Halo Wars Gamepro details (3 new screens 06-09)

[Tieno]

Three new screens

Game Time

Some people have been concerned about rush, well don't panic.  According to Game Pro, you'll be able to "prepare a powerful assault in less than one minute."

UNSC Units (not all units from the game are listed in the magazine)

This has been posted by Rasq'uire'laskar here.

For the record, the reporter said he liked the cyclops, so let's not jump to quick conclusions.

Marines: ARs (can upgrade to rocket or medic).

Flamethrower Marines

Warthog: You can add passengers.

Scorpion: Well... it's a tank (can upgrade to double barrel).

Cobra: Anit-Vehicle rockets and long range artillery.

Hornet: Light aircraft.  Can add passengers.

Wolverine: Anti-Air.

Elephant: Mobile barracks (can train marines).

Cyclops: Mech.

Vulture: Heavy gunship.

Covy Units (not all units from the game are listed in the magazine)

Grunts: The very definition of "cannon fodder."  Often armed with needlers.  Good against low-level infantry.

Hunters: In paris with fuelrod cannons.

Banshee: Lightweight aircraft.

Jackles: Snipers and scouts.

Ghost: Effective counter to warthogs and marines, but weak against scorpion tanks.

Scarab: Enough said.  MAC will kill it (yes, they said MAC).

Elites: Roughly equivilant to spartans.

Controls

Left Bumper: Select all squads on screen (may change in final version).

Left Bumper x2: Select all squads on the map (also may change).

Left Trigger: Moves camera fast.

Directional Pad: Jump to ares off screen.

Left Stick: Move camera.

Right Trigger: Modify (like making waypoints).

Right Bumper: Cycle through groups of units in current selection (may change in final version).

A: Select individual squad (hold to 'paint').

B: Cancel selection.

X: Move/gather/primary attack.

Y: Secondary attack (grenades, drive over infantry).

Right Stick: Rotate/zoom camera.

Back: Objectives.

Start: Ingame menu and options.

Spartans

MC may or may not be in the game, but is alive durring this period.

Powerful, but not unstopable.

You have to 'earn' them, but it doesn't take long.

Marines respond with oos and awws.

No shields!

They'll be one of the coolest things in the game.

Setting

Variety of alien and human worlds.  Not just Harvest.

Rings will likely be maps in multiplayer, but will NOT be incampaign.

Warthogs

This may answer the whole, 'why does it have not turret?' quesion if it hasn't already been answered.

You can upgrade the turrets on the warthog (probably empty, machinegun, and guass).

Multiplayer

Final version is expected to support up to 6 players over Xbox Live!!

Online cooperative (2 players).

Other

No release date (assumed 2nd half of 2008)

Not on PC... ever.

http://www.halowars.com/forums/thread/243900.aspx

UNSC UNITS:

Marines: As we know, these are shipped in squads. Due to the lower resolution of some of the pictures, they seem to have heavy armor and helmets. Think ODST-grade. The Grenade ability is activated by tapping a 'secondary attack' button on the controller.

Known upgrades: Rocket launchers, Squad Medic.

Flamethrower Marines: A variant on the Marines, but a separate unit. Imagine the Firebat from StarCraft.

Known upgrades: Improved damage + defense.

Spartans: Misidentified in Gamepro as having Mk I MJOLNIR armor. Shield less, but heal fast. Can be wiped out if not used correctly. Said to carry SMGs.

Known upgrades: Dual Wielding has been discussed.

Warthog: Running into enemies is a secondary attack, ala the Marine's grenades.

Known Upgrades: Chaingun turret, Gauss Gun turret, Passengers.

Scorpion: Heavily armored, difficulty in tracking fast units.

Known Upgrades: Explosive shells, faster turret, Grizzly Variant (Double barreled cannon, flamethrower defense, UNSC Corps faction only.)

Cobra: Rocket artillery, anti-vehicle. Think of the Katyuska Rocket Artillery.

Hornet: Its in. It's an early air unit, possibly a weak one.

Wolverine: Still in. Anti-aircraft, anti-building.

Elephant: A prototype to the Elephant we all know and love, it can train Marines from a stationary position and attack nearby enemies with turrets. Fielded only by the UNSC Fleet faction

Cyclops: A ripoff of the Cyclops unit in Age of Mythology, a 'Gigantic bipedal mech" that levels enemy structures with blows from its arms. Come on, Ensemble, I thought y'all were smarter than this. Deployed by the UNSC Corps faction.

Vulture: Deployed by the UNSC Fleet faction, its a slow gunship that seems to have taken the role of the Sparrowhawk.

Factions:  There has been much speculation as to how the factions would be implemented, and whether Halo Wars would need more factions like the Flood. However, it seems that ES is splitting the UNSC into Fleet and Corps factions. There is no word as of the Covenant. In my humble opinion, Fleet should be Army. In addition, I would like to point out that I predicted that they would do this on several occasions.

As for Sentinels... they're in. As Multiplayer only. And they ain't going to be a faction either. No, there will be factories which you can capture and control Sentinels as mercenaries. Make sure that your enemy doesn't take your factory from you though.

