Halo2 Single Player PREview!

getippt aus der neuen xbn...
SARGE IN CHARGE
Sergent Avery Johnson is well known to all Halo players and he’s one of the few returning characters in Halo 2. A rare disease brought on by exposure to a crate of plasma grenades hat the side effect of making him immune to the Flood, so he survived when his comrades were killed. Now he’s ready to rick on Earth!


Being the SPARTAN super-Samaritan that he is, master chief forces his way on board a Covenant battle platform housing hundreds of enemy ships, sets off a massive "planet-buster" bomb, and single handedly destroys the entire fleet, save for a lucky stragglers. While a thousand Covenant mothers wept a river of tears, Master Chief and three fellow SPARTAN’s, will, Fred and Linda (seriously, we’re not making this up), race back to Earth to warn them of the now delayed Covenant assault. This sequence of events, which happens over the course of about a month after the end of the first game, effectively sets the stage for Halo 2.

>BATTLEFIELD: EARTH
"[Halo 2’s] single-player [game] ist by far the most important part to us," Pete Parson, studio manager at Bungie, says. "It is what we spend most our resources on," To illustrate this point Parson points out the huge disparity in size between the two teams. Multiplayer is designed by a handful (read: four) of network gaming devotees occupying a strip of Bungie low-walled, open-cubicled office studio, while singleplayer developers dominate the rest of the open floor. "The reason why haven’t talked about [single player] a lot isn’t anything crafty", Parsons explains. "We’re trying to tell a good story here, and we want people to experience it together without giving away spoilers."
Halo 2 promises to fall into place for fans of the series, even those who haven’t read any of the novels. Our single-player demo begins in the cockpit of a Pelican dropship soaring over the dense urban quilt of New Mombasa in East Africa. Frank O’Connor, Bungie.net’s content manager and our ad hoc single-player tour guide, tells us that we’re about to embark on the second chapter of Halo 2. Flying in formation with master Chief are two other Pelicans, presumably loaded to the gills with fellow roughnecks.
In the interest of keeping Halo 2’s story sacrosanct, Bungie has kept us from spoiling some of the cool surprises we saw during cut-scenes--such as the breathtaking Covenant ambush that takes place next, featuring we can only describe as "an awesome giant thing". not an entirely inappropriate moniker for something that all but swats Master Chief’s pelican out of the sky and into the dusty ruins below.

>PELICAN DOWN
Fade to a blur as the Chief stirs from his recent crash and control of the game is handed to the player. Although we couldn’t make out our mission objectives due to the incomplete audio mix, O’Connor tells us the goal--for now--is to secure this particular city block and clear the way for a landing zone. Like a scene out of Black Hawk Down (only swap out the cst with space marines and Covenant aliens), the atmosphere tales a turn for the chaotic.
The first wave of grunts and jackals to pour into the street meets the deadly end of our new battle rifle, which spews vengeance in short, controlled bursts. With its zoom scope and higher power rating, the battle rifle is accurate, deadly, and quite possibly your best friend on earth. Meanwhile, your dance of death with Covenant Elites remains much of the same in Halo 2. A constant give and take of hot lead and plasma, these fire fights require you to make tactical decisions on the fly--advancing, taking over, or retreating as the situation demands.
What immediately noticeable in our first skirmish with Halo 2 is just how much livelier it’s combatants--both friendly and hostile--have become. "When you hear buzzwords like how there are 20,000 lines in the game, that’s not just throwing a bunch of dialogue onto the bonfire", Parsonss sayys. "The A.I. in this game is fundamentally different [than it was in halo]. Now they’re exhibiting smarter behaviours, such as the way they flock or the way they fight alongside me. and it’s not just about how [A.I.] moves or behaves in combat; it’s also about what they say, or how they say it, or when they say it."
Just then, as if on cue, an elite pops his head up from behind the cover of an overturned truck an starts jabbering away in alien-speak--that is, before we silence him midsentence with a head shot. "You just totally interrupted what he was trying to say...so uh, yeah, they talk more now", O’Connor reiterates. There is a momentary dead calm after the last elite goes down. Shields regenerate (although health is still a nonissue since it’s been omitted from Halo 2), ammo packs are scavenged and the silence is punctuated by the gloating of fellow UNSC marines who stand over the body of a dead Elite ("Your eyes say no, but my gun says yes, yes, yes!"). We notice that our battle rifle is running uncomfortably low
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/SITE 1
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DID YOU KNOW
In the Halo universe,
the vast distances of the galaxy are shortened by the use of "slipspace," a phenomenon that bypasses normal space-time and allows faster-than-light travel. It's not instantaneous--but you can traverse light-years in mere days. Since the technique hasn't been perfected, slipspace is risky-- it wouldn't do to emerge in the center of a star.


on ammo, despite efforts to conserve.
What happens next is a minor spoiler but an encounter that must, nevertheless, be told. Accompanied by the distinctive buzz of insect wings is a swarm of new Covenant creatures that come fluttering over the rooftops of outlying buildings. "These guys are called drones: They can fly, they can snipe, and they're total jerks," O'Conner quips.


