Bungie talks Halo 3 trailer

By Ellie Gibson Published 16 May, 2006

Rather cryptically, though.

Bungie has taken time out from a busy schedule of, you know, doing Halo 3 to answer a few questions about the trailer that was on show at E3 last week.

In a Q&A on the Bungie website, they confirmed that work on the game began immediately after Halo 2 was finished, and that this game will have a much "darker feel".

It's also been confirmed that the trailer shows the ruins of New Mombasa, and that it's Mount Kilimanjaro you can see in the background. The spartan who appears is indeed John 117.

When asked how the polygon count compares to that in Halo 2, Bungie replied that it's "Not as high as it looks. A lot of detail is achieved using a combination of lighting, textures, normals and bump-maps. We're saving our polygon budget for other things."

And don't go expecting them to start getting all new-fangled just for the sake of it, either: "Halo 3 will utilise features and technologies that Bungie thinks are cool and appropriate to our game. No more, no less." We are, however, promised "some graphical features that you haven't seen yet, that sort of blow stuff away."

You can read the full Q&A over on the Bungie website. And if you still haven't seen the Halo 3 trailer, head on over to Eurogamer TV.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (62) Latest comment 6 years ago

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

  • The-Bodybuilder #1 6 years ago

    Killzone 2 over....

  • JHuxley #2 6 years ago

    *yawn*

    Am I the only person in the world who doesn't care for Halo?
    Edited by JHuxley at 16/05/06 @ 14:29

  • #3 6 years ago

    Meh. Am I the only one who didn't think Halo 2 was all that great?
    There are other titles that excite me more.

    Edit - BANG!
    Edited by at 16/05/06 @ 13:51

  • Triggerhappytel #4 6 years ago

    this game will have a much "darker feel".

    /Yawns.

    /Recalls the messes that were Warrior Within & Jak 2: Renegade.

    /Curses the Darkness (not the camp rock group, or the forthcoming game).

    /Goes back to playing Dragon Quest VIII.

  • login_name #5 6 years ago

    @JHuxley

    Nope

  • Carrybagma #6 6 years ago

    Ohhh, I wonder if Master Chief will have to battle 'Dark Master Chief?'

    That'll be different.

    Or have they developed HDR darkness?

  • Blerk #7 6 years ago

    this game will have a much "darker feel".

    Cue 'teen angst' and 'nu-metal'.

    /earplugs

  • Tomo #8 6 years ago

    Gotta love that that "darker edge" line in EVERYTHIHG these days.

    /agrees with Blerk.

    /dies.

  • Freek #9 6 years ago

    Marty O'Donnell has too much class for that, I woulden't worry.

  • nickthegun #10 6 years ago

    Wow. Talk about playing things down.

    Are the gfx going to be teh uber?

    No. Not really.

    Are you going to be doing much new stuff?

    No. Not really.


    Im glad that they arent going overboard and hyping it up to be the second (third?) coming of Jesus or anything. Let the game speak for itself and all that.

  • ccfb #11 6 years ago

    Fair play for not overselling themselves on the tech.

    Still, having the name "halo" on their product will do a lot of the legwork in the hype department.

  • myiagros #12 6 years ago

    "Im glad that they arent going overboard and hyping it up to be the second (third?) coming of Jesus or anything"

    don't worry microsoft will be doing that on bugies behalf.

  • login_name #13 6 years ago

    "Im glad that they arent going overboard and hyping it up to be the second (third?) coming of Jesus or anything. Let the game speak for itself and all that."

    Hype? All they have to do is show a bloody logo for the moronic fanboys to wet themselves. The hype surrounding this game never ceases to amaze me. I wish someone would tell me the big secret, I'm obviously missing something. Fifteen minutes of ok gameplay repeated until game end is not my idea of a great game.

  • drumbaby #14 6 years ago

    It was running on a Gizmondo using the Killzone 2 engine.

  • Universal_Hamster #15 6 years ago

    Who is John 117?

  • kangarootoo #16 6 years ago

    Man, I expected people to be a little more interested than this. Halo is still the only console FPS to get the twin stick controls properly implemented. Plus their enemy behaviour patterns are some of the best out there (despite what arm chair experts may say about how the "AI is shit";).

    Halo 3 will almost certainly be very good indeed, perhaps not awesome, perhaps not amazing, but probably worth the money you spent on it (which isn't a common enough occurrence in gaming these days it seems).

