Halo 3 - now coming to Xbox One. MC Collection.

[suzakuseven]

So far I haven't been killed in a way that has made me think 'that weapon is way overpowered/cheap/whatever', which is great! It's always been someone behind me and me not noticing or them just hitting me (and me missing lots) that has been the difference.

[angel]

Oh man..just had an hour and a bit. Its fking amazing. AMAZING. It looks like Halo 1 but done to detail levels way beyond. Perfect weapons, aiming sites, feel, sound, colour schemes.

Gears might as well do in the bin now. Even after june 10th, i can't go back. Game of the year, by a mile.

And simply stunning in 1920x1080p aswell. Only off it so the wife can watch the soaps.

[Sideshow]

I dont kow what people expected, the multiplayer was always going to be a refinement of Halo2. Halo 2 is the best online FPS there is, why would they radically change it?

Admittedly I enjoyed it, and I will be playing it more and that new shield thing looks nice. But look at the difference between GTA2 and GTA3, and what we've been promised for GTA4. Look at the difference between Resi 4 and 3. If you are a game developer and have any kind of integrity (ie not Ubisoft) when you put a number beside your Franchise, and move to a new generation of machines you should be delivering. Halo 3 doesn't do that. Halo 2 brought many new changes and ideas when compared to Halo, 3 so far looks like their milking the cash cow. The shoddiness of the demo release looks indicitive of this game's development as a whole.

[Meh]

Well, even I think that's going too far. Comparing GTA2 to 3? Mental?

[angel]

Milking the cash cow? Halo 3 is the refinement of a brilliant series, that theyre balancing perfectly and giving you a chance to play for a month.

I can't believe this place. Halo 3 is there, now, it's brilliant. Yeah, better complain about it.

[moosegrinder]

Regardless of that the fact remains even though the graphics are better, they're not what they should/could be. I'm hoping that this build is for testing netcode and whatnots and they'll slap the final graphics on top before retail.

[Sideshow]

Milking the cash cow? Halo 3 is the refinement of a brilliant series, that theyre balancing perfectly and giving you a chance to play for a month.

I can't believe this place. Halo 3 is there, now, it's brilliant. Yeah, better complain about it.

I'm rarely negative about stuff in Discussion because unlike many people on here I like games. Four matches before going to work barely qualifies as a playtest, but based on that I don't see the huge leap forward that I was expecting. It's still enjoyable, it's still Halo, it's just I was underwhelmed.

[djbhammer]

Just had my first go and the graphics appear pretty lush to me, which is good when you consider this is a 'work in progress' game. It will be even more polished when its released so it can only get better. Looking forward to a good session tonight.

[angel]

I'm rarely negative about stuff in Discussion because unlike many people on here I like games. Four matches before going to work barely qualifies as a playtest, but based on that I don't see the huge leap forward that I was expecting. It's still enjoyable, it's still Halo, it's just I was underwhelmed.

give it time..the brilliance comes out slowly. It has so much subtlety and technique..the shield walls are brilliant...the spartan laser...return of the assault rifle...the superb shotgun..picking up machine turrets and carrying them in 3rd person...the bubble shield..the new weapon models (rpg looks awesome).

i love it

[El Pibe]

How do you get the demo? Do you have to have bought Crackdown?

[dan_tm]

Only had a few games before work this morning, but I think calling it Halo 2.5 is exagerating, "Halo 2 but shinier" is closer to the truth, it's an expansion pack. Not one original idea in the beta. I'm really hoping they are holding back the good stuff, they cannot be trying to justify this being the full sequel.

Did you put the Halo 2 disc in by mistake?

My memory is reliably unreliable so I could be wrong, but the changes from Halo 2 > Halo 3 Beta seem to far outweigh the changes from 1 to 2.

What did 2 bring apart from duel weilding and a few new weapons/maps?

[footle]

Matchmaking and Live, for two things, Yawdib

[Distinct muttering]

Regardless of that the fact remains even though the graphics are better, they're not what they should/could be. I'm hoping that this build is for testing netcode and whatnots and they'll slap the final graphics on top before retail.

Why, will it enhance your enjoyment? the graphics are brilliantly designed and solid while conveying everything you need to know to play the game.

Was there not a time when people used to complain about the emphasis on graphics and wish for better gameplay?

[dan_tm]

Matchmaking and Live, for two things, Yawdib

Live's a given and matchmaking has been improved upon.

[Kryptonian]

What did 2 bring apart from duel weilding and a few new weapons/maps?

Matchmaking and Live, for two things, Yawdib

Heh

Faster shield recharge, no 'health', an attempt to improve respawn points (lol), bigger jump(!), erm...

[Hackign]

God I wish they would get rid of this matchmaking malarky though. Feels like it takes forever to get into the next game where If I was on a dedicated server ala PC I'd be playing on the next map within 5 seconds of the previous one ending nearly, plus I wouldn't have to strain my thumb to veto territories on Valhalla.

