General Halo Thread & Discussion

[redhellc]

I would really start seeing Microsoft better if they decide to release the new halo games on pc.

Still like I said I know that it's their console seller, so that would make it a more awesome act.

Hey a guy can dream right?

[goku262002]

The dreams more of a reality now, I'm betting that older Halo titles will see re-releases but Reach and Halo 4 might take a long while before we see a PC release.

But this means good things for Halos 1-3 and maybe ODST

[goku262002]

(Update) Glu Shutting Down Gamespy Service, Affecting A Reported 800 Developers And Publishers (Gameinformer)

Great, along with the Wii and NDS Halo 1 PC is shutting down in the same month!

[goku262002]

*ahem*, big news:

Halo Theme's Composer Fired, Says Move Was "Without Cause" (Kotaku)

Post made by his daughter, if you have a B.net/PSN/XBL account use it and reply to this to send your well wishes to Marty.

I don't even know everything that happened, I just know that I've closely observed Bungie shift and change dramatically over the last decade. Cool thing though, my dad has been consistent. He has consistently worked hard and consistently cared about making the player experience as cool as possible.

Many times I would come home from school and he would be testing out a video game, making notes on what he liked and didn't like, or even in the middle of developing a theory on how things could be improved for the player. I've seen him do extensive research on how music affects emotions and I know he always adds in little details that are important. My dad is a brilliant video game producer and music composer/producer. This change will not ever change who he is, because from the beginning he has always been consistent; that is one thing I know about my dad. Oh, and he loves the fans, that is another thing. I'm in tears reading about how his music affected people's lives. Thank you to the bnet community and halo music fans <3 *Edit: As requested, I've sent this to my dad, so he will be reading the responses.*

This is what I wrote:

I go and leave for a few days and the world turns itself upside down...

I saw this while playing with my new Samsung Not!MasterChief Galaxy S3 and using a commuter bus WiFi, I gasp soo loud that a few people turned their heads and I pissed off the guy in back of me but fuck him I had the right to. I want answers to these questions I have and somebody's

damned head for this heresy, but that is all for later.

I want to thank you Marty for all your years of service to both Bungie and Halo, to this day I listen to your works in fact I was listening to this track when I saw the Kotaku post which hit me a little harder. Your one of my favorite composers and made me enjoy music without a single lyric more then music with lyrics. your such an integral part of my music experience that I'd rather just listen to Halo and whatever else you composed instead of other music for an entire day...which is what I did in your honor for the rest of my trip home.

I'm sicked, I'm saddened, I'm fucking furious, and I'm seriously confused. but I'm hopeful that either Halo enters your life again or you move on to something else but I'll follow you and listen to whatever comes next.

Good luck to you, Martin O'Donnell.

[redhellc]

Oh my I can't believe that.

 

I love Halo music and I thought it was fantastic, until 4 that is....

 

In fact one of the reasons I was waiting for Destiny was the soundtrack, and now this.....just WOW.

 

I may not know why he has been fired, but it must have been a strong reason. Well that or the Bungie I used to know doesn't exist anymore... 

[Blacklightning]

If there's one thing I've learnt about this industry throughout the years, it's when when something happens for no discernible reason and there's no rationale given by the perpetrators to support it, the answer is usually "money".

 

Not that I can claim to know that for sure, but if that turns out to be the case I'd just like everyone to know that I fucking called it.

[goku262002]

If there's one thing I've learnt about this industry throughout the years, it's when when something happens for no discernible reason and there's no rationale given by the perpetrators to support it, the answer is usually "money".

 

Not that I can claim to know that for sure, but if that turns out to be the case I'd just like everyone to know that I fucking called it.

Maybe it was money that could be a factor but Marty is one of the founding members of Bungie you'd think they would work something out not go and stab him in the back like that.

[Mania Pipe]

Eh?! WHAT?!?!?! No, not Martin O'Donnell! That dude is awesome!

 

I fucking loved his music work in the Halo series! This is saddening news for me to hear... I hope he manages find work somewhere...

