I am the only one who understands Halo CE's art direction | A message to Halo studios

[@LateNightHalo]

Fellas, no halo game ever used Frutiger aero as its aesthetic. I know it’s the latest term the internet has grabbed onto but it’s used incorrectly a LOT. Halo 1 and 2 takes inspiration from things like Metalheart, Cybercore, a bit of cassette futurism, etc.

[@LordJagd]

I think people just mean that Halo reminds them of Frutiger Aero. It's no surprise either, as Frutiger Aero often depicts green natural landscapes, deep blue skies, and large/impossible structures in the far distance, which is very similar to what the titular ringworld looks like.

[@currywinborn3129]

@@LateNightHalo it wouldn’t have “used” it though right? CE is a great example of the whole Frutiger Aero thing because of all the points you made in your video and this comment: it just kind of is FA because that’s what was going on. It starts detaching from that in its sequels cause like, 9/11 happened and everything became way less Stargate/Next Generation and way more Saving Private Ryan.

[@gigastrike2]

I don't think people understand what Frutiger Aero is. Halo is closer to late 90s space renders where there is a simple geometric shape floating above a weirdly colored Nevada desert landscape than the Windows XP desktop background.

[@nicodemuslee]

@@currywinborn3129 i think you're confusing the art direction of Frutiger Aero with the greater general aesthetic of the era. FA is directly related to Y2K aesthetics which I see almost none of in Halo. With Frutiger Aero being more humanist and social by design, Halo CE feels very foreign, and alien. While sharing similar colors the aesthetic seems to be ruled by general sci-fi and as LNH said, cassette futurism, much more than Frutiger Aero. Just because it gives you a similar vibe doesn't necessarily mean it's rooted in FA. Otherwise, just about everything that's vibrant, glossy and nature-focused is an example of Frutiger Aero, which I don't believe to be the case either.

[@currywinborn3129]

@@nicodemuslee I think you're right. I've very much categorized FA as "the way stuff looked when I was a kid." Your description of "vibrant, glossy and nature-focused" has literally been my definition. I did a quick check of cassette futurism, metalheart, and cybercore and yeah, I see what you guys are talking about. I also didn't realize that Frutiger Aero was as late into the 2000's as it is. So yeah, you guys are right: I am also using it incorrectly.

[@CephalopodsRock]

I heard someone say that the original Star Wars movies where inspired by old sci-fi serials, ww2 footage, Kurosawa movies, and cowboy westerns while the new Star Wars movies are inspired by old Star Wars movies. At the end of the day if you really want to GET a series you need to understand its roots and what the creators where inspired by and what they where trying to emulate.

[@LateNightHalo]

Ding Ding Ding!

[@jackskellingtonsfollower3389]

@@CephalopodsRock Exactly! The sad thing is they had access to a ton of expanded lore. 343 used SOME of it as reference points and even made Halo Legends, which in my opinion is the only truly good work of 343 Industries. LucasFilm on the other hand chose to completely ignore literally four decades of Star Wars expanded lore.

[@davidhines7592]

the new star wars movies were NOT inspired by Lucas star wars. nobody at disney or on the movie production understood what Lucas was exploring with his six movies, and how he had made a complete saga which was how he could sell the IP reluctantly with skywalker ranch. the issue they had with the 3 recent star wars killer movies was they almost made a star wars movie with the first one, but time pressure made them hurry it along with rehashing death star variant. the second was even more rushed and like the last, it was a generic action movie with star wars costumes, but NOT star wars movies. thats even before we consider the retcons of lore like dismissing the thrawn books by Zahn which would have made great movies - except Disney felt Han Leia and Luke were too old to reprise their roles. the style of the original 3 movies were heavily influenced by kurosawa but also George was experimenting with mythic story telling templates. the young newly adult hero guided by the old experienced warrior etc. which kind of tale is almost universal in every human culture as a coming of age tale. as to this vid title. yes, you are the only one lol

[@Multienderguy37]

@@davidhines7592You are wrong and also right. The new movies do in fact rip off the old ones quite shamelessly, but they don’t understand the originals and what made them good.

[@jorge69696]

And emulating someone else is harder too. It would be better if they moved Star Wars 1000 years into the future and did their own thing with real inspiration and passion. Regurgitating George Lucas doesn't work. Andor is great and it does its own thing as detached from Star Wars as possible.

[@TEG_Barryz]

I feel like the heavy chrome aesthetic is the reason why we haven’t really seen a modern combat evolved remaster/remake that really feels like combat evolved. It’s not necessarily the low poly part of it (though I do love how that looks) it’s the colour grading and the whole modernization super realistic look that betrays combat evolved’s spirit.

[@protocetid]

There are fans that are merging the Bungie trilogy into a single fan game, maybe someone should let them know about these subtle Y2K details so we can see if they really work in the modern era.

[@ToxicBalloon360]

@@protocetid Ah, Halo Reborn. Very much looking forward to that project. If you're curious, they have a Discord where the project's devs regularly interact with fans and answer questions. Perhaps one could make suggestions there.

[@whytho1690]

As someone who never got the chance to play Halo growing up but played the MCC, I almost exclusively played on the Classic visuals from the start; only switching between to the modern on and off to get a feel for the differences. I liked the classic far more than I did the modern look, and I thought it was because the theming felt just _better._ On that note, bless the devs for making this swappable while the game is still running. More remakes/remasters need to do this if it's not taking up that much more drive space.

[@TEG_Barryz]

@ from what I understand swapping between visuals would be next to impossible on a remake, but visual only remasters like CEA is easier, however the newer models do require essentially an extra game be run overtop of the original and you just have the option to turn the new game off.

[@whytho1690]

@@TEG_Barryz I can't say 100% how easy it'd be, but the C&C remaster also had this option. I'm thinking it'd be real easy for older games where they don't require much resources to run during gameplay. I mean this is the era of what, ~0.5GHz processors and 128MB RAM? I'd be surprised if they had any issues having that 2nd overlay running on modern hardware. Only thing they'd need is to make sure their modern iteration is running as optimized as possible, then run the old, and I would hope _light weight_ graphics/models. Heck, it doesn't even need to hot-swap. I'd rather have a flat option of togglable modern and classic graphics and let me decide. Doesn't even need to be on-the-fly.

[@dr.leatherwood6216]

Making the Night sky fully visible and adding A TON of fog and low height rain clouds will do volumes for the vibe. The persistent feeling of night adds to the mystery.

[@fluffywolfo3663]

Speaking as a Deadspace fan - making things a little indistinct and blurry does a LOT for the artstyle and mood sometimes tbh. It's much more atmospheric and unsettling to see the silhouette of some weird bony-looking machine in the distance, and maybe not know how big the room is! As compared to, y'know, _seeing everything._

[@savalaner2086]

@@fluffywolfo3663 halo anniversary moment.. halo: ce and halo: 2 anniversary light up everything... it goes from your being barely able to see, to be being able to see everything in a 50 greater ark radius

[@fluffywolfo3663]

@ I can’t help but wonder if that detracts from the mystery of it all.

