Edge Preview - 8 pages

[deded999]

An eight page preview in Edge #176 - not quite the front cover, (the back cover shows the preview), but this is great coverage for Haze nevertheless. Haven't read it yet - more as I get chance to see it.

One thing to note - according to the preview the squad-based controls have been dropped so now your squad is completely AI-based, AI which is praised here.

Read it now - sounds great, but oh, ****, here's the kicker:


...with seven to ten months of development and testing remaining on what already looks a stunning build confidence is inspired. Haze looks like it could be very, very big - and you wouldn't bet against it being very, very clever to match.

Not to take anything away from a great preview, but say it ain't so Neko...

[AvianAbsolute]

seven to ten months http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

It probably is the best for the game, but man this hurts http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_frown.gif .

[squeeky3279]

I read somewhere else about a 2008 release, but dismissed it. If seven to ten months of work is still to be done on it, that would fall in line with a Jan-Mar 2008 release. I was under the impression that this originally was scheduled for January, which then fell back to March, then September, and so on. Perhaps the release date will fall in line with the game... 2048. http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[BuddyFlashheart]

Well, what's the lead time for magazines these days? Two months?

[deded999]

Originally posted by BuddyFlashheart:
Well, what's the lead time for magazines these days? Two months?

Hmmm, well if that is the case then that might put it late 07 and as Avian says, if it makes the game better then so be it, but man, that feels a long time away...

[SteamBot]

Well when every other dev is just ape-ing Halo 3, an excellent FPS seems worth waiting an extra few months for.

Actually that sounds really easy.

Also: yay for no squad-based controls! Hopefully that fad dies and everyone realises Call of Duty had it right all along.

[nu_ignition]

That estimate pretty much puts HAZE on track with what Ubisoft stated and what most places are predicting. Ubisoft said it had slipped to the new fiscal year (which ends like Feb or March 08), and magazines are predicting early 2008.

I would say that early 2008 would be better for HAZE, because games that are in the Christmas rush period have a rough time against the endless Need For Speed/FIFA games. More games are sold, but a lot of games get ignored unfortunatly. If HAZE is out early 2008 it'll give it some clear space, Lost Planet for example did well by launching in January.

I'll see if I can pop into town and pick Edge up, ironically I went in yesterday and didn't bother to check Edge (I checked all the PS3/360 mags instead)

[deded999]

The financial year starts April 07 though, so you're looking at a delay that could have been between one month and thirteen months, or anything in-between.

I'd probably agree about the time though - if it doesn't come out by say October then it might be better around January, unless Ubi manage to make a huge publicity push and make it something everyone wants to play - everyone should want to play it anyway, but you know what the games industry is like...

I'm an Edge subscriber, so I wouldn't expect to see it in the shops for another few days, maybe later next week...

[nu_ignition]

According to the Edge website, that issue has been out since Thursday (ironically the day I went in town, and it's the one I saw but didn't pick up)

I'm heading into town tommorow to get it, although unfortunatly I can't scan it in, the old scanner I've got doesn't work with XP.

[frd_neko]

Hm, excellent work deded - I've been, ah, busy most of this week so unfortunately wasn't able to flag up the article as soon as it appeared, but job done anyway.

Oh, and the game is still scheduled (and on track) for a 2007 release - that 7-10 months thing was an overestimate on Edge's part. Anyway, you highlighted the wrong part of that quote! Look here:


...with seven to ten months of development and testing remaining on what already looks a stunning build confidence is inspired. Haze looks like it could be very, very big - and you wouldn't bet against it being very, very clever to match.

Better. http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

Neko.

[deded999]

Originally posted by frd_neko:
Hm, excellent work deded - I've been, ah, busy most of this week so unfortunately wasn't able to flag up the article as soon as it appeared, but job done anyway.

Oh, and the game is still scheduled (and on track) for a 2007 release - that 7-10 months thing was an overestimate on Edge's part. Anyway, you highlighted the wrong part of that quote! Look here:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">...with seven to ten months of development and testing remaining on what already looks a stunning build confidence is inspired. Haze looks like it could be very, very big - and you wouldn't bet against it being very, very clever to match.

Better. http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

Neko. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ta. As for the quote, well I did quote it didn't I? I could have gone off half-cocked and just quoted the delay right? http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif Like I said, a great preview - I'll add a few more quotes soon. The shots in the preview aren't large, and I think they are probably similar to those seen before in other scans anyway.

[LiquidEagle]

I'm just glad the game is getting more press! bring it on! http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[nu_ignition]

Originally posted by frd_neko:

Oh, and the game is still scheduled (and on track) for a 2007 release - that 7-10 months thing was an overestimate on Edge's part.


Haha, damn you Neko. Now that means I've gotta try and get enough cash for HAZE in addition to Unreal Tournament 3, Shadowrun, BlackSite: Area 51, FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage, Assassin's Creed, John Woo Presents Stranglehold and Frontlines: Fuel of War....

