Halo 2 and 3 Multiplayer Designer Forms New Company

[bapenguin]

Max Hoberman, the multiplayer team lead for Halo 2 and Halo 3, has just left Bungie to start Certain Affinity in Austin, Tx. The company is partnered with Microsoft to develop content for Halo. Certain Affinity, Inc. (www.certainaffinity.com) unveiled itself to the world today as a new development studio based in Austin, TX. In a strategic partnership with Bungie Studios and Microsoft Game Studios, Certain Affinity's first project is developing multiplayer maps for Halo 2, which will release this spring by Microsoft Game Studios exclusively for the Xbox 360. The company is also creating a new Xbox 360 title to be announced at a later date.


Full Press Release Inside (http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?p=556988&posted=1#post556988).

I wonder if this means the multiplayer design for Halo 3 is done? Either that or it's not going very well!

[bapenguin]

CERTAIN AFFINITY, INC. PARTNERS WITH MICROSOFT GAME STUDIOS TO DEVELOP HALO CONTENT

AUSTIN, TX (DECEMBER 14, 2006) - Certain Affinity, Inc. (www.certainaffinity.com) unveiled itself to the world today as a new development studio based in Austin, TX. In a strategic partnership with Bungie Studios and Microsoft Game Studios, Certain Affinity's first project is developing multiplayer maps for Halo 2, which will release this spring by Microsoft Game Studios exclusively for the Xbox 360. The company is also creating a new Xbox 360 title to be announced at a later date.

Founded by Max Hoberman, an industry veteran and former Halo 2 and Halo 3 multiplayer team lead, Certain Affinity is focused on creating top-tier games and content in an efficient, no-nonsense manner. The company's staff and leadership averages 12 years in the industry and draws on a wealth of experience from such companies as Origin, Digital Anvil, and Bungie. The team includes major contributors from dozens of hit titles including games in the Ultima, Wing Commander, Myth, Asheron's Call, Freelancer, and Ghost Recon series, as well as all of the titles in the Halo series.

"We're not setting out to change the industry," says Hoberman. "We're creating games by choosing strong leaders, talented and experienced developers, and solid partners. This partnership with Bungie and Microsoft Game Studios is a piece of that puzzle and we hope it's the start of a long and fruitful relationship."

This down-to-earth approach has been a hallmark of Hoberman's success as the former Halo 2 and Halo 3 multiplayer team lead, where he initiated and oversaw the multiplayer gameplay, user interface, and online systems. Hoberman drove the invention of features like matchmaking and the party system that helped to make Halo 2 the most played game on Xbox Live for two straight years after its release in 2004, with a total of 800 million hours of Halo 2 played online to date.

After 10 years at Bungie, Hoberman is leaving in the wake of a remarkable string of achievements and maintains a strong relationship with the studio. He spent the first year and a half on Halo 3 developing a solid foundation for the multiplayer and online game, and building a team able to carry the project through to completion. "What we've accomplished with Halo 3 is extraordinary," he says. "Halo 2 turned the online world on its head, but Halo 3 is going to rip its head right off. I am proud of my contribution to the Halo series and have learned a lot from my friends at Bungie."

Certain Affinity is not releasing details yet on the game they are working on.

About Certain Affinity
Certain Affinity was founded in 2006 to make innovative action-oriented games set in immersive worlds. The studio is focused on creating original content and titles with top leadership talent, an experienced, professional team, and with strong partners. For more information about Certain Affinity, visit www.certainaffinity.com <http://www.certainaffinity.com/> , or email info@certainaffinity.com.

[Johan]

It's obviously going horribly and will suck. ;)

Oh, the hype...the hype around this game! Halo, Halo, Halo!

*I own both and enjoy both...for very different reasons*

[Klade]

Wait... a whole company to design multiplayer maps..

Back in the good ol' days internet geeks designed maps for free! And we walked in the snow up hill both ways to get to a lan party!

[JazGalaxy]

Apparently it's quite done as editors from various magazines have attested to playing it for numerous hours.

[Virac]

CERTAIN AFFINITY, INC. PARTNERS WITH MICROSOFT GAME STUDIOS TO DEVELOP HALO CONTENT
...

Founded by Max Hoberman, an industry veteran and former Halo 2 and Halo 3 multiplayer team lead, Certain Affinity is focused on creating top-tier games and content in an efficient, no-nonsense manner.

...


I'm guessing very badly... only reason why he would leave microsoft for less 'nonsense'

[Sinistar]

I wonder if this means the multiplayer design for Halo 3 is done? Either that or it's not going very well!

I was thinking the exact same thing.

[Roc Ingersol]

Wait... a whole company to design multiplayer maps..

Back in the good ol' days internet geeks designed maps for free! And we walked in the snow up hill both ways to get to a lan party!
This is Microsoft testing out Marketplace as a self-sufficient aftermarket.
Spin off a group to their own company (so your experiment doesn't bork with Halo3), and you can keep a close eye on the true ROI for map-packs.

