Making of Halo 4: Return of the Forerunners (Vidoc)

[Erttheking]

Snip

I'm not that upset about the loss of Elites, but then again I never used them anyway. Them holding Human weapons (which you usually spawn with in all games) just felt kinda awkward. There is some good news though, one of the developers of Halo 4 flat out said that these Elites were just a splinter faction, which I can buy, the Elites were forced to fight alongside of Humanity out of desperation, not all of them are just going to let go of 25 years of war and hatred, I can buy that. I have to raise my eyebrow at ONI's "brilliant" plan though. Splinter faction hates us and wants to activate the Halo array...give them guns. Outstanding logic guys, why don't you just give them the activation index while you're at it? Also, the maybe Traviss was forced to set up the Covenant as an enemy, I don't know, but I still don't like her as an author because she completely bashed Halsey (Halsey abducted 75 children, turned them all into super soldiers, acted like a surrogate mother to them all and was reported to suffer extreme guilt issues over it and trained them as well as she could so that they wouldn't die, and made sure that they got the best armor, training and equipment that the UNSC could make. Colonel Ackerson recruited thousands of war orphans gave them inferior augmentations and equipment compared to the SPARTAN IIs, and sent them off to die in suicide missions by the hundreds for their FIRST MISSION and then if they survived, he would give them easier ones, and oh yeah, he tried to kill Chief with an airstrike to make Halsey look bad...and yet Traviss paints Halsey as the devil and Ackerson as a decent guy? FUCK! THAT!)in that story and I'm pretty sure THAT wasn't mandated by Microsoft.

Where was I? Oh right. I don't really mind the grunts, I pretty much identified them right away. They look pretty similar to me, just a little more ugly and missing the methane masks, but the tubes going into their nose look like that's how they breath now. To be fair it probably is less likely to be damaged by a bullet in combat. Also about Thel Vadam, he's not going to be in the campaign...he's going to be in Spartan Ops though.

http://mistasilentkiller.deviantart.com/journal/Halo-4-The-Arbiter-Thel-Vadam-returns-295963311

And Spartan Ops is said to take place six months after the campaign of Halo 4, so it looks like you're going to get your wish about the UNSC working with Thel and his Elites. So yeah, frankly I'm working forward to it and I respectfully disagree with you.

 

[Erttheking]

"We didn't want them to look like monsters, because they're not monsters."

Not a minute and a half after a Promethian's face mask splits open to reveal a screaming blue skull like something out of Dead Space.

I'm sorry 343, but you just aren't selling me on this. Everything I see is just making me dislike more and more. Promethians, probably not the best name to use considering how people are going to draw parallels between this and Ridley Scott's prometheus. Even if it is a reference to giving mankind intelligence, they could have used something else.

The planet looks like they watched Avatar a few too many times. And then there is the damn "escalation" that I always hate in sequels. Its like the first game, except this time there's more at stake. Why does it always have to go like this? First, it was only one Halo's destruction radius they had to worry about. Now, it's the universe! Dammit, can't we have a low key sequel for a change?

I don't want to be a defending fanboy, but the "promethean" name has been going since Halo 1, over a decade ago, the planet is inside a shell, with similar ecosystems to the rings which look nothing like the avatar planet, and while they are doing the classic clichéd sequel up-scaling, the storytelling looks to be a lot more detailed and complex and engaging than the previous trilogy.

I can't wait to play it, they've done all they need to for setting up a new trilogy of sequels. any more change and it's not a Halo game, any less and there's not enough change to call it a new trilogy. I have been burned by hype in the past but I am intrigued with teh direction they're taking this franchise.

I'm sorry, all I got out of that was "I can wait to play this game and since you badmouthed it I felt compelled to quote you to tell you how much I disagree and how you are wrong about this."

...that's not what he said at all. He said that the promethan name has been going on since Halo CE and that the new setting looks nothing like Pandora (frankly it doesn't, if there were floating mountains maybe) and while yes they are doing the sequel escalation (which I fail to understand how it's a bad thing) 343 has stated that they're going to be focusing on characters and story arcs in this game, which you rarely hear developers talking about.

Don't take this the wrong way, if you don't like Halo and you don't like this game when it comes out, fine, there's nothing wrong with that, some games just don't appeal to some people. I was just trying to clear up what the other guy was saying.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

"We didn't want them to look like monsters, because they're not monsters."

Not a minute and a half after a Promethian's face mask splits open to reveal a screaming blue skull like something out of Dead Space.

I'm sorry 343, but you just aren't selling me on this. Everything I see is just making me dislike more and more. Promethians, probably not the best name to use considering how people are going to draw parallels between this and Ridley Scott's prometheus. Even if it is a reference to giving mankind intelligence, they could have used something else.

The planet looks like they watched Avatar a few too many times. And then there is the damn "escalation" that I always hate in sequels. Its like the first game, except this time there's more at stake. Why does it always have to go like this? First, it was only one Halo's destruction radius they had to worry about. Now, it's the universe! Dammit, can't we have a low key sequel for a change?

I don't want to be a defending fanboy, but the "promethean" name has been going since Halo 1, over a decade ago, the planet is inside a shell, with similar ecosystems to the rings which look nothing like the avatar planet, and while they are doing the classic clichéd sequel up-scaling, the storytelling looks to be a lot more detailed and complex and engaging than the previous trilogy.

