So after two weeks of long hard debate, I’ve finally decided I’ll give in and get Halo 4. Eventually, because I’m kind of broke right now. Having to hear constant debates over “it isn’t so bad” and you just “hate change” and other arguments, I decided that at the very least I’ll buy it so that I can say “Yes, I have in fact experienced it. And it does suck as much as I said it would”. The other thing that finally swayed me is that Scuttlebutt has it that the campaign is actually worth it and far better than Reach’s, so I figure I owe it to myself to experience the campaign and SPARTAN OPs.
But I feel the need to both explain something and go on record about it. That thing?
The CTF changes 343i is implementing.
These are by far the worst changes 343 is making to the game; and their error is compounded by the (likely) possibility that the things they’re intending to do will in fact cause the OPPOSITE to occur besides being bad ideas in general.
How you ask? Allow me.
There are 5 main changes to CTF in Halo 4:
- Full run speed with magnum while the flag carrier
- Flag not at home to score
- Cannot drop the flag at all
- Automatic Pick-Up regardless of circumstance
- Waypoint over flag carrier’s location
Only 1 of has any precedent in Halo - auto-pickup - and even it is an outdated and discarded idea for a good reason. The only truly “Acceptable” change is running at full speed with the flag…but that is negated by all the other changes.
Why don’t these changes work?
343i’s Reasoning is Inane, Illogical and not supported by any evidence.
343i is quite dodgy on the specifics of WHY they made these changes - why they “fixed” something that wasn’t broken. But what can gather from videos and interviews is this; they wanted to “speed” the gametype up, make it more “intuitive”, keep the flag moving and "make the flag carrier more “dedicated” to their role.
The full run speed is admittedly a natural extension of the “speed up gameplay” idea. In fact this is probably the only thing the changes accomplished; but ironically, this change is contrary to the point of the gametype. Its supposed slower paced and more tactical…its not Slayer 343i. But none of the other changes seem to mesh with their goals at all.
They also claim to have been inspired by recent changes in the NBA, NFL and NHL when making the changes. I don’t pay too much attention to sports…but did any of them recently pass any rules saying Passing isn’t allowed? Is the QB not allowed throw ball anymore, he has to run it himself?
They just never explain why these changes “help” the gametype. And there seems to be little evidence supporting these changes as “beneficial”.
The changes make the gametype less intuitive, not more.
No one is going to understand why or like not being able to drop the flag. This a total departure from over a decade of gameplay, and has no in-game logic to support it. In addition this new rule goes against the general rules of the game; that you can drop/swap anything in your hands at anytime. This arbitrary new “no-flag dropping” rule makes no sense in the context of the game or its history - it literally is the only thing that rule applies to. Even the Oddball can be dropped/passed. This inconsistency is going to frustrate new and old players a like.
Auto-pickup was dropped in Halo 2 and on because it was non-intuitive, intrusive and added nothing to gameplay; it only subtracted and frustrated. It has a greater problem-causing potential than anything else. Easy examples? Accidently backing over the flag. Teammate dies near you and gives you a flag you don’t want. Flag suddenly blocks the most efficient/effective route to something. It just makes no sense. If pressing a button to pick up a flag is too un-intuitive, then Forerunners help us all, because the end days are upon us.
Exclusion of Flag Dropping and the Waypoint eliminates many formerly viable strategies, and precludes any new ones from being formed.
When trying to get people to be MORE creative with their strategies…limiting their options doesn’t further this goal. You’ve eliminated the stealth vs. speed choice, eliminated stealth completely with the Waypoint, eliminated the ability to pass the Flag, trick the enemy, pulling the flag to prevent a cap, eliminated the ability to use elevation tricks.
343i has reduced the options to “Escort the Carrier” and “Walk the Flag or Ride in a Vehicle”. Its really that simple…and it hasn’t really made the game “more intuitive” since all those whacky and crazy things people used to do with the flag are no longer possible…for no good reason.
It makes the flag carrier more dedicated to their role/keeps the flag moving.
No one was un-dedicated to their role as flag carrier…most people just realized that being flag carrier didn’t mean you had to stop doing your other roles too. So yeah…now the flag carrier is going to more dedicated to his/her role.
But no one is going to want to do it because it comes with such massive disadvantages. No one with a lick of sense is going to want to touch the flag, because who would want to. Not people with power weapons. Not people who want to keep living. Not drivers of vehicles. Not people on score streaks. Not lone wolves, because they won’t have help; and not team players, because they won’t want to be a man down on the escort. People who are bad with the Magnum won’t want to because they won’t be effective at the job.
Ironically…the flags will move less because people will be so unwilling to touch them, and the limited options FOR moving the flags means that in many games the flags will only move when there is the perfect storm allowing for a capture on that pull.
343i has essentially killed defense as a viable strategy.
No one likes to admit this…but “Flag at Home” to score is one of the core fundamental rules of CTF. Every single with CTF includes this as a rule - and if it doesn’t the players change it to include this rule.
Because without “Flag at Home” for scoring…defense has no meaning in CTF. The game is simply “grab the flag 3 times and score as fast as possible” because the status of your flag doesn’t matter. Returning your stolen flag loses much of its meaning when you don’t need it to score. Flag “defense” will essentially mean killing the enemy flag carrier a couple times so you can get the score before them.
Not to mention that flag defense/returning were some of the most intense and fun moments of CTF; now it means that much less and is that much less rewarding. “All Offense, All the Time” will be the best strategy in Halo 4.
Its trying to appeal to a crowd that doesn’t exist.
I guess the bottom line is this; who were these changes made for? They seem to have been made for some non-existent mystery audience only 343i believes in. CTF was essentially perfect; the debates were over flag juggling (solved by making the announcer less annoying and the flag less floaty) and times for return/run speed. Not “Flag at Home” to score or “Auto-pickup”. (Did anyone even once seriously suggest that would be a good idea for Halo 3 or Reach?)
You know 343i…sometimes things haven’t changed because they’ve reach their pinnacle and only need polish since there is no where else to go, not because they’ve stagnated or died.