Author Archives: Sal

About Sal

I’ve got tons of experience with Halo gaming and collecting. I feel I have something to offer to the greater Halo fan community. Posts along the way will be about tips and tricks in the games as well as collecting and many more Halo related things. I’ll also repost interesting articles from the official site, Halowaypoint.com, or from fellow Halo fan sites. As I continue this blog, I hope to help gamers who want advice on the games, as well as any collectors with regards to where to find collectibles as well as deals, coupons and so on. You can also follow me on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/#!/HaloFanForLife or Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/halofanforlife11. Welcome to my blog and I hope you’ll come back again and again. -Sal

Toy Preview: Halo Mega Bloks Mammoth!

Posted on by

Okay, I have to say I think I might have just peed a little when I saw this…(well not really, but I could have).

Circulating around is a supposed leak of a new Halo Mega Bloks set. It’s the UNSC Mammoth!

MB prototype Mammoth cropped 200dpi wm

Sorry for the fuzzy pic. It’s the best I could find at the moment.

[UPDATE] Better pic found. Thanks to “HaloBloksAddict” on the Bloks forums for finding it.

MB Mammoth cleaner-bigger

Let’s go over the finer points of this pic (as best as I can tell from the fuzziness…):
• 2877 pieces (bottom left corner)
• set number 13 of current line (bottom right corner)
• set number 97136 of overall line (though two others say the set number is actually 97174 as confirmed through Toys R Us)
• 6 minifigs: 2 Marines, 4 Spartans (bottom center)
• Not to scale. The biggest clue is the minifig by the door at the bottom of the Mammoth by the front wheel. As well, the ramp in the front bottom of the Mammoth. A Warthog should be able to fit easily under that ramp. From the pic, it doesn’t look like it will be able to.
• New 2013 White branding (graphics)
• LIGHTS and SOUNDS (near top right)
• Price is $219.99 Canadian. Price may vary for USA and overseas.
• UPC is 0-65541-97174-5

Okay, so let me tell you how excited I am about this if it’s true. I personally know one of the Vice Presidents of Mega Brands. His nickname is Sparky. I’ve mentioned him on the blog many times before. When I first heard about the Mammoth, just before E3 this time last year, I started asking/begging/badgering… him to make this set. We joked about how big the wheels would need to be. I do recall saying that I’d be fine if this were not totally to scale given the pricing of such a massive er… mammoth set for so many pieces.

Of course he isn’t privy to telling me about this set specifically as it needed to remain a secret until they officially released information on it. Again, the above photo is not confirmed as true…yet. So please take this with a grain of salt.

However, that being said, the way the graphics are laid out, it’s at least believable.

No doubt this set will run close to the $250 price that last years Signature Series ship (The Forward unto Dawn) did.

You can see my build and review of the Forward unto Dawn set here (very picture intensive, allow for them to load):
Mega Bloks Forward Unto Dawn set. Part 1: Unboxing and sorting.
Mega Bloks Forward Unto Dawn set. Part 2 Aft body section and base.
Mega Bloks Forward Unto Dawn set. Part 3 Aft Roof
Mega Bloks Forward Unto Dawn set: Part 4 front section
Mega Bloks Forward Unto Dawn set: Part 5 Front Roof
Mega Bloks Forward Unto Dawn set: Part 6 Stickers, Final Assembly and extra parts, OH MY.

So, how about it, do you think the Mammoth pic is real? Even if not real, do you want to see this set made? I know I do!!!

-Sal

Halo: Spartan Assault – Three gameplay vids

Posted on by

Want to see some actual gameplay up close and personal from Spartan Assault? Look no further!

DEFEND THE WOLVERINES
UNSC technicians had built numerous magnetic reactor stations across Draetheus-V. The western reactor field was one of the largest of these stations and was of great interest to the Covenant.
Spartan Palmer moved in to provide support in the western reactor field. Palmer’s prime objectives were to protect several squads of Wolverines and halt the Banshees providing air support to the Covenant infantry.