I can't wait to play it, they've done all they need to for setting up a new trilogy of sequels. any more change and it's not a Halo game, any less and there's not enough change to call it a new trilogy. I have been burned by hype in the past but I am intrigued with teh direction they're taking this franchise.

I'm sorry, all I got out of that was "I can wait to play this game and since you badmouthed it I felt compelled to quote you to tell you how much I disagree and how you are wrong about this."

...that's not what he said at all. He said that the promethan name has been going on since Halo CE and that the new setting looks nothing like Pandora (frankly it doesn't, if there were floating mountains maybe) and while yes they are doing the sequel escalation (which I fail to understand how it's a bad thing) 343 has stated that they're going to be focusing on characters and story arcs in this game, which you rarely hear developers talking about.

Don't take this the wrong way, if you don't like Halo and you don't like this game when it comes out, fine, there's nothing wrong with that, some games just don't appeal to some people. I was just trying to clear up what the other guy was saying.

I never said I didn't like Halo. I love the games. I'm just really concerned with how this one is developing. And come on, say what you will about the Promethean name dating back to Combat Evolved, but that doesn't stop me from getting sick of alien progenitors and their similar names.

I get it, you are referencing the myth of Prometheus. You don't need to call them prometheus guys.

Sequel Escalation needs to be done tactfully, not just "Bigger and Betterer" to paraphrase Plinkett. This could have been a chance for the Halo franchise to really get inside John's head. But they need to put in another Galaxy shattering crisis to make it seem more important.

You know where that leads us? Look at Star Wars' supplemental material. Every single new series coming out seems to be creating the next "DEADLIEST THREAT IN THE GALAXY", to the point that Star Wars has escalated beyond a civil war to an extragalactic campaign of genocide, a war with a Tyranid equivalent bug species, and fucking Cthulu. All the while more and more "LOST TRIBES OF SITH WHO WERE NOT KILLED WITH SIDIOUS" keep popping up in order to justify continuing the Sith/Jedi conflict. It's ridiculous to the point that a Sith Armada just showed up out of absolutely nowhere, being commanded by an entire planet of Sith that never did anything for 5000 years.

See how I might be concerned about this? If they keep trying to one up what comes before, it gets more and more outlandish every time.

 

[Erttheking]

Snip

Well, maybe I'm an idiot, but I like the name Promethan.

I don't know, they said that it was more deadly than the first Halo game, (not more deadly than Halo 3) and that that one involved one Halo and it's firing range, but this one involves the entire galaxy. I thought about it and I had a eruka moment. I don't think is them pulling a new super weapon out of their rear, I think Diadect is trying to use the thing that the series is named after, the Halo array, because that would make a lot of sense. There are still six of them floating around after all, five if Instillation 05 got blown up (not sure about that). I get the feeling that they're the big threat that's going to pop up. It's not really an ass pull like that because the array has been around since the beginning of the series, and if Diadect really hates Humans, Halo would be the perfect weapon to wipe them all out. I mean look at this
http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb58378/halo/images/0/02/Halo-7-coverage.jpg

A lot of the spaces that the array targets overlap. Even with Instillation 04 gone and 05 possibly gone too, the five remaining Halos can still get around 80% of the galaxy (ergo pretty much the entire galaxy is at risk), and I think that Forerunner machines and ships would be enough to take out what's left. Also, it's been shown before that Halo rings can be rebuilt in a relatively short time, and it's been years since Halo 3, so it's very possible that Diadect had his machines on Requiem replace the destroyed ones. So that's my theory (and I admit it's just a theory but it has some basis in fact), Diadect is going to use the Halo array, because frankly everything is set up for that and it makes perfect sense (not to mention it would justify calling the game halo). If I'm wrong...then you're right and 343 are kinda idiots. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

 

[Korten12]

snip

The character that truly hated Halsey were only getting select information from Paragonsky to make her look bad and use her as a scapegoat so the heads up at ONI (Paragonsky, formerly Ackerson and such) wouldn't fall or take the blame for any of it.

Also you do realize they did the Spartan II just to see how far they could and punish any insurrectionist that tried to do anything against the UNSC? They weren't made for the Covenant, they were made to simply punish those who essentially disobey the UNSC.

That is pretty damn fucking evil right there. Not to say Ackerson was any better, but considering he paid for it and died, and he was a big guy in ONI, they wouldn't let him take the blame for anything.

 

[Erttheking]

snip

The character that truly hated Halsey were only getting select information from Paragonsky to make her look bad and use her as a scapegoat so the heads up at ONI (Paragonsky, formerly Ackerson and such) wouldn't fall or take the blame for any of it.

Also you do realize they did the Spartan II just to see how far they could and punish any insurrectionist that tried to do anything against the UNSC? They weren't made for the Covenant, they were made to simply punish those who essentially disobey the UNSC.

That is pretty damn fucking evil right there. Not to say Ackerson was any better, but considering he paid for it and died, and he was a big guy in ONI, they wouldn't let him take the blame for anything.

I seem to recall reading online that a SPARTAN talked about how evil Halsey was and punched her in the face...a SPARTAN II...you know, the people that looked up to her as a foster mother? That seems to be demonizing her quite a bit, a because a SPARTAN would NEVER do that to freaking Halsey of all people. Also the book takes a couple of liberties to make Halsey look bad, like making it so that she started the SPARTAN project instead of ONI and that she covered up the whole flash cloning thing, even though ONI also authorized that. Also I don't care what character did it, if someone constantly says bad things about another character, and said character is unable to come up with a good counter-argument because the author doesn't want them to, it's still bashing.