CLAN WARS
WILL YOU BRING YOUR CLAN FAME OR SHAME?
Playing online is an important--and integra--part of the Halo 2 experience. Aside from an Xbox Live friends list that is available at any time during the single-player game, Bungie is changing the face of online play by implementing robust clan features.
Anyone can create a clan at any time. Once it's christened, the originator of the clan becomes its overlord. As the owner of the clan, the overlord has all administrative privileges, including the ability to promote, invite, and expel other players. "When you're in a clan, there are four different levels," MAX Hobberman, Halo 2's multiplayer lead, says. "Everyone starts as a member; everyone is allowed to play in clan matches. As an overlord, I can demote this guy all the way to a peon, which means he's not allowed to invite anybody, and he's not allowed to spam anybody. He's only allowed to play in clan games. I can also promote him to staff. Once he's staff, he can recruit and also boot people from the clan." This level of depth extends onto the Internet, where your clan can customize its own homepage on Bungie.net for all to see, admire, and fear. Will you bring you clan fame or shame?
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/SITE 2
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DID YOU KNOW:
The SPARTAN II project
That yielded Master Chief and his cohorts began with children snatched from their parents by the military and replaced with flash clones. Trained through adolescence, many died after undergoing drastic physical enhancement (reinforced bones, improved eyes, neural boosts), but the remainder were supersoldiers to be reckoned with.


And he’s right. Taking on drones (the marines call ‘em buggers) gibes the trademark. Halo battles a completely different dynamic; not only are drones fast and cunning (the’ll use the environment to play hide-and-seek with you while setting up for an ambush), but their ability to zigzag through the air forces you to take the fight vertical as you’re patient. The bad news: Taking them down uses up the remainder of our battle-rifle dips. Switching over to the submachine gun allows us to dual-wield a Covenant plasma pistol, giving us the ability to make short work of shields with a charged volley, then plug an Elite full of holes. We try this new technique on a new type of Covenant dropships (dubbed the “Phantom” and the litter of grunts and jackals it delivers. Works like a charm.

>IN THE HUNT
Before moving off the streets of Old Mombase with our contingent of smartmouthed marines, we tango with a pair of hunters who, like Kool-Aid Man himself, make their grand entrance by bursting through a huge wooden gate. For the most part, these hunters are the same bulky bastards with shield and integrated beam cannon combos from the first game. But unlike hunters from the first Halo, these doggies exhibit much more aggression, taking care to let loose with their hand cannons whenever possible, while going to greater lengths (such as pushing aside the wreckage of an overturned truck) to bury you and your comrades. In the cool shade of a crowded alley, we move cautiously with Sergeant Johnson and his squad. O’Connor then introduces a feature new to the series: “I’m not having much luck with this gun here,” he says, “while Sergeant Johnson over there has a sniper rifle - and I want it - so I’m going to chase him up here. Sergeant, I need that”. By walking up to Johnson and pressing X, Master Chief can swap weapons at will with fellow UNSC infantry. After the exchange, whereby we forcefully barter our crappy submachine gun for a sniper rifle, Sarge bitches indignantly, “That hurts, Chief. That hurts real bad.”
With sniper rifle in hand, we hang back and pop caps from afar while Johnson and his men battle to gain ground through the alley. To our surprise, the Covenant are actually sniping back, with pockets of drones and jackals taking potshots at us using Covenant carbines and beam rifles. With some difficulty, we reach the end of the alley and make our way through a pitch-black hotel interior, cutting through the darkness with our flashlights. In the murky dusk of the indoors, drones - with their glowing green eyes - jump up to get beat down.
The light at the end of the tunnel opens onto a beach, where there’s a brief firefight and then the option to commandeer vehicles. “You can drive the Warthog, you can be a gunner - whatever you like”, O’Connor says. “If you get in the gunner’s seat, one of


HALO2 A to Z
Everything we know about Halo2 and aren’t afraid to share with you!

