Halo. Flood. erm, not all that interesting.

[replicant]

Camps

What fps scene on the Mac? You talking about the few pc ported products? You can't compare the two scenes. There were/are like chalk and cheese. The best thing for the Mac was the Quake 3 launch, and id directly supporting the "then" high tech Ati cards in the new Apples. Camps I don't want to be rude, but at times it appears that you are the expert of whatever genre is being discussed. As far as Im aware you were never a big fps player on either the PC, or the Mac. Yes I have played Marathon, albeit only for a short time.

Halo is a great game, but I wouldn't say that the FPS scene had stagnated on consoles. Afterall by that point online fps games had been introduced, and Edge had awarded a FPS as the best Western launch game for the Playstation 2 (a game which does offer a better DM mode still). While the console scene hadn't developed as fully as the pc one that was down to technical restrictions e.g. lack of mods, low ping internet access. What Bungie did was create an exciting Single player game, no different to what Rare did with Goldeneye. It is the new black to always view Goldeneye in a negative light. This is unfair, and one of the main issues I have with this arguement. If you look at Rare's achievement on the level of N64 hardware it was a wonderful product. Great level design, great weapons, great multiplayer, great graphics (for its time naturally) - what more do you want? I think that to date Goldeneye has influenced more people than Halo has. Don't be so quick to dismiss it.

"If MS were to pack in the console business tomorrow they have still left a legacy which will be remembered in the annals of console gaming for all time"

Interesting line. So MS are now responcible for Halo, and not Bungie? Ahh....slip of the tongue there. If anything MS were responcible for altering the original conception of Halo, and removing the persistent online world that Bungie were dreaming off. Now THAT was an innovative viewpoint from Bungie, and one that i hope does appear in the future. Perhaps with Halo 2, or another future product.

I agree Marcus. Roll on Halo 2. At least it will give us something new to talk about, and really see what Bungie can do when they have a proper development cycle for their new game. First indications are very good, but they are up against some tough competition.

[Freddo]

back on topic.

just wanted to say i think the library can actualy be really intense if played on one of the harder difficulties and in co-op mode, the sheer numbers of flood and the addition of a buddy to look after/have look after you really make it.

it could of done with some more stuff in it from a level design point of view, apart from the badguys theres nothing you would really want to stop and look at in there.

[JRMacumber]

JRM -

That was not an anti xbox remark. I can't help it if Im more balanced, and don't have to bible thump how good the xbox is unlike you.

Coming from a self-professed cynical hack, that's funny.

As for JRM, he's teasing you, and while the teasing may have an edge of irritation behind it that is only for the reasons I pointed out above, it's the same point over and over - Halo is good not great, XBox is still floundering as a console.

Mr. Garibaldi, you constantly reaffirm my faith in humanity. Thank you.

[John Beaulieu]

rep - couple of questions

1. where have i claimed i am an expert on any genre?

2. where did i dismiss goldeneye?

3. 'MS responsible for Halo' - who owns Bungie and which label is Halo published under?

4. FPS not stagnated since Goldeneye and Edge proclaiming another western FPS as the best ps2 launch title? do you mean Timesplitters by any chance? A fps developed by a majority of the Goldeneye development team and offering many of the same game mechanics as GE did (and please don't try to say that Timesplitters is better than Halo). Better DM mode? don't make me laugh - people who have sampled and enjoyed Halo 16 player DM will tell you just how foolish that statement is.

As for the genre stagnating on consoles - we had pc ports which weren't as good as their pc counterparts (Quake2, Quake 3 Arena, Unreal Tournament), we had a sequel to Goldeneye which was a step back, we had GE clones (the mighty Timesplitters), we had generic 007 games, and we had medal of honour --- now which of these improved the genre on consoles?

5. I personally don't know how big the fps genre scene was on the Mac - but Bungie led the way in said scene (first mac games with texture-mapped graphics, panning stereo sound, real 3d physics models with the ability to move up and down, high resolution graphics etc etc). Bungie were considered one of the premier outfits of the Mac development scene. Little quote to back me up here ....

