As the DLC options currently stand for Halo, we have map packs, armor additions, gametypes, and mini-campaigns. Now, I don’t know about you all but I’ve never bought a single iota of DLC for Halo. Ever. (Well, maybe besides the Mythic Disc that comes with ODST.) Why? Well, for me, I just can’t justify spending around $7-10 on maps, armor, or gametypes alone. Perhaps some of you might feel the same way
How can we fix this then? I say expansion packs. The 1990’s/2000’s version of DLC. Bethesda is now the only current AAA developer that does them these days. Which is a shame because I find them to be much more agreeable to purchase. It’s easier to buy a pack that you know has a lot of content in it even if the pack is obviously more expensive than individual items.
I think 343 would have a lot more success with their major DLC if they released them in a couple huge packs throughout the years. I know I would be much more inclined to buy them.
> I take it your ignoring Blizzard exists? All 3 of their main franchises have/are getting expansions to their most recent incarnation.
>
> I’m pretty sure Borderlands has expansions as well…
You’re right for the most part with Blizzard. Sorry, forgot about them. I don’t really play anything by those guys so they got relegated to the back of my mind. Borderlands though, eh. Sort of. Some of them are rather large and some of them rather small.
In any case, this is all kind of missing the point. The point is, expansion packs can work for a game like Halo. They’ve proved their worth in many other varied games. I say that Halo needs to get a piece of this action.
Only if the expansion packs are irrelevant to the main story arc. Let’s assume Chief arriving on Requiem is DLC for Halo 3, and Chief meeting the Didact is Halo 4. If I never bought that DLC, I wouldn’t understand the plot of Halo 4.
For example, in Skyrim and Fallout all the DLC has it’s own theme. It doesn’t interlap with the main story at all. Well, there is the exception of Brotherhood of Steel, one I’m not too fond of. Should’ve just been part of the base game.
> Only if the expansion packs are irrelevant to the main story arc. Let’s assume Chief arriving on Requiem is DLC for Halo 3, and Chief meeting the Didact is Halo 4. If I never bought that DLC, I wouldn’t understand the plot of Halo 4.
>
> For example, in Skyrim and Fallout all the DLC has it’s own theme. It doesn’t interlap with the main story at all. Well, there is the exception of Brotherhood of Steel, one I’m not too fond of. Should’ve just been part of the base game.
Exactly what I was thinking.
I’d love for it to be something simple like reenacting scenes from the novels. Say, with Blue Team, ODSTs, Black Team, Gray Team, Spartan-III engagements like Operations PROMETHEUS and TORPEDO.
There’s a LOT of potential for stuff like this. Fun little campaigns to expand the story, without forcing you to play them to know what’s going on.
I want to see more “Arbiter Missions”. I want to get immersed in a different point of view, whether that’s current Sanghelios or what the Didact is thinking throughout Halo 4.
My favorite part of Halo 2 wasn’t just following the cookie-cutter story of the chief, but rather being immersed in the Covenant’s unique culture.
> > What would you want in an expansion pack?
>
> I want to see more “Arbiter Missions”. I want to get immersed in a different point of view, whether that’s current Sanghelios or what the Didact is thinking throughout Halo 4.
>
> My favorite part of Halo 2 wasn’t just following the cookie-cutter story of the chief, but rather being immersed in the Covenant’s unique culture.
Glad you mentioned that! Arbiter had some of my favorite missions in Halo 2’s campaign, like Quarantine Zone. I’d love an Arbiter campaign expansion.
So what you want is DLC to always be grouped and never indervidually at a higher price or be solit like the CB. I can see that working since many people bought the champions bundle since it added more than just maps and this lead to a lot of people having the DLC.
For example:
5maps (can be bought separately if theres a demand)
8 of each cosmetic things like stances, emblems, armour (like above)
15 weapon skins
To pass the time between replies in this thread i was going to play Skyrim but i saw Bethesda and your thread drew my attention.
But I agree. I recently watched an RT vid about 5 facts saying that Halo 3 ODST was originally going to not be about ODST but a Sangheili strike force. What expansions to the Campaign/MP or packs do draw my attention. Like how ODST was going to be an expansion pack.
I believe the issue start at 343i wanting to make more Halo games and not expansions. They could of just had Spartan Assault easily be an addon to Halo 4 and that would of made far more sense and would of been pretty badass but it was turned into it’s own game.
