Bungie confirms X-button functionality
by Justin McElroy 
{ Apr 14th 2007 at 5:40PM }
Frankie also dismisses worries of the bubble shield unbalancing gameplay as he emphasizes how rare equipment will be on the battlefield. So you can put your dreams of building a bubble shield fort back in your fan fiction where it belongs. There's also a heaping portion of the requisite undermining of all the video you've seen so far and reminders of how much better everything is in the game's current build, which will hopefully hold true when we see for ourselves in May.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Tyler @ Apr 14th 2007 5:45PM
The third item is the hover thing. It's seen in the video, but only once.
http://gamevideos.com/video/id/10690
Watch that, people of Joystiq.
Mr Khan @ Apr 14th 2007 5:47PM
meh, in and of itself its kind of anticlimactic
The items themselves are whats newsworthy, but i see no reason why they had to keep "it uses items" from us for so long, they should've just created a lot of buzz about new items instead
(me like bubble shield)
thatpspkid @ Apr 14th 2007 6:31PM
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't belive this. this is so unbelievably awesome... Feel the power of the X button. I can't wait to hear the big news of what the X button will do in Mass Effect. SO CRAZZYYY!!!
LOL whatever...
Twist @ Apr 14th 2007 6:36PM
Balancing the bubble shield should be pretty easy. They can do things like making it so that you can't attack opponents outside of the shield while you are in it or they can make it last only so long or only absorb so much damage before it burns out. I think it will actually improve the game-play by giving players more strategic options and it should help negate the unbalanced weapons/weapon combos somewhat. And a game-play type where everyone spawns with one could be interesting.
Lewis @ Apr 14th 2007 6:50PM
gimme GoW2 now
degree @ Apr 14th 2007 7:05PM
bubble shield??! thats really stupid.
Slappy402 @ Apr 14th 2007 6:54PM
If the equipment is as rare as he says, then I'd quite frankly like to have the X button be reload again and the Equipment thing can be something else.
Bradley G. @ Apr 14th 2007 7:04PM
WHO CAREZ!!
Bradley G. @ Apr 14th 2007 7:04PM
You're just overhyping an overrated videogame(and franchise)
GaryM @ Apr 14th 2007 7:07PM
Slow news day?
Nin10dude @ Apr 14th 2007 7:08PM
Only Halo fans would get hyped over what one freaking button does...
Lord Chako @ Apr 14th 2007 7:25PM
You can always tell when school isn't in session.
FrankTheCrank @ Apr 14th 2007 7:28PM
Are you F-ing serious???
OH MY GOD!! I JUST WET MY PANTS!!!
THIS IS SO L33T cool. My GOD!
SNOOZEBOX360 RULZ!
Grant @ Apr 14th 2007 7:53PM
Theres a reason they released this on tuesday, because this is tuesday quality filler news.
*Yawn*
The 84th @ Apr 14th 2007 7:53PM
dont have a 360, isnt that the controller link button / power button... and really if its used for equip, its just another button, why the hell is this something to turn into a news story. or any story.
maylon @ Apr 14th 2007 8:00PM
8. You're just overhyping an overrated videogame(and franchise)
You have taught me the error of my ways, the Halo franchise is overrated and I will cease playing it immediatley.
thatpspkid @ Apr 14th 2007 8:54PM
WTF, did the pic just change?
Stupidiot @ Apr 14th 2007 9:08PM
I noticed the transforming picute, too...
Bradley G. @ Apr 14th 2007 9:08PM
16
th flame wars have begun and i'm the victim :(
vR @ Apr 14th 2007 9:19PM
I hate to agree with "slow news day" folk, but seriously... isn't there some kind of editor over there that screens these articles before they go live?
Strike Man @ Apr 14th 2007 9:14PM
"17. WTF, did the pic just change?"
The original picture was of the 360's "guide" button on the controller. While it also has an "X" design on it, having that picture attached to this article would've somewhat implied that Bungie was referring to THAT "X" button.
Kamizar @ Apr 14th 2007 9:15PM
They changed it cause they had the wrong picture up...
Lekko @ Apr 14th 2007 9:27PM
I wonder what other buttons you can use... maybe the trigger buttons "shoot".
mark @ Apr 14th 2007 9:28PM
"They changed it cause they had the wrong picture up..."
