343, Y Can't I Play The Maps That I Paid For?

Games Other Halo
#1

I bought the Limited Edition of Halo 4 at the very beginning with the intent to play all the DLC maps in matchmaking. I don’t use my mic at all, which means I usually don’t party up with people who have the DLC for this game. I’m sure there are tons of other people like myself who would rather just play solo and not talk to anyone, that’s fine, now here’s the problem. I don’t understand why I can’t just be matched with players who have the DLC like I do. I can’t even tell how many times I play the SAME EXACT MAPS over and over again no matter which playlist it is. This has not changed ever since the game was released in the beginning and I’ve put a lot of hours into playing Halo 4 and I’m starting to feel kind of bored with the same repetitive maps, and the ugly “forge-like” ones.

I took a 6 month break from Halo 4. I heard about the Champions Bundle 3 months after it was released. I decided to buy it the other day and also put $10 for 1 month of Xbox Live like I always do. I figured that maybe during those 6 months that I haven’t played, maybe 343 did some fixing and implemented the DLC maps into all the matchmaking playlists. I was wrong about that idea. When I check the playlist page here on Waypoint I always check which maps are being put into each of the different playlists. No matter how many games I play, still, from the day Halo 4 was released till now; I am always playing the same old maps and never any of the DLC I was hoping to play. Only way I can is if there’s a DLC playlist which I don’t understand why 343 needs to keep taking it in and out of the playlists.

Here’s the list of maps that I keep getting stuck with, no matter which playlists. I feel I would have been better off flushing all the money I put on Halo down the toilet. I bought a $300 Xbox 360 just to play the Halo games plus more money for Xbox Live and the result I get is no variety of different maps in Halo anymore. I think when I bought my 360 I was thinking the “Halo 2 mentality” of having that same fun and enjoyable experience that was once Halo before. But I guess I didn’t realize how much Halo has really changed all these years. Don’t get me wrong, Halo 4 is a great game and I do like it but I shouldn’t have to pay for these maps and get matched with players who don’t have them at all.

I think Halo 3 and Reach is the same way because I have all the maps for those games too, but never get to play them.

Here’s a list of maps on Halo 4 I have played more times than I should be…

-Exile
-Longbow
-Ragnarok
-Vortex
-Meltdown
-Haven
-Adrift
-Abandon
-Solace
-Complex
-Shatter
-Ugly Forge Maps

Here’s what I want to see…

-Monolith
-Skyline
-Pitfall
-Vertigo
-Wreckage
-Harvest
-Landfall
-Daybreak
-Perdition
-Outcast

#2

>

I bought the Majestic and Bullseye map packs (played others at friends and was pretty disgusted at all maps par perdition) and outside of their specific playlists I have barely played them. Its a shame also because even in their playlist they launched with i barely got to play anything other than Skyline and Pitfall (I think I have a total of 2-3 games on Vertigo).

#3

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Because they ripped you off.

#4

>

To be ripped off, you have to be denied access completely, which isn’t happenning since the maps are still available in Forge and customs. Not to mention that nowhere in either the map pack description or the XBL terms and conditions does it state anywhere that you are guaranteed to play any DLC in online multiplayer.

OT, I play them semi-regularly (maybe 3 in 10 games) on my main account. The key is to party up with other DLC owners to get more of a chance of being matched against other parties of DLC owners. Thats what I do and it works.

#5

I don’t want to play them in forge and customs, I want to play them in multiplayer. And they show up once every 100 games.

#6

Halo 4’s matchmaking system will only allow DLC maps if everyone in the match has them. Due to how not only is the population low, but also how the DLC is poorly marketed, this is a rare occurance.

Despite the obvious difficulties, it is possible to increase your chances of playing on DLC maps. In the rare event that DLC maps appear on the voting list, prefer each player in the match. This will increase your chances of being paired with people who own the DLC, and will increase your chances of playing on the DLC.

And for those who state that “343i doesn’t care”. You’re wrong.

Not too long ago, 343i made Infinity Slayer require the Majestic Map Pack, which is considered by many as the best DLC in the game. As a consequence of this decision, the population plummeted when many people discovered that they couldn’t play on their favorite playlist without paying a small fee of $10. However, despite the fact that Infinity Slayer is no longer DLC-required, it just shows that 343i was willing to sacrifice so much to let us play what we paid for.

