Halo What on the Whatnow?
Halo 2, on Windows Vista. Halo 2, you may remember, is a "shoot them up" featuring the adventures of Master Chief and his wacky sidekick, Cortana. Well, Halo 2 you know about, but Vista, what the heck is that?
Windows Vista is the next generation Microsoft operating system that will by turns, be sweet, awesome, radical, and potentially translucent (in places). It will also add layers of new functionality, speed, media processing and so on. I have heard a rumor, in fact, that it will replicate a lot of the functionality of them new-fangled Media Center PCs so that you can stream HD and whatnot to your Xbox 360. If that's true, that would also be nice.
The game WILL be for Windows Vista, as in, not for Windows XP, so you have a while to get used to that and complain to me about what a jerk I am to Windows 3.1 users.
But back to Halo 2. We're working with another team at MS to make this not only happen, but happen in a super-sweet radical fashion. To that end, we're going to be helping with a lot of aspects, but don't worry, we are not doing the actual coding work – we're too busy with ONP (Our Next Project). In fact, a lot of you spotted the job postings at Bungie.net asking for, "programmers who are awesome at programming Halo 2 Xbox to work on a PC," and other subtle clues.
Using your Sherlock Holmes-ian powers of deduction, you probably figured it out. Anyway, there will be significant differences between the PC and the Xbox version. The PC for example, invariably runs at resolutions that aren't 480i. So there's that. The specs and features have been targeted, but not carved in stone, and things will change, so we're NOT going to announce anything more specific than you find here today.
One HUGE difference between Xbox and PC versions is the absence of Xbox Live. Now, much as a subset of you likes to bitch and moan about Live matchmaking, most of you agree it's a very nice way to find games in a hurry. But don't worry, we'll have a cool system for that, no doubt.
There will also be some kind of map-customization ability. Does that mean you can build your own maps from scratch, pixel by pixel, importing your own textures, scripts and detailed shaders? Or does it mean one empty room and a crate? Well, we'll have more news on that later this year, but it will be cool, we guarantee that.
There's loads of questions the Bungie faithful will ask, like, "Will there be a Mac version?" We can't answer that yet. It's not out of the question, but it's not definitely happening either. We promise to keep you posted, and in the interim, you can read the PR-ified version of the press release and FAQ below.
GENERAL
Q: Why has it taken so long to port Halo 2 to Windows Vista?
A: Bungie Studios and Microsoft are committed to delivering and creating the highest quality experience of Halo 2 on the Windows Vista platform. As such, the development of Halo 2 for Windows Vista coincides with the development of the Windows Vista platform itself in order to ensure the title's uncompromised quality.
Q: Why are you releasing Halo 2 for Windows Vista only?
A: As Bungie Studios and Microsoft are dedicated to delivering a top quality translation of Halo 2 for the PC, their efforts require the use of the best available technological platform for Windows games. Windows Vista will help bring clarity to our customers and help them get more out of their personal computing experience, allowing them to focus on what matters most to them.
Q: Why is Halo 2 for Windows Vista not backwards compatible?
A: To deliver an optimal gameplay experience, Windows Vista will provide a great platform on which to bring to Halo 2. Microsoft and Bungie Studios will provide additional information at a later date.
Q: Is the release of Halo 2 for Windows Vista just a way to force consumers to purchase the new operating system?
A: Absolutely not. Bungie Studios and Microsoft's steadfast commitment to quality determined that the Windows Vista platform would provide the best possible version of Halo 2 for the Windows PC. We will provide you with more details in the future.
Q: Why isn't Bungie Studios doing this conversion themselves?
A: Bungie Studios is deeply involved in the development of Halo 2 for Windows Vista. An internal Microsoft Game Studios team is working closely with Bungie Studios to develop the title.
Q: Is Bungie's lack of involvement in the port of Halo 2 for Windows Vista due to their work on Halo 3?
A: Although Bungie Studios' primary focus lies elsewhere, it is important to note that they are involved in the creation of Halo 2 for Windows Vista. They are working closely with an internal Microsoft Game Studios team.
Q: What are the minimum system requirements?
A: We have not yet announced any specifics in regard to system requirements at this time.
Q: When is Halo 2 for Windows Vista coming out?
A: We have not yet announced a release date for Halo 2 for Windows Vista at this time.
Q: Will Halo 2 for Windows Vista be compatible with other Windows operating systems?
A: Halo 2 for Windows Vista will ship exclusively for the Windows Vista platform.
