| What do the media mean when they say "perks?" –Krevilz
 
 Well, I think they’re talking about performance-enhancing abilities from  Call of Duty, if we’re going to be perfectly honest. I should clarify  that we never used the terms “perks,” other than when asked about them.  That was a term coined in questions about our admittedly mysterious  content.
 
 The systems in Halo 4, and I say that in the plural because there is no  single element that defines that aspect of our game, are interconnected  and related directly to your in-game experience as a Spartan IV, but  they’re not exactly like any specific existing template or scheme. We’ll  be explaining more about the Campaign and Multiplayer systems as the  year progresses, but suffice it to say that the new features we’re  hinting at for Halo 4 will not be mirror images of the stuff they’re  being compared to now in online conversations.
 
 
 Can you elaborate a little more on the armor customization and  how it affects gameplay? I'm expecting a vague answer, but anything new  on the subject (even a little sliver) would be extremely appreciated.  –ZippingFilly812
 
 You will have a wide degree of control over your appearance, of course,  but as we have hinted, there will also be elements of your ability and  performance as a Spartan IV that you will have some control over, that  will actually impact your gameplay experience, although it should be  noted this will not allow players to arrive in a game session with what  are traditionally called “power weapons” or a massively asymmetrical  advantage over opponents. Now, there’s a lot of speculation about how  this will affect balance – and when we have more details to share, that  experience will start to come into focus, but our philosophy is still to  provide a balanced and enjoyable game for all types of players,  regardless of skill or experience.
 
 
 Will there be a public multiplayer Beta, like the Halo 3 and  Halo: Reach Betas, where everyday people got to play them? With this  being 343's first Halo game and entry in the franchise, it seems like  something very important.
 –UnanimousCrab42
 
 While we are testing Halo 4 code, gameplay, and systems at significant  scale to get excellent data, input, and feedback, we are focused on  polishing and shipping our experience for the duration of the year, and  splitting resources to manage and build a beta is not on our schedule.
 
![[IMG]](http://halo.xbox.com/blogs/Headlines/image.axd?picture=2012%2f3%2f8%2fimage11.jpg)  Will Armor Abilities and/or Equipment return? –Daedalos42
 
 Without going into too many details, in Halo: CE, you’d fight for  control over armor abilities based on timing and map control, and that’s  something that evolved over time until it became the Equipment pick-ups  in Halo 3 and eventually the Armor Ability loadouts in Reach. Halo 4’s  system will be a logical evolution, but based on lessons and inspiration  from the (matchmaking) successes and less-than-successes in prior  titles.
 
 
 What is your general approach to the marketing of Halo 4? Can we  expect more/bigger info blowouts before release or will you keep things  closer to your chest this time (compared to other Halo games)? –Sempik
 
 We have some surprises in store. We’re not simply cruel teases—it’s a  combination of genuinely wanting to surprise fans and, of course, the  production reality of making sure everything is cool before revealing  things. Previous Halo marketing campaigns have kind of taken on a life  of their own and are definitely a part of the overall launch experience  for some hardcore fans. I think we have some ideas, traditional and  not-so-traditional, that certainly embrace marketing, but a couple of  things that go beyond product marketing into what I can only tease as a  fairly different experience. More on that later in the year, but expect  at least a human presence from 343 Industries at many of the big events  in the gaming calendar year.
 
 
 So you guys mentioned that the Multiplayer will have its own  story and explanations. Will they intertwine with the single-player  Campaign and story? –DS xHunterZx SD
 
 That’s an interesting question and the short answer is that they are  connected, but you shouldn’t spend too much time wondering how. All of  our current experiences, games, terminals, books, etc., are all  interconnected. Sometimes directly, sometimes tangentially, but from  this point on, everything matters. If you’re new to the series, don’t  panic. None of the external experiences are necessary to understand the  game plot, and vice versa. Each Halo story will work as a standalone  piece, but the more you experience, the more resonance (and Easter Eggs)  you’ll get.
 
 
 When will the full game be released? –Burninhell647
 
 In precisely 2012. The actual ship date (and other details) will be rolled out in the not-too-crazy-distant future.
 
