Halo 2(PC) achievement tracking UPDATE: 2/5

Games Other Halo
1

Halo 2(PC)is the only Halo game on the PC with Achievement support. It is unfair that every Halo game is tracked, except for the ugly duckling that is Halo 2(PC). I am avid Halo fan and achievement hunter and would love to see Halo 2(PC) on waypoint tacking. It offers an oppurtunity to add more possible levels on the Waypoint career overview and add more avatar awards/ in game content for Halo 4. It would also be a nice gesture to the community from 343i.

Update:
Stat tracking seems doubtful for Halo 2 V, at least 343i supported stats, but achievements are still a large possibility. Simple achievement tracking of Halo 2 V is a great way to include Halo 2 in Halo Waypoint. It has been stated several times through out the thread that the point of Halo Waypoint is to centralize everything Halo in one convenient location.

A Halo 2 remake seems unlikely for the fact their is no occasion for it to coincide with. It was mentioned earlier that a Halo 2 remake could suffice for the 20th anniversary, but thats not for this current console generation. Halo CEA was a great marketing campaign for Halo 4, and gave reason to remake, where as Halo 2 does not have a reason to remake other then fan appreciation.

It also does not make chronological sense to have Halo waypoint track achievements for all Halo games except Halo 2. Halo 2 V was the first Halo game to support achievements and deserves a place on Halo Waypoint.

Update 2/5:
In light of recent announcements it is necessary for an update to such an old thread. Halo 2 PC servers are being shutdown(The official MS ones anyway), but that does not mean an end to all of Halo 2 PC multiplayer as we know it. Many private servers will still be operating. In addition to the server shutdown there is a large surge of posts regarding a Halo 2 anniv. that topic is for a different day, but why does this have to stop Halo 2 PC from being tracked?

As a simple memeber of the Halo community I urge you to support this thread. It would be in everyone’s best interest to support Halo 2 PC on the achievement tracker. The addition of more points and possibly more rewards on the tracking system is for everyone’s favor! A system of terminals corresponding to achievement unlocks from Halo 2 PC has been proposed and could add to the Halo Cannon as well! There is a large amount of oppurtunity for Halo 2 PC achievement tracking.

343i shows an interest in Halo 2 PC if they have taken the time to study the online population statistics. As a bittersweet gift it would be a delightful fan service if they would add Halo 2 PC to the achievement tracker. Halo 2 achievements will fill in the void between the Halo CEA and Halo 3 achievement lists. Finish the fight for Halo 2!

*On a side note, Microsoft has registered the names of Halo CE, Halo 2, and Halo 3 on steam. What could this mean?

Update 2/12
Designer David Ellis tweets

“Halo 2 PC support extended through June 2013 while we investigate further support options. Now go get those achievements.”

“Now go get those achievements.”

Could this be a hint at future Halo 2 PC achievement tracking?

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I very much agree with you :slight_smile:

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> Halo 2(PC)is the only Halo game on the PC with Achievement support. It is unfair that every Halo game is tracked, except for the ugly duckling that is Halo 2(PC). I am avid Halo fan and achievement hunter and would love to see Halo 2(PC) on waypoint tacking. It offers an oppurtunity to add more possible levels on the Waypoint career overview and add more avatar awards/ in game content for Halo 4. It would also be a nice gesture to the community from 343i.

Also, H2V was the only Halo 2 that has Achievements.

4

Exactly! It makes sense to me to include Halo 2(PC) seeing that all the other games are supported except Halo 2!

5

The reason they haven’t done it yet could be b/c they’re planning something else for Halo 2. A possible HD port or maybe even an Anniversary edition?

Despite how well Bungie transferred it to the PC (you can even play it w/ a 360 controller), Halo 2 PC just isn’t popular enough to really warrant any need for it’s inclusion in Waypoint. If they made it Free2Play then maybe it would be different b/c then the online population would shoot up dramatically.

Make H2V free to play!

6

An HD port woulds seem illogical seeing that Halo Anniversary was largely convenient as a marketing campaign for Halo 4 and a chance to add in additional canon for the same purpose of helping Halo 4. Although lets not count out future plans for Halo 2.

7

> Despite how well Bungie transferred it to the PC (you can even play it w/ a 360 controller), Halo 2 PC just isn’t popular enough to really warrant any need for it’s inclusion in Waypoint. If they made it Free2Play then maybe it would be different b/c then the online population would shoot up dramatically.
>
> Make H2V free to play!

This couldn’t be further from the truth. First up, Bungie didn’t port it. Secondly, it’s generally regarded as one of the worst ports, well… ever. Bungie talked it up and praised it (through advertising), but as soon as it was released neither Microsoft or Bungie spoke another word about it.