Actually the SPARTAN IIs were created because there was no other way to stop the Innies short of all out martial law, they were viewed as a last resort, and I would like to remind you that before the project was commissioned, the Innies had killed over a million people, many of them civilians. And it's doubly bullshit when the book demonizes the SPARTAN II project, but defends the SPARTAN III because they "had to do what they had to do" and even says that Ackerson was a nice gay (not only did he use kids as cannon fodder and try to kill Chief, they guy was a flat out jackass). I know that the SPARTAN project is supposed to be a morally gray area, but that's the thing, it's a morally gray area, not the embodiment of all evil. So yeah, I don't like the book because Traviss fell into a basic mistake that many fanfictions do. This person is right, everyone who disagrees with them is wrong. If you still believe the book didn't bash her, I respectfully disagree.

 

[Korten12]

snip

The character that truly hated Halsey were only getting select information from Paragonsky to make her look bad and use her as a scapegoat so the heads up at ONI (Paragonsky, formerly Ackerson and such) wouldn't fall or take the blame for any of it.

Also you do realize they did the Spartan II just to see how far they could and punish any insurrectionist that tried to do anything against the UNSC? They weren't made for the Covenant, they were made to simply punish those who essentially disobey the UNSC.

That is pretty damn fucking evil right there. Not to say Ackerson was any better, but considering he paid for it and died, and he was a big guy in ONI, they wouldn't let him take the blame for anything.

I seem to recall reading online that a SPARTAN talked about how evil Halsey was and punched her in the face...a SPARTAN II...you know, the people that looked up to her as a foster mother? That seems to be demonizing her quite a bit, a because a SPARTAN would NEVER do that to freaking Halsey of all people. Also the book takes a couple of liberties to make Halsey look bad, like making it so that she started the SPARTAN project instead of ONI and that she covered up the whole flash cloning thing, even though ONI also authorized that. Also I don't care what character did it, if someone constantly says bad things about another character, and said character is unable to come up with a good counter-argument because the author doesn't want them to, it's still bashing.

Actually the SPARTAN IIs were created because there was no other way to stop the Innies short of all out martial law, they were viewed as a last resort, and I would like to remind you that before the project was commissioned, the Innies had killed over a million people, many of them civilians. And it's doubly bullshit when the book demonizes the SPARTAN II project, but defends the SPARTAN III because they "had to do what they had to do" and even says that Ackerson was a nice gay (not only did he use kids as cannon fodder and try to kill Chief, they guy was a flat out jackass). I know that the SPARTAN project is supposed to be a morally gray area, but that's the thing, it's a morally gray area, not the embodiment of all evil. So yeah, I don't like the book because Traviss fell into a basic mistake that many fanfictions do. This person is right, everyone who disagrees with them is wrong. If you still believe the book didn't bash her, I respectfully disagree.

The Spartan that punched her was Lucy, a Spartan-III who had no idea who Halsey was prior to being stuck with her on Onyx.

 

[Erttheking]

snip

The character that truly hated Halsey were only getting select information from Paragonsky to make her look bad and use her as a scapegoat so the heads up at ONI (Paragonsky, formerly Ackerson and such) wouldn't fall or take the blame for any of it.

Also you do realize they did the Spartan II just to see how far they could and punish any insurrectionist that tried to do anything against the UNSC? They weren't made for the Covenant, they were made to simply punish those who essentially disobey the UNSC.

That is pretty damn fucking evil right there. Not to say Ackerson was any better, but considering he paid for it and died, and he was a big guy in ONI, they wouldn't let him take the blame for anything.

I seem to recall reading online that a SPARTAN talked about how evil Halsey was and punched her in the face...a SPARTAN II...you know, the people that looked up to her as a foster mother? That seems to be demonizing her quite a bit, a because a SPARTAN would NEVER do that to freaking Halsey of all people. Also the book takes a couple of liberties to make Halsey look bad, like making it so that she started the SPARTAN project instead of ONI and that she covered up the whole flash cloning thing, even though ONI also authorized that. Also I don't care what character did it, if someone constantly says bad things about another character, and said character is unable to come up with a good counter-argument because the author doesn't want them to, it's still bashing.

Actually the SPARTAN IIs were created because there was no other way to stop the Innies short of all out martial law, they were viewed as a last resort, and I would like to remind you that before the project was commissioned, the Innies had killed over a million people, many of them civilians. And it's doubly bullshit when the book demonizes the SPARTAN II project, but defends the SPARTAN III because they "had to do what they had to do" and even says that Ackerson was a nice gay (not only did he use kids as cannon fodder and try to kill Chief, they guy was a flat out jackass). I know that the SPARTAN project is supposed to be a morally gray area, but that's the thing, it's a morally gray area, not the embodiment of all evil. So yeah, I don't like the book because Traviss fell into a basic mistake that many fanfictions do. This person is right, everyone who disagrees with them is wrong. If you still believe the book didn't bash her, I respectfully disagree.

The Spartan that punched her was Lucy, a Spartan-III who had no idea who Halsey was prior to being stuck with her on Onyx.

Ah, my mistake. Still, the story does have a major author tract.

capacha, dinosaurs on a spaceship...Elites?

 

[Soviet Heavy]

what about Homecoming? Where the Spartan made a break for it and discovered her flash clone? Halsey wasn't exactly the kindest person in that story either.

