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[[Image:H3icon 1600.jpg|150px|left|thumb|Official logo for ''Halo 3'']]
[[Image:H3icon 1600.jpg|150px|left|thumb|Official logo for ''Halo 3'']]
===Plot===
===Plot===
Alex Villalba is gay. 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]], Covenant ships are hovering over an excavation site only a few miles from the ruins of [[New Mombasa]], The Covenant have also uncovered a large artifact in this site, which is presumably [[The Ark (Halo)|The Ark]].{{Fact|date=April 2007}} The Arbiter, along with the remaining Elites, have allied themselves with the human forces, according to the {{cite web |url=http://www.halo3.com/ |title= Halo 3 Website}}
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]], Covenant ships are hovering over an excavation site only a few miles from the ruins of [[New Mombasa]], The Covenant have also uncovered a large artifact in this site, which is presumably [[The Ark (Halo)|The Ark]].{{Fact|date=April 2007}} The Arbiter, along with the remaining Elites, have allied themselves with the human forces, according to the {{cite web |url=http://www.halo3.com/ |title= Halo 3 Website}}


===Graphics===
===Graphics===

Revision as of 19:31, 6 May 2007

Template:Future game

Halo 3
File:Halo 3 front-1-.jpg
Developer(s)Bungie Studios
Publisher(s)Microsoft Game Studios
SeriesHalo
EngineProprietary
Platform(s)Xbox 360
ReleaseUnited States Fall 2007 European Union Fall 2007
Genre(s)First-person shooter
Mode(s)Single Player, Multiplayer, Xbox Live, System-Link
For the Nine Inch Nails release known as Halo 3, 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 begin on May 16th, 2007.[2] The final version of the game is due to be released in Fall 2007. Bungie has said that new information about Halo 3 will be released on May 11, 2007.[3]

Features

File:H3icon 1600.jpg
Official logo for Halo 3

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, Covenant ships are hovering over an excavation site only a few miles from the ruins of New Mombasa, The Covenant have also uncovered a large artifact in this site, which is presumably The Ark.[citation needed] The Arbiter, along with the remaining Elites, have allied themselves with the human forces, according to the "Halo 3 Website".

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 a proprietary, in-house graphics engine aptly named the "Halo 3 Engine".[citation needed] This engine builds upon the technologies of the Halo 2 Engine (and previously the Halo 1 Engine), and is re-optimized for the architecture of Xbox 360.

As detailed on the Bungie Studios website, it will employ advanced graphics technologies such as High Dynamic Range, global lighting, real-time reflections and real-time depth of field effect. Depth of field however will only be used in cutscenes and not during gameplay. Certain surfaces, including the Master Chief's visor (when visible) and the armor of a Ghost, will have real-time reflections. Most of the objects in the game will cast real-time shadows on itself and the environment around it, including the game's plant-life.

Halo 3 will use Normal, Bump and parallax mapping to add much more detail to surfaces without dramatically increasing the number of polygons. Bungie has also stated that the draw distance (horizon of the game world) will be in excess of 10 miles (16 km). Sophisticated new atmospheric models are used in the game. Dust and smoke particles can be used to 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 effects are also dramatically improved; it can reflect and refract images simultaneously. As well as being able to simulate effects such as water falls, it will visually flow around objects in its path and splash when players or vehicles, or other objects, travel through it.

Physics

The foliage in the game is physics-enabled, meaning it not only moves in the simulated wind, but actually reacts to the player's (or other creatures) presence and bullet fire, as well as from explosions. Some Flora in the game will also be destroyed after receiving enough damage.

Audio

As with all titles on the Xbox 360, Halo 3 will fully support 5.1 surround sound audio. In the game there will be many more individual pieces of combat dialogue than in either of the preceding Halo titles (Halo 2 had over 15,000), and the AI controlling this dialogue is designed to ensure the exchanges flow naturally and convincingly. Separate recordings have been made for nearby and distant gunfire, making for a more realistic experience. Distant gunfire sounds which may seem like pre-recorded ambient sound, in Halo 3, is often the result of an actual firefight happening in the distance.

Marty O'Donnell is again composing the original score. Some pieces of the game's music are produced with a much larger real orchestra than anything in the prior two games. For example, the music for the announcement trailer was recorded with a 60-piece orchestra and a 24 piece choir.

