Halo 3 Public BETA; New Halo 2 Maps

[sfalcon]

Coming this Spring! :D :D :D

New Halo 2 Maps!?

Another bombshell that was dropped today was the announcement of upcoming new multiplayer maps for Halo 2. There are a ton of details we simply can’t reveal right now but we can confirm that this content will be coming out sometime next Spring and it will cost something to download. We can also confirm that this new content is only going to be available on Xbox 360 and that you’ll need a hard drive to download them (which is also required to play Halo 2 on 360 anyways).

Halo 3 Public Beta!?

Perhaps the biggest bomb that was dropped today, the MOAB of press announcements, was the indication of a public beta for Halo 3 coming next Spring. What exactly does this mean? Well, again we can’t really get into the details quite yet (notice a theme here?) but we can confirm that our fans will have an opportunity to play Halo 3 multiplayer over Xbox Live BEFORE the final game is available. You’ll be playing a little multiplayer and simultaneously providing us with some valuable data to help our development team. We’re still working out the details on timing and scope and there will be a lot more info coming in the weeks ahead. We can confirm that you will absolutely be required to have an Xbox 360. Probably not a huge surprise.

SOURCE: Bungie.net

Also: High-Res, In-Game shot from early builds of Halo 3!

Happy Halo Day!

[Sheppard]

The textures do look a bit blurry, and im not keen on the amount of bump/displacement mapping on the armour, but as this is Alpha ill pass judgement for now, but it doesnt look as good as the hype was spinning :/

[ObiWanToby]

I never thought any of the halos looked or felt that great. They aren't bad games, just I do not think they are as spectacular as many believe it to be.

[magik]

Also: High-Res, In-Game shot from early builds of Halo 3!

Ah, getting ever closer to the target trailer. :)

They didn't really "roxor my boxor" since nothing was exactly released, but I guess they meant they'd "roxor" it next spring. Ah man, what a long time to wait. :cry: Why release them so close to the Halo 3 release?

[bdsams Veteran]

a public beta? why....i think thats a bad idea personally

[magik]

a public beta? why....i think thats a bad idea personally

How is a public beta a bad idea? It allows them to test Halo 3 (most likely it's net-code and other multiplayer aspects) and work out the bugs and kinks that would otherwise not show up in a closed inter-office private beta.

I'm just wondering, does public beta mean anyone can download and play using the marketplace (if they opt to distribute it that way), or will it be only to those that sign up and get selected to help them test?

[NeoTrunks]

How is a public beta a bad idea? It allows them to test Halo 3 (most likely it's net-code and other multiplayer aspects) and work out the bugs and kinks that would otherwise not show up in a closed inter-office private beta.

I'm just wondering, does public beta mean anyone can download and play using the marketplace (if they opt to distribute it that way), or will it be only to those that sign up and get selected to help them test?

Since they didn't say "closed public beta" I'll assume it's open to all those with a gold account for now. If I recall correctly, the closed interal testing is going on right now. At a point so close to release, it would be a good idea to test it out on a larger scale as you mentioned just for the sake of working out any kinks before it goes gold.

As for the game and myself looking forward to it... it has a lot to live up to. From my experience so far, Gears of War has taken the shooter crown on the Xbox. That would definitely be more than enough to hold me off until Halo 3 comes out.

[goji]

This has to be the best day yet for the "Halo Nation" since turning on the X-BOX for the first time and escaping from the Pillar of Autumn.

[Neo003]

Is it me or GOW looks lot better the halo3. I know it's still in works buy even when gow was in work it looked much better than this. There's no debt in surroundings, Which engine is it maybe they should change it to unreal3. Just a thought...

[stanley porkchop]

Yeah, the screenshot doesn't look like anything that couldn't have been pulled off on the original X Box. I remember a Halo 2 skin for Halo PC that looked pretty much exactly like the MC in this new screen.

Oh well, the Halo games for me have always been environments, music, and gameplay. Even if the graphics aren't as good as GoW (and I'm betting right now they won't be :p), if the environments are expansive and exciting enough, that'll make up for it.

And let's face it: Halo is just plain fun.

[Remysaus]

This has to be the best day yet for the "Halo Nation" since turning on the X-BOX for the first time and escaping from the Pillar of Autumn.

not really, alle they did was announce a demo late next year and they gave us 1 screenshot.

I was a lot more exited when halo 2 was finally for the first time in my trusty ol' xbox :p

[Elliott]

This has to be the best day yet for the "Halo Nation" since turning on the X-BOX for the first time and escaping from the Pillar of Autumn.

No, escaping from the Pillar of Autumn still takes the cake. :p

[Ayepecks]

No, escaping from the Pillar of Autumn still takes the cake. :p

He said since, meaning it's the best thing to happen since that :)

Good news, though. I'll get to see if I want to buy it sooner :)

[PL_ Veteran]

How...freakin'...awesome!

So, the maps will be paid for via MS points? Didn't know that was possible...

[Roger H. Veteran]

Well why wouldn't that work? How did we pay for the others before tho on Xbox? The credit card info stored in our profiles? I forget but i think it might be a bad idea for the maps. PLaying online with all those original Xbox owners they wont be able to join those games and thus limiting the playing field a lil. Granted alot of people have a 360 but how many are still playing halo? I know i am but (still in my disc drive now) are there that many still playing? On the Xbox it's still one of the more fun games out there for that console but for the 360 there's GOW and other games that have taken it's crown. I guess with the release of the maps a lot of people will be downloading and load up their Halo 2 disc again.

[spenser.d]

Screenshot looks amazing IMO. Seems to be some dimensional issues in the backdrop, but it might just be placeholder textures. The detail of the MC model is amazing.

-Spenser

[addc182]

Cant wait:

- To Mod the new Halo 2 maps

- To be on that beta

- Get Halo 3 Legendary Edition

[Fugi]

A wise man once said "Graphics don't make the game."

[Jeston Veteran]

Cant wait:

- To Mod the new Halo 2 maps

You're going to mod the new maps that are only on the 360, huh? Ok, good luck...

[elONEam]

A wise man once said "Graphics don't make the game."

Bungie know, that's why they were happy to show the game to the press when almost every texture is placeholder - gameplay comes first in the halo series, that's why it's still more popular on 360 than any other game.

[LOC Veteran]

Posted as news https://www.neowin.net/index.php?act=view&id=36149

:)

[MadFerIt]

You're going to mod the new maps that are only on the 360, huh? Ok, good luck...

I think he means, taking the maps to the xbox so they can be used on Halo 2 there.

[stanley porkchop]

Yay screens.

http://www.halobase.de/screenshots.php?blam=4&c=200611

[giga Veteran]

Final product won't look as good as the trailer eh? Not too far by the looks of it. And it's not even Thanksgiving yet. :rofl:

Halo 2:

Halo 3 New Screens:

Halo 3 Trailer:

[Jeston Veteran]

Wow, thanks for posting the Halo 2 picture with the new screen, that's a HUGE difference!