Halo Wars 2 will have an Open Beta, June 13th to June 20th - Polidicks

[QUOTE][img]https://i.imgur.com/hEijWte.jpg[/img] The Halo Wars 2 open beta is listed for release on Monday, 13th June, and will last a week, until 20th June. Monday is when Microsoft will hold its annual E3 press conference. The beta will presumably be announced for immediate download right then and there. Support for online play with up to six people is included. There's no mention of an open beta on Windows 10 PC.[/QUOTE] [url]http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-06-10-looks-like-theres-a-halo-wars-2-open-beta-next-week[/url] That's on the Xbox Store, haven't seen anything for PC yet, hopefully that goes up later too bonus: leaked screenshots [media]https://imgur.com/a/Jsd1A[/media]

Well that makes me curious. Wonder if they are using the Base system the original had or if they are doing traditional base building which the original was supposed to have?

I remember the first one being really mediocre. If the beta is on PC, I might try it. It probably won't be though, unless Microsoft is serious about getting back into PC gaming.

[QUOTE=The Pretender;50491007]I remember the first one being really mediocre. If the beta is on PC, I might try it. It probably won't be though, unless Microsoft is serious about getting back into PC gaming.[/QUOTE] From what I remember, originally when they first started development for Halo Wars it was actually going to be a pretty complex RTS, at least for consoles, but, they then apparently "dumbed it down" to try to appeal to a wider market because they didn't think console users could handle or like an RTS, you can see some of this if you look up the Beta and how much better everything looked, both in assets and in gameplay. I really hope they don't do that with Halo Wars 2, please give us a good RTS, not just an ok one.

[QUOTE=The Pretender;50491007]I remember the first one being really mediocre. If the beta is on PC, I might try it. It probably won't be though, unless Microsoft is serious about getting back into PC gaming.[/QUOTE] It was pretty mediocre. It was like a fairly generic RTS with custom Halo skins, halo-themed maps and a loose story tied in with the Halo universe. It also kind of pissed me off when it first came out because I got it for Christmas one year, had never heard of it, and being a fan of Halo I was like, "Hell yeah, Halo game out of nowhere" and put it in without reading the manual or looking at the back or anything. That sinking feeling of realizing I was forced to sit there and watch other characters do cool Halo things and shoot cool Halo guns while I just kind of floated above them and shouted orders kind of left a really bad taste in my mouth. That said though if I had known what I was getting into I would have enjoyed it a lot more, and after the initial realization sank in I started to have more fun with the base building mechanics and whatnot. It wasn't an unpleasant experience and had a few neat ideas, but it wasn't anything to write home about in the end. I feel like it would've been better if it weren't a Halo game because it adds nothing to the series other than being absolutely nothing like the other games, it just wouldn't have sold as well.

[QUOTE=Highwind017;50490762]Well that makes me curious. Wonder if they are using the Base system the original had or if they are doing traditional base building which the original was supposed to have?[/QUOTE] In the eighth picture of the OP it looks like there are individual "fusion core" like structures strewn about, and a larger structure to the bottom left. Needless to say I hope its true, that was one of the biggest turn-offs in the first Halo Wars.

GET HYPE FORGE IS DOWN FORGE IS BACK UP [sp] we're still waiting for him to get up one day.[/sp]

[QUOTE=Hrothgar;50491850]In the eighth picture of the OP it looks like there are individual "fusion core" like structures strewn about, and a larger structure to the bottom left. Needless to say I hope its true, that was one of the biggest turn-offs in the first Halo Wars.[/QUOTE] Pretty sure those were in the original game. They're just resource nodes you can pick up with your warthogs so you have an alternative source of supplies besides the supply pads you build. [url]http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/Supplies[/url] They just changed the model from generic supply crates to fusion core models.

This might sound like PC neckbeard circlejerking. But I really hope this isn't ruined by consoles like the last game. RTS games just don't belong on consoles but that doesn't mean it can't at least be interesting and worth picking up on sale or something.

The major problem with the original was lack of depth and then lack of long term support and marketing causing the game to fall into obscurity because Ensemble was on it's deathbed and then promptly passed when the game wasn't an overnight sensation. But the odds were really stacked against this game being a console RTS and also being a franchise with a fanbase used to a completely different genre that does not like to mix with strategy games. Excellent theme however. [media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nDzLtCGoFo[/media] All in all it may have been a let down, but it was at least a competently constructed game at it's heart and a bold attempt to do something new on an old stage. Though not as old as you'd think, smart people remember that Halo was originally an RTS game with a direct control feature. The decision was made to make it an FPS when they found that driving around shooting things while controlling what would be Master Chief, was more entertaining than what they were doing. Lets see what they can manage the second time around without the encouragement of a guillotine.

[QUOTE=Zyler;50496511]Pretty sure those were in the original game. They're just resource nodes you can pick up with your warthogs so you have an alternative source of supplies besides the supply pads you build. [url]http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/Supplies[/url] They just changed the model from generic supply crates to fusion core models.[/QUOTE] They're the same color as the Covenant forces in the picture though. Plus it looks like there are two types of structures in the picture, the smaller fusion cores you say to be the supply cache and the bigger one at the bottom left. If that's the case though it'd be a bit of a bummer, although I suppose those wouldn't make a super huge amount of sense to be Covenant structures.

