Hired Gun
Encyclopedia
Hired Gun was a medium sized development team created internally within Microsoft Game Studios
, headed by project leader Jo Clowes. The team worked on the port of Halo 2
from its original Xbox
edition, to a new and improved Windows Vista
exclusive.
The team consisted of approximately 50 members, divided between port coding, the development of the map editor and new multiplayer maps, as well as software testing.
Their project, which became dubbed "Halo 2 Vista" or "H2V", was developed between early February 2006 and April 2007. Hired Gun provided patch support for the game up until October 2007, after which the team were dissolved and redistributed within Microsoft Game Studios
to work on other projects.
- A new Map Editor.
- Improvements to the game engine, e.g. ability to scale to higher resolutions and apply Anti Aliasing in-game.
- Addition of higher quality global texture compression, also and most notably the weapon textures from 256x256 pixel to 512x512 pixel texture sizes.
- Improvement to lighting environments, through recoding of the game into Shader Model 2.0.
- Integration of Games for Windows Live client into the game.
- Addition of Achievements to game, both in Campaign and Multiplayer.
- 2 exclusive new Multiplayer maps.
- Improved Heads-up display and menus.
Hired Gun showed off Halo 2 Vista at the Consumer Electronics Show
07, running the game across LAN
on multiple Dell
XPS 710 gaming computers. This earned the game a "Dell XPS Certified" http://www.fsinsider.com/news/PublishingImages/CertifiedlogoCMYK.png award, which can be seen on the back of all Halo 2 Vista game boxes.
Other high ranking members included; Jim Geist as Engineering Lead, Matt Van Gorder as Art & Design Lead, Evan Brandt & Domenic Keoplin as Test Leads and Matthew Priestley as the Producer.
Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Studios is the video game production wing for Microsoft, responsible for the development and publishing of games for the Xbox, Xbox 360, Games for Windows and Windows Phone platforms. They were established in 2002 as Microsoft Game Studios to coincide with the release of the Xbox, before...
, headed by project leader Jo Clowes. The team worked on the port of Halo 2
Halo 2
Halo 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie Studios. Released for the Xbox video game console on November 9, 2004, the game is the second installment in the Halo franchise and the sequel to 2001's critically acclaimed Halo: Combat Evolved...
from its original Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
edition, to a new and improved Windows Vista
Windows Vista
Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...
exclusive.
The team consisted of approximately 50 members, divided between port coding, the development of the map editor and new multiplayer maps, as well as software testing.
Their project, which became dubbed "Halo 2 Vista" or "H2V", was developed between early February 2006 and April 2007. Hired Gun provided patch support for the game up until October 2007, after which the team were dissolved and redistributed within Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Studios is the video game production wing for Microsoft, responsible for the development and publishing of games for the Xbox, Xbox 360, Games for Windows and Windows Phone platforms. They were established in 2002 as Microsoft Game Studios to coincide with the release of the Xbox, before...
to work on other projects.
Halo 2 for Windows Vista Project
For 'Halo 2 Vista', the team worked on a number of improvements to the game, including but not limited to:- A new Map Editor.
- Improvements to the game engine, e.g. ability to scale to higher resolutions and apply Anti Aliasing in-game.
- Addition of higher quality global texture compression, also and most notably the weapon textures from 256x256 pixel to 512x512 pixel texture sizes.
- Improvement to lighting environments, through recoding of the game into Shader Model 2.0.
- Integration of Games for Windows Live client into the game.
- Addition of Achievements to game, both in Campaign and Multiplayer.
- 2 exclusive new Multiplayer maps.
- Improved Heads-up display and menus.
Hired Gun Team
Jo Clowes was interviewed http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/action/halo2/video/6166931/halo-2-interview-1?tag=videos;title;6 by Gamespot at GDC in 2007, in regards to the new features in the game and its impending release.Hired Gun showed off Halo 2 Vista at the Consumer Electronics Show
Consumer Electronics Show
The International Consumer Electronics Show is a major technology-related trade show held each January in the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Not open to the public, the Consumer Electronics Association-sponsored show typically hosts previews of products and new...
07, running the game across LAN
Län
Län and lääni refer to the administrative divisions used in Sweden and previously in Finland. The provinces of Finland were abolished on January 1, 2010....
on multiple Dell
Dell
Dell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
XPS 710 gaming computers. This earned the game a "Dell XPS Certified" http://www.fsinsider.com/news/PublishingImages/CertifiedlogoCMYK.png award, which can be seen on the back of all Halo 2 Vista game boxes.
Other high ranking members included; Jim Geist as Engineering Lead, Matt Van Gorder as Art & Design Lead, Evan Brandt & Domenic Keoplin as Test Leads and Matthew Priestley as the Producer.