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Bungie happy with sub-720p Halo 3: ODST

By James Orry - 25/08/2009 - 12:58pm GMT

Believes the game looks great, better than Halo 3.

Halo 3: ODST screenshot

It's not uncommon for a game to run at a sub-720p resolution, but when that game is an entry in a console's flagship franchise, people take notice.

Halo 3, the first Halo title released on Xbox 360 and Bungie's first title for the console, sacrificed 720p and ran at 1152x640 in order to maintain a steady frame rate. Now, two years later, Halo 3: ODST has sparked internet chatter about sub-720p resolutions once again.

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Asked by VideoGamer.com at gamescom last week if too much has been made from the fact ODST runs in a sub-720p resolution, Bungie community and pr director Brian Jarrard agreed, stating, "I think so".

"I think the game looks great. I think like CJ [Cowan, director of cinematics] pointed out, ODST looks even better than Halo 3, and it's the same technology and the same engine," explained Jarrard. "Whether it's 640p native or 720p, I mean I don't think that's really a deterrent to whether or not the game looks good and is fun to play. I think it's a bullet point media love to pick up on, and they love to pick and pry. But I feel like it's definitely overrated.

"We're very happy with the engine we have, and how robust it is and the ability to have all these great features. If that means that we've shaved off 20p somewhere, so be it."

Has too much been made of Halo 3: ODST's sub-720p resolution or should a game in Microsoft's flagship franchise be showing off the Xbox 360 to its full potential? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Posted at 14:40 on 25 August 2009

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Well it is MS big name game, so yeh it should be doing what GOW does and pushing that console to the limit. I mean look at Killzone 2 and Uncharted 2. They are Flagship games, and they show it.

I guess Mario Galaxy shows what the Wii can do if you know how to use it as well.

Posted at 14:50 on 25 August 2009

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Halo pushes other limits. It doesn't need to push graphics as well. It has the best online play, and the most intuitive enemy AI of any FPS I've played. It's easy to forgive a reduced graphical fidelity in favour of this; I wouldn't have noticed it was less than 720p unless they told me anyway.

Posted at 15:01 on 25 August 2009

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It is a shame that graphics are the only truly measurable comparison between games, but Halo just isn't up there with the rest of the flagship titles anymore in terms of graphics.

Posted at 15:03 on 25 August 2009

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I didn't see so many complaints about modern warfare and its resolution a couple years back?

Posted at 15:11 on 25 August 2009

In response to renegade's post

Well it is MS big name game, so yeh it should be doing what GOW does and pushing that console to the limit. I mean look at Killzone 2 and Uncharted 2. They are Flagship games, and they show it.

I guess Mario Galaxy shows what the Wii can do if you know how to use it as well.

» Go to renegade's original post

A lot of games run in 720p look at Killzone 2, is one of them so what the problem with MS doing it. Even though i did not like Killzone 2!

Posted at 15:14 on 25 August 2009

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Today games you just can not have good graphics you have good gameplay, fun factor, online experience and etc!

Posted at 15:18 on 25 August 2009

In response to deon00's post

A lot of games run in 720p look at Killzone 2, is one of them so what the problem with MS doing it. Even though i did not like Killzone 2!

» Go to deon00's original post

It runs at 640, sub 720 is the issue.

Posted at 15:22 on 25 August 2009

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Today millions of people still play Halo 3, there want be an issue because of the fun factor!

Posted at 15:42 on 25 August 2009

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As long as the framerate is solid then I don't care about what resolution the game runs at.

Posted at 18:42 on 25 August 2009

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I agree with rogue the framerate is more important than the resolution to me

Posted at 06:50 on 26 August 2009

In response to El-Dev's post

It runs at 640, sub 720 is the issue.

» Go to El-Dev's original post

What like GTA IV on PS3? The only difference here is that theres no direct comparrison. Could the PS3 run it at a higher RES? I seriously doubt it! Could Wii do it? No. Therefore It's the best Res they can achieve at the framerate at this moment.

