Halo CE in HD?

I'd say that the AI in Haze was close to Goldeneye's, but I think that would offend Goldeneye's AI. At least GE's AI could shoot straight.

I'd better stop on that now, though. I've already dedicated one topic on this board to ranting about Haze's idiocy.

I may post a review on the new Medal of Honor to the misc forum now, though. I'm inspired to write about it after being reminded of Allied Assault's excellence.

DarkReign2021 wrote:Something occurs to me though. Would they be remaking Halo: CE or would they be "finishing" Halo: CE? I mean lvls 1-4, and 6 are all obviously pretty much established, but lvls 5 and 7 were overly repetitive and 8-10 were just clones. Would they just go and remake the levels like they were or would they potentially install the levels as they were originally planned or something new altogether. Like Mingy said a while back. Library was supposed to be brightly lit and ornate. The Library we got was no such thing and it's design would really be a waste of Reach's Graphics Engine.

This is one of the major problems. On one hand, altering the Library to where it's enjoyable would be a smart thing to do. However, you'd be amazed at how many fans would claim that nothing should be changed, including the Library.

And these aren't just the purist types you usually associate with halo2sucks.com or haloreachisnotcanon.com either.

No, the Library is the terrible level after that one that is devoid of any atmosphere whatsoever.

Still better than High Charity (the level), though (which is still better than the entire Doom 3 single player).

I like High Charity (BTW, did you ever wonder why the level with the flood on HC was called High Charity, but the level without the flood on HC was called Gravemind. Always thought that was kind of stupid.)

But yeah, it's definitely a sensitive situation to try and remake a game like Halo. Halo NEEDS to be brought up into the current generation (it's sad how many Halo gamers I talk to that say they've never even played Halo 1 or even Halo 2. H3 is the only experience they have, which is an injustice to the series.)

The only thing I can honestly say to support the changing of a remake is that at least the original would still exist. if you really don't like it that much, than go play the old copy. It's just unfortunate that those purists wouldn't get the online play for their classic game that they've been wanting.

That said, I think it would be entirely feasible to "alter" the levels slightly without actually "Changing" the level. Like THe Library for instance. They can easily add light and decoration and such without chainging the layout. Woudl be about as much a sin to gamers as when they add that POA cutscene to the end of Halo: Reach with a completely redesigned look. Or when they took Elongation in Multiplayer and turned it into a aesthetically-appealing space station in the H2 remake. They were still technically the same. Just added more detail thanks to improvements in hardware usage. They could easily do the same to a remake. Add in Forerunner statues here and there, toss in computer-like devices, add in perhaps a hall dedicated to the Precursors. Could even leave one of the floors bare to diversify the floors. They could very easily just add decorative content and leave the rest alone.

Also, Phantom, if you thought Halo 2 and 3 had bad barriers, don't even bother playing Halo: Reach. I get so frustrated in this game when I use the jetpack to get to a good sniping point only to have a ten-second timer threatening to kill me. On the FF level courtyard I'll boost onto a lamp post not even 5 feet above the platform I'm standing on and it'll give me the timer. Even though you have a jetpack, they really land-locked you in the new game. At least in Halo 2 and 3 you had invisible walls that could be broken through.

Woudl be about as much a sin to gamers as when they add that POA cutscene to the end of Halo: Reach with a completely redesigned look.

You'd be amazed at how some of the more zealous fans really hate that scene, simply because of the way Reach updated the Autumn's look.

Though, to be fair, I'm suspecting that a lot of this hatred is similar to the hatred that all of the Halo sequels (and most sequels, regardless of quality) get: complaining for the sake of complaining.

Even I complain about Halo's sequels to some extent. In particular the fact that they went from the hard and gritty feel in Halo 1 to the floaty and dainty style that plagued Halo 2 and 3. I'm glad Reach went back to the gritty feeling again.

While I'm most definitely a Halo apologist, even I have a lot of complaints about all 6 Halo games. However, it amazes me that people will overlook problems such as "weapon balancing changes depending on who is holding the weapon" and "keeping a potentially important plot point out of the game (or even the entire Mythos itself)" in favor of complaints such as "Jackals don't point at you" and "The story doesn't tell me anything about Halo 1/3 that I didn't already know" (seriously, how many times is a prequel story ever required to understand a main storyline?)

Those kind of arguments, if I may be a bit hypocritical at the moment, seem nit-picky. If you're focusing on those kind of things, then you're just looking for excuses to hate the game, rather than an observation of the game's flaws in story and design.

Yet another rumour about CE.

Apparently, the oft-rumoured HD remake of Halo: Combat Evolved is set to launch in time for this holiday season, according to a report on Joystiq gleaned from anonymous sources that state the re-release will be much more than just a simple remastering with high-definition visuals.

Allegedly under development at the New Jersey-based Saber Interactive - the studio behind TimeShift and Namco's forthcoming Inversion - Halo: Combat Evolved HD will utilise an engine other than the Halo: Reach one, and will have all-new art assets. There will also be support for later Halo controller configurations too.

