My Halo News.com

The latest news about the Halo series of games from Microsoft

  • Medals We Could Use

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    Mister Froggy has posted Halo, Articulated #26 – methinks he had some bad experiences in MatchMaking recently.(Louis Wu 11:10:50 UTC)

  • Monkey Sounds and a Crane

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    The Bungie Weekly Update is up way early this week – it’s mostly about the new Halo 2 maps announced today, but there’s also a bit about a comic convention in Seattle this weekend, if you’re nearby. Be very, very happy that Bungie found a way for all Halo 2 players – Xbox and 360 alike – to play these maps! A good read, overall – I’m looking forward to April 17! Readable, as always, on Bungie.net or in our Weekly Update Archive. And Frankie, predictably, was first.(Louis Wu 22:54:16 UTC)

  • Bungie Weekly Update

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    Bungie.net’s Recent News
    In this weeks update, we concentrate almost exclusively on the new Halo 2 maps, announced this morning. Lots o’ details inside!

  • How To Make Halo Machinima

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    Alexander ‘Nerrolken’ Winn, the leader of the Edgeworks Entertainment crew, has put together a very nicely laid-out tutorial entitled ‘How To Make Halo Machinima‘. Give it a read; there’s lots to learn! (Louis Wu 20:05:36 UTC)

  • Holy Shazbot! New Halo 2 map info!!

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    foomojive

    Big news from Bungie! Frankie finally revealed the details today about the new Halo 2 maps.

    Tombstone

    Halo 2 players can now play arguably the best Halo 1 map out there: Hang ’em High! Time to get the BRs ready and prepare for some mid-range pwnage across the map. This map is so awesome for juggernaut, moving KOTH, territories, and team slayer. It has a cool new look too… it looks like it’s in a loading dock area of Halo 2.

    Desolation

    The remake of Halo’s Derelict, this map makes for some interesting rumble pit games and great 2v2 matches. It’s a small map with some carefully placed transporters and tunnels to make for some narrow escapes and just in time cover.

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    Just when you thought that was all, Frankie tells us these maps will be $4 and they’ll be available for Xbox 1 and the Xbox 360. You’ll need a gold account to download the maps. They’ll be available April 17th. We can’t wait! More info at bungie.net.

  • Hang ‘Em High and Derelict coming to HALO 2!

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    THX SHYZZA

    Hang 'Em High now called Tombstone
    The new Hang ‘Em High is known as Tombstone

    Remember the H2 maps anounced a while back? Well they are being released on April 17 and they are renditions of Derelict and Hang ’em High. $4 will get you both maps. I hope they’re cool and work well with the H2 weapons. Now if only I could make a playlist to only play hang ’em with snipers.

    Gamespot coverage

    Press release:

    “Halo 2” Fans Prepare for Battle as Exclusive New Maps Expand the Most Popular Title on Xbox LIVE

    Two of the most popular multiplayer maps from the original “Halo: Combat Evolved” will arrive as premium downloadable content for “Halo 2” in April.

    REDMOND, Wash. — March 30, 2007 — Microsoft Game Studios and Bungie Studios today confirmed the upcoming release of two new, eagerly awaited downloadable maps for “Halo® 2.” The maps will be available as premium downloadable content for Xbox® and Xbox 360™ on April 17.

    Fans of the original “Halo” have long requested the addition of some of their favorite maps to the critically acclaimed multiplayer experience of “Halo 2.” These re-creations, developed by Bungie and Certain Affinity Inc., are a perfect way to thank fans for their support as they surpass 800 million hours of “Halo 2” gaming on Xbox LIVE®.

    The two maps will bring new life to ancient battlefields and legendary skirmishes, as both are new, improved and redesigned remakes of fan favorites from the original “Halo: Combat Evolved.” For the price of $4 for the pair, these maps bring a fresh burst of action to the seminal “Halo 2” online multiplayer experience. Both of the maps will be available through the “Halo 2” in-game content downloader for both Xbox and Xbox 360.*

    The king of “Halo” maps has returned at last. Hang ’Em High, arguably the most popular multiplayer map for the original title, has been reimagined for “Halo 2” as Tombstone, with all-new graphics, features and a few hidden surprises. Now fans will enjoy the dangerous catwalks and trenches that made this the most requested “Halo” multiplayer map ever, with a modernized “Halo 2” flavor.

    The second map, Desolation, is a symmetrical, Deathmatch-oriented map and a beautiful remake of the original Derelict. With new graphics and effects and a massive gameplay overhaul, the old favorite is now faster-paced and more balanced than ever — perfect for intense “Halo 2” combat.

    “Halo 2” is the sequel to the highly successful and critically acclaimed “Halo: Combat Evolved” and represents the second chapter in the epic “Halo” trilogy. Since its launch in fall 2004, “Halo 2” has maintained its place as the most popular Xbox LIVE title ever. To date, gamers have logged more than 800 million hours of “Halo” multiplayer action on Xbox LIVE, and they are eagerly awaiting “Halo 3,” slated for release this fall. The “Halo” franchise is among the biggest worldwide entertainment properties in history and continues to change the way people think about interactive entertainment.

    The new Hang ‘Em High:

    The new Derelict:

    __________________________
    THX SHYZZA

    ‹ THX will like Shadowrun April 17th, the new Halo 2 maps are the revamped versions of Hang Em High and Derelict… ›
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  • Trade in your Glock for an M19 SSM RL

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    Wow. This one’s pretty interesting. Several sites (Engadget, Techdirt) are quoting a Reuters article about a new program from the Mexican government, an attempt to get guns off the streets; turn in a gun, get tech stuff. High-caliber weapons net you a computer, while handguns get you an Xbox. As Davidgojr (who sent in this story) says, this might generate a few new Halo players…(Louis Wu 17:40:08 UTC)

  • Dew Process.

