Firstup, if you ever listen to Podcasts at all, you have to listen to thisone, the latest Bungie Podcast. In it, we interview our own boss, Mr.Harold Ryan and he drops at least one world-changing bombshell. It wasdelayed slightly, thanks to a problem with a Mac that effectively burstinto flames. Right click the link to ?¢â??¬???save as?¢â??¬? - http://download.microsoft.com/download/d/8/5/d85ce76f-0cb2-41df-aaae-a8c96790332b/Bungie_Podcast_011808.mp3 or subscribe to it via iTunesand aid us in our unyielding desire to crush NPR once and for all. Wanna help us achieve Destiny? Join the Official Bungie Podcast group here at Bungie.net.
Missed an episode of the Bungie Podcast? You can download the complete masterworks at the Podcast Archive.
Oddball Update
If you play any Team Hardcore you should notice that we fixedOddball ?¢â??¬â?? now the time limit is the very reasonable 250 instead of theludicrously short 100.
We?¢â??¬â??¢ve been doing take home tests (wander home with a debug unit andplay from home on a ?¢â??¬???real life?¢â??¬? interwebs connection) for a few weeksnow, testing what will eventually be our first autoupdate. That updateaddresses a number of nigh-on invisible issues with the game and acouple of more obvious ones. A simple example is that we?¢â??¬â??¢re fixing thecommando shoulders bug. It?¢â??¬â??¢s too late to fix it for medal-gatheringplayers, so the simplest thing to do is open it up for everyone.
One of the other fixes we?¢â??¬â??¢re looking at more carefully, is agameplay tweak. Melee has certainly worked in Halo 3, but seen morethan its fair share of criticism. We?¢â??¬â??¢re working to remedy some of itsactual flaws, and perhaps just as importantly make aesthetic changes tosome of its apparent flaws. As ever, we?¢â??¬â??¢re applying our notinconsiderable test resources to this matter ?¢â??¬â?? but more vitally, sincemuch of the complaint comes from the community, competitive andotherwise, we?¢â??¬â??¢re working with that community to make sure that therevamped melee is a thing of beauty. We?¢â??¬â??¢ll tell you more about thatprocess and more importantly, update you on when you can expect thischange, in the next couple of weeks.
My Map Impressions
Sothe second DLC pack is at a stage of semi-completion, which means thateverything is largely in place and all that remains is test, gameplaytuning and a bunch of graphic tweaking and enhancement. The real nameshave all been decided and we just finished the map descriptions.They?¢â??¬â??¢re still a little ways off ?¢â??¬â?? thanks to the rigors of the testprocess.
?¢â??¬???Cottonball?¢â??¬?
I?¢â??¬â??¢ll talk about the biggest one first. And it?¢â??¬â??¢s HUGE. For thepurposes of this, we?¢â??¬â??¢ll codename it Cottonball. I guess a game of BigTeam Snipers would be possible, but anything else would be comicalwithout vehicles. This is very much a large scale objective game map ?¢â??¬â??designed first and foremost with CTF and Assault in mind. The map isalmost, but not-quite-perfectly symmetrical. Some natural geologyprevents each base from being a simple mirror image of the other. Isay natural, but the map is set on a Halo, so, natural?¢â??¬â??¢s not exactlycorrect.
The map leads to the kind of long, drawn out megabattles thathearken back to the days of the original Halo and the crucial to andfro of an epic LAN party. Its inclusion of a surprising vehicle or twomay make it even more interesting than it already sounds.
I?¢â??¬â??¢ve played this a lot (although less, by necessity than the othertwo) and I have found a couple of very compelling and addictiverhythms. The map is large enough so that even when a team makes offwith your flag, there?¢â??¬â??¢s still a lot of ground you can use to catch up.The other is that each side has some wonderful shortcuts ?¢â??¬â?? natural andmechanical ?¢â??¬â?? that may not make great flag escape routes, but might leta mobile pursuer cut off escapees.
And I know I am in the minority on this ?¢â??¬â?? but I sometimes havetrouble knowing precisely where I am headed on a more confusing map ?¢â??¬â?? Iwould call out Epitaph as an example ?¢â??¬â??often I will burst through a doorthinking I am headed to say, the Active Camo power up, only to find Iam not where I thought I was. For some reason, massive andlabyrinthine as it is, this new map never confuses me. I always knowwhich way is up ?¢â??¬â?? and that fact has saved my bacon and our flag,several times.
?¢â??¬???Purple Reign?¢â??¬?
The next one, we?¢â??¬â??¢ve already codenamed Purple Reign, may be the lastone to get a graphical addition ?¢â??¬â?? as one of our artists had an inspiredand simple idea at the last second. Technically it?¢â??¬â??¢s content complete,but hey, it wouldn?¢â??¬â??¢t hurt to add something small and fascinating.
