Halo 4 - Catch All

Demonicmaster wrote:

I would like to hit the Campaign on Legendary sometime, I finished it on Normal and have been doing Heroic at my own pace. I have never done Legendary so I am afraid I would piss people off with having to restart if I died.

In co-op you don't restart, you will just respawn next to someone when they are out of the action (like behind a boulder).

Demonicmaster wrote:

I would like to hit the Campaign on Legendary sometime, I finished it on Normal and have been doing Heroic at my own pace. I have never done Legendary so I am afraid I would piss people off with having to restart if I died.

In co-op you don't restart, you will just respawn next to someone when they are out of the action (like behind a boulder).

I observed a friend playing this game today and it occurred to me that the score is not very apparent, even when it swells during the breaks in between action. The audio mix seems to be heavily tailored towards dialogue and action audio, which I find surprising since everyone other game in the series makes the soundtrack a prominent part of the single player experience. This left me a bit annoyed, listening to the soundtrack outside the game I think it's pretty fantastic and deserves more presence. The game audio options don't allow for adjustment of audio levels so I pose a question for 343i: What the f***sticks?

Wow you are right. When first I played the game, I hardly noticed the music at all. It all sounded very flat and just sat in the background hardly drawing attention to itself. On your recommendation, I started listening to the soundtrack, and the whole thing is much more explosive and dynamic than I ever would have realized.

Maybe the only knock I can make against it is that it doesn't seem to be as melodic as past Halo soundtracks. It's a lot more ambient, and doesn't really stick in your head very well.

But the overall sound is definitely there. I'm thinking that if they just tried to showcase the music a little better it would have turned out fine. I am guessing that didn't happen because Neil Davidge is probably not nearly as involved with the process as Marty was, and so the soundtrack came more as an afterthought rather than an integral part of the game.

So I have actually found the Halo music in-game annoying in past games. The fact that I didn't really notice it this time is actually a plus for me. I often turn the music off in games when it gives me the choice. Open world games without the option to turn of the score really bug me. I prefer the ambient sounds to any score in that type of game (Oblivion, Fallout, Far Cry, etc).

Rykin wrote:

So I have actually found the Halo music in-game annoying in past games. The fact that I didn't really notice it this time is actually a plus for me. I often turn the music off in games when it gives me the choice. Open world games without the option to turn of the score really bug me. I prefer the ambient sounds to any score in that type of game (Oblivion, Fallout, Far Cry, etc).

Is it an immersion breaking thing?

Yes. I first noticed it in Far Cry Instincts on the original Xbox which didn't have an option to turn the music off. And then later in Oblivion when the music would change from peaceful to combat music but I hadn't noticed the enemy. It pulled me out and ruined the tension. Getting ambushed by a troll with no warning was way more fun

I can understand ambience in more open world games, but for something like Halo I prefer the added thrill given by certain tunes. The first Halo really did a good job of making me feel specific emotions in reaction to the scenery, such as the haunting song that plays as you walk out into the snow with Flood and Covenant fighting in the distance. Sort of drove the feeling of "You are alone" home.

ccesarano wrote:

I can understand ambience in more open world games, but for something like Halo I prefer the added thrill given by certain tunes. The first Halo really did a good job of making me feel specific emotions in reaction to the scenery, such as the haunting song that plays as you walk out into the snow with Flood and Covenant fighting in the distance. Sort of drove the feeling of "You are alone" home.

Fantastic moment. That's the kind of thing I've been looking for since the first, and nothing has come close to it.

Rykin wrote:

So I have actually found the Halo music in-game annoying in past games. The fact that I didn't really notice it this time is actually a plus for me. I often turn the music off in games when it gives me the choice. Open world games without the option to turn of the score really bug me. I prefer the ambient sounds to any score in that type of game (Oblivion, Fallout, Far Cry, etc).

Around the time of Halo 3 I started to feel like the classic Halo score was crossing over into tacky-ness for lack of a better word. Maybe I had heard it too often by then. The swelling orchestra, the nu-celtic vibe and the overblown piano beats. ODST veered off into their bizarre smokey jazz tunes and then with Reach it was back to the tacky. Can never forget (for the wrong reasons) watching Reach's final cutscene of a giant ship laboriously engaging with a landing dock with the orchestral score going nuts. And finally... *clunk* it finished docking. Wow, not quite the impact I was hoping for.

Halo 4's soundtrack? I like very much.

I wonder if this could have something to do with a background in gaming. I lament the days when the songs would get stuck in your head, as I look back favorably on the soundtracks of games like Final Fantasy, Mega Man X, Super Metroid, Chrono Trigger, A Link to the Past and Super Mario RPG. I didn't play games of the "immersive" style until high school, and by then the industry was up to games like Morrowind.

