As the majority of you know, Halo has always been the flagship of the MLG scene since it’s introduction with Halo 2 (MLG starting in 2002, Halo 2 being one of its more popular choice in the competitive scene)
Halo 2 lasted from 2004-2007 where after that, we were introduced to Halo 3, with its subpar additions: being custom power-ups, equipment, maps, etc.
Halo 2 was highly competitive because it featured a ranking system that based soley on numbers and a decent party system where it matched you with peoplecloseto your rank. It also helped that Halo 2 had easily some of the best maps in the series. (Midship, Ivory Tower, Ascension, Zanzibar, Lockout, etc) If it wasn’t for softmodding and “Super Jumps” Halo 2 could have been almost spotless, give or take the hitscan/hitbox which is usually the case in most Halos)
Halo 3 had it’s maps. However, Halo 3 had something special. Halo 3 had forge, which opened up an entire new world and community for Halo. With forge and most importantly, Foundry, MLG had an assortment of maps to play on, along with 3’s classics which were Guardian, Construct, Narrows, The Pit, Sandbox, etc.
The ranking system was also improved upon by adding another way of ranking up (True skill and an EXP system, both worked cooperatively together, while staying unique to two different playlists- Ranked and Social.
Halo 3 introduced spread, BNG’s way of evening out the BR and making it less of a god gun over distances, while keeping it somewhat contained.
MLG still held competitions in all of the Cities, Dallas, Columbus, Raleigh, etc.
Then in 2010, BNG releases Halo Reach, their “Swan Song” to their end of Halo. Reach, much like its predecessors, recieved an array of hate. Unlike those before it, Reach had actually changed the way you play Halo. Pacing your shots, Godawful AAs, shielding/healthpacks, etc. Certainly, Reach was Halos ‘Guilded Age’. Many people lost their lust for Halo, it played slower, different in many ways from those before it. This was a turn off to the majority of the Veterans and ‘pros’ alike. In many cases, Reach was a disappointment.
Then in 2011, we the fans got the news we were waiting for, No, not Halo CE Anniversary, It was Halo 4.
343 made many promises of returning Halo to its roots, while building upon them in new and exciting ways. That was patially true, if we were to forget the last 8 years (not 10, im counting since halo 2.) and we were starting on Reach. Halo 4 reintroduced AAs, annoyances that plagued us in the Reach days, minus Armor Lock (Thanks for that 343i) instead, Halo 4 had Sprint as default and no ways of removing it, custom games/gametypes are more restricted then that of Halo 2 (counting the amount of things you could do, gametypes featured, etc) Halo 4 even lacked or changed gametypes that were pivitol to the competitive scene (like not dropping the flag, flagnum, auto pickup for the flag/oddball, etc) the “forge” maps are even lacking in a single flat spot. most are plagued with hills, bumps, random dips, and so on. This makes it hard to work with, especially with a limited amount of blocks and pieces (which were rehashed from Reach)
The weapons aren’t even close to evened out. The DMR wrecks in most cases, practically non existant bloom, and with as much auto aim as it has, even the most softest monkeys using it’s feet as hands could end up at the top of the scoreboard once or twice. The BR is now a 5 shot, less distance, spread, and recoil. The lightrifle is an inbetweener with a lot of kick when scoped in (forgot to mention that you are no longer forced out of scope when shot, campers, gonna camp)
After Halo 3, the MLG scene had seen it’s fair share of problems with ‘Halo’, Reach had some nasty problems with it’s melee, bloom, etc.
As the support spread more thin, there was a glimnmer of hope. Halo 4 sought to rejuvinate the Halo series. Instead it turned into the average, 21 century carbon copy of most games out there to date.
Halo 4 was no exception. If this downward spiral continues, there will be no hope of a “competitive” Halo.
And no, you shouldn’t have to wait 3 months after release to get a decent ranking system and to nerf the OPness that of which is the DMR and the ALL-FEARING-DEATH-SHOTGUN-Boltshot.
The Great Rookstar of Grandaur is finished. Now I may crawl back into may own secluded hole and live out the rest of my days as a whithering rat, in a alley of nitwits and scrub muffins.