Halo: Combat Evolved HD is one of two Halo titles being developed under the supervision of 343 Industries - the new custodians of the Halo franchise - and it will reportedly support full 1080p HD and 3D televisions. Audio is unlikely to change and multiplayer is currently being figured out, with the possibility of online co-op where the original game featured two-player splitscreen.

If this report turns out to be legitimate, Halo: Combat Evolved HD will be coming to Xbox 360 on November 15th, 2011, perfectly timed for the game's 10th anniversary, as the original launched on the same day in 2001 alongside the first Xbox.

Launch wrote:
Allegedly under development at the New Jersey-based Saber Interactive - the studio behind TimeShift and Namco's forthcoming Inversion -

Well, that doesn't inspire much confidence.

If updating the graphics and some gameplay but keeping the music and VA the same, even the scripted moments, I am for it.

If only to be able to play CE co-op campaign over XBL or system link. Hell, H2 as well.

If it's running on a new engine (presumably a proprietary engine) and is being made by a company that is barely affiliated with Microsoft (whose previous 360 outing was a horrific disappointment), it'll probably play very different.

More than a simple visual remastering? That's bad. Very Bad. I understand adding new game modes and support features, but I don't know how many times I have to say it. Leave the original fornula alone. Campaign should be upgraded visually and have XBL co-op support added. MP should get XBL functionality and Matckmaking playlists. I don't care if they add new maps just so long as every original returns unchanged.

There are only a few things I might condone to being changed.

1. Add in all of the new enemy behaviors established in Reach. Skirmishers, Drones and Brutes should be added. Elites should have their newest level of badassery, Grunts should Kamikaze, etc...

2. The addition of different encounters throughout the campaign. I've always thought this and still think it's a great idea for EVERY videogame out there. Have random encounters throughout the entire game so you never know what to expect. Might be an easy wave of just grunts in one round, but it might be 3 Hunter Pairs and Jackal Snipers the next time. They could also do things like add vehicles to the other levels like a Tank and ghost scout parties on Halo and ghosts and Shadows on Silent Cartographer. This should, however, be optional amd there should be a classic mode that has the original Campaign 100% unchanged from what it was in the original.

3. Add Vehicle Hi-jacking into the game. It's not a very commonly used MP feature anyway and it would definitely be some fun in the Campaign.

4. Add in a Lost Missions mode where they could recreate original level designs like the Library or even add in missions that were eventually cut from the final game for various reasons. With these, they can do whatever they want. Add in Armor Abilities. Add in the new weapons. Maybe they can make up levels to explain why Brutes and Drones weren't present until Halo 2 and why Skirmishers disappeared after the Reach invasion. Maybe even explore more into the nature of the flood.

5. Make the original weapons in Halo CE that weren't playable playable. Plasma Sword, Fuel Rod Cannon, and the Wraith Tank.


Halo 2 should do the same thing since I know for certain if H1 gets an update than Halo 2 will as well (Especially if the rumor is true and these guys are making 2 Halo games. Too much of a coincidence.

Well that does it. It has indeed been confirmed and everything in the last article was correct. They got the Timeshift guys working on the H1 remake and it's release is set for November 15th, 2011 (Exactly 10 years after the release of the first game not that that's really a surprise to anyone.

Guess all we have to wonder now is how true to the original will the new release remain? Only time will tell, though I can promise I'll be buying it anyway.

BTW, while I'm thinking about it, anybody know of any cheap copies of the H2 Limited Edition (or at least a case that isn't rusting) and the H2 MP map pack disc that I could pick up? I wanna finish off my Digital Halo collection and I'm still missing those and the Halo Wars Collectors Edition case (though I'm not too worried about that one.)

It's been confirmed? Where? I'd like to see this.

And Amazon (both in the UK and the US) has used copies of Halo 2's Limited Edition for cheap. I suppose you could message the seller and ask for a picture or something. I've actually been thinking about getting it too, I want the bonus stuff and my current disk and case are falling apart.

The best article I found so far.

http://www.bigshinyrobot.com/reviews/archives/21697

What is perplexing is that this is now an officiated rumor with no backing from the source that matters most 343i.

Campaign and possibly FF should be fun. I doubt MP will make it.

I'm still perplexed as to why noone besides Joystiq has confirmed this (and they don't even name their source).

Yeah, I'm rereading the article and now that I'm not so tired it seems more like a rumor they've been given and they're wording it to sound like it's official to draw in more hyope.

But that again, Gamespot also reported on it somewhat, though I think it's more a report on Joystiq reporting it than reporting it themselves.

Also, was anybody else aware that Microsoft apparently trademarked a URL called http://www.KinectHalo.com/ ?

Kinect Halo...

I read about that a few days ago. My reaction? DO NOT WANT. I'm all for giving things a try, but I just don't see how using Kinect can beat a controller in an FPS, or, well, pretty much any other game.

The best I can think of would be a rail shooter (and I'm not even sure I'd trust Kinect to handle that properly)

Personally as much as I love halo I would never get Kinect halo for 2 reasons:
1) I hate motion controls so I would never waste my money on Kinect for a single game.
2) I don't trust Microsoft or 343i or the Kinect device itself with an FPS based around motion controls. Unless it was motion + controller but that goes against everything Kinect stands for.

That's just my two cents.