Topic: Halo Wars demo on XBL

[W7RE]

It's a pretty dumbed down RTS, though it's not like that's a suprise. Building locations are extremely limited, and resources are dropped in to a location on your base instead of having to locate a resource node.

I just finished playing a skirmish and the entire map has 4 predetermined locations where bases can be built.  Each base has I think 5 building pads (or 7? I don't remember really. I think it's 3 on each side and 1 on the end, plus the main base structure). One building type is a supply platform, where supplies are flown in from the ship in orbit, so you don't have to go out and find mines or chop trees or whatever. You just build another pad if you think resources are coming in too slow. You can also upgrade the pad to allow it to recieve resources faster.

It's kinda fun I guess, but only because I'm familiar with the Halo universe. To anyone who's not, I can't see it being interesting enough, especially how simplified and easy it is. I mean, I don't think I've ever beat a skirmish against an AI opponent in any game, because I'm that bad at RTS. It's ok though, I don't get into them that much. But I just raped the AI in normal difficulty on this. It was a lot of "ooh, that sounds cool, I'll upgrade to that", and I won with little effort.



I may pick it up, but only when the price drops. If it stays at $60 for a long time like Halo 3, I'll probably have zero interest by the time it drops in price. (Halo 3 is almost a year and a half old, and still $60)

[scottws]

Is this coming out on PC or getting a PC demo?  Like FPS games, I just can't play RTS games on a console.

[beo]

Is this coming out on PC or getting a PC demo?  Like FPS games, I just can't play RTS games on a console.

360 only.

i'm a complete rts whore and my opinion is the same - they need a mouse. i'm downloading at the moment though, as i'm intrigued to see if an rts designed from the ground up to be a console game can actually work with a pad. i'll post impressions in a bit...

[W7RE]

I can't realy go too in depth on comparisons because I'm just not an RTS guy, but if you want the fanboy buzz about it being dumbed down/consolized: The resource gathering and building mechanics are streamlined so that you can focus more on combat. Each unit is strong against a certain type of unit, and has a special attack to aid them in that role. Marines have granades to rip up buildings, flame throwers eat up ground troops, spartans jack enemy vehicles and make them yours, etc.

On complaint I heard about this was something along the lines of, you can't build strategically for defense. Sicne you just place stuff on the construction pads that surround your main base, anyone can just run up and attack it. In othe RTS games you can build farms or towers to block your base off so people have to work their way in.

By the way apparently there's a gun turret you can place, but I never figures out how. It could be to put on your base, it could be to place anywhere on the map. I don't know, I never found anything for it except that I saw an upgrade for it. Maybe it's something they intentionally left out of the demo.

[Cobra951]

I'm going to have to try this out.  I didn't know about it at all.  I briefly played an RTS before with similar mechanics.  I think it was set in the Lord of the Rings universe.  I don't remember feeling strongly about it one way or another.  I guess the thing to do is compare the Halo Wars demo to the Civilization Revolution demo, see how it stacks up.

[MysterD]

360 only.

They should port Halo 3 and Halo Wars (RTS) to the PC.
Maybe even put them together and sell it in one retail box for the PC, at a later said date.

[wizall]

I guess the thing to do is compare the Halo Wars demo to the Civilization Revolution demo, see how it stacks up.

I'm not sure what you mean.   One is RTS, the other TBS, respectfully. 

[Xessive]

Apparently Supreme Commander on the 360 got some good reviews and seems to have figured out a control scheme that works for RTSGs on consoles.

The one feature that was overpresented in every discussion was zooming in and out.

[Ghandi]

I guess the thing to do is compare the Halo Wars demo to the Civilization Revolution demo, see how it stacks up.

I enjoyed Civilization Revolution. It was fun. It wasn't an RTS, though. It was turn-based.

[PyroMenace]

Apparently Supreme Commander on the 360 got some good reviews and seems to have figured out a control scheme that works for RTSGs on consoles.

The one feature that was overpresented in every discussion was zooming in and out.

Well thats interesting... I was always curious about that one but didnt think I had the machine to run it. I should look into renting it.

[Xessive]

Well thats interesting... I was always curious about that one but didnt think I had the machine to run it. I should look into renting it.

If you check it out let us know how it is on the 360 and what you think of the controls.

[MysterD]

If you check it out let us know how it is on the 360 and what you think of the controls.

X, did you play Sup Com on the PC?
Sup Com: Forged Alliance (stand-alone expansion)?

If so, how were they?

[Xessive]

X, did you play Sup Com on the PC?
Sup Com: Forged Alliance (stand-alone expansion)?

If so, how were they?

Yep, I played both.

SC is is pretty good. If you enjoyed Total Annihilation, awesome RTS from the good ol' days (well, my good ol' days anyway), SC is exactly that taken to higher levels. It took a bit to get used to the view controls. The only two major complaints I had were peformance, it was a pretty heavy game, and the UI domintaed a good chunk of the screen for no good reason and I was left with a rectangle around the middle of the screen to observe my units and battles. You could hide the UI but it was an all or nothing sort of thing.

SC:FA pretty much resolved most of the gameplay and UI issues people were having with the original SC including better performance. It was definitely better in almost every way.

I recall there's a very reasonably priced bundle pack too.

If you get SC:FA there's really no need to go for the original SC unless you're a collector.