CLEAR A LANDING ZONE FOR SECOND WAVE OF MARINES.
As Spartan Palmer led the charge on Draetheus-V, Spartan Davis continued to face considerable enemy threat on the moon. On a stroke of luck, the UNSC Eminent Domain was able outmaneuver Covenant forces in orbit over the moon and offer some support by deploying marines to the southern Mirror Flats.
The 3rd Helljumper Platoon was the first to land on Draetheus-V’s moon. Spartan Davis, having held out against a constant stream of Unggoy and Sangheli for a full day, quickly set out to clear the landing zone for the next wave of drop pods.

DESTROY THE ANTI-AIR WRAITHS
Although the UNSC forces successfully slowed the Covenant, enemy numbers were too great to halt their advance indefinitely. A continuous stream of Covenant infantry, Wraiths, and air support were moving towards Research Facility Alpha.
Spartan Palmer must destroy the anti-air Wraiths and give the UNSC Hornets a chance to land near the outposts.

Damn, now I REALLY REALLY REALLY want this to come to XBOX LIVE Arcade!
-Sal

The Halo Bulletin 6.5.13

Posted on by

halobulletinheader_6-5-13

This week’s bulletin starts with Halo: Spartan Ops. BS angel intorduces the article, then hands it over to Frank O’Conner.

Here is what Frank had to say:

Many moons ago, I said online and in a couple of interviews that I would love to see an isometric Halo reboot of Moon Patrol, with current-gen graphics and full to the brim with recognized Halo items: Warthogs, Grunts, Elites, Brutes, Ghosts, boarding, Plasma combos, and anything else. As a matter of fact, Joystiq sort of reported it back in the day. The thing is, I wasn’t joking. I always thought the universe could translate well into 2D, or isometric 3D, or the combinations of both that polygons can craft. And I had always had some vision of Robotron controls. Plus, I am so old that I literally remember when Moon Patrol arrived in the arcade near my house.

 I grew up playing scrolling shooters—vertical, horizontal and of course four-way. When tech and taste evolved with games like Gauntlet, Alien Syndrome and Sega’s Crackdown, I grew to love the multi-scrolling perspective, where you could (kind of) explore worlds while utilizing skills you’d built up over years of blasting ever-more complex creatures, with ever-crisper graphics.

Now we wanted to create a mobile experience in the Halo universe. The obvious first consideration is FPS, right? Although there are plenty of cool FPS experiences on phones and tablets, they are not necessarily trying to replicate control schemes and gameplay feel that players are familiar with. If we’d gone down the FPS route, we might have built something compelling, but it couldn’t on its own merit play as well as a traditional Halo game. So we knew right away that whatever experience we built would have to be appropriate to the device it was built for, and that meant taking a completely different direction.

So when Dan Ayoub, our handsome and enigmatic publishing director, asked me what kind of game this could be, I immediately and selfishly recommended an arcade shooter. We really liked Vanguard for their background, so Dan reached out to them, and the rest is history—or it will be after the game has shipped. Not only were we able to create a shooter in the Halo universe that looks, sounds and “feels” like Halo, they were able to do it with a control scheme that even I can handle. (I am notoriously stupid at playing touch interfaces any more complex than Angry Birds. My thumbs drift, kind of like the way some people lean when they’re playing driving games.) The team recognized very early that great controls were imperative and iterated for months to come up with something that felt amazing.
Spartan Assault’s controls adapt to natural thumb drift so that after a few minutes, they feel as natural as any twin stick shooter (and we might even support a real twin stick controller on the Surface version). The gameplay is tight, focused, simple and to the point, while still using the Halo schema of weapon interaction, vehicle control, sandbox activity and even dual wielding.

So it may be a bit more elaborate than simply Moon Patrol, but it captures the magic that game had for me and wraps it in a familiar universe to bring it up to date.

