I could've sworn when MS announced the limited video support (WMV) for the 360 before its release, they provided a free tool to convert anything to WMV. I can't find it for the life of me.
When I Google for a free converter, all I get are frustrating trial versions or 'free' versions with malicious spyware in-tow. Everything else is $30! There must be something out there that's decent for free, no? What do you use?
I don't think the ending was meant to set up any future sequels - it was a brilliant way to and keep the universe alive in our imaginations. It would've been disgraceful to have a neat and tidy happy ending with a big parade on earth, and would've been depressing to kill off MC. This way, MC is alive and on his way to new adventures with Cortana.
I think the bigger reason for ending the triology is that Bungie reached the limits of the gameplay possibilities. They couldn't stray very far from traditional FPS or it wouldn't be "Halo". The problem is, FPS is getting stale - more games will be making the jump to a GoW-esque 3rd person approach. Bungie wants to branch out and innovate...
Some people call Forza 2 a sim, but its driving model just suck...
MyopicCanadian
Forza is a sim, and the most accurate driving sim on the planet at that. The physics are calculated at 120 frames per second and take into consideration EVERYTHING down to the wear and temperature of the tires(!) Don't call it crap just because it's too difficult for you.
PGR is a flashy arcade game with nice graphics - simple as that. If that's your cup of tea, more power to you.
Nothing drives like Forza - it just feels right. PGR physics are decent but feels muddy after getting used to Forza. You can adjust everything about the cars: front and rear downforce, camber, tire pressure, et al - all of which make a subtle but noticeable difference. You can mod cars with kits, custom rims, tires. The livery editor (decals and paint) gives you 1000 layers per side - just Google Forza 2 for some of the amazing artwork. There's a full-featured online auction house where you can buy and sell custom cars. Best-racing-game-ever. PGR4 = PGR3 + weather and half-baked motorcycles. Did I mention NOTHING drives like Forza? ;-)
Half-Life 2 PC: story, characters (Alyx and Dog esp.), environments (best evar), gameplay (physics puzzles, gravity gun), graphics and physics (raised the bar at that time), and above all...atmosphere (Ravenholm esp.) Here's hoping Bioshock dethrones it...
I've only played PGR3 before this, and though I liked it, it never really settled in as one of my favorites. FORZA on the other hand is absolute bliss. One thing that I haven't heard marketed much is the whole RPG feel of the campaign - absolutely genius - totally sucks you in. You pick a region of origin which comes into play as you purchase parts and new cars. As you beat each "challenge" (series of races) you win a new car - that car may or may not be needed for a race you have yet to unlock. You level-up (of course) but so do your cars, making them more valuable and elligble for the latter 'professional' races. Tweaking your car with upgrades and performance tuning becomes it's own addicting mini-game. Then there's the whole paint/decal (livery) editor which has spawned its own micro-community. (and online Auction House, photo gallery, etc....)
Even thought the reviews are favorable, I don't think Forza has truly been appreciated for how deep and rich (and long) the experience is. It seems crazy to compare it to something like Oblivion, but that's how I look at it - I wish I was home playing right now!
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