[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] MangoMEAT [quote][b]Posted by:[/b] Darth Smasher Ok, I got on this forum specifically to discuss this topic. Question 1) Has EVERYONE with a widescreen tv experienced the pillarbox effect? Question 2) Has the issue been consistent, or have any of you experienced multiplayer without the pillarboxing? Question 3) Am I crazy? I swear that up until tonight, I was playing multiplayer on my 42 Samsung Plasma [i]without[/i] pillarbox! Someone please tell me I'm not insane! Notice I did not refer to the issue as a [i]problem[/i], but simply as an issue.....because it definitely is an issue![/quote] I thought I was crazy. I also believe that this problem showed up just the other day. This sucks!!!![/quote] Sorry guys, but when you do splitscreen with 2 people, the bars are there. Most of us have had this happening since day 1. you probably just haven't noticed. And Bungie talked about this on there 10/5 update: http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=12834 Pretty much what they said was "Tough -blam!-"

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] Darth Smasher Ok, I got on this forum specifically to discuss this topic. Question 1) Has EVERYONE with a widescreen tv experienced the pillarbox effect? Question 2) Has the issue been consistent, or have any of you experienced multiplayer without the pillarboxing? Question 3) Am I crazy? I swear that up until tonight, I was playing multiplayer on my 42 Samsung Plasma [i]without[/i] pillarbox! Someone please tell me I'm not insane! Notice I did not refer to the issue as a [i]problem[/i], but simply as an issue.....because it definitely is an issue![/quote] I thought I was crazy. I also believe that this problem showed up just the other day. This sucks!!!!

Ok, I got on this forum specifically to discuss this topic. Question 1) Has EVERYONE with a widescreen tv experienced the pillarbox effect? Question 2) Has the issue been consistent, or have any of you experienced multiplayer without the pillarboxing? Question 3) Am I crazy? I swear that up until tonight, I was playing multiplayer on my 42 Samsung Plasma [i]without[/i] pillarbox! Someone please tell me I'm not insane! Notice I did not refer to the issue as a [i]problem[/i], but simply as an issue.....because it definitely is an issue!

This needs to be fixed. This is the biggest let down in Halo 3 for me.

I'll keep it brief. I loaded up the game last night for the first time with my bro last night to play the campaign co-op on my 16:9 LCD. We were both shocked and outraged. Surely this is some bug. After reading this, I am MORE outraged. So Bungie is trying to say "with a 4:3 screen pillar boxed in a 16:9 screen, both player's viewable area is a perfect 16:9 window on top of each other". What a joke - so THEY are trying to convince that every single multoplayer game is wrong and only they do it right. This is so bunk, it is beyond belief. It's broken - plain and simple. I refuse to buy this "oh it's perfect 16:9 screen for each player" - I don't care if you change the horizontal field of view, or do some kind of stretch, but DON"T LEAVE EMPTY SCREEN SPACE. I'm a Quality Assurance Software Engineer, and if Halo 3 shipped under my watch like this, I would have quit. This is totally unacceptable. Release a patch with AT LEAST AT MINIMUM the option to take up my whole screen. I didn't pay two grand for a tv to have 50% of the pixels shooting black.

wtf are u talking about? Graphics are HD Halo2 - PERFECT. What else were u expecting? I think it looks great. I wish I could do split screen "|" way instead of "-" way. That would be awsome for hd tvs.

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] Aoi84 ...I haven't played multiplayer since that night, I refuse to. ... *grabs binoculars and goes back to playing multiplayer*[/quote] Conflict much? LoL just kidding. Point well received. Someone also mentioned Bungie considering this the best solution, or something to that regard. Lets be careful not to put words in anyone's mouths. I'm sure Bungie did what they wanted to do, for the varying reasons already discussed. I also find it odd people would prefer to lose in-game field of view over approx 25% of their physical screen space. To each their own I guess. While I don't suspect Bungie will do anything about this (I wouldn't if I were them), I feel they at least owe everyone a clear-cut response/clarification to the whole thing.

I gotta agree with you guys (after some-odd pages of gripes and retorts lol), I was pretty bummed to pop this into my 360, and load up a coop/multi match on my new HD Widescreen tv. I had quite a few people over for the event, and we all just kinda got quiet when the match started. I haven't played multiplayer since that night, I refuse to. I don't care that what I'm viewing is the correct ratio, full field of vision, and cleaner... Its the fact that I have to lean forward and squint to make sure I got a headshot. I expect to be at an inherented disadvantage splitting my screen to begin with, but it's just ridiculous. Personally, I'd rather be vertical with less FOV, at least I'll be able to see what's right in front of me. People have retorted against GoW since it's 3rd person, but being a huge Call of Duty, Rainbow Six, and Perfect Dark Zero fan, how can you retort that? I can still play competitively on those split screens (even if your peripheral's just slightly lessened)! Perhaps, since I'm making a point that I don't care about blades of grass and sand grain quality in HD, if playing multi, then I oughta just change to the lower setting, but why should I have to bother leaving my party and switching back to my correct settings every time I want to switch between single and multi--not to mention if I want to change games? So, in just falling in line with everybody else, I just want more screen options to be updated. If you like the black barred horizontal split, fine, it's already there for you. The point is, my (and apparently many other's) favorite settings aren't there without having to do a bunch of pre-game tinkering that the market baseline doesn't. *grabs binoculars and goes back to playing multiplayer*