[@BotBruh448]

Also not being fucking afraid of the dark like they have since they took over the franchise, WE HAVE HELMET LIGHTS PEOPLE

[@RSpracticalshooting]

@@savalaner2086 playing through MCC with my brother and 90% of the time i use the remake graphics but anytime we're in the old forerunner structures i turn it back because the atmosphere and lighting were just so much better in the OGs.

[@ForumArcade]

Modern Halo has moved much more in the direction of other military shooters rather than leaning into the sci-fi and mystical qualities that are its foundations. The first two games had a lot of the same allure that was present in Ringworld, Dune, and Alien. I feel like it lost that somewhere along the way.

[@PaladinHD]

The modern devs probably never read any classic science fiction like Ring World lol. The only thing they read is tweets.

[@haydentravis3348]

@@PaladinHD M$ got the least interesting or interested people they could.

[@SammyNail]

@@haydentravis3348 No you got it backwards, M$ hired very interesting people but wont let them be creative and interesting as its to risky for profits. Its better to spend 600 Million and make 700 Million guaranteed then it is to spend 600 Million and make 1 Billion without a guarantee.

[@KaizenMethod]

The Halo Infinite UI feels like I'm reading the FDA Nutrition Facts of the game.

[@Lucifronz]

I can't drink Halo Infinite, it has too much caffeine.

[@haydentravis3348]

343i and Halo Studios just don't play or enjoy the games they make, its painfully obvious.

[@Brrrstrument]

@@haydentravis3348 I mean I like the pvp, Ill tell you what the pvp is done better than bungie are doing for destiny, still like the feel of d2 pvp though, but from a campaign and look perspective, yeah, not as good, as for the looks, one may even see it as sort of lazy, I mean destiny has its own art style still, a bit modernized but other than that, pretty similar, meanwhile if i showed a friend of mine who never played halo some footage of halo pvp, with minor edits, such as changing the UI, they will legit think its BO6. I'm not shocked that when bungie left and a new studio was made, the games weren't as good anymore, but what I am surprised by, is how did bungie go from making halo, to making destiny, legit summoned all the microtransactions.

[@POINDEXTER-TV]

Older brother core. I've never heard something so accurate in my life.

[@glorbojibbins2485]

😎🙏

[@_ArsNova]

I cannot express how much I hate remakes. They almost always trample the original art direction while managing to convince swathes of casual, and even many hardcore players that they are "better".

[@lokhaxz803]

@@_ArsNova I try not to think about all the people whose first experience with Halo was 5 or CEA

[@crimsonraiderxv3422]

​@@lokhaxz803 Tbf it isn't nearly as many as the other games

[@CyanRooper]

Basically how zoomers with millennial older siblings look back at the 2000s. It's their version of nostalgia similar to how millennials in the 2010s had their version of nostalgia in the form of "vaporwave" and the whole '80s nostalgia brought on by things like Stranger Things, Drive (2011), Blade Runner 2049 etc.

[@MrNotSpecified01]

The skybox for Halo is so unique and iconic. The clear skies with a sea of stars during the day, the astral body the ring orbits, and of course, the ring itself. And as you point out, the menu complements this. You open the game as look at the ring itself in all its glory. I remember I used to watch it and try to pin point where each mission might have taken place, or look at the sky during the campaig and wonder if I could shoot and hit something on the other side of the ring. All of this makes the setting immersive and 20+ years in the future, we should be able to capture that and enhance it, to do those things we could only wish were possible back then.

[@SpartanJames115]

I've been Hit with Nostalgia with those words. 👌

[@Diorden119]

God when I was a dumbass kid I used to think the skybox was real, and I could fly to Threshold if I had the means.

[@ToxicBalloon360]

This comment and the reply underneath perfectly illustrates the awe and wonder 9 year old me would feel when I first played CE. Stopping dead in your tracks and just taking in the environment and details, both obvious and subtle, in both the game and the main menu, and just thinking about what it all means and what could be, is a testament to how well made CE was.

[@bipinnambiar]

@diorden119 that’s not that bad

[@possiblyzslot838]

Say what you want about Destiny 1, but man did the inspiration continue into that game, especially the clear skies and stars during daytime. Even though that game has a realistic look to it, it's still clearly stylised, which is something Bungie have always been good at so now they're some of the only good AAA examples of stylised realism in the modern era, though I'm not a fan of Destiny 2's style as much.

[@imjust_a]

0:26 One thing that always stands out to me is when the Mark V armor is interpreted as being pristine, smooth, and matte. It looks pleasant, but it *shouldn't* look like that. It should look worn and combat-tested with a metallic sheen. If you take a look at the original Halo 1 textures, there's scuffs and scratches and discoloration all over the armor. I don't know if I've seen a "modern" take on the Mark V armor that felt authentic to me.

[@GreenBlueWalkthrough]

I mean outside of Halo 2, Reach, halo CE aniversay we don't see a Halo CE master chief in the mainline games... And iin all 3 of those aperanbces Master chief has that war torn look just in those differnt art styles because he just came from reach after all... I reall donn't get why you are upset... Like why do you expact the vast majority of multiplay Mk V to be war torwn?

[@imjust_a]

@@GreenBlueWalkthrough Because you're in combat

[@jcdentoid]

@@GreenBlueWalkthrough Halo 2 literally started with a guy complaining about how worn down Chief's Mk V armor was.

[@CowCommando]

Agreed, I always end up feeling like they make the Mark V look like it's made of plastic, like they used a plastic toy as a reference instead of the original game.

[@zippydaspinhead]

@@GreenBlueWalkthrough Name me a single spartan-II walking around in MK V that by the time of Reach still hasn't seen combat. I'll wait.

[@23100Battlefield]

Halo studios: "We really understand halo this time, which is why we are making the surface of this alien ring world look EVEN MORE like earth than last time!"

[@musek5048]

thats exactly my thoughts on this, the reason the first halo was amazing to me was because it felt and looked like nothing i had ever experienced before even with the older graphics. this whole chasing realism while impressive it just can't capture the feel that halo CE did. but thats kinda the problem with established titles, its very difficult to recreate the magic that the first games had due to the impact they had in their time.

[@LLikzy]

@@musek5048 while i sort of agree, i think 343 just got lost in random bs and tried too hard to play the "look at us innovating things" when they just had to keep the recipe and make it better instead of changing things upside down until its just not halo

[@DaBigBoo_]

"artists" in most triple ayyy studios are hacks

[@Morrigan101]

​@@DaBigBoo_ wrong. Most artists are beholden to the whims of the producers, higher ups, council meetings, focus testing etc which is usually where problems can start

[@wdsyalyn]

And even though a lot of the games take place on different planets/rings and continents. Every level will somehow look like a national park with some samey looking alien features.

