Halo 4 Multiplayer Update

Games Other Halo
1

AN ONGOING LETTER TO 343…

Now that Halo 4 has been out for a solid two weeks, I think the community has been largely in consensus as to what needs to be modified for a more pleasant playing experience moving forward. From most of the games I’ve played talking to my friends and overhearing conversations, there seems to be a consensus on a number of things:

NON-GAMEPLAY

Matchmaking Lobby

Why we changed over from the “tried and true” to the new iteration is rather beside me. I understand that they wanted to incorporate the new poses, but I think the best route is to move back to something akin to the original menu that we have been accustomed to since the launch of Halo 2. Unfortunately, things look cluttered now and not refined.

File Share, Recording, and Uploading Films

Seems counter-intuitive. It actually took us a minute or two just to figure out how to access temporary history to see the last match to record something awesome. What wasn’t awesome was the fact that have you to go through some mind numbing menus to get there and upload the clip.

Also, the recommended and most downloaded system are broken at launch. What gives?

GAMEPLAY

Red X for Death Marker on the HUD

A staple from Halo matchmaking gone? I know this has been stated more than once, but we have to do something about this to bring back the focus to team play. The X on the radar does nothing for you in terms of placement or elevation. I know instant re-spawn is the new fad right now, but even Call of Duty manages to put a marker up. If the goal was to “modernize Halo”, this was something that others copied and kept. How many times have you died and said, “Ah geez, on my X … I mean, by two pillars, near the back, top middle … probably gone by now.”

Did you notice the red X’s? Which segues to my next point …

Map Location Above Radar

What happened to telling me where I was on the map above my radar? That was cool. Plus, you get to become familiar with them over time and extremely useful for team play. Mics are shutting off for a reason.

Grenades

I know this has been said elsewhere in the forums, but to have largely diminished the role of grenades from an item of use that took skill to lob against walls, behind you, or to clear out someone camping, one of the three pillars of Halo (Grenades, Melee, and Guns) is gone. What seems like a sure kill from a grenade dropped at your opponents feet results in a noob blowing you away with an AR or run up with a double melee. I know that others will say you will need more skill to use them, but let’s be honest. A 2 Vs. 1 battle is usually lost now that grenades cannot help even the odds. Usually you’ll die before placing a 2nd or 3rd shot if you have two DMR’s or BR’s hitting you.

The blast radius loadout perk does nothing from what I can tell. Plasma grenades look like a really expensive firework that you buy on the 4th of July only to be the laughing stock of the night for being so crappy. The only way to kill someone with a plasma is a direct stick or literally have it land so close in proximity you don’t know how they weren’t stuck.

Thruster Pack Armor Ability

Haven’t seen this used since the day after launch. Probably because running does the same thing in most cases.

Forge Map Rotation

Now that we have the improved lighting and the shiny new forge, can we introduce a map or two into rotation to revitalize some of the playlist? Circling Haven for kills is becoming mind numbing.

Some Forge maps in Reach were great, and I think quite a few playlist used them almost exclusively. Haven, Adrift, and Abandon … repeat. Mostly Haven. The only problem was they were all grey, and all based in Forge World.

SWAT

Can’t tell why, but it just doesn’t seem as fun. I think it’s the maps. Haven you just circle the top floor and you can get killing sprees if you hold the reticule to the wall. Adrift is also rather mind numbing in that if you run anywhere you can bet on being dead because of that decision.

Maybe something akin to Sword Base might make it more fun with multi-tiered levels. Circling a map hoping that someone will be running in my direction is not that fun from a strategic standpoint.

De-Scoping When Hit

Added Agree with the comments below. Halo has become a trigger fest. If it ain’t broke …

I’ll keep updating this as time goes on.

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The grenades are fine. All you see if grenade throwing nubs. trying to get that kill from the grave as a last ditch effort to get a kill. almost 90% of my kills some nub throws a nad at me just b4 they die. All you nubs make me sick with ur nades and melee desperation. Get some skills!! OMG a shooter were you shoot to get a kill imagine that!
most of your other post I agree with

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-Add spawns for primary weapons on maps such as the BR and DMR for ammo purposes.
-Increase the despawn time of dropped weapons. Idk what the point of them doing this was.
-GET RID OF INSTANT SPAWN!!!

I agree on everything you posted OP. Forge map rotation would be the easiest to do too. We have 3 fresh maps that 343 built for us, each with its own landscape and scenery, but I guess they only want us to use them in customs… Smh!

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I’m indifferent on instant spawn, but now you can’t triumphantly hump a dead body with the other person seeing that. THAT was Halo.

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Don’t forget about bring back De-scoping when hit.

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In respect to grenades i think they need to get rid of the grenade indicator. I have no idea who thought that would be a good idea

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I like the grenades just fine.

Swat on haven is getting old but the other maps i feel like are just fine on it.

Red “X” on HUD- yes please.

File sharing menu is a bit more complicated than it needs to be. Not a huge problem once you get it figured out. Would like a new menu but this is far from a top priority if I was able to choose.

Forge maps- I’m sure they will come with time. Just be patient. A lot of people that enjoy working on forge are still play testing and editing them.

matchmaking lobby- Just make it so you don’t start the game unless the teams are even. I’ve had plenty of 4v2 or 4v1 or even quite a few games start with just 4 people on the same team.

If I had to pick one thing to change, I would ask for matchmaking pairing up to be even or see if there is a way to reduce lag in multiplayer games and if possible, co op campaign and spartan ops. Those things seem to bother me more than anything else.

Actually, I would like to see some more communication from 343. I’m trusting they are working hard to fix and known problems ect, but I think it would solve a lot of problems from people complaining if 343 would just simply acknowledge known problems or tell us if they are considering changing something. I think most people would understand that these changes won’t come overnight but just to know they are being addressed would keep a complaining threads from taking up the whole front page every day.

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> Don’t forget about bring back De-scoping when hit.

This might balance the DMR and BR. As for the OP, agree with all. Someone made a point of kills from the graves with nades. Truth is that a combination of frag tweaking, and map design, has rendered them useless. But the whole infinity mode actually rewards a sucidial stick run, as a stick and a kill from the grave will deliver his team more points, that your kill

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Agree on the SWAT maps. Didn’t start playing Halo until Reach but the majority of my Inheritor rank was due to SWAT. In H4 the maps just aren’t that conducive to it. Hoping this gets better with the first map pack but it’s just not the same.

Nades definitely appear nerfed, especially the plasma. Still can’t find much of a use for the pulse nade. Oh look, a big orange globe of energy that I should stay away from.

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> Don’t forget about bring back De-scoping when hit.

Not sure about grenades yet since Pub matches are all I have played but everything he said and this. Thank you for not bringing weapon balance into it. Weapon balance is a matter of opinion and we need time to actually test how these weapons stand up. I’ve seen tons of tests all with different results at this point.

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I miss the Red X of death. I miss bungie :frowning:

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> I miss the Red X of death. I miss bungie :frowning:

At least we still have Halo my friend. Things will get better.

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This is just a list of some things I hoped they changed in a title update

~ Kill Cams has massive delay (needs patch ASAP)
~ Zombies mode is ruined (See for yourself, that flying a ablity is over powered)
~ Bring back knock out of scope remove flinch
~ More Playlists (Bring back the varity Halo: Reach had)
~ Maps are poorly constructed and don’t flow (Halo 3/Reach had better maps IMO)
~ No longer can play as an elite (I liked to be something other than a spartan)
~ Jet Pack under powered (Has less fuel than the Reach one)

I also agree with everything OP has said, PLEASE BRING BACK RED X