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New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0
Posted By: Promodo <promodo@tampabay.rr.com>Date: 3/20/04 5:41 p.m.

This is basically in reply to Wolfy's analysis over at Sector 7 <http://www.sector7-halo.com/articles/htmlarea/show.php?show=true&id=12>

Please refer to the following when reading:
http://halo.bungie.net/images/site/halo/screenshots/halo2/h2_mp_02.jpg

In this little evaluation and analysis of the recently released screenshot by Bungie, I'll be disecting the image on a progressively downscaled level... basically, I'm starting big, and ending small.

First off, then, we have the Environment.

The environment itself has a very obvious new arrival: clouds. Unlike the previous conditions in Halo, the background is not a set pallate, but appears to actually be rendered atmosphere. This leads me to believe that such things as an ambush in the shade is capable for Halo 2. The clouds far off in the distance might drift through the mountainous map and cause conditional fog, and scatter lightbeams from gunfire or headlamps.

Effect lighting on the environment is very obvious here, namely in the exploding plasma grenade in the doorway with the light-flares associated with brightness by the human eye, and also in the shadows under the feet of the plasma pistol packing Spartan (center of image). While the shadows rendered are effected by the lights inlaid on the base of the short wall before him, dimming the closer to the light they get, the fact remains that they do not cast a shadow themselves behind the Spartan.

Moving on, lets look at the next point of focus, the Spartans.

Ignoring the presence of battle scarring (obviously just a nice paintjob... those Spartans would be long dead with armor that dinged in combat), lets move on instead to their visors.
Now, while the above review states the visors seem 'reflective', I doubt this is the case. The fact that the fallen Blue team in the bottom of the image does not have the image of the largest Red team member casting reflected in its visor alone should be proof enough. If more is needed, One can note that on this main Red team member, his rifle is not reflected in his helmet despite its curve and close proximity. Reflective helmets are likely a no no.
Moving on to everyone's favorite point of discussion in this picture, lets talk about the Spartan who seems to be tripping on the far right of the screenshot. Noting his leg position, he's obviously about to take a dive onto his right side. Now, the cause of this is unknown, but look at the proximity darkening in those shadows... the closer his body comes to the ground, the slight bit more dark the shadows become. Proximity lighting could be a nice little feature as far as these shadows are concerned.

Now, lets get to my favorite thing to discuss... the little things.

Note on the far left of the screen, the small red spartan in the middleground has an active shield flare, meaning he's been shot... but what you also note, is the fact bullets are ricocheting off of him with a still-moving velocity. I'm just thinking of this as a possibility, but could ricochet proximity damage be a possible factor in the Halo 2 ballistics? Imagine a shotgun shell being scattered off a teammate's shield for kill damage... the possibilities are a nice thought.

Okay, off topic of the little things a moment, lets talk about an effing HUGE thing that Wolfy left out: the 'falling' blue with sniper rifle and needler being dropped is falling toward the sky. Why, you ask? How about the big blast radius of the plasma grenade behind him? Works for me. He's not falling, he's being propelled and waving his arms like a screaming, horrified man about to die.

Anyway, back to the small things... Check out the dynamic lighting effects on every bevel, knook, and cranny of these Spartans. The raised points in proximity to light (not just level light, but any light) are brightened with a bevel, giving a nice level of realism to the game (as real as it can be with super-armored plasma wielders). Also, note the presence of this effect on the weapons themselves. Very nice job, Bungienauts.
Another thing that caught my attention was the high degree of slope in the hanging support or power cables draped across the level. They seem low enough for a spartan to jump into, don't they? Will these, like the rest of the objects in the level, be manipulated or possibly destroyed by player activity? Could be interesting to see the lights go out for the blue base there when they're shot.

Well, that's it for my little right-up here... I hope you at least found it interesting. Also, be sure to check out Wolfy's at Sector 7 <http://www.sector7-halo.com/articles/htmlarea/show.php?show=true&id=12> He made some nice points that I tried to keep from repeating here.

