Okay guys trying something new right now with mobile blogging but if you go to the website below, you can see they took MY exact shot from this site... I would normally not have a problem with this if they had given me credit for it. I took this my self on the date the picture was posted on my blog. Here's the site: gotgame.com/2011/08/01/halo-anniversary-may-bring-halo-4-beta/

Audio Compairisons

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=JhfA6y7yyEk rockets
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wp4RXWo3C4&feature=player_detailpage plasma rifle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=16LAohqD8jw needler
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni9D7lxyG3Q&feature=player_detailpage pistol
I hope you enjoy!

The Halo Bulletin: 8/3/11

August 03 2011

The Halo Bulletin: 8/3/11

Pew Pew Pew

Some people need just their tongue, the back of their teeth, and a steady stream of air to make the most amazing sounds ever. I am not one of those people, though. Let me explain.

One day I was hard at work (and by “hard at work,” I mean I was scouring the internet for pictures of felines because I strongly believe that the best email responses contain not words but situation-appropriate lolcat images) when I noticed someone meandering their way through the maze of desks that is our studio, intermittently stopping, making an inquiry, observing the solicited response, and then moving on to the next person. As he got closer, I started to notice that the answers did not consist of customary chitchat, but instead a variety of intriguing sounds. I patiently awaited my turn, spending that chunk of time right-clicking images and placing them in various desktop folders marked for potential future use.

Then, just like that, he appeared in front of my desk, wearing a look that said “business.” Serious business, in fact. He didn’t sugarcoat his request. He simply threw it out there, making his request like it was nothing: he wanted me to make my best machine gun noise. And he wanted me to do it immediately. I discreetly wiped away a newly-formed bead of perspiration from my forehead, puckered my lips, and mentally prepared to impress him with the perfect execution of rapid tongue fluctuation against the roof of my mouth. Instead, what escaped the confines of my oral cavity resembled a broken sprinkler in sound—but a fully-functional sprinkler as far as the amount and distance attained with my generous moisture expulsion. Oh yes, he left with a face full of spittle. But I think he was impressed... and perhaps even thankful for the shower.

I’m not saddened by the fact that my weapon impressions leaves something to be desired because if you’ve ever heard my high-pitched, embarrassingly loud laugh [Ed. Note: it’s only a little loud and only mostly embarrassing], you already know that I have the ability to burst eardrums with a single shrieking syllable. Besides, people like Kristofor Mellroth, Senior Audio Director for Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, make up for what I lack. Last time I checked in with him, he was recording the Skywalker Symphony Orchestra performing Pyramind Studios' new orchestrations of the original music at Skywalker Ranch. When I popped in his office last week, however, he was working on… wait for it… weapon sounds.

Don’t you love it when it all comes together?

After arriving a full 30 minutes late for our meeting (hey, it’s not my fault I transposed the last two digits of his office number and spent half an hour looking for a room that didn’t exist), I was treated to more nostalgia-inducing audio files than my pea-sized brain could handle. He fed my facial side-flaps of cartilage sound after sound, all the while explaining the nitty-gritty details of Halo audio. While I assumed he locked Grunts in a sound-proof room and threatened to withhold the food nipple until they fulfilled every last one of his sound-related requests, apparently the process is a bit different from that. Who’d a thunk?

Kristofor’s approach from the beginning, as it pertains to the things you’ll hear in Halo: Anniversary, was to update what was already there. The arsenal of weapons available in the first game is so iconic to the series that he wanted to create rejuvenated sound, not new sound. Technology has changed, as has implementation. So he took what was already there and updated it in a combination of ways.

First, he brought onboard one of his favorite weapon sound designers, Peter Zinda. Kristofor knew that, without a doubt, Peter was the right person for the job. He not only works magic when it comes to sound design, but he also knows Halo inside and out. He’s hosted LAN parties since the days of Combat Evolved, and he continues to visit the world of Reach on a more than weekly basis. Because of all that time spent in-game, he can instantly tell the difference between the sound a Reach Magnum makes versus a CE Magnum. And numerous other weapons as well. (If you ever cross paths with Peter, you should challenge him to a game of “Name That Tune,” Halo-style. Just be prepared to lose should you need more than a single note.)

One of the things Kristofor challenged Peter to do was to create sounds that are higher fidelity than the original with more details added for embellishment. But the catch was that Kristofor also wanted you to hear them and instantly know they are from Halo. He wanted you to be able to close your eyes and say, “That’s the Shotgun.” “That’s the Needler.” “That’s the charging of a Plasma Pistol.” He thought the biggest challenge would be the plasma weapons, but they were actually the first thing to come back and they not only sounded amazing, but they were instantly recognizable and more visceral to boot.