For many Mac gamers, Bungie Software Products Corp. stands as a figurehead. The Chicago company has been making Mac games for most of the past decade, and its titles are widely regarded among the all-time classics for the platform.

How you can proclaim Justin is 'bible thumping' when you have been beating the same tune since Halo's first review is beyond me.

back on topic

the level designs might have been due to it being placed on alien architecture - maybe the designers wanted the game to feel uniform in structure since thats how they imagine an alien race will design things. gonna be interesting to see how they feature man-made constructions in Halo2, but from the E3 demo it looks like they might be getting it right.

Co-op is another example of where Halo's greatness shines through - even though you are playing through levels you might have played tons of times you still try out new tactics etc which gives the game that added edge. I honestly can't remember a fps that has drawn me back to the single player so many times and each time something has felt different ... Goldeneye drew me back time after time but soon you knew where enemies would be placed, what tactics to use etc. Goldeneye was like returning to a well loved book, never changing but always enjoyable. Halo is like returning to another well loved book where certain chapters are different each time and new characters appear in the story as by magic (an example rather than an actual occurance in Halo before the pedantic out there pull me up on it)

camps

[replicant]

As someone said to me last night. There is no point in posting in this thread. I withdraw.

[marcus]

There is no point in posting in this thread. I withdraw.

Does that include posting in all future Halo threads too?

[snowman]

Can we not have a banage on all halo thread'5?

[JRMacumber]

What? Throw the baby out with the cynically pissed in bath water? I think not.

[The Space Cowboy]

Ah halo, the only game in the entire world that you cannot bad mouth! Even though its ****.

I know through irc I take the same view as rep on this, well except he thinks it?s a good game and well I don?t.

Remember bowser123`s man u threads? Best thing ever blah blah blah that most of you got pissed off with it because a, you feel there are better out there and b, because you just get sick to death of hearing it! Well this is the exact same, halo this and ****ing halo that, PLEASE SHUT THE **** UP ABOUT IT, fair enough people will want to talk about a game they like but when you all start spouting bull**** about it, its hard not to reply about how wrong you are, its not the best thing since naked women, its not the best console game ever/current gen and it?s a million miles away from being the best first person shooter ever, and as rep said it really does show xbox has done nothing that the fanboys have to defended this game to such an extent where some sad ****s on this forum wont even argue they just send me abusive pms.

1. where have i claimed i am an expert on any genre?

Lad you claim to be the expert in every ****ing thing even when you know sfa about it. And you?re one of the main problems on this thread, statements like ?Halo is the finest next gen game released upto now.? Are not only bull**** but are of course going to stir **** on forums. And lets not forget why it has supposed to have pushed forward console fps! It?s a pc game. ;p And bungie have a past now do they? Lmfao before halo I bet a great many had never even heard of them.

Halo was my biggest gaming let down ever! even more than shenmue ;0 ;p

[marcus]

Congratulations on doing the officially worst post ever. Its no surprise you rarely post when this is the best you can come up with.

[The Space Cowboy]

Aim to please Wait till you have to put up with it and tell me iam not right.

[replicant]

hmm

its colourful, but Ive seen worse threads on here

[The Space Cowboy]

...where some sad ****s on this forum wont even argue they just send me abusive pms.

Congratulations on doing the officially worst post ever. Its no surprise you rarely post when this is the best you can come up with.

Its not a pm but see what i mean?

[acidforblood]

Even though its ****.

....So in your opinion which FPS have bettered Halo? Which current Gen games have bettered Halo? And what in particular gives the game it's ****tyness?

I'm not arsed which format it was originally intended for or who made it or if it's the only decent game on it's host console, you can muddy the waters all you like but it's all bull****, the fact remains there are probably a handful of genuine triple A titles over the last decade and Halo is one of them.

[Tom Salter]

Quality post there space Heres a couple of points though:

Ah halo, the only game in the entire world that you cannot bad mouth! Even though its ****.

You say that it's your biggest let down, and how it never met the hype, but what don't you like about it? You just sounds like an anti-M$ fanboy at the moment

Also, can we keep this thread on track, rather than trying to snipe at each other, thanks.