  • freedumb #17 6 years ago

    /Nitpicking mode on

    'Recalls the messes that were Warrior Within & Jak 2: Renegade'

    Jak 2 a mess? It's the best in the series! It might have had more GTA elements and an older and more determined Jak, but with caharcters like pecker and Daxter, it was never really 'dark'. Now Warrior Within, thats another matter entirely.
    Edited by freedumb at 16/05/06 @ 14:48

  • AtomicBanana Verified Level Designer, Playground Games #18 6 years ago

    'this game will have a much "darker feel".

    Cue 'teen angst' and 'nu-metal'.

    /earplugs'

    No, not all. Cue darker theme with the possibility of a rampant Cortana trying to fuck everyone and everything over etc etc. If you don't care about the game, and thus don't know/care about what they may mean, then why make such a stupid comment :p

  • JHuxley #19 6 years ago

    Yay! And here I thought I was the only one.

    I had this game stuffed down my throat at uni as 'the best game ever!' thanks to an extremely overzealous Edge review. Boy was I disappointed.

  • prettyboytim #20 6 years ago

    Hmm.

    They're saving their polygons for 'other things'...

    4-player co-op?

  • #21 6 years ago

    Ooh nice point tim. But then, it is in GRAW.

  • coojam #22 6 years ago

    So are they saying the Spartan in the trailer isn't actually Master Chief, but this John 117 fella?

    Cool.

    Wondered why he was holding an old-stylee assault rifle which dissapeared in Halo 2

  • Lukus #23 6 years ago

    Reading threads like this is really depressing. It's the same old stuff over and over again. People whining on and on about how they don't like Halo that much and for some reason thinking they're completely original in stating it. Again. And again, and again. Fucking hell. I'm tired of reading it. Think of something new to say!

  • Yossarian #24 6 years ago

    Master Chief is John 117.

  • fluff_the_tiger #25 6 years ago

    exactly Luxus.

    I'm looking forward to Halo 3 and MGS 4 because they will both have an intriging storyline, and great gameplay combined. Not many games manage either.

  • TwistidChimp #26 6 years ago

    Cooljam, John 117 is the same character from Halo 1 & 2, Master Chief is his rank.

    As for whats so special or not about Halo, for me it was just one of those games where everything just worked. Great graphics for the time, great enemy AI, the controls just felt right, having the reticule speed slow down as you moved it over an enemy, small things like that resulted in it just "feeling" right. Yes the story isnt super original, but it was carried off with enough style and confidence to work. Add the magnificent musical score and an instantly recognisable and original protagonist like MC, and it was just a winner as far as I was concerned.

    The second game wasn't that great admitedly, the single player campaign was a real let down, and I for one didnt really enjoy the Arbiter sections of the game, but I apreciated what they were trying to do in showing the covenant from a different angle, and trying to explain their motivation.

    Looking forward to the 3rd though, and an end to the saga.
    Edited by TwistidChimp at 16/05/06 @ 15:21

  • Spanky #27 6 years ago

    Yer right lukus, every bloody time.

    "Am i the only twat who thought halo was over rated"
    "Naw i hated it too"
    "me n'all"
    X5000

    3 days later, halo gets a mention:

    "Am i the only twat who thought halo was over rated"
    "Naw i hated it too"
    "me n'all"
    X6000 thousand bajillion.

  • JHuxley #28 6 years ago

    "Fucking hell. I'm tired of reading it. Think of something new to say!"

    I don't know about anyone else, but it's the first time I've mentioned it on here. Why should I not say what I think just because you've read it before?

    Anyway, considering the amount of fanatical support the game has here and elsewhere, I think a little backlash is understandable.

  • ShekkyBoy #29 6 years ago

    I thought the trailer was excellent, and depicted the grand scale of Halo perfectly. Although I've never played Halo 1 or 2 through their entirety, I'm aware that their storylines contain some pretty epic stuff. End of humanity, fighting for our survival, meaning of our existence, etc. The music in particularly conveyed that sense for me.

  • morriss #30 6 years ago

    Negative, low-brow cynicism ftw!

    It's so cool not to like something that millions do isn't it?

    /laughs at the comments threads

  • starmonkey #31 6 years ago

    Halo1: Great 6 hour game copied n pasted to 20 hours
    Halo2: Started great, went all over the place when all I wanted to do was kick ass on earth, introduced us to that flower from the little shop of horrors, stopped before the story ended.
    Halo3: ?

  • nickthegun #32 6 years ago

    @kangarootoo - youre right about the AI. After seeing the trailer I started playing through H2 again. Damn, its a lot harder than i remember.

