Halo Wars 2

[OWA 22]

Hey guys. I don't really post here that often, but I figured I'd share a video of what I'm working on currently. Professionally, I work for Creative Assembly; the creators of the Total War series.

 

However, I'm now working on Halo Wars 2 and I've gotta say, it's the closest I've ever been to making a C&C game and it's feeling pretty good!

 

Here's our latest video on the multiplayer side of things. Hope you guys enjoy!

 

Edited October 23, 2016 by One Winged Angel

[Chimas 7]

Hi there,

Looking forward to (buy and) play this game. Convince your folks to make a 1440p video next time, but this one is really cool already.

Btw, which engine are you using? Cry Eng? Graphics are cool. I hope I can get the full 144 fps here with my rig.

Great work! February is still abusively far away ... rssrsrsrsrs

[OWA 22]

Hey there, glad to know that you're interested!

 

We're actually building off of the original Halo Wars game engine, which in turn is based off of the Age of Mythology engine. So the tech is pretty old, but our guys have really done an awesome job in upgrading it to look nice and modern.

[Sonic 292]

Like a lot games these days, zero interest in Halo Wars 2 for me personally. Never played Halo Wars because to me Halo will always an FPS game.

[PurpleGaga27 37]

I don't have interest in Halo Wars either, since that will always be an Xbox exclusive. If it had been a PC game, modifications and additions in custom maps/mods would have been appreciated, as well as the game is better playing with a mouse and keyboard instead of a joystick controller.

[Plok 316]

I want to see Halo Wars 2 as a return of RTS after years of stagnation, but two things bother me:

 

MS Store integration - forcing Windows 10 (both the PC and Xbox One builds) will backfire in the long run. Backwards compatibility is not being thought of here (or anywhere in today's industry, but that's not an excuse) and the Store itself is flawed in design and is almost unused.

 

Blitz - I'm very glad that this won't be the main game mode, but I don't see why it's there wasting man hours that could go to improving other aspects. It sounds like a cross of Dawn of War II with Magic: The Gathering, imagined as an idea at 3 AM after a very sleepless day.

[Chimas 7]

I don't have interest in Halo Wars either, since that will always be an Xbox exclusive ...

 

errr, I might be wrong, but I thought it would be coming for PC, maybe not in February, but it will eventually.

[OWA 22]

I don't have interest in Halo Wars either, since that will always be an Xbox exclusive. If it had been a PC game, modifications and additions in custom maps/mods would have been appreciated, as well as the game is better playing with a mouse and keyboard instead of a joystick controller.

 

The game is coming to PC as well with mouse and keyboard controls. So it's not just the Xbox folks who get it this time. The original game is getting a PC port as well!

 

I want to see Halo Wars 2 as a return of RTS after years of stagnation, but two things bother me:

 

MS Store integration - forcing Windows 10 (both the PC and Xbox One builds) will backfire in the long run. Backwards compatibility is not being thought of here (or anywhere in today's industry, but that's not an excuse) and the Store itself is flawed in design and is almost unused.

 

Blitz - I'm very glad that this won't be the main game mode, but I don't see why it's there wasting man hours that could go to improving other aspects. It sounds like a cross of Dawn of War II with Magic: The Gathering, imagined as an idea at 3 AM after a very sleepless day.

 

The MS store integration is due to Microsoft's play-anywhere strategy and DX12. Play anywhere is basically a way of giving players who have both platforms the game by allowing them to only buy it once. I.E. I bought the PC version, but I also now own the Xbox version free of charge.

 

DX12 is pretty explanatory, since it's a Win10 only API.

 

Blitz is a mode that's designed to bring new players into the RTS genre without all of the overhead learning that's required with core mechanics like base building and resource management. It's the mode for the casual gamer who doesn't have 30mins+ to sink into a standard game.

[Plok 316]

The original game is getting a PC port as well!

 

+1! Will it come bundled or in a separate purchase?

 

The MS store integration is due to Microsoft's play-anywhere strategy and DX12. Play anywhere is basically a way of giving players who have both platforms the game by allowing them to only buy it once. I.E. I bought the PC version, but I also now own the Xbox version free of charge.

 

That sounds like a very nice and consumer-friendly policy right now, but what about when both MS Store and Xbox One inevitably lose support? How will the game be obtained and played then, if we want to avoid torrenting a pirated release?

 

DX12 is pretty explanatory, since it's a Win10 only API.

 

For now, I assume? A future Windows OS might use it, so I hope this won't cause a situation like version-locked software (e.g. the Windows 9x build of RA1, just remember why the Red Alert Manager was made).