[@MegamanZero410]

The aesthetic isn’t just Y2K, but it’s “other worldly”. We want something to be beyond what we can go outside and witness. Bizarre, ethereal, and unreal (pun intended). When I think of the early 2000s I think of the dark gritty chrome sci-fi, Spider-Man unlimited grunge, music cover art that was painted not generated, and the rapid advancement of 3D art. Where the 360 had a frutiger aero vibe, the Xbox was Y2K futurism mixed with 90s techno. Yes it was a “product of its time” but that time had so much more going for it than the sterilized modern consoles. I miss the boot up sequences of the GameCube, the PS2, the OG Xbox. They had heart and style, and Halo was no different. Everything felt like it had love and attention, not just something to check a box.

[@corncobjohnsonreal]

A cool nuclear blob boot screen doesn't have mass market appeal. Girls hate it, the green cool blob grosses them out.

[@Miguel-jq6ol]

This is a very specific thing but I miss the iradescent style of covenant stuff, it’s not just shiny purple. There was a lot of odd stuff like that they played around with in the shaders. Just something that came to mind watching rejected shotgun remaking vehicles in halo 3

[@MinecraftLD10]

Specular Color is the word your looking for which both modern Halo and modern engines lack as a feature to even tint from the basic white. As well as the iridescence effect they had, but which could be done through something like subsurface now for example. That or maybe glint if your in UE.

[@rooknado]

@@MinecraftLD10wtf how do you know that

[@ls200076]

​@@rooknadoknowledge

[@Mega-Brick]

The wraith(?) in Halo 3 had this really cool water-caustics effect on it that I find so much more interesting than the hexagonal pattern they gave Covenant stuff in Reach and owards.

[@MinecraftLD10]

@Mega-Brick Which could be via subsurface while mixing in hexagon shading.

[@matthewdixon6966]

"The Halo: Anniversary devs did a good job of giving Halo a much more Earthy aesthetic. You wanna know what Halo is not?? EARTH!!!!!" -Noodle

[@wiktorb6846]

loll

[@720babylon]

exactly that's was what I was thinking...halo ring needs to look so much different than earth, the atmosphere, the sky color, the biology, the rock formation, the vegetation...everything should remind you you are not on earth...but doing that require them to create new assists from scratch rather than relying on the UE5 stock assets that was made from earthly nature

[@dyveshisrael7133]

I revisit that video every two months lol

[@VunderGuy]

Exactly! The whole point of the ring is that it's both familiar YET ALIEN. The uncanny valley effect? Yeah, that's the whole point of the ring, there's always some low-key unsettling thing about it at the back of your head.

[@justanxious9447]

Im glad the noodle references aren't lost on just me.

[@Gravastars1]

If there’s a word that springs to mind when thinking about Halo CE’s art direction and general tone, it’s “derelict”. I think of that one isolated cutscene of the chief kicking a small rock down a giant, metal shaft. I think of the Halo ring as this chrome fortress with impenetrable secrets within. This is why the contrast with the reveal of the flood works so well

[@Vid_Master]

This really hit the nail on the head, youre right. The flood reveal was absolutely perfect

[@Andrew_Sword]

derelict yet magical. i love halo ce because the halo has so much advanced tech but they remain unanimated leaving the players to wonder how it work. why does this lifeless build spontaneously shoot energy into the sky? what are these deep blue panels on the wall doing? why is the control room so large but it only houses a single console? its left unexplained and in doing so it creates an atmosphere of the magical derelict

[@michaelchristianrusso]

I agree with this perspective, but part of that "Y2K world music cover art" charm is specifically some of the tech limitations in the game: complex level geometry and high-res textures set in a huge, statically-lit world that feels ethereal and slightly-too-empty, full of specular and bump maps -- a strange bridge between 3D graphics that are very sophisticated, and yet still somehow very primitive -- and its experimental music choices. So, how do you take that and drop it into Unreal Engine in 2024 in a scene where you can count every blade of grass? I feel like there's a certain amount of genie that can't be put back into the bottle today.

[@CrimVulgar]

I think that's why the DOOM comparison works so well - they didn't just replicate the aesthetic of the old games, they picked up the key parts that made DOOM feel like DOOM rather than something else, and modernised around those pillars.

[@aripocki]

Maybe there's a way to design really sharp edges and hyper-flat panels into the overall architectural geometry and language, kind of like Apple products but extremely blocky. I'm curious to see if someone can achieve this aesthetic in the next couple years.

[@evancombs5159]

There is no technical reason why it can't be done. It just comes down to the ability of the creatives, and the willingness of executives.

[@MrChoklad]

I was thinking about this too, it must be difficult to put that kind of vibe in a modern game because most of that vibe had to do with the limitations of the games at that time, but the more I think about it more ideas come to mind, so i believe it would be possible if that was indeed the intention. I mean, as a starter, you're playing inside a ring station, I haven't noticed that in any of these demos pictures, that should be a prominent part of the aesthetics, also few clouds, let the player see the outer space, let the player look up and see the ring, also because the ring itself doesn't have the same atmosphere as a planet so it makes sense that space and stars would still poke through the blue sky, so tone that blue down a bit. If you think about it, even some generic vegetation with a weird sky that is not like we have on earth is "unsettling", it gives a bit of that feeling of being in an alien place, it is a step in the right direction.

[@St0ne69]

Game needs to look like the music video for in the end by Linkin park

[@Crusty783]

3:05 ah yes, the seventh gen piss filter my beloved

[@jackburton307]

Lol I hated that piss filter with a Vengeance! Brown and yellow in every damn 360 game

[@stormhought]

Current gen is all about lacking a unique art style and pushing uncanny realism

[@wyattziel7438]

​@@stormhought ik it makes everything look too glossy. I miss the gritty, dirty, piss filter

[@themook0w602]

@@wyattziel7438 Depends on the game, there are some mods that will change games from that era to be more colorful and sometimes I think it looks worse. I like Far Cry 2 better with the piss filter.

[@JustSomeDude848]

​@@wyattziel7438I meeean(unzips pants)

[@famalam943]

The forerunner architecture needs to be almost stone in its appearance, the flat, dull earth like material made the structures creepy. At least they’re not over designed like a lot of the later games did.

[@nezarecdiscipleofthewitnes3823]

I was just complaining about that during my last playthrough of Infinite. I was saying how the floors and walls of the forerunner hallways were very over-detailed

[@alexjackyperson101]

Even in halo 4 and 5, it's not very over designed too

[@alanbarociocontreras2697]

@@nezarecdiscipleofthewitnes3823 nah man, Infinite's forerunner art style it's the best since Halo 3, it really keeps the esence of the original trilogy translated into newer graphics

[@50centpb7]

@@famalam943 Can’t agree. For all I don’t like about infinite, I think the forerunner stuff was genuinely inspired and might even top the original trilogy in my books. Halo 4 and 5 are what I’d consider over-designed.

[@50centpb7]

@@famalam943 I actually do sort of agree with you that making the forerunner material itself more stone-like, and less metallic, would be a nice touch.