#7

Can’t they implement something like that again? Leave the current Team Slayer playlist and create another TS playlist that requires DLC. I came back from a break and was sour when I saw that Infinity Slayer required DLC, so I just played a lot of CTF. Now that I have DLC, I wish they would bring that playlist back… lol.

I think I’ve played Pitfall twice in matchmaking. Other than that, still haven’t seen Vertigo, Skyline, Monolith, Landfall. (outside of creating a custom game)

#8

I played Vertigo for the first (and probably last) time last week. It was awesome while it lasted…

#9

I don’t have the DLC but I feel bad for you guys. I’m surprised that 343i hasn’t created some sort of slayer or moshpit playlist that requires all DLC. They don’t seem to be very sharp about playlist consolidation. Never had this problem on the old Halo 2 and Halo 3 because those games were so much more popular that the player base was huge and they were willing to pay for maps. But now with such a small player base, and a casual player base at that, this is the hole that they have dug for themselves.

#10

You ___.

  1. Buy all DLC regardless
  2. Bought the DLC and are frustrated
  3. Have not bought DLC b/c of how it has been handled
  4. Never buy DLC

A ‘temporary’ team slayer DLC requirement changes nothing.

A ‘permanent’ team slayer DLC requirement makes 1-3 extremely happy. It makes 4 buy the DLC to play a game they love, play other playlists or move on.

So overall it’s a pretty good thing ‘right now’. Less people would be on but not nearly as few as the temp of course (shouldn’t have to explain the logic behind that).

More importantly, it makes the game more entertaining for ALL people that play AND it makes it better for the new comers that jump in (at this point with GOTY of course).

So over time, which a year is a long time, Halo 4 would be a ‘better game’. I would bet the way they handled the DLC has lost far more people, short and long term, than a ‘permanent’ requirement would ultimately.

Also… look at what we’re talking about. Think about it. Let it all sink in.

It just makes sense is all.

#11

I can understand all the issues regarding DLC but the facts remain as follows:

  1. Many of US bought the DLC at launch with the season pack.

  2. We had no idea how badly implemented it would be by the parties involved. Regardless, it’s not OUR fault.

  3. WE now have items installed and fully paid for that can no longer enjoy at any given time considering the way the matchmaking system works.

So my question is very, very simple: Is it so hideously expensive or time consuming to create a DLC exclusive playlist, just so that those of us that have the maps can actually play the maps even if only there’s 20 of us there at any given time?

#12

I bought the Map Pass and the Champion’s Bundle and played all of the DLC maps plenty of times when their respective playlists were available, even earning all of the DLC achievements. I have no regrets.

#13

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you people are little scab minions of 343, this guys post is more valid than anything ive seen all day. why are the maps still for sale if they arent gonna let us play matchmaking on them and get the achievements we paid for to get. Not a constructive post!? HA! who do you people think you are? i think its extremly constructive and nobody likes you people. we might play the game, but you 343/bungie people on a power trip 24/7 talking down to everyone you come across is pathetic. and the fact you cant put a simple dlc playlist and leave it there is pathetic. if we wanted to sit here and play custom games we wouldnt pay for xbox live. i spit at you.

#14

I will say that it is bit frustrating not being able to play on DLC maps paid for. I for one am of the mind that there needs to be a DLC specific playlist. Yes, map sizes vary widely so some DLC maps may be better than others depending on party size.

So I’d suggest a Team Slayer DLC playlist and a BTB DLC playlist.

The maps for each would breakdown as follows:

Team Slayer DLC (4v4):
-Monolith
-Skyline
-Pitfall
-Vertigo
-Landfall
-Daybreak

BTB DLC (8v8):
-Wreckage
-Harvest
-Perdition
-Outcast
-Shatter

Broken up like this, there is a good distribution of maps per playlist. Of the ones I put in for Team Slayer DLC, only Landfall is a bit big for 4v4. However, it’s been used for such already, so people are fairly used to it.

The BTB DLC maps are the biggest of the 11 DLC maps. While a couple of them may seem a bit tight for 8v8, they are definitely a bit too big for 4v4. Now if BTB DLC were actually 6v6 then all of those I put in that list would definitely work.

