo 3 beta" option will become available in the Crackdown main menu when the beta is released. The Crackdown disk will also be required to launch the Halo 3 beta.[37]

On February 16, 2007 Bungie released a Halo 3 Beta FAQ to answer a number of questions regarding the aforementioned beta test.[38]

As of April 2, 2007 it is confirmed no more copies of Crackdown with the invitation to Halo 3 Beta are being produced [citation needed]. The Beta is confirmed to only have 3-4 Multiplayer maps and will not contain any campaign data.

List of confirmed elements

This section briefly lists elements of Halo 3 that have been confirmed, specifically those returning from the other titles in the Halo series. (Not all elements may be used by the player.)

Other confirmed facts

  • With the release of the trailer, Bungie declared publicly that the Gravemind, who originally appeared midway through Halo 2, is an intelligence of Flood origin.[citation needed]
  • Although Halo 3 was planned to end the Halo series, future Halo games are likely. On the Halo 3 FAQCite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). and a recently formed development studio headed by him under the name of Wingnut Interactive.

References

  1. ^ TIME Magazine, March 19, 2007, page 52
  2. ^ "Bungie Weekly Update, Feb. 16 2007". Bungie. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
  3. ^ http://www.bungie.net/
  4. ^ a b http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?cid=9631
  5. ^ http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?cid=9592
  6. ^ tvguide.com article
  7. ^ a b http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?cid=9533
  8. ^ http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?link=weeklyupdatemay1206
  9. ^ a b http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?cid=9607
  10. ^ a b http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?link=omgneddlez
  11. ^ a b http://www.xbox360fanboy.com/2006/10/27/1up-confirms-halo-3-news-more-to-come/
  12. ^ a b http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3155479
  13. ^ http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?cid=8544
  14. ^ http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?cid=9170
  15. ^ http://www.gamespot.com/news/6165796.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=newstop&tag=newstop;title;3
  16. ^ http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?link=ohhhhhhhtakeit
  17. ^ http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=12310
  18. ^ http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?cid=9562
  19. ^ a b http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=weeklyupdatemay1206
  20. ^ a b "Halo 3: Behind the Scenes". Gave Videos. Retrieved 2006-11-24.
  21. ^ "Joe Staten Interview - 2006". Halo Story Page. Retrieved 2006-11-24.
  22. ^ a b http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=Halo3Announcement
  23. ^ http://carnage.bungie.org/haloforum/halo.forum.pl?read=765343
  24. ^ http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?cid=9340
  25. ^ Jason Ocampo (2006-05-09). "E3 06: Halo 3 announced, plot details revealed". GameSpot. Retrieved 2006-12-17. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  26. ^ http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?link=Halo3Announcement
  27. ^ "Halo 3 Blowout in Next Month's EGM". 1UP.com. 2006-02-10. Retrieved 2006-12-17. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  28. ^ a b c http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?link=h3hdoct18
  29. ^ http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?link=h3hump
  30. ^ http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3155911
  31. ^ http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/14/rumor-brutes-playable-in-halo-3/
  32. ^ http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/19/bungie-talks-halo-3-documentary-brutes/
  33. ^ http://www.bungie.net/News/Story.aspx?link=omgmartysignmyitunescard
  34. ^ http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?cid=9182
  35. ^ http://www.gamepro.com/news.cfm?article_id=89549
  36. ^ http://halo3.com/index2.html
  37. ^ http://www.xbox360fanboy.com/2007/02/08/crackdown-disc-required-to-play-halo-3-beta/
  38. ^ http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?link=h3betaz
  39. ^ http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?cid=8882
  40. ^ Cite error: The named reference charginmalasers was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  41. ^ http://carnage.bungie.org/haloforum/halo.forum.pl?read=765343
  42. ^ http://bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?cid=8517
  43. ^ http://bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?link=24minutesdude
  44. ^ http://zdmedia.vo.llnwd.net/o1/Podcasts/Halo3/112106.mp3
  45. ^ a b c d http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?pager.offset=0&cId=3155028
  46. ^ http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?link=ilikethisgame
  47. ^ http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?cid=9501
  48. ^ http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?cid=9643

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