Kristofor and Peter then started working on the UNSC weapons. These were more difficult because part of the original character of those weapons were that they were low-fi. They’re loud and distorted, and as they gained fidelity, they lost character. That led the audio team to some good ol’ fashioned sound archaeology in the old audio libraries. They found the original sounds and used them as source material. This particular gun in Halo is this gun in the library plus 12dB of limiting, and so on and so forth. A lot of the things they could recreate exactly, then build on from there, adding trail, mechanism, and the like.

Peter Comley in MGS Soundlab (a veteran of Halo 3) was tasked with recreating the original ambience in higher fidelity while also supporting surround sound. He has been painstakingly going through and matching the feel of the original using the best tools and source materials available today. This work was just completed this week, and now it’s on to bug fixing and mixing.

Kristofor also wanted to update weapon foley, so he hired Gary Hecker. Gary’s recording sessions involved reperforming all of the moves in the game. Things like melees with more power, and weapon reloads with fresher sound. He also provided new source for the Flood, along with new bullet impacts, plasma impacts, and even some embellishments. Spend some time watching and listening to the following videos that compare the original Halo: Combat Evolved sounds with the updated versions Halo: Anniversary offers. Pay close attention to the little things like the animations and the sounds, and perhaps you’ll notice a new pat here or a burlier reload there.
Thel 'Vadam Wants YOU

On a different note, if you’re staying up-to-date on the Halo Fest festivities (protip: you should be, FYI), you probably already know the related contests have entered the second stage. As the submission deadline has come and gone, both the Forge art and machinima entries are now available for your viewing and voting pleasure. Go check out what your fellow Halo fans have created, and then let your voice be heard about which ones you think should reign supreme. There’s prizes at stake, including a highly coveted Red vs. Blue walk-on voice-acting role, so go click that big ol’ button that reads “Vote” on your favorite entries. You may even get some worthy entertainment in return.

I Need an Answer

Before this Bulletin, I collected questions from various threads nestled within the confines of our friendly forums. I finally started a single thread though, just to make things easier on me. I mean, you. The variety of inquiries has been intriguing to say the least. Yes, I like toast (although not as much as muffins), I cannot release a swimsuit calendar until every single household possesses copious amounts of brain bleach, and my favorite co-worker is Master Chief (the Halo 4 version, of course). Here’s a few more questions that you may or may not find interesting.


When will you be able to detail the level of support you guys will be giving Reach and the community? –Heyy Youu

Halo Fest attendees will be the first to get the Halo: Reach Title Update specifics along with some hands-on time with the changes. Overall, we’ll continue updating playlists and things of the like, although, for the time being, our primary focus is on maintenance. When we reach the point of actually getting our feet wet instead of just dipping our toes in the water, we’ll let you know because your feedback is vital in all our endeavors. For now, we’ll leave it at “Coming soon!”


What's your favorite change/addition in the Title Update? –Zeouterlimits

My favorite change is that thing that used to do this thing now does that thing. Freak. In’. Awesome.


What changes can we expect when the forums exit beta stage? –Lycan XIII

There will be a fair amount of changes, both visible and not. I’ve played around in the next forum iteration, and I loved it so much that I asked them to push it out in its current not-quite-ready state. After watching me add an entire section devoted just to cats, they said no. So while there apparently won’t be a feline-only area, organization will be slightly different, there will be new features here and there, and everything will function as close to purr-fect as we can get it. Me-ow!


And last, but certainly not least, congratulations to Bungie on the launch of their newly revamped website and also for the assistance they’ve provided during the transition to 343 and HaloWaypoint.com. We can’t wait to tell you more about the cool improvements and features we have planned for the not-so distant future. Until next week…

<3,
bs angel

PS: This week, for your Friday Caption Fun image, I asked our artist to make you something that could double as a wallpaper. Embiggen, save as desktop background, and then join in the latest quip fest here!

Red vs Blue Season 9 episode 7

The new episode is now live on Redvsblue.com
Go check it out!

Twitter

We are on Twitter!!! I know its late, we've actually been on for a while, but, again, to busy to post or even remember.
Here you go!

Halo Bulletin 7-27-11

*sorry its late, been busy Here you go, though!

July 27 2011

The Halo Bulletin: 7/27/11

Is that a ring in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?

Sometimes, when you meet that special someone, you know with every fiber of your being that they’re the one for you. It could be the sight of the sun dancing along their visor. It could be the way their soft flesh is encased in their battle-hardened armor. Or perhaps it’s simply because they put the “super” in super-soldier. Regardless, it’s all those things and more that pushed you to finally put a ring on it. A very beautiful—and very large—diamond ring, as a matter of fact. Heck, if you can’t give the love of your life a Halo ring, you might as well give ‘em the next best thing, right?

