So now it's over. For just about everybody. I thought I'd do one last collection of observations about the Beta before we begin the four months or so waiting for the Real Thing to arrive. However, before that happens, it's interesting to note that the beta didn't end at the same time for everybody...
Stephen Totilo and N'Gai Croal finished their series of debates on the Halo 3 Beta last week, and since a lot of what they covered intersects some of the pieces I've written on this site in response to complaints from hardcore gamers to the effect that Halo is unfair and unsuitable for serious competetive play, I thought I'd remark on some of the points they raised.
Logon to the beta now and you'll see that Big Team Battle has moved from training to ranked, and Double Team Training has taken its place in the social playlists. Check Bungie.net for the list of currently active playlists.
Lukems has a new top story up at Bungie.net; this one is about the exceptional audio in the Halo 3 beta. Sound and music have always been strong points of the series, but I have to say that I think so far Halo 3 is taking it to a whole new level; possibly as high as eleven.
Okay, so not everybody is in love with Halo 3. Over at the Hushed Casket, Midnight calls it "fun" and details the changes. Rapture calls it a bigger, prettier Halo 2, and it's most decidedly not a compliment. Of course you can't please everybody, and some things (like Halo) become so popular that the only way for anybody to make themselves cooler is to not like it. The guys at the Hushed Casket aren't like that, though, so if they've got a beef with the game, there's probably something to it.
Bungie has swapped out the Team Training list for a Big Team Training playlist. This features Banshees when played on Valhalla.
More articles about the Halo 3 Beta around the web:
GamingExcellence likes what they see but think Bungie has taken a "safe approach" to changes in Halo 3.
SketchFactor writes at Bungie.net that if you get this status code from your Xbox:
"Status Code: Z: 8015 - 190D"
Congratulations! You've been banned for modifying your Xbox. This doesn't affect your XBL account, but does prevent that console from connecting to Xbox Live. Ever. Major Nelson also notes this on his blog.
Chad "Shishka" Armstrong, formerly Lorraine "Mehve" McLees' assistant at Bungie, has opened up a 1Up blog. His first significant post tells the story of how he got hired at Bungie and how that led to his current position at Certain Affinity
Sorahn's directory of Public Beta medals has been updated; it seems Bungie caved on Cheneymania, renaming it Open Season; also several missing medals, including Hail to the King, have been added.
Articles referring to the Halo 3 Multiplayer Public Beta, held in May and June of 2007.
Kill 5 opponents in a row from inside the hill before it moves.