    I havent played it in ages (I havent got live) and have been playing stuff like Black, which, in comparison, is bollocks.

    I got to the Arbiter (yeah, i know, you all hate him) levels and kept finding myself getting nailed by hundreds of grunts with needlers. I think a few years of mediocre AI has made me lazy.

  • Triggerhappytel #33 6 years ago

    "Jak 2 a mess? It's the best in the series! It might have had more GTA elements and an older and more determined Jak, but with caharcters like pecker and Daxter, it was never really 'dark'. Now Warrior Within, thats another matter entirely."

    A general comment regarding Jak 2 & Warrior Within; they both gave the series a hefty stylistic overhaul which was absolutely not needed and lost a lot of what made their predecessor so special. They also both introduced small but significant things such as swearing (bitch, crap, etc), very bleak and 'dark' environments and a much firmer emphasis on combat. None of which IMO was needed.

    Specifically regarding Jak 2, the vehicle elements could have been better (flying a vehicle around the city was just plain annoying), the shooting was poor when compared with distant relative Ratchet and Haven City was neither as attractive or charming as environments from the first game such as Sandover village.

  • login_name #34 6 years ago

    "Reading threads like this is really depressing. It's the same old stuff over and over again. People whining on and on about how they don't like Halo that much and for some reason thinking they're completely original in stating it. Again. And again, and again. Fucking hell. I'm tired of reading it. Think of something new to say! "

    Tip of the Day: Take your own advice.

    A moan about a moan is not better. People have opinions, they express them on forums. Live with it.

  • #35 6 years ago

    First time I complained about Halo 2 on a forum personally. But I did really like Halo 1 (even if there are a few levels full of deja-vu).

    God, I'm so sick of all the people saying how sick they are of people saying they were the only one to say Halo was rubbish. :p

    EDIT: @starmonkey That's pretty much my thoughts entirely. As I wasn't on live until way after launch, i didn't really get the stuff that Halo 2 was best for. Earth was where it was at, but not where the single-player game was mostly set unfortunatley.
    Edited by at 16/05/06 @ 15:58

  • statix101 #36 6 years ago

    "*yawn*

    Am I the only person in the world who doesn't care for Halo? "


    yawn.....am i the only person in the world who dosent care about your opinion?

  • #37 6 years ago

    statix you may want to at least skim the entire thread before posting.
    You would then find out that indeed you're not.
    Though quite what's wrong with stating an opinion these days I dunno.
    /doubleyawn

    EDIT: Just how many comments threads have been about Halo 3 anyhow? 2 in the last few months? You guys have little patience. And yet a backlash I guess was inevitable. To some Halo, and anyting branded with that symbol, is the signature of unsurpassed quality. My advice; go play half-life.
    Edited by at 16/05/06 @ 16:04

  • login_name #38 6 years ago

    **yawn**

    Am I the only person to think I'm above it all by typing both arguments with **yawn** in front of each?

  • JHuxley #39 6 years ago

    "yawn.....am i the only person in the world who dosent care about your opinion?"

    If you don't care, then why did you bother to reply? Hmm?

    Looks like I touched a nerve here. It's only a game, you know. People are allowed to dislike it if they want.

  • debug_kit_2600 #40 6 years ago

    Fucking hell guys, you bunch are a right load of miserable sods! What games do you like? You always seem to mock every game that comes your way! There is nothing wrong with stating an opinion but nearly every post on here is really negative, change the fucking record.

  • tengu #41 6 years ago

    Not overly eager to play Halo 3 either. Liked the first game, but Halo 2 was a massive let down. Memories of how good the original was aren't going to be enough to get me through another one.

  • Mashum #42 6 years ago

    @twisted_chimp / kangarootoo etc.

    That spot on! Although it was just another sci-fi FPS Halo nailed the important and sometimes overlooked components of a nice FPS - things like the controller implimentation, auto aim, AI character, sound effects, music and the general fluid give and take of the gameplay.

    Compared to GRAW, with it's sluggish controls, daft difficulty spikes, bland AI and unhelpful checkpoint layout Halo is a pure craftsmanship. I can't wait for Halo 3 - even if it's no better than Halos 1 and 2.

  • kangarootoo #43 6 years ago

    "and have been playing stuff like Black, which, in comparison, is bollocks"

    I was chatting about Black with an ex-colleague last night incidentally. I think it did some things well, except for the actual shooting of enemies bizarrely enough.

    I preferred controlling the Arbitor character too. I don't much care whether he was "as cool" as MC. I simply found his camo suit thing more interesting to use. He didn't have the best level necessarily, but as an avatar he was better IMO.