I don’t know the sales for it but i’m guessing they didn’t do well and the only copies that might of been purchased where just because it was Halo. I say no side games and use the effort to expansions, like how COD could just as easily have half of the games turned into expansions.
By the trailer we got of Halo 5 i believe the story they are going to be bring could just as easily be an expansion to Halo 4 mainly because it is just a short time after and i believe it was started that it takes place before Spartan Ops even does, so we are going backwards in time just to see what MC is up too which IMO is a terrible idea.
> > > What would you want in an expansion pack?
> >
> > I want to see more “Arbiter Missions”. I want to get immersed in a different point of view, whether that’s current Sanghelios or what the Didact is thinking throughout Halo 4.
> >
> > My favorite part of Halo 2 wasn’t just following the cookie-cutter story of the chief, but rather being immersed in the Covenant’s unique culture.
>
> Glad you mentioned that! Arbiter had some of my favorite missions in Halo 2’s campaign, like Quarantine Zone. I’d love an Arbiter campaign expansion.
As did I. The Arbiter had some good missions in Halo 2. I loved playing his far more than MC and that is what drew me to become a Sangheili fan. During the missions Uprising and the Great Journey i really felt the betrayal from the brutes and the hatred the elites fueled from it.
At the start of the mission when Elite Spec Ops sees the damage the burning really peaked for me there. Halo 4 could of a gotten a badass prequel expansion for Snagheili Fans.
Assault on Vadam Keep sounds like a nice title and players who have been in good touch with the books could be Thel during the siege of his home.
I wouldn’t be mad if 343i does what Blizzard did with Starcraft. Announcing several expansions all dedicated to a certain species or person.
Base game could have alot to do with the forerunners, the next expansion could do with the Sangheili/Covenant and the last humans like ODST or Spartans. Blizzard realized they fans spread too far across all three of the factions so they are doing what it takes to keep them happy and proud. I hope 343i does the same.
> What would you want in an expansion pack?
>
> Something like more campaign missions (ODST-esque, same game engine, but unrelated to the main story)? Adding more weapons / skins / armors?
>
> I’d be for this.
Essentially this. As a base though, I’m thinking every expansion pack needs to have at least a new side mission and more maps.
> So what you want is DLC to always be grouped and never indervidually at a higher price or be solit like the CB. I can see that working since many people bought the champions bundle since it added more than just maps and this lead to a lot of people having the DLC.
>
> For example:
>
> 5maps (can be bought separately if theres a demand)
> 8 of each cosmetic things like stances, emblems, armour (like above)
> 15 weapon skins
>
> All for around £15 around $22?
Yes but more substantial. As I said above, an exp. pack must have at least a new side mission, new maps, and one other extra thing whether it be Armor or new weapons or whatever 343 sees fit to put in.
> > Only if the expansion packs are irrelevant to the main story arc. Let’s assume Chief arriving on Requiem is DLC for Halo 3, and Chief meeting the Didact is Halo 4. If I never bought that DLC, I wouldn’t understand the plot of Halo 4.
> >
> > For example, in Skyrim and Fallout all the DLC has it’s own theme. It doesn’t interlap with the main story at all. Well, there is the exception of Brotherhood of Steel, one I’m not too fond of. Should’ve just been part of the base game.
>
> Exactly what I was thinking.
>
> I’d love for it to be something simple like reenacting scenes from the novels. Say, with Blue Team, ODSTs, Black Team, Gray Team, Spartan-III engagements like Operations PROMETHEUS and TORPEDO.
>
> There’s a LOT of potential for stuff like this. Fun little campaigns to expand the story, without forcing you to play them to know what’s going on.
> I take it your ignoring Blizzard exists? All 3 of their main franchises have/are getting expansions to their most recent incarnation.
>
> I’m pretty sure Borderlands has expansions as well…
Yeah, when I read only Bethesda makes expansions I glanced over at my copy of StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm.
> As the DLC options currently stand for Halo, we have map packs, armor additions, gametypes, and mini-campaigns. Now, I don’t know about you all but I’ve never bought a single iota of DLC for Halo. Ever. (Well, maybe besides the Mythic Disc that comes with ODST.) Why? Well, for me, I just can’t justify spending around $7-10 on maps, armor, or gametypes alone. Perhaps some of you might feel the same way
>
> How can we fix this then? I say expansion packs. The 1990’s/2000’s version of DLC. Bethesda is now the only current AAA developer that does them these days. Which is a shame because I find them to be much more agreeable to purchase. It’s easier to buy a pack that you know has a lot of content in it even if the pack is obviously more expensive than individual items.
