Halo is not dead - a standpoint to consider

Games Other Halo
1

Let me start off with two things.
#1 - I absolutely LOVE the first Halo trilogy, but especially H3 because it was my first. But after playing Halo 3 yesterday after a long day of Reach and Battlefield, I noticed how stale the gameplay seemed. Yes, it’s fun, but does it meet with the other material available today?
#2 - Call of Duty 4, is without a doubt, the best Call of Duty (in my opinion). It blended innovative mechanics (such as Killstreaks, advanced customization) with its original CoD gameplay. I don’t enjoy Call of Duty anymore. They latched too much onto what was a perfect formula. A hybrid. Do you know where I’m taking this?

ObviouslyJesus, a former Call of Duty & Battlefield commentator made a perfect video on this point (albeit towards CoD4). I would highly suggest you to watch this before continuing, and especially posting a reply. The philosophy behind the gameplay was not that it did things differently, it was that it did things almost flawlessly. Too flawlessly. Bringing in 3 killstreaks - the same 3 for every person - mostly balanced classes, perks, etc, it sounds the exact same as what Halo 4 is doing.

I don’t mean that in a bad way. Halo 4 is taking the aged gameplay that we all know and love, and converting it into a fresh game. It’s not a bad thing, we just have to hope it’s done properly. The gameplay looks faster than previous Halo titles with great killtimes, requiring skill to land a kill while retaining a fast time between spotting each enemy.

Black Ops 2 is doing it, too, but in my opinion doing it poorly. I’m not going to focus on this as it isn’t my point, but… It’s trying to become Battlefield as a casual, non-competitive shooter. While I’m fond of Call of Duty innovating, it isn’t doing well. I have a feeling this is a great time for Halo to make a comeback.

Let’s take a look at H4:
Fast killtimes - ✓
Great customization - ✓
Balanced gameplay - ✓
Will it do well?

You may be thinking that Halo 4 isn’t balanced, correct? Everyone playing has access to the same tools, the same sandbox. It’s how you use the sandbox to your advantage as we’ve done before. With Ordnance Drops, this will bring a new level to Halo’s competitive multiplayer. Halo has always been imbalanced due to the large skill gap. This just makes it easier to access.

Think of Halo as a strategy game with guns, not a shooter.

This is all opinionated, don’t take this as facts.

2

Halo was simple, basic shooter that we all loved. Now with the addition of all…this…stuff, it turning its back on every Halo player who stuck with the series the last 10 years and pretty much degrading the game to something of “CoD”, “Battle Field” and “those” sort of games.

3

> Everyone playing has access to the same tools, the same sandbox.

No, they haven’t.

That’s where the biggest problem is in my opinion. Only those who have payed extra money or reached the max rank will have access to those tools.
It will only end up as a rank > skill game like Call of Duty is now.

Vanilla Halo is now officially dead.

4

> Everyone playing has access to the same tools, the same sandbox.

Nope. Those who pay more money have more access to the sandbox. Those who play endlessly will have advantage over those who play 5 games a week, or stay over at their buddies place. What about the people that don’t buy Halo 4 for a few months? A year after release? Maybe the players that just RENT the game? They will be at a disadvantage because they haven’t spend hours on end getting these “perks”.

If you thought “high rank spawn killing” in BTB was bad in Reach, you haven’t seen anything yet.

> Think of Halo as a strategy game with guns, not a shooter.

…

No words can describe the irony in this statement. Only people that have been on bungie.net forums since Halo 2’s launch will get what I’m talking about.

5

> -snip-

> -snip-

Everyone unlocks them at the same stage, the max rank. They are tiny differences which give little advantage.
Skill is still accounted by what amount you use it in.
I’m not sure if you guys watched the video I linked, not very good with words.

It is, technically, the same sandbox available to everyone. How much effort/skill you put into it is something aside the point.

We do not know what the XP/Ranking system is like, so to account a biased standpoint already is irrelevant

Halo has always been imbalanced because of the large skill gap.

6

> Everyone unlocks them at the same stage, the max rank.

Nope. If you get the LE edition you get access to all of them once you hit max rank. If you don’t you only get access to two.

> They are tiny differences which give little advantage.

The fact that there are ANY differences shows how “Halo” is changing away from it’s core. I liked Halo in Bungie’s time BECAUSE there were even starts. Playtime should not grant players in game features that are locked for other players.

> Skill is still accounted by what amount you use it in.

Not when players have content that others do not. Skill is determined by raw skill in game. If we’re playing chess and I have 2 queens and you have one, how is that fair on your part?

> It is, technically, the same sandbox available to everyone. How much effort/skill you put into it is something aside the point.

How much effort/skill is ENTIRELY the point. The more a player plays, the more he unlocks. The point is to invest a ton of time to get access to those features. Those who do not do this will be at a disadvantage.