Voice actors returning to reprise their roles in Halo 3 include: Jen Taylor as Cortana and Steve Downes as the voice of Master Chief. Actress Julie Benz however, is not voicing Miranda Keyes for Halo 3.[4]

Gameplay

Halo gameplay will adhere to what Multiplayer Designer Lars Bakken describes as the "Golden Three Things of Halo," which are weapons, grenades and melee attack, all three of which are simultaneously available to a player at all times while on foot (unless they are dual wielding). Halo 3, like its predecessors, will also feature a strong vehicular component, with many of the series' vehicles returning in the third installment.

AI behavior of both enemies and allies will be greatly enhanced in Halo 3. 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. Enemy AI will also have new non-combat behaviors, rather than just sitting around waiting for players to kill them.

File:Controller Halo3.jpg
The Default controller layout(so far).

The new default controller layout will see the Right Bumper become the "action" button (pick up, reload, board vehicles, activate switches, etc), with the X button being used for deployment of special equipment,[5] such as the Bubble Shield, the trip mine and the power drainer. 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 whether the player would use it with one hand or two (two-handed weapons will be stored on the player's back, one-handed weapons will be stored on the leg holster).

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.

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.[6]

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. 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.[6]

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.

A new feature dubbed the "A-hole button" will be used to mute players in the game.[7] "As it stands", the strength of the effect of gravity is customizable as one of the game settings in creating custom games.[citation needed] It is unknown whether or not this will be in the finished game.

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.[citation needed]

Miscellaneous

Fauna are undergoing testing for inclusion in the final build of the game, specifically seagulls and a cockatoo-like creature.[8] Both will exhibit flocking behavior. Some Bungie employees are reportedly keen on the possibility of going grousing in Halo 3.

Although Halo 3 was planned to end the Halo series, future Halo games are likely. On the Halo 3 FAQ from the official Bungie website it says, "Q: Is this the last ever Halo game? A: It is the conclusion to this story arc." This refers to the two announced games in the Halo universe, including the new Halo Wars by Ensemble Studios. Of the other project, very little is known. Bungie said that it will be on the Xbox 360 and will "be made in partnership with Lord of the Rings and King Kong director, Peter Jackson"[citation needed] and a recently formed development studio headed by him under the name of Wingnut Interactive.

Pre-release marketing

As one of the most anticipated video games 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.[citation needed]

E3 2006 trailer

File:H3chiefemerges.jpg
The Master Chief emerges from smoke and rubble that litters an African plain.

The first public look at Halo 3 came in the form of a real-time cinematic trailer shown at Microsoft's press conference at E3 2006. The trailer is set in the dry plains of Africa, a few miles away from New Mombasa's remains, around around a third of the way through the game. Parts of the broken space elevator and bridge are in the background, along with the foothills of Mt Kilimanjaro. The Master Chief is slowly revealed though smoke and dust, holding the renewed assault rifle, occasionally obscured by distorted overlaid images of Cortana transmitting a message:

"I have defied gods and demons."
"I am your shield; I am your sword.[9]"
"I know you; your past, your future"
"This is the way the world ends."

In the "Behind the Scenes" video,[10] it is stated, "We don't know what has happened to her... We don't know it's Cortana. It could be any sort of bizarre, almost Satanic sort of voice. Something seems wrong."

File:H3artifact.jpg
Covenant ships disperse as the ancient Forerunner artifact is activated.

In the trailer, a massive Covenant fleet holds position over an enormous crater. Inside of which is a circular, Forerunner related, metallic structure over three miles (4.8km) in diameter. Above the structure is a swirling cloud, given depth by paralax mapping techniques. Covenant Banshees and Phantoms (dropships) fly towards it.

The structure begins to move and a brilliant light from its centre whites out the screen. Cortana delivers with her final line (detailed above) and the trailer ends with the tagline "Finish the fight". This tagline has been used throughout the Halo 3 marketing campaign as seen on official t-shirts, along with the imagery of the Forerunner structure.

After the E³ showing, Bungie demonstrated some of the game's visual effects to the press at the conference. The Assault Rifle was fired to demonstrate that the muzzle flash was reflected off Master Chief's visor in real-time.

The trailer fanfare sports a wholly new arrangement, the addition of trumpets, and the noted absence of Halo's signature "monks."[10]

ESPN TV "Starry Night" advertisement

File:Halo3 Shield.jpg
Master Chief using the trailer version of Bubble Shield device. 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. Its airing marked the start of the first phase of sign ups on Halo3.com for the spring Beta. It does not contain any gameplay footage, and was created entirely by Digital Domain, using a mix of live action (for the two children), animation (using Bungie-supplied assets) and pure CGI.[11]

File:Halo-3-Ad-Still.jpg
The Master Chief's MA5C Assault Rifle, along with an overturned Warthog in the background.