While you may think I’m trying my hand at writing a Halo-themed fairy tale, this was actually a not-so-little event that took place in front of the Rooster Teeth booth last Saturday in the midst of a bustling San Diego Comic-Con. After performing a scene from a particularly memorable episode of Red vs. Blue, Matt, who was dressed up as Tucker, whipped off his helmet, dropped to one knee, and asked Sister—known in the real world as Grace—if she would marry him. I can neither confirm nor deny the rumor that she accepted. However, I can divulge that the resulting embrace was long, strong, and about to get the friction on.

While my words may be perfect for a rap track, I’m not sure they convey the occasion adequately. Therefore, I’d like to request your presence at the play button belonging to the following video. Upon your arrival, please tap it. I mean, hit it. I mean… watch a couple of Spartans as they prepare to ditch Lone Wolves for a lifetime of Double Team!

Romance wasn't the only thing in the air at this year’s Comic-Con, though. Many a Halo word was released into the wild, making their way not only to avid attendees’ ears but also into numerous videos recording the big moments that took place throughout the extended weekend. Who better to tell the tale than Frankie, who sat on the panels, signed the books, and shared a slew of information?

My name is Frankie, and I’m a water-aholic.

So, one thing you have to remember when visiting San Diego Comic-Con is that hotel rooms and flights get booked very early, which is why Kevin and I paid in advance and unrefundably guaranteed our rooms at a certain marina hotel right next to the con. So to describe us as “surprised” when the hotel said, “We gave away your rooms to a fat Jedi and a Sonic Furry, but we can try to get you a different room at the airport or on that island” is to do an injustice to the gas-face we experienced.

Just across the street at the Hard Rock, however, a very lovely lady hooked us up with more capacious and convenient accommodations. Thanks to her. I believe her name was Sara but she was shining like a Madonna from a Renaissance painting, and her loveliness blinded me to whatever was on her nametag.

We arrived on Thursday and our panels were all the following day, but we did attend the Microsoft Xbox showcase the night before and got to play and check out a bunch of our mothership’s content, including Forza, Cliffy’s latest Gears carnage and the insanely addictive Kinect Fruit Ninja. I also looked at, listened to, and literally sniffed the incredible Star Wars Limited Edition Xbox 360 with the help of Richard Velasquez—who also helped us bring the Reach console to fruition last year.

The other thing I did that night was become the subject of mockery and animated gifs as I did some ad hoc interviews with press and bloggers. [Editor’s note: If anybody has links to said gifs, please post them in the discussion thread. I may or may not need them for blackmail purposes.] Apparently my hotel-experience-gas-face had carried over from earlier, because I look like I am about to barf. I did not barf. And I was sober in spite of internet claims to the contrary. Because the next day was PANEL DAY.

Three panels, back to back, followed by a book signing.

The first panel was the easiest, because we were well-rested and ready for action. It was on fiction and video games, with me, Karen Traviss, Greg Bear, John Shirley (BioShock), David Gaider (Dragon Age) and Tony Gonzales (EVE Online). Here we got to chat with an engaged crowd about general novel-lyness and sci-fi. Karen dropped hints about the content of Glasslands—which releases in October and tells the tale of the Halo universe in the wake of the Covenant War and the defeat of the Flood. Greg is almost done with Primordium—the sequel to Cryptum, which drops in January 2012.

But we were all saving ourselves for the next and biggest panel (ours, anyway) which was in the colossal room 6 and entirely dedicated to all things Halo. We were following William Shatner and Kevin Smith, who were doing a panel about Star Trek captains. At Comic-Con, this is basically a kind of Rapture, where instead of being transported to paradise, the audience is transported into the presence of William Shatner’s immortal charisma.

I literally had to follow in Kirk’s footsteps. I even had to sit in his now vacated chair.

We will not debate his profound wisdom at these proceedings. Of my seat I can only say this: Of all the stools I have encountered in my travels… his was the most… humid.

Looking out at the Halo crowd as they shuffled in and displaced the Star Trek crowd (or not, since a few Trekkies stayed behind to judge or mock our new-fangled sci-fi universe), I got a bit humid myself. That’s a lot of Halo fans.

We got things going with introductions and talked a little about the two new novels. But we quickly moved into Anniversary mode. A brand new trailer for the Terminals was unveiled, showing a few glimpses of Guilty Spark’s incredible backstory, along with some surprises you’ll have to see in the Terminals to fully understand.

And yes, there will be one Terminal for each level of the game–which is a fact, in itself, connected to the story (written by our very own Kevin Grace). I am done calling this type of animation a “motion comic” because it really is a great deal more than that. It’s really just stylized and in some ways, incredibly ambitious animation. There are probably more unique frames by far than in any average Saturday morning cartoon.

