magik Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Max Hoberman, the former Halo 2 and Halo 3 multiplayer lead, announced he left Bungie to start a new development studio based in Austin, TX called Certain Affinity.The company's first project is the creation of new multiplayer maps for Halo 2, which will be released this spring. Certain Affinity is also creating a new Xbox 360 title to be announced at a later date. "We're not setting out to change the industry," says Hoberman. "We're creating games by choosing strong leaders, talented and experienced developers, and solid partners. This partnership with Bungie and Microsoft Game Studios is a piece of that puzzle and we hope it's the start of a long and fruitful relationship." A statement issued by the new studio says that: After 10 years at Bungie, Hoberman is leaving in the wake of a remarkable string of achievements and maintains a strong relationship with the studio. He spent the first year and a half on Halo 3 developing a solid foundation for the multiplayer and online game, and building a team able to carry the project through to completion. "What we've accomplished with Halo 3 is extraordinary," Hoberman said. "Halo 2 turned the online world on its head, but Halo 3 is going to rip its head right off. I am proud of my contribution to the Halo series and have learned a lot from my friends at Bungie." Now it makes sense why Bungie suddenly had time to make more Halo 2 maps since that part of the project was sent to this new company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon Live Veteran Posted December 14, 2006 Veteran Share Posted December 14, 2006 That's cool that it all seems to be on good terms and everything. I was afraid for a moment when I saw just the post title :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkGashX Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 I thought Halo 3 would be delayed, what relief! Can't wait for the Halo 2 maps, lets hope there are the last, few glitches to find *giggles*. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azz0r_wugg Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Halo 2 turned online world on its head? LOL What a crock of horse manure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sniper101 Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Ahhhh i wondered why bungie started making more news i did hear a rumor on a IRC channel Bungie was stepping up the pace for there projects but i wasn't sure and still me and many others i bet are still waiting for Halo 2 for PC to Actually come out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giga Veteran Posted December 14, 2006 Veteran Share Posted December 14, 2006 Halo 2 turned online world on its head? LOLWhat a crock of horse manure. Halo 2's matchmaking system is probably one of the best console multiplayer systems. They're improving and expanding it even further in Halo 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azz0r_wugg Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 CONSOLE. Sure, the entire online gaming industry? Not a chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acies Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 CONSOLE. Sure, the entire online gaming industry? Not a chance. you don't enjoy halo do you :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huleboeren Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Halo 2's matchmaking system is probably one of the best console multiplayer systems. They're improving and expanding it even further in Halo 3. What can It do, others cant? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magik Posted December 14, 2006 Author Share Posted December 14, 2006 What can It do, others cant? Others can do what it can now only because Halo 2 started everything. It created the standard to which all other multiplayer games are/will be compared and it will continue to be the standard until Halo 3 is released (assuming Halo 3 improves upon Halo 2's system). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huleboeren Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Others can do what it can now only because Halo 2 started everything. It created the standard to which all other multiplayer games are/will be compared and it will continue to be the standard until Halo 3 is released (assuming Halo 3 improves upon Halo 2's system). Okay, what is it did, that all other games are doing now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayepecks Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 With all due respect, how can anyone argue Halo was ground-breaking in almost any way? I am not a fan of the game, but I can understand how people can argue it is a good game or anything along those lines... but revolutionary, even in the online sector for consoles? Not really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huleboeren Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 With all due respect, how can anyone argue Halo was ground-breaking in almost any way? I am not a fan of the game, but I can understand how people can argue it is a good game or anything along those lines... but revolutionary, even in the online sector for consoles? Not really. Dido...uhh...Ditto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stanley porkchop Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 With all due respect, how can anyone argue Halo was ground-breaking in almost any way? I am not a fan of the game, but I can understand how people can argue it is a good game or anything along those lines... but revolutionary, even in the online sector for consoles? Not really. The matchmaking system in Halo 2 was better than anything else on consoles at the time... and is still one of the best. It did set a standard, hence why it was the most played online console game for, what, 2 years? I don't remember the exact time, but the point still stands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huleboeren Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 The matchmaking system in Halo 2 was better than anything else on consoles at the time... and is still one of the best. It did set a standard, hence why it was the most played online console game for, what, 2 years? I don't remember the exact time, but the point still stands. but WHAT is it that makes it so special? