14 August 2009 Link to this update Original B.net link Return to main page

<<

17 June 2011 10 June 2011 3 June 2011 27 May 2011 6 May 2011 29 April 2011 22 April 2011 15 April 2011 8 April 2011 1 April 2011 25 March 2011 18 March 2011 11 March 2011 4 March 2011 25 February 2011 18 February 2011 11 February 2011 4 February 2011 28 January 2011 21 January 2011 14 January 2011 7 January 2011 17 December 2010 10 December 2010 3 December 2010 19 November 2010 12 November 2010 5 November 2010 29 October 2010 22 October 2010 15 October 2010 8 October 2010 1 October 2010 24 September 2010 17 September 2010 10 September 2010 3 September 2010 27 August 2010 20 August 2010 12 August 2010 6 August 2010 30 July 2010 23 July 2010 16 July 2010 9 July 2010 2 July 2010 25 June 2010 18 June 2010 11 June 2010 4 June 2010 28 May 2010 21 May 2010 14 May 2010 7 May 2010 30 April 2010 23 April 2010 16 April 2010 9 April 2010 2 April 2010 26 March 2010 19 March 2010 12 March 2010 5 March 2010 26 February 2010 19 February 2010 12 February 2010 5 February 2010 29 January 2010 22 January 2010 15 January 2010 8 January 2010 18 December 2009 11 December 2009 4 December 2009 20 November 2009 13 November 2009 6 November 2009 30 October 2009 23 October 2009 16 October 2009 9 October 2009 2 October 2009 25 September 2009 18 September 2009 11 September 2009 4 September 2009 28 August 2009 21 August 2009 14 August 2009 7 August 2009 31 July 2009 24 July 2009 17 July 2009 10 July 2009 3 July 2009 26 June 2009 19 June 2009 12 June 2009 5 June 2009 29 May 2009 22 May 2009 15 May 2009 8 May 2009 1 May 2009 24 April 2009 17 April 2009 10 April 2009 3 April 2009 27 March 2009 20 March 2009 13 March 2009 6 March 2009 27 February 2009 20 February 2009 13 February 2009 6 February 2009 30 January 2009 23 January 2009 16 January 2009 9 January 2009 2 January 2009 26 December 2008 19 December 2008 12 December 2008 21 November 2008 14 November 2008 7 November 2008 31 October 2008 24 October 2008 17 October 2008 10 October 2008 3 October 2008 26 September 2008 18 September 2008 12 September 2008 5 September 2008 29 August 2008 22 August 2008 15 August 2008 8 August 2008 1 August 2008 25 July 2008 18 July 2008 11 July 2008 3 July 2008 27 June 2008 20 June 2008 13 June 2008 6 June 2008 30 May 2008 23 May 2008 16 May 2008 9 May 2008 2 May 2008 25 April 2008 18 April 2008 11 April 2008 4 April 2008 28 March 2008 21 March 2008 14 March 2008 7 March 2008 29 February 2008 22 February 2008 15 February 2008 8 February 2008 1 February 2008 18 January 2008 11 January 2008 4 January 2008 21 December 2007 14 December 2007 7 December 2007 30 November 2007 16 November 2007 9 November 2007 2 November 2007 26 October 2007 19 October 2007 12 October 2007 5 October 2007 28 September 2007 21 September 2007 14 September 2007 7 September 2007 31 August 2007 24 August 2007 17 August 2007 10 August 2007 3 August 2007 27 July 2007 20 July 2007 13 July 2007 6 July 2007 29 June 2007 22 June 2007 15 June 2007 8 June 2007 1 June 2007 25 May 2007 18 May 2007 11 May 2007 4 May 2007 27 April 2007 20 April 2007 13 April 2007 6 April 2007 30 March 2007 23 March 2007 16 March 2007 9 March 2007 2 March 2007 23 February 2007 16 February 2007 9 February 2007 2 February 2007 26 January 2007 19 January 2007 12 January 2007 5 January 2007 29 December 2006 22 December 2006 15 December 2006 8 December 2006 1 December 2006 17 November 2006 10 November 2006 3 November 2006 27 October 2006 20 October 2006 13 October 2006 8 October 2006 29 September 2006 22 September 2006 15 September 2006 8 September 2006 1 September 2006 25 August 2006 18 August 2006 11 August 2006 4 August 2006 28 July 2006 21 July 2006 14 July 2006 7 July 2006 30 June 2006 23 June 2006 16 June 2006 9 June 2006 2 June 2006 26 May 2006 19 May 2006 12 May 2006 5 May 2006 28 April 2006 21 April 2006 14 April 2006 7 April 2006 2 April 2006 31 March 2006 24 March 2006 17 March 2006 10 March 2006 3 March 2006 24 February 2006 17 February 2006 10 February 2006 3 February 2006 27 January 2006 13 January 2006 6 January 2006 16 December 2005 9 December 2005 2 December 2005 18 November 2005 11 November 2005 4 November 2005 28 October 2005 21 October 2005 14 October 2005 7 October 2005 30 September 2005 23 September 2005 16 September 2005 9 September 2005 2 September 2005 26 August 2005 19 August 2005 12 August 2005 5 August 2005 29 July 2005 22 July 2005 15 July 2005 8 July 2005 1 July 2005 17 June 2005 10 June 2005 3 June 2005 27 May 2005 20 May 2005 13 May 2005 6 May 2005 29 April 2005 22 April 2005 15 April 2005 8 April 2005 1 April 2005 25 March 2005 18 March 2005 11 March 2005 4 March 2005 25 February 2005 18 February 2005 11 February 2005 4 February 2005 28 January 2005 23 January 2005 14 January 2005 7 January 2005 30 December 2004 17 December 2004 10 December 2004 3 December 2004 19 November 2004 12 November 2004