[@mikemjb2017]

343/Halo Studios has always just had the wrong inspirations for Halo. Halo CE is a good mix of 80's Military Sci-Fi movies mixed with Bright fantasy elements. When Halo 2 rolled around, Bungie dipped more into topical themes undeniably influenced by the global war on terror, which also influenced the art style of the UNSC closer to a modern military. 343 has leaned heavily into opposing elements from the start of their ownership over halo, taking influence (seemingly primarily) from tech-sci fi and a totally different generation of anime. When they realized that it wasn't popular with fans, they tried to lean back into the original Halo style with infinite but its pretty clear they don't understand the original influences, hence why they go straight for photorealism for environments and the new UNSC guns look more modern than anything else.

[@shred1894]

Exactly this.

[@yyyhhh8481]

what do you call that art style that alien created, retro futuristic?

[@Wolfmansgeneralchannel]

This is genuinely a perfect summary of the issue fans took with 343’s art direction and intent!

[@spellxthief]

@@yyyhhh8481 cassette futurism is what i think of

[@Major_Zephyr]

Halo 2 and 3's UNSC guns are extremely modern looking though, that's not really just an Infinite thing. Just look at Halo 2's pistol and SMG. Also "photorealistic" environments make sense considering Halo has kind of always gone for the realistic art style, with maybe the exception of CE. But that is mostly due to graphical limitations of the time, not really a stylized approach. I would argue that Halo 3 and especially Reach both went for realism in their art style and environments.

[@OBXsaltLife]

I agree, we don't need a realistic pine tree on every inch of the terrain. The classic sounds, gritty art style, color, gameplay, attention to little details, the unique personalities of the marines and covenant, all come together to make that great classic Halo feel we all know and love!

[@BaggyFTJ]

This

[@KommisarFuklaw]

The environments in the original, and for that level in particular, drive home that you’re on a strange artificial structure attempting to simulate a natural environment. The one shown feels like a real environment and loses that uncanniness Probably why you see people use Halo an example of liminal spaces. Does that new environment evoke the same vibe?

[@Gala-yp8nx]

6:12 I walked into a High School for the first time in ages and I swear to god all of the kids were dressing like they were in a 2001 music video.

[@bichaelhull1843]

I hope they do capture that early 2000's vibe but I doubt it. I want to have faith in halo studios but I wont hold my breath.

[@icespeaker81]

They can't and won't. Halo Studios is just 343; soulless and passionless. Shout out to like, the two people at the studio who actually like halo

[@SomeKindaSpy]

Never have faith in major studios.

[@icespeaker81]

@ it’s literally the same studio working under the same corporation lmao

[@arjunkhanna7383]

@DinoHunter-2150 It's the same company. Just a rebrand.

[@BIGWojo68]

@@arjunkhanna7383 Exactly! Why doesn't anyone else see that.

[@PVNTHR]

Y2K futurism has ALWAYS been cool, and were finally seeing people waking up and realizing it.

[@s_t_r_a_y_e_d]

Im so SO tired of zombie/post-apocalypse that is oversaturating movies, games, and TV. Do you people WANT our society to collapse before we become a space-faring species

[@PVNTHR]

@@s_t_r_a_y_e_d Exactly how I feel about everything needing to look photo realistic..

[@Alabud1]

I miss the Y2K style so much, Gen X Soft Club Aesthetic my beloved.

[@PVNTHR]

@@Alabud1 It’s definitely still around, I’d argue some games like Stellarblade, Astrobot and Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth definitely have Y2K vibes.

[@bbman10pwns]

Halo's levels had such a unique feeling that were almost entirely due to the constraints at the time. I don't know if they could ever recapture that, unfortunately. Almost every map is set in a canyon with tall walls that you can't see over. You have no idea how big the world is-- or isn't. No idea where you are in relation to anything else. It creates a unique feeling of being inside of a terrarium. Maybe built by someone who tried to loosely recreate Earth. But the best part is never really knowing how or why. I like to think that animals in zoo enclosures know that their environment is artificial. A plastic rock used to cover a water pump "feels" wrong. But they just don't have the capacity to investigate. Just like players in Halo 1. I remember being so fucking psyched as a kid at the end of Silent Cartographer when we learn that we're flying into the ring, and we go from a wide open tropical island environment, to confined snowy freezing caverns. The contrast was awesome. Now we have the tech to do even more impressive shit, but they're just... not? The easiest change they could make is make the atmosphere extremely thin/nonexistent so you can see stars and planets during the day.

[@wiktorb6846]

duuuuude 100%

[@cvstlebeats]

@@wiktorb6846perfectly put

[@Blackfade4L]

This comment deserves extra attention! Soo true

[@kiasia3219]

totally agree. i feel like older games like Halo CE were like passion projects that had much more focus on creativity. a lot of companies making modern commercial games are less likely to take risks with art direction etc because they want to play it safe and get that ca$h dollars. however it is worth exploring the world of indie games, because there are a lot of people making experimental games who feel the same way about the charm of older graphics and level design

[@theblobconsumes4859]

I don't fully agree. While it is true that a lot of the art style occurred due to constraints, you can still recapture it and keep its most unique and important aspects. Of course, parts of it are caused by the lo-fi visuals, but the art design underneath, the concept art and art direction that went into it, and how they tried to be as 'realistic' as possible while being stylish in the art design, can all be recaptured if they actually look for the right inspirations. What can't be recaptured is that lo-fi look, which is part of it, but I don't think it matters nearly as much as the concept art design and the influences therein. It's clear Halo Studios/343 Industries have never fully understood the core aspects of Bungie's classic Halo art design, whether it be CE or 2 and 3.

[@SequoiaAlexander]

I can tell you understand Halo because you’ve nailed the music selection.

[@TallicaMan1986]

5:40 Man. That Music tab on the mainscreen for Xbox was everything for a long time. Back then me and my cousin would fall asleep to some Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin and turned the contrast down a LOT to the point you can barely see the menu anymore. I came in at Halo 2, and you're absolutely correct about it being played by the older kids. I only got to deep dive into Halo CE Online when the game Prey came out for the Original Xbox 360. With the Tabs and Bright colors and such, but I played it on PC instead. So many all nighters lol. I remember Hitman Blood Money came out around this time to so I was able to play the ever living hell out of that.

[@mr.harris3256]

I’m not religious, but PLEASE Halo Studios, PLEASE bring back the religious undertones… There’s a reason Master Chief is named “Spartan John 117”. John 1:17 - "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" Master Chief is literally space Jesus. A literal savior of humanity. The Ark is called “The Ark” for a reason. The prophets are called prophets for a reason. It’s baked into the meta-lore of the franchise… BRING IT BACK!

[@LateNightHalo]

I love the on-the-nose religious allegories in Halo. It makes the series more fun and mythical feeling

[@riptmangleshank4286]

If I remember right, Dante's Inferno was a huge influence on the whole series in various ways. I know for sure ODST was but I think all the games borrowed in some way. I wonder how many of the hALo StuDiOs devs have even read it... w/o being forced to.

