A Letter From The Competitive Community

Games Other Halo
1

Dear 343,

As a competitive player I am both excited and terrified about Halo 4. Excited because it is a new game in my favorite franchise, and terrified because of some of these new features you have chosen to add.

You say there will be sprint, custom loadouts, some sort of abilities, and a progression system. Though I don’t mind any of these being a part of Halo, what I do mind is this replacing the Halo we love.

Now I’m more open minded than many of the folks on these forums. They hear these changes and they instantly begin addressing their concerns. Sometimes they present their concerns in a way that may be a little over the top, but they have a point.

They are scared. They are afraid of losing the Halo that they love.

This is your game 343. You have made your decision on how to move the franchise and though it sounds bad for the competitive side of things, we will see it through. All we ask is that you don’t forget us.

Don’t forget the players that have been here from the beginning. Don’t forget us that worked years on perfecting our techniques and developing our skill. Don’t forget the players that are going to be here 3 years from now still playing your game while the others moved on and discarded it.

343, I know you care. if you didn’t then you wouldn’t have returned our BR. You wouldn’t have worried about making the maps competitive, and you wouldn’t have fixed the bloom for us. But you have to realize that even with these additions, which we are grateful for, we can not play the Halo we want to play with loadouts, a progression system, and balance changing abilities.

343, we want Halo 4 more than anybody. The competitive community has been waiting for its next game for 5 years, because Reach didn’t do it for us.

We know you won’t change the events you have already set in motion. We realize now that Halo 4 will add these things and we can’t undo that. And its ok. Make your progression system. Make your loadouts. Make your abilities. And make the game you want to make, but don’t forget us.

Halo 4 has to be for us just as much if not more than the casual group you seem to be trying to cater to. So if you do those things for them. Do this for us

Features for the Competitive community

  • A competitive ranking system. ( Halo 2/3)

  • non progression system playlists where everyone starts equally and all abilities and loadouts are not available. If armor does in fact change your character then those peices will be changed to cosmetic only and will lose their bonuses. If any, all equipment/abilities become pick ups.

  • Make all your new features optional. I don’t want to be forced to sprint in my custom games and I don’t want my armor to always have an impact in them either. In our own games allow us to dictate if all these changes are turned on or off.

  • For the love of god don’t make sprint a standard feature. please we beg you.

  • A ranked, classic playlist. We want an environment just like classic Halo. No gimmicks, no abilities. Just our guns, grenades, and our skill. Also make it a ranked playlist so that it gets the respect it deserves.

  • Provide options for MLG. The guys over there are smart. They will be able to make a super competitive area for Halo 4 as long as you give the options to tweak everything. if you force sprint, abilities, and custom loadouts then MLG will not be able to make the ultimate competitive environment we crave.

  • Feature multiple competitive playlists. Don’t just shaft us and say ok heres a ranked slayer and a classic playlist and thats all you get. Give us at least FFA, classic, TS, Team Objective, Team Doubles, and some other stuff. Really 343, we want to play the game too. We don’t want to feel like the part of the game we play isn’t important. Make the competitive side of the game just as important as the new side of the game.

please do this for us 343. I have no doubt this new progression based system you have will be fun in its own right and its great that you are willing to take risks and add things that change it up and provide a fresh new way to play the game. But don’t replace the old way. Don’t replace the way that made Halo popular in the first place. Give us the game we’ve always dreamed of. Do this, because you love us. And we will always love you back.

Those who wish to voice their opinion on this matter please do so in the comments. Thank the post if you agree, and if you feel like I missed something I may add your ideas to main post.

Thank you all, and thank you 343.