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    Last week, Kotaku mentioned a marketing program that involved Halo-branded Mountain Dew. Stuntmutt gets down to what it REALLY means in today’s One One Se7en.(Louis Wu 16:59:51 UTC)

  • Mark April 17 on your Calendar

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    Over at Bungie.net, you’ll find a new Top Story – it’s a look at two new maps soon to be available for download ($4 for the pair). Tombstone and Desolation are remakes of Hang ‘Em High and Derelict, respectively, and there are screenshots in the Halo 2 Gallery. It’ll be really interesting to see if Certain Affinity has managed to solve some of the problems that kept HEH from being ported 3 years ago… but I must say, it sure LOOKS gorgeous. Check ’em out! Thanks to TheBadgerWithin, who noticed ’em pretty quickly.(Louis Wu 16:17:14 UTC)

  • New Halo 2 Maps Revealed!

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    Bungie.net’s Recent News
    At last we reveal the two downloadable Halo 2 maps coming later this year. And no, it’s not an April Fool’s. Screens and info inside.

  • The Five O’Clock Guru Episode 1

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    trigger119, over at GamingTV, pointed out a new video from the Machine Enema crew – it’s called ‘The Five O’Clock Guru Episode 1’, and it’s… out there. REALLY out there. It’s hilarious – but it’s not what you expect. Pesto might turn out to be the best Halo machinima character since RvB’s Tex. The episode is nearly 12 minutes long; our mirrors (WMP9 | QuickTime) weigh in at 56.1 mb and 53.2 mb, respectively. I wish there were versions with a larger screensize! The effects are those you’ve come to expect from Machine Enema productions, the voice acting is fantastic, the humor is bizarre and rip-roaring. Go download! (Louis Wu 15:30:57 UTC)

  • Custom Halo Theme in Guitar Hero II

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    In early April, Guitar Hero II will be released for the Xbox 360, and speculation has it that the Halo theme will be available for play (possibly as an unlockable). Someone didn’t want to wait – over at GameTrailers, you can see a custom version of the song done on the PS2 version of the game. Pretty cool! Thanks, MasterChief2829.(Louis Wu 15:29:03 UTC)

  • Rolling On

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    Over at Rampancy.net, Narcogen has finished up his comparison of Gears of War and Halo 2 (apparently, it’s my fault he’s stopping at three segments) – this one looks at story and music. While earlier versions had Narcogen pointing out things that Gears might have done better than Halo, this one is pretty negative about GoW. Interesting read – I guess I gotta go play the game now!(Louis Wu 15:09:06 UTC)

  • Foulacy, Legendz, and FBI Icon – MLG Floweth Over

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    3Suns pointed out a raft of new content over at MLGPro.com – there’s player match commentary from Foulacy, an interview with Legendz, and an interview with FBI Icon (a lesser-known team, but one with high hopes). Go read, go watch! (Louis Wu 14:42:29 UTC)

  • Midship Strats at TPC

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    Over at ThePanicAttacks, NoFXRaven has written up an article on Midship strategies – give it a read if you have trouble figuring out how far Carbine is from Top Pink. Thanks, Jobyn.(Louis Wu 14:23:52 UTC)

  • Checkpoint delaying

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    Rockslider has written up an article about checkpoint delaying – ways to manipulate WHEN Halo gives you a checkpoint, rather than allowing the game to dictate how this happens. (As with all of his work so far, this information is relevant to Halo, not Halo 2.) Take a look!(Louis Wu 14:19:21 UTC)

  • Halo 3 Worries

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    BitMaP stopped by with a new, Halo-related episode of Strouperman – here’s hoping the prediction at the end is not true!(Louis Wu 13:33:22 UTC)

  • Friday’s Fanfic

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    Is it becoming a trend? Seven new pieces in the Fan Fiction section again this week. Go read.(Louis Wu 13:28:22 UTC)

  • In the hole

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    Sluty bk stopped by to point out a video he’d posted on YouTube; forum reaction was quite positive. (I’m not sure I ‘got’ it.) See for yourself!(Louis Wu 13:04:02 UTC)

  • Gears of Halo, Part Three

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    narcogen

    Louis Wu says this article is supposed to have three parts, so I guess this is the end. Weapons? Covered. Characters? Covered. NPC behaviors? Covered. Cover? Covered. What’s left? Oh, right. Story.

    Plot Holes You Could Drive A Warthog Through
    Normally, when one is talking about plot holes, one is referring to elements of a work of fiction that cause the audience to lose suspension of disbelief: characters acting contrary to their nature, unlikely and unexpected events, strange conspiracies of circumstance and coincidence. Things that make you want to lean over to your neighbor and say, “that would never happen in real life”.

    Works of fiction in fantasy and science fiction universes have a lot of different ways to conceal those flaws: magical mysteries and high-tech mumbo jumbo. Wizards are people who can summon fireballs from thin air, and the Enterprise is a ship which, by very definition, travels faster than the speed of light. All that remains is for these fictional universes to remain self-consistent. Which they sometimes do.

    Gears of War, though, has some plot holes. They’re different kinds of holes. Most of the time, characters in Gears are fairly easy to understand, and act in accordance with our expectations. Since most of the time we expect them to be either kicking ass or taking names, we are not confounded when these things occur. So when something happens that does seem unexplained, it stands out. Some sharp readers already pointed out a few, but I’ll try and start from the beginning.

    Click “read more” from the front page for the entire text.

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