GTA IV didn't look particurlary bad on PS3 now did it? Only reason we knew it wasn't as good as it can get was because it looked that little bit better on 360 and most users wouldn't notice! Just another reason why you don't need 1080p televisions for gaming yet!

Posted at 08:57 on 26 August 2009

In response to Karlius's post

What like GTA IV on PS3? The only difference here is that theres no direct comparrison. Could the PS3 run it at a higher RES? I seriously doubt it! Could Wii do it? No. Therefore It's the best Res they can achieve at the framerate at this moment.

GTA IV didn't look particurlary bad on PS3 now did it? Only reason we knew it wasn't as good as it can get was because it looked that little bit better on 360 and most users wouldn't notice! Just another reason why you don't need 1080p televisions for gaming yet!

» Go to Karlius's original post

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/od...volved-article

Bit of a comparison there, KZ2 is at the cutting edge of visuals and technical brilliance while Halo, well read the article.

I don't know if the PS3 could run it at a higher res but given by the end of this year the PS3 will have the 4 best looking console games as exclusives there is a chance it could do a better job.

Posted at 09:12 on 26 August 2009

In response to El-Dev's post

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/od...volved-article

Bit of a comparison there, KZ2 is at the cutting edge of visuals and technical brilliance while Halo, well read the article.

I don't know if the PS3 could run it at a higher res but given by the end of this year the PS3 will have the 4 best looking console games as exclusives there is a chance it could do a better job.

» Go to El-Dev's original post

I read that article, and decided the most important part of it was this :

Quote:

Originally Posted by eurogamer

Bungie's code is able to simultaneously process a bewilderingly large array of in-area opponents at any given moment, something it excels at in comparison to pretty much all other console-based first-person shooters. It's also the key to the new Firefight mode, which pits the ODST troops against wave after wave of enemy forces.

This also made my ears prick up :

Quote:

There's a fully realised, artificial intelligence behind every creature in the Halo world and seeing that utilised in a massive, expansive environment operating independently to the presence of Master Chief, is quite something. Depending on other factors that affect CPU load, the game is capable of giving intelligent actions to between 20 and 30 enemies at any given moment. There around 290 different AI behaviours in Halo 3, each with up to ten different permutations. That the game manages to sustain 30FPS as well as it does is another very impressive element of the core technology.

And finally, this :

Quote:

The four-player split-screen must have been crafted from some kind of arcane Bungie coding voodoo. Once again, it's detail-complete - the only thing we noticed missing were the shadowmaps.
...
ODST looks set to replicate Halo 3's repertoire of split-screen modes, with two-player co-operative on a local console and the ability to hook up with another 360 in split-screen mode for four-player campaign action.

All of that means much more to me than how shiny it is.

Graphics really are not the be-all and end-all of games. Sure, they draw people in, but they are not anywhere near as important as some would have you believe. I can play Halo 3 with friends in the same room as me, which happens often enough that this is an issue. That Killzone 2 denies me this opportunity is the reason that I still have not bothered to pick it up.

Posted at 09:19 on 26 August 2009

In response to Woffls's post

Halo pushes other limits. It doesn't need to push graphics as well. It has the best online play, and the most intuitive enemy AI of any FPS I've played. It's easy to forgive a reduced graphical fidelity in favour of this; I wouldn't have noticed it was less than 720p unless they told me anyway.

» Go to Woffls's original post

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woffls

and the most intuitive enemy AI of any FPS I've played

You really havent played Killzone 2 then. xD, they have the best AI i have ever played. Before you say it, i have the halos upto 3, completed all 3 and my reaction to it is meh.

Posted at 09:46 on 26 August 2009

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I agree, Killzone 2 does currently have the best enemy AI in a FPS.

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Bungie happy with sub-720p Halo 3: ODST - Halo 3 for Xbox 360 News - VideoGamer.com