Topic: Bungie Confirms Halo Improvements for Xbox 360: WS 720p (Read 227 times)

XanTium · « **on:** November 09, 2005, 06:20:00 PM »

Bungie Confirms Halo Improvements for Xbox 360: WS 720p-- Posted by XanTium on November 9 20:20 EST
There were already some rumors and now it's confirmed by Bungie:

A while back, Microsoft announced that the 360 would have some level of backward compatibility. We worked closely with that team to ensure that Halo and Halo 2 both performed according to plan. That meant a lot of work for our test team.
To clarify, the "new" version of Halo or Halo 2 is simply the disk you have already. Pop it into your 360 and it'll load up just like before. You will have to log into Xbox Live to enable Halo 2's online functions, but both games will work immediately.

But here's another bonus - the hardware in the 360 can do a lot of nifty stuff, and specifically in the cases of Halo and Halo 2, it can display the graphics in wide screen, at 720p, with full scene anti-aliasing. And it doesn't look kludgy, artifacty or smeary like an upscanning DVD player. The best way to describe it is that both games look like they're running on a PC at those resolutions.
Now, to reiterate, we didn't redo any of the old textures or geometry - this is simply the game you already own, running at a higher resolution. The results are not miraculous, but for owners of HDTVs (or VGA monitors with the appropriate cable) they are sweet.

Compare 480p version VS 720p version: bungie.net.
Read More: bungie.net.

Foe-hammer · « **Reply #1 on:** November 09, 2005, 07:24:00 PM »

Hot freaking damn!

I cannot wait to play halo 1 (screw halo 2, until the FOV is fixed) in 720p, full screen AA, widescreen glory!

This was the best possible news i could have heard, concerning improvements for halo backward compatibility.

I could not have asked for a better B-day present. Thank you, bungie.

jagsfan · « **Reply #2 on:** November 09, 2005, 07:25:00 PM »

yAAAah the 4th topic about this. :boring:

Foe-hammer · « **Reply #3 on:** November 09, 2005, 07:42:00 PM »

QUOTE

And dear old Halo: Combat Evolved is nearing its fourth birthday! Technically, November 15th. And the only person on staff old enough to remember it properly (Marty's senility precludes him) is little Petey Parsons, Bungie's Studio Manager.

Am i reading this right, only one bungie member from the original halo 1, is still at bungie, and he is not even a programmer?

That would explain halo 2, then.

Carlo210 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 09, 2005, 08:18:00 PM »

QUOTE(jagsfan @ Nov 10 2005, 03:32 AM)

yAAAah the 4th topic about this. :boring:

Xian is allowed to!

And Foehammer, I agree with how good this news is. Now I don't have to feel like such a doof getting Halo 2 at launch! :lol:

ILLusions0fGrander · « **Reply #5 on:** November 09, 2005, 08:21:00 PM »

QUOTE(Foe-hammer @ Nov 9 2005, 09:49 PM)

Am i reading this right, only one bungie member from the original halo 1, is still at bungie, and he is not even a programmer?

That would explain halo 2, then.

lmao... yeah, i already sold my limited halo 2 bundled with my second xbox... was not impressed.

Carlo210 · « **Reply #6 on:** November 09, 2005, 08:21:00 PM »

QUOTE(Foe-hammer @ Nov 10 2005, 03:49 AM)

Am i reading this right, only one bungie member from the original halo 1, is still at bungie, and he is not even a programmer?

That would explain halo 2, then.

Or maybe the fact that they played Halo 2 over Lan every night for the last year of development.
Slackers!

I still think it's a phenominal game. Halo 1 and Halo 2 are obviously different. H1 is one taste, H2 is a different taste. Some think H2 taste is a bad taste, but some think that H1 taste is a bad taste compared to the gameplay tweaks in H2.
I don't know one game that we ALL like, I don't know why the Halo series should be an exception.

(I don't like goldeneye for n64 too much)
Don't hurt me!

This post has been edited by Carlo210: Nov 10 2005, 04:21 AM

Carlo210 · « **Reply #7 on:** November 09, 2005, 08:23:00 PM »

QUOTE(ILLusions0fGrander @ Nov 10 2005, 03:52 AM)

lmao... yeah, i already sold my limited halo 2 bundled with my second xbox... was not impressed.

I thought you loved it? I was skimming the Halo 2 threads which wereposten on Nov 9th and I swear that ou were one of the guys saying that it is a great game.
:lol: Things do change.

thejt · « **Reply #8 on:** November 09, 2005, 07:59:00 PM »

Great.. it will look better. What I really want to know it will there be any framerate improvement along with the resolution. If not I would have rather had better frame rates especially in four player split screen. If so I will be very happy and I would consider Halo 2 my Halo 3 for christmas!

mike69 · « **Reply #9 on:** November 09, 2005, 08:04:00 PM »

it says use a vga a monitor with the proper cables... which cables are those.. can someone point to a link where i can buy these cables

ZildjianKX · « **Reply #10 on:** November 09, 2005, 08:47:00 PM »

QUOTE(mike69 @ Nov 9 2005, 07:11 PM)

it says use a vga a monitor with the proper cables... which cables are those.. can someone point to a link where i can buy these cables

Here

LowProfileWurm · « **Reply #11 on:** November 09, 2005, 08:39:00 PM »

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD this is good news!!!

I can't wait to see if other games support this "upconversion". Halo 2 may not have been the greatest FPS, but it was still fun online.

Let's all get a group hug on this one..

mike69 · « **Reply #12 on:** November 09, 2005, 08:42:00 PM »

i have a dell e771a crt monitor. So with the vga hd cable i will be able to play 360 using my monitor??. do i only have to hook the two ends of both cables to each other?? my monitor side of the cable has pins.. so the vga hd has to have holes right?

Heet · « **Reply #13 on:** November 09, 2005, 08:46:00 PM »

Fawk YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! Halo 1 at 1080i with AA!!!!!!!!! Wow, best news ive heard about 360 yet. _CANT WAIT_!!!! (could care less about halo 2 LOL)

jizmo · « **Reply #14 on:** November 09, 2005, 09:07:00 PM »

Absolutely, freaking SWEET! This news just made my day.

Halo 720p on big widescreen TV is unbelievable. Now you can have that your 42" HDTV and have a quick 4x deathmatch just with one x360, since every portition of the screen is easily so sharp that you can see what you're doing. Wasn't really that usable in 480p. Also that game will look oh-so-sweet, no jaggies and high resolution will really make a huge difference, even if the models are the same old low-poly, low-res. Very similar to having pc version running with AA:

http://www.gamespy.c.../PC/halo/20.jpg

My guess: Bungie was asked to overlook the BC profile of Halo for x360. They tested it and they could allow it to run on 720p+AA, just allow, they didn't add any extra code or new textures. It's pretty obvious that all other games could be run in their full glory too, and should atleast be given an opportunity to do so, since otherwise it'd be MS favoring its own titles.

Other guess (less optimistic one): Bungie recompiled the executables for Halo 1+2, added the new features and other BC games won't be as glorious.

Anyway, I already see myself playing 720p AA Half-Life 2 on TV already. Wohoo

Author Topic: Bungie Confirms Halo Improvements for Xbox 360: WS 720p (Read 227 times)