2

> Dear 343,
>
> As a competitive player I am both excited and terrified about Halo 4. Excited because it is a new game in my favorite franchise, and terrified because of some of these new features you have chosen to add.
>
> You say there will be sprint, custom loadouts, some sort of abilities, and a progression system. Though I don’t mind any of these being a part of Halo, what I do mind is this replacing the Halo we love.
>
> Now I’m more open minded than many of the folks on these forums. They hear these changes and they instantly begin addressing their concerns. Sometimes they present there concerns in a way that may be a little over the top, but they have a point.
>
> They are scared. They are afraid of losing the Halo that they love.
>
> This is your game 343. You have made your decision on how to move the franchise and though it sounds bad for the competitive side of things, we will see it through. All we ask is that you don’t forget us.
>
> Don’t forget the players that have been here from the beginning. Don’t forget us that worked years on perfecting our techniques and developing our skill. Don’t forget the players that are going to be here 3 years from now still playing your game while the others moved on and discarded it.
>
>
> 343, I know you care. if you didn’t then you wouldn’t have returned our BR. You wouldn’t have worried about making the maps competitive, and you wouldn’t have fixed the bloom for us. But you have to realize that even with these additions, which we are grateful for, we can not play the Halo we want to play with loadouts, a progression system, and balance changing abilities.
>
>
> 343, we want Halo 4 more than anybody. The competitive community has been waiting for its next game for 5 years, because Reach didn’t do it for us.
>
>
> We know you won’t change the events you have already set in motion. We realize now that Halo 4 will add these things and we can’t undo that. And its ok. Make your progression system. Make your loadouts. Make your abilities. And make the game you want to make, but don’t forget us.
>
> Halo 4 has to be for us just as much if not more than the casual group you seem to be trying to cater to. So if you do those things for them. Do this for us
>
>
> Features for the Competitive community
>
>
> - A competitive ranking system. ( Halo 2/3)
>
> - non progression system playlists where everyone starts equally and all abilities and loadouts are not available. If armor does in fact change your character then those peices will be changed to cosmetic only and will lose there bonuses. If any, all equipment/abilities become pick ups.
>
> - Make all your new features optional. I don’t want to be forced to sprint in my custom games and I don’t want my armor to always have an impact in them either. In our own games allow us to dictate if all these changes are turned on or off.
>
> - For the love of god don’t make sprint a standard feature. please we beg you.
>
> - A ranked, classic playlist. We want an environment just like classic Halo. No gimmicks, no abilities. Just our guns, grenades, and our skill. Also make it a ranked playlist so that it gets the respect it deserves.
>
> - Work with MLG. The guys over there are smart. They will be able to make a super competitive area for Halo 4 as long as you give the options to tweak everything. if you force sprint, abilities, and custom loadouts then MLG will not be able to make the ultimate competitive environment we crave.
>
> - Feature multiple competitive playlists. Don’t just shaft us and say ok heres a ranked slayer and a classic playlist and thats all you get. Give us at least FFA, classic, TS, Team Objective, Team Doubles, and some other stuff. Really 343, we want to play the game too. We don’t want to feel like the part of the game we play isn’t important. Make the competitive side of the game just as important as the new side of the game.
>
>
>
>
> please do this for us 343. I have no doubt this new progression based system you have will be fun in its own right and its great that you are willing to take risks and add things that change it up and provide a fresh new way to play the game. But don’t replace the old way. Don’t replace the way that made Halo popular in the first place. Give us the game we’ve always dreamed of. Do this, because you love us. And we will always love you back.
>
>
>
> Those who wish to voice there opinion on this matter please do so in the comments. Thank the post if you agree, and if you feel like I missed something I may add your ideas to main post.
>
> Thank you all, and thank you 343.

Your name makes this post a bit ironic.

3

HAHA. It’s a joke. It may be my sense of humor.

4

I too am really worried how this game is going to play competitively, if Halo becomes casual only like 9/10’ths of CoD to me that will be a travesty to which was once a beautiful competitive FPS and our community will fall. Custom loadouts,armor perks,progession system, sprint…This is not looking like a competitive FPS or Halo its looking like some CoD/Crysis/Halo hybrid thats trying to appeal to casuals with gimmicks.

5

That was a very nice read, OP. Well thought out and written. I agree on all of your points. I have faith in 343 and I know they can do a great job. My biggest hope for Halo 4 is that it can cater to the competitive and casual right out of the box like Halo 2 did, to satisfy both crowds.

6

Nice post, Halo 4 needs to suit competitive and casual

7

> That was a very nice read, OP. Well thought out and written. I agree on all of your points. I have faith in 343 and I know they can do a great job. My biggest hope for Halo 4 is that it can cater to the competitive and casual right out of the box like Halo 2 did, to satisfy both crowds.

This is my wish as well. Will I try this new progression system? absolutely. Sounds interesting. But not if it replaces the Halo we love. Build up Halo 4 and add more options. Don’t replace the old ones.

and Thank You.

8

> That was a very nice read, OP. Well thought out and written. I agree on all of your points. I have faith in 343 and I know they can do a great job. My biggest hope for Halo 4 is that it can cater to the competitive and casual right out of the box like Halo 2 did, to satisfy both crowds.

Custom loadouts,armor perks,sprint, progression system…That is catering strictly to casuals. if its as bad it sounds Halo will become a casual only game like CoD.

9

Gold.

10

> > That was a very nice read, OP. Well thought out and written. I agree on all of your points. I have faith in 343 and I know they can do a great job. My biggest hope for Halo 4 is that it can cater to the competitive and casual right out of the box like Halo 2 did, to satisfy both crowds.
>
> Custom loadouts,armor perks,sprint, progression system…That is catering strictly to casuals. if its as bad it sounds Halo will become a casual only game like CoD.

Please read the post before you comment. This entire thread is for the point of adressing all that.

