Halo 4 will be playable at New York ComiCon.

I’m VERY excited by this news as I’ll be attending this year. I can’t wait to get my hands on the game for myself and write up some reviews. I’ll take pics as much as possible.

I’m banking on meeting some of the 343 folks.

Also, there will be a special Halo LAN party (not held by 343) sometime during the con. I HOPE Halo 4 will be there, if not then it’s Reach. Regardless, I always look forward to gaming with fellow Halo fans.

If you’re going, please let me know. I’d love to meet subscribers of my blog.

-Sal (HFFL)

Halo 4 music sample reviews.

Okay, before reading this post you need to consider how you’re going to do it. I’m reviewing the music samples newly released. I suggest you open the link below. Then choose if you want to listen to the samples one by one then read my review, or read the reviews one by one while listening to the samples.

New Halo 4 music samples!

Regardless of how you do it, I hope you find my thoughts on the samples thought provoking as well as thoughtful.

Revival – This track features a chanting that comes in one word bits. The overall tone seems to intonate something of religious or ritual value.

To Galaxy – A feeling of vastness yet approaching something giving way to a feeling of seriousness followed by a wash of grandeur.

Immaterial – A wispy strangeness evokes a feeling of old movies then of modern horror.

Solace – The sample starts with a peaceful resonance that transitions into something akin to an oriental children’s theme. Unfortunately the sample doesn’t last long enough to get the full feeling of this track. This happens frequently from here on out.

Legacy – An Indian sounding theme, or general Middle Eastern tone. It’s a VERY short sample. I can’t wait to hear the rest.

Nemesis – Compelling with a “heartbeat” background thumping. This would have worked very well in a Batman movie. I’m glad we got it in Halo, instead.

Haven – Pyschological in tone, it evokes mystery and wonderment at the same time.

Green and Blue – With a brief almost “Star Trek” like opening, this sample is a mix of subtle computer tones (Cortana) with piano taking center stage (Mater Chief). It’s a bond, but one felt in sadness.

Arrival – Exploratory and adventurous it brings forth a hero’s crescendo with a  feeling of being battle tested and battle hardened.

Faithless – Rushing to or from something, the sample transitions to a subtle techno-Egyptian sound.

Ascendency – Ultra modern “shooter.” Makes me think of Spy movies, specifically James Bond.

117 – Immediately gave me a feeling of an old English/Irish/Scottish battle portraying a hero’s life that moves to a stressful feeling that comes from long and hard years with no rest.

Belly of the Beast – A tug of war type battle with notes offsetting each other going up and down, background horns emit an awareness of something epic.

Requiem – diving into the depths of a vast sea, the brief sample brings me back to the days of listening to a sea faring documentary ala Jacques Cousteau.

These samples are quite varied and run the gamut of feelings. From ritualistic to vastness to strength, peace, mystery and grandeur, the mixed themes of Oriental, Middle Eastern, English, Modern, and Fantasy are all present.

This is a new sound for Halo, but one I strongly believe we will all come to appreciate on some level.

Neil Davidge was a great find by 343 Industries. I can only hope that when I play the game for the first time and hear this music that I have these same reactions. One thing is for sure, this Halo fan will be buying the Halo 4 OST (Original Soundtrack).

-Sal (HFFL)

 

 

50 days to go until Halo 4!!!

It’s feeling ever closer. With new excerpts of music tracks released, more info on Spartan Ops, Armor revealed, and more, Halo 4 almost seems a breath away.

I don’t know about you, but I am getting EXCITED!

-Sal (HFFL)

New Halo 4 music samples!

Some you may have heard, but some are new. I got the links form “ZippungFilly812” on HaloWaypoint.com who got them from “Tridyrium” also on HaloWaypoint.com.

Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAvA0X_egAg&feature=plcp]Revival

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLfhQyl640A&feature=plcp]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52-eiTRgNkw&feature=plcp]Immaterial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guF4PXURK8Y&feature=plcp]Solace

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRSNqG9vig0&feature=plcp]Legacy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA8bHf5l6BM&feature=plcp]Nemesis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi9EeOXWkE0&feature=plcp]Haven

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdBgKvhWeO8&feature=plcp]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXnS1qfDAn0&feature=plcp]Arrival

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVm9bsOkiEo&feature=plcp]Faithless

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1p4h-Iz5oc&feature=plcp]Ascendancy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm20rE6KXRI&feature=plcp]117

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI5gqn1N7qE&feature=plcp]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xvuQk1O1L0&feature=plcp]Requiem

1-50 ranks not in Halo 4? A discussion.

I had a discussion on HaloWaypoint about there possibly being no 1-50 rank system in Halo 4.

I replied to a quoted post by the following two members there on Waypoint.

F U N Z B O B: People don’t like having to work for something they would rather it be handed to them and feel like they are winners Even if they’re Not

SitriStahl: Proved true in Reach: players are able to be winners at the max rank without touching multiplayer once.

With respect to you both, have either of you attained Inheritor? It’s not something handed out. You have to WORK for it. LOTS of gameplay involved. If you’ve hit that rank then you know it’s about grinding it out in some cases.

The big difference in Reach compared to Halo 2 and 3 is that players are rewarded for PROLIFIC gameplay, not specifically on skilled gameplay. You will get more credits for more kills and multikills thereby ranking up faster. So skilled players do get some reward, it’s just not shown as outwardly as it was in H2/3.

Personally, I like the idea of every and anyone being rewarded for PLAYING the game. Everyone should have the opportunity to get to the highest ranks and unlock things. The other difference in Reach vs H2/3 is that rank was just a title and did not at all reflect one’s skill. I’ve seen some massively horrid Inheritors out there. But look at their games played and you can clearly see they LOVE to play the game and a lot.

So why shouldn’t people be rewarded by the game developer for playing their game? It keeps those who are less skilled coming back because they DO have something to work for and CAN achieve it, despite their lack of skill.

In Halo 4 skilled players are going to get rewarded faster and with more credits. You’ll be able to get to those specializations quicker, making your ability to choose what loadouts you want more broad and give you an advantage.

I just think it’s strange that some fans want to live in the Bungie Halo mode. I’m not knocking it. I was there with you all too. I’m just ready for a new experience within the Halo franchise. As has been said on the [HaloWaypoint] forums ad nauseum, Halo is ever evolving. Each game has changed something from the previous one. In the case of Halo 3 to Reach some of the changes were huge. People didn’t like that much change at once. Well some didn’t, I LOVED it. Halo 4 promises to bring yet MORE changes, yet still holding true to the core of Halo gameplay as all the other games have, yes, even Reach.

It’s still about people versus other people. Shooting each other. With Reach we got abilities that some say are map-breaking. Fine, I LOVE breaking you… Really though, when I found out about Jet-pack, I was ecstatic. I could be Boba Fett or Iron Man in Halo, two of my all-time favorite characters. Most of the other abilities were good additions. I’m with most of you in that I detest Armor Lock. Bam, no armor lock in Halo 4.

In Halo 4 we’re going to get some other abilities as well as more loadouts to choose from as we rank up. Change in gameplay? Sure, to a degree. And this is where I say what some others hate hearing…you, YOU need to evolve. You need to learn how to adjust to new gameplay. If Halo stayed stagnant, then it would be crushed in sales…Oh wait, COD did that. So this is something that 343 is trying to change. They want to right the ship so to speak and have a more appealing and competitive game with other games in the market. Okay, I’ve gone on a bit much…’nuff said.

And with that I replied on Waypoint. So what do you think about there being or not being 1-50 ranks in Halo 4? I would really like to hear your opinions on this topic. Noone is right or wrong here. Everyone has a say. People are passionate about the topic on both ends.

Personally, I don’t care if it’s in or not. However, I do care if it means Halo loses more gamers due to not being able to get everything in the game…eventually.

-Sal (HFFL)

Is the remade map in Halo 4 “Relic”?

