Questions and Answers

[hollowsaber]

Quick Rules:

1. Keep the questions short and simple, so the answers can be clear.

2. Please, if you don't like the answer, do not argue in this thread, this thread is only for the asking of questions and the official answers - if you want to appeal against certain facts, do it separately to this topic.

3. We'll answer anything from how the United Nations works, to what the currently popular kids show is on the UNSC channels, but don't ask anything utterly ridiculous. Additionally, do not ask anything which could just be looked up in five seconds on Halopedia (such as the correct spelling of 'Mgalekgolo').

4. This is not a discussion thread, if you want to discuss our answers make a separate thread for it.

5. Read the previous posts/thread before asking questions, lack of ability to read previous posts/threads is not an excuse to ask the exact same question.

6. Wait your turn, we will answer one member at a time. We are liable to delete any questions that are asked before we can answer another player.

What we really want is questions, not just about what is canon and not from the pre-established background, but things you want to know so you can come to understand the world your characters live in - questions like...'what is currently popular on kids TV' are the kinda questions I'd like to see...amongst more serious ones.

[spartan129]

Under the new administration, do UNSC weapons have iron sights?

[hollowsaber]

The weapons themselves do have iron sights, but unless your equipment malfunctions, you probably won't need it. Most soldiers will be equipped with a HUD.

[Deleted]

Are we still using the realist tactics in battle or are using halo tactics, which seem to be realist tactics dumbed down some.

[hollowsaber]

Tactics will change depending on the situation at had. We hope to have a medium between the two but we won't have something as bad as a bum-rush of tanks and such.

[halo001]

So are the UNSC soldiers still unable to use most Covenant weapons?

[usefuldave]

Jun 25, 2011 17:09:58 GMT -6 @halo001 said:

So are the UNSC soldiers still unable to use most Covenant weapons?

That's more of a logical constraint than anything, do you think the UNSC is really going to carry around bunches of Covenant weaponry for troops to use rather than sending them back for R&D?

There's nothing preventing use in the field, but that doesn't mean that troops instantly know how to use every weapon as though they've trained with it for years. Neither does it mean you'll get to keep it past that mission, not to mention if you dump your assigned weapon for it, the quartermaster will be pissed.

[halo001]

So, despite the laws against using human weaponry, are the Covenant even able to use it?

[usefuldave]

Jun 25, 2011 17:16:52 GMT -6 @halo001 said:

So, despite the laws against using human weaponry, are the Covenant even able to use it?

It's more a cultural taboo than anything, basically on the level of say, a prawn eating pork. They're not going to get ripped to shreds for doing it, but that doesn't mean it won't be noted or remarked upon by others.

In addition, the human weapons tend to be seen as antiquated and primitive in comparison to those of the Covenant, so it's more 'lowering yourself to their level' and disgracing yourself with an inferior weapon.

Considering the Covie attachment to religion, it's not something to take lightly.

[rom]

Does the UNSC Air Force exist? As it was deemed "redundant" by the previous administration.

[hollowsaber]

Most militaries do have an Air Force, but the UNSC does not. Yes, it would be a bit redundant and not really needed seeing as the Navy, Marines, and the Army each have their own air units attached to them. The only time an Air Force would ever be needed would be for patrolling Colonies and for attacking insurrectionist uprisings.

[rom]

Does the army actually have air units?

As far as I can tell in canon they don't aside from Helicopter pilots.

As your previous point Waffle, the Army is meant for defence of colonies. So by that logic. is the Air Force truly redundant?

Edit: not trying to argue. Just trying to clear up a point.

[Dutch]

Well, I know the Marines use Hornets for air support and such, and saber you did make a fighter squadron. Apocalypse Squadron, remember?

[rom]

Jun 25, 2011 21:25:21 GMT -6 Dutch said:

Well, I know the Marines use Hornets for air support and such, and saber you did make a fighter squadron. Apocalypse Squadron, remember?

This is true. I know modern Marine Corps have air squadrons, But I'm pretty sure modern armies don't. Organisation hasn't changed that much despite the 500 years that have passed. Thus why I'm asking.

[hollowsaber]

Yea, I do have a fighter but it isn't -technically- apart of an Air Force. It's just a wing attachment for the Army.

Personally, I would say that the Marine and Army air support units are an Air Force, seeing as they operate like one, but they aren't organized like that. They are written militarily as unit attachments.

If we were to see an Air Force in the UNSC, I would say they would be on colonies that are under threats of the Insurrectionists or Covenant, just for the extra support incase of a surprise attack.

[Deleted]

We're all missing a point that might mean something. The air force is a sub faction of the navy in military command, and seeing how the navy uses GIANT FLYING METAL SHIPS and aircrafts, they probably just became one big navy. This is just a theory though.

[rom]

Jun 26, 2011 0:02:08 GMT -6 @monkey said:

We're all missing a point that might mean something. The air force is a sub faction of the navy in military command, and seeing how the navy uses GIANT FLYING METAL SHIPS and aircrafts, they probably just became one big navy. This is just a theory though.

That's what Nylund thought too. But Bungie eventually said that was wrong.

Though this is getting off topic, and I would prefer that discussion on the UNSC Air Force be taken elsewhere, as I'm sure the staff would agree.

[hollowsaber]

No, no Air Force. Just Unit attachments.

[Deleted]

so with the new staff is it going to be different time setting?

[Jakob]

Just my two cents, why would it be? It has been the same for years before Seren.