...i'm pretty sure they had it like that intentionally, mainly because it was a more interesting and appealing picture, and replaced it because of comments like this.
"dont have a 360, isnt that the controller link button / power button... and really if its used for equip, its just another button, why the hell is this something to turn into a news story. or any story."
Yourself @ Apr 14th 2007 9:30PM
lol
Imadogg99 @ Apr 14th 2007 9:38PM
Damn you comment! I liked the other awesome pic way better, why did you have to get confused other guy!?!?
ill trooper @ Apr 14th 2007 9:39PM
quick, hit the 'Bubble Tea' button
Kevin @ Apr 14th 2007 9:59PM
Welcome to the next generation of gaming.
Triforceowner @ Apr 14th 2007 10:11PM
Frankie: Hey Guys, guess what, there will be a new feature in Halo that will be really fun.
HaloFan: Really, I can't wait to have fun.
Frankie: The new feature is deploying equipment that swaps up gameplay, is fun, and keeps the matches and strategy fresh.
HaloFan: Sounds like fun.
Noob: Halo sucks, the X Button sucks, this news sucks, LOLROFTLOL!!!!11one
That is basically what just happened... Seriously, let the Halo fans (including myself) have our fun.
Thrawn @ Apr 17th 2007 12:05PM
This is completely reminiscent of when Capcom hinted at the use of the 'R' button for the SNES port of Street Fighter II.
dsub @ Apr 14th 2007 10:45PM
hmmm...
let's see. this is a video game site right?
one of the most popular and best selling games is Halo right?
Halo 3 is without question the most anticipated release of the upcoming year right?
So, based on these facts and the fact that many people who frequent this site likely play Halo on a regular basis and are eagerly awaiting the release of Halo 3, doesn't this count as news?
I mean, people on here bitching and moaning that this "isn't worthy news" really must have NOTHING better to do. What? do you actually sit in front of your PC all day refreshing joystiq constantly in hopes of seeing a news story that interests you? If the story doesn't interest you, then don't comment.
Your whining is the equivalent of some idiot criticizing ESPN for doing a story on a rule change in the NFL and calling it "not newsworthy" just because he doesn't watch football and is a fan of basketball instead.
Get it? I hope so.
Rob Accomando @ Apr 14th 2007 10:56PM
I don't get it. What's the big deal about a games use of a certain button?
Xavier Smith @ Apr 14th 2007 10:57PM
I'd say GTA IV is more anticipated, or it is by me at least. But hey, whatever.
maylon @ Apr 14th 2007 11:00PM
Tell it like it is dsub. The amount of energy it takes these idiots to complain could have been spent,oh, I don't know, maybe playing the games they do like?
Funny thing is, when you really think about the fact that they clicked on a link to a game that they find "overrated", it instantly reveals them as a flaming troll, and they live for responses just like the ones we are leaving.........doh!
Kritz @ Apr 14th 2007 11:00PM
old news is ooold
Dan peters @ Apr 14th 2007 11:31PM
Just because you think Wii bowling is the pinnacle of the videogame artform doesnt mean you are the only type of gamer out there. Please keep your irrational fanboy rage to yourself.
nate @ Apr 14th 2007 11:51PM
Dan Peters...you quite possibly made the best comment ever...thank you kind sir
The 84th @ Apr 15th 2007 12:09AM
yah, im the one that thought they were referring to the other x button, now that i see its the standard x button they are talking about, WHY THE HELL IS THIS A STORY IN ANY WAY!!?? at least with the mistake i made it would have been kind of different, this is absolutely pointless.
Mr Khan @ Apr 15th 2007 12:31AM
You can't say its unquestionably the biggest release of the year
between this game, MGS4, Brawl, GTAIV, (possibly) RE5, and Super Mario Galaxy, its hard to tell who is on top
2007 = epic year for games
Finite @ Apr 15th 2007 12:34AM
Oh, come on guys...
The story isn't about the use of a button, it's about revealing the new, gameplay altering feature attached to the button. They're revealing an aspect of the game which has been (arguably) kept hidden till recently.
So stop with the talk about how a button doesn't mean anything or that the news is pointless and cary on if it doesn't interest you. This IS news to some, so don't try to ruin their time by throwing insults everywhere.