I don't understand RTSGs going out as console-exclusives. That's like if Rock Band was a PC exclusive. Makes no sense.

[MysterD]

Yep, I played both.

SC is is pretty good. If you enjoyed Total Annihilation, awesome RTS from the good ol' days (well, my good ol' days anyway), SC is exactly that taken to higher levels.

Never played TA.
Hmmm....there's a game GOG should bring to its ranks.

It took a bit to get used to the view controls. The only two major complaints I had were peformance, it was a pretty heavy game, and the UI domintaed a good chunk of the screen for no good reason and I was left with a rectangle around the middle of the screen to observe my units and battles. You could hide the UI but it was an all or nothing sort of thing.

SC:FA pretty much resolved most of the gameplay and UI issues people were having with the original SC including better performance. It was definitely better in almost every way.

I recall there's a very reasonably priced bundle pack too.

Gold Edition, I think.

If you get SC:FA there's really no need to go for the original SC unless you're a collector.

I'm a collector, so I'd likely go for the Gold Edition.

I don't understand RTSGs going out as console-exclusives.

Agreed. Those are normally more suited for a KB/mouse.

That's like if Rock Band was a PC exclusive. Makes no sense.

Though, yeah -- as you're implying, I'd guessing Rock Band is probably best suited in one room in front of a big-ass TV with a bunch of your friends rockin' right along with you in the same room. It'd probably be weird for Que on the guitar, MysterD on the mic, and Xessive on the drums -- and they're all in different parts of the entire world playing (supposedly) as a team on the Internet!

With the level of anarchy and free-for-all the PC has with the advent of the Internet and all, Rock Band would be ideal on there in SOME REGARDS -- as in the trading of user-created songs over the Net would be the ideal place.

If there was a Rock Band PC, I think that would be the ideal place for user-created content; especially b/c of the Internet. You could create your own user-created songs or download other people's user-made songs. Then, y'all can upload your own songs to a server for others to download; downloads other people's user created-song to try to get the best score on that song; etc etc. Plus, I'm sure you could loads tons of songs onto the hard drive -- Imagine the amount of insane songs you could build. Would be the perfect place for companies to release DLC music for the game, too.

I mean, that's what makes Audiosurf so much fun -- you can basically upload any song to into it and challenge it on the PC version. Then, post your scores online and see how it stacks against others.

[beo]

okay, after a little while with the demo i have some impressions...

the controls work pretty well. the game is relatively "streamlined", so doesn't require nearly the same level of micromanagement that something such as generals, for example, would. if it did, you'd be screwed, but in the context of this game, the control scheme is very well designed. you've got a decent array of commands, giving you a good level of control on the battlefield. you can select individual units, all units of the same type on screen, all units on map, or all the units on screen. the individual selection marker works well too - the longer you hold the button down, the more it grows - enabling you to select a group of units in the same vicinity. obviously, you're not able to use some common rts commands, such as control grouping, map markers, etc - and that does make it feel slightly restrictive, but "slightly" really is the operative word.

the base building is limited. it's functional, but there are few options. it's not a terrible design choice, but i think that ensemble could of afforded to be a little bolder in depth without over complicating things too much. the focus is more on research. pretty much every unit and structure can be upgraded several times, making them much more useful than their starting versions (a lot like dawn of war).

the demo campaign missions are quite fun - you can't do a hell of a lot, because like most rts games, the tech is introduced slowly throughout the campaign. the cut scenes are superb though, if you are at all interested in the halo universe, you'll definitely get a kick out of these. as for the skirmish mode, that shows off a whole lot more of the full product. you only have the one map, but you can use every unit and structure (from what i gather) - and it's great fun!

being a long time pc rts nut, i was fully ready to hate this - i couldn't fathom how a pad could possibly work - but it does, and the game itself looks to be genuinely good. i didn't think it would happen, but i think i may well end up buying this game.

[W7RE]

One thing I noticed is that it had "autoaim", like the Halo fps games. When you move around over your units, the cursor (and thus your movement across the battlefield) will try to pull you toward individual units. So when you try to select a single unit, you're not stuck with your cursor over a blank spot right nexto the unit. I think you can adjust the sensitivity of this.

And yea, the cutscenes look nice. I think all previous Halo games have had real time cut scenes, where this one has prerendered ones. So everything is highly detailed and pretty looking.

[W7RE]

I'm watching the video review on Gamespot, and the're talking about how you fight against the Flood in the campaign. The Flood were a big surprise in Halo 1, one that none of the characters in the game knew about. Now they're showing up in Halo Wars, 20 years before the events of Halo 1?

[Cobra951]

They don't care.  This kind of shit happens all the time.  The redo of Star Trek (upcoming movie) has the faithful going into fits.  The search for more money trumps all canon.

[scottws]

Yeah but the new one looks awesome, so screw the faithful.

[W7RE]

Well, the new Star Trek isn't a prequel is it? Isn't it a reboot type thing, like Batman Begins was? If so that means they can change things without messing with continuity. Sure, they'll piss off fans, but it doesn't mess with continuity.

Halo Wars is supposed to be an official part of the Halo series. So if you were to play them in chronological order, you'd do Halo wars and fight the Flood, then Halo 1 and "what is this new race of creatures we've never seen before?"

[Xessive]

I don't mind if stuff gets retconned, it happens all the time with comics and animations, so long as it keeps the overall spirit of the story/franchise intact.