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giga Veteran Posted December 14, 2006 Veteran Share Posted December 14, 2006 but WHAT is it that makes it so special? It's a fast and seamless system integrated perfectly through XBL and Halo 2. Read about it if you wish: http://www.bungie.net/Games/Halo2/page.asp...king&page=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayepecks Posted December 15, 2006 Share Posted December 15, 2006 The matchmaking system in Halo 2 was better than anything else on consoles at the time... and is still one of the best. It did set a standard, hence why it was the most played online console game for, what, 2 years? I don't remember the exact time, but the point still stands. Being the best (in your opinion) doesn't make it unique or new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoadorable Posted December 15, 2006 Share Posted December 15, 2006 what the hell happened to spartan x btw? sorry for the off topicness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stanley porkchop Posted December 15, 2006 Share Posted December 15, 2006 Being the best (in your opinion) doesn't make it unique or new. It's not my opinion that Halo 2 has been the most played online console game of the past 2 years ;) edit: And anyway, not being the best in your opinion doesn't mean it wasn't unique or new. Give me an example of one other game that was as comprehensive and quick with its real time, fully integrated stats tracking. For consoles, obviously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayepecks Posted December 15, 2006 Share Posted December 15, 2006 It's not my opinion that Halo 2 has been the most played online console game of the past 2 years ;) edit: And anyway, not being the best in your opinion doesn't mean it wasn't unique or new. Give me an example of one other game that was as comprehensive and quick with its real time, fully integrated stats tracking. For consoles, obviously. OK, how about this... let's recap what you said: "The matchmaking system in Halo 2 was better than anything else on consoles at the time" This is an opinion statement. "Halo 2 has been the most played online console game of the past 2 years" This is a fact, and it has nothing to do with the argument. This is what we like to call the "red herring" fallacy. You say something somewhat related, yet pretty useless to the argument. This statement does not change what we were discussing -- whether Halo's online gaming was unique or original. Being "comprehensive and quick" doesn't make the feature original. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stanley porkchop Posted December 15, 2006 Share Posted December 15, 2006 (edited) It does when it's moreso than anything else on the market. Look, seriously: I really don't even play Halo 2. Did for two weeks when the game came out and then stopped, realizing it was a huge disappointment. I'm not saying "omg it's teh best thing evarzzz" just for the heck of it; I don't have any reason to defend it other than it genuinely being the real deal (at least at the time). The matchmaking system it implemented was better than anything else on consoles. Personally, I still don't think it's been matched. The "virtual couch" thing Bungie was going for did work, and brilliantly (at least for the vast majority of gamers out there). The stat tracking was unparalleled- not only did it follow who killed who and how many times and with what weapon, it also clearly illustrated the trajectory of the weapons on multiple views of the map played (granted, this was only on the website- not the actual game). It kept like-skilled players together and achieved a steady level of competition for quite a while. At least until the game became a virtual haven for cheaters and modders. But whatever; no game is exempt from those details, and they have nothing to do with the basic design and structure of the online game itself. You still haven't given me an example (N) edit: You say I'm giving opinion along with fact, but all you're giving is opinion. Restate your argument. Otherwise we'll just keep going in circles. What about it, do you think, doesn't let it stand above the rest of the pack? You keep saying I'm wrong, but you're not giving me any reason to think you're right. Edited December 15, 2006 by ragn4rokk 2.0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon Live Veteran Posted December 15, 2006 Veteran Share Posted December 15, 2006 With all due respect, how can anyone argue Halo was ground-breaking in almost any way? I am not a fan of the game, but I can understand how people can argue it is a good game or anything along those lines... but revolutionary, even in the online sector for consoles? Not really. Halo was a groundbreaking game, no question. Just a few reasons: - First FPS game that ever felt "at home" on a console. Goldeneye on the N64 was the only possible candidate before and Halo is leaps and bounds ahead of that. - The controls, two weapon + grenade system (and later dual-wielding), regenerating shields, weapon and vehicle balance, enemy AI, and numerous configurable gametypes were all great in their own right - but together they revolutionized the perception of what a console shooter could be. - The story (with its depth and originality) also set a new standard for games of this type. - Halo (with help from the Xbox's integrated LAN adapter) was the first game to bring LAN-party style gaming to the masses and to the console world. College campuses across the country were transformed as dorm network connections led to countless 8-16 player Halo matches every day. - Halo 2 introduced the first console matchmaking system that really worked. In fact, it bested most or all PC matchmaking systems as well (most of which were just lame server browsers). Being able to form a party with friends in your living room or across the country and go around challenging teams, other clans, etc... It all just works. There's a reason Halo 2 sold more games at its launch than any other video game ever, and that for 2+ years it was the most played online console game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayepecks Posted December 15, 2006 Share Posted December 15, 2006 Brandon, for one you're completely ignoring the entire point of the debate here. Secondly, you only mentioned improvements on certain features, you mentioned nothing truly unique or ground-breaking. I never said these features were not good features or neat features. I said they weren't ground-breaking, which is the entire point of this discussion right now. Now, please understand the meaning of this debate. I am not calling Halo a bad game. I could, because I don't like it, but something all you Halo fanboys who pounce on anything anyone says even remotely negative about Halo need to realize is that Halo is not the be-all, end-all of gaming. It may be a good game, but that doesn't mean it invented the wheel. All you people are doing is repeating yourself ad nauseum. Get this through your head: I am not implying Halo is a bad game in any way, shape, or form. I will repeat this yet again since you guys obviously do not comprehend: I am not implying Halo is a bad game in any way, shape, or form. You can argue about all the good features of Halo until you're blue in the face. Doesn't mean Halo did them first. Furthermore, all of your arguments are based on opinions ("In fact, it bested most or all PC matchmaking systems as well", "The story (with its depth and originality) also set a new standard for games of this type", etc). You can keep quoting all these cute little stats about how amazing Halo and Halo 2 sold, but it doesn't matter in the point of the discussion. I can say Titanic was the high-grossing movie of all time -- it wouldn't mean it was unique in any way if I did. ragn4rokk 2.0: Please tell me you're joking. You are completely changing the question of the debate here. I never said it didn't stand above the pack. I said it did nothing new or original. I'm not the one arguing the game was unique and original, you guys are. It's up to you to prove that it is -- and you haven't, because the game isn't. Again (let's get this point through): doesn't mean it is a bad, unpolished game. Means it isn't unique or original. You telling me to prove the game isn't unique or original is utterly stupid because it's an indefensible position you're trying to push me into. If you're the one trying to prove something, it's up to you to prove that point. But you can't, and that's the point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon Live Veteran Posted December 15, 2006 Veteran Share Posted December 15, 2006 I listed several new and original ideas and implementations in the Halo games (like the matchmaking system, controls/weapon scheme, original epic storyline, etc.) But you chose to ignore them. I also mentioned probably the biggest one of all - that Halo was the first console game with LAN multiplayer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayepecks Posted December 15, 2006 Share Posted December 15, 2006 A) Your "original ideas" were not really anything groundbreaking. B) Your "original ideas" didn't relate to what we are discussing. C) You did not clarify what was so original about almost any of these features. D) Matchmaking had been previously done in console games -- Halo was not the first. What was original about the story? That it was science fiction? That it involved aliens invading earth? That there was a ring? The two-weapon system has been done probably hundreds of times before Halo, so I fail to see what's so original about that. Furthermore, what is so groundbreaking about the controls? Dual analog had been used in FPS games before, so I see no key innovation here, as anything else is just remapping the controls (and the Xbox was a new console at the time, so of course no other game had done it before Halo on the Xbox's new controller). I'm searching Google right now to see if Halo was the first console game to use LAN, yet I am unable to find this feature listed anywhere. Can you please point me towards this information? Not disagreeing with you, just never heard that claim made before. As far as I know, the Playstation 2 had LAN gaming far before Halo came along. The Dreamcast had a LAN adapter, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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