Justin Rouse details Barrens, David Kubalak talks Clash of the Robots
In another action packed week of Robot blogs we now have more information detailed about a Halo Wars DLC map, the 1v1 Barrens.
Barrens has some interesting gameplay for any leader but Forge is my favorite option. The layout and hooks play into Forge’s strengths exceptionally well. Barrens forces you to leave you expansions more secluded from each other than normal, early game this can allow a Forge player to gain a bit more advantage from his boosted supply pads while other players have to spend their early game resources upgrading pads if they don’t want to risk the far away expansion
http://www.halowars.com/GameInfo/maps/Barrens.aspx
Barrens is an excellent DLC level and if you haven’t yet had a chance to pick up the Halo Wars DLC I encourage you to do so! DLC gets you four maps for just 800 Microsoft Points. Be sure to check out some of the other map information pages to sharpen your strategies on the Halo Wars map page.
In other news Lead of Art Bot Central David Kubalak is back to reveal details on “Clash of the Robots”. This is where a theme will be picked and each of the Robot artists will be posting art on the chosen theme over the period of about a month. Hopefully at the end of each theme there will be a poll or vote for us to select the best submission. Dave kicks off the first theme “Clash of the Titans” with his cartoony model “Perseus” below:
![Perseus[2]](http://remember-ensemblestudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Perseus2-225x300.jpg "Perseus[2]")
Impressive
Check out the full blog on Art Bot central for the full details and be sure to leave a comment!
Robot resolves Glacial Ravine issues
Great news! Halo Wars fans with the Historic Battles DLC will now have the new map available in matchmaking as of… now! Well.. at least thats what Robot Entertainment Community Manager Duncan “Aloysius” Stanley has to say. At the moment the number of players in 3v3 Glacial still stands at zero so there may still be a delay with the stats.
You may be one of the first to play Glacial online if you log on to Xbox Live right now!
The discussion can be found here:
http://www.halowars.com/forums/thread/665609.aspx
Fix for Glacial Ravine being worked on
Some last minute technical glitches have left some players who have bought the DLC disappointed that they are unable to play 3v3 Glacial Ravine online over Xbox Live. Rest assured a fix is on route and Robot is busy working on a fix, right now. I’m sure the issues surrounding this map will be fixed soon and will become playable in matchmaking.
Stay tuned to the HaloWars.com homepage or subscribe to this blogs RSS feed for updates!
Halo Wars DLC 2 “Historic Battles” – Out NOW!
If you haven’t already, get yourself on Xbox Live via your console or online at
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/press/2009/0714-halowarshistoric.htm
and download the brand new Map Pack DLC titled “Historic Battles” from Robot Entertainment. The map pack includes 2x 1v1 maps, a 2v2 and a 3v3 titled as follows:
- Blood River
- Barrens
- Memorial Basin
- Glacial Ravine
Each of these maps are excellent – trust me, ive played them! My personal favourite is Blood River. I think its the most “different” map of the pack. The distance between bases means you have to focus on spreading units out for defence.
Glacial Ravine is very similar to Frozen Valley in terms of the assets it uses but never fear! The huge mountains which split the map up leave a small gap in the middle making it difficult to use vehicles and large scale infantry. This is the map where we are going to see huge air battles. Its going to be interesting!
Memorial Basin is going to be an awesome map to show off the skills of infantry units with lots of cover and garrisons to store your Marines in.
Of course its not just maps included in the pack, theres also four new achievements:
• Tour Coming Through: Hot drop 50 squads to your Covenant Leader in a single game on Memorial Basin (30 points)
• Never Leave a Man Behind: Finish a game with 5000 net resources contributed to your teammates on Memorial Basin (15 points)
• Drain Cleaner: Kill 20 enemy squads with a continuous Covenant Leader Power on Memorial Basin (30 points)
• Killjoy: Disrupt 5 active Leader Powers in a single game on Blood River (25 points
My recommendation? Download immediately! The pack is well worth the 800 points and should keep you well entertained. See you on Xbox Live!!