Frank O’Conner hinted at something on Twitter about the remade map.

The hint points to a restaurant in Seattle that you can view on Googlemaps. There are lots of “old” things within, leading people to believe the remade map is “Relic.”

If so, this would be an excellent choice, IMO. I’ve been wanting a good island map (not like Paradiso in Reach though). Relic is big enough and can support all players being able to sprint.

For those not familiar with the map, here are some shots of it:

So what do you think? A good map to remake? I can imagine some seriously cool graphics being done on this map.

-Sal (HFFL)

Making of Halo part 2: Return of the Forerunners (Discussion) part 2

We left off at the Watchers. Now onto weapons, disintegrations and locales, oh my!

Some cool looking weapon concepts. Scattershot made the cut. The one at middle-left looks reminds me of the weapon used by the Forerunners in the Halo Legends cartoon.

Chief using the Scattershot, the Forerunner’s shotgun equivalent. I LOVE how it’s just oozing with power. It’s supposed to be nerfed now from when it was first revealed at E3. Still, I can’t wait to try it out!

I just love how all the Forerunner weapons “transform” for lack of a better word. What a cool design choice. Definitely something different in Halo. (For the better, IMO)

Chief looking rather menacing himself. I believe that’s either the Boltshot or Suppressor he’s holding.

Have I said how much Forerunner weapons kick ass? Can I haz?

Here is the digital wireframe showing a Knight being disintegrated.

Followed up by the in-game result. Another excellent design choice. This really shows off the level of tech the Forerunner weapons have. And…it’s just cool looking.

Is this part of the innards of Requiem or one of the mighty Forerunner structures on it? By the way, you’re looking up, not across in this pic.

Great shot of an UNSC Scorpion in a hangar. I really hope we get to game in this area and it’s not just a cinematic. Again, the lighting is amazing. 3443 really has gone above and beyond with lighting.

A Jackal (foreground) and a grunt. Are they patrolling the Forward Unto Dawn? If so, they’re in for a world of hurt when they come across the Chief. Heh, I think I’m going to start calling this version of Jackal a “Cyclops.”

Looks like an Elite General and a Knight Commander are squaring off. Who will win? I’m betting on the Knight.

One of the outside locals on Requiem. It looks peaceful enough. Not the typical Forerunner structures at the base of the land. My how they like to pervade upon nature.

A hazy shot of a mountainous region on Requiem. The haze helps to give a good sense of scale, distance, and perspective.

Chief looking across a ravine. I really like this shot as you can see some great detail in the armor and undersuit.

Ah, our sweet Cortana. Not just another pretty face though. Her role in Halo 4 is bigger than any other previous Halo title. I’m not looking forward to her going crazy, but it’s a necessary part of furthering the story. I just hope she’s not “killed off.”

Crawlers showing off their namesake in a tight gully. Again lighting makes this more dramatic. I sense danger here.

Sentinels patrolling something that looks tantamount to an altar…
The scene is dark, again conveying danger. If this is part of the campaign, I’m betting it’s going to be one hell of a fight here.

A Phantom surveying wreckage. I don’t think this is any part of the UNSC Infinity. Rather, this is likely craft from sometime in the long history and past. Maybe early human design?

A Phantom again in the Foreground. It approaches a Mammoth near bottom-left. But wait, what the hell is that thing in the upper-right? It’s MASSIVE. I think trouble is about to find both smaller craft.

The visage of a Promethean Knight on a holo table aboard the UNSC Infinity. They are supposed to be 12 feet tall. I wonder if they didn’t walk with bent “knees” and hunched over with that huge shell on their back how much taller they’d be? Another 2-3 feet taller? They’re bigger than Hunters even hunched over and we have to fight them regularly. Yikes, imagine having to fight Hunters through whole missions of previous Halo games? The Knights are worse though as they can teleport and have much better weapons, not to mention the Watchers who protect them and can call upon Crawlers to help. A formidable opponent to say the least.

And finally, Chief encounters the Didact sphere. This promises to be one hell of a showdown!