Dunno how I'm gonna afford all that on Christmas money alone, I'd be lucky to get enough for just 1 of those games.

[frd_neko]

Originally posted by nu_ignition:
Haha, damn you Neko. Now that means I've gotta try and get enough cash for HAZE in addition to Unreal Tournament 3, Shadowrun, BlackSite: Area 51, FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage, Assassin's Creed, John Woo Presents Stranglehold and Frontlines: Fuel of War....

Dunno how I'm gonna afford all that on Christmas money alone, I'd be lucky to get enough for just 1 of those games.

My advice would be to get HAZE and worry about the others later. How many of them are going to offer four player coop, huh? http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Neko.

[LiquidEagle]

The four-player co-op is online and offline, right?

[frd_neko]

Originally posted by LiquidEagle:
The four-player co-op is online and offline, right?

Two player splitscreen but you can play over a LAN.

Neko.

[nu_ignition]

I've never really been much of a co-op person, you are still just fighting AI, regardless of how tough they are. I prefer just shooting other people in the face, then you can hear them yelling "OMG YOU CHEAT" or "OMG YOU LAG".

Anyways, I picked up that issue of Edge yesterday, the article is pretty good, it doesn't have as much as the PSM article, but it does have some pics and info that the PSM one doesn't. For instance in the multiplayer team games you can have Mantel vs Promised Hand, Promised Hand are not as powerful but as in the Story mode, they have ways of forcing Mantel soldiers to overdose.

[LiquidEagle]

Somebody needs to scan that Edge issue for me http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_frown.gif

I have to wait a good 2 months for that puppy to hit us here in California :'(

Two Player splitscreen co-op is fine with me... and when you say over a LAN, does that mean my friends & I could have 2 people on one PS3 and 2 people on another PS3 for 4-player LAN co-op? That would be nifty, but the mere fact that it has co-op is fine with me http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[frd_neko]

Originally posted by LiquidEagle:
Two Player splitscreen co-op is fine with me... and when you say over a LAN, does that mean my friends & I could have 2 people on one PS3 and 2 people on another PS3 for 4-player LAN co-op?

Yup.

Neko.

[Tesseract]

Will the LAN and internet play be cross-platform? It'd definitely make it easier to just go over to my friend's place (who has a 360), plug in my PC (or PS3 if I have one by then) and just have at it, rather than being inhibited by the fact that I don't intend to buy a 360.

[AvianAbsolute]

Originally posted by frd_neko:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by LiquidEagle:
The four-player co-op is online and offline, right?

Two player splitscreen but you can play over a LAN.

Neko. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

No four player split screen http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_frown.gif . But there is four player split screen multiplayer at least right?

[Exiled_Elite_80]

Will there be any Co-op online? And if not, is it because PS3's online is unestablished, unlike xbox live?

[sanderDrost]

i think they allready said there was gona be co-op online so that will be on ps3 as well..... i guess(hope)

[Exiled_Elite_80]

ok thanks.....

just looking at Avian's video (above) of Haze looks so good.....i really wish they had of kept the original soldiers, they looked really good....the new one's just have a Halo feel....im sure all will be well though....cheers

[nu_ignition]

The new armour is a pretty integral part of HAZE, the PSM/Edge articles both mention a point where your armour malfunctions, the visor lifts, and you see exactly what is happening, because the Nectar is no longer making everything seem fine. Enemies bleed badly, jerk around, scream with pain, the weather changes and everything.

That's the most exciting bit about HAZE for me, I hope it's used more than once, like you get a small glimpse of it early on, but then later in the game it breaks for a longer session and you see the full horror of what is happening.

[Exiled_Elite_80]

I haven't had the opportunity to read that article yet....but that really does sound good....

After playing the Timesplitters series I really have little doubt that this game will be anything else then incredible....I really hope that this game sells well and that Free Radical gets the recognition that they deserve...cheers to the games you guys put out!!!

[frd_neko]

Hm. Hadn't noticed the questions in here. So, coop online - yes. Fourplayer splitscreen in multiplayer - no, sorry. Twoplayer across the board. I realise this is going to be a bit frustrating for some of you TS fans but all the gorgous, lush environments and spectacular effects in HAZE don't come free, sorry! Also, because online play is much more popular these days, we decided it would be better to spend our time ensuring a strong online experience rather than implementing fourplayers on one console (and all the compromises that would ential :/).

Neko.

[Xanith55]

Alright i was planing on buying haze but now thta i found out i cant play wit my 3 buddies on one screen i said forget it sure u can LAN but that is one big hassle

I do LAN halo at my house evn though i dotn have xbox my friends bring it i drilled a hole into the floor and put the cable downstaris to the second table and it worked fine but none of my friends HAVE PS3 they got xbox so thats why having LAN 4 player co op is stupid

[deded999]

Good luck finding any games that will do 4 player splitscreen this gen...