The map, as we?¢â??¬â??¢ve mentioned before, is perfectly symmetrical,slightly too big to be small and slightly too small to be medium. Ithas some excellent line of sight and well thought-out verticalityproblems and opportunities. Bridges make short work of long opensections and a central hub is sure to be fought over. Perhaps one ofthe most interesting features is the use of one-way glass. Iridescentmaterial can disguise your location while you spy on approaching badguys.
The map is too confined for genuine cat and mouse activity at thosechokepoints and a warren of claustrophobic lower areas makes highground and control essential. Luckily there are several ways to get uptop, from careful jumps to spiraling ramps. Luke and I have played ahuge number of one on one matches here ?¢â??¬â?? often in SWAT to keep theduration sensible, but it?¢â??¬â??¢s a map that really encourages showdowns andit?¢â??¬â??¢s a remarkably fun place to trade BR fire and hurl elegant,predictive Plasma nades for hundreds of yards.
Although it?¢â??¬â??¢s built for Slayer, the objective games work beautifullytoo. If frenetically ?¢â??¬â?? lots of dropped flags and frantic attempts toreset while ?¢â??¬??nades assplode all around you.
?¢â??¬???OK Corral?¢â??¬?
The third and final map, that we?¢â??¬â??¢ve nicknamed OK Corral, is amedium-to-large, asymmetrical map that I LOVE playing Slayer on. It?¢â??¬â??¢sjust big enough to support vehicles, but in a Mongoose, it?¢â??¬â??¢seffectively a confined deathtrap. Vehicles are only to be used inemergencies. This map scales pretty well though ?¢â??¬â?? in a one-on-onematch, there are obvious places to fight close to the center of the map?¢â??¬â?? but the more players there are, the more they tend to sprawl into theouter reaches of the maps, complete with collapsed buildings,wreckage-strewn structures and lots of rebar.
Sniping spots are numerous, but that?¢â??¬â??¢s not really what the level isabout. What it is about is mastering routes from one end to the other,and knowing high from low. There is nothing scarier than seeing a reddot appear on your radar and not knowing whether that person is aboveyou, or around the next corner. Some interesting use of floor geometrymeans you might be able to spot someone on high, but not quite have theangle for a shot.
Baron of Jerks
Internet criminal, and web molester, Digital Pheerhas refused to bow under the pressure of our displeasure and has madeyet another NSFW ?¢â??¬???machinima?¢â??¬? film starring his iterations of MasterChief and the Arbiter. I don?¢â??¬â??¢t watch ?¢â??¬???machinima?¢â??¬? personally, since Ithink it?¢â??¬â??¢s blasphemous, but my advisers tell me this one is filled withbad language and horrific spelling. I advise you NOT to watch thisvideo: http://youtube.com/watch?v=iyjLnvI4yE0since watching it will merely encourage him to complain about DLC mapsusing primitive text-to-speech synthesizers and maudlin music.Remember, don?¢â??¬â??¢t watch this: http://youtube.com/watch?v=iyjLnvI4yE0under any circumstances. And don?¢â??¬â??¢t worry, we?¢â??¬â??¢re going to track this guydown, then, when he pops up on the grid, we?¢â??¬â??¢ll squeeze him like apregnant boil.
Shenanigans
Now for antics. The movie is on hold, but the WETA folks were soindustrious throughout, that they created a TON of amazing stuff, thatthey kindly sent us to play with in the studio, including weapons,armor and more. Keeping an eye out for frightened old ladies, or moreimportantly, Kirkland Kops, we had an impromptu photo shoot with someinteresting results.
?¢â??¬???Reserved means reserved for Bungie, Yuppie.?¢â??¬?
Bungie?¢â??¬â??¢s Angels (G4yle, Davina and Shauna). With Chief ?¢â??¬???woot?¢â??¬? approval.
Betcha can?¢â??¬â??¢t stick it! Joe Staten shows how large the life-sized Brute Spike Grenade is...
...but Frankie demonstrates just how small Joe Staten is in real life in this comparison.
Real life Grifball is every bit as deadly and stupid as you?¢â??¬â??¢d imagine. Frankie sweeps as Sketch goes in to score.
Frankie?¢â??¬â??¢s impenetrably nimrodian expression belies the Eureka moment he?¢â??¬â??¢s actually having?¢â??¬?¦
?¢â??¬?¦as he uses WETA?¢â??¬â??¢s rubber Warthog passenger to abuse the Carpool lane on the WA 520?¢â??¬?¦
BR Smarts: ?¢â??¬???see, you put the bullets in this telescope thing and press the BXR to melee?¢â??¬?¦?¢â??¬?
Kirkland Cougar hunting. Point and clique. Their watering hole: Starbucks.
No, you can't has Recon.