ASSAULT: New multiplayer mode where two teams try to plant a bomb in the other’s base. The first to detonate (or defend against) the bomb wins.
BRUTE: Tough new Covenant alien that looks like a cross between a rhino and a gorilla. These bad boys can swat Marines like flies.
CLANS: Groups of players who fight together online. Anyone can join one (and only one) clan in Halo2. See our sidebar on page 063.
DRONES: A new species in Halo 2, these nasty, flying, insectlike “buggers” travel in packs, and their erratic movement makes them difficult targets.
ENVIRONMENTS: You can damage them in Halo 2. Below off bits of a balcony, blast a column in tow, knock stalactites off a ceiling, etc.
FLOOD: Parasitic alien race the Master Chief fought in Halo. The Flood are weak on their own but make up for it with their ability to take over a host.
GRUNT: The foot soldiers of the Covenant army, they are relatively weak and easily frightened. In Halo 2, they can drive Ghosts and jump over obstacles.
HUNTER: These Covenant giants return with an upgraded arm cannon. It’ll take more than a single shot in the back to bring ‘em down now.
INVISIBILITY: One of the two popwer-ups in multiplayer. Together with overshields, it makes a return in Halo 2 with better visuals effects.
JACKALS: These punk-rock, chicken-lookin’ aliens return for Halo 2 with improved A.I. to make more effective use of their shield. They’re also more vicious.
KILLING SPREE: When you get five kills in a row without dying in multiplayer. Medals are awarded after the match for this and similar feats.
LEADER: Head of a party when playing online. The leader decides where the entire group will play, making it easy to play (and stay) together.
MOMBASA: A city in Africa where the Covenant fleet has landed. Why begin its invasion of Earth here? No one is quite sure….
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/SITE 3
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DID YOU KNOW:
Orbital Drop Shock
Troopers (OOSTs, or Helljumpers) are the special forces of the UNSC military hierarchy. Clad in black, their motto is “Feet First into Hell.” They’re not physically augmented like the SPARANTs - but they take pride in this; they see the supersoldiers as hardly human. They’re arrogant about their status, but they’ve earned it.


the (A.I.) humans will drive. The game will eventually let the Warthog cruise as far as you can get, there are no artificial boundaries.”

>A BRIDGE TOO FAR
To give us a taste of vehicular mayhem, O’Connor warps to the next chapter of the game, where we find ourselves on the far end of a spectacular bridge connecting Old and New Mombasa. The sight of this massive metropolis under siege in the distance is made all the more jaw-dropping by the massive Covenant cruiser that levitates overhead, casting a menacing shadow on the proceedings.
At our disposal are two fellow marines and a Scorpion tank. The mission: Simply roll into town with our new wheels, and if it moves, shoot it. “In terms of A.I., your guys are much smarter now. They can do things like drive vehicles and use the rocket launcher at the right pint, or they’ll snipe appropriately. But the bad guys also think more 3D now (in terms of terrain) and use vehicles - when you get hunted by a few ghosts, it’s pretty cool”
Although steering a tank down a massive bridge where enemies are constantly coming at you (and subsequently being blown to smithereens) may not seem very much like a nonlinear endeavor, there are a surprising number of ways to tackle this scenario. For example - although it isn’t recommended - you could make it all the way to New Mombasa on foot “You can literally go about it however you want”, O’connor says, describing afterward how he’s been attempting to jack one of the Banshees that come swooping down on your tank. “I’ve been trying that for days, but it’s hard because (banshees) are fragile.”
In light of recent graphically astounding games like Riddick, Far Cry and Doom 3, the bridge level in Halo 2 quashes any cynicism regarding the sequel’s ability to wow gamers visually. O’Connor is quick to defend Halo’s graphics: “That’s the thing, (this level’s) got like a tank, two guys on it, five Banshees attacking, a Phantom just dropped off some ghosts, you’ve got a Wrath tank that’s a million miles away (firing mortars at you) - and then you’ve got Riddick, with graphics that in some ways look better, but only because it’s two guys and a wall. That’s upped the ante for us, though, and Doom 3 does that as well, so our graphics have to be astounding in terms of scale”.
On the whole, single-player Halo 2 is a tender balance of missions where you’re propelled onward by way of level design while being bombarded by enemies and areas where the pacing is more deliberate, giving you plenty of time to explore your surroundings. “One of the biggest differences you’ll see in Halo 2 is that we’ve had time to tell a more fleshed-out, well-thought-out story”, O’Connor says. “In Halo, we simply didn’t have time to do that. What hasn’t really changed is the fact that there is this universe with well-defined rules and a consistent time line. That’s the one thing we’re all here to serve”.


HALO2 A to Z
Everything we know about Halo2 and aren’t afraid to share with you!

NEEDLER: Covenant weapon that fires a series of heat-seeking needle projectiles. It was practically worthless in Halo, but it’s been given a big boost for the sequel.

ONLINE PLAY: Possible for up to 16 players in Halo 2, with as many as four combatants playing splitscreen on any one Xbox over Xbox Live. (Suh-weet!)

PLASMA SWORD: Melee weapon that can kill in one hit - just line up a target in your crosshair until it turns red, then hit Fire to unleash a lethal lunge.

