Reclaimer
03-15-2003, 05:39 AM
I had noticed that Bungie had a rumor control section on their website. It actually answers some really good questions. This is perfect for noob control.
Here's the source (http://www.bungie.net/perlbin/blam.pl?file=/site/0/databases/view_database.html&dbid=2496)
Q I've seen several different "release dates" for Halo 2 online, in newsgroups, website forums and online stores taking preorders. What's the REAL release date?
A The real release date is still a complete mystery. No one can tell you with any accuracy when Halo 2 will come out - not even the developers. Anyone who lists an "exact" date is making it up. The most we're willing to say now is that the game will not ship in 2003. Our advice is to sit back, relax, and not worry about it. When it's ready, we will happily sell it to you. :-)
Halo 2 Trailer, by Matt
Q Is the Halo 2 Trailer pre-rendered? It looks too good to be true.
A Nope. That's in-engine footage. That's what the game will look like. That's what Bungie can do with an Xbox. Pretty cool, huh?
Halo Gold/Halo Online, by Matt
Q What can you tell us about the rumors that Bungie will release an expanded version of Halo called Halo Gold or Halo Online especially for Xbox Live? Will Microsoft will offer a trade-in discount or rebate to people who have already bought the game?
A There will not be a Halo Gold or Halo Online. Thus, there will be no trade-ins or rebates. :-) We will not release a Halo game with explicit support for the Xbox Live network until Halo 2 ships.
Hidden Flamethrower?, by Matt
Q Somebody showed me a screenshot of the Master Chief using a flamethrower and swears he knows a way to get it in the game. How can I get it?
A You can't. We originally planned to have a flamethrower in Halo, but we removed it before we shipped the game. The screenshot in question is from an old build. In the later builds made before we decided to remove it, the flamethrower wasn't actually setting things on fire - so even if by some miracle you did find one, it wouldn't do you any good.
Halo on PCs and Macs, by Matt
Q Is Halo an Xbox-exclusive, or will it ever ship for PCs/Macs as originally planned?
A There WILL be Mac and PC versions of Halo. Go back and read that sentence again. Notice the clear, straightforward nature of the answer. Note that this answer comes directly from Bungie, the makers of Halo, and is posted on our official site. If that's not good enough for you, check the press release from our parent company Microsoft, or the websites of Gearbox and Westlake Interactive (who are porting the PC and Mac versions respectively).
It doesn't matter what the guy in the forum said, or what the guy in the magazine said, or what the guy at the software store said. All that matters is what Bungie said. And Bungie has said, time and time again, that PC and Mac versions of Halo will ship. People are working on these games right now. Anyone who tells you otherwise does not know what he is talking about.
More than Two Weapons, by Matt
Q Is it true that if you beat the game on multiple difficulty levels you'll unlock the ability to carry more than two weapons at once?
A Nope. You'll always have a two-weapon limit. However, some people have found a way to carry three weapons on the first level. This is a glitch rather than a real ability, and you won't be able to do it anywhere else in the game, so it's not very useful. See Bungie.org's trick database for details on how to do it.
Foul-Mouthed Grunts, by Matt
Q Isn't it true that some of the characters in Halo will occasionally say extremely naughty things, including that foulest-of-foul-words beginning with the letter F?
A Nope. A few people insist that "they know what they heard," but they must be listening to the voices in their heads rather than the game. No character in Halo says any word too foul for prime-time network TV. Specifically, our complete list of naughty words (stop reading now if you don't think cuss-words are a fascinating and necessary part of any language) is: -blam!-, *******, jackass, crap, hell, and damn. Those are pretty tame, all things considered. George Carlin would not be impressed. If you hear anything fouler than that while playing Halo, you're shouting it yourself. ;-)
Halo: The Movie, by Matt
Q I read there is going to be a big-budget Hollywood movie of Halo starring Vin Diesel as the Master Chief and a porn star as the voice of Cortana. When should I start lining up outside my local theater?
A You shouldn't. Lots of people have come around trying to get the rights to make a Halo movie, but Bungie has not sold the movie rights to anyone. (And yes, it IS Bungie's decision.) There are lots of bad movies based on video games, and we don't want Halo to meet the same fate.
Halo 1.5 and updates in general, by Matt
Q I heard there will be a free update to Halo called Halo 1.5, which will either be downloadable over the net or available on the cover disc of a magazine. The update is supposed to have new weapons, new maps, and Internet-play capabilities. What's the scoop?
A There is no Halo 1.5 project. The Xbox version of Halo does not have the necessary "hooks" to look for a patch or upgrade, so even if we made new content or features for the game there would be no way to add them.
Cheat Codes, by Matt
Q What are the cheat codes for Halo?
A There are no cheat codes for Halo.
While the game was in development, Bungie added codes for testing and debugging purposes, but these are not available in the shipping version of the game. You're just going to have to rely on your mad skillz.
Extra Guns, by Matt
Q I read that you can unlock more guns if you beat the game on Legendary in under three hours. True?