 

[Erttheking]

what about Homecoming? Where the Spartan made a break for it and discovered her flash clone? Halsey wasn't exactly the kindest person in that story either.

You do know that that wasn't made by Microsoft, Bungie or 343 right? If you consider Legends as canon, then Chief lost in one on one combat with a Major, you can use an energy sword to block bullets, a SPARTAN somehow got out of the project and joined the Marines, Hunters can be the size of buildings, SPARTANs have hair that go down to their shoulders, and the UNSC has space motorcycles and mini Gundams. Legends doesn't really follow the Halo canon that well.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

what about Homecoming? Where the Spartan made a break for it and discovered her flash clone? Halsey wasn't exactly the kindest person in that story either.

You do know that that wasn't made by Microsoft, Bungie or 343 right? If you consider Legends as canon, then Chief lost in one on one combat with a Major, you can use an energy sword to block bullets, a SPARTAN somehow got out of the project and joined the Marines, Hunters can be the size of buildings, SPARTANs have hair that go down to their shoulders, and the UNSC has space motorcycles and mini Gundams. Legends doesn't really follow the Halo canon that well.

I don't particularly like Legends myself (Apart from the one with the Dinosaur), but that's what I'm getting at. What makes a novel more legitimate a part of the EU than an anime adaptation? And why should you be trying to treat glasslands differently because you dislike how it portrays halsey when another piece of media does the same thing and you choose to ignore it?

 

[Erttheking]

what about Homecoming? Where the Spartan made a break for it and discovered her flash clone? Halsey wasn't exactly the kindest person in that story either.

You do know that that wasn't made by Microsoft, Bungie or 343 right? If you consider Legends as canon, then Chief lost in one on one combat with a Major, you can use an energy sword to block bullets, a SPARTAN somehow got out of the project and joined the Marines, Hunters can be the size of buildings, SPARTANs have hair that go down to their shoulders, and the UNSC has space motorcycles and mini Gundams. Legends doesn't really follow the Halo canon that well.

I don't particularly like Legends myself (Apart from the one with the Dinosaur), but that's what I'm getting at. What makes a novel more legitimate a part of the EU than an anime adaptation? And why should you be trying to treat glasslands differently because you dislike how it portrays halsey when another piece of media does the same thing and you choose to ignore it?

I like them, but I don't consider them canon. Because Glasslands was put out by 343 and Microsoft, and it is part of a trilogy that is specifically made to tie Halo 3 to Halo 4, and considering how a couple of Traviss' EU characters got into Gears of War 3, and how Halsey is supposed to be in Halo 4, I'm pretty sure that what happens in Glasslands is going to be in Halo 4 in some way shape and form, therefore it has a lot more impact than Homecoming did and is practically being declared canon by 343 and microsoft, and it might affect the main games.

 

[Pandalisk]

snip

The character that truly hated Halsey were only getting select information from Paragonsky to make her look bad and use her as a scapegoat so the heads up at ONI (Paragonsky, formerly Ackerson and such) wouldn't fall or take the blame for any of it.

Also you do realize they did the Spartan II just to see how far they could and punish any insurrectionist that tried to do anything against the UNSC? They weren't made for the Covenant, they were made to simply punish those who essentially disobey the UNSC.

That is pretty damn fucking evil right there. Not to say Ackerson was any better, but considering he paid for it and died, and he was a big guy in ONI, they wouldn't let him take the blame for anything.

I seem to recall reading online that a SPARTAN talked about how evil Halsey was and punched her in the face...a SPARTAN II...you know, the people that looked up to her as a foster mother? That seems to be demonizing her quite a bit, a because a SPARTAN would NEVER do that to freaking Halsey of all people. Also the book takes a couple of liberties to make Halsey look bad, like making it so that she started the SPARTAN project instead of ONI and that she covered up the whole flash cloning thing, even though ONI also authorized that. Also I don't care what character did it, if someone constantly says bad things about another character, and said character is unable to come up with a good counter-argument because the author doesn't want them to, it's still bashing.

Actually the SPARTAN IIs were created because there was no other way to stop the Innies short of all out martial law, they were viewed as a last resort, and I would like to remind you that before the project was commissioned, the Innies had killed over a million people, many of them civilians. And it's doubly bullshit when the book demonizes the SPARTAN II project, but defends the SPARTAN III because they "had to do what they had to do" and even says that Ackerson was a nice gay (not only did he use kids as cannon fodder and try to kill Chief, they guy was a flat out jackass). I know that the SPARTAN project is supposed to be a morally gray area, but that's the thing, it's a morally gray area, not the embodiment of all evil. So yeah, I don't like the book because Traviss fell into a basic mistake that many fanfictions do. This person is right, everyone who disagrees with them is wrong. If you still believe the book didn't bash her, I respectfully disagree.

The Spartan that punched her was Lucy, a Spartan-III who had no idea who Halsey was prior to being stuck with her on Onyx.

capacha, dinosaurs on a spaceship...Elites?

No, The Doctor! :3

I think they really failed on the design if what the lady (whose name i have forgotten!) says was their intent on doing. "There not monsters" *Creepy Skull face* "There not Robots" *Cue Robot like noises and general robotish appearance*. And while i do love the three enemy units so far, i really hope they add in new unit types and not just variants.

Also, why do they threaten the Universe? have they said why? what is it that they are doing exactly? my Googling Skills leave me with naught but more questions.

And my god, did they continue on after Ghosts Of Onyx? I'm so behind right now, its actually shameful.