-Frankie

What’s posted next are the videos and some screenshots, that I’ve already posted here on the blog about Spartan Assault.
There is a link for Spartan Assault on HaloWaypoint that has a few things I hadn’t yet seen. So go here for those.
Next up is the weekly Matchmaking Playlist Update. This is Bravo’s article and he listed the updates seen below.
Abandon
Sniper Rifle moved above Gold Lift
Sniper Rifle moved next to red spawn by Back Cliff (Beach)
Overshield placed on first floor of center structure, equidistant from team spawns
Red flag moved to bottom of Gold Lift
Blue flag moved back closer to Back Cliff (Beach)
Adrift
Overshield placed in center of map below Mantis
Twin Sniper Rifles placed on the corners of the map
Needlers replaced the frags in the center room in the corners
Cover and line of sight adjusted in the top hallways to help attackers in objective modes
Complex
Spawns moved farther apart and in proper bases
Flags moved to their respective bases
Red team Sniper Rifle moved to the second floor of their base
Rocket Launcher replaced Sword in the courtyard
Exile
Mantis replaced Scorpion and placed equidistant from both team spawns
Spartan Laser spawns in center cave
Railgun replaced SAW in front of each team spawn
Removed Gauss Warthog and replaced with Rocket Hogs for each team
Exile CTF
Team spawns and flags pushed back into their respective bases
Sticky Detonator spawns in Banshee hangar (no Banshee)
No team Warthogs
Gauss Warthog spawns in the center of the map and is flipped onto its side
SAW placed in front of each team spawn
Beam Rifle spawns in the cave by the Scorpion Bay
Haven
Rotated team spawns 90 degrees to oppose each other on the opposite axis found currently in matchmaking
Sword spawns in the upper center
Concussion Rifle spawns next to closed ramp
Sniper Rifle spawns next to open ramp
Lifts moved to the drop-downs to allow more flow to the upper level
Colored lighting to distinguish player/map orientation
Miscellaneous grenades placed around the map
Landfall
Moved spawns and flags to opposite corners of the map (Blue flag in lift room and Red flag by Dock)
Shotgun, Sniper Rifle and Overshield spawn at start
Longbow
Gauss Hog and Banshee added at each team spawn
4x Shade Turrets placed at the center fort on the ridge
Overshield added in center cave
Beam Rifle and Rocket Launcher placed at each team spawn
Meltdown
Fuel Rod Cannon replaced Incineration Cannon at each team spawn
Gauss Hog added at each team spawn
Plasma Cannon Turrets placed inside each side bunker
Scattershot added at each side bunker
Meltdown (CTF)
Mantis added at center of map under bridge
Beam Rifles added on top of the side bunkers
Plasma Cannon Turrets added inside each side bunker
Ragnarok
Rocket Hog added to vehicle set
Ragnarok (CTF)
2x SAWs at each team spawn
Railgun placed in the field opposite Pelican crash site
Solace
Removed Incineration Cannon from low center
Sword now appears alone at low center
Fuel Rod Cannon spawns on the side of the map equidistant from the team spawns
Vortex
Gauss Hog and Mantis added at each team spawn
Banshee added low center equidistant from team spawns

After this comes the results of the 343 playdate with the Halo community to show off the new weapons tuning. There are several game stat graphics shown. (Go to the article on Waypoint for those. (See at end of this article)

And finally the weekly Screenshot Spotlight. This time focusing on all things BLUE.

To see the above gallery and read the full Bulleting, go HERE.

-Sal

New Halo Mega Bloks: Flood and Zombie packs!

Posted on by

Found these on SpartanBloks today (courtesy of forum user “vanocean“:

Wow, lovin’ both the Flood and Infection sets! Can’t wait to see these in stores!
Flood Hunters Battle unit wm
I like the title of the Flood set. “Flood Hunters” Battle Unit. Very cool name! I never got the “Choco-Flood Elite” so I look forward to this set.Flood Hunters Battle unit back wm
On the front of the box you only see 3 infection forms, yet on the back pic you see 6. I hope there are 6 of those in there. This will be a nice set to get a couple of to army build flood figs.
Last Man Standing Zombie Pack wm
Wowzers, that “Last Man Standing” Zombie Pack is AWESOME! Next to translucent figs, Glow-In-The-Dark (GITD) toys are my next favs. Getting FOUR in one set?! I almost passed out. AND Green energy swords! Not to mention a regular Spartan to fight them. I’m TOTALLY diggin’ this set!

[UPDATE] CHECK OUT THEM GLOW IN THE DARK MINIFIGS!

Zombie-Pack_zpsf4b53da2

 

Last Man Standing GITD

Wow, I’m loving the glow!!!

-Sal

Halo: Spartan Assault 15 screenshots (w/o UI showing)

Posted on by

I got these 15 screenshots from XBOX showing in-game missions but without the User Interface in the way (well, except for the pause button at the bottom.