 
![[IMG]](http://halo.xbox.com/blogs/Headlines/image.axd?picture=2012%2f3%2f8%2fimage9.jpg)  Seeing how Halo 4 is the return of Master Chief, when can we expect to get some Campaign information? –Maggot081608
 
 We’re going to be rolling out more information throughout the year, and  you will certainly find out more about both Campaign and Multiplayer  relatively soon. Of course, now you have to define “relatively.”
 
 
 Is there going to be a nice balance of playlists in Halo 4, like ranked and social? –A Critical H1T
 
 We aren’t going to go into detail about matchmaking systems or playlists  for a little while, but there will definitely be options for  traditional Halo fans to enjoy, and some very new experiences that we’re  pretty excited about. Our playlists will be tightly focused,  consistent, and properly polished. This will be especially evident at  launch, but like with prior Halo games, these playlists will be organic  and will evolve, but sensibly and appropriately.
 
 
 What is the difference of philosophy of visuals between Campaign  and Multiplayer, and will we see a more cinematic look in the  Multiplayer with different techniques usually reserved for  single-player? –DemonCarnotaur
 
 The technology for both Campaign and Multiplayer graphics is effectively  identical, but the philosophies will vary depending on the game  mode/map. Certainly the traditional MP stuff we’ve already shown  continues Halo’s tradition of clean lines of sight and recognizable  environments designed to propel and lubricate map flow and fast-paced  gameplay. The technology in Campaign will be used differently to  accommodate a more cinematic experience, but there are a lot of  approaches we’re taking to the whole game this time that will add layers  of nuance to those approaches.
 
 
 With all the care being put into improving and pushing the  Multiplayer and single-player experiences forward, will the same care be  put into features such as Forge and Theater? What are your goals for  improving community content in Halo 4? –AtlasIsShruggin
 
 We will do our best not to disappoint fans of the existing Halo feature  set. Every aspect of the game is being approached with a passion and  fervor to improve, grow, or streamline. More detail soon, but I suspect  most folks will be pretty happy.
 
 
![[IMG]](http://halo.xbox.com/blogs/Headlines/image.axd?picture=2012%2f3%2f8%2fimage12.jpg)  How close to a traditional Halo experience will we be  able to get? Will there be a place for fans of the original trilogy to  get to play Halo as they remember it? –MATCLAN x MT
 
 Every Halo game is different, sometimes subtly, sometimes radically. You  can expect that tradition to continue here, but the short answer is  that the core things that make Halo Campaign and Multiplayer feel like  Halo will be intact and immediately available to players.
 
 
 Will other characters, besides Master Chief and Cortana, from the previous games or novels appear in Halo 4? –Assassin 11D7
 
 One of the luxuries of being in the game business is the ability to keep  story and surprises completely shrouded in secrecy for a very long  time. I can at least confirm that there will be some very interesting  new characters joining the fray.
 
 
 What stage of development are you at currently? –UnrealCh13f
 
 Crunch. We’re finishing levels. Improving perf. Finishing gameplay.  Finishing UI. The Campaign is playable from beginning to end. Cinematics  are being fully realized. Music is composed, final orchestra sessions  are booked. Some levels are graphically polished and beautiful, others  waiting their turn in the schedule. Testing and polishing of systems  continues. Crunchy.
 
 
![[IMG]](http://halo.xbox.com/blogs/Headlines/image.axd?picture=2012%2f3%2f8%2fimage7.jpg)  Are there going to be more, fewer, or the same number of  guns in Halo 4 compared to Halo: Reach? Is there one gun that when you  saw it you just went "WOW!" –Someone
 
 It is not the same number of guns. I can state bluntly that we have made  significant changes to the sandbox. Perhaps the most radical overhauls  and additions it’s ever had in a single iteration. Fans should expect to  see very new stuff. And not just weapons. As usual a couple of things  will get deleted (or changed), but on balance, it will be more new  stuff. And yes, a lot of guns have made me go wow. New ones and old  ones. Almost every single gun sound effect makes me go wow.
 