[Marcello]

Maybe it was money that could be a factor but Marty is one of the founding members of Bungie you'd think they would work something out not go and stab him in the back like that.

 

You don't know the reason, so how can you say they stabbed him in the back?

[Mando-Whirl-Wind]

despite not being a fan of the halo series, I do wish him luck, perhaps he will get a job at retro

[redhellc]

despite not being a fan of the halo series, I do wish him luck, perhaps he will get a job at retro

Wow a soundtrack made by him for the Metroid Series would be AMAZING!!!

 

But it will never happen....

[goku262002]

You don't know the reason, so how can you say they stabbed him in the back?

Basing on what his daughter said and from what I'm hearing in the Destiny and Halo communities this came out of nowhere, he didn't know anything about this before hand and he wasn't having any discussions about contracts. unless he did something underhanded that we don't know about it pretty much feels like a stab in the back.

That and the Bungie community is tearing itself apart, some are even blaming Marty for this because it delayed some massive infodump of Destiny or something, so dumb glad I really don't go their much anymore.

Oh and small update from his daughter's previous post:

 

 

* Update: My dad has been really happy to read about how his music has affected the player's experience and people's hearts, that was always his goal. I love my dad and have massive respect for him and anyone who follows his work as well. The responses so far have really meant a lot to my family. *Internet hug!***

[Gabz Girl]

Wait whaaaaat? They just fired one of the best video game composers out there! Unbelievable. o___o Well, I wish him luck and hope he can join another developer to compose music for (Retro studios would be amazing).

I hope this doesn't mean Halo 5 is going to get even more dubstep music... >>

[Shane]

I hope this doesn't mean Halo 5 is going to get even more dubstep music... >>

 

Quite the opposite, actually. Martin didn't do any work on Halo 4 (and Halo 5 may be too far into production, I dunno), but I think Microsoft would be very smart to hire the guy as the Halo series' composer again after all of this.

[goku262002]

Remember when I posted a easter egg video back in Janurary about a new Halo 3 treat that, while found by a hacker, was legitimate?

Well, Lord Zedd says Happy Easter:

 

So you may remember a couple months ago I showed off an egg on the Ark with little info, hoping someone would be inspired to figure it out. Well... that didn't happen, nobody seemed to care and a few seemed to call bullshit for reasons.

Well after a couple days of tracking down the exact method to activating it (When I made the original video I didn't know how to do it, I simply enabled the activation flag so it played automatically.) I finally have something reliable.

Some important things to note:

-I made them green like that to see easier

-I made myself invincible with infinite ammo and instant kill to do it easier. I do what I want.

-Exact order probably not required, as seen by the last one getting destroyed first. But going though and destroying them as a I went never worked.

-This egg has existed since launch and is not some magic thing 343i patched in

-The explosions say 343,343,2,343 don't try to speculate otherwise as I've slowed it down several times.

[goku262002]

Bump.

Halo CE PC is saved thanks to Bungie:

Bungie to update Halo PC with server fix (eurogamer.net)

[Carbo]

http://news.xbox.com/2014/05/games-halo-journey-announcement

Any time you transition to a new platform, there is the opportunity to look at things with a new perspective. For us at 343 Industries, the launch of the Xbox One was an opportunity to think about what stories we wanted to tell, how to tell them, and how best to push the “Halo” franchise to showcase the platform. And, most importantly, combining our passion for “Halo” with the vocal and informative input from our fans.

“Halo” isn’t simply a perennial game franchise, it’s a part of the Xbox platform itself. In terms of innovation and ideation, it’s sometimes important to people who might not even play “Halo.” And of course it’s a passion and an essential experience for two generations of gamers. So we asked ourselves, how do we begin and where do we go with “Halo” on Xbox One?

In the past, “Halo” games have pushed the Xbox forward, showcasing the console and its ecosystem in entertaining and innovative ways. Making a “Halo” game that runs at 60 frames per second, on dedicated servers, with the scope, features and scale we’ve been dreaming of for more than a decade, is non-trivial. It’s a task that we, at 343 Industries, are taking very seriously to ensure we deliver the “Halo” game that fans deserve, and a game that is built from the ground up for Xbox One.