Pretty cool. I’d LOVE to play this game (if it were available on XBOX 360 Arcade…)

Click to make bigger.

The colors look VERY rich in tone.

-Sal

Halo: Spartan Assault – User Interface

Posted on by

Here are 5 screenshots of the users Interface (UI) from Spartan Assault:

Touch Input:Halo Spartan Assault - Tablet-Touch Controls HFFLwmAs you can see the UI is actually pretty simple for touch based devices. The twin-Stick method looks like it will work well with this, though I’m a little concerned with not being able to see enemies under your thumbs as you play. The rest of the UI is very clean and unobtrusive.

Keyboard and Mouse:
Halo Spartan Assault Keyboard Mouse Controls HFFLwm
Here we see the very simplistic control set for using a keyboard and mouse.

Mission Select:
Halo Spartan Assault - Mission Select HFFLwm
In this graphic we see what looks like 5 levels within a mission. Note the Bronze, Silver and Gold stars at the bottom left of the pic denoting what score is needed to get that corresponding star.

Mission Score:
Halo Spartan Assault - Mission Score HFFLwm
Lots to talk about from the pic above. First to the left are you mission scores and bonuses. Garnering kills of course will net you a score. Medal scores presumably are more than just killing. There are medals for multi-kills for example. Also, you get a bonus for the time in which you complete the mission. Quicker time, higher bonus, higher level star.

In the middle we see High score and Final score. I’d say it’s safe to assume that the high score denotes you best score (obviously) and that in this instance, whoever played the mission, just scored better, so the 80K score will become the new high score.

To the right we see what looks to be either an achievement or medal. I’m going with achievement here. Swiss Army sounds like a good name for an achievement.

Armory:
Halo Spartan Assault - Armory HFFLwm
And finally, here is the armory UI. Here you can upgrade your loadout by Primary and Secondary weapons, your ability and a booster. Note at bottom right you can buy credits. Dan Ayoub, Executive Director at 343 stated that you can earn credits by playing the game as well as purchase them with real money to get better loadouts faster.

To the right…Skulls are back! We can easily see that there are six skulls for this game. Presumably you can turn those on and off as you choose for a higher/lower bonus.

All in all, a good UI. Simple, easy to understand and while in-game not in your way of playing.

Great job to Vanguard the developers of this game, as well as any input from 343. (Now if this were available for XBOX360 as well so I could actually play the game…sigh.)

-Sal

Halo: Spartan Assault – Concept Art

Posted on by

A small batch of Concept art from the newly announced Win8 game.

Click to make bigger and show more:

(Yes, the “Frozen Tornado” pic is stretched. Got it from XBOX like that)

I gotta say, I’m really liking this concept art. Of course, I tend to like concept art to begin with as I appreciate the process of bringing something from concept to completion.

In particular I like the “Base Overrun” pic. I think it’s just something about seeing a heavily fortified UNSC base, rather than the artistic quality. For artistic value, I like the Draetheus V piece. I has me wondering why the planet is so close to another one that looks “broken.” Again, the contrast of light and dark between the planets as well as the space background itself is striking. I’d like to know who did that piece of art.

-Sal

Halo: Spartan Assault Podcast with Podtacular

Posted on by

Just recorded last night, (during a live webcast and chatbox) is this podcast I did with POD Dust Storm of Podtacular.

I go into detail about what Spartan Assault the game is, what is included, the Windows 8 exclusive controversy and much more.

Have a listen (it’s about an hour long).

      Download or listen

-Sal

Halo: Spartan Assault Fact Sheet!

Posted on by

From the official Fact Sheet for Spartan Assault:

Take special note of what I bolded in RED.

“Halo: Spartan Assault”
Fact Sheet
May 2013

Title: “Halo: Spartan Assault”
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Developer(s): 343 Industries and Vanguard Games

Format: Digital download available only for Windows 8 PCs, tablets and Windows Phone 8 devices

ESRB Rating: T for Teen
Price: $6.99 ERP1
Availability: July 2013

Product
Overview: Available only for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8, “Halo: Spartan Assault” is a new top-down action shooter that brings a “Halo” video game to touch-based devices for the first time in franchise history. Developed by 343 Industries in conjunction with Vanguard Games, “Halo: Spartan Assault” provides an accessible, pick-up-and-play experience for fans and newcomers alike.

