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Halo 4 preview

While Halo 4 is known for its multiplayer, 343 Industries is putting more of an emphasis on the fiction and story for its campaign and cooperative Spartan Ops mode.
John Keefer
5
QUICKTAKE: Although the Halo franchise may be in new hands, 343 Industries is taking great care to surprise fans by expanding the lore of the universe they love. Launching with the game on November 6, the incredibly ambitious Spartan Ops mode will offer a new piece of fiction each week, with five new co-op missions with each release. In fact, 343 is planning to offer months worth of regular content to expand the world--free for fans. THE DEMO: Frank O'Connor, the franchise development director at 343, and Kiki Wolfkill, the executive producer on Halo 4, focused the entire demo on the new Spartan Ops mode. Up to four players can take part in the cooperative missions, but O'Connor said they can be completed alone. Frank and Kiki took control of two Spartans going up against Covenant enemies on a planet where an archaeological dig was under way, presumably unearthing Forerunner technology. After dispatching the Covenant in a series of flanking maneuvers and run-and-gun action, the Spartans activated a piece of the dig that alerted more forces. Again, another battle showing off the cooperative nature of the mission ensued. O'Connor activated something called Forerunner Vision, allowing the Spartans to see heat signatures and the location of enemies through solid objects. A beacon alerted new enemies: the Promethians, Halo 4's new villains. Several Promethian types were revealed in the demo. The first were Crawlers, small dog-like creatures that were fairly easily dispatched when approached alone, but much more dangerous in groups. O'Connor said the easiest way to dispatch them were through headshots or a rifle butt to the head. Next came Watchers, flying units that could generate reinforcements and offer shielding to any of its allies within range. They also have a nasty habit of phasing in and out of sight. The final enemy was a Promethian Knight, a heavy duty attack unit that hits incredibly hard and forced O'Connor to retreat to gather a Forerunner weapon similar to a shotgun but with much more kick. DETAILS: 343 Industries made a philosophical shift in its thinking that Halo 4 forward was going to have a fiction that meant something, O'Connor said. It started with novels, with many hints in the books carrying forward into the game. The game takes place five years after the events of Halo 3, with Master Chief being revived from cryosleep at the beginning of the game. Where Halo 4 multiplayer departs from previous games is that now the franchise's fiction becomes a wrapper for both Spartan Ops and War Games modes.

A Spartan goes against a Promethian Knignt

The spaceship Infinity, which is seen crashing into the planet in the E3 trailer, will be the hub for all multiplayer activity, including customization and loadouts. War Games mode, which has been the traditional MP mode, is now treated as a training mode for the Spartan Ops mode. the latter will offer episodic fiction each week, with five new gameplay missions associated with that fiction. O'Connor said the missions are more than just "blow up a generator," but involve actual people you have met on the Infinity and the missions and story affect those characters and how the story play out. 343 has planned months worth of episodes with each advancing the story, with the episodes continuing the campaign story arc roughly six months after the campaign ends. O'Connor said that one season of episodes will come free with the purchase of the game, with the episodes being built with new seasons in mind. Three maps packs will also be available after the game launches, but purchasing the $100 Limited Edition of the game will get you the maps as part of the package. Halo 4 is scheduled for release on November 6.
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  • Shacknews legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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    June 6, 2012 8:00 AM

    John Keefer posted a new article, Halo 4 preview.

    While Halo 4 is known for its multiplayer, 343 Industries is putting more of an emphasis on the fiction and story for its campaign and cooperative Spartan Ops mode.

    • snubble100 legacy 10 years
      reply
      June 6, 2012 8:46 AM

      That single player demo gave me a strong Metroid Prime vibe. I like it. 343 has a couple of ex-Retro developers on the team and it looks like their influence is showing.

    • [deleted] 1243182645 legacy 10 years
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      June 6, 2012 9:12 AM

      [deleted]

    • meoff legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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      June 6, 2012 9:31 AM

      I loved Halo 2 & Halo 3... but once Halo Reach came out it went down hill for me. The idea of Jetpacks and Armor lock is absurd and made the game feel different for me (Not in a good way). If they go back to pickups in Halo 3 I may pick this up because it looks very pretty but will definitely veto if people are flying around like Tribes...

    • Tawler legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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      June 6, 2012 10:32 AM

      Wait... the article starts sounding like the game will have regularly released content for free in the first paragraph, then qualifies it with "only the first season" in the last. That should probably go in the first paragraph too before I start thinking MS is pulling a Valve or something.

      That's to say nothing about the fact that I have no idea how long or how many episodes come in a season, but that I'm guessing just wasn't disclosed.

      • Keefinator legacy 10 years
        reply
        June 7, 2012 7:54 AM

        They are launching a new episode each week, and each episode has 5 missions. A TV season is about 13 weeks. I'll see if I can clarify on what a Halo 4 season involves.

    • InfernoAblaze legacy 10 years
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      June 6, 2012 4:41 PM

      Wouldn't it be interesting if the Spartan Ops maps were community made in Forge? than the content for Spartan Ops would be free and they could keep up with a demanding release schedule without much strain. All they'd have to do is modify some aspects to fit the Spartan Ops lore, also I'm guessing the War Games and Spartan Ops maps will not be the same so War Games maps would be DLC.

    • jackomack legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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      June 6, 2012 9:43 PM

      I've always felt the Spartans seems too lightfooted looking. It looks like they may have animated them more to my expectation in Halo 4. Granted the armor and Spartans themselves around strong and assist, but gravity is still there. There just seems to be more of a thump with the steps that I like.

      • cyclonebee legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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        June 6, 2012 10:09 PM

        I agree, especially during the campaign preview, you could tell MC actually felt like he weighed the 2 tons that he is. He seemed to fall quicker from ledges and he really *thumped* heavily when he hit the ground.

        • InfernoAblaze legacy 10 years
          reply
          June 8, 2012 6:39 AM

          Back of the box quote "Master Chief now heavier then you remember!"

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