.http://www.halowars.com/forums/thread/242938.aspx

[Howard Alan Treesong]

I'll buy the superior PC version in 6 months

(no I won't)

[Vizzys]

as long as they nail the controls i will play

[Vizzys]

OH GOD HERE COME THE KEYBOARD AND MOUSE PEOPLE

[brawndolicious]

If it controls as well as LOTR or C&E3, it'll be fine.  and those games were made for PC first.

[brawndolicious]

I remember C&E3 glitching on me in the tutorial so I never got to the actual game. Never cared for it after that.

[AdmiralViscen]

Says right in there that no PC version is planned. MS doesn't usually say no definitively.

[GilloD]

Looks fun except for CONSOLE. Remember when LotR was supposed to revolutionize the way console RTS was played?

[GilloD]

Is The Flood unlockable?
I want to control The Flood.
No Flood, no sale.

The best part of Halo was the sudden reveal of the Flood.

[Hitler Stole My Potato]

Is The Flood unlockable?
I want to control The Flood.
No Flood, no sale.

I'm sure it will.  Halo Wars is StarCraft 1.5

UNSC = Terrans
Covenant = Protoss
Flood = Zerg

[pilonv1]

I would be interested in this for 2-player online co-op.

[AdmiralViscen]

Ensemble didn't wait for the credits to roll.

[Hitler Stole My Potato]

God Damn you Bungie, will Halo ever make sense?

Hell no.

Bungie had an opportunity between Halo and Halo 2 to make the Halo universe pretty damn cool.  They had the Cortana letters, the I Love Bees campaign, Guilty Spark ramblings, the Marathon connections - all of which had the potential to make the Halo mythology one of the more interesting ones in videogames.  But they blew it.  Big time.  It's like they had all the pieces together but then threw it all away in favor of some asinine storyline that was one of the dumber ones in recent memory (though MGS is still the reigning champ).  I don't know whether it was do to pressure applied by MS or what but Bungie lost that magic between 1 and 2.

I kinda wish someone could go back in time and actually rewrite the story correctly, disregarding the games (2 & 3) entirely. 

[AdmiralViscen]

What was dumb about Halo 2 and 3's story? It was generic, not silly.

Though I didn't even finish Halo 2's SP so maybe something happens in there somewhere

[Howard Alan Treesong]

God Damn you Bungie, will Halo ever make sense?

I kinda wish someone could go back in time and actually rewrite the story correctly, disregarding the games (2 & 3) entirely. 

Just read Banks' Culture novels already! Problem solved.

[Fragamemnon]

This sounds dreadfully sterile and boring and those controls sound absolutely terrible.

 Should have made another age of X game, where X is either "empires" or "mythology". What a waste.

[brawndolicious]

What was dumb about Halo 2 and 3's story? It was generic, not silly.

Though I didn't even finish Halo 2's SP so maybe something happens in there somewhere

the ending is really lame.  they go through a lot of trouble putting you in both the arbiter and MC's boots to teach you both sides of the conflict so you think there's going to be some super awesome twist at the end, but the game SUDDENLY ends.  with no twist.  with no satisfaction.  it would be a pretty mediocre sequel if it wasn't for the massively upgraded multiplayer and graphics.

[theetrin]

Considering the writers somehow FORGOT about the entire Covenant at the end of Halo 3, there wasn't exactly a resolution. What I don't get was why they bothered with so much symbolism and set up if at the end, NOTHING FUCKING HAPPENS!

[brawndolicious]

well (spoilers if you didn't play it of course ->) the last of the covenant leadership was killed and I'd imagine they wouldn't activate a halo without a prophet.  in addition to that, the smaller halo in the process of being built that the MC and arbiter blew up (to just kill the gravemind but save the galaxy) at the end of H3 probably took out a lot of the remaining covenant military since I'd assume they'd go all-out for the "final journey" so there's probably not much if any military force left to fight from the covenant.  showing the elites and the humans in an orgy or whatever at the end would be kind of corny so they just showed MC going into hibernation.

[Tieno]

Wait, when did MC die exactly?

He didn't and this takes place before Halo 1, around the time they make contact with the Covenant (hence that teaser trailer)

What was dumb about Halo 2 and 3's story? It was generic, not silly.

Though I didn't even finish Halo 2's SP so maybe something happens in there somewhere

the ending is really lame.  they go through a lot of trouble putting you in both the arbiter and MC's boots to teach you both sides of the conflict so you think there's going to be some super awesome twist at the end, but the game SUDDENLY ends.  with no twist.  with no satisfaction.  it would be a pretty mediocre sequel if it wasn't for the massively upgraded multiplayer and graphics.

It ends with MC and Cortana drifting towards a shield planet, possibly a hiding place of and built by the forerunners (guys who made the Halo rings, which are the sword and that planet being the shield) and leading directly into a possible Halo 4. Some also think it's connected to Marathon.

[brawndolicious]

I'm hoping the next halo takes place at least a hundred years later.  so that MC's technology is old and you don't feel like such a one man army.