Agreed please bungie give us the option

The fact that Bungie thinks that they've contructed the perfect solution scares me a little. So they're saying, even when "Halo 4" comes out this is the only solution. How about with "Halo 5"? Obviously this is a fixable issue because Bungie is the only company that suffers from this. I play Gears and Call of Duty and ANY other split screen 360 game and I don't notice any problems. I think Bungie is forgetting that the majority of players play split screen. Just because it is not a vocal crowd, it doesn't mean we should be ignored. Guys start another thread of something, get attention on the issue, let's do something!

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] I am Gravee whiney childish people: "Bungie, why???!" Bungie: "Because we said so." Good enough for me.[/quote] people like you (or more likely your parents) are why we're in Iraq.... Because we said so is definitely NOT good enough

Not me.

whiney childish people: "Bungie, why???!" Bungie: "Because we said so." Good enough for me.

they have they said it is the way they want it. It's crap but that is what they said [Edited on 10.04.2007 10:07 AM PDT]

Maybe they will address this Friday with their HALO 3 Ultra Q & A? I see several gamers have asked this already. This has really turned into a hotly-debated issue. I'm not even sure if this is something that can be fixed/changed with a patch? Are any of you technically savvy enough to speak on this? What can and can't be changed with a patch?

Bungie: Fix this rediculous issue NOW. Make it vertical, just do SOMETHING. This is unacceptable.

Just chiming in to say I hope this gets fixed really soon...they had it right with Halo 2 so it makes no sense that it's like this in Halo 3.

1) Halo3 isn't 16x9 ratio game it's 1152x640 or 9x5 2) Halo3 splitscreen doesn't make 2 16x9 ratio images as it should be 864x320 or 27x10 ratio boxes. 3) Burn-in can happen on any TV or monitor DLP or not, it's just a matter of time. 4) Right now were loosing 25% of our screens, which is uncalled for as Gears did it right. Just give us a bigger FOV, stretch, or vertical split. Some options would be nice.

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] TURTLE III [quote][b]Posted by:[/b] fatal 0Efx People concerned about burn in over black bars. Let me ask you this. Why are you not complaining about the static GUI components that are a part of your HUD? If you're concerned that you'll be playing long enough for the black bars to have burn in, what about the nice burn in you get from say, the outline of your Motion Tracker, for instance? [/quote] because plasma tvs have a process called "pixel shifting" that causes static areas to move around an unnoticeable amount to prevent burn in. However, you can't shift 10" bars on either side, therefore you will get burn in. [quote] have an additional comment about burn-in. Since many dismiss the potential burn in that WIDESCREEN MOVIES pose due to the same black bars[/quote] widescreen movies only last a couple of hours, and that isn't long enough to cause burn in. but when playing halo 3 for 6 hours or more (and who didn't play that long the day it came out?) burn in becomes a real factor.[/quote] You did read the article by Pioneer, yes? I'll quote a section in this article.

First, while image retention can occur in modern plasmas, the effect is temporary. After the 48-hour torture test, all three of the plasma TVs that were tested showed clearly visible images from the game menu, whereas none of the LCD or MD rearprojection- based sets showed any image retention. However, after regular video material (a DVD movie set to continuously loop) was played through the sets for 24 hours, the image completely disappeared from all three plasmas, leaving no trace. Unlike early generation plasmas, where those type of images would not go away and could actually "burn" onto the screen, modern plasma TVs enjoy a combination of more robust screen materials and subtle image-shifting technologies that have rendered this former issue moot.

I understand your point about image shifting, your argument really does not make sense to me. What exactly is your reasoning behind not being able to shift 10" black bars? I haven't really researched pixel-shifting and how it exactly works. I can only assume your argument is that the pixel-shifting done on 10" black bars is so minute, that any solid color shifting would basically be shifting to area that is already consumed by that same color, thereby no shift really happened. What was black, stayed black, ergo no change in color, thus producing potential for burn in. That concept has flaws. To be effective, it would have to base its claim that almost every individual pixel would have to essentially be different in color/tone/saturation. This is a huge flaw that would render the pixel-shifting useless for any picture that had any area, say arbitrarily, as big as 64 square pixels (8 x 8) of any solid color. This is a legitimately chance that this could quite feasibly happen. Based on the theory that colored pixels shifting slightly within this area would land them in an area of that exact same color, the pixel shift was pointless.. thereby causing potential for burn-in. Ultimately I think there is more to the pixel-shift that either you or I know, making it far more effective than we realize, even for black bar regions. Regardless of the pixel shift, per the article, any image retention that did happen, went away after those pixels were used more with other video mediums, i.e. TV/movies. If your TV is solely used for Halo3, then I guess you're screwed, unless you only play multiplayer, in which case who cares about burn in? You'd never see it cuz you're only playing halo3 multiplayer :). If you do use other mediums, then the burn-in should only be temporary. While agrivating, at least it's not a permanent issue that rendered your expensive TV useless. On a seperate argument, there has been long standing arguments about why plasma is not the technology we should embrace (potential for burn-in has always been a major factor). DLP never had burn-in issues. But plasma vs others is of course a debate for a different time.