The ad comprises two 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; this being 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 around the events of the E3 Announcement.

In the advertisement, the Master Chief's secondary weapon is stored magnetically on his back, or on a leg holster for smaller weapons. This is later revealed as an actual visual feature of the game.

Separated from the Marines, the Master Chief evades plasma mortar impacts (with the aid of the previously unseen 'Bubble Shield' device, resembling a transparent geodesic dome) and engages a group of Covenant Brutes and Wraith tanks. The ad closes with the same "HALO 3", "FINISH THE FIGHT - 2007", the Xbox 360 logo and additionally the "Jump In" slogan of the Xbox 360 marketing campaign.

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.

The advertisement was aired only once, but remains available for download on many websites, including the official Bungie website.

"Et tu, Brute?" video documentary

The "Et tu, Brute?" ViDoc (a portmanteau of video documentary), released on December 20, 2006, focuses on 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. The ViDoc shows pre-alpha graphics, none of which are final, and some elements may be completely redesigned before launch.[12]

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. They are all shown with much heavier armor than the Brutes in Halo 2:[12]

  • 'Standard' infantry Brutes that wear blue armor held together by buckles.
  • Brute Captains, who wear more elaborate helmets and armor.
  • Brute Chieftains, who 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 brutal 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.[12]

The film also includes some other previously unseen elements, such as dual-wieldable Energy Swords (only used by AI) and the new Spike Grenade.[13] The "Spike Grenades" may stick to any surface except water and release a shaped charge upon explosion. A Brute Chieftain is seen firing a weapon resembling an un-deployed plasma turret from Halo 2. However, the game as shown, 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.

"Is Quisnam Protero Damno!" video documentary

A ViDoc detailing the development of the multiplayer game was released on April 10, 2007. It highlighted the major ways in which the developers have sought to improve upon the Halo 2 multiplayer game which was so successful. All graphics shown were from an alpha build - no decorators were yet in place, many textures were still only placeholders, and the HDR lighting model was not being used. Nevertheless, the graphics were already demonstrably far superior to the game's predecessors. Previously unseen gameplay elements include:[14]

  • The Bubble Shield Device is confirmed to be used in-game (though it understandably looks different than it did in the trailer film); when dropped, a geodesic shield is set up, protecting the player from anything outside the shield perimeter. However, the shield does not look completely stationary, it seemed to roll down the hill it was placed on meaning you might need to move to stay inside it. Although, in the Bungie weekly update, Bungie alluded to the bubble shield staying in one place when deployed (this is still subject to change, but in the Halo 3 multiplayer beta, it will remain stationery when deployed).
  • The "tripmine", an explosive triggered by either proximity or touch, that is deployed like the Bubble Shield.
  • A "jump pad" (miniature grav-lift) can be seen (although not pointed out) being used by a Spartan on High Ground, and is presumably carried and deployed like the Bubble Shield,
  • A new weapon was shown, that resembled a human machine gun turret, being carried and fired while not deployed by a Spartan assaulting the base on High Ground, although in a Bungie weekly update they stated that this was not a turret or a chaingun, and that you could not take the turret off of any vehicles. This is not confirmed for the final product though.
  • An in-game camera will allow you to see how your enemy killed you as well as allow you to record gameplay clips from first-person view as well as any other position. The recording can be shown in slow-motion.
  • At least three new multiplayer maps were shown.
  • A new game type is possibly shown; at one point "Game: Escort" can be seen.
  • A new map name is possibly shown; at one point "Map: Warthog, Inc." can be seen.
  • The man-cannons have replaced the teleport modules that were found in Halo 2. Bungie has stated that in pre-development they thought about how to get a player across the map. The man-cannon will serve this purpose and add a level of excitement in the final version of the game.

Public beta testing

On April 10, 2007 Bungie announced that the beta testing phase would run from May 16, 2007 at 12am PDT to June 6, 2007 at 11.59pm PDT.[2] Internal beta testing has begun at Microsoft and although the internal test is NDA compliant, leaked footage has been put on the Internet.

