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Secret Ensemble project a Halo MMO? News
Xbox 360 PC MMO News by Robert Purchese
Ensemble Studios may have been secretly working on a Halo MMO for Microsoft.
That's according to leaked prototype images found on an Ensemble-linked artist portfolio website by Gamasutra.
The pictures show a typical MMO user interface of chat box, health bar, skill bar and mini-map, with a character sporting the Halo Spartan armour made famous by Master Chief.
A separate still illustrates a melee-focussed hero alongside a magic-wielding character, with yet another image picturing a scenario containing some overturned Warthog vehicles.
The evidence is far from conclusive, but backs up comments made by Ensemble boss Bruce Shelley about work on secret prototypes at the studio, plus job vacancies seeking developers with MMO expertise.
Microsoft's Phil Spencer also told GamesIndustry.biz recently that there were "more than two or three teams building Halo things right now".
Ensemble won't be one of them, as Microsoft has decided to close the studio after it finishes work on Halo Wars. However, parts of the team may cross over into other areas and so keep the dream alive.
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Comments: 1-28 of 28 in total
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InfiniteFury
23/09/08 @ 15:02
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If you'd like the experience now evilfoxhound I can take you to Warsong Gulch.
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ThePissartist
23/09/08 @ 15:03
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Thank fuck that got cancelled - looks utter toss.
How about moving FORWARD with MMOs. I don't wanna be looking at a bar at the bottom of the screen with little icons and hunting little creatures until a big enough level to hunt biggers ones. UTTER TOSS. Game devs need to innovate on MMOs. If this is true MS were right closing Ensemble. |
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GODofDOOMS
23/09/08 @ 15:04
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OMFG EVILFOXHOUND YOU SAID THE "N" WORD HOW COULD YOU!!! N33B HALO MMO = EPIC FAIL THEY JUST TRYING TO MILK THE FRANCHISE AND THEY MAKING IT FAIL ALONG WITH IT CAPS LOCK ROCK!!!
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Monkey_Puncher
23/09/08 @ 15:07
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The only thing abusive about WOW is the monotony. Though bringing Halo kiddies into an MMO space would be akin to gaming hell "OMGZ REZ PLZ YOU FUCKING FAGZ"
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 23/09/08 @ 16:07
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Why? Simply, why? I still don't understand why they bothered with the RTS thing. Do they really believe gamers brought in on a an FPS frachise will migrate because it has the Halo name on the box? I just think MS has the dumpest first party strategy and really need to wake up and smell the coffee.
Some comedian here must be able to come up with a joke related to 360, Red Ring and Halo. Ring being the obvious common thread between them...
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 23/09/08 @ 16:14
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ThePissartist
23/09/08 @ 15:15
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"I still don't understand why they bothered with the RTS thing."
I'm waiting for the Halo platformer. |
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iokthemonkey
23/09/08 @ 15:19
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The only thing abusive about WOW is the monotony. Though bringing Halo kiddies into an MMO space would be akin to gaming hell "OMGZ REZ PLZ YOU FUCKING FAGZ"
---- You'd be surprised how many players there are in WoW like that. My favourite was the kid who ran up to me, stood for about 5 minutes and then said "u r gay" then just ran off. |
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ThePissartist
23/09/08 @ 15:21
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"My favourite was the kid who ran up to me, stood for about 5 minutes and then said "u r gay" then just ran off."
Ha! That's hilarious! |
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iokthemonkey
23/09/08 @ 15:26
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The other one - which was funny - was in Star Wars Galaxies. They'd just introduced vehicles and everybody was very excited about it. I was in the desert and I saw a landspeeder heading toward me. The driver - a Trandoshan(?) (they're those reptile guys, like Bossk) - rode around me in circles for ages, stopped and announced "I'm not wearing any pants" then vanished before I could even respond.
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Triggerhappytel
23/09/08 @ 15:29
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I really can't see that MS would disband Ensemble if they really were working on a Halo MMO. Changing developers part way through a project rarely - if ever? - turns out well.
I really don't think this is true. |
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"How about moving FORWARD with MMOs. I don't wanna be looking at a bar at the bottom of the screen with little icons and hunting little creatures until a big enough level to hunt biggers ones. UTTER TOSS. "
I think MMOs have had this since Ultima Online. Sometimes there are just a few way to do a certain genre. RTS certainly has not upgraded their UI a lot last 10 years. Same with FPS games. We have seen some changes in the way the MMOs make the grind less serious, LOTRO deeds and WARs quest system so there is a slow innovation. |
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In WoW I remember when my black human warrior beat another character to a mining node. He shouted "White power, midnight!" and ran off.
And yes the battlegrounds there are full of idiots. Usually on your own side and twinked to hell cause he bought a load of gold off the internet: "OMFG! u all sux azz!!11!! why do u ply??? etc etc." I think you can apply the simple formula for tards: If you play it online, they will come. |
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Ensemble were disbanded not because they were poor quality its because they were high quality!
Shelley said it himself that they were 'low turnover' which inevitably means that the staff were highly skilled, therefore highly paid! To Msoft that means I get good games for extortionate money or make average games for average money but increase volume. Its a no brainer for a publisher and part of the decay of the industry thats been happening for a long time. |
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I really can't see that MS would disband Ensemble if they really were working on a Halo MMO. Changing developers part way through a project rarely - if ever? - turns out well.
I really don't think this is true. The project was supposedly already canceld last year. It looks verry legit, closing down a studio is probably going to bring out allot of these sort of things. Might aswell, what are they gonna do, fire you? |
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SilentScream
24/09/08 @ 14:33
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@ EvilFoxHound: Don't forget Halo Kart!
Don't give them ideas! You should at least claim copyright. I agree with GODofDOOMS on milking the franchise comment though. Wasn't there news where they said they weren't going to abuse it?.. stupid If they were clever they would just leave Halo as a TPS. For an example Gears of War is a really popular game, but if they made a racing game from it people would go mental (i know some people would like that idea but seriously) |
Comments: 1-28 of 28 in total
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