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] denwpnikcuf The game wasn't created in 16:9 resolution but mine displays in 16x9 perfectly. 1080 at that, and it is beautiful.[/quote] really? H3 looks as jaggy as a saw for me on my HDMI link...

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] fatal 0Efx People concerned about burn in over black bars. Let me ask you this. Why are you not complaining about the static GUI components that are a part of your HUD? If you're concerned that you'll be playing long enough for the black bars to have burn in, what about the nice burn in you get from say, the outline of your Motion Tracker, for instance? [/quote] because plasma tvs have a process called "pixel shifting" that causes static areas to move around an unnoticeable amount to prevent burn in. However, you can't shift 10" bars on either side, therefore you will get burn in. [quote] have an additional comment about burn-in. Since many dismiss the potential burn in that WIDESCREEN MOVIES pose due to the same black bars[/quote] widescreen movies only last a couple of hours, and that isn't long enough to cause burn in. but when playing halo 3 for 6 hours or more (and who didn't play that long the day it came out?) burn in becomes a real factor.

The game wasn't created in 16:9 resolution but mine displays in 16x9 perfectly. 1080 at that, and it is beautiful.

Well said, rdeyoung, well said. I'd even settle for a vertical split option at this point.

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] rdeyoung [This top part was self-indulging :-) not anything wrong with it but yeah.] The Solution: ... or forced 16:9 during multiplayer or Co-Op. Just like halo 2. ...Please Update this issue. I think I speak for the majority of players out there- this should be a first if not second priority update. [/quote] Well see here's the thing. That smaller image you're getting in co-op [i]is[/i] 16:9 ratio. Extending it to cover the full screen as in the way you describe your 'classic' setting would mean not having the image in 16:9 mode. Too often 16:9 is misinterpreted to mean full screen. This just isn't so. It's a ratio to the number of pixels used horizontally vs. vertically. If Bungie increased the view to be full screen then they are leaving the 16:9 ratio which is what they wanted to avoid. To your plea for an update, I believe Bungie has said this isn't changing so I doubt its even a priority or being considered. [Edited on 10.03.2007 9:11 AM PDT]

Ok well I didnt read all 16 pages, because Im guessing everyone is having the same problem. But from the first 3 pages there seemed to be a mix of immature and mature responses. If youre going to be rude, dont post. Plain and simple. But Im going to try and formulate a response. Im a junior at Ringling College of Art and design in the computer animation department, and my future plan is to work for bungie. Ive been playin their games forever. So Im a HUGE fan of Halo. Before Halo 3 came out I recently purchased a 37" LCD HDTV 1080p. Upon recieving my Halo3 Legendary Edition, I immediately dived in and played campaign. Perfect, no problems. Then Played Co-Op. Horrible. I cant read the subtitles, and I cant tell what Grenade I have. As you said, It shrinks to a 4:3 instead of 16:9. This is the same for 2 player multiplayer and 3 player multiplayer. I havent tried 4 but Im sure its the same. This of course is an issue to hundreds if not thousands of players. If this was in beta-version, they should have addressed players who were disheartened by this feature and made an available :classic view: option in your Halo 3 screen settings. Its not that hard. Saying that, our school has a game area with a 62" Plasma that is also HDTV and 1080p. They were playing co-op and had NO SCALING PROBLEMS. Why? I asked them about my problem, and they said they have never had that problem. I dont understand? Bungie, I can understand youre trying to fix the viewing capabilities issue, but what about the people who dont have a 62" plasma? I have a 37" and its a problem. So far, this new "feature" (and a few menu features) has dwindled my experience of halo 3. Despite being busy with school, I dont really look forward to playing this game, because I enjoy playing it with other people. I dont want this to ruin the reputation of Halo or Bungie. There needs to be an address to the problem as soon as possible. Come out with a weekly update mentioning this, and that you are working on a solution, which honestly shouldnt be to difficult and shouldnt take to long. The Solution: Come out with an additional option in the SCREEN SETTINGS menu, besides brightness and subtitles (thats pretty weak if there are only 2 options); come out with an additional option under screen settings which lets you adjust your screen to something like "Classic" or "Default." Default would leave the screen settings the way Halo 3 came out with, and Classic would turn the screen to FULL, that is 16:9 during single player mode, or forced 16:9 during multiplayer or Co-Op. Just like halo 2. I dont think there was many complaints about the Horizontal screen settings in multiplayer or co-op in halo 2 as there is about the current screen settings in Halo 3. It was almost like you rushed it out before completing the setting options... Im not telling you Bungie that you suck, because that would be incorrect. I look up to all of you, you guys have a HUGE reputation. Please, Please - Please Update this issue. I think I speak for the majority of players out there- this should be a first if not second priority update.

:( this just sucks. I would hope they will think about fixing it so to say