Given that there will always be a group displeased with the available MM gametypes and maps, a custom game browser would make playing the game the way you want a lot easier. I feel it would be most appropriate as a component of Waypoint itself.
What it would entail: Minor update to Reach to allow custom game lobbies to be marked as public, adding a page of extra interface and some code (just the usual game lobby browser stuff you’d see in most pc games) to Waypoint, and a little extra code on the servers to track the customs.
All the server would need to do is keep track of the gametype and map currently being played and give you the capacity to obtain further data directly from the host, such as how many players are currently in-game and the relative latency of the host. And of course give you the capacity to join.
The interface could be as simple as a field to enter search terms and a drop-down to dictate search parameters - somewhere to type the name of what you want, and a way to select if it’s a map or a gametype - and a list box to contain the results.
I know this isn’t an original idea, but it’s so simple and it would add so much replay value to the game, I felt the need to throw together a thread about it.
I feel that 343 should at the very least throw a poll up on here or something and get a reasonable idea of how something like that would be received.
Given the weighting in the beta hopper, I have a feeling zero bloom isn’t going to be around once CEA launches. If that’s the case, a reasonable portion of the population will be back to complaining and announcing that they’re quitting the game on Bungie’s forum. While a custom games browser wouldn’t keep them from leaving MM, it would at least give them a solid alternative.
If you’ve read all of this (thank-you) and you agree with me, voice your opinion. If you disagree, tell me why. I can’t for the life of me understand why this hasn’t already been around since Halo 3.