 
 The HUD shown in the gameplay clips lacks a health bar. Will  this change, has this changed, or will Halo 4 use the same health system  as the one in Halo 2 and 3? –Gravemind
 
 Health has been changed. There are no health pickups, but we’ll have  more news on how that system works in gameplay at a later date.
 
 
 What will the ranking system be like? –xMcCarthee
 
 It will be altered. More news later.
 
 
![[IMG]](http://halo.xbox.com/blogs/Headlines/image.axd?picture=2012%2f3%2f8%2fimage6.jpg)  In the new footage we see the game type set as Slayer yet  the score goes up not by individual kills but by points. Is this a  custom game? A new Slayer variant? Or is this how the default Slayer  scoring is going to be? –zNiTeY
 
 The footage of MP you saw is taken from our internal Network test build  and actually features a mashup of various game styles and UI elements,  so don’t spend too much time trying to figure out what’s happening in  it, because outside of surface elements, it’s not going to teach you a  lot about any particular game mode. However, our new implementation of  Slayer will score differently than the traditional 0-50 method of yore,  and is one of 100 things we’ll share with you more deeply in the coming  months.
 
 
 Is the music in the video that was released on Monday from Halo  4's score? Furthermore, who is the lead composer? And if you can't tell  us who it is, can we have a hint? –Neloms
 
 Effectively, all of the music you hear from this point out is going to  be from the game. It’s one of the things we’re most excited about. We  can never emulate Marty’s legendary scores, so we’re taking it in a  different direction, but one that still, we think, fits the Halo  universe beautifully. Our composer will be revealed soon enough, and as  soon as a fairly dry contractual date arrives, we will be ecstatic to  introduce him to you. And it will be soon-ish.
 
 
 Will skulls be returning to Halo 4? –Negative 9
 
 There will be interesting ways to replay Halo 4, as is traditional in the series.
 
 
 Will there be any Covenant presence in Campaign or Multiplayer? Be it weaponry, equipment, architecture, etc. –Lloyd Jo en es
 
 Yes. The Covenant will definitely return, albeit in a completely  (graphically, politically and sonically) overhauled form, but they may  be the least of your problems.
 
 
![[IMG]](http://halo.xbox.com/blogs/Headlines/image.axd?picture=2012%2f3%2f8%2fimage3.jpg)  Will the mid-construction mech seen on one of the  Multiplayer levels appear in some form in the campaign of Halo 4? –Franc  and Co
 
 The Cyclops 2 seen in the center of War House will not be playable. But  we will have some vehicle surprises, at least one of which will dwarf  that weapon.
 
 
 Any chance we'll be getting Forge info anytime soon? –Nuclear Taco 42
 
 We will discuss the future of Forge later this year. It will not be sad news.
 
 
 Does the BR have spread? Is it hitscan? –xBrutaIity
 
 The BR is a three-shot burst weapon. It is hitscan. In its current  tuning, it has recoil (not bloom) which causes it to rise slightly (in a  predictable and suppressible way). It is not a replacement for the DMR  as has been discussed in the community. You will not see bloom as it  currently exists in Vanilla Reach on any weapon, but there will be  different methods for reticle targeting that vary depending on the  weapon, and players will have a wide arsenal of weapons to choose from.  More news about that later.
 
 
 Will there be multiple editions like with previous Halo titles? (Standard, limited, legendary) –Revenant1988
 
 After we announce the release date, we will announce what content will be available at retail.
 
 
 Will assassinations return and if yes, will we have more unique  weapon moves, for example the Energy Sword in Halo: Reach? –D4RKNESS 360
 
 Short version, yes. Assassinations are altered, but they’re back. The  weapon question isn’t something we’re going to answer today.
 
 
![[IMG]](http://halo.xbox.com/blogs/Headlines/image.axd?picture=2012%2f3%2f8%2fimage4.jpg)  Will there be any other media (books, comics, etc.)  released in the lead-up to Halo 4, or will we have to gather our clues  and form theories about the Campaign primarily from Cryptum, Primordium,  Glasslands, and the Halo: Anniversary terminals? –Monkey Bloke
 
 At least one more Karen Traviss novel, with important connective  elements, will arrive between now and launch, although the final  Forerunner chapter from Greg Bear will arrive afterwards. For some  pretty specific strategic reasons. As you can imagine, juggling all  these things is crazy hard.
 