QUESTIONS: we still have plenty about Halo 2. Will there be an online co-op mode? Another Halo ring world? Is the Flood back? What about Fred, Will and Linda?

ROCKET LAUNCHER: Longer delays and slower rockets make this weapon a bit less powerful versus infantry. Then again, it can now lock onto vehicles.

SHOTGUN: The boomstick is back and it’s still one of the best weapons. A face full of buckshot at close range is almost guaranteed to bring anything down.

TURBO BOOST: Available on any vehicle by pressing the left trigger, this gives you a temporary burst of speed at the expense of handling.

UNPLUG THE PHONE: What you will want to do come November 9. In fact, get a doctor’s note while you’re at it.

VEHICLES: You don’t have to always be the wheelman in single-player Halo2; the A.I. of your fellow UNSC Marines can drive while you ride shotgun. “Easy right, maybe!”

WEAPONS: Halo 2 replaces the assault riffle with a submachine gun, adds the battle rifle, Covenant carbine and sniper rifle, plasma sword and a grenade launcher of sorts.

X BUTTON: Tap it at just the right time as a vehicle approaches and you can board it, knock off the pilot, and take it for your own. Time it wrong and you’re dead.

Y BUTTON: Hold this while standing near any weapon to dual-wield two guns. You can’t toss grenades but you can fire both weapons separately with the L and R triggers.

ZANZIBAR: Multiplayer level seen most often in screenshots, this beachside map showcases controllable turrets, destructible environments and a fortlike structure.


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ausführliche infos zum singleplayer modus!
nur noch ein paar wochen, dann wärd ichs mir holen und online gamen!!

klingt ganz gut wird sicher ein gutes game

@daisho
ja sory wollte ich eigentlich noch umbessern!

naja fertig ist es praktisch das game!

edit: whoo schon soviele gelesen

edit2:@moep halo wär IMO ne sünde am pc

Zitat von Hellgroove

Da kann ich nur zustimmen Konsole gut und schön aber Ego Shooter nur am Pc geniesbar

bitte spamts jetzt nicht den thread mit dem leidigen thema zu!
das würde schon 100 mal durchgenommen und imo sollte mans mal ausführlich auf der xbox spielen und dann ev. seine meinung neu bilden!
aber wie gesagt -> ansischtssache!

Das sollte kein Spam sein sry.

ICh hoffe nur das es für Pc kommt wäre schade...

Zitat von Smut

und darüber bin ich auch froh, am pc wärs wieder ein shooter unter vielen!

das stimmt, bei der konkurrenz am pc, hätt sowas ka chance.

der erste teil war doch ne frechheit, bitte...
am anfang denkt man sich, boah wie geil und dann kommen plötzlich nur mehr innenlevels, wo sich 3 verschiedene arten von räumen und gängen beinhart in der selben reihenfolge wiederholen.

und tausende von diesen parasiten abballern, die immer mit den gleichen geschrei abkratzen, immer mit dem gleichen nervigen geräusch zerplatzen, und das geht immer so weiter und man fragt sich, wann hört das endlich auf? aber es will einfach nicht enden...

und wenn man dann doch das letze level erreicht hat, erwartet einen ein lächerliches buggy rennen, wo wieder alles gleich aussieht und sich wiederholt, w.o. beschrieben.

so ein hype spiel...

und die pc umsetzung erinnert mich grafisch an turok 2.

halo war schon ganz lustig

freu mich jedenfalls auf den zweier

Zitat von Smut

imo ist das spiel kein hype wie vorhin behauptet -> wie schon öfters gesagt war der erste teil @xbox schon traumhaft über XBConnect online zu spielen...
und halo2 erst wo die features ausgereift sind!
btw...

06.10.04 - Microsoft hat für den 3D Shooter Halo 2 bislang rund 1 Mio. Vorbestellungen vom Handel erhalten. Das ist nach Angaben von Microsoft die höchste Anzahl an Vorbestellungen in der Geschichte der Videospiele.

Halo 2 könnte demnach das meistverkaufte Spiel in diesem Weihnachtsgeschäft werden - vom ersten Halo wurden weltweit bislang 5 Mio. Einheiten verkauft.
CLICK (SeattleTimes: 'Halo 2 for Xbox gets jump on holiday season')

Halo über XBConnect war owa mehr a Qual, i hob mit Chello so wahnsinnig schlechte Pings ghobt
und des zu EU Servern

wahhhhhhhhhhhh......ich brauch Halo2

btw, weiß jemand ob ma mit ISDN online spielen kann ?
laut MS gehts ja nur mit Breitband, aber ich hab scho an Account und Co
wenn nicht, kann ich nur im Winter im 2. mit Chello spielen