  • kangarootoo #44 6 years ago

    "the controls just felt right, having the reticule speed slow down as you moved it over an enemy"

    There is fantastic article on gamasutra about FPS controls and it details the Halo system very well.

    So there is no bloody excuse anymore, NONE!! You hear me out there!!

    Anyone making a console FPS has an article they can read, which will help them implement a decent control system, handed to them on a plate.

    http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20040714/ng_01.shtml

    I think you will have to be logged in for the link to work.

  • The-Bodybuilder #45 6 years ago

    >"Am I the only person in the world who doesn't care for Halo?"

    I'm I the only one who's sick of people showing thier disdaine for halo on every halo-related article?
    For someone who doesn't care, you seem to but some effort into selecting halo articles, and wasting time to post.

    >"Man, I expected people to be a little more interested than this. Halo is still the only console FPS to get the twin stick controls properly implemented. Plus their enemy behaviour patterns are some of the best out there (despite what arm chair experts may say about how the "AI is shit";)."

    This is the EG site, where everyone has to be cool and hate any popular FPS console games. Don't forget that the majority here are twisted, bitter old PC fanboys.

  • #46 6 years ago

    Bodybuilder, I'm getting some major deja-vu from your post.

    Edit, and I have been usig a Mac for about 6 years, and I love FPS and I really liked Halo and I like COD2 etc. I just though Halo 2 was not what everyone said it was (I remember a LOT of 10/10 reviews) and I just hope that Halo 3 doesn't do the same.
    Edited by at 16/05/06 @ 17:18

  • Skooch #47 6 years ago

    For all you Halo-haters out there it is fair enough if you don't dig the game, and that is up to you. But, there is one very good reason why this game is still the MOST PLAYED GAME ON XBOX LIVE - THE MULTIPLAYER KICKS ASS!

    /runs off to play Halo 2 in high-def on big plasma with wireless pad

    /smiles

  • Lukus #48 6 years ago

    "Tip of the Day: Take your own advice.

    A moan about a moan is not better. People have opinions, they express them on forums. Live with it. "

    That makes no sense regarding my comment. If you want to moan about how much you didn't like Halo 1 or 2, go and say as much on a thread to do with Halo 1 or 2. Your opinion on those games is wholly irrelevant to the above news from Bungie on the trailer for the third game. As I say, it's just the same old whiney "original" comments and it's so so very boring now.

  • The-Bodybuilder #49 6 years ago

    >" You always seem to mock every game that comes your way! There is nothing wrong with stating an opinion but nearly every post on here is really negative, change the fucking record."

    Welcome to the EG forum. It seemed ever since blerk and some others began to "meh" any western game (basically any games with actions and guns), and this was reflected in some of EGs reviews, it seemed the whole place became filled with "me toos".

    I mean really, when was the last upbeat comments section about a game (that hasn't got some kind of quirky element to it)? If a game has an FPS view, you can bet it's gonna get a bunch of "mehs".

  • The-Bodybuilder #50 6 years ago

    >"Bodybuilder, I'm getting some major deja-vu from your post."

    How so?
    And I'm fully aware of the dissapointment of H2. Fact is, most people weren't dissapointed with it, until it left earth.
    The fact that H3 is purely based on earth gives me good news, but we're all aware of bungie's love for alien corridors, so expect them to be implemented somehow.

  • Yossarian #51 6 years ago

    I loved Halo 2 for the multiplayer more than anything else, but the singleplayer was more than serviceable

  • kangarootoo #52 6 years ago

    Heeeeeere she comes to save the daaaaaay.

    http://www.phoenixexotics.org/thumbnails/MonkeyEmmaSmiling.jpg

    Now doesn't all this "I like/I don't like Halo" business just seem so trite now.

  • JHuxley #53 6 years ago

    "I'm I the only one who's sick of people showing thier disdaine for halo on every halo-related article? For someone who doesn't care, you seem to but some effort into selecting halo articles, and wasting time to post. "

    You know, if you didn't waste time bashing on the people who don't have the same opinion as yourself, you could have made a nice positive comment like kangarootoo or Mashum there.

    EDIT: Until kangarootoo posted the monkey pic. I wasn't talking about that post :p
    Edited by JHuxley at 16/05/06 @ 17:42

  • NoCodeNed2 #54 6 years ago

    @theBodybuilder - Shhh! don't tell anyone, they might ruin it...but there was a comments thread about Singstar next-gen that was almost wholly positive - it was fairly short, though.

