Bungie enthuses over Halo 3 AI

By Tom Bramwell Published 26 March, 2007

Talks about building atmosphere.

The artificial intelligence of your enemies in Halo 3 exceeds that of previous games in the series by some considerable distance, reckons Bungie web hero Frank O'Connor.

"Halo 3 encounters are more fun, more challenging, more varied and more enjoyable than those in Halo or Halo 2," he says, recounting his latest experiences with an in-development build of the Xbox 360 shooter, due out later this year.

"The interplay and strategies created among the various Covenant foes is just thrilling. One weird thing that I just can't get used to (in a good way, I mean) is the fact that you have to plan for multiple encounters in one location.

"You can see a group in the distance, and head down to fight them. You could toss a grenade to get the party started - but here's a hint. Between you and them and the tumble of rocks and scree between you, I happen to know that a Phantom is going to drop off four Grunts and a Brute Chieftain. The Phantom itself is going to start laying down fire on you, so my suggestion is to bide your time, wait for the first Phantom, and take care of that before irritating those guys way down the hill.

"The AI on the opponents is more interesting too. Even a lone Grunt can be a nasty challenge. Actually, a lone Grunt is sometimes a cornered Grunt now. You've been warned."

That's all courtesy, of course, of this week's Bungie website update, which also talks about some of the amazing atmospheric details going into the game. Did you know, for example, that Halo 3 uses Rayleigh and Mie Scattering as the basis of its sky? Did you know that the mountains in the distance are real? Did you know you could shoot the birds flapping around, take out ships fighting in the distance, or watch wind blowing across the tops of waves? Well, it does, they are, you can, you can, you can - so be sure to check in with the update.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000. Follow him on Twitter.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (36) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Steroyd #1 5 years ago

    Did i just read a walkthrough on how to beat a Phantom? o_O

  • mkreku #2 5 years ago

    Never did I understand what a great AI can do for a game until I played STALKER (over this weekend). Bungie has their work cut out for them if they want to be able to best STALKER's AI. It's awesome in every sense of the word. It lifts an above average game to great game just by the behaviour of the other stalkers, the soldiers and (especially) the wildlife. Seeing mutated dogs gather around a fresh corpse and start pulling it into the safety of the woods is a creepy feeling. Or seeing big boars scatter a pack of smaller creatures, totally oblivious of your presence..

    BUY STALKER! :D

  • morriss #3 5 years ago

    :)

  • smoothpete #4 5 years ago

    Sounds excellent, everyone is hoping for a sense of scale in H3, and it sounds like they're on the way to delivering it

  • SomaticSense #5 5 years ago

    Oh, I forgot it was time for the obligatory 'Anal Halo 3 News Article' of the day.

    Seriously though, why not save all this 'info' up for a future preview article that may be interesting to read, instead of using it all up in a million seperate news articles?

    At this rate, your preview/first impressions Halo 3 articles are going to consist of about 1 paragraph of info we haven't already heard. Haven't Bungie heard of the phrases "holding your cards close to your chest", and "not revealing your hand too soon"?

    (I'm not a poker addict, honest.....)

  • NthSimulachum #6 5 years ago

    Multiple encounters in a single locations?

    I thought we had that back in the times of doom and quake (doors opening revealing new mobs, or monsters teleporting in)

  • space_ace #7 5 years ago

    Bungie excuses over Halo 3 AI

    fixed

  • Steroyd #8 5 years ago

    @SomaticSense

    What's the point Bungie have a weekly news update thing on their site, actually now that i mention it why is EG reporting this when Bungie's weekly updates does the exact same thing?

    HALO Fanboy's, I KNEW IT!!

  • lambtron #9 5 years ago

    Hmm I thought AI in Halo1 was markedly superior to that of Halo2.

    Time will tell whether this is really what it is cracked up to be.

    And yes STALKER is awesomo!

  • SBfistfun #10 5 years ago

    Condensed.

    "It's betterer"

  • SomaticSense #11 5 years ago

    @Steroyd

    That's kind of my point. Why not just post a permanent bloody link to the site on their front page exclaiming "visit this site every week for more info on Halo 3".

    I don't recall them doing this for Halo 2. Instead they condensed all the info gained from actually playing the game as well as given in the updates into an actual feature article nearer to the games release.

    Edit: Surely that would also save any web space taken up by hundreds of these little news articles.

    "Did you know, for example, that Halo 3 uses Rayleigh and Mie Scattering as the basis of its sky?"

    Seriously, who the fuck cares. Concentrate on actually making the game good for crying out loud. All these updates just scream arrogance and attention seeking.
    Edited by SomaticSense at 26/03/07 @ 11:06

  • mazzl #12 5 years ago

    we from halo 3, like halo 3 . . . . . wow

  • Dizzy #13 5 years ago

    >All these updates just scream arrogance and attention seeking.

    ROFL...

    Yeah giving people info on your game surely is arrogant. Damn Bungie!!!!