[@Turututu-T]

I really think the lost religious tones and allegories aren't exactly the fault of 343i/Halo Studio; it's more because of Microsoft. Let's be honest, Microsoft doesn't want to have 'issues' and just wants to sell.

[@Kinuhbud]

y'all ever read the original halo novels?

[@BingBong714]

Fun fact, one of the character designers actually had a different verse in mind with the same numbers when designing Chief. Revelations 1:17 “Fear not, I am the first, and the last.” Which was from the ground up the original intention for MC.

[@averagemug]

Halo CE looked so alien and sterile. You wouldn't look at the halo rings with their perfectly cut grass and open plains with their perfectly placed rocks and trees and think they weren't man made (excluding the obvious fact that they aren't) Halo CE anniversary and also the new showcase look way to cluttered and filled with life, like it's just a picture of Earth, and that's not what the rings are supposed to look like in my opinion. Halo CE is from the same time period as shows like Animoprphs and games like Fallout 3 and Resident Evil. All of these share the common trait of looking nothing like other media of the time, I hope Halo can return to this.

[@Wizards0nly]

brother you get it. it's artificial nature - it's a pristine, tidy, manicured garden on an ancient, desolate, abandoned world - there's nobody to keep it.... it's unnatural and uncanny.

[@the_not_real_bigboss]

I honestly thought that the ring's appearance was just an engine limitation due to how large the maps are

[@mayfieldd357]

​@the_not_real_bigboss it was a technical limitation. These guys are letting nostalgia cloud their better judgement. This is just saying " i miss having a lifeless sandbox" 😅

[@shadosnake]

ngl I don't think CE looked very sterile, even the facilities have a very tarnished texture, and the Jungle/Swamp biome is quite overgrown BUT, CEA is overly cluttered; however it isn't overly filled with life, I would point out that the original intent was to have even more life, including wildlife, something which appears more by Halo 2

[@danielbob2628]

Oh yeah, they did make an Animorphs show. What happened with it?

[@mrnglry619]

Good to see I'm not the only one who understands the art direction, tone, and feel the first halo expresses

[@erosrangel976]

Remember friends! If you want to make these messages heard and considered, you need to make your voices louder, but NOT ruder! Civilized and constructive discourse is key to seeing change in creative vision. If you just approach it with a “new is bad and I think you are stupid” mentality, you will NEVER be heard. Be civil and respectful like Late Night Gaming.

[@mr.shplorb662]

Raise your words not your voice, it's rain that grows flowers not thunder

[@noble4360]

need me some big blocky 80's-90's anime military sci-fi

[@a.p.3192]

And DON'T change the sounds

[@50centpb7]

@@a.p.3192 I think there’s a lot you can do to increase the quality of the sounds while still keeping them recognizable. I love the halo 1 - 3 sounds and would love to see them return, but a lot of them do sound like stock effects. They could use an update.

[@Delta225]

​@@50centpb7Fun fact, because lot of them ARE stock sound effects!

[@shadosnake]

@@Delta225 the way I learned that was hearing one of the plasma pistol effects in a Justice League cartoon like a decade later lol

[@shadosnake]

@@50centpb7 The stocks have so much charm, all they'd really have to do is give them modern punch and quality

[@DaDARKPass]

That thing about the UI and loading screen - yes! ABSOLUTELY! THAT WAS THE F+CKING BEST PART OF HALO CE and 2! (Ok maybe not, but it was still really amazing).

[@aathmastralismusic1233]

And Halo 3! That ring-construction animation was goat!

[@SofaMuncher]

I feel like the demo is green, blue and grey, when it should really be teal, purple and silver.

[@Teeheehee093]

System Shock Remake is a good example how to take an old game and update the look and feel while still looking and feeling like the old game, it doesn't just go for realism it does something unique

[@Hgbfilms]

God I want halo to be good and relevant again...

[@BIGWojo68]

Let it rest bro. Those days are long gone. Halo will never be as big as it was in the 2000s.

[@soldier22881]

@@BIGWojo68 agreed, i love halo, canonicly it ended at 3. 4 and after are non canon fan fiction by non halo devs

[@BIGWojo68]

@soldier22881 abso-freakin-lutely!

[@KreoSpree]

Halo was good and relevant with the flighting era of infinite. However, I just don't think halo would last long even if the stars aligned to make the best halo game ever. The series was already falling out of the public eye when reach dropped

[@ArcticVXR1]

@@soldier22881 Agreed. Halo died the day Halo 4 released.

[@briamsito4171]

4:22 You just trow a nuke of nostalgia from nowhere thinking that nobody would notice? im in tears... 😭😭

[@youbigdrip]

Holy shit what is this music and clip from? It’s on the tip of my tongue but I can’t find it

[@canadianatlas]

Next time you're playing 343 Guilty Spark, turn the flashlight on and look at an interior wall. There are faint colored splotches. It's a small detail that really changes the way the game looks. It's so much better than solid blue/gray.

[@ianhall6614]

CE was peak halo art design

[@shadosnake]

yeah when we get these wide shots the ring's facilities look pristine, but up close (and even faintly visible in the distance) they're coated in streaks and splotches along with that flat finish that really shows age and corrosion

[@PugsyP]

Im SO GLAD you bring up THE LOADING SCREENS, i fucking hate what main menus and loadingscreens have become, and how theyre lost in remasters, remakes etc

[@Felale]

4:24 The music and visuals, instant chills. Halo, Unreal Tournament, PlanetSide, Warframe's early style-All elite atmospheres. They don't make them like they used to.

[@Jadestatus]

Honestly yeah, even for the girls y2k is super back and honestly need an uplifting halo to drive me to do better with my life. Through strength we finish the fight!

[@Silas_Ames]

Game studios adapt to trends always like five years late. And this is less about trendy y2k and more about Halos core identity.

[@Jadestatus]

@Silas_Ames but halo's core identity is influenced by the world at the time it was created. The space/time physically where it was made. I think leaning into it wouldn't hurt 🤷‍♀️ at least for aspiration

[@Silas_Ames]

@@Jadestatus Yeah I know, the point I tried to make was that there's no need (or even a chance) they'd pick up a current Y2K trend against the industrys grain, when they could literally just look at Halo CE. It perplexes me how the art director can just wave off the entire artstyle and aesthetic of a game when making a remake.

[@MetaITurtle]

This is why Halo CE will always be the best Halo because of this song right here. 1:22. It's when the true battle begins with Human, Covenant and Flood all appear on the battle field

[@robertquinlan8063]

Covenant Dance. Wort wort wort!