Dont forget to discuss the DLC on the official forums!
Halo Wars DLC 2 “Historic Battles” map pack release date set!
Here it is folks! Robot Entertainment have announced what all the Halo Wars fans have been waiting for since well.. the last DLC! “Historic Battles” is the name of the second DLC and this time we have a bunch of new maps as detailed below. Theres 2x 1v1, 1x 2v2 and 1x 3v3 maps along with 4 new achievements worth 100 gamerscore. The map pack costs a reasonable 800 points. Be ready to download on July 21st!
And here they are! :
Glacial Ravine (3v3)
Memorial Basin (2v2)
Blood River (1v1)
Barrens (1v1)
The press release from HaloWars.com follows:
You think you know every nook and cranny of every “Halo Wars” map? If you need to stretch out your UNSC or Covenant legs, mobilize your troops and report for duty at your next assignment in “Halo Wars,” the best selling real-time strategy game on any current generation console. Microsoft and Robot Entertainment expand the field of engagement with four new multiplayer Skirmish maps that highlight key turning points in the UNSC/Covenant war. Take on ruthless A.I. or live opponents in these brand new battlefields with the “Historic Battles” Game Add-on Pack, available on July 21 for 800 MS Points in all Xbox LIVE enabled regions.
“Historic Battles” expands the universe for “Halo Wars” fans with four new multiplayer maps with varied terrains for players to find their competitive edge by using unique features of each map. The four new maps include:
• Barrens (1v1 Map): Difficult terrain channels units into killing zones. The side that controls the Forerunner artifacts will have the advantage.
• Blood River (1v1 Map): Secure base locations on nearby cliffs overlook this naturally red-tinged river. The soldiers that fought over its two narrow crossings gave the river its name, which has since taken on a greater meaning.
• Glacial Ravine (3v3 Map): A snow-topped mountain range forms a natural barrier that cuts this region in half. Control of the two energy walls at the narrow central pass often determines the outcome of the battle, though clever use of the Sentinel Factories may play a role as well.
• Memorial Basin (2v2 Map): The high ground in the middle offers good cover for infantry, while the generally open terrain transforms organized battle plans into bloodbaths.
“Historic Battles” also adds four new Achievements worth a total of 100 points:
• Tour Coming Through: Hot drop 50 squads to your Covenant Leader in a single game on Memorial Basin (30 points)
• Never Leave a Man Behind: Finish a game with 5000 net resources contributed to your teammates on Memorial Basin (15 points)
• Drain Cleaner: Kill 20 enemy squads with a continuous Covenant Leader Power on Memorial Basin (30 points)
• Killjoy: Disrupt 5 active Leader Powers in a single game on Blood River (25 points)
“Halo Wars” is rated T for Teen by the ESRB and 16+ PEGI and is available worldwide. For more information including screenshots from the “Historic Battle” Game Add-on, www.Halo.Xbox.com visit or www.HaloWars.com.
I am very looking forward to playing these maps on Xbox Live! See you on July 21st!
Dave Pottinger responds to Halo Wars fans about DLC pricing
There is alot of talk amongst the HaloWars.com community of unhappiness with the DLC pricing at 800 MS points for three brand new game modes. I thought I would quickly add my thoughts on the matter. I think the game modes are alot of fun espcially re-inforcements mode which is great fun online. Its also good to see a change from the rushing trend online with these new modes which require new thinking on ways to win. For 800 MS points its certainly alot of sustained entertainment. You can play lots of games of Halo Wars DLC, but you can only complete say Fable 2 DLC once.
But anyway, enough of me and more of the Lead Designer at Robot. Here’s Dave Pottinger’s light statement on the matter as posted on the Halo Wars forums. Ive added some emphasis as well.
“MS asked us to make some DLC. We chose to do that. We made a proposal back to them with what the DLC contents would be. After some back and forth, they agreed. They set the price. They alone control this. HW is a MS franchise and they have guidelines for how much stuff costs. That said, yes, we knew what the price would be.