    >Seriously, who the fuck cares. Concentrate on actually making the game good for crying out loud

    So their weekly updates should be "We made the game better this week. Nuff said".

  • ccfb #14 5 years ago

    I don't get these updates. Are weekly website updates being pushed out as press releases now?

  • LeD #15 5 years ago

    I'm not gonna be too pleased if it's indeed the last game of the series and it's turning to be really really good. I already want more in anticipation.

  • Talha #16 5 years ago

    There are a lot of tall tales regarding AI before the release of every FPS. Lets hope Bungie can match it.

    And hey, about Stalker - I have never seen wind simulated so well in a game (both the visuals and the sound). Comments?

  • the_dudefather #17 5 years ago

    shooting birds out of the sky?

    welcome to turok 2

  • Steroyd #18 5 years ago

    Hell yeah shooting pigeons in MGS2 was fun, and if you shot enough they decided to take revenge by taking a crap on you.

  • huxathon #19 5 years ago

    In all of the recent Halo three updates, bungie points out the flaws in Halo 2 and apologises for the general weakness of that game, but expect us to buy it as a Vista exclusive game for windows several years later. Skip number 2 and give the PC Halo 3.

  • Stu #20 5 years ago

    Stop writing your blog and get us the Beta already.

  • SomaticSense #21 5 years ago

    "ROFL...

    Yeah giving people info on your game surely is arrogant. Damn Bungie!!!!    "

    Yeah actually, it is arrogant. No other game company I can think of thinks it's drastically important that everybody needs to know every minor detail of progression in the production of their game, as if it's the turning point of the gaming industry.
    It's as if they feel it's the most important game ever made, and have convinced themselves that everyone should be aware of every aspect of it, and that the way the sky is rendered is actually extremely important to gamers lives, and is going to change the world in some way.

    Fair enough, it's nice to know how far in and how well it's going in production, but the way they are reporting it, it comes across as arrogant.

    "So their weekly updates should be "We made the game better this week. Nuff said". "

    It looks like you've completely misunderstood my view on the weekly updates.


    Edited by SomaticSense at 26/03/07 @ 11:56

  • SomaticSense #22 5 years ago

    "I really doubt that some nobody posting a weekly update on their site, for the benefit of the vast community there, is actually detracting from the game development time. "

    Fair point there mate. It's still annoying (to me anyway).

  • AtomicBanana Verified Level Designer, Playground Games #23 5 years ago

    BUY STALKER! ......

    ..... If you want to see some of the most inconsistent AI ever. One minute they'll flank round and try and kill you, and then next, they'll all get stuck inside a tree or stare blankly at you instead of firing. Watch other stalkers ignore enemy fire and walk aimlessly into enemies. See dogs mill around in a complete unconvincing fashion and rarely give any impression of AI at all.

  • mkreku #24 5 years ago

    Seriously, the AI in STALKER is the best I've ever seen, but of course it's not flawless. You're really grasping for straws though with your examples. 95% of the time, the AI will do something totally unprecedented in any other game. It's way cool, but sure, I won't try to stop you from focusing on the bad aspects.

    And yes, the wind effects are awesome too. I especially like how you can see clouds of dust moving over the steppes.. with the wind rustling the grass beneath it. leaves swirling around.. even inside buildings (so AtomicBanana doesn't have to waste time and energy to mention that too).

    The best part about the presentation in STALKER has to be the flashlights though. Never have I seen such awesome lighting effects in real time. It's difficult to describe, but they sure do look awesome.

    It's quite taxing for the system though. I have everything maxed out in 1280x1024 and it makes my X1950XTX run the game in 30-60 fps. Sometimes it dips down into the 20's even.

    Oh.. uh.. and Halo 3.. rocks.. or something.

  • Dizzy #25 5 years ago

    "Yeah actually, it is arrogant. No other game company I can think of thinks it's drastically important that everybody needs to know every minor detail of progression in the production of their game, as if it's the turning point of the gaming industry. "

    Plenty of designers do it. Usually in blogs or in forums. Bungie does it on news site of their website. Still the same.

  • KaiB #26 5 years ago

    As someone who doesnt know anything about games programming but enjoys playing games, I have to say I thing the half life/ FEAR idea of implementing half scripted AI that really gives every set peice/location its own unique feel.

    Personally I enjoyed Halo but the genre is something that has kind of been milked for all that its worth between the release of Halo 1 and now, what I'm worried about is that Halo 3 will just add a lot of gimmiks and call it inovation (kind of like Vista)....xbox360 in 2007 doesnt need another shooter lets just put it that way.

  • ArcMonkey #27 5 years ago

    Sounds about as innovative as dual-wielding...

  • Xerx3s #28 5 years ago

    It's funny really. So many people coming in here screaming their heads off about how lame this stuff is and who cares while the title is pretty specific.

    If you don't like halo news, fuck off to some other topic and relieve the people that DO care from your utter tripe. Obviously you care, otherwise you wouldn't barge into every halo related thing screaming how bad it is and how nobody cares.

