B is For Bravo:
> Additionally, feedback of all sorts is constantly being compiled and sent to various teams here. Hot button issues like playlist lineup, game modes, multiplayer map design, multiplayer map art, UI, and plenty more. Each day, the community and support teams here compile feedback and deliver it straight to the teams working on this stuff. The biggest examples for Halo 5 are likely things like UI (new PGCR, post-game medals, etc), game modes (Grifball and Infection were both added to the roadmap based on feedback), and Forge, which is consistently updated based on input from Forgers and custom game fanatics.
> I’m not here to argue at all with your main point, though - communication is the most important thing to the development and support of a game, and it’s no good that you feel that it is severely lacking. I’ll continue to make a true effort to be more present in these threads, and will be reading each and every reply to this thread.
> It’s on us to make sure you know that your voice is being heard (and ideally, also acted upon). When that’s not the case, it’s on us, and it’s something we need to work on, and we’ll continue to do so. Thanks again for all of the feedback.
> <3
The rest of that post can be found here.
Why were these not on the initial roadmap?
What else is missing?
For those that don’t want to read the initial post, it was essentially saying that 343 needs to communicate with the community more, etc etc, and Bravo responded to the thread. I am aware that what I am doing right now is a major reason why they don’t really communicate spontaneously on the forums, but they need to wipe their plate clean, so to speak. Once that happens, once everything like this is brought to light, they can keep the minor secrets, and post to the forums without fear of exposing anything too scary.
From what I understand, a roadmap is essentially a planned timeline for a game or other form of evolving entertainment. It details when and how each additional piece of content, such as DLC, will be released.
And Infection/Grifball were never planned to be released until we said something.
Don’t just take the negative from that. Bravo to 343 for actually taking our outcry into consideration (much faster with Grifball than Infection, but meh). That being said, game modes like that should have always been included. Warzone is cool, but it seriously replaced classic game modes during planning? Did you have to sit down and discuss whether or not the community wanted Warzone or Infection, and Warzone won?
I am by no means a 343 hater. I’ve enjoyed each Halo game, with the exception of Spartan Strike, which I didn’t hate (Not all the games I’ve played are on this account, so you can forget that argument). That being said, you can innovate all you want, but this sorta thing can’t happen. Ever.
I saw a great suggestion from the same thread, and I would like to reiterate it, with my own slight twist. Strip the game down. Take it back to basics. Colourful Space Marines fight Space Corruption. Wanna add something, like sprint (which I’m for, personally, but whatever)? Have a closed voting thread, full of randomly selected individuals from the community (both casual and pro). Wanna add a Battle Rifle? Might seem basic, and it would definitely win, but vote. Set up an algorithm to do it automatically, do it a year before you even begin to look at development costs, whatever it takes. Maybe don’t go so specific, make it work.
I’ve enjoyed Halo 5 to date. I’ve been busy lately, so I’ve not really played, but I’ve enjoyed it. But this can’t happen. As a content developer, you need to do more than just listen to your community. You need to be part of the community.
And any Halo player would rather Infection over Warzone, having never played the latter (and some would even after playing it).
(Authors Note)
I’m not trying to start a flame-war with 343, despite what this looks like, so let’s keep it civil. I’ve not seen a terribly similar thread (a lot are simply bashing or praising 343, non really looking at anything like this), so this is a great chance to actually have a discussion on this topic. Cheers.