[Deepblue]

http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?link=Halo3Announcement

WMV (large)

http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/b/3/5b3d8532-65bc-4bf6-b5ea-6ba0f2084d74/h3_e32006_announce_large.wmv

QT (small)

http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/b/3/5b3d8532-65bc-4bf6-b5ea-6ba0f2084d74/h3_e32006_announce_small.mov

"We won't ruin the content of our short presentation by describing it frame by frame, but we will note that everything you're seeing here is being rendered in real-time on the Xbox 360, using the current version of our Halo 3 game engine. The HDR lighting, self-shadowing, GPU-run particle system and many other effects should make it intact (and more) to our final game."

Enjoy.

[Fineus]

While I've not kept entirely up to date with Halo, I do have to say that looks pretty stunning. The trailer certainly built the tension up nicely and I look forward to seeing some more of the gameplay in action.

[Dark Knight]

Seems I'm going to have to play Halo 2 now... I've been putting it off to the Vista release that's supposed to happen at the end of the year. So, should I buy a 360 and spend hours trying to work out how to get it emulated, or steal my sister's xbox?

[Mongoose]

Can't say I'm really a fan, but it looks great for those who are.

[WeatherOp]

Looks really nice, but I've got to know they got rid of those stupid, same thing, over and over flood battles before I even think about getting it.

[Goober5000]

When's the novelization coming out?

[IceFire]

Oooh....downloading

This means that, according to my personal timeline, I will be able to play this game in roughl 3 years.  Not buying any of these fancy consoles till they discount and bundle them.  I still love my XBox and I'm in no hurry to change.  Heck...I still need to get the original Halo for Xbox and play it through...I have Halo 2 Special Edition

[Roanoke]

I only bought an x-box 'bout a month ago (though my bro had one pretty much since new). Can't be arsed spending a week-or-two-or-so wages on a console TBH. 

[Dough with Fish]

Wow.

That trailer looks pretty frickin sweet. I'm sure I'm not alone here, but anyone else catch that the MC is weilding the AR from H1? I wonder if we'll get a mix of weapons from H2 and H1 (hopefully including the old pistol)

[Deepblue]

I personally think the AR craps all over the SMG from Halo 2.

I'm hophing AR + BR FTW.

Just make the BR singleshot (making the BR the old pistol in rifle form) and keep the new pistol.

[Deepblue]

When's the novelization coming out?

Ghosts of Corral is slated for early 2007 I think.

Halo 3 is the "last game in this story arc." IMHO, that's a good thing because The Fall of Reach is begging to be made into a story-driven squad shooter.

But damn, after watching that trailer over and over again, I've had a bit to think about.

Potential spoilers ahead!

Spoiler:

Cortana has gone rampant, Smart AIs only have a life-span of say 7 years, and the many copies she has made of herself as well as the massive intakes of Forerunner data only speed up the process. I hope they do have a cutscene explaining what happened to Earth after the end of Halo 2, because it would be a damn shame to leave that a mystery. Not much is given away, that's for sure. The Arch in the distant looks like the ruins of the bridge in New Mombasa though, and you can see both the Zanzibar generator and beach sign. Evidently warping out of New Mombasa dug a nice hole for the Ark. I'm interested to know how relations are going to work out between the Elites and the UNSC, as an alliance is certainly suggested at the end of Halo 2. And as much as some people disagree, I think the Arbiter was a kick-arse character with a kick-arse voice courtesy of "Goliath."

[Corsair]

wow... just

[Deepblue]

To show they weren't full of it, Bungie had a controllable demo for some press.

Here's what Gamespot had to say.

"The demo shifted away from the crater to the part of the level you see the Master Chief walking in from. He was controllable, which means that the trailer is pretty much what the game will look like. Lehto was able to zoom in on the Master Chief with the camera, and you could see the many different ways light reflected objects onto him. For example, you could see light reflect off the ground and onto his armor. A new materials system shows the difference between his armor and the rubber undersuit. It's so detailed that if you bring the camera close to the Master Chief's visor, you see everything in front of him reflected in it, right down to the ammo counter in his rifle.

It goes without saying that Halo 3 looks really impressive."

[Deepblue]

Images:







It also uses a global lighting system, and the entire valley/crater is mesh. That's 3 miles.

[Backslash]

GOOD ZARK!  Whether or not one liked Halo 2 or not, that was a frelling awesome trailer.  And I had thought Marty's music couldn't get any better...

Seems I'm going to have to play Halo 2 now... I've been putting it off to the Vista release that's supposed to happen at the end of the year. So, should I buy a 360 and spend hours trying to work out how to get it emulated, or steal my sister's xbox?

Halo 2 works on Xbox 360 right out of the box, and with HD TV support too.  No fiddling required.  With split-screen multiplayer you can actually SEE things now

Ghosts of Coral might come out end of October or so this year, according to Amazon.  Dunno, but I'm looking forward to it.  Bees!  !reveal: truth

hee, rampant... why do I keep expecting Cortana to say "iiiiii-insect"   "Cit-Cit-Citadel Staaaaaaaaaaation"

[Setekh]

Sweet. Been waiting for this way too long.

[Turnsky]

sounds like ol' cortana is going rampant.

[achtung]

sounds like ol' cortana is going rampant.

I'd say gravemind is to thank for that.

You know, this could actually go in a freespacy direction.  By wiping out all intelligent life in a galaxy so that another may be able to gain power.



But, the game, looks f*ckin awesome.  I now have something to distract me by the time I'm in college!

[IceFire]

The Cortana and Gravemind thing freaks me out.  But Cortana seems so good natured in comparison.  Like light and dark.  This Cortana seems to be more conflicted.  Does she say "I am your soul?" in reference to Master Chief in the trailer?  That'd be sort of fitting....

Not sure what to make of that story development although I half expected it.  Its been done in a really cool way.  I'll be interesting to see how this goes.

[Setekh]

Cortana's speech is quite garbled. Sounds to me like:

I defy gods and demons
I am your shield; I am your source
I know you: your past, your future

Interesting.