11

If there was only one post I wanted 343i to read on these entire forums, it would be this one.

12

> Gold.

I think that means good. :slight_smile:

13

I play halo for the competitive aspect and have been playing MLG since Halo 1.
However, I can’t say I agree with this letter you drafted.

First of all, the guys at MLG are a bunch of dudes who are passionate about gaming and started a business.
They are not game designers. So to say “work with guys at MLG” is a bit ignorant, 343i is more than capable.
Secondly, who is to say that the previous idea of competitive halo is the only way halo can be competitive?

Part of the reason Halo Reach was so boring to us competitive players was, yes, there were several design flaws.
But I think a bigger reason is that classic Halo gameplay is getting old.

Most competitive gamers would agree that the games have gone downhill as time went on.
And they would probably say that it is because Bungie tried adding new features to the existing, “perfect” sandbox.

But I would argue against that.
There is a reason that we didn’t go back to Halo 2 when Halo 3 came out.
Even though Halo 2 was a far superior competitive game.
And the same reason apples to the transition to Reach.

It’s because we so desperately want something fresh, even though it might not have been better.
We were willing to sacrifice for something different, to hope it would reignite our passion for the series.

Just because Bungie failed to innovate, doesn’t mean there isn’t anything that needs innovation.
I think now we need to trust in 343i, give the changes they make an open mind.
Halo so desperately needs several good additions to the sandbox to revive it.

14

I’ve seen games with loose progression systems and character-model-dependent abilities that still involved a considerable degree of skill, and were still quite competitive.

I’m not pointing this out to dissent or to cause a dispute, OP. I’m pointing this out because I think most of your requests are reasonable, and because I hope that the new additions end up being as competitive and fun as they have been in certain other games, while your requests are still granted.

Competitive, ranked lists along with a progression system that is implemented with sufficient care could, if done just right, be the thing that unites the competitive and casual communities.

15

> Dear 343,
>
> As a competitive player I am both excited and terrified about Halo 4. Excited because it is a new game in my favorite franchise, and terrified because of some of these new features you have chosen to add.
>
> You say there will be sprint, custom loadouts, some sort of abilities, and a progression system. Though I don’t mind any of these being a part of Halo, what I do mind is this replacing the Halo we love.
>
> Now I’m more open minded than many of the folks on these forums. They hear these changes and they instantly begin addressing their concerns. Sometimes they present their concerns in a way that may be a little over the top, but they have a point.
>
> They are scared. They are afraid of losing the Halo that they love.
>
> This is your game 343. You have made your decision on how to move the franchise and though it sounds bad for the competitive side of things, we will see it through. All we ask is that you don’t forget us.
>
> Don’t forget the players that have been here from the beginning. Don’t forget us that worked years on perfecting our techniques and developing our skill. Don’t forget the players that are going to be here 3 years from now still playing your game while the others moved on and discarded it.
>
>
> 343, I know you care. if you didn’t then you wouldn’t have returned our BR. You wouldn’t have worried about making the maps competitive, and you wouldn’t have fixed the bloom for us. But you have to realize that even with these additions, which we are grateful for, we can not play the Halo we want to play with loadouts, a progression system, and balance changing abilities.
>
>
> 343, we want Halo 4 more than anybody. The competitive community has been waiting for its next game for 5 years, because Reach didn’t do it for us.
>
>
> We know you won’t change the events you have already set in motion. We realize now that Halo 4 will add these things and we can’t undo that. And its ok. Make your progression system. Make your loadouts. Make your abilities. And make the game you want to make, but don’t forget us.
>
> Halo 4 has to be for us just as much if not more than the casual group you seem to be trying to cater to. So if you do those things for them. Do this for us
>
>
> Features for the Competitive community
>
>
> - A competitive ranking system. ( Halo 2/3)
>
> - non progression system playlists where everyone starts equally and all abilities and loadouts are not available. If armor does in fact change your character then those peices will be changed to cosmetic only and will lose there bonuses. If any, all equipment/abilities become pick ups.
>
> - Make all your new features optional. I don’t want to be forced to sprint in my custom games and I don’t want my armor to always have an impact in them either. In our own games allow us to dictate if all these changes are turned on or off.
>
> - For the love of god don’t make sprint a standard feature. please we beg you.
>
> - A ranked, classic playlist. We want an environment just like classic Halo. No gimmicks, no abilities. Just our guns, grenades, and our skill. Also make it a ranked playlist so that it gets the respect it deserves.
>
> - Work with MLG. The guys over there are smart. They will be able to make a super competitive area for Halo 4 as long as you give the options to tweak everything. if you force sprint, abilities, and custom loadouts then MLG will not be able to make the ultimate competitive environment we crave.
>
> - Feature multiple competitive playlists. Don’t just shaft us and say ok heres a ranked slayer and a classic playlist and thats all you get. Give us at least FFA, classic, TS, Team Objective, Team Doubles, and some other stuff. Really 343, we want to play the game too. We don’t want to feel like the part of the game we play isn’t important. Make the competitive side of the game just as important as the new side of the game.
>
>
>
>
> please do this for us 343. I have no doubt this new progression based system you have will be fun in its own right and its great that you are willing to take risks and add things that change it up and provide a fresh new way to play the game. But don’t replace the old way. Don’t replace the way that made Halo popular in the first place. Give us the game we’ve always dreamed of. Do this, because you love us. And we will always love you back.
>
>
>
> Those who wish to voice there opinion on this matter please do so in the comments. Thank the post if you agree, and if you feel like I missed something I may add your ideas to main post.
>
> Thank you all, and thank you 343.

