Note: With the release of Halo Wars, this FAQ is noticeably outdated. A significant update is forthcoming.
Halo Wars FAQ
Version 2.0
Written by: Thesomeone
Additional thanks to: Putnum
Section I: Frequently Asked Questions
I heard that Bungie is not developing Halo Wars. Is this true?
You heard correct. Halo Wars is instead being developed by Ensemble Studios, an award-winning developer known for its RTS games, including Age of Empires and Age of Mythology. Ensemble is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Microsoft Game Studios.
If Bungie isn’t developing Halo Wars, are they at least helping those who are?
Yes. While Bungie is not involved of any of the actual development of Halo Wars (including coding, programming, etc…), they are working with Ensemble on the storyline and ensuring continuity with the existing Halo universe.
What’s an RTS?
RTS stands for real-time strategy. It is a genre of video games in which the player usually has a bird’s-eye view of the entire map, has direct control over a large number of individual units, and usually must gather resources and advance their technological level. The player must use their military forces strategically and outwit their enemy in battle while maintaining a balance between strategy and economy. Among the most well-known RTS franchises are Starcraft, Warcraft, Command & Conquer, Rise of Nations, and Ensemble’s own Age of Empires.
What is the storyline of Halo Wars?
It has been confirmed that Halo Wars takes place approximately twenty years before Halo: Combat Evolved. The player will take command of the crew of the UNSC ship, CFV-88 Spirit of Fire, during the campaign to retake the colony world Harvest from the Covenant, thus marking the beginning of the Human-Covenant Conflict. Halo Wars will also take place on several "Forerunner-inspired worlds", in addition to a number of other environments that are being kept under wraps.
Will the Master Chief appear in the game?
No, the Master Chief will not be featured in Halo Wars, as a playable character or otherwise. However, Spartans will be an available unit that players will be able to create in limited numbers.
What factions will I be able to control in the game?
While Ensemble has indicated that the campaign portion of Halo Wars will feature only playable UNSC units, players will be able to choose to play as the Covenant in skirmish gametypes. Any additional factions have yet to be announced.
How will the economy and resource gathering be managed in Halo Wars?
Ensemble has stated that since the game is a Halo title much of the focus will be on combat and fast-paced action. Nevertheless, for it to truly qualify as an RTS game there must be some management of resources. Halo Wars will not feature any builder/gatherer unit, and will not force players to manage multiple types of resources. Instead, the economy will be based on supplies that continuously come down to the player's base from the Spirit of Fire orbiting overhead. Supplies will gather automatically, but if the player builds more supply pads then supplies will come down with greater frequency, creating a stronger economy. According to Ensemble, players will be able to create units and go to battle with a very limited economy, but putting some effort into supplies will be beneficial because it will enable players to create more buildings and units.
How will combat work in Halo Wars?
Ensemble is taking a unique approach to combat in the game. Many RTS titles encourage players to throw their armies at each other while focusing on other aspects of the game. Halo Wars will let players manage the battle with much more depth. Perhaps most importantly, each combat unit will have a secondary ability that can be used by pressing the Y button on the controller. These abilities vary based on the unit; for example, Spartans have the ability to jack enemy vehicles, and Marines will throw grenades on command. The Spirit of Fire will also factor into combat, with players being able to call down bombing runs or MAC blasts from the ship. These attacks will have a cool down time after each use to keep players from overusing them and disrupting game balance.
Will I be able to upgrade my units?
Definitely. Each unit will have a unique upgrade, with some units having multiple upgrades available. The Warthog, for example, starts off completely unarmed, but can be upgraded to include a chain gun, and later, a gauss cannon. Marines start off as basic troops with assault rifles, but can be upgraded to have an additional marine per unit, wield rocket launchers, and ultimately, create medics. It will cost a certain amount of supplies to upgrade units, so management of the economy will be necessary to ensure the player has the best units available.
What will multiplayer be like?
Many details concerning Halo Wars' multiplayer mods have yet to be released, but it is known the the game will include both adversarial and cooperative multiplayer. The most prominently-mentioned adversarial mode is skirmish, though other gametypes are likely. Co-op games will feature levels that were specifically created for multiplayer, and will allow up to three players to go up against AI opponents.
RTS games do not work well on consoles. Why will Halo Wars be any different?
While most RTS games on consoles are merely ports of PC games, Halo Wars is being designed from the ground up for the Xbox 360. Therefore, it is being designed with the 360’s controller in mind, not a keyboard and mouse. Bungie has commented on the stereotype that RTS games cannot be controlled well on a console, saying “the controls do work great on a 360 pad.”
Will there be a PC version of Halo Wars?
Halo Wars is currently being developed exclusively for the Xbox 360. Ensemble has stated that there are no plans for a PC version of the game as of this time.
What is the release date of Halo Wars?
Halo Wars will begin releasing on February 26, 2009 in Asia, February 27 in Europe, and March 3 in North America.
Will they release a demo?
Yes! A demo is scheduled to be released via the Xbox Live Marketplace on February 5, 2009.
I heard Peter Jackson is involved in Halo Wars. Is this true?
No. Peter Jackson is not associated with Halo Wars. However, he is involved in another untitled Halo game, which his new development studio, Wingnut Interactive, is developing with the help of Bungie Studios. No further details of the game are known, other than it will be “another chapter in the Halo universe.”
Section II: Helpful Links and Sources
Halo Wars official website
Bungie Studios
Ensemble Studios
E3 2008 Preview (IGN)
E3 2008 Preview (Gamespot)
1UP (concerning release date)
Last Updated: July 17, 2008
This posting is provided "as-is" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
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