 

Blitz is a mode that's designed to bring new players into the RTS genre without all of the overhead learning that's required with core mechanics like base building and resource management. It's the mode for the casual gamer who doesn't have 30mins+ to sink into a standard game.

 

The more you describe it and the target audience, the happier I am it's optional.

[PurpleGaga27 37]

That's great to hear, OneWingedAngel. Sounds like Halo Wars 1 and 2 will be only for Windows 10 (and 64-bit only), right?

 

The question remains is how great Halo Wars 1 and 2 are... compared to Starcraft II and expansions, I presume, when they comes out to the PC. I hope custom mapping and modding are supported.

Edited October 26, 2016 by zocom7

[Tore 33]

A future Windows OS might use it, so I hope this won't cause a situation like version-locked software (e.g. the Windows 9x build of RA1, just remember why the Red Alert Manager was made).

 

Don't quite know what you mean with this. The Windows version of RA is not locked to any version of Windows, but the installwizard installer was badly coded and thus you get the message about the program being for Windows 95 (a message meant for Windows 3.11 and lower) for Windows XP and higher. On a 32bit version of Windows this can be bypassed with a compatibility mode. Red Alert Manager was made to make the process easier. This also happens with the CD installer for C&C95.

 

As for DX12 itself if it doesn't catch on it will be like DX10 was for Vista forgotten, but installable on later versions of Windows or bundled with other DX libraries.

[Lauren 77]

You know, that card thing which is in the trailer to be said nothing as anyone else did before looks a lot like Battleforge.

Otherwise it looks really good, might pick it up even though I don't like Halo (it basically destroyed the FPS genre for me as they're now all way too easy with regenerating health, only 2 weapons, and other bs).

[Doctor Destiny 40]

Unless it comes to PC and is better than Halo Wars, I couldn't care any less than I already do. Not that big of a fan of Halo anyway.

 

 

(it basically destroyed the FPS genre for me as they're now all way too easy with regenerating health, only 2 weapons, and other bs)

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Your ignorance is showing. Just say you dislike Halo and leave it at that. Regenerating health didn't ruin anything. While I don't like Halo as it is, regenerating health improved level design by mitigating the factors in place. It also brought us a new type of FPS subgenre, which is wildly popular. And only two weapons means you have to think hard about what you carry. You're not prepared for anything and everything and this, too, gave newer types of FPSes a chance to rise. You gonna tell me that CSGO is **** because you can only carry two or three guns? Get real.

[Plok 316]

Unless it comes to PC

 

It will, along with a belated port of the first Halo Wars. Windows 10 only, though.

 

It also brought us a new type of FPS subgenre, which is wildly popular.

 

More like it forced almost every FPS to copy it for no reason at all. Gameplay-wise, I don't have much against Halo, but the way it changed the genre to mere Halo reskins at best is what's bad.

[Lauren 77]

You're not prepared for anything and everything and this, too, gave newer types of FPSes a chance to rise. You gonna tell me that CSGO is **** because you can only carry two or three guns? Get real.

For Halo this change was made purely so you need only 1 button on a controller to change weapons, that's the only motivation for it. It didn't make the games harder at all, just a lot more dull as you don't have the choice.

CSGO is an entirely different matter. I did play lots of CS years back, but the huge difference is: you play against humans, you got limited ammo, and limited health. Also that you have to pay for the weapon makes it a strategical decision. In Halo it's basically "yeah whatever, this gun kills stuff just as the other does".

 

Also "regenerating health improved level design by mitigating the factors in place" is a joke considering the buttload of games with obvious chest height walls we got for years and you were like "oh a room full of cover... I wonder if there will be enemy spawns here".

[Gben 20]

OWA, glad to see/hear you got a professional gig. Good luck. I'm looking forward to play Halo Wars on my xbox, there is a lot I will do to support the bastard children of Command and Conquer...

[Plok 316]

The beta of the Blitz mode is free for 10 days.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/p/halo-wars-2-blitz-beta/9nblggh4xvr6

[PurpleGaga27 37]

So much for looks, the release of Halo Wars 2 has pretty mixed reviews. Some were saying the game is casual and short, and its mediocre UI could have been better.

 

If I want to play this game, I rather buy the bundle with the first Halo Wars and with all DLCs.

Edited February 24, 2017 by PurpleGaga27

[Ravendark 43]

So much for looks, the release of Halo Wars 2 has pretty mixed reviews. Some were saying the game is casual and short, and its mediocre UI could have been better.

 

If I want to play this game, I rather buy the bundle with the first Halo Wars and with all DLCs.