I’m happy to reveal that “Halo 5: Guardians,” the next installment in the legendary saga of the Master Chief, will launch on Xbox One in fall of 2015. In the tradition of every “Halo” game since its debut in 2001, it is a massive and exciting project.

“Halo 5: Guardians” is a bigger effort than “Halo 4.” That applies to the content and scope of the game, as well as the technology in what’s now a brand new and more powerful engine. Certainly there are some core elements carried over from prior games, but we’ve invested a huge effort in retooling our tech to take full advantage of the Xbox One’s hardware and ecosystem to create worlds and experiences worthy of next-gen.

It’s a game that will hopefully demonstrate the talent, learnings and abilities of the 343 Industries team. A game that will incorporate the things we learned from “Halo 4” about technology, aesthetics, performance and scale – and perhaps more importantly, understanding and embracing a community of gamers who love what lies at the heart of this game, and the limitless potential of the “Halo” universe.

And 2015 won’t simply be the year of “Halo 5: Guardians,” it will also be a year that offers us a unique opportunity. The opportunity to invite old friends and new audiences into that universe through the “Halo” television series, launched as a unique collaboration with Steven Spielberg and some of the finest creative minds in the business. A series that will stand alone, as well as complement and enrich the game experience. We’ll have more to share on the “Halo” television series as we near its projected fall 2015 release.

Your Journey Begins in 2014

Many fans noted that I was very deliberate with my phrasing on stage at E3 last year. I spoke about a “journey,” rather than a destination – and that journey definitely begins in 2014 with a giant leap, rather than one small step. We’ll give you much more information about our plans for this year at the Xbox E3 2014 Media Briefing on June 9, and we’re confident that “Halo” fans will be pretty excited about the special plans we have in store.

So until E3, I’d like to express my gratitude to our massive and varied Halo community, whose energy, enthusiasm, criticism and kindness are the driving force behind what we do and what we hope to achieve in “Halo 5: Guardians.”

[Marcello]

Halo 5: Guardians Announced for Fall 2015

The Halo Journey

Any time you transition to a new platform, there is the opportunity to look at things with a new perspective. For us at 343 Industries, the launch of the Xbox One was an opportunity to think about what stories we wanted to tell, how to tell them, and how best to push the “Halo” franchise to showcase the platform. And, most importantly, combining our passion for “Halo” with the vocal and informative input from our fans.

 

“Halo” isn’t simply a perennial game franchise, it’s a part of the Xbox platform itself. In terms of innovation and ideation, it’s sometimes important to people who might not even play “Halo.” And of course it’s a passion and an essential experience for two generations of gamers.  So we asked ourselves, how do we begin and where do we go with “Halo” on Xbox One?

 

In the past, “Halo” games have pushed the Xbox forward, showcasing the console and its ecosystem in entertaining and innovative ways. Making a “Halo” game that runs at 60 frames per second, on dedicated servers, with the scope, features and scale we’ve been dreaming of for more than a decade, is non-trivial.  It’s a task that we, at 343 Industries, are taking very seriously to ensure we deliver the “Halo” game that fans deserve, and a game that is built from the ground up for Xbox One.   

 

I’m happy to reveal that “Halo 5: Guardians,” the next installment in the legendary saga of the Master Chief, will launch on Xbox One in fall of 2015.  In the tradition of every “Halo” game since its debut in 2001, it is a massive and exciting project.

 

“Halo 5: Guardians” is a bigger effort than “Halo 4.”  That applies to the content and scope of the game, as well as the technology in what’s now a brand new and more powerful engine.  Certainly there are some core elements carried over from prior games, but we’ve invested a huge effort in retooling our tech to take full advantage of the Xbox One’s hardware and ecosystem to create worlds and experiences worthy of next-gen.

