Entry 63: "Forging the Future"

Yo!

Another unplanned hiatus, another late blog entry. Big news this time around... As most of you readers are aware, the most anticipated video game of the decade (Halo 3) was released recently and, as expected, millions of copies of Gears of War are feeling neglected and collecting dust. Just like this blog, sadly. Anyway, all the hype about this game has been proven to be true.

Yes, the game records video of everything you do in the multiplayer and single-player campaign story...

Yes, you can make your own multiplayer maps and rules...

Yes, the Forge editor works almost flawlessly...

Yes, you can make your own video clips and screenshots from the aforementioned video footage and promptly share them with anyone...

...and No, you don't really have full control over the videos you film; at least I haven't noticed where in the manual you can easily rewind the clips, or skip ahead quicker.

However, I will give hats off to Bungie, the game's developers, for pulling out all the stops with this game. The sheer amount of information recorded in a single saved film for example, depending on length, usually never exceeds 20 megabytes... for upwards of an hour of extremely high-quality video, viewable from literally every possible angle.

The main thing I gotta say though, is about one of the biggest features of Halo 3, besides of course, being able to finish the fight that was started back in 2001. The Forge is a custom multiplayer map editor, which lets you create your own environments from scratch.

...Once you delete all the vehicles, weapons and spawn points Bungie set up as default on the ground in that map...

You see, being a map editor, Forge lets you rearrange items in the map, and not the map itself. Meaning no terraforming (you can't make your own hills, caves or walls). Don't get me wrong, it's a cool feature to work with, once you get used to everything. For example, I have on my Halo 3 file share a Forge-created map I call Alpha's Dune Kart, a racetrack made specifically for the Sandtrap map. Which is basically a playable version of the sandworm dimension from Beetlejuice, but with big sand-colored building structures, massive vehicles called Elephants that you can look out from the side and see the wind blowing individual sand particles faster than that thing can run, and ship wreckage in the distance. Shout-out to JerseySniper06 for helping with the track borders and original test runs, by the way.

Sure, it's cool to manipulate items, but let's face it. The gameplay dynamic can only change so much by replacing a sniper rifle with a pistol. If Bungie really wanted to be out of the ordinary, they'd let people truly go to town by giving them completely blank slates, and letting them make literally whatever they want. If Bungie truly wants to impress with this Forge editor, they need to make a patch that acknowledges they understand the difference between making your own map, and designing your own map. At least they could've done that with the Limited Edition (my version), or at the absolute least the Legendary version, making that bundle actually worth the money a little bit more. 120 bucks for a $60 game??? That paperweight of a helmet replica is NOT worth $60 unless the helmet actually has the real voice of Steve Downes saying a different Master Chief phrase every single time I press a button on it, and no cliche, predictable crap like having it only say the last line he said in Halo 2 back in '04:

"Sir... Finishing this fight."

Anyway...

Bottom Line: I'll give the Halo 3 Forge editor 4.2 out of 5 "Alphas". Again, excellent execution on delivering what they promised, full control over items. But they failed to deliver full customizablity. Sometimes, it's not enough to have a couple crates set up certain places or a certain way. Especially if you're a fan of sniping. Sure, making your own weapon and item points is cool, but imagine the possibilities of being able to design your own grounds as well...... Chris Carney, if you're somehow reading this, just think about it.... The multiplayer patch to end all multiplayer patches.

Sorry, Gears Annex mode... your days are numbered.

...But that's just me.

Now if you'll excuse me, 24 is still on hiatus, which leaves one excellent show I luckily just got done with this entry in time to catch: The first Boondocks episode since March of '06. Way to drag your feet on season two, [adult swim], but I suppose it's better late than never. Those who missed it live can see it at this link until this Friday night 10/12 at

http://www.adultswim.com/video/?episodeID=8a25c39215651f67011566c8cc950028

See ya later. I'll try to get Kali to take over next Monday...

-D.