[@jadejetts]

8:13 HUH?? ive NEVER seen that logo animation before and it just. completely blows my mind that it (seemingly) isn't used anywhere but in commercials!! logos constructing themselves has always been one of my favorite trends of mid 90s-early '00s 3D renderings, it fully yells "hey look we can actually do complex things now!!" and i wish this style would come back

[@ThornEternal]

Were you 13 years or older in 2000? If not that’s probably why 😂

[@BE4T_37]

Wow LNG actually talking about the 'Metalheart' aesthetic was something I didn't expect Hopefully more people are inspired to return that visual design

[@marscaleb]

Y'all keep talking about Halo looking like "just another Unreal Engine game" and here I am remembering what the ORIGNAL Unreal Engine looked like, and missing that style...

[@johncunningham1889]

I was literally just saying earlier today that Halo CE has, without competition, the best art style in the entire series (and my favorite of any game ever) to the point where if you set technical graphics aside, I unironically think it's far and away the best looking Halo game. It's not just the color palette that they seem to be missing, but also a very specific thing about the first game that I never see anyone talk about but I love it, and it has never made a return: the metals in the game all had a strange, glossy shimmer to them. I don't know why, but it gives the game such a specifically unique and beautiful vibe. Ever since then, the metals have all been matte, including MC's armor. I hope they don't forget that glossy shimmer, and the color palette and cool-temp lighting.

[@MinecraftLD10]

Specular Color is the word your looking for which both modern Halo and modern engines lack as a feature to even tint from the basic white.

[@punic4045]

Yes! I will forever miss the glossy armor the elites had in Halo CE. Really drove home the "alien" aspect about them.

[@ToxicBalloon360]

I've always felt that there was something about CE that set them apart from the rest and I think you've nailed it. It's visual presentation, coupled with the fact that it's the first game in a (at the time) brand new universe, really drove the feeling of "awe and wonder" home for many of us whom, I assume, were kids/teenagers at that point. But the feeling is still there when returning to the game as an adult. Halo 2 and 3 are amazing follow-ups and even they did not match that strange, unique feeling that CE had.

[@toajames1]

You reminded me of the original Halo 3 campaign loading screens at 7:50. They were gorgeous. How far we've fallen.

[@pedrovalenciasalazar144]

Watching the halo 3 loading screens as a child was core memories happening. Especially the title screen

[@AcceptableAsGenerallyDecent]

the nature in halo ce is different from photorealistic nature like how an ikea feels different from your house

[@Aaronmac404]

That's because the "nature" on the Halo rings *IS* the "artificial" part of the installation. The "natural" bits are the long, derelict corridors and underbelly. The Library is the "natural" form of a halo installation. At least, that's always been the way that I've seen it. My headcanon, I guess.

[@amscarpi]

The more unique colors and style of lighting, added to the reflectiveness of everything makes it still to this day my favorite looking halo game. It just hits a place in my brain no other game in the series does, my imagination runs wild. If I ever dream about halo, it looks like this game.

[@locustofchiron]

I've never heard of the term "Metalheart", nor knew how to describe the 2000's cyber aesthetic. now I do, and I cannot thank you enough.

[@JustAndre92]

Oh, how far our _Halo_ art style videos have come in the last eight years. Obviously you have this in mind already given the video subtitle and closing remarks, but seriously, it's worth your pushing this personally to your contacts in Halo Studios just so that this sentiment gets every possibility of gaining traction within the company. Genuinely superb work; I was grinning ear to ear during the discussion of _Doom_ and I realized where the video was going.

[@swisserty]

grin at my cheeks, ill even movre the thong to the side for an easier glare

[@tallskeleton]

1:00 bro I rewinded to see what the heck that morph transition was like 3 times

[@TheRealFrozenFire]

I agree, but don't have anything intellectual to add to the conversation, so algorithm-boosting comment it is!!🎉🎉🎉

[@l11l1venom1l11l]

What's funny about Doom 2016 is that, in the original screenshots, the game clearly had a yellowish color filter applied to make it look more realistic. Fans spoke up about it and it was completely removed before the official trailer came out.

[@stefans4562]

Yellow filters aren't realistic. They are just hat was cool at thr time.

[@rooknado]

@@stefans4562nope. It was never cool. Fallout 3 and New Vegas had these color filters too lol

[@delusion5867]

good ol' piss filter, love it becuase it's nostalgic, hate it because you always notice it

[@l11l1venom1l11l]

@stefans4562 I agree that it was never realistic, but I don't think it was ever cool either. I'm glad we've gotten through that era of gaming. It was actually the reason I basically skipped the whole 7th generation of consoles. I clung on to my modded original Xbox and just grinned and beared it until the PS4 arrived. And I know that the 7th Gen is really considered the golden era of gaming - especially for online multi-player- but I just couldn't get around a lot of visual design choices. Even Gears of War. "Looks like a fun game but I only see gray, brown and red. Guess I'll go play Crazy Taxi."

[@Ayeshire]

@@rooknadoF3 had the green filter

[@krisstasko]

Shadow Generations tapped into that 2000s edge he was forged in and that's why people love it so much.

[@Ares_gaming_117]

Halo CE looks insane. The aesthetic is so cartoony and punchy but familiar. I really hope they keep the same vibes and just bring it into the modern day with sharper textures but keeping the same art style.

[@b80011]

I feel like this video should be emailed daily to everyone at Halo Studios

[@HistoryFeels]

I think what made the original Halo art style shine was partly the mystery and spectacle of it all, 10 or so games later and that just doesn't exist anymore. Also UHD graphics can't capture the same haunting and 'foggy' feel like SD can. Or at least, it will be a hell of a job to pull it off. Lets also not forget that we are all just so much older now, jaded with time and experience, we aren't the same kids we used to be.

[@samwise1790]

You're assaulting the control room of an inscrutable alien ringworld-turned-weapon increasingly overrun with animate indescribable horrors and "Covenant Dance" plays softly in the background Nice to see you here, haha.

[@jameswilkes451]

A fair few modern horror games get the aesthetic down well, like "Fear the Spotlight" but in general it's very purposefully made and is often a really good filter over the top instead of a graphical necessity.

[@ClericOfPholtus]

There's an excellent artist on KZbin here who was taking things from the later Halo games and "devolving" them to the original Halo Combat Evolved artstyle direction (which also happens to be my favorite in the series)

[@NoahR_]

What's their channel name? I really want to check that out.

[@50centpb7]

@@ClericOfPholtus Man casually mentions the coolest thing imaginable and doesn’t even drop a link to the channel.

[@eighthinfinity]

@@NoahR_i wonder if its XeZzamE i couldnt find anyone else by searching... but youtube has shit search so... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@zombieoutbreakprod]

Tell us

[@The_Albino_Jackal]

Cool

[@prestonowens4594]

I used to have a halo art book during the time halo 2 came out. It had notes from the visual development team spanning both halo CE and Halo 2. One of the things that struck me was how much anime and Japanese influence there was in the visual design of halo. I think paying attention to anime from the 80s to 90s is a good way to get some of the core design influence into the game. The purple and chrome is another good idea. Basically look at frutiger aero, Ghost in the Shell 1995, and other games like Munch’s Odyssey, and there you go.