[Kryptonian]

Is anyone having No Problems with the file share?

It worked flawlessly before all the Crackdown plebs got on but it's not working now.

[suzakuseven]

The sea on the beach level looks so good! Well, the water in general looks great. Also remember, multiplayer levels in Halo are not usually the most graphically intensive. I imagine the singleplayer will have some lovely vistas

[Beertiger]

God I wish they would get rid of this matchmaking malarky though. Feels like it takes forever to get into the next game where If I was on a dedicated server ala PC I'd be playing on the next map within 5 seconds of the previous one ending nearly, plus I wouldn't have to strain my thumb to veto territories on Valhalla.

And that's the reason why matchmaking is great. PC games are terrible, the games may as well only ship with one game type and perhaps two maps. Battlefield 2 MC on the 360 used the PC system. I was gobsmacked whenever I saw a new map that I didn't know existed despite playing it for so long.

[Hackign]

And that's the reason why matchmaking is great. PC games are terrible, the games may as well only ship with one game type and perhaps two maps. Battlefield 2 MC on the 360 used the PC system. I was gobsmacked whenever I saw a new map that I didn't know existed despite playing it for so long.

Should have played on a decent server then

[Venice Cull]

Yeah, I had some difficulty getting the controls at first, but I'm nearly there... Oh and the spiker grenades - its seems an obvious feature now.

Anyway, had a much better time on Team Slayer (1/2 as much chance of being killed) and within one game managed to become a level 3.

Weird though - its like its 'business as usual' when you're fighting someone - until you do something like drop a bubble shield and then its utter confusion. I was duking it out with someone when I pulled one of those out of the bag and we just both stopped shooting - we didn't have a clue what to do. Eventually he just ran in and I smacked him down.

Its cool to have your comfort zone fucked with.

And the graphics? They look pretty smashing to me - beautifully detailed and bright - but I have noticed a little frame rate drop here and there. Just me?

Also, its taking quite a while to get a game started, which reminds me of Halo 2 early days.

[Philly]

Is anyone having No Problems with the file share?

It worked flawlessly before all the Crackdown plebs got on but it's not working now.

I'm one of those plebs.

I tried uploading a match file (a rather mental bubble shield battle royal thingy) and it went fine, but Geldra couldn't download it.

[pretentious_helvetica]

Gah, still downloading it

I curse the unemployed.

[max]

Yeah, I had some difficulty getting the controls at first, but I'm nearly there... Oh and the spiker grenades - its seems an obvious feature now.

Anyway, had a much better time on Team Slayer (1/2 as much chance of being killed) and within one game managed to become a level 3.

Weird though - its like its 'business as usual' when you're fighting someone - until you do something like drop a bubble shield and then its utter confusion. I was duking it out with someone when I pulled one of those out of the bag and we just both stopped shooting - we didn't have a clue what to do. Eventually he just ran in and I smacked him down.

Its cool to have your comfort zone fucked with.

And the graphics? They look pretty smashing to me - beautifully detailed and bright - but I have noticed a little frame rate drop here and there. Just me?

Also, its taking quite a while to get a game started, which reminds me of Halo 2 early days.

o/\o

Was playing a bit earlier and really enjoyed the new touches. The bubble shield does seem to cause quite a bit of confusion, tactically, which is great and made the experience fresh.

I found the graphics to be lovely and really got a sense of Halo, looking up at distant planets on Snowbound felt like I was back in the first game looking up at the Halo.

Also, loving the sentry guns tracking me on Snowbound, great attention to detail. Does Snowbound remind anyone of Empire Strikes Back?

[Goose]

Just made Kryptonian the thread 'owner' so he can edit the title with the latest info as and when it becomes available.

[Raff]

Is anyone else here going through the 'The BETA is over' hell?

[Philly]

Does Snowbound remind anyone of Empire Strikes Back?

That's twice i've read that, and heard it once in-game. yes it does.

I'm firmly in the loving the graphics camp. chunky, stylised and solid.

Stood next to the waterfall on Valhalla and the subwoofer nearly took out my windows. Pantflappingly brilliant.

[Philly]

Is anyone else here going through the 'The BETA is over' hell?

Supposedly bungie recommend doing this.

If you are seeing the "Game Over" message today, the 15th of May, try the following. Either, wait about an hour and relax, or if you cannot wait

Restart your box, then do this:

Go to the dashboard.

Go to the system tab

Select memory

Highlight your hard drive

Press Y

Press X, X, LB, RB, X, X

Say yes when prompted to do maintenance on your hard drive.

This removes all previous title updates and prompts you to redownload new ones.

This message is only useful today, May 15th. When the Beta actually ends in three weeks, it won't help you.

found it on the bungie forums. Don't shoot me if it redrings your machine tho.

[Kryptonian]

Don't do that,

Hold Up (on the D-pad) and A when it boots.

You'll get a maintenance message.

Voila.

[Strafe]

My machine just bricked after downloading the crackdown updates. Thanks, Crackdown.