Halo Infinite: 343 Industries on freedom of approach and exploration in the sandbox campaign
Halo Infinite
Halo Infinite is proposed as something different from what has been seen so far in the series and the recent update by 343 Industries on the official blog, Halo Waypoint, tries to make us understand something of these unique elements, such as the wide freedom of approach and exploration granted in the new chapter.The art lead Justin Dinges, the sandbox lead Troy Mashburn and the world design lead John Mulkey spoke on the blog to explain something about Halo Infinite, in particular regarding the design of the world of game and the design of the sandbox campaign that characterizes the component with narrative elements of the game, in the same update from which the new images have also come that demonstrate the progress made so far.
The world of Halo Infinite is very large and its vast combat zones are seamlessly connected to each other, with sweeping panoramas opening up to the player's gaze and inspiring to deviate from the predefined path, I therefore undertake to follow other paths besides the one that leads to the standard progression of the story.
However, 343 Industries claims that it is not developing a real open world, but simply a chapter of Halo with a more open: a sandbox shooter that aims to make players actors in a wide-ranging sci-fi combat simulation with elements emerging from the setting.
Part of these elements will derive from the fauna that lives on the ring, even if there will be no crafting elements: "you will not spend time hunting and skinning animals to create equipment for the Master Chief", argue the developers, "Spartans are dressed in Mjolnir assault armor, they do not need leather boots ".
However, the breadth and variability of the scenario can suggest different approaches to combat, for example by sighting a patrol from a distance and allowing you to choose how to attack, perhaps using the grappling hook that allows you to grab from a distance. enemy weapon and use it against them.
"We designed Halo Infinite to make you more free to do what Spartan super-soldiers do best: analyze a battlefield, plan your attack, engage the enemy, face any surprise a sandbox context puts you in front of you and then be ready for the next one ".
What changes in Halo Infinite is the breadth of the scenario, which can involve surprises and of "side quests", so to speak: "Follow a hidden cave system to a well-defended fortress, drive the Warthog up a misty mountain pass, capture a Banshee and fly to a fragment of a ring circling among the stars, "the developers report. There is a strong narrative base that always remains at the basis of the game but the path to follow between one mission and another is entrusted to the decisions of the player.
At this point we are awaiting a release date specifies for Halo Infinite, which appears to be the biggest episode ever for the series.
Halo Infinite will have a dynamic day / night cycle in its expansive sandbox Source
New 'Halo Infinite' screenshots tease a more detailed world
The first footage of Halo Infinite gameplay didn't sit well with gamers, to put it mildly, but there are signs of progress. 343 Industries and Microsoft have shared a fresh batch of screenshots that give you a sense of how the Xbox Series X/S title's visuals have evolved over the past several months. While there aren't really any character studies ('Craig' is nowhere to be found), the Pacific Northwest-inspired Zeta Halo environment appears slightly grittier, realistic and... well, more next-gen.
Infinite is characterized as a 'spiritual reboot' whose art and mechanics are meant to recreate the feel of playing early Halo games, even as they (hopefully) push the series forward. That includes redesigning enemies like Jackals and Grunts to look more like their initial versions, art lead Justin Dinges said. With that said, there are clearly touches that benefit from modern hardware, such as an environmental lighting system that can change the mood based on the time of day.
The delayed and troubled title is now slated to ship sometime in the fall. It's not clear just how much the new Halo's graphics will have improved by then, but it's evident 343 and Microsoft want the series' next-gen debut to hit the right visual notes.