 

It’s a game that will hopefully demonstrate the talent, learnings and abilities of the 343 Industries team. A game that will incorporate the things we learned from “Halo 4” about technology, aesthetics, performance and scale – and perhaps more importantly, understanding and embracing a community of gamers who love what lies at the heart of this game, and the limitless potential of the “Halo” universe.

 

And 2015 won’t simply be the year of “Halo 5: Guardians,” it will also be a year that offers us a unique opportunity. The opportunity to invite old friends and new audiences into that universe through the “Halo” television series, launched as a unique collaboration with Steven Spielberg and some of the finest creative minds in the business.  A series that will stand alone, as well as complement and enrich the game experience.  We’ll have more to share on the “Halo” television series as we near its projected fall 2015 release.

 

Your Journey Begins in 2014

 

Many fans noted that I was very deliberate with my phrasing on stage at E3 last year. I spoke about a “journey,” rather than a destination – and that journey definitely begins in 2014 with a giant leap, rather than one small step. We’ll give you much more information about our plans for this year at the Xbox E3 2014 Media Briefing on June 9, and we’re confident that “Halo” fans will be pretty excited about the special plans we have in store.

 

So until E3, I’d like to express my gratitude to our massive and varied Halo community, whose energy, enthusiasm, criticism and kindness are the driving force behind what we do and what we hope to achieve in “Halo 5: Guardians.”

http://news.xbox.com/2014/05/games-halo-journey-announcement

 

Yet another part of that leak form last year confirmed. Halo 2 Anniversary seems pretty likely this year. Can't wait to see more of the two. Kind of makes me sad that I'm not planning on getting an XBO until they release a Slim version.

[Solkia]

Once again PC got fucked over. Why they ported 1 and 2 and then dropped PC support altogether is beyond me, but that's unrelated so ignore my rambling.
 

Look forward to the television series, that should be interesting.
 

I spoke about a "journey" rather than a destination

I can't help but feel this was intentional.
 

[Willsy]

Sounds interesting, though I'm still very unsure of 343i. Halo 4 was very disappointing to me. I hope they can prove themselves and create a great Halo game though.

[JAiRO]

Once again PC got fucked over. Why they ported 1 and 2 and then dropped PC support altogether is beyond me, but that's unrelated so ignore my rambling.

 

Look forward to the television series, that should be interesting.

 

I can't help but feel this was intentional.

 

 

Because the series is/was a system seller. So if people wanted Halo, they had to have an Xbox.

[Willsy]

Halo 2 Anniversary would be sweet, but I'm not sure if I want to get an Xbox One for Halo. Halo was the only Xbox exclusive that I liked, and even that didn't really make me feel that having a 360 over a PS3 was worthwhile.

[Solkia]

Because the series is/was a system seller. So if people wanted Halo, they had to have an Xbox.

 

I'll take this to the main thread. I'll reply there.

[Marcello]

We already have a Halo 5 topic.

 

http://board.sonicstadium.org/topic/12234-halo-5-201415general-halo-thread-discussion/page-36#entry877257

 

Dang n00bs.

 

My comment copy & pasted from there:

 

Yet another part of that leak form last year confirmed. Halo 2 Anniversary seems pretty likely this year. Can't wait to see more of the two. Kind of makes me sad that I'm not planning on getting an XBO until they release a Slim version.

[Solkia]

Bump.

Halo CE PC is saved thanks to Bungie:

Bungie to update Halo PC with server fix (eurogamer.net)

 

Lol does anyone but dedicated clan rooms even bother with Halo 1 anymore? I tried finding a room a few years back and the place was a ghost town.

 

Because the series is/was a system seller. So if people wanted Halo, they had to have an Xbox.

I'd lean more toward the "was"

I already know that wasn't the case. The case is that Bungie said a long time ago in an article I can't find for some reason (why do my citations always disappear when I need them) that the ports are a lot of effort with little gain. My problem is that if they knew that from 1, why port Halo 2?

Now that Bungie is out, I have no idea what's in store, but I do know that Microsoft has stated time and time again that they have no plans to port it.