why does everyone turn the news of a 'patch' to fix the most annoying things in the multiplayer aspect of the game into a "my fps is better than your fps" - it's counter productive, and kinda boring to read it AGAIN.
If you don't like halo, didn't buy the game, don't like the lack of co-op, thnk game-x is better you have no place in this thread - go zombie elsewhere, where people might give a flying fuck.

I think any updates that'll fix the netcode at the very least has to be a good thing, there are still a lot of people playing this game multiplayer, and i'm sure they're all thinking the same thing. If only we could have strafe jumping aswell!

Unfortunately their publisher went more with the industry standard of 'go with what's prooven, not what's revolutionary'. What's prooven is that FPS games are popular and can sell incredibly well. The moment you begin to rock that prooven boat by adding new 'features' you begin to create ripples in the water that can be counter productive to the success of the product.

If you want games that are more unique and revolutionary you might want to check out games from independent developers, otherwise I wouldn't hold your breathe waiting for the core industry to change it's bad habits because it simply won't ever happen.

I think a lot of people will have to realize that what we wanted out of Halo PC (the game promised to use since before Bungie was bought by MS) will never truely exist.

Yeah. If the game had have been what was promised then it would have been incredibly fun, but it seems that Microsoft has a not-so-hidden agenda to make sure the Xbox succeeds to the detriment of the PC.

I feel that the story and feeling(!!) shown in the video from E3 was stripped out and they decided to let a 5yr old write the plot. The E3 video of Halo probably showed the most potential for any game so far in the history of computer games (I am being completely serious) - that is why I feel so cheated that Halo became this commercial brainless console shooter.

Halo 2 looks, unfortunately, like nothing more than an extension to the brainless romp that was the original Halo. I remember all the Halo movies from 2000 and how it was so revolutionary... being delayed for about 3 years certainly didn't help (that's a long time for computers). Such a shame.

As an avid fan of Halo for the XBOX and then for the PC (including starting, adminning and participating in a Halo Clan) I think I have a fairly decent take on Halo PC and it's downfall/strengths, please allow me to elaborate:

Strengths:
1. Being able to play BG against other people (other then the 3 friends sitting on yoru couch, and with your own screen).
2. No longer having to use that @##$ controller. Mouse and keyboard baby.
3. A good way to benchmark hardware!

Weeknesses:
1. Performance (net,graphics,etc). Hopefully this will be addressed in this LONG overdue patch.
2. The same repetitive crappy SP levels and few good choices for MP levels. (I'll give credit to Gearbox for trying, but honestly, I think it's the engine's limitations that is killing this game).
3. Promising for months to gives us an SDK/HEK and not delivering.
4. Removal of CO-OP from the SP (the best part of Halo XBOX.)


Now, it's been widely noted that Gearbox has had it's hands tied on updating the game and Microsoft has pretty much turned a blind eye to making this game better (and arguably, for a damn good reason).

However, as much as I am looking forward to playing with the HEK when it comes out, I doubt this will have the affect on the gaming community that (some of) my fellow clanmates are expecting.

Halo has always been one of the most overrated games in history (next MGS2). The game has NUMEROUS flaws that Gearbox could never overcome without replacing the entire game. I think all someone has to do is look at quality games being released now (ut2k4, farcry) and compare the PRODUCTION QUALITY to games like Halo and the true quality of Halo will come through.

Halo 2 will rock. I wish they would release it on the PC and finally give PC players the game we've been wanting since 99, but I doubt that will ever happen.

I think a lot of people will have to realize that what we wanted out of Halo PC (the game promised to use since before Bungie was bought by MS) will never truely exist. It has gone the way of Sam and Max and may other (once quality) games and I really wish the gaming/Halo community would just move on. Let this game die with respect instead of being dragged through the dirt.

Thinking Halo was a bit misdirected with the "popcorn" horde and repeat levels

Repeating levels. Yes. Hint: if your map requires arrows all over the floor to guide players in the proper direction, your position as map designer ought to be filled by another. You need to quietly disappear from the gaming industry and bother us no more.

IMO, Halo's most luminous moment of brilliance was the first time I found myself fending off relentless hordes of zombie things, arms and heads and other bits flying in every direction (but only with the assault rifle; it's really weak with an energy weapon). Fucking intense. Unfortunately, the "popcorn things" (I'd always thought of them as malicious [American] footballs) ruined the whole bit. What lazy fucker thought up those things? It's no surprise they didn't show up in any E3 exhibition.

Halo was so amazingly average and they completely ran out of ideas for the end. The Covenant were a good enemy, but when they introduced the swarms of aliens at the end it got pathetically tedious.

The game was ridiculously hyped and delayed by years, then they sold out and when they eventually DID bring it out for PC it was an out-of-date average game that had a poorly optimised graphics engine. Farcry looks amazing, has a great feel to it, runs fast and it generally very good (except for the pathetic excuse for a storyline - the game is basically just an engine; they should have skipped the storyline) - Farcry will produce better mods that the dated Halo engine ever could.