Negativecool @ Apr 15th 2007 12:45AM
Let me also jump on the all the needless negative feedback bandwagon for no reason...thusly,
Oh...my....god...Halo 3 will take advantage of the...*gasp* X BUTTON!!!!!!!!!!! The next generation has TRULY arrived folks. What Microsoft has done with the 360 is truly inspiring. What can they POSSIBLY think of next?! A controller that utilizes player movement?.....oh wait.
nate @ Apr 15th 2007 2:02AM
nice job listing 4 games that have a very unlikely release date of this year Mr Khan, gta is the ONLY definite....
Bangbang... @ Apr 15th 2007 2:24AM
Nate:
I also find it funny that of the 4 listed game, only the GTA series has outsold Halo.So Halo would still be a bigger release than those games. Though Super Mario Galaxy may outsell Halo 3 due to the fact that it's the only next gen game on the wii:~)
sorry if this double posts
vR @ Apr 15th 2007 2:31AM
Wah wah wah, dsub, you're worse than the whiners. What an idiotic analogy you make! Here's a better equivalent: "This just in! Kobe will be wearing BLUE socks for the foreseeable future!" Bitching and moaning? Most people commenting negatively spent all of 2 sentences commenting on it.
Get it? Probably not. Moron.
E.J. @ Apr 15th 2007 3:19AM
vR, you just victimized yourself by your own comment.
Bitching about a comment /with/ a comment?
dsub actually made a very valid point in his comment.
Get it? Probably not, cuz you're the moron.
Grant @ Apr 15th 2007 3:33AM
the point is this:
joystiq had a story on the vid doc,
the vid doc showed the equiptment button in use,
everyone assumed that was what it did,
and now bungie is confirming, for the 3 people who have trouble drawing a straight line from point A to point B, that the x button does in fact do what every other person on teh interweb already concluded.
joystiq is announcing the confirmation about something they already reported on and everyone already figured out.
That, folks, is not news.
but it's nice to know the halo hype train will no longer get to use it's "mystery button" tactic for fuel.
I just want a great game, and for bungie to stop getting their jollies by toying with gamers.
Kelvin @ Apr 15th 2007 3:46AM
"You can't say its unquestionably the biggest release of the year
between this game, MGS4, Brawl, GTAIV, (possibly) RE5, and Super Mario Galaxy, its hard to tell who is on top"
Fair point but...
Rockstar are the only developers that keep to their stated release dates most of the time, Mario WILL be delayed again, I can bet a million dollars on it, MGS4 has a very shaky release date especially with the little actual information available, its not impossible but highly unlikely, RE5 Moved from 07 to 08 back to 07 so who knows, Brawl is already confirmed for 08, and that leaves Halo 3 which looks like its right on course for its fall launch.
The last two halo games sales combined outsold the last two games for the other respective franchises (except GTA), even while it was on a console which had one of the lowest possible userbase to appeal to.
Halo 2 is still the most played online game on xbox live, which consists of 360 games/gamers.
Halo 2 metacritic is 94/95 (Can not remember exactly) and Halo 1 is like 97.
Therefore anything halo related is newsworthy.
If you don't like it. DEAL WITH IT.
Dsub made it clear now i'm making it clearer.
So stop the whining.
Yourself @ Apr 15th 2007 4:05AM
I mean, this isn't the time or place for this, but (I'm not saying everyone agrees on this) but the Halo series is often seen in "most overrated games of all time" lists. It got great reviews, yeah, there's nothing terrible about it, it's just average. Most Halo fans that I've seen aren't really FPS players, and pretty much none of them have touched PC gaming. Halo being considered an all-time great is the same as Goldeneye 64.
Is this a hyped release, and is it surprising that the function of one button is news? Yes, no. Most anticipated release of 2007? That seems to imply more than hype. So no. Probably that award would go to Crysis or Galaxy.
Covert @ Apr 15th 2007 5:50AM
@Grant
news (nūz, nyūz) pronunciation
pl.n. (used with a sing. verb)
1.
1. Information about recent events or happenings, especially as reported by newspapers, periodicals, radio, or television.
2. A presentation of such information, as in a newspaper or on a newscast.
The fact the X Button and what it does is information and the fact this article presents this information makes it... well whatdya know, news.
Steve @ Apr 15th 2007 7:05AM
Who cares?
Talk about overhyped......