>>

Bungie Weekly Update: 08/14/09

Posted by urk at 8/14/2009 3:58 PM PDT

It feels great to finally drop some substantial Heretic, Citadel, and Longshore lovin' out into the mix. They say good things come to those who wait, but man, that stretch felt a bit like forever didn't it? Hopefully, you're feeling pretty good after getting your first really detailed look too.

If you missed out, we gotcha covered.

And we're not done yet. Only a scant forty days out from Halo 3: ODST's launch, a significant wing of the studio is now fully mobilized, planning and preparing for more press events, recording and editing tons of sweet footage for upcoming video releases, and making quite a few marks on a collective set of calendars to make sure all of it comes together right on time. We'll even have some more information on Heretic, Citadel, and Longshore coming along soon along with a deeper dive into the soon-to-be-refreshed Bungie.net waters that you'll eventually get to swim in after Halo 3: ODST ships and our site once again gets a good old fashioned dose of the new hotness. We'll tackle both of those topics right here. Stay tuned. But for the here and now, we're gonna have to make due with a dose of words.

Brian once again played the role of liaison earlier in the week, making sure a fresh new batch of press visitors found their way around the studio, located the restrooms, and eventually settled into some shiny new copies of ODST to get their preview on. Look for their write-ups really soon. Next week, as Brian embarks on a new German Odyssey, his sails and swag set for GamesCon, a few of us will stay behind and play host for even more land loving visitors. For the first time, we'll be giving some press peeps full and unfettered access to the complete Halo 3: ODST experience, campaign and all.

If you thought we'd already tipped all of the cards in our hand, you must be new around these parts.

Firefightin' for Freedom (and Sandwiches)

In more personal news, Pat, Lars, Dan, and I were actually paid actual cash monies to play Firefight for about an hour and a half yesterday. An email went out, we huddled up closer than any four grown men should inside the confines of an oh-so-comfy playtest lab, and together, fingers figuratively laced, we romped, stomped, and dropped into some Firefight missions you'll be checking out yourself fairly soon.