Oh, and you can use an Xbox controller in 90% of PC games.

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> > Despite how well Bungie transferred it to the PC (you can even play it w/ a 360 controller), Halo 2 PC just isn’t popular enough to really warrant any need for it’s inclusion in Waypoint. If they made it Free2Play then maybe it would be different b/c then the online population would shoot up dramatically.
> >
> > Make H2V free to play!
>
> This couldn’t be further from the truth. First up, Bungie didn’t port it. <mark>Secondly, it’s generally regarded as one of the worst ports, well… ever.</mark> Bungie talked it up and praised it (through advertising), but as soon as it was released neither Microsoft or Bungie spoke another word about it.
>
> <mark>Oh, and you can use an Xbox controller in 90% of PC games.</mark>

Yes, I know it could’ve been better, but it plays just like it’s Xbox counterpart used to. Games for Windows overall has just been a complete failure.

And yes, most PC games let you use a controller, but almost none of them let you use it properly. Meaning that you can’t aim at all b/c the “sticky reticle” is disabled b/c it gives controller players more of an advantage over mouse players.

I think the purpose of Halo 2 Vista was much different than everyone expected it to be. Instead of taking advantage of the PC’s powerful tech like Halo 1 did, they just designed the game around giving Xbox players a place to play Halo 2 after the servers were discontinued. Once again, hype ruins everything.

9

I see no reason for H2V to NOT be supported. I mean, the port was so badly done (not to mention forcing GFWL on players and expecting them to buy gold memberships to access standard features in a PC game) that throwing a bone to us PC players would be a nice gesture, if nothing else.

Plus, for those hungry for points, it might lead to a resurgence in the game’s popularity and possibly new sales, assuming it’s still on the GFW Marketplace.

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Yes, halo 2 is the only game not currently tracked.

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I agree, I think it should be supported and tracked.

I believe that simply having it be tracked would improve population in the game, and Games For Windows LIVE could implement an online-download to purchase the game for like $10, and people would flock to it without having to worry about it not being available in stores.

12

Definitely put me in the “please track Halo 2 achievements” camp. It’d just be nice to acknowledge the game for once, maybe get more activity going in the game, and finally track achievements for every single Halo game in some form.

I’m not counting on it happening anytime soon, though, I recall the last time it was brought up a 343 employee said that it wasn’t being added because Waypoint is currently focused only on console based Halo games. So while it’d definitely be a great thing to have, I certainly wouldn’t expect it.

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> I’m not counting on it happening anytime soon, though, I recall the last time it was brought up a 343 employee said that it wasn’t being added because Waypoint is currently <mark>focused only on console based Halo games.</mark> So while it’d definitely be a great thing to have, I certainly wouldn’t expect it.

Now I do see sense in why they would keep tracking console based Halo games, but doesn’t seem like a radical idea to push for Halo 2 PC achievement tracking at the minimum. I am no code expert, but it doesn’t seem like a too complicated idea to provide a simple stat and achievement tracker.
http://www.stats2v.ponzeka.com/stats.php

A price drop of Halo 2 V to maybe near free prices could stir thousands of players towards Halo 2 V. Numerous companies have done the same with their own games, most notably Valve’s highly successful TF2 on steam. Halo 2 V did come with a full fledged map editor making it even more appealing if it were to be free(Or really cheap). 343i can change the scenario and create Halo 2 V free as another to market Halo 4 and expand Halo Waypoint services.

14

I always thought that the general lack of support was due to Halo 2 Vista supporting user-created maps. Granted, the customization and engine access that H2V mappers had is crippled compared to what the original Custom Edition offered, but it could still be enough to complicate stat-tracking.

I mean, how do you show what map a person played on when a new map could be unofficially created any day, and when the central repositories for those maps are completely fan-maintained? How do you differentiate stats from certain maps (i.e. telling “Octagon” apart from a more traditional map)? And if it’s possible to insert AI into H2V maps like it is for HCE maps, then stat-tracking could just break down entirely. :\

15

DO NOT ADD H2(PC) TO WAYPOINT! I have a waypoint of 74 right now and will be getting it higher once I get someone to finish Halo Wars with me, but I do not even own a PC, I have a mac. What needs to happen is Halo 2 Anniversary needs to come out, they could link the achievements between them so if you get it one one you get it on the other.

16

I completely agree with you. Halo 2 Vista should be tracked. I say it as a PC gamer.

> Despite how well Bungie transferred it to the PC

Bungie didn’t port Halo 2 to PC. Hired Gun did the port.