[hollowsaber]

We are probably going to erase the M3 that was started and go back a few years maybe.

[SuperCommando]

But M3 was the same year as M2...

[hollowsaber]

I don't pay attention to dates XD But yea, the date will probably be the same then.

[kartoffelfogel]

Are we going to try and make it balanced between the UNSC and Covenant? Or are we making it so that the Covenant is going to be winning most of the time?

[Black Chaos]

In terms of storyline balance, I think it helps out the site if the winners and losers are realistic. But, just because that aspect of the storyline is realistic doesn't mean that the Covenant always wins and the UNSC always loses. Our original storyline was very different (started right after the first level of Halo 2), we made it that Earth was able to defend itself from the initial Covenant assault (almost realistic by a stretch of your imagination), and then we went on to scavenge technology / take out the disabled Covenant ships around Earth. After that we assaulted a Covenant base but during the assault information about all of Humanity's colonies was taken so we spent the next 2 or 3 missions tracking down the Covenant before they could use the information. Looking back, the storyline in general was not super-realistic (we did fight on Covenant worlds, such as Rekcut), but what made it realistic was just the players. Yappa got captured in mission 5 and was put on trial. Dava Kabruski and his team was able to comandeer a Covenant ship and sacrificed himself crashing it into another ship. We could also do more because we had more spartans (about 5 or 6) and we were on the offensive.

You guys don't have that luxury because this storyline takes place 20-25 years before that. If you go with straight realism, the Covenant will just come to a planet with 10 ships, scout out the planet for anything interesting and then glass it, killing 90% of all UNSC personnel and ships defending the planet. Doing this type of engagement with two PC factions against each other is even harder because tactically the Covenant should win but ideally you might want to figure out who wins based on the skills of the maneuvers used by the PCs. In the end, a workable solution is to know who wins the mission before it begins, and have 3 or 4 missions completely planned out in advance. If the mission isn't going as the staff planned it out, they can either let it keep going that way and see what happens or use "The Covenant" or "The UNSC" profiles to introduce some new variable to keep the mission going on track. I only told SuperCommando about those two profiles via PM, but basically they are two profiles for staff use to communicate changes in the mission to keep the mission on track or to make the RP more... colorful.

The best example I can give you would be that several squads are assaulting a Covenant outpost. The staff envisioned this battle to be difficult, but the UNSC PCs are taking it too easily in their opinion. The staff would then login to "The Covenant" profile and they would briefly roleplay an Elite at the outpost, and that elite would basically say "These foolish infidels have walked right into our trap unprepared..." and would then order a counterattack by a group of Elites hiding in the surrounding area.

[rom]

Jun 30, 2011 14:30:17 GMT -6 Black Chaos said:

Our original storyline was very different (started right after the first level of Halo 2), we made it that Earth was able to defend itself from the initial Covenant assault.

Except that actually happened. Regret's fleet was pushed back. Then Truth's fleet showed up at the end of Halo 2 and was too much to handle.

But onto my question.

What is the new staff's stance on Skirmisher ranks. I noticed that the old staff used a minor, major, ultra scheme rather than the canon one.

[hollowsaber]

Skirmishers will use their own structure.

Minor, Major, Commando, Murmillo, Champion.

[Bippwatt]

Say, what is the popular kids show these days? I just have to ask....

[spartan129]

And popular video games! (Sorry that I didn't wait for Bipp's question to be answered, I figured that these could be answered together)

[hollowsaber]

Err... No idea actually. XD TV would probably be in it's 3D, holographic format generally. Sports running around in your room, interactive TV Shows, and possibly even your own personal companion on the big screen. TV shows? Well, look at our society today... Sci-Fi, reality; not much is going to change in the distant future. So generally the same stuff, just different people. TV isn't really my forte... I rarely watch it as is lol.



Game-wise? Well, look at where we are heading currently; Full body interaction, smarter AI in shooters, smarter consoles, faster multi-player. You'll looking at a place that today's gamer would call paradise... You're talking full blown, player-in-action gameplay; you ARE the character, you ARE the controller. Pull on a sleek, skin tight, sensor-suit that comes in all different colors, step into the designated zone, close your eyes, and lay back in our custom gaming pod. If you've played Assassins Creed(our time), think of it like a cryo-tube mixed with an animus, but without the cryo. Your own personal AI reads off the coding on the data-chips you've plugged in to the side, much like an SD card, and fills your eyes with your own style HUD.

Depending on what type of player you are, you may have Chess, you may have the racing game called "Sky-Jacker", or you may have the popular shooter.. Xeno. Which ever you pick, the AI will bring you directly into the game... You're the drive in the seat behind the wheel, you're the human on the battlefield against the invading Xenos (you can guess they'll be styled after the Covenant; propaganda), or you'll be the pawn... Along with other players across the Chessboard, moving right into the hands of the enemy... Or are you?

Not satisfied? Then throw everything out the window. Pull up your own sandbox area and build your own game. Supplied with ships, planets, landscapes, stars, universes, dumb-game AI, and ever players who are paid to suit your needs. Armed with your own personal helpers that have been hardwired into the system to give you a hand; you can create your own game. Keep it local, or go mainstream with instant recognition of top gaming companies who pay you to make a game for them. Work hard enough, and do it right, you could be sitting atop one of the thousand skyscrapers that have been built throughout the UNSC-held Space while you watch other players run around in your creation...