[@PandaJerk007]

At the end of the video when you said "let's finish this fight" that hit unexpectedly hard... All us youngsters from early Halo are grown up now, but our fight really isn't finished until Halo captures the heart of the world once again. We can't let Halo and Master Chief become relics lost to time, they should be reborn for future generations!

[@Nobile-Cavaliere]

Everything must be purple and shiny

[@dabbingraccoons6416]

Real

[@normalplayer7377]

I AM ALREADY MAD

[@TheCleanerDragon]

Real Halo fan hours

[@jeckek9936]

Halo CEs visuals was like those late 90/early 00's cgi cartoon aesthetics and ambience. We finally had what we dreamed videos games would look like one day. A side note Unreal engine is like burning the toast, scraping the ash off and then expecting the customer to be happy.

[@leo.mp4353]

3:09 Super Smash Brothers Brawl had that look and it was confusing but also very cool to a 8 year old me

[@iugey]

I just appreciated the presentation and editing of this video. Good quality Halo essay!

[@LateNightHalo]

Much appreciated!

[@crusader7eth163]

I really miss the classic halo ring loading screen.

[@LKNear]

Nothing hits as hard as Halo CE art direction

[@FrothingFanboy]

(maybe) Perfect Dark 64 art direction.

[@JackJonValois]

I am a maximalist even in my sartorial profession and there are few places I appreciate minimalism. Definitely and especially with CE's forerunner structures do I appreciate their minimalism. Oddly enough without the rounded nostalgic lights and the stark geometry it loses its individuality and becomes like any other generic sci-fi piece. That is where 343 entirely failed with Halo's aesthetic, it is just far too much ocular detail to process for the average person casually, it just doesn't keep their attention, it is why the generic is labeled as so.

[@shadrakistann6833]

The remarks about the menu are so real. Modern menus feel meta and divorced from the game it's self. The OG Halo menus were like previews and set the tone for what you were jumping into

[@silasnewsome5329]

So true, stranger, so true.

[@shadrakistann6833]

@silasnewsome5329 *tips hat*

[@Greyfox94]

I wish I could like this video a thousand times , so spot on. CE is just gorgeous and to see its early 2000s tone style and visuals done justice would be reciprocated by new and old audiences a like.

[@achtungpanzer7728]

This modern Art Style should be called "Art Station Core" its as if every Art Dev graduated from the same school, And as a result everything is too bright, Too detailed, Too shiny, Too complicated. Graphics have reached the level of uncanny valley, they are attempting to mimic an impossibly complex world instead of letting our own brains fill in the blanks.

[@acev3521]

Nothing wrong with detail Cyberpunk is filled with detail but the art style is still sick af. Unreal enginecore maybe a good name for what you mean lol

[@achtungpanzer7728]

@ I meant more “unnecessary” detail like chiefs armor in Halo 4. It’s just so cluttered and noisy for no artistic reason.

[@SoulbentAnime]

Too many games have adopted this and thus look very boring. They all blend together

[@AL2009man]

"Art Station Core"? I swear to god this is going to become the game dev equivalent to "CalsArts style"....

[@jefferymosdell2490]

I agree with your opinions full-heartedly. Everything about that era is what a Halo CE remake needs to feel right. But like you said as well, if it's just another photo realistic looking video game it'll be cool, but just more of the same.

[@roswell3875]

I can't stress enough how much influence the late 80s and 90s anime had on halo, and action movies from that era makes essential recipes for the art style for Halo. I've been trying to achieve a lot of halo concept art, and it shows so much Also there are so really talented people at halo studios people are so quick to discredit in demonize them but they could easily do this we just need make it heard people forget how many fans are in the studio just don't really make it public.

[@OrbitalSnapshots2455]

I couldn't agree more, but if you think Halo Studios are perseptive and in touch enough to recognize this, let alone implement it, you're dreaming.

[@Vok250]

Starfield tried to make alien planets NOT look like earth and everyone hated it so......

[@horrorpleb249]

I hoping when they do reveal the remake for Halo CE they go back to the terminal style main menu. Halo CE and especially Halo 2 did one thing that made them incredibly immersive and that was the unique menu UI's Whenever I booted up OG H2 I always felt like I was interacting with a forerunner terminal. It was creative and immersive.

[@JJAB91]

YES. Thank you! Thats what I've been saying for YEARS. Halo needs that early-mid 2000s energy. Thats a VERY important part of what makes Halo what it is. Playing the Halo 2 E3 2003 demo released today only cemented that in my mind. That 2000s vibe with influences from classic anime like GITS, Akira, Gundam etc. is what Halo is and needs to be.

[@zombieoutbreakprod]

In general late 90s- early 2000s style needs to come back. In the bin with the 80s nostalgia kick, I want frosted tips, flames on everything and rock music.

[@devourerinthemist]

Just listening to you talk about the early 00's and seeing those old menus and the unique gfx they used in promo art/marketing material, that really brought me back. The early 00's, before everything was boring, corporate, and utilitarian, but in a wholly uninteresting fashion. Fantastic video. Almost thought I was at Sam Goody's with my mom again.

[@tangokilo1453]

To be fair, the whole of the 90s and early 2000s were boring, corporate, and utilitarian... Just in a different sort of way.

[@Vok250]

Also gotta say. It is possible. Armored Core VI nailed it. I absolutely love that game.

[@bob_obba]

I vaguely remember an old interview saying they made that Halo loading screen in a day, and that it’s basically the programming behind the sun ray that they had already implemented. Impressive to think a nostalgic part of the game was knocked up in a handful of hours.

[@Pablochette98]

Listening to "Rock Anthem for Saving the World" for the first time was an auditory orgasm

[@nicos1097]

Oh you actually went with the title you came up with on stream

[@tehuselessguig3138]

not capitalizing on that Y2K aesthetic while we're in the middle of a revival for it would be a big waste of potential and cultural momentum, imo.

[@crestofhonor2349]

The problem with chasing trends is that because AAA games can take so long to make, by the time they release that trend could have completely moved on and the game can feel late to a trend that's no longer present

[@tehuselessguig3138]

@@crestofhonor2349 it would for sure end up being a bit late to the party/at the end of the ongoing revival, but it would still be nice!

[@_sargentocoelho_4441]

I wholeheartedly agree with just about anything said. Halo's age and time of creation were absolutely part of the reason it become such a cultural titan. Squandering these things for (as you said) something more "modern" will water down and modify the OG's feel, and by consequence, what made it special. And this was proved time and time again ever since Halo 4 if we're being honest. All of the games were good, fun, somewhat even innovative... But none were HALO. I sincerely hope that the franchise gets a reboot akin to Doom's, where the devs simply leaned harder into its former strenghts. After all, why shy away from the very things that made it into IT?. "Chrome? Vibrant colors? 2000's culture? Boxy metal? Futurism aesthetics? HELL YEAH!!"