Personally, I think the price is fair. It’s clear that you guys do not (overall). We can disagree on that, particularly since no one is forcing you to buy it:) It’s worth pointing out that map packs are easy to figure out. They’re easy to make. They’re especially easy to price. Game modes for a strategy game on the console are less clear-cut. We knew there would be some consternation over the modes coming out as the first pack, but we thought it was something that would be very popular. Time will tell. If there was a mistake made with the pricing, then I’m confident that will bubble up in the pricing analysis.
Overall, the based on what folks are playing right now, I’d say a) the DLC is popular and b) the DLC is doing its “job” in refreshing the feel/community for the game. Someone made the comparison to Horse Armor. That’s an ironic comparison given that, to date, the Horse Armor remains in the top 5 or top 10 “most purchased DLC items” (at least based on the last numbers I saw).
Anyhow, we (and MS, I imagine) have clearly got the feedback on the pricing.”
Robot delivers Halo Wars matchmaking changes in response to feedback
Its great to see that fan feedback is respected by Robot Entertainment who have hours after the DLC’s release already implemented changes based on gamer feedback- thats fantastic. It is now possible to play 2v2 Reinforcements non-party!
I have just played a game myself and it is very fun! I encourage everyone to pick up the DLC and play re-inforcements online. You wont be disappointed!
Here is the word from Aloysius on the homepage of HaloWars.com :
Halo Wars DLC #1 ‘Strategic Options has hit the Xbox Live Marketplace, and fans are getting their first taste of the action. We at Robot feel that the new game modes, Reinforcement, Keep Away and Tug of War are best enjoyed as part of a team, so we put in a lot of team game searches. We realize that this leaves out some fans who do not play team games, so we are introducing a new system to rotate in different searches so that everyone can find a game type they want to play.
Players with the DLC who search for games will see 2v2 Reinforcement (non-team) tonight, and next week we will be rotating in 2 new search types, so that fans can play different 1v1 and 2v2 game types without having to be part of a team. We’ll be watching the forums and gameplay statistics to better align matchmaking with what fans want in future updates.
Check out the new DLC here Halo Wars DLC on Xbox Live Marketplace.
Halo Wars Strategic Options
In case you haven’t already noticed.. Halo Wars strategic options DLC has been released! The community is buzzing at the HaloWars.com community and you can check out all the action in the official thread. Be on the lookout for comments from Robot developers and rest assured they are watching, gathering feedback.
My thoughts? The DLC is fun and is entertaining, its very enjoyable to play for fans of the game and introduces some new play styles which really make you think about new tactics and strategies in order to win.
Unfortunately though there is no multiplayer online except for party games for a majority of the new modes. Alot of players have expressed some sadness about this so I wanted to highlight comments made by Dave Pottinger about the issue:
“None of the DLC was on the disc when it shipped. The game modes are a small download because they are rules. There is some new content, but it’s obviously a different type of content compared to a map. Also, the recent patch added a bunch of missing support/engine groundwork for both DLCs.
We are limited in the number of matchmaking buckets we can use due to Live. We left a bunch of buckets available for the DLC, but perhaps we made too many team oriented buckets. We’ll evaluate changing/modifying that as we get feedback. FWIW, since the DLC modes are generally more team-based than the default game, we skewed the new hoppers to be team-focused as well.” – Dave Pottinger.
Hopefully Microsoft might be able to extend the number of multi player buckets available for their first party game. If not it is possible based on feedback that Robot will be able to mix and match modes as per gamer feedback.
So.. if you want to make your voice heard head over to the thread!
Halo Wars DLC is released by Robot Entertainment!
Hot off the press! Halo Wars DLC has been released on Xbox Live for 800 points! I shall be reviewing the DLC shortly but in the meanwhile I suggest you check out the official blurb below on halowars.com
“Halo Wars” fans can continue the fight in the best selling real-time strategy game on any current generation console. Mixing up the battlefield like never before, Microsoft and Robot Entertainment unleash new game modes in “Strategic Options” today on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for 800 Microsoft Points.