I have no respect for Bungie because they sold-out and THEN had the cheek to release an awful console port to PC (with the help of Gearbox, the biggest fart of a company I have ever known).

Oh, look...

The folks who purchased and ruin^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hbrought us HALO have released a 550 megabyte patch.

That's nice.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled game of UT2004.

Er...HL, NOLF, SS2, DE, T2, MP, etc.

On pure story, it is fairly average or just on par with everything else. Some supposed war that is never progressed or explained in depth, you are the loner combat dude, got left alone, fight mutants, ring system that was never progressed or explained in depth, and kill big bad guy.

What really makes a game great is how deep the story may or may not be, how complex or dynamic it is, how well it ties into the overall gameplay, and, ultimately, the sense of progression and/or accomplishment.

If you want to discount all the FPS games and focus on just FPS, you would have to discount Halo as well and give the award to Serious Sam or one of its clones. After all, they keep the "FPS" store pure: KILL STUFF!

Thinking Halo was a bit misdirected with the "popcorn" horde and repeat levels,
Ray

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What was the last FPS with a better storyline than Halo within the last 5-6 years? I'm talking straight first person shooter here people, none of this inventory/RPG types.

Edit: Half Life was pretty good...but that's about it.


This comment was edited on May 2, 03:51.

I'm sorry, but Halo's singleplayer wasn't even as good as Marathon 2. Sure, it had prettier graphics and some vehicles, but the plot, enemies, and level design sucked for the most part.

As for this update, it's VERY late, and should have been released within a week or two of the game. I just hope it's not too late for a mod or two.

Sorry, but Halo's single player game is far less interesting than, say, either NOLF, or HL. OK, so Halo looked better, but the rinse-repeat level designs were ridiculously lame. co-op, for the most part, alleviates this issue, as you and your buddy end up trying to solve identically-set rooms more efficiently than before.

and beating the final level on Legendary is worth the effort, but I don't have the skillz to pull that off without my co-op buddy to save my ass in a nasty firefight.

basically, until this patch brings back co-op (and with their netcode being unable to manage 4 people on a lan, I doubt it'll manage 20 critters), the best part of Halo has been carved out of the game. I'll stick to playing this on my Xbox, thank you.

...to get anything for "free" from publishers/developers, does this not seem like what the original release should have been? I mean, it seems like this is patching "Screwed up, hacked together original edition" to the "Actually a port, we made some attempts to make things for the PC platform, maybe even add some stuff" edition.

Excluding the above, this does seem a bit late to have any real impact...

Still holding Halo as a great Xbox FPS, but only an above standard FPS,
Ray

--------------------------------
http://www.thief3.org/
http://users.ign.com/collection/RayMarden
http://www.guzzlefish.com/collection.php?username=ray_marden
I love you, mom.

In pure gameplay, Halo is the best shooter I've played in quite some time.

Agreed, Halo had some awesome combat. I'll always remember the first time I played that bit on the second level where you have to defend the marines against waves of Covenant. I was the sole survivor on top of that structure using every grenade and rifle round I had to keep the Covenant on the ramps where I could kill them. I took down the last Elite by bludgeoning him to death with my rifle.

Now if only the level design had been better...

Halo was a solid shooter. The repetitive library levels brought it down a peg. It's funny they solve the net code problem (hopefully), improve it's performance (with fast shaders), bring out an sdk with tutorials etc. and people still whine. My machine ran Halo fine and I'm curious to see what the patch does for it, and what comes from the editor / sdk. Should be fun, especially if it brings more sp action. Maybe including coop...

I agree. In pure gameplay, Halo is the best shooter I've played in quite some time. Far Cry and Freedom Fighters being only slightly behind.

Dude have you ever played any of the Good FPS on the PC? No? Thought so..

Its my favorite genre n00b. And it is a good FPS. Maybe you didnt like becuz you have a shitty PC? Still playing HL mods eh?

This comment was edited on May 1, 22:38.

Top class product on X-Box, and for once someone actually THOUGHT about the design of an FPS. Recharging shield! It should have been obvious! Even Far Cry gets that one wrong.
But the PC version showed up the low-res textures and other limitations imposed by the console which they didn't fix on PC. I sold my copy, it helped pay for Far Cry.

Halo has the best FPS single player experience of any game available, including Far Cry.


....HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

Dude have you ever played any of the Good FPS on the PC? No? Thought so..

200 meg of shit and not even any coop?
bungie listens to the public!

It wasn't the best, but it definitely didn't suck either. Although, everyone is entitled to their own opinions. I enjoyed the SP campaign, but playing co-op is what gave it more replayability. I can't even remember how many times I played through it in co-op..