Q: Will there be a limited edition version of Halo 2 Vista?
A: We have not yet announced specific details on future versions of Halo 2 Vista at this time.
Q: What will Halo 2 Vista cost?
A: We have not yet announced pricing specifics at this time.
Q: Will there be a Mac version of Halo 2?
A: We have not announced any details of a Mac version at this time.
WINDOWS VISTA
Q: How will the overall consumer experience change with Windows Vista?
A: Windows Vista will help bring clarity to our customers and help them get more out of their personal computing experience, allowing them to focus on what matters most to them. Windows Vista will make it safer and easier to complete everyday tasks, instantly find what you want, and easily explore new possibilities in entertainment, including photos, music, games and movies, and connect with your community at home or on the go. In addition, the overall look and feel of Windows will be enhanced through the new "Aero" user interface.
* It seamlessly connects you to information, people, and devices you care most about, to help you get the most out of life and explore new possibilities.
* It enables a new level of confidence in the security and reliability of your PC and in your ability to get the most out of it.
* It introduces clear ways to find, organize and use your information to focus on what matters to you, whether it's music, the Web or e-mail.
Q: What's included in the 2006 release of Windows Vista?
A: Windows Vista will deliver significant advances in key areas important to our customers and partners. Our number one priority with Windows Vista is nailing the fundamentals, so that we can provide our customers with clarity in their computing experience. With Windows Vista we aim to give customers more confidence in the PC and the things they can do with it. The features of the operating system are designed to help our customers easily find what they need and focus on doing what they want to do as well as to provide simple, easy ways for them to connect to people, information and other devices. When Windows Vista is released in 2006, it will include major enhancements in security, privacy, performance and reliability as well as advances in deployment and serviceability for IT pros. Windows Vista also will deliver new tools for smart information management, collaboration and sharing, and a streamlined user experience that will enhance user productivity and is designed to scale with today's modern hardware. Finally, Windows Vista will provide the next-generation platform for hardware and software developers. We expect to share specific details on Windows Vista features as we get closer to Beta 2.
Q: What Windows Vista features will be used to enhance Halo 2 for Windows Vista?
A: We have not yet announced specific Vista features or enhancements at this time.
FEATURES & CONTENT
Q: Will Halo 2 for Windows Vista include support for the USB 360 controller?
A: We have not yet announced any details on hardware or peripheral support at this time.
Q: Will there be any new content in the Vista version?
A: Halo 2 for Windows Vista will feature both the single-player and multiplayer elements of the original Halo 2, as well as each of the additional maps included in the Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack. Players will also have the opportunity to create and customize their own multiplayer levels.
Q: How will map creation work?
A: We have not yet announced specifics on map creation at this time.
Q: Will there be any new features in the Vista version?
A: We have not yet announced specific details or Vista features for Halo 2 for Windows Vista at this time.
Q: Will Halo 2 for Windows Vista support higher resolutions than the Xbox version?
A: We have not yet announced visual or graphical details at this time.
Q: Will Halo 2 for Windows Vista include any new graphical enhancements such as textures, etc?
A: We have not yet announced visual or graphical details at this time.
Q: Will players be able to edit and create single player campaign content?
A: We have not yet announced specifics on content creation at this time.
MULTIPLAYER
Q: Will Halo 2 for Windows Vista support cross-platform multiplayer?
A: Halo 2 for Windows Vista will not support cross-platform play.
Q: Will Halo 2 for Windows Vista support 16 players online or more/less than Xbox?
A: We have not yet announced multiplayer details at this time.
Q: Will Halo 2 for Windows Vista support two-player online co-op for the single-player campaign?
A: We have not yet announced multiplayer details at this time.
Q: How will online matchmaking be handled?
A: We have not yet announced multiplayer details at this time.
Q: What steps will be taken to deal with cheating, etc?
A: We have not yet announced specifics on how cheating will be handled at this time.
Q: Will PC players be able to play against Xbox players?
A: We have not yet announced details on cross-platform integration at this time.
Q: Will Halo 2 for Windows Vista support messaging like the Xbox version?
A: We have not yet announced messaging specifics at this time.
Q: Will Halo 2 for Windows Vista boast the same detailed ranking and stat tracking systems as Halo 2 online via Xbox Live?
A: We have not yet announced details regarding ranking and stat tracking at this time.
Q: Will Halo 2 for Windows Vista offer the same clan support as Halo 2 online via Xbox Live?
A: We have not yet announced details regarding clan support at this time.
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