this.

16

> > Gold.
>
> I think that means good. :slight_smile:

Sure does.

This thread needs to stay alive long enough for 343i to notice it.

17

> I play halo for the competitive aspect and have been playing MLG since Halo 1.
> However, I can’t say I agree with this letter you drafted.
>
> First of all, the guys at MLG are a bunch of dudes who are passionate about gaming and started a business.
> They are not game designers. So to say “work with guys at MLG” is a bit ignorant, 343i is more than capable.
> Secondly, who is to say that the previous idea of competitive halo is the only way halo can be competitive?
>
> Part of the reason Halo Reach was so boring to us competitive players was, yes, there were several design flaws.
> But I think a bigger reason is that classic Halo gameplay is getting old.
>
> Most competitive gamers would agree that the games have gone downhill as time went on.
> And they would probably say that it is because Bungie tried adding new features to the existing, “perfect” sandbox.
>
> But I would argue against that.
> There is a reason that we didn’t go back to Halo 2 when Halo 3 came out.
> Even though Halo 2 was a far superior competitive game.
> And the same reason apples to the transition to Reach.
>
> It’s because we so desperately want something fresh, even though it might not have been better.
> We were willing to sacrifice for something different, to hope it would reignite our passion for the series.
>
> Just because Bungie failed to innovate, doesn’t mean there isn’t anything that needs innovation.
> I think now we need to trust in 343i, give the changes they make an open mind.
> Halo so desperately needs several good additions to the sandbox to revive it.

Yes and that is why this letter isn’t about removing these innovations. Its simply about maintaining the Halo we all grew up and loved and keeping it intact while this new " innovative" Halo comes to fruition. It’s not as if the letter says this is what Halo really is now scratch all those ideas you had and copy Halo 2. I tried my best to say hey, its great you guys are trying new things and advancing Halo. But we want the old Halo to stay too. We want to enjoy the game any way we want. whether that be by playing it with a progression system, or playing it the old fashioned way. It is neither a post about completely moving on, or completely reverting back to Halo 2. It is a post saying that we can have both.

18

> I’ve seen games with loose progression systems and character-model-dependent abilities that still involved a considerable degree of skill, and were still quite competitive.
>
> I’m not pointing this out to dissent or to cause a dispute, OP. I’m pointing this out because I think most of your requests are reasonable, and because I hope that the new additions end up being as competitive and fun as they have been in certain other games, while your requests are still granted.
>
> Competitive, ranked lists along with a progression system that is implemented with sufficient care could, if done just right, be the thing that unites the competitive and casual communities.

Thank you very much. that is my wish as well. Because as much as I love a good skill based game. As long as I know we will always have that, I can get excited about these new changes.

19

> > > Gold.
> >
> > I think that means good. :slight_smile:
>
> Sure does.
>
> This thread needs to stay alive long enough for 343i to notice it.

Well I deeply appreciate your support. Spread it around, tell you friends, help it get noticed.

Let 343 know that we care.

20

> I’ve seen games with loose progression systems and character-model-dependent abilities that still involved a considerable degree of skill, and were still quite competitive.
>
> I’m not pointing this out to dissent or to cause a dispute, OP. I’m pointing this out because I think most of your requests are reasonable, and because I hope that the new additions end up being as competitive and fun as they have been in certain other games, while your requests are still granted.
>
> Competitive, ranked lists along with a progression system that is implemented with sufficient care could, if done just right, be the thing that unites the competitive and casual communities.

Question: Have you ever seen a Sandbox Sc-fi FPS with a progression system and Armor perks that was competitive let alone a Sandbox FPS with those things? No…Halo is an Arena-styled Sandbox FPS it is not a class-based military shooter and SHOULD NOT be treated like one. I dont want to play with the gimmicks that are in every other game I like Halo because its a Sandbox game, extremely balanced, and unique all of these things look to change with H4 with mention of these game-breaking mechanics.