Message Index



Replies:

New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0Promodo 3/20/04 5:41 p.m.
     Re: New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0Wolfy 3/20/04 7:47 p.m.
           Re: New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0WhatTheDilly-O 3/20/04 11:01 p.m.
           Re: New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0ViolentlyHappy 3/21/04 12:00 a.m.
                 Yes...Zero Flaw 3/21/04 12:14 a.m.
     Excellent work Promodo!Zero Flaw 3/20/04 8:29 p.m.
           Re: Excellent work Promodo!L3FTY 3/20/04 8:57 p.m.
                 One thing to remember...Dylan 3/20/04 9:10 p.m.
     Re: New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0 *NM*qwd 3/20/04 9:09 p.m.
     Re: New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0Promodo 3/20/04 9:17 p.m.
           halo?Warren 3/20/04 10:35 p.m.
                 maybe its a mountainnocturnal02 3/21/04 4:39 a.m.
     Re: New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0Viscily II 3/20/04 10:55 p.m.
           Absolutely.Jeffool 3/21/04 12:16 a.m.
                 Re: Absolutely.Jeffool 3/21/04 12:28 a.m.
                 Re: Absolutely.Cunbelin The Certified Jackass 3/21/04 4:20 p.m.
     Re: New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0Colonel Skippy 3/20/04 11:03 p.m.
     Re: New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0Ryan Omark 3/20/04 11:15 p.m.
           Warren, not another halo, but the moon!Travis009 3/20/04 11:37 p.m.
                 Re: Warren, not another halo, but the moon!Warren 3/21/04 8:14 a.m.
     Re: New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0Darth Maximus 3/20/04 11:32 p.m.
           Re: New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0Travis009 3/20/04 11:39 p.m.
                 Re: New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0Darth Maximus 3/20/04 11:42 p.m.
                       Re: New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0Zero Flaw 3/21/04 12:16 a.m.
                             Re: New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0Blackvar 3/21/04 1:14 a.m.
                                   Re: New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0Zero Flaw 3/21/04 4:27 p.m.
                             Re: New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0Darth Maximus 3/21/04 1:15 a.m.
                       Re: New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0PfhorSlayer [subnova] 3/21/04 2:44 a.m.
                             Re: New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0LaunchBay07 3/21/04 3:35 a.m.
                             Re: New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0Cunbelin The Certified Jackass 3/22/04 4:09 a.m.
           Its a tad unrealistic...theda 3/21/04 9:20 a.m.
                 Re: Its a tad unrealistic...Ruiner 3/21/04 9:52 a.m.
                 NeverRampant Cowboy 3/21/04 12:01 p.m.
     The red guy set off the plasma grenade?Konrad 3/21/04 11:40 a.m.
     Re: New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0NighthawkAVHS 3/21/04 11:52 a.m.
           Re: New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0Strauts 3/21/04 12:12 p.m.
     what?diztortedrhythm 3/21/04 12:43 p.m.
           Re: what?Captian Spark 3/21/04 3:11 p.m.
           Re: what?Warren 3/21/04 3:12 p.m.
     What are those brown smudges? *NM*Dark Impaler 3/21/04 2:19 p.m.
           Re: What are those brown smudges?Darth Maximus 3/21/04 3:55 p.m.
     Re: New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0Warren 3/21/04 3:20 p.m.
           Re: New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0champ_milo 3/21/04 4:34 p.m.
           Shishka, you're slipping...Exogenesis 3/21/04 7:54 p.m.
                 Re: Shishka, you're slipping...Shishka 3/21/04 8:59 p.m.
     Some commentsRed Loser 3/21/04 5:05 p.m.
           Re: Some commentsWarren 3/21/04 5:41 p.m.
           Re: Some commentsViscily II 3/22/04 2:38 p.m.
     ...woo-ha! 3/21/04 6:06 p.m.
           ...!woo-ha! 3/21/04 6:13 p.m.
                 Re: ...!zcar222 3/21/04 9:43 p.m.
                       Re: ...!Majora 3/21/04 10:50 p.m.
                             Re: ...!Warren 3/21/04 11:24 p.m.
                                   Re: ...!woo-ha! 3/22/04 2:28 p.m.
     Re: New Screenshot Evaluation v2.0skrip00 3/22/04 1:04 p.m.



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