> If they made it Free2Play then maybe it would be different b/c then the online population would shoot up dramatically.
> Make H2V free to play!

Of course if Halo 2 PC were free to play, the population would increase but now it’s not so expensive. I’m sure you paid much more for Halo 3 and Reach at day 1. And sometimes, you can find very generous people who let you play the game for free and legally.

> I think the purpose of Halo 2 Vista was much different than everyone expected it to be. Instead of taking advantage of the PC’s powerful tech like Halo 1 did, they just designed the game around giving Xbox players a place to play Halo 2 after the servers were discontinued. Once again, hype ruins everything.

Halo 2 PC was released before the closedown of Halo 2 Xbox’s servers. So, your argument is incorrect.

> DO NOT ADD H2(PC) TO WAYPOINT! I have a waypoint of 74 right now and will be getting it higher once I get someone to finish Halo Wars with me, but I do not even own a PC, I have a mac.

-.-’

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> DO NOT ADD H2(PC) TO WAYPOINT! I have a waypoint of 74 right now and will be getting it higher once I get someone to finish Halo Wars with me, but I do not even own a PC, I have a mac. What needs to happen is Halo 2 Anniversary needs to come out, they could link the achievements between them so if you get it one one you get it on the other.

I have a mac and play halo 2 vista on it… Just cause you don’t have doesn’t mean others should suffer for your own personal gain. No one is stoping you from playing it. And there isn’t gana be a halo 2 anniversary.

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> The reason they haven’t done it yet could be b/c they’re planning something else for Halo 2. A possible HD port or maybe even an Anniversary edition?
>
> <mark>Despite how well Bungie transferred it to the PC(you can even play it w/ a 360 controller),</mark> Halo 2 PC just isn’t popular enough to really warrant any need for it’s inclusion in Waypoint. If they made it Free2Play then maybe it would be different b/c then the online population would shoot up dramatically.
>
> Make H2V free to play!

HAHAHA. H2v was a money suck at pc gamers to get the h2 popularity before h3 came out, not to keep h2’s population.

  1. terribad port, bungie didn’t port it, microsoft didn’t port it. hired gun ported it.
  2. it’s a pc game, use MK. they’re better for shooters anyways.
  3. okay, you got one thing. it isn’t popular.
  4. Well, there’s a topic in the halo 2 forum and a lot of h2v websites with cd keys someone bought.
  5. not happening (microshaft f2p)
  6. Many people have done stats. Either Kantanomo or supersniper is(?was) working on one, they both lurk these forums so ask them.
19

> If they made it Free2Play then maybe it would be different b/c then the online population would shoot up dramatically.
>
> Make H2V free to play!

With pre-order of Halo 4? Or just a code in every Halo 4 game? :stuck_out_tongue:

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> HAHAHA. H2v was a money suck at pc gamers to get the h2 popularity before h3 came out, not to keep h2’s population.
>
> 1) terribad port, bungie didn’t port it, microsoft didn’t port it. hired gun ported it.
> 2) it’s a pc game, use MK. they’re better for shooters anyways.
> 3) okay, you got one thing. it isn’t popular.
> 4) Well, there’s a topic in the halo 2 forum and a lot of h2v websites with cd keys someone bought.
> 5) not happening (microshaft f2p)
> 6) Many people have done stats. Either Kantanomo or supersniper is(?was) working on one, they both lurk these forums so ask them.

Yes Halo 2 V didn’t take full advantage of the PC capability, as its predecessor did, but making it a free to play game, could help people ignore the fact. It was a bad port, but not necessarily a bad game. With a few waypoint announcements and support Halo 2V population could see a potential rise in popularity. I don’t see it becoming the next groundbreaking free game on the market, but would be a nice gesture to thousands of Halo fans.

Microsoft could probably care less about the current future of Halo 2 V being free or not. Profit is rather low and the game itself is beginning to see a stop in production.

Waypoint tracking shouldn’t be much of a problem then, few members of the community have accomplished it, not to difficult to apply to waypoint.

> I mean, how do you show what map a person played on when a new map could be unofficially created any day, and when the central repositories for those maps are completely fan-maintained? How do you differentiate stats from certain maps (i.e. telling “Octagon” apart from a more traditional map)? And if it’s possible to insert AI into H2V maps like it is for HCE maps, then stat-tracking could just break down entirely. :\

Stat tracking could negate custom made maps, as a way of keeping the stats clean from exploit. Halo 2 V doesn’t any sort of matchmaking system, but rather a game browser. Stats could be a problem to track, but achievement support is still largely accurate.