Did Halo wars have a cover system? I sound like a stick in the mud, but COH has really ruined that part of RTS games for me. I got so use to my units being able to use the different environments like walls, and tank carcasses that I think it should be a something all RTS games have in them

[QUOTE=Daddy-of-war;50499673]Did Halo wars have a cover system? I sound like a stick in the mud, but COH has really ruined that part of RTS games for me. I got so use to my units being able to use the different environments like walls, and tank carcasses that I think it should be a something all RTS games have in them[/QUOTE] It did not have a cover system as far as I remember. Its kind of funny though, because I remember a lot of discussion about the subject when they showed the first gameplay at E3 2007 due to the later part of the video that showed marines behind some wrecked vehicles and random debris, but if there was one it didn't appear in the game. Dawn of War was the game that kind of spoiled that for me, instead of CoH. It got a little weird going back and playing games like StarCraft and Command and Conquer while trying to use non-existent cover mechanics.

[QUOTE=Hrothgar;50500264]It did not have a cover system as far as I remember. Its kind of funny though, because I remember a lot of discussion about the subject when they showed the first gameplay at E3 2007 due to the later part of the video that showed marines behind some wrecked vehicles and random debris, but if there was one it didn't appear in the game. Dawn of War was the game that kind of spoiled that for me, instead of CoH. It got a little weird going back and playing games like StarCraft and Command and Conquer while trying to use non-existent cover mechanics.[/QUOTE] This is false. There was actually a cover system, but it was kind of limited, so I'm not surprised you didn't remember it. Throughout the different maps there was actually wrecked vehicles and other debris that infantry could actually hide behind and shoot from, but they were specific peices. You couldn't just run and hide behind any wall. It was used pretty well during the Campaign, but in multiplayer it was basically useless.

[QUOTE=TornadoAP;50500703]This is false. There was actually a cover system, but it was kind of limited, so I'm not surprised you didn't remember it. Throughout the different maps there was actually wrecked vehicles and other debris that infantry could actually hide behind and shoot from, but they were specific peices. You couldn't just run and hide behind any wall. It was used pretty well during the Campaign, but in multiplayer it was basically useless.[/QUOTE] You're right! Terribly sorry about the misinformation, I really need to go back and refresh myself on the game.

As flawed as the original was, I still consider it as my third favorite RTS behind AoE 2 and CaQ Zero Hour. If beta comes out on PC, i'm going to spend more time in it druing beta than I have on overwatch in total

[QUOTE=LoLWaT?;50490949]They're probably sticking to the predetermined socket system with a few extra gimmicks. Ensemble scrapped all their earlier work done on the original's base building mechanics for a faster game where people can just jump right in and start fighting rather than having to spend massive amounts of time planning and focusing on micro-management and strategy (cause people are obviously retarded). It had nothing to do with console or controller limitations.[/QUOTE] Oh for fuck sake, I mean I'm not against RTS without base building, I loved WiC after all, but halo wars just seems like the sort of game which really should have base building

[QUOTE=carcarcargo;50501623]Oh for fuck sake, I mean I'm not against RTS without base building, I loved WiC after all, but halo wars just seems like the sort of game which really should have base building[/QUOTE] It should either go full on basebuilding or no basebuilding, no middle of the road bullshit.

[QUOTE=elowin;50502218]It should either go full on basebuilding or no basebuilding, no middle of the road bullshit.[/QUOTE] As long as it's a console RTS I'd say they should probably just try to deliver something interesting and new rather than a command and conquer (I'd say red alert 3 was the best attempt at a console RTS, good depth but still accessable) or world in conflict. Perhaps something like an asymmetric game that interacts with halo 5 e.g. natural selection 2 but actually interesting for the RTS guy. Even if it might be awful, at least it's an attempt to do something cool.

I'm a bit weird in the fact that I loved the base building system. It was the fact that you were limited to only a set number of buildings forced you to strategize on how you want things to go and not just spam one specific unit out all the time. I can understand why most don't like it, it's the fact that it restricts your freedom of doing things, but I did.

[QUOTE=TornadoAP;50502800]I'm a bit weird in the fact that I loved the base building system. It was the fact that you were limited to only a set number of buildings forced you to strategize on how you want things to go and not just spam one specific unit out all the time. I can understand why most don't like it, it's the fact that it restricts your freedom of doing things, but I did.[/QUOTE] What I'd hope for from this is like a cross between coh with the cover system (or maybe another game with excellent c.s) and if they where to do space battles, I'd want it to be like that star wars rts game, with the rebels vs empire. Not saying it should be a clone, but to me, a RTS game that involves modern/futuristic weaponry that doesn't have some type of cover system, more realism, just isn't right to me. You know what i'm saying? Squads based units, the way infantry can't hurt a tank without a.t weapons, stuff like that.

Halo Wars may not have been the best RTS ever, but I'll give it credit for one thing- It's the only console RTS with controls that didn't suck. I tried the 360 version of Red Alert 3 once, it was bad.