Set between the events of “Halo 3” and “Halo 4,” “Halo: Spartan Assault” is a new chapter of the award-winning “Halo” universe that explores the first missions of the Spartan Ops program and dives deeper into the backstory of Human-Covenant wars. Play through the eyes of either Commander Sarah Palmer or Spartan Davis stationed aboard the UNSC Infinity as they fight never-before-seen battles against Covenant forces.

With rich storytelling, intuitive controls, and best-in-class action, audio and graphics, “Halo: Spartan Assault” brings the epic scale and action of the “Halo” universe to mobile devices through unrivaled action and intensity.

Features: Top features include the following:

• Original “Halo” gameplay. An action-packed, single-player campaign spanning 25 missions in battles never before experienced in the Halo Universe, all played from a top-down camera view

• New and immersive storyline. An original story set between the events of “Halo 3” and “Halo 4,” experience a new war with the Covenant, the first missions of the Spartan Ops program and the rise of Commander Sarah Palmer, all with best-in-class graphics and audio

• Built for simplicity. A unique fusion of touch and consolelike controls for easy pick-up-and-play gaming, with the added flexibility of keyboard and mouse controls on Windows 8 PCs and tablets2

• Integration with “Halo 4.” Earn experience points (XP), all-new Achievements, and unlock emblems for your “Halo 4” Spartan career, with additional integration features available after launch

• Nonstop competitive fun. Compete against friends in Leaderboards or hone your skills against an onslaught of Weekly Challenges while collecting more than 40 in-game Achievements and Medals

• In-app purchases. Grind to earn upgrades or speed up your training by purchasing credits for boosts, unique weapons or armor abilities

• Only on Windows. Available only on Windows 8 PCs and tablets and Windows Phone 8 devices.

About the “Halo” Franchise
The “Halo” franchise is an award-winning collection of properties that has grown into a global entertainment phenomenon. Beginning with the original “Halo: Combat Evolved” (2001), the critically acclaimed and record-shattering series of games has since inspired multiple New York Times bestselling novels, comic books, action figures, apparel and more.

Published by Microsoft Studios, the “Halo” franchise of games is exclusive to the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and the Xbox Live online entertainment network. “Halo: Spartan Assault” will be released worldwide on Windows 8 PCs, Tablets, and Windows Phone 8 devices. To date, more than 50 million copies of “Halo” games have been sold worldwide, driving more than 5 billion hours of gameplay by people connected to Xbox Live.

About 343 Industries
343 Industries is the publisher and developer of the blockbuster “Halo” series of videogames and, as part of Microsoft Studios, oversees the “Halo” franchise, including novels, comics, licensed collectibles, apparel and more. 343 Industries is home to world-class developers working on the Reclaimer Saga, which commenced with the arrival of “Halo 4” on Nov. 6, 2012, exclusively on Xbox 360.

About Vanguard Games
Established in 2010, Vanguard Games develops high quality games for next generation mobile devices, game consoles, and PC. Based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Vanguard Games was set up by industry veterans Martin de Ronde and Michiel Mol (founders Guerilla Games) and Arthur Houtman (Atari, Disney Online), who played key roles in the development of a number of blockbuster titles. Vanguard Games’ past projects include award winning strategy game Greed Corp and the critically acclaimed twin stick shooter Gatling Gears. The company’s mission is to develop games that set new benchmarks for mobile and online entertainment. For more information visit http://www.vanguardgames.net.

About the “Halo: Initiation” Comic Series
Created by Dark Horse Comics, follow the ascent of UNSC soldier Sarah Palmer from ODST to Spartan-IV. (English Only/Sold Separately)

1 Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 versions sold separately. Estimated retail price. Actual retail prices may vary
2 Wired or Bluetooth keyboard and mouse supported

/end copy/paste

Okay, so new emblems are able to be unlocked in Halo 4 by playing this….Thanks. Now I’ll have ZERO chance of 100% completion of Halo 4, unless this comes to XBLA, which clearly this Fact sheet says it won’t.

-Sal

P.S. I’m going to have yet MORE info, screenshots, etc.,  on Spartan Assault tomorrow, so stay tuned!