I'm guessing very badly... only reason why he would leave microsoft for less 'nonsense'
Leave a position where he'd have been relatively insulated from MS on a daily basis, for a position where he'd be less insulated from MS on a daily basis?
who knows why he left - but it's highly doubtful that it's because he didn't like MS meddling with his work.

[bhaalchild]

I'm going to take a wait and see attitude with this and see what happens.

[Savok]

Considering he hasn't moved platforms, I wouldn't read too much into it.

[swillw]

"multiplayer maps for Halo 2, which will release this spring by Microsoft Game Studios exclusively for the Xbox 360."

Eh? A new Halo 2 multiplayer for Xbox 360. What's the point of that with Halo 3 round the corner. Perhaps I'm being thick?

That's not right is it?

[Borys]

Maybe he was sick of creating Halo maps?

[digitalErich]

Yeah, because any software project is doomed to fail if one person leaves :rolleyes:

[EGO]

Maybe he was sick of creating Halo maps?

So, a Level Designer leaves and the game's gonna fall apart?!?!

Plus, he's leaving to form a company to do more Halo maps! And it's funded by Microsoft! Just sounds like a guy who cut a sweet deal, to me. Get paid more to do what you were doing, but be your own boss (of course assuming all of the issues that come with running a company and all the failure/success too).

I don't see what's "bad" about this announcement.

[Hijinx]

"multiplayer maps for Halo 2, which will release this spring by Microsoft Game Studios exclusively for the Xbox 360."

Eh? A new Halo 2 multiplayer for Xbox 360. What's the point of that with Halo 3 round the corner. Perhaps I'm being thick?

That's not right is it?

Maybe with the success of the MLG on USA? They need more maps to play on. Oh yeah.....ATX in the Hizouse :cool:

[Mdot23]

http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?cid=9318

doesn't sound like it's bad for halo, considering it's the main story on bungie's page.

"I got the chance to return earlier this year while still continuing my work on Halo 3. I wrapped that work up fairly recently and since then I’ve been working on Halo 2 multiplayer maps."

wrapped up his work on halo 3. didn't abandon anything.

[Exodus]

and I don't know if I can't read but.. his company is still partnered with microsoft and bungie...

who knows, maybe this could be a lil thing, like a front for microsoft, this lil company releases maps... at a premium price, and the lil company will take the brunt if the prices suck ass, meh, it's all theory from here, good or bad, a company fully developing more content for triple A games can't be a bad thing.

Unless it feeds the ugly monster known as CS that is.

[bapenguin]

Maybe he was sick of creating Halo maps?

Except he left to form a company that will make Halo maps.

[DoubleUranium]

I actually see this as good news. I thought the Halo 2 multiplayer maps were terrible compared to the Halo 1 maps, so maybe there's still some hope left in me for Halo 3. I spent years of my life playing multiplayer Halo with friends, but Halo 2 left us all cold and unmotivated to play.

[Hellstorm]

Except he left to form a company that will make Halo maps.
Glutton for punishment.

[Wolvie]

I wonder if this means the multiplayer design for Halo 3 is done? Either that or it's not going very well!

God I hope your wrong, that would be the worst. Although after two fantastic Multiplayer games I don't think Bungie can make a bad multiplayer game. Check that, it's impossible. :D

[Goronmon]

Plus, he's leaving to form a company to do more Halo maps! And it's funded by Microsoft! Just sounds like a guy who cut a sweet deal, to me. Get paid more to do what you were doing, but be your own boss (of course assuming all of the issues that come with running a company and all the failure/success too).That's pretty much what I was thinking.

[F3nyx]

Plus, he's leaving to form a company to do more Halo maps! And it's funded by Microsoft! Just sounds like a guy who cut a sweet deal, to me. Get paid more to do what you were doing, but be your own boss (of course assuming all of the issues that come with running a company and all the failure/success too).

I don't see what's "bad" about this announcement.Yeah, I've been kind of :confused: about most of the replies in this thread. Doesn't quite count as jumping ship when he's still working for them.

[motor]

Wait... a whole company to design multiplayer maps..

Back in the good ol' days internet geeks designed maps for free! And we walked in the snow up hill both ways to get to a lan party!

It's only a company of 9 guys! The bigger question is, how in the world do they think they are going to be able to make a game (their other project) without hiring another 50 guys? The only options I can see are:

1) They still need to hire 10 more artists and they are making a pure mod of Halo 3 (as in, it is set in the halo universe and using the halo assets)
2) The need to hire 30 artists and another 5 programmers and they are making a game using the Halo 3 engine (still basically a mod, but in a differeent universe with pretty much the same gameplay as Halo 3).
3) They need to hire 50 artist and another 20 programmers and they are making their own game from scratch.

[temmink]

Wow, boy am I excited about this new company, because Halo multiplayer was incredibly innovative and original... sigh