Some more quick googling, she's the mother of Miranda Keyes? That feels...Forced?

 

[Erttheking]

snip

The character that truly hated Halsey were only getting select information from Paragonsky to make her look bad and use her as a scapegoat so the heads up at ONI (Paragonsky, formerly Ackerson and such) wouldn't fall or take the blame for any of it.

Also you do realize they did the Spartan II just to see how far they could and punish any insurrectionist that tried to do anything against the UNSC? They weren't made for the Covenant, they were made to simply punish those who essentially disobey the UNSC.

That is pretty damn fucking evil right there. Not to say Ackerson was any better, but considering he paid for it and died, and he was a big guy in ONI, they wouldn't let him take the blame for anything.

I seem to recall reading online that a SPARTAN talked about how evil Halsey was and punched her in the face...a SPARTAN II...you know, the people that looked up to her as a foster mother? That seems to be demonizing her quite a bit, a because a SPARTAN would NEVER do that to freaking Halsey of all people. Also the book takes a couple of liberties to make Halsey look bad, like making it so that she started the SPARTAN project instead of ONI and that she covered up the whole flash cloning thing, even though ONI also authorized that. Also I don't care what character did it, if someone constantly says bad things about another character, and said character is unable to come up with a good counter-argument because the author doesn't want them to, it's still bashing.

Actually the SPARTAN IIs were created because there was no other way to stop the Innies short of all out martial law, they were viewed as a last resort, and I would like to remind you that before the project was commissioned, the Innies had killed over a million people, many of them civilians. And it's doubly bullshit when the book demonizes the SPARTAN II project, but defends the SPARTAN III because they "had to do what they had to do" and even says that Ackerson was a nice gay (not only did he use kids as cannon fodder and try to kill Chief, they guy was a flat out jackass). I know that the SPARTAN project is supposed to be a morally gray area, but that's the thing, it's a morally gray area, not the embodiment of all evil. So yeah, I don't like the book because Traviss fell into a basic mistake that many fanfictions do. This person is right, everyone who disagrees with them is wrong. If you still believe the book didn't bash her, I respectfully disagree.

The Spartan that punched her was Lucy, a Spartan-III who had no idea who Halsey was prior to being stuck with her on Onyx.

capacha, dinosaurs on a spaceship...Elites?

No, The Doctor! :3

I think they really failed on the design if what the lady (whose name i have forgotten!) says was their intent on doing. "There not monsters" *Creepy Skull face* "There not Robots" *Cue Robot like noises and general robotish appearance*. And while i do love the three enemy units so far, i really hope they add in new unit types and not just variants.

Also, why do they threaten the Universe? have they said why? what is it that they are doing exactly? my Googling Skills leave me with naught but more questions.

And my god, did they continue on after Ghosts Of Onyx? I'm so behind right now, its actually shameful.

Some more quick googling, she's the mother of Miranda Keyes? That feels...Forced?

Pretty sure they're keeping the exact nature of the threat a secret for now.

 

[Pandalisk]

snip

The character that truly hated Halsey were only getting select information from Paragonsky to make her look bad and use her as a scapegoat so the heads up at ONI (Paragonsky, formerly Ackerson and such) wouldn't fall or take the blame for any of it.

Also you do realize they did the Spartan II just to see how far they could and punish any insurrectionist that tried to do anything against the UNSC? They weren't made for the Covenant, they were made to simply punish those who essentially disobey the UNSC.

That is pretty damn fucking evil right there. Not to say Ackerson was any better, but considering he paid for it and died, and he was a big guy in ONI, they wouldn't let him take the blame for anything.

I seem to recall reading online that a SPARTAN talked about how evil Halsey was and punched her in the face...a SPARTAN II...you know, the people that looked up to her as a foster mother? That seems to be demonizing her quite a bit, a because a SPARTAN would NEVER do that to freaking Halsey of all people. Also the book takes a couple of liberties to make Halsey look bad, like making it so that she started the SPARTAN project instead of ONI and that she covered up the whole flash cloning thing, even though ONI also authorized that. Also I don't care what character did it, if someone constantly says bad things about another character, and said character is unable to come up with a good counter-argument because the author doesn't want them to, it's still bashing.

Actually the SPARTAN IIs were created because there was no other way to stop the Innies short of all out martial law, they were viewed as a last resort, and I would like to remind you that before the project was commissioned, the Innies had killed over a million people, many of them civilians. And it's doubly bullshit when the book demonizes the SPARTAN II project, but defends the SPARTAN III because they "had to do what they had to do" and even says that Ackerson was a nice gay (not only did he use kids as cannon fodder and try to kill Chief, they guy was a flat out jackass). I know that the SPARTAN project is supposed to be a morally gray area, but that's the thing, it's a morally gray area, not the embodiment of all evil. So yeah, I don't like the book because Traviss fell into a basic mistake that many fanfictions do. This person is right, everyone who disagrees with them is wrong. If you still believe the book didn't bash her, I respectfully disagree.

The Spartan that punched her was Lucy, a Spartan-III who had no idea who Halsey was prior to being stuck with her on Onyx.

capacha, dinosaurs on a spaceship...Elites?

No, The Doctor! :3

I think they really failed on the design if what the lady (whose name i have forgotten!) says was their intent on doing. "There not monsters" *Creepy Skull face* "There not Robots" *Cue Robot like noises and general robotish appearance*. And while i do love the three enemy units so far, i really hope they add in new unit types and not just variants.

