Bungie's latest Halo 3 update includes some additional gameplay information, including the mysterious use of the X button, while the developer also explains some of what we saw in its multiplayer Vidoc, available by following the download tab above.
Bungie explains, Now that the dust has settled on the Beta release announce and the Vidoc reveal, we thought we should go over some of those questions we raised. We're purposefully leaving some stuff as either a surprise, or a deeper revelation, but we should definitely give you guys props on your sleuthing. The number of things you discovered from single frames, or blurry moments, or distant sketches on whiteboards - astonishing. Of course, there were almost as many cockamamie theories as correct ones, but we'll let you figure out which were which in May and then again in fall.
Regarding the levels showcased in the video Bungie claims, We did show off a few levels. Three of them you'd seen before - Valhalla, High Ground and Snowbound. Those are the three that comprise the Beta and you'll be playing them yourselves in about a month. One of them, which I've seen described as everything from a "Forerunner castle" to a "remake of Gephyrophobia" and it is in fact neither, although the latter is a fair assessment of its bridge-like structure. In fact, we didn't show off the most interesting part of that level.
There were also things shown however, that will not be included in the game, You also saw some concepts, placeholders, prototypes and things that were never planned for inclusion in the final game. You saw some fake and placeholder and ancient UI (my favorite thing was a fan video where they thought they'd discovered how many campaign levels were going to be in the final game.) and loads of other accidental red herrings.
Many viewers complained about the quality of the graphics shown in the video demonstrations and Bungie explains, You can decide for yourself if you like the look of the game in a few weeks, and you'll certainly recognize moments and areas from that footage. All three levels however, have undergone significant improvements since that footage was taken, months ago, including lighting, decorators, textures, and my favorite - water effects. I don't want to overpromise here and set your expectations too high, so I am deliberately capping the type of language I use to discuss these improvements. A good example however, would be the water in Valhalla.
In one moment of the Vidoc, we see a Spartan launch out of the Mancannon and meet a sorry, embarrassing end in mid air as a sniper uses him for target practice. Now in that footage from old build, he tumbles into the river and slides splash-lessly into a boring placeholder water effect. He won't do that in May. He'll do something neater.
On the use of the X button Bungie explains how the Vidoc unveiled its use, It's what's known (at the moment) as Equipment. The two very plain examples shown in the Vidoc were the Bubble Shield and the "Tripmine." Both can be used in all manner of strategic and hilarious ways. There might have been another, but you can wait a month to see that one.
Since Halo fans have expressed concerns regarding the impact of the implementation of the new feature on gameplay Bungie reacted by stating, A piece of equipment will be a rare and valuable find. It will be located, you will pick it up and you will choose when and where to deploy it. As you can see in the HUD, it's indicated that you're carrying it. Pressing X will drop it - not throw it.
In order to better demonstrate how Equipment will be used in Halo 3 Bungie gave some examples, In the old alpha footage you're watching, the shield generator actually rolled downhill and the player protected inside it had to walk backwards with it to enjoy its shelter. In the beta, it won't roll. We're still playing around with things like that. It's also possible to simply walk inside the shield and fight the inhabitant. It only protects them from explosions and projectiles. Vehicles and people can wander right through. If you die without deploying it, you'll drop it, just like a gun or 'nades. Someone else can then pick it up and use it.
In the Beta build, it has a short-ish lifespan and in fact, can be destroyed. You stand inside the bubble and shoot the generator til' it explodes. Usually, there will be just one available on a map at any given time. Same thing goes for the tripmine, and any other equipment items we may or may not include in the game. Rest assured, they are incredibly fun to use, and add a subtle layer of strategy, without fundamentally impacting any of the typical Halo "flow." In fact, it improves it. There. I said it.
One weird detail I kept getting asked about is, "do you hurl them like grenades?" The answer is no, you just drop 'em - but that means if you stand on a cliff edge, you drop it over the cliff edge. You choose where you drop it, in other words.
