A Decade of Halo: Frank O'Connor Interview

When Halo: Combat Evolved was released, it was obviously a huge hit. What were the key features, in your opinion, that made it so successful?

I think the obvious things Halo CE did when it was first launched, was make a genre - FPS - that had worked perfectly on PC with mouse and keyboard, function brilliantly with analog sticks on a console. It just solved a lot of small, subtle but challenging technical issues to do this, in a very cool way. The fact that it also added sandbox gameplay and an open-world feeling, those things were icing on the cake. The way the game flowers and expands when you land of the surface of the Halo is pretty eye-opening.

Did you ever consider a different protagonist than Master Chief?

As a central protagonist? Sure. We'd consider it, but the next story is definitely focused on the Chief. That said, games like ODST, Halo Wars, Reach and even Halo 3, with playable Elites, actually mean that the majority of Halo games, in an odd way, have included non-Chiefy protagonists.

Will we ever see Master Chief's face? Why shouldn't we?

It's a funny thing. The Chief's face has been well-described in fiction, but fans are so used to the "trick" of not actually showing his face in-game, that it's become a real and enduring part of is mythos. So we could show it, but there would have to be, at this point, an incredibly compelling reason for us to abandon that tradition.

Halo 2 came in 2004, setting what many considered a standard for online console games. How did you come up with an idea to create a Matchmaking system instead of more common server browser?

Like many Halo innovations, necessity was the mother of invention. Live was built around a peer to peer model, with at that time, unpredictable populations. Bungie had to figure out what the most efficient way to combine those factors was, and Matchmaking was born. It was a huge effort of heavy lifting in terms of engineering, invention and design and the fact that it's now considered a standard is a testament to the efforts of Chris Butcher, Max Hoberman and the entire Bungie team.

Of course, Halo 2 also had its share of criticism, which mainly related to the single player campaign and its abrupt ending. Could you shed some light on the project itself and why the gamers didn't get to finish the fight until Halo 3?

I am sure you meant to say thrilling Cliffhanger, but yeah, I remember actually talking quietly to some of the journalists after the review events and telling them, in hushed tones, not to worry and that the story would be concluded in Halo 3. Obviously there was always going to be a Halo 3, and so we knew at the time that we were going to be able to wrap up the arc. But I won't lie, there were some truncated elements that had as much to do with production crunches as any narrative intent.

On Xbox 360 we have not only seen the conclusion of Master Chief's (first) trilogy, but also games that have explored new directions, such as Halo Wars and Halo 3: ODST. Is this something 343 Industries will continue along with Halo 4?

A: We'll certainly consider new projects, although the bulk of our focus is going to be on the core FPS - there are certainly other, different opportunities to explore the Halo universe through a gaming lens. Nothing on the horizon right now, however.

What can fans expect from Halo 4?

Hopefully a very, very compelling Halo game. And of course some new gameplay, graphic and narrative elements. There will be a lot more to say about this in the coming months, but right now it's a herculean effort to make something we're all proud of.

What would you say to the Halo fans that have mixed feelings as they though that they really had finished the fight?

I think I'd ask them to let the new game speak for itself. I don't think anyone doubts our passion and love of Halo, but there will be some fans who are curious to see if we can deliver.

This year marks the ten year anniversary of Halo: Combat Evolved and the game will be released as an Anniversary Edition. For those who have not followed this, what's new in the game, what makes it stand out in the stream of HD re-releases?

We've added a ton of stuff to the game. At $40, even though that's a low price for a 360 game, we wanted to make sure that the fans were in no doubt about the value proposition, so we piled in a bunch of stuff.

We have the classic mode switch, skulls that later the gameplay, achievements of course, lots of hidden easter eggs, new story elements via terminals, Kinect support, 3D support, remastered (and original) soundtrack and sound effects and a load of cool little elements that will become apparent as you play the game. And of course, new graphics.

Is there a possibility that Halo 2 might get the same treatment?

There's a possibility, sure, but we haven't even figured out what that content could be and how we could package it up in a way that made sense. We'll certainly give it a lot of thought, however, but it would have to be a fairly different offering than Anniversary.

Considering all the sequels and novels, was the overall fiction completed already when the first game arrived or how do you keep everything true to the Halo canon?

We have a long term plan for the fiction and its arcs, some of which will pay out in the novels and the next game, but we always have to be cogniscent of change, evolution and cool ideas. So the vision we have now will remain at the core of our narrative, but we'll adjust and make changes to suit the games as we build them.

There has been a lot of talk about a Halo movie. What's your view on this, do you still want to make it after the trouble it has faced? And if it was made, would it be more like live action or CG?

We have no current movie plans at this time.

What expectations do you have on Microsoft's next console concerning upcoming Halo games?

Halo is a piece of art and a universe that will only be enhanced by new technology, so from our perspective, future platforms are simply a means of delivering that universe in ever more compelling ways, and something to be excited about.

Bungie is now officially out of the loop. Should diehard Halo fans be afraid?

No. And personally, I am excited to see what Bungie has to offer next.

Part one of our Halo celebration, where Mike Holmes looks at the defining moments of the series, can be read here, and his verdict on the Anniversary Edition of Halo: Combat Evolved can be read here.