>
> I think 343 would have a lot more success with their major DLC if they released them in a couple huge packs throughout the years. I know I would be much more inclined to buy them.
I regret buying Halo 4 DLC for one reason only; they are not regularly rotated in the matchmaking playlists. Up until Halo 4, previous games had the DLC maps regularly matchmade. These map DLCs used to be worth it just like Elderscrolls expansions, but now they are not.
I refuse to buy DLC for Halo 5 until I know for a fact they will be in the rotation. I absolutely refuse to.
a new gametype built around these maps with a times exclusivity
new armors
new skins
new weapons and vehicles (accessible in Forge)
the Forge map would offer a very different setting from previous maps along with a very different pallet with different looking pieces (not just a different texture) and with new gadgets and tools to play around with
Suggested price: 15-20$
I agree with this thread. One of the big problems I’ve had with map pack DLC is that is usually just fractures the multiplaying community, and it becomes much more noticeable once multiplayer numbers are dwindling. Eventually the developer will merge earlier map packs into the main map selection, which forces players to either buy the map packs, not play anymore, or the DLC maps will never appear in the rotation because someone won’t have the DLC. The latter can aggravate players who have purchased the maps, and more so if there are map based achievements.
I’d say it is the right idea if the map pack DLCs were treated more like expansion packs. One thing I admired from Gears of War 3 was that new maps weren’t forever locked behind a pay wall, but instead purchasers of the DLC were given access to the new maps a month or so before they were made public. The multiplayer community was only split for a short while until they were made available for all, but purchasers also received a new set of multiplayer skins for their support. Future Halos should probably follow in a similar fashion.
Another thing that disappointed me with Halo 4 is how Spartan Ops was handled, and I’m sure there are several others who felt the same. What was advertised as an addition to campaign felt more like clumsy, pseudo-Firefight rounds. Now what I’m getting at, since we are talking about expansions pack, is that a type of “Spartan Ops” returns but in a much different fashion. Have the main draw for DLCs be for a side story type of installment. It wouldn’t need to be the length of ODST (though I’d like it to be), but it should be at least a half dozen, campaign-quality levels (so roughly an hour-per-level on Heroic as my shot-in-the-dark number, and no reusing multiplayer or campaign settings, that’s just lazy). Then as more incentive for the purchase you also include the early access to the multiplayer map pack, and some cosmetic things such as armor and skins, a la Gears of War 3. I’m guessing it would be closer to $20 per expansion, but if the quality is there people shouldn’t complain.
> What I would want from an expantion pack:
>
> CAMPAIGN EXPANTION PACK
> - a new campaign following a different character
> - 3 long and unique missions with new gameplay opportunities
> - Terminals or an equivalent
> - new Skulls to be found in the missions which will then be available for all the missions in the game
> - 3 Firefight maps taken from the missions
> - a good set of Achievements
> - new weapons and vehicles
> - new enemies for Campaign and Firefight
> Suggested price: 15-20$
>
> Though this is working under the assumption that SpOps will not return. I’d much rather have proper yearly SpOps seasons.
>
> MULTIPLAYER EXPANSION PACK
> - 5 multiplayer maps: 2 small-medium, 2 medium-large, 1 Forge map (with varying map sizes)
> - a new gametype built around these maps with a times exclusivity
> - new armors
> - new skins
> - new weapons and vehicles (accessible in Forge)
> - the Forge map would offer a very different setting from previous maps along with a very different pallet with different looking pieces (not just a different texture) and with new gadgets and tools to play around with
> Suggested price: 15-20$
>
> That would be amazing!
Idk, I’ve never skipped out on a map pack. Halo games never ship with more than 10 maps and it does get extremely boring playing the same maps over and over. I miss the Halo 3 days, when most playlists required DLC so you got the new maps all the time. Halo Reach and 4 dropped the ball and ripped off DLC owners simply by not having them required, or having set-aside DLC only lists…
We want DLC maps, integrated into NORMAL PLAYLISTS THAT REQUIRE THEM.