  • TONYgr #29 5 years ago

    GO BUNGIE GO BUNGIE GO!!!LET THE BETA BEGIN!IT WILL CHANGE HISTORY OF MANKIND!I CANT WAIT!!!!

  • gingerlink #30 5 years ago

    back to shooting birds out of the sky, you could even do that in halo 2, let alone another franchise

    admittedly it was pretty hard to do though but made me laugh first couple of times i managed it, nice little explosion of blood...


    im not a maniac...

  • smoothpete #31 5 years ago

    Shooting birds out of the sky with the tank was also good fun :)

    /probably is a maniac

  • GitSomE_UK #32 5 years ago

    This constant ejaculation by Bungie about Halo 3 is getting right on my tits.

    Every week they are cracking one off about ooh the Master Chef has a scratched panel for authenticity on his arse or the covenant now gesticulate in a manner akin to those terrorists we are fighting whilst astride the soaring eagle of freedom and liberty all over the world.

    So what if there is AI that pauses when it detects a blockage and the Master Chef can light his farts as a special move.... where's the bloody Beta.

    It's all very well giving a copy to the boys in the United States of Kiss my Ass whilst they are fighting for Liberty, Freedom and the Glory of the US of A what about us the paying public Bungie?

    This is being so overhyped it's making me arsey now!

    Mumble... special editions.. mumble... mumble... fanboys will be able to polish the Master Chefs helmet every night mumble...


  • effinwooly #33 5 years ago

    why read the article then git ? seriously i would just ignore it if i was you as it seems to give you stress ................ chill out dude and move on

  • Eraysor #34 5 years ago

    Dull.

  • subtlesnake #35 5 years ago

    "Seriously though, why not save all this 'info' up for a future preview article that may be interesting to read, instead of using it all up in a million seperate news articles?

    At this rate, your preview/first impressions Halo 3 articles are going to consist of about 1 paragraph of info we haven't already heard. Haven't Bungie heard of the phrases "holding your cards close to your chest", and "not revealing your hand too soon"?"

    They're going consist of paragraphs detailing the new gameplay and plot changes, which the updates don't describe at all. All the updates do is show some of the tech features Bungie is currently working on, and give a sense of the titles' overall gameplay direction. We know virtually nothing about how Halo 3's single player campaign is structured or what levels it will feature or what enemies the Chief will face, or even how the combat system has been changed. We do know why the sky in Halo 3 is the colour it is.

    I'm sorry if you feel that's spoiled the game for you.

    "I don't recall them doing this for Halo 2. Instead they condensed all the info gained from actually playing the game as well as given in the updates into an actual feature article nearer to the games release. "

    They did exactly the same thing for Halo 2. And it had zero effect on the games hype cycle.

    [link url=http://nikon.bungie.org/bwu/
    ]http://nikon.bungie.org/bwu/
    [/link]

    "Seriously, who the fuck cares. Concentrate on actually making the game good for crying out loud. All these updates just scream arrogance and attention seeking."

    Yeah, Bungie should be using their community manager to work on the game's programming and design levels, instead of actually doing his job of keeping fans informed....

    "Yeah actually, it is arrogant. No other game company I can think of thinks it's drastically important that everybody needs to know every minor detail of progression in the production of their game, as if it's the turning point of the gaming industry."

    Halo 3 is a pretty important game, no? The updates are written in the way they are because that's Frankie's style. They're meant to be silly, which is reflected in statements like: "But it was Joe Staten who spotted the best new water feature (I would describe him as about 85% less excited by it than me)".

  • Carrybagma #36 5 years ago

    Yay! After all the PS3 nonsense, proper news makes a welcome return! :o)

    Wow. So you've got Brute tank now, and that can take out a Phantom? Or is it the Master Grunt that does that, but the Phantom can take out a Brute? Wicked. I bet £5 the Master Chief can take them all out though, because he is the most ass-kicking Space Marine around, am I right? Or am I right?? Hey - that hint was great by the way. I'll be sure to take care of the Phantom now, and ignore the irritating guys down the hill. What bothers me though, is how they are able to tell the difference between mere rocks and scree. Have they been studying the differences between the two, based on form, size and the mechanical interaction between two objects of the same type? Sounds like something you could only do on a superior console. I suspect those rascals of having a rock/scree specification sheet up their sleeves! Spill the beans guys! Some nice CGIs too please.

    @Xerxes: If you don't like halo news thread trolling, fuck off to some other topic and relieve the people that DO care from your utter seriousness. Obviously you care, otherwise you wouldn't barge into every halo-thread-trolling related thing screaming how bad it is and how nobody cares. :o)

    ed: Covenant. Damn - knew I'd forgotten a question. Can a Covenant take out a Phantom then, or can only a Brute do that? Does tossing always start a party?
    Edited by Carrybagma at 27/03/07 @ 23:21