Also, why do they threaten the Universe? have they said why? what is it that they are doing exactly? my Googling Skills leave me with naught but more questions.

And my god, did they continue on after Ghosts Of Onyx? I'm so behind right now, its actually shameful.

Some more quick googling, she's the mother of Miranda Keyes? That feels...Forced?

Pretty sure they're keeping the exact nature of the threat a secret for now.

Figured as much. I swear if its another Universe wide life destroyer like with the rings and the Flood then i'll be disappointed, we've been there, we've done that, c'mon throw me a curve ball!.

They shouldn't try and one up the mass potential devastation of the last game. "Its not just one corner of the galaxy, its everything" is such a silly statement, One corner of the galaxy was plenty panic enough. Now it seems like their trying to one up that and its not working because now its just excessive and detracting from the plot as they'll have to write in some "Mother of all Doomsday weapons" but we've covered that already.

At least Didact might be in it, that could be pretty cool.

 

[Erttheking]

snip

The character that truly hated Halsey were only getting select information from Paragonsky to make her look bad and use her as a scapegoat so the heads up at ONI (Paragonsky, formerly Ackerson and such) wouldn't fall or take the blame for any of it.

Also you do realize they did the Spartan II just to see how far they could and punish any insurrectionist that tried to do anything against the UNSC? They weren't made for the Covenant, they were made to simply punish those who essentially disobey the UNSC.

That is pretty damn fucking evil right there. Not to say Ackerson was any better, but considering he paid for it and died, and he was a big guy in ONI, they wouldn't let him take the blame for anything.

I seem to recall reading online that a SPARTAN talked about how evil Halsey was and punched her in the face...a SPARTAN II...you know, the people that looked up to her as a foster mother? That seems to be demonizing her quite a bit, a because a SPARTAN would NEVER do that to freaking Halsey of all people. Also the book takes a couple of liberties to make Halsey look bad, like making it so that she started the SPARTAN project instead of ONI and that she covered up the whole flash cloning thing, even though ONI also authorized that. Also I don't care what character did it, if someone constantly says bad things about another character, and said character is unable to come up with a good counter-argument because the author doesn't want them to, it's still bashing.

Actually the SPARTAN IIs were created because there was no other way to stop the Innies short of all out martial law, they were viewed as a last resort, and I would like to remind you that before the project was commissioned, the Innies had killed over a million people, many of them civilians. And it's doubly bullshit when the book demonizes the SPARTAN II project, but defends the SPARTAN III because they "had to do what they had to do" and even says that Ackerson was a nice gay (not only did he use kids as cannon fodder and try to kill Chief, they guy was a flat out jackass). I know that the SPARTAN project is supposed to be a morally gray area, but that's the thing, it's a morally gray area, not the embodiment of all evil. So yeah, I don't like the book because Traviss fell into a basic mistake that many fanfictions do. This person is right, everyone who disagrees with them is wrong. If you still believe the book didn't bash her, I respectfully disagree.

The Spartan that punched her was Lucy, a Spartan-III who had no idea who Halsey was prior to being stuck with her on Onyx.

capacha, dinosaurs on a spaceship...Elites?

No, The Doctor! :3

I think they really failed on the design if what the lady (whose name i have forgotten!) says was their intent on doing. "There not monsters" *Creepy Skull face* "There not Robots" *Cue Robot like noises and general robotish appearance*. And while i do love the three enemy units so far, i really hope they add in new unit types and not just variants.

Also, why do they threaten the Universe? have they said why? what is it that they are doing exactly? my Googling Skills leave me with naught but more questions.

And my god, did they continue on after Ghosts Of Onyx? I'm so behind right now, its actually shameful.

Some more quick googling, she's the mother of Miranda Keyes? That feels...Forced?

Pretty sure they're keeping the exact nature of the threat a secret for now.

Figured as much. I swear if its another Universe wide life destroyer like with the rings and the Flood then i'll be disappointed, we've been there, we've done that, c'mon throw me a curve ball!.

They shouldn't try and one up the mass potential devastation of the last game. "Its not just one corner of the galaxy, its everything" is such a silly statement, One corner of the galaxy was plenty panic enough.

I've said this before and I'll say it again. We haven't been given a concrete threat...but there are still five Halo rings out there...just saying.

 

[Hawkeye 131]

Wow, certainly looks interesting. I learned long ago not to judge a book by it's cover. I think that sentiment is more than appropriate for games too. Keep calm people... keep calm.

Even as a big fan of the Halo franchise I must admit that I haven't read everyhthing, (particularly the comic books & Greg Bears novels). With an IP as big as Halo with multiple entities working on various aspects of the universe keeping EVERYTHING absolutely consistent with the established lore and canon is a difficult task. That said when I see something that I don't like, (Halo: Legends) I tend not to worry about it.

As for the guy that asked "WHY THE HELL THE COVENANT IN THE GAME?!", I think you answered most of your own questions. I'm guessing you've read Halo: Glasslands, and it was rather sufficiently explained why everything that was going on was happening. If you haven't read it I recommend it. As for the story I really enjoyed most of it. The only thing I didn't really like was how Ms. Traviss spent a lot of time "bashing", (for lack of better words) Dr. Halsey. IMO aside from the flash clones and a few other minor details I don't have a problem with what Halsey did. I prefered Mr. Nylund's approach towards Dr. Halseys guilt which was more subtle, but I guess she had to face the piper sooner or later.