Maclintok wrote:
Rykin wrote:

So I have actually found the Halo music in-game annoying in past games. The fact that I didn't really notice it this time is actually a plus for me. I often turn the music off in games when it gives me the choice. Open world games without the option to turn of the score really bug me. I prefer the ambient sounds to any score in that type of game (Oblivion, Fallout, Far Cry, etc).

Around the time of Halo 3 I started to feel like the classic Halo score was crossing over into tacky-ness for lack of a better word. Maybe I had heard it too often by then. The swelling orchestra, the nu-celtic vibe and the overblown piano beats. ODST veered off into their bizarre smokey jazz tunes and then with Reach it was back to the tacky. Can never forget (for the wrong reasons) watching Reach's final cutscene of a giant ship laboriously engaging with a landing dock with the orchestral score going nuts. And finally... *clunk* it finished docking. Wow, not quite the impact I was hoping for.

Halo 4's soundtrack? I like very much.

Yea I don't remember Halo 2 well enough but I do remember the Halo 3 music seeming to be very over-done. Halo isn't that immersive of a game so the music is whatever to me. I agree the Halo 4 soundtrack is great though. I really like the remixes.

Rykin wrote:

Yea I don't remember Halo 2 well enough but I do remember the Halo 3 music seeming to be very over-done. Halo isn't that immersive of a game so the music is whatever to me. I agree the Halo 4 soundtrack is great though. I really like the remixes.

I guess I'm just really easy to please. I loved the Halo 3 title screen music. Also, I enjoy how the music in Halo games amps up or tones down depending on how actiony the current gameplay is.

What's the word on Spartan Ops? I haven't played any of the episodes yet, since I was waiting until I finish the campaign, but with new episodes out soon, I feel like now's the time to get caught up. Does it tie in to the campaign story? Should I finish the campaign first?

It takes place after the campaign and does contain a few spoilers.

Rykin wrote:

It takes place after the campaign and does contain a few spoilers.

The videos that precede each episode can be avoided, that's where most of the story bits are contained. I don't see any reason not to play.

mr_n00b wrote:
Rykin wrote:

It takes place after the campaign and does contain a few spoilers.

The videos that precede each episode can be avoided, that's where most of the story bits are contained. I don't see any reason not to play.

But the main game can be played in a single (long) sitting.

Rykin wrote:
mr_n00b wrote:
Rykin wrote:

It takes place after the campaign and does contain a few spoilers.

The videos that precede each episode can be avoided, that's where most of the story bits are contained. I don't see any reason not to play.

But the main game can be played in a single (long) sitting.

Yeah, my wife is going out of town next weekend, so I'll probably tackle it then.

Rykin wrote:

It takes place after the campaign and does contain a few spoilers.

It takes place months after the campaign.

I'm looking for someone to do co-op with me through Spartan Ops. I'm not very good, but these just look amazing. Anyone willing to lend a hand? Just send me a PM and we'll figure out a time. Thanks!

I might be down for some of that depending on day/time. My Saturday this week is crazy full but I might be up for something on Sunday. I have only played the first episode myself.

Rykin wrote:

I might be down for some of that depending on day/time. My Saturday this week is crazy full but I might be up for something on Sunday. I have only played the first episode myself.

Sunday would be perfect! My wife is going to a Mardi Gras parade with a bunch of co-workers so I'll have the house to myself all day and evening! Just pick a time! I think we are already on each others friends list.

I could be in on this for Sunday afternoon.

CptGlanton wrote:

I could be in on this for Sunday afternoon.

Woot! The more the merrier!

If there's still room I think I might like to join in on Sunday afternoon as well.

ccesarano wrote:

If there's still room I think I might like to join in on Sunday afternoon as well.

See above. I have no idea what the max number is, but with you I think that makes 4. Surely Halo 4 can handle 4 people?

Well and now I can't even participate. My 360 has gone belly up (DVD drive will not read any discs nor even eject at this point). Silly. Have fun without me!

Got back into this and I'm very "meh" on it. I don't know if the mood and variety (including battles in space ships) spoiled me in ODST and Reach, but I'm just not into mainline Halo games starring Master Chief. Not sure if I'll finish this.

DSGamer wrote:

Got back into this and I'm very "meh" on it. I don't know if the mood and variety (including battles in space ships) spoiled me in ODST and Reach, but I'm just not into mainline Halo games starring Master Chief. Not sure if I'll finish this.

It has a really good, but somewhat frustrating, space ship part near the end. I have said it before but I would love to see either Bungie or 343 build a space ship game.