[Tieno]

I'm hoping the next halo takes place at least a hundred years later.  so that MC's technology is old and you don't feel like such a one man army.

That's what the MC is about. Or play on legendary (and turn on a few skulls) if you want to feel weak.

[Hitler Stole My Potato]

What was dumb about Halo 2 and 3's story? It was generic, not silly.

It was incredibly dumb compared to the material being used to set up Halo 2.  All the symbolism, mystery, and Marathon connections went right out the window and all we were left with some stupid run and gun story that hardly made any sense at all.  They tried to bring a little of the original formula back in Halo 3 with the Forerunner terminals but it was too little too late and it made no connection to what was going on anyway.

And see the Audrey scenes in Halo 2 if you want silly.

[Tieno]

What was dumb about Halo 2 and 3's story? It was generic, not silly.

It was incredibly dumb compared to the material being used to set up Halo 2.  All the symbolism, mystery, and Marathon connections went right out the window and all we were left with some stupid run and gun story that hardly made any sense at all.  They tried to bring a little of the original formula back in Halo 3 with the Forerunner terminals but it was too little too late and it made no connection to what was going on anyway.

And see the Audrey scenes in Halo 2 if you want silly.

Maybe not obvious, but the story in the terminals explains the whole stuff with finding the Ark and helping MC destroy the flood.

[Draft]

I think Halo Wars is doomed from the start because the traditional RTS really does kind of suck on a gamepad.

I don't think it's impossible to make a good RTS game on a console. I think EndWar might be the game that proves this true.

But I do feel like the traditional RTS has been so refined on the PC that it just can't work with anything less than a 1:1 pointing device and about 20+ keys to make shortcuts with.

[Tieno]

I don't think it's doomed. I've played some demo's of RTS games on the 360 and they worked for me. I liked the demo of C&C but I kept wondering how much more fun I would have if it'd have a Halo setting.
I only have experience with Settlers III on the PC (if that's considered an RTS).

RTS games have always been daunting to get really into because of all the units and stats and shit, but with Halo Wars I already know the universe, the units, the factions and their basic workings which will make it far easier for me to get into and understand the game. I'm also way more familiar with a gamepad than a mouse and keyboard.

There are enough advanced RTS games for PC gamers on their platform of choice, but they're too daunting for me. I don't think PC gamers should or are looking for an RTS game on a console. Halo Wars is probably targetted at Halo fans and not so much at PC RTS gamers.

[brawndolicious]

I'm hoping the next halo takes place at least a hundred years later.  so that MC's technology is old and you don't feel like such a one man army.

That's what the MC is about. Or play on legendary (and turn on a few skulls) if you want to feel weak.

yeah, but I think it could be cool with survival/stealth gameplay.

[Fragamemnon]

RTS on console won't break out until they stop trying to shoehorn refined PC games into the console mold, and instead think out of the box and better hybridize with other successful console genres. I'd go more in the direction AWAY from the isometric commander view, and instead move to something more along the lines of Sacrifice, Battlezone, and to a lesser extent Pikmin and Overlord (the newer game from Triumph, not the space-faring proto-RTS of the way early 1990s), where view and control of the primary unit is familiar to console gamers, and from there simple commands and controls can be used to order the player unit to perform actions like capping, building structure, using "ring power" style abilities, and leading troops into combat.

[The Fake Shemp]

You're silly, Frag.

[duckman2000]

So, Halo packs this incredibly silly story and even more ridiculous characters. It is, however, a good FPS. So the brilliant idea here is to rip out the FPS format, and base a game of a completely different type on these silly characters and backstory? Sounds amazing.

[Brehvolution]

  Power of the Xenos 

[Tieno]

Added screens

[brawndolicious]

The Tom Clancy Endwar game looks a lot better.  Probably similar scale too since it seems to be console-centric.

[WrikaWrek]

What about Halo Chronicles? What do they say?

So, Halo packs this incredibly silly story and even more ridiculous characters. It is, however, a good FPS. So the brilliant idea here is to rip out the FPS format, and base a game of a completely different type on these silly characters and backstory? Sounds amazing.

So here's what. Many, many people, including "artists" like Peter Jackson, Guillermo Del Toro, and the guys who wrote the books and comic books, which were pretty good, seem to think that the universe of Halo and its characters are pretty awesome, let alone the fact that Master Chief is the 1st Gaming Icon to emerge in a long ass time.

So you, and others i'm sure, might think that it ain't good, but, guess what, you just going to have to live with the idea that you don't reflect the opinion of the majority. Like Hilary Clinton supporters, know what i'm sayin?

And, let's not take away the fact that Halo started as an RTS. But don't let that trouble you.

Only prob i have with this, is...it's an RTS on a console, now i'm a console gamer, but i would prefer to play an RTS on the PC.

[Kestastrophe]

RTS is one of my favorite genres, but I have to say that I had fun in BFME II on 360. So, I'll prolly end up playing this one, even with the inferior 360 controls.

[Tieno]

Two new screens

[Mupepe]

looking sexy

[Candyflip]

Console rts