Since the object of our expedition was to get some saved film footage in the can for public consumption, we started out on Heroic difficulty. Seemed to make sense for our ragtag squad, but soon enough someone issued a manly challenge and our gracious host Lars kicked us on over to L-dizzle, aka Ledge, aka Legendary difficulty. That's how we roll, son.

Even with four close-to-competent players it was a tooth and nail proposition the entire way - a knockdown, drag out, shrieking in terror affair. We held up inside a makeshift bunker like a bunch of certified sissies, forcing the endless Covenant assault to funnel in through one of three points of entry (which they often employed simultaneously). Hey, it seemed like a good strategy in the hit film 300. Or maybe it was a Graphic Novel. Or maybe it was an honest-to-life historical event. Whatever the case, we figured the weapon drops inside our HQ would allow us to stand firm for a good, long while, but in short order, we found ourselves scrounging around through a pile of dead aliens looking to score anything useful out of the sea of bodies. When Dan talked about weapons as a commodity last week, it wasn't just lip service.

A word to the wise: conserve your ammo. Those automag rounds you'll want to fire off in rapid succession in the early going? They're good as gold later on.

But truth be told, we still did alright. Respectable. Before we had to call it quits due to time constraints, we even weathered a Chieftain round.
Not that it was ever an easy affair - not by any means. It was an intense battle from start to finish with even the typical cannon fodder types becoming pretty vicious enemies in their own right, their combat prowess bolstered by difficulty, cramped quarters, and sheer, overwhelming force. And of course, as soon as a pair of Hunters stormed their way into our cozy interior space, the skeletal strategy we were attempting to employ quickly broke apart and crumbled to dust. Every man for himself. Hunters are worth a ton of points. Plus, they're all scary and angry and they like to smash things.

I had to smile a bit while I listened to the other three dudes gettin' whipped into a frenzy of excitement and entertaining expletives over our little Firefight excursion. While I've been busy making the words go, the trio that accompanied me are the folks who helped build the game. Dan and Lars specifically have been playing Firefight since its inception. It stands to reason that they'd be somewhat jaded or at the very least, just a little bit tired of playing. But that's not even close to the case. Suck it down, reason. Turns out "We make games that we want to play™" is more than just a trademarked turn of phrase. These dudes were rocking smiles the whole way through.

When we finally plunked down our controllers, pulled our shirts back on over our heads, and popped up out of our seats, we found that someone had silently slipped a big ole brown bag full of delicious sammiches into our midst. Bungie Princesses are so good to us. Did I mention we get paid for this? Guess you could call it a fringe benefit. Maybe even a bit of a bonus. Speaking of...

Bonus Round!

You already know about the Waves, the Sets, and the Rounds in Halo 3: ODST's all new, super awesome, gonna-so-play-the-blam!-out-of-this-when-it-drops-on-9/22/09 Firefight mode, right? If not, you aren't quite ready to proceed. You're still need to complete the training. Get yourself up to speed, take a few seconds to figure out the how the new Firefight hotness works, and then stop on back when you've been learned real good. And before you say it, yes I am the boss of you.

Ready?

No, you're not. Firefight's Bonus Round is a spectacularly crazy concoction of Grunts, Skulls, points, and extra lives all piled up into an mountain and carnage, craziness, and plasma grenades. Lars tells me that it was designed to give players a bit of a breather between sets, add more lives to the pool, and take out pent up frustration in the same fashion Ken and Ryu took out their rage on abandoned cars and stacks of flaming barrels. But even though it might double as a bit of a respite, this Bonus Round just might be the best sixty seconds of your Firefightin' life. Every mean-spirited, maniacal skull is switched on, bringing with them gameplay modifiers and point multipliers that you'll have to see to believe.

And if you find yourself in the midst of a Bonus Round, you've definitely earned it by completing a full Set. In Firefight, riding out fifteen Waves is a pretty impressive feat. Not only does it entail a massive quantity of all manner of Grunts, Jackals, Drones, Brutes, and Hunters for you to wade through, it also means that against all odds you've made it through three Waves of aggro Brute Chieftains hell-bent on Hammering and Rodding your face into so much unsavory space meat.