 

Got it. Great game, runs smooth as hell, the story was good although it does end in a cliffhanger. The ui is good enough...its the halo ui they used for hw1 which was designed for console, in hw2 the layout is about the same but everything opens and runs smoothly on pc key/mouse controls. its 12 missions which are ok difficulty wise on normal, on legendary its hard enough....anyone who says its casual bum rushed the missions and ignored the bonus objectives..those are painfully hard at times on legendary.

I got the pre order ultimate editions...i don't normally do any kind of pre order/early access nonsense out of principle. I broke that because i wanted access to hw1 and really wanted to play a good rts. No regrets on that purchase so far. I enjoyed HW1 on pc finally and i got frustrated as **** with some of the lackluster controls in hw1...with hw2 they improved a ****load specially on responsiveness. Still a few issues but that is basically me being used to c&c type controls.

 

As far as im concerned the game gave with it promised and what i expected. (i never play alot of multiplayer (not even in c&c) so can't say to much, but i haven't suffered any dc's while playing, queue'ing could be faster maybe )

[Lauren 77]

After seeing some videos about it I am sooo glad I didn't preorder it. The radial menus are just clunky on pc and not having more precise control over the units is horrible. The pathfinder seems to have more issues than even anything I've seen in SAGE. Also Blitz mode is just a lightweight Battleforge ripoff.

Edited February 25, 2017 by Lauren

[Ravendark 43]

The radial menu isnt that clunky on pc. Yes coming from Sage (i was actively modding c&c3 on and off while also playing hw2 at the time) you miss the side build menu. But objectively the radial menu woks well enough on pc imo. But it is all getting used to the feel. IT WAS really clunky in hw1. They fixed that alot. Idd the pathfinding is wonky, when it comes to vehicles. What highlights this is one of the games major flaws(coming from c&c experience again): no stance toggles. So units always move arround it seems.

 

Blitz is what it is, i don't like any control point capture games, so i hardly play blitz and doubt that changes...altho blitz firefight is enjoyable (wave survivable against ai)..just which you could get some profile exp from that aswell so you unlock more blitz cards.

[Lauren 77]

The problem is you have to click (or hotkey) the building first. Sure if you're a clicker in C&C then it's no problem, but if one is used to just do all the sidebar stuff via hotkeys while ordering units around it's a huge issue. You also have to have the base on the screen to actually use the radial menu, totally inferior to C&C on PC.

[Ravendark 43]

Well yes and no.

 

c&c is easier idd. But everything is almost hotkeyable in hw2...for example by default alt+~ jumps to your hq then alt 1-x selects your building plots and r-f-v-c-x-z-a-q are your radial slots, y sets a global rally point, you can book mark locations aswell iirc. And yes i plead guilty to clicking in c&c my APM is horrible when my brain hears APM it still thinks Alien-Predator-Marines? what does that have to do with anything? then it short circuits and takes a nap

 

But idd coming from c&c HW feels clunky...in comparison. But if you give it a chance for what it is it is a good rts game. 12 missions altho maybe short (c&c3 has 2x 15 average and 5 scrin or so?) and only 1 faction campaign. But the missions feel solid, feel less repetative then c&c3 (specialy c&c4), good story (cliffhanger ending sucks abit like all cliffhangers do ofc), good voice acting...verry much less cringe worthy then most c&c ones. cutscenes are crisp (done by the same studio that does the halo fps ones). graphics are great, plays smooth, stable (i had one crash and pretty sure it was related to a driver crash on my graphics card).

 

I took the ultimate pre order thingamajig because i wanted HW1 and 2 and wanted to play it arround xmas (hw1 that is). So for me the price is def worth it. In your case you might want to w8 for a sale idd if your not into owning the collection+ extras or the halo franchise (tbh im not a halo fan either i just like the concept about the story of the Spirit of fire and its crew...the whole masterchief singlehanded-godmode-messiah power trip fps gameplay leaves me cold and unbothered).

[Lauren 77]

Your first paragraph is exactly my point. To build a unit you need at least 3 keystrokes (2 of which are even key combinations). In CnC you need at most 2. Then the issue is compounded when you have more than one building plot captured where you first have to toggle through your plots, and then buildings. In CnC you can just press the button which corresponds to the queue multiple times to go through multiple buildings of a specific type.

 

It's not really about apm, it's about convenience. I mean I see the point doing it the way they do on xbox, but on pc it's just, as you said, clunky. For me a decent port still requires the interface to make sense on that system. I mean even EA gets that. Just look at for example DAI. If you use a controller to play it on pc a lot of menus are really different.

 

Also the WORST: selling a building gives you a FULLSCREEN warning message. That's just WTF.

Edited February 26, 2017 by Lauren

[TaxOwlbear 20]

Also, that hotkey menu looks horrific.