A False. There are no "unlockable" weapons in the game. If there were, we wouldn't make you beat the game on Legendary in three hours to get them. :-)
Here's the source (http://www.bungie.net/perlbin/blam.pl?file=/site/0/databases/view_database.html&dbid=2496)
Q I've seen several different "release dates" for Halo 2 online, in newsgroups, website forums and online stores taking preorders. What's the REAL release date?
A The real release date is still a complete mystery. No one can tell you with any accuracy when Halo 2 will come out - not even the developers. Anyone who lists an "exact" date is making it up. The most we're willing to say now is that the game will not ship in 2003. Our advice is to sit back, relax, and not worry about it. When it's ready, we will happily sell it to you. :-)
Halo 2 Trailer, by Matt
Q Is the Halo 2 Trailer pre-rendered? It looks too good to be true.
A Nope. That's in-engine footage. That's what the game will look like. That's what Bungie can do with an Xbox. Pretty cool, huh?
Halo Gold/Halo Online, by Matt
Q What can you tell us about the rumors that Bungie will release an expanded version of Halo called Halo Gold or Halo Online especially for Xbox Live? Will Microsoft will offer a trade-in discount or rebate to people who have already bought the game?
A There will not be a Halo Gold or Halo Online. Thus, there will be no trade-ins or rebates. :-) We will not release a Halo game with explicit support for the Xbox Live network until Halo 2 ships.
Hidden Flamethrower?, by Matt
Q Somebody showed me a screenshot of the Master Chief using a flamethrower and swears he knows a way to get it in the game. How can I get it?
A You can't. We originally planned to have a flamethrower in Halo, but we removed it before we shipped the game. The screenshot in question is from an old build. In the later builds made before we decided to remove it, the flamethrower wasn't actually setting things on fire - so even if by some miracle you did find one, it wouldn't do you any good.
Halo on PCs and Macs, by Matt
Q Is Halo an Xbox-exclusive, or will it ever ship for PCs/Macs as originally planned?
A There WILL be Mac and PC versions of Halo. Go back and read that sentence again. Notice the clear, straightforward nature of the answer. Note that this answer comes directly from Bungie, the makers of Halo, and is posted on our official site. If that's not good enough for you, check the press release from our parent company Microsoft, or the websites of Gearbox and Westlake Interactive (who are porting the PC and Mac versions respectively).
It doesn't matter what the guy in the forum said, or what the guy in the magazine said, or what the guy at the software store said. All that matters is what Bungie said. And Bungie has said, time and time again, that PC and Mac versions of Halo will ship. People are working on these games right now. Anyone who tells you otherwise does not know what he is talking about.
More than Two Weapons, by Matt
Q Is it true that if you beat the game on multiple difficulty levels you'll unlock the ability to carry more than two weapons at once?
A Nope. You'll always have a two-weapon limit. However, some people have found a way to carry three weapons on the first level. This is a glitch rather than a real ability, and you won't be able to do it anywhere else in the game, so it's not very useful. See Bungie.org's trick database for details on how to do it.
Foul-Mouthed Grunts, by Matt
Q Isn't it true that some of the characters in Halo will occasionally say extremely naughty things, including that foulest-of-foul-words beginning with the letter F?
A Nope. A few people insist that "they know what they heard," but they must be listening to the voices in their heads rather than the game. No character in Halo says any word too foul for prime-time network TV. Specifically, our complete list of naughty words (stop reading now if you don't think cuss-words are a fascinating and necessary part of any language) is: -blam!-, *******, jackass, crap, hell, and damn. Those are pretty tame, all things considered. George Carlin would not be impressed. If you hear anything fouler than that while playing Halo, you're shouting it yourself. ;-)
Halo: The Movie, by Matt
Q I read there is going to be a big-budget Hollywood movie of Halo starring Vin Diesel as the Master Chief and a porn star as the voice of Cortana. When should I start lining up outside my local theater?
A You shouldn't. Lots of people have come around trying to get the rights to make a Halo movie, but Bungie has not sold the movie rights to anyone. (And yes, it IS Bungie's decision.) There are lots of bad movies based on video games, and we don't want Halo to meet the same fate.
Halo 1.5 and updates in general, by Matt
Q I heard there will be a free update to Halo called Halo 1.5, which will either be downloadable over the net or available on the cover disc of a magazine. The update is supposed to have new weapons, new maps, and Internet-play capabilities. What's the scoop?
A There is no Halo 1.5 project. The Xbox version of Halo does not have the necessary "hooks" to look for a patch or upgrade, so even if we made new content or features for the game there would be no way to add them.
Cheat Codes, by Matt
Q What are the cheat codes for Halo?
A There are no cheat codes for Halo.
While the game was in development, Bungie added codes for testing and debugging purposes, but these are not available in the shipping version of the game. You're just going to have to rely on your mad skillz.
Extra Guns, by Matt
Q I read that you can unlock more guns if you beat the game on Legendary in under three hours. True?
A False. There are no "unlockable" weapons in the game. If there were, we wouldn't make you beat the game on Legendary in three hours to get them. :-)