 
 Is Jen Taylor voicing Cortana? Who were the woman and man in the motion capture part of the Halo 4 video? –Jedi Otter
 
 The man and woman in the video were incredibly talented actors. Their  roles in Halo 4 are pivotal and essential to the story we’re telling,  but we’ll talk more about those and other actors in the future. I think  Halo fans will be calm and happy about our casting, including MP V/O,  but we’re not revealing more at this time.
 
 
 What kind of features will Halo 4 provide to the machinima community? –farmer scott21
 
 Halo has been a cornerstone of the machinima community. It’s also a  personal passion of mine (and others here on the team), so we will  continue to embrace and support that community, but I honestly don’t  have too many details to share at this point.
 
 
 Will Halo 4 include Gravity Hammers and Energy Swords (or adequate replacements) for Grifball? –Kalbelgarion
 
 It will be (more or less) possible to play Grifball in Halo 4.
 
 
 Will there be remakes from Halo 3 maps like Guardian? –xRCNx VorteX
 
 We aren’t discussing MP maps beyond Wraparound and War House, and while  the vast majority of our maps will be brand new, we also know what the  ladies (and gents) like.
 
 
![[IMG]](http://halo.xbox.com/blogs/Headlines/image.axd?picture=2012%2f3%2f8%2fimage10.jpg)  Why the decision to use Spartan IVs in Multiplayer instead of the ol' Spartan IIs? –randomrosso93
 
 That will become apparent in the fiction of the game components, but the  “feel” of Chief as it relates to the “feel” of a Spartan IV will be  practically identical for gameplay purposes.
 
 
 Will there be a color-blind option? Even in Reach where contrast  is high, people such as myself have a hard time even with Blue Team’s  colors against the dark grays of Countdown. –HamboBlank
 
 We have a lot of color-blind players in the studio, including myself  (100% red/green, which is why I seldom break the Tashi Ceiling), but we  will not be producing a color-blindness “mode.” However, we have  considered it as an art team, in how we choose palettes and types of  contrast. The Spartans and UI elements help tremendously, and so far I  am doing a bit better than I’d expect in that area.
 
 
 Now that we conquered the heavier stuff, I thought we could throw some lighter questions and answers in as well. Off we go!
 
 
![[IMG]](http://halo.xbox.com/blogs/Headlines/image.axd?picture=2012%2f3%2f8%2f294891_10150314588992142_726062141_8461473_1546440985_n.jpg)  When will we see more Mister Chief? –Spec ops Grunt
 
 Unfortunately, and I apologize personally, but yes.
 
 bs angel note: What is this I don't even
 
 
 Does Frankie really have a shrine to Star Wars - Episode 1? –FireSharter
 
 Yippee!
 
 
 How much Mountain Dew will I need to drink when Halo 4 releases? –Assassin 11D7
 
 A healthy, delicious, and sensible quantity.
 
 
 Why am I playing better when I sit uncomfortably on the floor? Will this apply to Halo 4 as well? –Naqser
 
 I thought I was the only one who did the floor thing.
 
 
 Can you describe your favorite addition to the game? –Snipers Recon
 
 Something that Jeremy Clarkson would cause a traffic jam with.
 
 
 Pancakes or waffles? –SomeLuckyCharms
 
 They are both equitable bacon/syrup conveyances.
 
 
 Why is it when people ask me if I've got questions, I always draw a blank? –RC Master
 
 Try drawing live rounds.
 
 
 How on earth do you manage to feed the 200+ people who work in  your office? Do you have a canteen or do you just let them out at  lunchtime to wander the streets in packs scavenging for scraps? –scarab
 
 Catered meals, obviously, but also hoppers full of junk food, like how  you’d feed a cat if you went on vacation. This is not a joke.
 
 
 How's the water looking? –UnrealCh13f
 
 Looks wet and wild.
 
 
 Considering there’s nothing I can say that will top that last line, this  officially brings today’s edition of your Halo Bulletin to a  conclusion. Until next week, my friends….
 
 
  , bs angel
 
 
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