After that we introduced Dan Ayoub, Executive Producer on Halo: Anniversary and his trusty sidekick, Dennis “Plasma” Ries, to run through the E3 demo again for the crowd. Because the E3 demo was the most stable and predictable build, we had to go back in time a little, with the non-updated Assault Rifle, rougher graphics and so on, but the crowd loved it. Whoops and cheers galore as we switched between Classic and Anniversary modes.

And Dennis finally redeemed himself, tossing the very last plasma of the demo right into the face of a charging Elite. We were all choked up. It was like the end of Rocky IV.

By the way, as I write this, I am splashing around in the water. I am doing donuts in the water. I am throwing grenades in the water. It turns out that I love any and all video game water. I also have a mania for expecting that there should be a rocket launcher, or other treasure, hidden behind every waterfall, and I continue to be disappointed in this realm.

bs angel here. It’s worth noting that as I write this Bulletin, I’m splashing around in the water as well. But my water is tangible—not to mention cold to the touch—because I’m currently on vacation, enjoying the scenic view, fresh air, and numerous bugs that insist on repeatedly biting my now bump-covered body. If you happen to have some time to sit back and relax too—hopefully without being subjected to swarms of starving insects—I highly recommend filling your earholes with the smooth voices of David Ellis and Frank O'Connor with the latest episode of the Sparkast. In this episode, the duo is joined by Karen Traviss, who talks about the process of helping to shape the post-Halo 3 universe. There’s even a bonus finale with a special guest. I’d give you a hint about the identity of the special guest, but I don’t want to ruin the Max Hoberman surprise. Yup, you won’t be getting any spoilers from me, that’s for sure! Anyway, tune in here at your earliest convenience, and subscribe via Zune or iTunes while you’re at it. Wait, I’m not being demanding, am I? If so, imagine me smiling when I say that. There, all better!

Now, back to business. Just because I’m sitting by the lake, enjoying the gentle waves caressing my lowermost phalanges, that doesn’t mean there aren’t pressing Anniversary-related questions left over from Comic-Con that still need answers. I refuse to jump into the colder-than-it-should-be-considering-it’s-July water, however I’ll gladly dive straight into your inquiries. You can’t ever say I didn’t do anything for you, for the record.

When will the title update be?....and why do people camp? -GSO Xt3rm1naToR

The Title Update for Reach is currently slated to be available before Anniversary ships—so sometime significantly before November 15th. Both Anniversary owners and Reach owners will get it as it will be included on the Anniversary disc and also released on Xbox LIVE.

PS: And it has something to do with s’mores. And the fact that it’s a legitimate strategy.

Is the Combat Evolved Anniversary multiplayer updated CE multiplayer, or will it come with a Reach multiplayer disc like Halo 3: ODST? -J0HNL3I

Anniversary contains the Halo campaign—updated, of course—as well as seven new Multiplayer maps that run in the Reach engine. You do not need Reach to play these, just the Anniversary disc. It all launches from one menu, just as you’d expect. Anniversary players who also own Reach will be able to install those Multiplayer maps right to their HDD. Semi-related: Reach players will be able to get the new maps too, and there will not be a significant gap between the launch of Anniversary and the availability of the seven maps as downloadable content.

Will there be any big changes in the multiplayer?? –hobbito

For some, yes. Others, no. Let me explain. Stuff that the Title Update enables will be presented via Matchmaking playlists. So for example, you could have a playlist with loads of changes called “ANNIVERSARY PLAYLIST” sitting alongside one called “NORMAL REACH STUFF” which plays with all the Reach rules intact. That means Reach players will be able to try some of the Title Update changes on certain maps and playlists, even if they don’t have Anniversary. Naturally Anniversary players will have more access because of the Multiplayer maps they get.


And with that, the lake and the lampreys are calling. Or maybe it’s just the lampreys. Either way, until next week...

<3,
bs angel

PS: While I don’t have a Friday Caption Fun image for you this week due to the whole vacation thing, I do have some miscellaneous pictures from the San Diego Comic-Con festivities. I’d also like to take a second to thank Count3D, who graciously supplied many of the images in today’s Bulletin. You can check out more of his Comic-Con-related adventures here.

Holy costumes, Batman!

Gabe and Tycho of Penny Arcade, drawing Mister, er Master, Chief.

Todd McFarlane shows off his manly figure.

I think something’s wrong with his auto-aim, ‘cause he’s not taking his eyes off me.

An elegant weapon for a more civilized age. Or a more pink one, anyway.

Title Menu

This is the title menu that was actually seen at E3 2011 in an interview with Dan Ayoub, that can be found on Gamespot. I just thought I would post it... I wouldn't be surprised if it changed by the time of release.

 It goes:
Campaign
Halo Reach Multiplayer
Waypoint
Extras
(Here's to hoping that the Extras will include a Halo 4 Beta in the future)