As for the prometheans I'm at a disadvantage because I have not read Halo: Primordium or Cryptum so I know next to nothing about them. Are the prometheans actually forerunners? or like the sentinels just another tool in their arsenal? That being said I think they look great!

-Hawk

 

[Pandalisk]

snip

The character that truly hated Halsey were only getting select information from Paragonsky to make her look bad and use her as a scapegoat so the heads up at ONI (Paragonsky, formerly Ackerson and such) wouldn't fall or take the blame for any of it.

Also you do realize they did the Spartan II just to see how far they could and punish any insurrectionist that tried to do anything against the UNSC? They weren't made for the Covenant, they were made to simply punish those who essentially disobey the UNSC.

That is pretty damn fucking evil right there. Not to say Ackerson was any better, but considering he paid for it and died, and he was a big guy in ONI, they wouldn't let him take the blame for anything.

I seem to recall reading online that a SPARTAN talked about how evil Halsey was and punched her in the face...a SPARTAN II...you know, the people that looked up to her as a foster mother? That seems to be demonizing her quite a bit, a because a SPARTAN would NEVER do that to freaking Halsey of all people. Also the book takes a couple of liberties to make Halsey look bad, like making it so that she started the SPARTAN project instead of ONI and that she covered up the whole flash cloning thing, even though ONI also authorized that. Also I don't care what character did it, if someone constantly says bad things about another character, and said character is unable to come up with a good counter-argument because the author doesn't want them to, it's still bashing.

Actually the SPARTAN IIs were created because there was no other way to stop the Innies short of all out martial law, they were viewed as a last resort, and I would like to remind you that before the project was commissioned, the Innies had killed over a million people, many of them civilians. And it's doubly bullshit when the book demonizes the SPARTAN II project, but defends the SPARTAN III because they "had to do what they had to do" and even says that Ackerson was a nice gay (not only did he use kids as cannon fodder and try to kill Chief, they guy was a flat out jackass). I know that the SPARTAN project is supposed to be a morally gray area, but that's the thing, it's a morally gray area, not the embodiment of all evil. So yeah, I don't like the book because Traviss fell into a basic mistake that many fanfictions do. This person is right, everyone who disagrees with them is wrong. If you still believe the book didn't bash her, I respectfully disagree.

The Spartan that punched her was Lucy, a Spartan-III who had no idea who Halsey was prior to being stuck with her on Onyx.

capacha, dinosaurs on a spaceship...Elites?

No, The Doctor! :3

I think they really failed on the design if what the lady (whose name i have forgotten!) says was their intent on doing. "There not monsters" *Creepy Skull face* "There not Robots" *Cue Robot like noises and general robotish appearance*. And while i do love the three enemy units so far, i really hope they add in new unit types and not just variants.

Also, why do they threaten the Universe? have they said why? what is it that they are doing exactly? my Googling Skills leave me with naught but more questions.

And my god, did they continue on after Ghosts Of Onyx? I'm so behind right now, its actually shameful.

Some more quick googling, she's the mother of Miranda Keyes? That feels...Forced?

Pretty sure they're keeping the exact nature of the threat a secret for now.

Figured as much. I swear if its another Universe wide life destroyer like with the rings and the Flood then i'll be disappointed, we've been there, we've done that, c'mon throw me a curve ball!.

They shouldn't try and one up the mass potential devastation of the last game. "Its not just one corner of the galaxy, its everything" is such a silly statement, One corner of the galaxy was plenty panic enough.

I've said this before and I'll say it again. We haven't been given a concrete threat...but there are still five Halo rings out there...just saying.

Yes i know that. Merely speculating for the hell of it.
Stating the entire universe is at stake does imply a certain manner of the threat. Usually some Magic McGuffin Machine in most games.
If it has anything to do with the rings then Disappoint, i will haz.

 

[Korten12]

what about Homecoming? Where the Spartan made a break for it and discovered her flash clone? Halsey wasn't exactly the kindest person in that story either.

You do know that that wasn't made by Microsoft, Bungie or 343 right? If you consider Legends as canon, then Chief lost in one on one combat with a Major, you can use an energy sword to block bullets, a SPARTAN somehow got out of the project and joined the Marines, Hunters can be the size of buildings, SPARTANs have hair that go down to their shoulders, and the UNSC has space motorcycles and mini Gundams. Legends doesn't really follow the Halo canon that well.

I don't particularly like Legends myself (Apart from the one with the Dinosaur), but that's what I'm getting at. What makes a novel more legitimate a part of the EU than an anime adaptation? And why should you be trying to treat glasslands differently because you dislike how it portrays halsey when another piece of media does the same thing and you choose to ignore it?

I like them, but I don't consider them canon. Because Glasslands was put out by 343 and Microsoft, and it is part of a trilogy that is specifically made to tie Halo 3 to Halo 4, and considering how a couple of Traviss' EU characters got into Gears of War 3, and how Halsey is supposed to be in Halo 4, I'm pretty sure that what happens in Glasslands is going to be in Halo 4 in some way shape and form, therefore it has a lot more impact than Homecoming did and is practically being declared canon by 343 and microsoft, and it might affect the main games.

The anime are canon aside from odd one out, although the asthetics aren't canon. Babysitter actually introduced Ancient Human ruins, before the book game out revealing it and various pieces of canon reference the anime in various ways.

Since 343 actually did help with some of the stories.