“Strategic Options,” the first Game Add-on for the wildly popular “Halo Wars,” introduces new ways to compete while challenging players to rethink their battle strategies in both single and multiplayer skirmish gameplay. The three new game modes included in the new Game Add-on are:
- Keepaway Mode: In this “Halo Wars” adaptation of Capture the Flag, teams will battle it out to capture a free-roaming Forerunner Sentinel to score points before the other team. The number of Sentinels needed to win scales with the number of combatants.
- Tug of War Mode: Players must build a stronger army than their opponents to succeed. Defeating enemies is essential, but success is determined by a combination of the army, buildings and resources left standing in the end.
- Reinforcement Mode: Players must adapt their tactics and use the ever-changing set of units to outwit and outlast the enemy, all the while facing successive waves of incoming units.
The “Strategic Options” Game Add-on is available on May 19, 2009 on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for 800 MS Points. “Halo Wars” is rated T for Teen by the ESRB and 16+ PEGI and is available worldwide exclusively on Xbox 360. A demo is also available on Xbox LIVE in all LIVE enabled regions worldwide. For more information including screenshots from the “Strategic Options” Add-on, visit Xbox.com/Halo or HaloWars.com.
Halo Wars DLC confirmed titled “Strategic options”
Microsoft has published its news release about the upcoming Halo Wars DLC “Strategic options” . The DLC has been worked on in part by Ensemble Studios and part by Robot Entertainment. Ensemble’s ex Lead Designer Graeme Devine has previously stated that the DLC was nearly finished at the time of shipping.
“The main thing is that DLC was built into the game design from the very beginning so we’ve actually been working on DLC all along, It was never the plan to finish the game THEN start work on the DLC”- Graeme Devine
Robot has been working diligently since the release of the game to make balance patches, bug fixes and complete the testing of the upcoming DLC. Both a title update (a forced download) and the DLC will be made available soon.
No details on the pricing of the DLC of yet, nor an official date has been set but expect to find out very soon. The official press release from Microsoft follows:
——————-
Strategic Options Add-on for Halo Wars
Published April 21, 2009
Halo Wars™, the best selling real-time strategy game on any current generation console, mixes up the battlefield like never before with the Strategic Options Game Add-on Pack, available in the coming weeks exclusively on Xbox 360®.
Build the stronger army in Tug of War.
Strategic Options ushers in the next wave of battle for Halo Wars with three new game modes which dramatically change the multiplayer experience and challenge you to rethink your battle tactics.
Defeat waves of enemies in Reinforcement.
- Keepaway Mode: This is the Halo Wars adaptation of “Capture the Flag.” Teams battle it out to capture a free-roaming Forerunner Sentinel to score points before the other team. Capture three sentinels to claim victory.
- Tug of War Mode: This mode is all about having a stronger army than your opponent. Defeating enemies is essential, but success is determined by a combination of the army, buildings, and resources left standing in the end.
- Reinforcement Mode: All active battle units are provided in successive waves. Adapt to their tactics and use the ever-changing set of units to outwit and outlast the enemy.
Capture the Forerunner in Keepaway.
Strategic Options also adds four new Achievements worth a total of 100 points:
- One and Done: Score the winning point in a game of Keepaway against Legendary A.I.’s
- Pull Hard, Pull Deep: Win and never trail in a Tug of War game
- Freak on a Streak: Gain at least 15 population from a single wave in a Reinforcement game
- Living Loving Bug: Obtain a Scarab during a Reinforcement game
Haven’t tried Halo Wars yet? A free demo is also available on Marketplace. The full-featured demo includes two levels of the Campaign mode, plus a one-on-one Skirmish battle between the USNC and Covenant.
Halo Wars
Set in the iconic Halo universe, Halo Wars predates the original first-person shooter Halo. Experience the early battles between the UNSC and Covenant, the far-reaching conflict that has been diligently followed by the masses in the blockbuster Halo series.