The primary method of entry into the Halo 3 Beta was through the 'Rule of 3' program, which consisted of 3 phases;

  • Phase 1: Sign ups on Halo3.com at the time of the 'Starry Night' commercial release.
  • Phase 2: Be among the first 13,333 to sign on Halo3.com after playing 3 hours of Halo 2 on Xbox Live in February
  • Phase 3: Buy a specially marked copy of the Xbox 360 game Crackdown.[15]

Additionally, some Beta places were given out to certain community websites in Europe over the Xbox Community Network (XCN) program. There will also be a 'Friends and Family' Beta access starting a few days before the public beta, whose participants have already been choosen. Some of whom, will be lucky Bungie.net members who will get a Beta invite code PMed to them on the 11th May.[16]

The public portion of the Beta will consist of matchmaking play only on the 3 multi-player maps: Valhalla, High Ground and Snowbound.[17] Bungie has stated that the beta will support split screen for up to two players.[18]

Bungie has confirmed the following new elements to be in the Halo 3 Open Beta:[19]

Packaging

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

Three versions of the game package have been announced:

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

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 end up being used by the player, and all are subject to change.)

References

  1. ^ TIME Magazine, March 19, 2007, page 52
  2. ^ a b "Bungie.net : Content : Multiplayer Madness!". Retrieved 2007-04-17.
  3. ^ "Digg - Big Halo 3 Reveal Coming In May". Retrieved 2007-05-03.
  4. ^ a b "Dexter's No. 1 Gal — Julie Benz — Previews a Killer Finale". Retrieved 2007-04-28.
  5. ^ "Halo 3 video questions cleared up - Xbox 360 Fanboy". Retrieved 2007-04-17.
  6. ^ a b "The Five Best Things About Halo 3". Retrieved 2007-04-28.
  7. ^ "Halo 3 gets shutup button". Retrieved 2007-04-28.
  8. ^ "Bungie Weekly Update: March 23, 2007". Retrieved 2007-03-23.
  9. ^ "Bungie Weekly Update: May 12, 2006". Retrieved 2006-05-12.
  10. ^ a b "Halo 3: Behind the Scenes". Game Videos. Retrieved 2006-11-24.
  11. ^ a b "Frankie's Q&A from #HBO IRC". Retrieved 2006-12-05.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h "Bungie.net: Content: Et Tu Brute?!". Retrieved 2006-12-19.
  13. ^ "Bungie.net: Content: Spike Grenade". Retrieved 2007-01-24.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Is Quisnam Protero Damno! ViDoc
  15. ^ "Crackdown disc required to play Halo 3 Beta". Retrieved 2007-02-08.
  16. ^ "Bungie Weekly Update, May 4th 2007". Retrieved 2007-05-05.
  17. ^ "Bungie.net: Content: Halo 3 Beta FAQ". Retrieved 2007-02-06.
  18. ^ a b "Bungie Weekly Update: Friday, April 27th, 2007". Retrieved 2007-04-27.
  19. ^ ""Halo 3" Multiplayer Beta Hits Xbox LIVE Worldwide on May 16". Retrieved 2007-05-03.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa "Halo3.com". Retrieved 2007-04-07.
  21. ^ a b c "Bungie.net: Content: Halo 3 Announced". Retrieved 2007-04-28.
  22. ^ "Bungie Weekly Update: March 2, 2007". Retrieved 2007-04-30.
  23. ^ "Bungie.net: Content: Mongoose". Retrieved 2007-01-10.
  24. ^ a b "Bungie.net: Content: The Warthog". Retrieved 2007-03-26.
  25. ^ a b Starry Night TV ad
  26. ^ "Bungie.net: Content: MA5C Assault Rifle". Retrieved 2007-04-28.
  27. ^ "Pistol Confusion". Retrieved 2007-05-01.
  28. ^ "Bungie.net: Content: Halo 3 Humpday". Retrieved 2007-04-28.
  29. ^ "Bungie.net: Content: Spartan Laser". Retrieved 2007-04-28.
  30. ^ "Bungie Weekly Update: April 6, 2007". Retrieved 2007-04-06.
  31. ^ ""Developer Roundtable Podcast"" (Podcast).
  32. ^ "Bungie Weekly Update: August 11, 2006". Retrieved 2007-04-28.
  33. ^ "Halo 3 Preview at 1up". Retrieved 2007-04-30.
  34. ^ "Bungie.net: Content: Brute Spiker". Retrieved 2007-04-28.
  35. ^ a b c d "1up.com - Exclusive in-depth look at three multiplayer maps". Retrieved 2007-04-28.
  36. ^ "Bungie Weekly Update: February 26, 2007". Retrieved 2007-04-30.
  37. ^ "Design a Halo 3 Emblem!". Retrieved 2007-05-03.

External links

Official Sites

External Homepages

News

Videos

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