[@katielowen]

“The original Halo didn’t look amazing or even better, you just miss your youth.” MAN, that hit hard. 😭🪦

[@jabroosky6544]

It does look better now than it did before. I play it on 4k with the chimera mod and it looks so much better than 20 years ago

[@kazmoo56]

Those Halo 1 & 2 menus and loading screens still pop up in my head every now and then, they just fit together so well. Anyone interested in the aesthetic for research purposes might look up Cyberparadism as well as the Metalheart aesthetic mentioned in the video. Also, the Xbox 360 era game artstyle is called 7HD for those wondering.

[@MajesOnTheXbox]

Dude, your editing has seriously taken a step up! It is noticable! Your other editing was already 10/10 dude and this is even better

[@Th4EvilH4nd]

90% of that UE5 footage would look more Halo if they matched the starry, twilight skybox of the original

[@Barquevious_Jackson]

I have no idea what most of the touch stones are in this video. I was hardly sentient in the 2000s, I didn't have an older brother, and I've never been to New York City. P.S. You said DOOM (2016) was a "Watermark" when what you probably meant was "Watershed" P.P.S. They definitely shouldn't make Halo have a modern menu because modern video games, specifically online types, often have bewildering menus full of cascading pages and their own social systems and many nooks, crannies, and cairns of thingamabobs and doohickeies which make me feel like a cave person - And I'm literally a Graphic Designer.

[@TemporarySec]

I dont give a shit about halo but hope every dev takes this to heart. We need more games to embrace style

[@Kelux]

Man, Halo CE is my favorite of the series.. I will be very harsh on any remake attempt.. The air of mystery and open feeling to it all. the towering structures and internals of the ring.. everything gave the play space to breathe, and think about things, except for the insides of the human and Covenant ships. or the tight hallways between those expansive rooms.

[@RedHornSSS]

1:48 wow I've never thought of Hunter as a Hygogg approximate

[@LateNightHalo]

They were actually the direct inspiration for the Hunter in Halo 1! Shiek Kai Wang, one of Bungie’s concept artist said he wanted to combine a crab with a Hygogg :)

[@RedHornSSS]

@@LateNightHalo wow that's a pretty cool real life lore. I can totally see OG halo's military realism vibe having a root from there.

[@tsunderemerc2963]

I feel like this rumored remake would have the same problems CEA and H2A have, where they focus more on high fidelity and photorealism than they do a particular stylization.

[@bbbnuy3945]

the modernized and ‘updated visuals’ in CEA and H2A do nothing to improve the games whatsoever. in all honestly they hamper it moreso to the point where the original is never truly improved upon -the remakes an an obviously poor simulacrum that just feels like cheap uninspired slop.

[@JCTBomb]

4:14 EXCELLENT transition! Made your point very well. I’m saving this to my “gaming” folder

[@valkyrie283]

I just got a HEAVY dose of nostalgia seeing the loading screen… and seeing it pause right toward the center before completing

[@ranzu3138]

I think the same way about the gameplay. I think classic gameplay with no sprint and stuff would be actually more distinct and fresh than the other way around since the last game like that was in 2009. I personally wouldn't mind at all things like, equipment, dual wielding, seat switching etc. since i think they are a natural ecolution that doesn't take away the simplicity of classic halo gameplay.

[@proxywolfx]

At this point, not really...much like sprint there's games nowadays with no sprint either l think you just want classic gameplay which is fine, but it wouldn't make it really distinct...

[@alexjackyperson101]

​@@proxywolfxhalo infinite did sprint great, barely make you faster but it's faster than walking

[@ranzu3138]

@@proxywolfx in the AAA fps space? Absolutely, Doom is the only one that comes to mind. Unless I'm missing another game. Besides I'm talking about the Halo series, hence why my 2009 comment. What I mean is we have had sprint longer than we haven't, which would make a new Halo game with no sprint a novelty, something different from the recent stuff.

[@ranzu3138]

@@alexjackyperson101 I personally don't like that. I think if it's something so insignificant, why not just make the player 10% faster? And if slide is the concern, you can just put the slide instead of sprint.

[@50centpb7]

@@alexjackyperson101 If it’s useless, why even include it?

[@Herobuilder21]

If anyone isn't already familiar with Rythaze as a halo community artist I'd recommend going to him for his personal project REPHA, which aims to capture exactly the vibe described here.

[@Silas_Ames]

Great art, but "giant ethiopian demigods" gives off some black hebrew isralite power fantasy vibes.

[@Rythaze]

@@Silas_Ameshey man, I’m gonna ask first before I jump to conclusions, but why on earth would you say that? I think you’re really missing the point of the project.

[@heyyoumewtwo4801]

@@Silas_Ames Are you actually dumb?

[@Silas_Ames]

@@Rythaze Two days ago I came across a local immigrant rappers live where he was spreading the 'truth' of how the Bible is based on Ethiopian history and how he is basically Jesus incarnate and we are below him. This was by no means an isolated incident since tensions have been quite high in media and out for the last year. I had no info on your project beyond the captions of your IG posts so I assumed the worst hence the "vibe".

[@Rythaze]

@@Silas_Ames I see. First off, I am completely in support of the Palestinians if that’s where this conversation is going. I am not Jewish or trying to uplift any fucked up ideologies like Zionism. I’ll be honest, I was offended by that massive leap of associating my biblical and cultural references as some kinda Israelite boost or message about the world. I am ethiopian, and I appreciate the mythology of the Bible, even though I’m not a religious person. If you were curious, the story is about the revival of “nephilim”. The ungodly beasts wiped out by the flood in the Bible. Ethiopia is the setting because I wanted to make media in the setting of my culture. Ethiopia isn’t the only place in this project, but I definitely wanted to make that a place of interest because of my heritage. I also like halo, so that’s a source of my inspiration. I get it was a one off assumption based on a post title, but it was so far off and I was definitely confused and I really didn’t like that. Free Palestine btw

[@agodelianshock9422]

That Flood world was the only REALLY standout piece of their tech demo. The rest just seemed graphically ok, but artistically bland. Like they copied the old assets and freshened them up, but they did that in Halo Infinite too. That doesn't mean anything significant.

[@JohnWilliams-wl9px]

Because that’s what they did they just imported Halo assets into unreal and see how it looked. They didn’t have unique shading which is what really determines how a game looks. You know the texture on armors do the model itself isn’t flat.

[@TheXaon]

The hill I’ll die on is that I don’t think Forerunner tech should be chrome-y and shiny. The old CE graphics made the metal feel all dusty, dirty and worn to me. The magic there was that this tech looks ANCIENT and yet still somehow works. This stuff wasn’t built to be pretty and shiny, this stuff was built for utility and to last. Big ancient monoliths of metal.

[@raphaelhemery152]

You made me feel nostalgic for a game I've never played. I REALLY hope your voice and that of likeminded people will be heard. These are the considerations that make me love video games as art. I would be honored to try a remake that understands what Halo felt like, or even reinvents it in a way that understands the magic that went in to the original.