Regardless, population is low. So how do we get these two playlists without affecting the regular population much?

Consolidate the current playlists a little. We need to have Team Objective again. CTF needs to go into that playlist. It will be the big draw for that one. Then add in Oddball, Regicide, and King of the Hill. With those others also having commendations attached to them, it makes sense to have them in a unified Team Objective playlist. I’d MUCH prefer that than a rotational playlist that comes around every few months.

One thing is for certain, if there isn’t something done to better manage DLC maps, the next game’s DLC sales will suffer GREATLY. I’ve already had many friends tell me they aren’t going to buy DLC for the next game because of the issues with DLC in Halo 4.

I for one look forward to new maps, so not having DLC in the next Halo game is NOT an option for me. However, if the franchise is going to flourish, DLC must be handled much better.

#15

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im glad there is still Halo 2 on PC. thats still better than anything the future of 343 can give us. and thats the truth and you know it. but theyre too arrogant to change their ways. they think all wrong. thats why nobody plays Halo 4 anymore. its not the Game its self it the people running it. youre all idiots and youre ruining the franchise. and everyone hates you.

#16

Any players out there who have all the DLC feel free to add me on Xbox Live (MadMike1089)

#17

> This post has been edited by a moderator. Please do not flame or attack other members.
>
>
> *Original post. Click at your own discretion.
> <mark>im glad there is still Halo 2 on PC</mark>. thats still better than anything the future of 343 can give us. and thats the truth and you know it. but theyre too arrogant to change their ways. they think all wrong. <mark>thats why nobody plays Halo 4 anymore</mark>. its not the Game its self it the people running it. youre all idiots and youre ruining the franchise. and <mark>everyone hates you</mark>.

  1. Too bad when Games for Windows Live gets pulled and shut down July 1st 2014 that no games for Windows will be supported, including Halo 2 Vista. Then what will you do?

  2. Strange. You say nobody plays, yet I find a game in under a minute every time I play, guaranteed. Therefore people must be playing the game.

  3. I personally think 343 are doing a great job seeing as this is their first complete Halo game. Sure they had control of Reach for its last year before Halo 4, but that game was broken from the start anyway, and they did everything possible to fix it as best they could.

Like I said in my previous comment, I play the DLC semi regularly by partying up with other DLC owners. I get a decent amount of playtime on them, although I can see where others are coming from. At least 1 DLC playlist could be added on a monthly ( or even fortnightly) basis, alternating from small maps to large maps each time. A few Forge Island variants could also be added to mix thing up a little, since it is a DLC map. I’m honestly surprised Forge Island hasn’t been made a requirement for all playlists yet, specially since its free.

#18

When Halo 4 first came out, everyone that got it payed at least $60 for it, many of us much more than that.

People who buy it now pay less, yet get pretty much all of the DLC with it for free.

My question is, why can’t the DLC just become free and mandatory in order to play matchmaking? Seriously, anyone who buys the game right now pays less than those who got it when it was released, yet they get the maps. If 343 is serious about giving us the best, why not make the maps free for all so we can all enjoy them?

Just my idea.

(In the future, I believe all DLC should be free as a tribute to the fans)

#19

> When Halo 4 first came out, everyone that got it payed at least $60 for it, many of us much more than that.
>
> People who buy it now pay less, yet get pretty much all of the DLC with it for free.
>
> My question is, why can’t the DLC just become free and mandatory in order to play matchmaking? Seriously, anyone who buys the game right now pays less than those who got it when it was released, yet they get the maps. If 343 is serious about giving us the best, why not make the maps free for all so we can all enjoy them?
>
> Just my idea.
>
> (<mark>In the future, I believe all DLC should be free as a tribute to the fans</mark>)

This has nothing to do with 343. Its Microsoft’s policy that any DLC with tied achievements cannot be free (with the exception of a few games, where the DLC was made free before the updated policy took effect). 343 can’t do anything about this, since they are just a development team and have nothing to do with Xbox Live outside creating games.

#20

can they just make a separate playlist? i spent 25$ with the intent to play them in multiplayer. I know it said “no refunds” before i purchased it, but I’m sure there could be legal precedent set here in not making these maps more accessible to players who have payed to play these maps in multiplayer.