Here are some suggestions to implement to the file system in Halo 4. Please have a read, and leave some feedback, or your own ideas!
Foreward:
The main systems that should be in place are systems that follow behaviors such as these:
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Efficiency: In terms of speed, and effort.- Accessibility: The features should be easy to access, and easy to use in it’s simplest forms, whilst offering complexities for advanced users- Functionality: The system should do the tasks it is required, with no bugs.
Functions and Features:
Functions and features that I see fit to include in Halo 4 are thus {The Reach system is used as a basis}: - A way to update a map or game-type on your file share, without removing the Download and ‘Like’ counters.- Create, edit and delete ‘File Sets’ from console- Categorising (preset, unlike tagging) should be added to optimize searching for maps. Although a system like this is easily abused, it will still assist in finding the files you want.- Searching for content easier and more efficient.- Ability to set a graphical representation of a map (rather than Reachs static Forge world icon). This could be done is several ways. I recommend choosing a screenshot from the saved screenshots on the local machine, or file-share.- Folders! Please allow similar gametypes, films and maps to be organised into sub-folders.- Playlists. I’ll elaborate later.
Saving a File:
Currently in Halo Reach, when a file (in this case, map) is saved, two prompts are sent to the xbox guide, to allow input for two fields, the map name, and the map description. I think this system is poor and under-performing. I would highly recommend a GUI layer, in which fields are selected, and an on-screen keyboards appears.
The fields that should be available are the following:
- Map Name <a>(required)- Map Description- Map Version <a>(Example: 1.0, 1.1, etc. Heavily Validated)- Category- Competitive- Social- Infection- Mini-Game- MLG- Grifball- Aesthetic- Race- Puzzle- Other- Preview <a>(opens up a new overlaying UI layer to navigate and chose a screenshot)
The name would be the only required field, but for a user who would like to keep everything together, or to better improve search results, this is an ideal input screen.
Playlists:
A playlist is unlike a Matchmaking playlist, and can be renamed, but essentially, it is a group of tied game-types and maps.
For example, I am hosting a LAN party, and I want transition between each game as smooth and quick as possible. I would pre-create a ‘Playlist’, and on the day, in the pre-game lobby, instead of loading a map, then thinking about what the game-type is called, and searching through ALL the game-types to find it. What happens is a playlist is selected instead of a map or gametype, and from there, a list of pairs of game-types and maps can be found
, selected, and immediately played. When the game ends, the host will be prompted to either play the next game in the playlist, replay the same game, or end the playlist.
This is an ideal situation, as it allows maps and game-types to be bound, as well as removing that mind-blank you get whilst hosting a lobby, either LAN or Xbox LIVE.
Searching:
Searching is pretty simple, so I won’t go into too much detail.
Essentially, when a player is searching for a map (as an example, of course), they should be given 3 options.
Search By Gamertag, Search by Keyword, or Custom Search.
The first two are rather self explanatory, the third will open a search screen with every associated parameter to the search, for example: Name, description, tags, etc, all covered by one input field, then the player chooses constraints/filters, such as category, tag, etc. Another option is to change the ordering of the results, popularity (Downloads / Likes), Alphabetical by name, Alphabetical by Gamertag, and Date of creation.
That’s my ideas down, I’d like to hear yours, community!
Community Ideas
- Once a file is found using file search, there should be a way to view the author’s file share immediately.