> We do not know what the XP/Ranking system is like, so to account a biased standpoint already is irrelevant

We do not know what the skill ranking system is. Everything else is moot because we know the progression system exists. Players will be worried about unlocking these cool effects and playing time, not actually winning games. Every hear of commendations? That’s exactly what happened in Halo Reach. Players are worried about getting X medals instead of winning. This leads to AFK teammates, betrayals, Team killers etc.

> Halo has always been imbalanced because of the large skill gap.

SO WHY NOT MAKE IT MORE IMBALANCED!!

No?

7

check out my topic on it !

8

You have great points, which is why I raised it as a hypothetical question (albeit badly worded).

Players already have 2 perks off the bat. There is nothing to stop them combatting the level 50 players with their special perks. I’m purchasing the LE, but I feel that Wetwork is still probably the best perk out there - which is available to everyone.

If the matchmaking system matches you with players with a similar rank, you are most likely to not have such a big gap in gameplay.

General loadouts are nothing to fear, as the majority will be using BR/DMR starts. The fact that they all have a different use should be enough to know that the sandbox is suited to your playstyle and you should do such.

Battlefield 3 is a very balanced Modern Military Shooter, with specializations, weapon customization, a large sandbox, etc. It also has special content for those who buy certain things. However, nothing gives such advantages. The weapons are suited to preference, as there is no real god weapon in that game.

I want 343i to clarify as much as you do.

9

> Let me start off with two things.
> #1 - I absolutely LOVE the first Halo trilogy, but especially H3 because it was my first. But after playing Halo 3 yesterday after a long day of Reach and Battlefield, I noticed how stale the gameplay seemed. Yes, it’s fun, but does it meet with the other material available today?
> #2 - Call of Duty 4, is without a doubt, the best Call of Duty (in my opinion). It blended innovative mechanics (such as Killstreaks, advanced customization) with its original CoD gameplay. I don’t enjoy Call of Duty anymore. They latched too much onto what was a perfect formula. A hybrid. Do you know where I’m taking this?
>
> ObviouslyJesus, a former Call of Duty & Battlefield commentator made a perfect video on this point (albeit towards CoD4). I would highly suggest you to watch this before continuing, and especially posting a reply. The philosophy behind the gameplay was not that it did things differently, it was that it did things almost flawlessly. Too flawlessly. Bringing in 3 killstreaks - the same 3 for every person - mostly balanced classes, perks, etc, it sounds the exact same as what Halo 4 is doing.
>
> I don’t mean that in a bad way. Halo 4 is taking the aged gameplay that we all know and love, and converting it into a fresh game. It’s not a bad thing, we just have to hope it’s done properly. The gameplay looks faster than previous Halo titles with great killtimes, requiring skill to land a kill while retaining a fast time between spotting each enemy.
>
> Black Ops 2 is doing it, too, but in my opinion doing it poorly. I’m not going to focus on this as it isn’t my point, but… It’s trying to become Battlefield as a casual, non-competitive shooter. While I’m fond of Call of Duty innovating, it isn’t doing well. I have a feeling this is a great time for Halo to make a comeback.
>
> Let’s take a look at H4:
> Fast killtimes - ✓
> Great customization - ✓
> <mark>Balanced gameplay - ✓</mark>
> Will it do well?
>
> You may be thinking that Halo 4 isn’t balanced, correct? Everyone playing has access to the same tools, the same sandbox. It’s how you use the sandbox to your advantage as we’ve done before. With Ordnance Drops, this will bring a new level to Halo’s competitive multiplayer. Halo has always been imbalanced due to the large skill gap. This just makes it easier to access.
>
> Think of Halo as a strategy game with guns, not a shooter.
>
> This is all opinionated, don’t take this as facts.

How in the world is Punishing good players in any shape or form, Balanced? We’re constantly getting Punished, but Stalker is a complete joke, pair that with PV and you’ve got something very sickly overpowered. The perks and AA’s will never be balanced, it’s pretty much impossible to balance a game where everyone can be different off spawn, Countless games have proven this.

10

> How in the world is Punishing good players in any shape or form, Balanced? We’re constantly getting Punished, but Stalker is a complete joke, pair that with PV and you’ve got something very sickly overpowered. The perks and AA’s will never be balanced, <mark>it’s pretty much impossible to balance a game where everyone can be different off spawn, Countless games have proven this.</mark>

Call of Duty 4.

Roll with the punches, man. You know you can use Stalker and PV too, right?
Hell, you can have your shield regen faster and you’re complaining about stalker?

I totally agree that PV and Stalker are OP, though. I think PV should have reduced range.
Stalker will probably be used by noobs and just send them your way, resulting in more kills.

11

Enters topic
"AAHHHHH!! ZOMBIES!!!"
Starts capping domes