Link to video
In an attempt to analyze the thought process development teams have at 343i, I think it would be a great idea to see what they did in the Mega Bloks challenge. There are 4 teams: Franchise, Community, Strategy, and Development. In the video each team is given the same box of pieces from a Kodiak set. They are asked to figure out what the set is and use pieces given to them to recreate the vehicle. This is what happened in the video.
All the teams figure out that the set is a Kodiak, showing that they do know something about Halo Wars 2. Team Development, realizing that they are pressed for time, just like actual video game development, starts to throw away any small pieces deemed unnecessary. Team Strategy wonders if they need more vehicles, and realizes that they only need one. Team Community, who like the community, likes Spartans, thinks that they have Master Chief. And Team Franchise finds what Frankie calls “industrial strength toilet seat” ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Team development asks for a time check, and are surprised (like any developer) that they only have ten minutes left. Team strategy realizes that the Kodiak isn’t going to be finished and makes the best of the situation. Team Franchise notes how stressful this is, and Team Community makes a cool seesaw before they start building. When 5 minutes are left, Team Franchise insults, Team Development argues over resources like they are on a limited budget, Team Community knows they can’t please everyone (evidently they know how the Halo community functions). At the 3 minute mark Team Franchise seems to have completely make a new vehicle for lore, Team Development speaks true words regarding building Mega Bloks sets,and Team Community channels complaints about spartans and their armor (or what’s missing), and Team Strategy is taking this too seriously.
At the last minute Team Development really seems to panic, Team Strategy starts to choke at the end, Team Community debates with each other on what works in a Halo err… I mean a Kodiak, and Team Franchise wants accurate environmental pieces. When time is up Team Development is happy to get a close enough version of a Kodiak while everyone is pretty much stressed.
CONCLUSION
Team Strategy: Did a somewhat gameplay accurate version of about half of the Kodiak.
Team Development: Did a slightly more accurate job of half a Kodiak.
Team Community: Took people’s complaints of no Falcons in Halo 5 and tried to make a helicopter Kodiak.
Team Franchise; Pretty much said screw it, lets make a UNSC moon buggy with 4 spare tires and spare fuel for the journey.