  • kangarootoo #55 6 years ago

    @JHuxley

    Hey man, Emma the monkey is an icon in zoological circles, and she is red hot at Halo too.

    @NoCodeNed2

    I couldn't believe my eyes either. A positive Sony thread, during E3, with maaiii reputation.

  • captainrentboy #56 6 years ago

    Morriss:Negative, low-brow cynicism ftw!

    It's so cool not to like something that millions do isn't it?

    /laughs at the comments threads

    I was going to say something along these lines,although probably not as intelligently worded.Non conformists are cool as fook!Me,I'm eagerly awaiting ole Halo 3's arrival,hopefully MS wont rush Bungie and it'll turn out to be a corker.IMO Halo 2's multiplayer is still one of the best out there.
    Edited by captainrentboy at 16/05/06 @ 18:37

  • login_name #57 6 years ago

    "That makes no sense regarding my comment. If you want to moan about how much you didn't like Halo 1 or 2, go and say as much on a thread to do with Halo 1 or 2. Your opinion on those games is wholly irrelevant to the above news from Bungie on the trailer for the third game. As I say, it's just the same old whiney "original" comments and it's so so very boring now."

    Actually, my comment was about the hype surrounding Halo, which is very relevant in this thread. Your post however is aimed at people with anything negative to say about Halo, which in itself, is highly unoriginal, unsurprising and, in your own words, very boring.

    Personally I don't care if you like it or don't. I don't care if you find comments for or against it boring or not.

    It's my opinion, not fact. Just cos I cannot see how Halo gained it's god like status in gaming history does not make it any less enjoyable to others who like it.

    If you find these posts boring, move along. Simple. Again, I point out that a moan about a moan is no better.

  • Lukus #58 6 years ago

    I concede I got your comments entangled with some others.
    I have nothing against people expressing their opinions. In the appropriate place. It's just the seemingly unquenchable need of people to declare that they don't like Halo 1 or/and 2 no matter how unrelated that is to the actual article. To compound matters they make their statement as if they're the only people who have ever expressed that view when in fact it is rammed into any thread containing the word Halo.
    I'm tired of hearing the same things over and over being shoe horned into ANY thread to do with Halo. If it was a review of the games in question that would be one thing, but when it's simply an article in which Bungie explain a few more details about the new trailer it gets really tiresome.

    Like you say, I don't object to people loving or hating this or any other series of games. It's just the constant affirmation of this no matter how tenuous the excuse to do so may be.
    Edited by Lukus at 16/05/06 @ 19:13

  • penhalion #59 6 years ago

    Much darker awww does master chiefy die?...is cortana deleted?....do I really give a flying?

    Halo 2 was annoying in both gameplay and crappy cliff hanger ending. And yea bungie we know Halo is a parody of the bible stories what with the flood and the lost ark of the covenant (covenant being a hybrid bunch of aliens in this version of the bible) and halos etc. etc. No angels yet though but I expect they'll turn up in this chapter.

    Yawn....like anyone needs an IQ to figure out how this trilogy ends

  • Redeye #60 6 years ago

    Halo 3 - so dark, you won't be able to see a thing. :)

  • Carrybagma #61 6 years ago

    All Halo threads are born to be wank

  • #62 6 years ago

    That makes no sense regarding my comment. If you want to moan about how much you didn't like Halo 1 or 2, go and say as much on a thread to do with Halo 1 or 2. Your opinion on those games is wholly irrelevant to the above news from Bungie on the trailer for the third game. As I say, it's just the same old whiney "original" comments and it's so so very boring now.
    It's hardly a leap of reconing that you can apply your dissapointmet in the prequel f a game to a percieved disapointment in the game itself now is it? That was what I was doing.

    Bodybuilder - what I meant was that your post was an exact replica of 2 or 3 posts before it on the thread - i.e. saying "saying halo was rubbish is so lame/overdone/wannabe-trendy.

    I suppose I should clarify then-

    I didn't find Halo 2 all that great. It is a worry for me that the dissapointments I had with this game might also be applicable to Halo 3, as the two seem to be being hyped in much the same way (biggest, best title on the platform, system seller etc)., being deleoped by the same software house (who are now pretty exclussively the Halo house) and will probably employ very similar game mechanics.

    For those of you who can't make that association from just:"Meh. Am I the only one who didn't think Halo 2 was all that great? " which was my original post. I mean it should be pretty easy to tell what I meant - I'm posting it on a Halo 3 thread!
    Edited by at 17/05/06 @ 11:20