 

[Erttheking]

snip

The character that truly hated Halsey were only getting select information from Paragonsky to make her look bad and use her as a scapegoat so the heads up at ONI (Paragonsky, formerly Ackerson and such) wouldn't fall or take the blame for any of it.

Also you do realize they did the Spartan II just to see how far they could and punish any insurrectionist that tried to do anything against the UNSC? They weren't made for the Covenant, they were made to simply punish those who essentially disobey the UNSC.

That is pretty damn fucking evil right there. Not to say Ackerson was any better, but considering he paid for it and died, and he was a big guy in ONI, they wouldn't let him take the blame for anything.

I seem to recall reading online that a SPARTAN talked about how evil Halsey was and punched her in the face...a SPARTAN II...you know, the people that looked up to her as a foster mother? That seems to be demonizing her quite a bit, a because a SPARTAN would NEVER do that to freaking Halsey of all people. Also the book takes a couple of liberties to make Halsey look bad, like making it so that she started the SPARTAN project instead of ONI and that she covered up the whole flash cloning thing, even though ONI also authorized that. Also I don't care what character did it, if someone constantly says bad things about another character, and said character is unable to come up with a good counter-argument because the author doesn't want them to, it's still bashing.

Actually the SPARTAN IIs were created because there was no other way to stop the Innies short of all out martial law, they were viewed as a last resort, and I would like to remind you that before the project was commissioned, the Innies had killed over a million people, many of them civilians. And it's doubly bullshit when the book demonizes the SPARTAN II project, but defends the SPARTAN III because they "had to do what they had to do" and even says that Ackerson was a nice gay (not only did he use kids as cannon fodder and try to kill Chief, they guy was a flat out jackass). I know that the SPARTAN project is supposed to be a morally gray area, but that's the thing, it's a morally gray area, not the embodiment of all evil. So yeah, I don't like the book because Traviss fell into a basic mistake that many fanfictions do. This person is right, everyone who disagrees with them is wrong. If you still believe the book didn't bash her, I respectfully disagree.

The Spartan that punched her was Lucy, a Spartan-III who had no idea who Halsey was prior to being stuck with her on Onyx.

capacha, dinosaurs on a spaceship...Elites?

No, The Doctor! :3

I think they really failed on the design if what the lady (whose name i have forgotten!) says was their intent on doing. "There not monsters" *Creepy Skull face* "There not Robots" *Cue Robot like noises and general robotish appearance*. And while i do love the three enemy units so far, i really hope they add in new unit types and not just variants.

Also, why do they threaten the Universe? have they said why? what is it that they are doing exactly? my Googling Skills leave me with naught but more questions.

And my god, did they continue on after Ghosts Of Onyx? I'm so behind right now, its actually shameful.

Some more quick googling, she's the mother of Miranda Keyes? That feels...Forced?

Pretty sure they're keeping the exact nature of the threat a secret for now.

Figured as much. I swear if its another Universe wide life destroyer like with the rings and the Flood then i'll be disappointed, we've been there, we've done that, c'mon throw me a curve ball!.

They shouldn't try and one up the mass potential devastation of the last game. "Its not just one corner of the galaxy, its everything" is such a silly statement, One corner of the galaxy was plenty panic enough.

I've said this before and I'll say it again. We haven't been given a concrete threat...but there are still five Halo rings out there...just saying.

Yes i know that. Merely speculating for the hell of it.
Stating the entire universe is at stake does imply a certain manner of the threat. Usually some Magic McGuffin Machine in most games.
If it has anything to do with the rings then Disappoint, i will haz.

I'm sorry, you'll be disappointed if they bring in the rings? You don't want them to use the rings, you don't want them to use a new superweapons...what do you want 343 to do exactly? I'm sorry but you don't just introduce seven weapons of mass destruction, blow up two and then pretend that the rest don't exist.

what about Homecoming? Where the Spartan made a break for it and discovered her flash clone? Halsey wasn't exactly the kindest person in that story either.

You do know that that wasn't made by Microsoft, Bungie or 343 right? If you consider Legends as canon, then Chief lost in one on one combat with a Major, you can use an energy sword to block bullets, a SPARTAN somehow got out of the project and joined the Marines, Hunters can be the size of buildings, SPARTANs have hair that go down to their shoulders, and the UNSC has space motorcycles and mini Gundams. Legends doesn't really follow the Halo canon that well.

I don't particularly like Legends myself (Apart from the one with the Dinosaur), but that's what I'm getting at. What makes a novel more legitimate a part of the EU than an anime adaptation? And why should you be trying to treat glasslands differently because you dislike how it portrays halsey when another piece of media does the same thing and you choose to ignore it?

I like them, but I don't consider them canon. Because Glasslands was put out by 343 and Microsoft, and it is part of a trilogy that is specifically made to tie Halo 3 to Halo 4, and considering how a couple of Traviss' EU characters got into Gears of War 3, and how Halsey is supposed to be in Halo 4, I'm pretty sure that what happens in Glasslands is going to be in Halo 4 in some way shape and form, therefore it has a lot more impact than Homecoming did and is practically being declared canon by 343 and microsoft, and it might affect the main games.

The anime are canon aside from odd one out, although the asthetics aren't canon. Babysitter actually introduced Ancient Human ruins, before the book game out revealing it and various pieces of canon reference the anime in various ways.

Since 343 actually did help with some of the stories.

Yes, but that doesn't change the fact that Glasslands is ten times as more likely to leak out of the EU and into Halo 4 than Homecoming.