Advance

http://www.bungie.net/News/content....AndVidocRelease

The Halo 3 Multiplayer Beta will go live on May 16th at 12:00 AM PDT and run through June 6 th at 11:59 PM PDT. That means that folks who purchased specially marked copies of Crackdown, or won a spot in the Beta through the “Rule of Three” or other regional promotions, will be able to log into their Xbox Live Gold accounts, download and play the Halo 3 Multiplayer Beta and enjoy an early peek at the multiplayer aspect of the game.

If you’ve been sitting on the fence, and are interested, you can still enter the Beta by picking up a specially marked copy of Crackdown, which would ordinarily be a chore, but thankfully Crackdown is an awesome action game which might ironically distract you from the Beta I’m pimping here. Bungie is also giving out a few Friends and Family spots to valued community members, but those are few and far between, so it’s safer to assume you’re not getting in that way.

Now, I will say this again and again – the game you’re going to play one month from now, is Beta software – and while it will look somewhat close to the final game, it IS Beta – and will contain quirks, a couple of roughedges and all that jazz. But we’re pretty confident you’ll find it a dynamic and exciting taste of what’s to come in Fall.

The Beta itself consists of three maps – Valhalla, High Ground and Snowbound – graphically improved since our first MP screenshots – and all three will be playable in Matchmaking only (that is after all, what we’re Beta testing here). All three maps are suitable for a wide variety of gameplay types, and you will have the chance to try all manner of game types, familiar and new.

There are a number of new features you’ll get to test out – including a new grenade type, a completely different class of weapon and some of the enhanced online functionality we plan to bring to the game – but it should be noted, a lot of secret features are hidden in this Beta. We’re keeping a lot of our powder dry for Fall. In May, when your firing the Spiker, sniping vehicles with the Spartan Laser and sticking fools with the Brute Spike grenade, remember that it’s just a peek-a-boo fraction of what’s to come.

And do me a special personal favor – walk down to the beach, the river or the lake in High Ground and Valhalla, and take a look at the water.

There will also be new guns, vehicles and gameplay features to try – including the mysterious “X-Button” functionality. But you don’t have to wait to find out what that is, since you can now view part of its functionality in our latest Vidoc, “Is Quisnam Protero Damno!” a long look at the making of Halo 3’s Multiplayer game.

Here you’ll meet the Multiplayer team and watch a level get built from concept to completion. You’ll see the care and attention that goes into every aspect, and yes, you’ll see a level or two that nobody has ever seen before.

There are a lot of questions raised in this Vidoc, and we’ll be answering them in the next couple of weeks, so keep checking back for more updates. You’re probably not even reading this huh? You’re watching the Vidoc. I give up.

NOTE: All of the game footage in this doc was taken during the Alpha stage and isn’t even representative of what you’ll see in the Public Beta, let alone the final game. You will see frame rate skips, unfinished animation and graphical features that will change come Fall. All the footage is clearly marked Alpha. You’re looking at the features here folks, not the final quality bar – which we’ve set pretty high. Your next taste of that will be in May.

And there’s a ton of stuff in the Vidoc you simply haven’t seen before (including the X-Button) – and it’s well worth the download. Now, there’s nothing like seeing it in 720p in Dolby Digital, so remember this Vidoc is also available today on Xbox Live Marketplace, where big screen TVs can do it more justice than your PC.

http://www.bungie.net/age_gate.aspx...wEFBkhhbG8gMw==

EDIT: Actually, it appears there's a dispute. Xbox.com says the Beta starts at 8:00 AM. Bungie says it starts at 3:00 AM...

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DayLahs

I expect hell come may 16th

Cody

Awesome. I'll be on summer break by then. Nothing to interfere.

Chrono

i'm gonna order Crackdown from gamefly, they probably got a first batch.

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PlayMore

Cool! I can't wait.

Lich_King87

Man I hope one of my friends get Crackdown, that way I can play Halo 3.

DayLahs

http://xboxmovies.teamxbox.com/xbox...-Protero-Damno/

I cannot wait to play this.

BuzzJive

I wonder if they'll have multi-group support in the beta - as in 2 or more people on the same machine. I still don't have my 360 yet - but I'll likely try this out at a buddies place.

I hope it really sucks. That way - the wait after the beta is over won't be so bad...

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Dragon164z

May 16th is my birthday.


.............................. I have mixed feelings about this news..........................

Blueblur1

I've seen copies of Crackdown with the Halo 3 Beta inside at my local Best Buy. At least 20 of them. You could look for it, but maybe you rather rent it.

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Rocksteady

I've already played the Alpha.

Pistol sucks.

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sonicblue

Awesome. Time to sell my copy of Crackdown.

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Ninjazn

I'm going to be on it everyday for the entire three weeks probably. Sad...I know.

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Dragon164z

As in... It's the Magnum? Or is it some other nerfed form of the old pistol?

Blueblur1

My calendar is marked. I'm going to be sick that day.

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ness

I hope they balanced the sniper rifle.

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Dragon164z

Hey I want an answer Rocksteady.

Rocksteady

Missed this one my bad. The pistol from the original sucks ass.

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Dragon164z

OK, but....

What pistol is in Halo 3?

The exact same pistol from Combat Evolved, or a nerfed form of that pistol?