If you're able to avoid becoming table scraps for some overgrown apes, you should be feeling pretty good about yourself. Pat yourself on the back a bit, but don't take too much timeout, this is where you're gonna claim your reward.

Take full advantage of your brief but brainpan-modified time and you'll see plenty of points piling' up. And if you manage to hit the Bonus Round benchmark set for you and your team, you'll start earning 1ups like a mustachioed plumber with his feet full or turtle guts. (Don't eat the mushrooms, kids.)

Since Iron is now on, one death from each member of the squad is all it takes to end your little collective fantasy voyage upon this golden but tumultuous sea of points (vomit goes over the rail, please), but should you each fall to the overwhelming forces you're facing down during this monumental minute, you won't have to worry about foregoing any lives from your team's stockpile. Any deaths during Firefight's Bonus Round won't be subtracted from your overall pool. So, no pressure.

Since the points total required to net some extra lives differs depending on how many players you have in the mix and how many times you've visited the Bonus Round in each particular playthrough, we'll let you figure out where those watermarks lie. Don't worry too much over the details here, you'll get a nice message in game to let you know where your target is set. Chances are you won't have much time to do the math on the fly anyway. You'll be far too worried about staving off the steady supply of enemies streaming your way.

There will be Grunts.

Great heaping piles of Grunts. A veritable sea of salty Grunts descending upon you like a wave of cantankerous crustaceans. And each unsavory little jerk has one singular mission swimming around in his mad and methane-addled mind: to converge on your position, lobbing an unbelievable volley of armed plasma grenades towards your head, neck, and face region. And with every skull switched on, these angry little Unggoy do a pretty good job of making you dead. Lars calls them killing machines. His advice: headshots. Stay away, keep your automag zoomed, and deliver deadly, one-shot blows as quickly and efficiently as you can. Weather this brief storm and make it rain dead rapscallions and you'll tons of points and some much needed lives.

Godspeed. You'll have one minute to make some magic happen. Oh, and good luck - you're gonna need it.

What's in a Name?

Secondary disc. Boy, that was a pretty crappy way for us to describe the Halo 3 multiplayer disc that comes with Halo 3: ODST, wasn't it? From here on out, let's just call it Halo 3: Mythic. That's what it says on the main menu after all.

And yeah, we know we already called Assembly, Orbital, and Sandbox the Mythic Map Pack, but we're gonna ask you to toss Citadel, Heretic, and Longshore into that same hat. In fact, Halo 3: Mythic comes with every Halo 3 multiplayer map and you can play them all right from the disc. No need to do any downloadin'. That's pretty Mythic if you ask me.

Also, we'd also like to squash the little rumor that Halo 3: ODST is going to be made available for download over Games on Demand in short order. As far as we understand it, that moniker and technology is reserved for Platinum titles. If plans to release ODST in such a format ever do develop, we'll make sure you know about it. Until then, let's just call this what it is: misinformation.

You might notice a theme beginning to take shape with these sorts of stories. If you're getting word through some innocuous news channel, you can probably bet you're being fed bunk. Do not eat.

To Install or Not to Install

Good question. We've already answered it but here goes again, this time in short form:

Halo 3: ODST Campaign/Firefight Disc - Install It

Halo 3: Mythic - Don't Install It

Got it? Good.

Blame Stosh

Stosh found this screenshots this week. Lorum Ipsum. Did you see that stuff he said about me on the stats sneak peak? Blame me, he says! Can you believe it? I think it's well established who gets the blame around these parts.

All the News

hi
Posted by at 8/12/2009 3:24 PM (-7)

tulip2k9 writes: sorry

---

Hi. I have no idea what terrible thing you did to prompt your unsolicited, one word apology, but rest assured we forgive you.

We Out

That's it. We're done here. You may leave.