I hope you liked my breakdown and discussion of the latest “Making of Halo” vid. If so, please post a reply. I’d love to know what you folks think as well of the vid and the articles.

-Sal (HFFL)

Making of Halo part 2: Return of the Forerunners (Discussion) part 1

This article is going to be image heavy, so I’m putting them in small. To see them larger, click on them.

So if you read my blog yesterday or went to halowaypoint.com you would have seen this video by now. (If not, scroll down and check out the vid). Now I’m taking some time to discuss parts of what we see in the video. I originally took 114 screenshots of this, but had to cut that down to something reasonable. I got it to 43… So I’m splitting the article into two parts.

Here we go:

The Promethean Knight is checking out the Spartan. Notice it’s NOT Master Chief. That helmet looks EOD-ish and has a green visor. Could this be from Spartan Ops?

Aha, so now we see that the Knights come in both Orange and Blue varieties. This shot is near to exactly the same one from the E3 vid.

Cortana’s butt, LOL.

A beautiful Forerunner causeway. Note the Covenant Phantom flying in the middle. There’s a lot of detail in this shot.Lighting is superb and I like the one-point perspective of the shot.

A concept scale shot of a Knight and Spartan. Um, wouldn’t that be kind of strange and uncomfortable slotting your arms in the armor like that? (on the Knight)

More concepts. These seem more like Cat people to me. Thundercats HO!

The middle concept is getting very close to the finished result. 343 really took great care and time to come up with the final design. (more on that in a bit)

Here’s that eerie glowing blue skull again. I LIKE it!

An earlier concept that had a face as part of the helmet, that then splits open to reveal a skull. It’s rather creepy, wouldn’t you say?

Ah, now this grunt looks like previous ones, well at least the helmet/breathmask. It’s going to take a little getting used to grunts with nose breathing tubes…

An Elite’s day is about to end. VIOLENTLY! It’s good to know you aren’t the only target of the Prometheans.

Another Knight variant.

I am MEGATRON! Well…it does look like him to me.

Another view, with the hard light spikes on the back. Coolness!

Hey, you got “Ring around the collar!” (okay, if you get that reference, you’re OLD…like me.)

A fantastic pic showing 4 variants of the knight. Note the different “swords” on each one as well as the collar/back variations. These look like overgrown battle beetles to me. LOL. I’m sure they’ll pick up a name like that along the way.

A cool color concept of the crawler. I’m digging these Didact Dogs!

RAWR! Note the mandibles split away and are floating, not attached to the crawler.

A Watcher close-up. Check out that little face on it.

He’ll sting you!

Watchers can regenerate Knights. Man, that’s going to be a real kick in the pants. Just when you think you’ve won a battle! Looks like Watchers are going to be a priority. (Maybe)

HaloFanForLife is going to New York Comicon!

I’ll be arriving on Thursday October 11 and leaving on Sunday October 14. Looking forward to meeting some 343 folks, some of my fellow gaming group buds, Robert Kirkman (creator of “The Walking Dead”) and enjoying a Halo LAN party. Keeping everything else pretty loose for the weekend.

If you’re going to NYCC, let me know. I’d love to meet folks who have checked out my blog.

-Sal (HFFL)

Making Halo 4, Part 2: Return of the Forerunners

This amazing behind the scenes vid, with a lot of in-game footage as well, is a cool 10 minutes 40 seconds long. Packed with new imagery and details about the Forerunner foes we’ll be facing in Halo 4, this video can not be missed. Well, unless you don’t want to see any potential spoilers. (So you’ve been warned…) LOL

I take screenshots of these vids to discuss later. After viewing this, I looked at how many I took. I couldn’t believe I snapped 114 screenshots… Needless to say I won’t have that many in my discussion write-up later, but there really is that much Halo goodness in the vid.

Okay, enough of my rambling, if you got this far without clicking on the vid yet, you’ve got a ton of patience. More than I would have.

Click the vid below and please reply with your thoughts.

-Sal (HFFL)