Multiplayer is where it's at

Games Other Halo
1

Seriously…

This is quite possibly the most important thing that anyone at 343 could read while Halo 4 is in the works. Multiplayer, is far and away the most important aspect of Halo. Multiplayer is what made Halo into the phenomenon that it is today. Undoubtably, Halo 4 will sell millions of copies, but the legacy of Halo 4 will be decided by Multiplayer. Multiplayer will determine the longevity of the game, which is practically synonymous with map pack sales. Multiplayer will determine if Halo 4 reaches the critical mass needed to become the “it” game again. The game that people play because their friends are also playing it.

Now i’m not going to get into the details of multiplayer, that isn’t what this is about. Every person here has an opinion on what Halo 4 multiplayer needs. So why did I make this topic? Clearly, you would think that most people understand how important multiplayer is to Halo, especially 343. However, that’s exactly what this is about… The importance of multiplayer.

Specifically, Halo Reach is what concerns me. Before the Halo Reach fans come and bash me, let me say that I’m not trying to imply that Halo Reach multiplayer is bad. What I am saying, is that it isn’t robust. I know theoretically, Forge World provided endless map variants. In reality, these variants always have an all to familiar look and feel. They lack the natural feel and detail of a Bungie created map.

That being said, we got a total of 8 maps at launch. This is a HUGE issue for Halo and I’m going to break down the reasons why.

The Beta allowed us to play several maps for months prior to launch (sword base, powerhouse, and boneyard). With only 3 maps on repeat I had played these maps to death before the game had even come out. Not to mention that one of the other 5 maps was Reflection. While new and refreshed, I had played it to death years prior in the form of Ivory Tower. This isn’t to say that I don’t like remakes (Halo Anniversary looks awesome) it just further illustrates the lack of new material on launch day. In addition, every multiplayer map was an area pulled from the campaign.

Also, Halo maps are typically designed with game types and player count in mind. Maps are specifically suited for Big Team Battle, Double Team, One Flag CTF, etc. Personally, I tend to play more 2v2 and 4v4 competitive style games. The only maps really suited for this at launch were Zealot and Countdown (and there still isn’t exactly a large selection compared to previous Halo titles). I rarely ever played the larger maps like Spire and Boneyard. The overall point here is that no matter what style you like to play, the few maps get diluted among them.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love campaign, I love the story of Halo, and I love the universe. I’ve beaten every game in the series multiple times, and they are truly epic games. That being said, even with several play throughs on every game, I have spent 99.99999 percent of my time in multiplayer. I logged countless hours on XBC with Halo:CE, I played over 20,000 games of Halo 2, over 10,000 games of Halo 3, and I’m still logging games on Reach. Now think about that… If I spend 99 percent of my time in multiplayer shouldn’t the developers spend a majority of their time working on multiplayer? This is the point I’m really getting at.

Im not trying to say to ditch campaign, or cut forge, or leave theatre out. What I am saying is that the development team needs to focus on multiplayer first. They need to spend the vast majority of their time where I am going to spend the vast majority of my time. While I’m going to play the campaign and beat it, I’m going to spend night after night for the next 3 years playing multiplayer. Just think about that before the game launches with 8 maps.

2

Multiplayer forum is your place for this.

3

> Multiplayer forum is your place for this.

This.
OT: In my opinion, though, both the story and mp are equally important to me.

4

No, I believe it belongs here.

Not sure if either of you read it or not, but its not actually about multiplayer. Its about where developers should focus their attention. The answer of course, is multiplayer.

The fact of the matter is that today a vast majority of people don’t even play the campaign mode of games. I have yet to play any Call of Duty campaign. Yet I’ve played a decent amount of multiplayer.

Could have been said in a lot fewer words I suppose.

5

> No, it belongs here.
>
> Perhaps you guys should let mods do their job and just stick to posting opinions.
>
> Not sure if either of you read it or not, but its not actually about multiplayer. Its about where developers should focus their attention. The answer of course, is multiplayer.

I read your post. Your talking about multiplayer and what it should entail. Therefore it belongs in the multiplayer forum. To anwser your post I buy my games for the campaign, MP is just a bonus. I always hope that the delevopers put the campaign first before MP.

6

Campaign makes me buy a game. Multiplayer makes me keep playing it once I’m done with the campaign.

7

> Campaign makes me buy a game. Multiplayer makes me keep playing it once I’m done with the campaign.

Many people are like this…

I suppose I gave personal experience too, but the fact of the matter is that today multiplayer sells games for the majority.

8

> Multiplayer forum is your place for this.

This.

Also, Countdown was based on the campaign mission “Long Night of Solace”.

Anyways, what made Halo “Halo” was initially its campaign. Campaigned spawned multiplayer. Multiplayer made Halo more popular. I agree with a lot of what you’re saying, but the majority of the people on these forums are here for the lore and universe of Halo, not the multiplayer aspect. However, I do feel multiplayer needs to be a very important part of Halo 4, it needs to equally as important as the campaign.

Like I said, multiplayer derives itself from campaign. You know what a game with a lackluster campaign and multiplayer is? Try Call of Duty. Little effort is focused on the campaign, the majority is focused on multiplayer; hence why a new CoD game needs to be produced every year to keep with the demand of the buyers. What gives Halo its longevity is its campaign.

65% focus on campaign, 55% needs to be focused on multiplayer. That’s 110% percent.

But you’re right, to get Halo back to the “it game” status, multiplayer needs to be huge.

9

> Anyways, what made Halo “Halo” was initially its campaign. Campaigned spawned multiplayer. Multiplayer made Halo more popular. I agree with a lot of what you’re saying, but the majority of the people on these forums are here for the lore and universe of Halo, not the multiplayer aspect. However, I do feel multiplayer needs to be a very important part of Halo 4, it needs to equally as important as the campaign.

Multiplayer made Halo more popular is the understatement of the year…

> Like I said, multiplayer derives itself from campaign. You know what a game with a lackluster campaign and multiplayer is? Try Call of Duty. Little effort is focused on the campaign, the majority is focused on multiplayer; hence why a new CoD game needs to be produced every year to keep with the demand of the buyers.

Right now the most played XBL game is CoD black ops. You know what #2 is? Cod: Modern Warfare 2. That’s sad… You know what the most played game was every month 5 years ago? Halo. New CoD games are coming yearly because they are selling like hot cakes and thats as fast as Activision Blizzard can put them out. It has nothing to do with the developers focusing on multiplayer. The only thing that the developers focusing on multiplayer correlates to is sales of the game, which is entirely my point, that people care more about multiplayer.

> What gives Halo its longevity is its campaign.
>
> 65% focus on campaign, 55% needs to be focused on multiplayer. That’s 110% percent.
>
> But you’re right, to get Halo back to the “it game” status, multiplayer needs to be huge.

If anything you have this backwards. The longevity comes from multiplayer. Bungie themselves has credited multiplayer for the outstanding success of Halo. Statistically a large portion of people never even play the campaign. The interest has always been in multiplayer much more than campaign. Currently I would bet the focus is probably 60% campaign 40% multiplayer when it should be more like 25% campaign and 75% multiplayer.

10

wasnt halo 1 multiplayer last minute thing? and that is the best for me and lots of people who started with h1 like that best

11

> when it should be more like 25% campaign and 75% multiplayer.

If this is the case then its just a CoD game. If Halo follows this then its not Halo.

12

> > when it should be more like 25% campaign and 75% multiplayer.
>
> If this is the case then its just a CoD game. If Halo follows this then its not Halo.

Exactly.

He doesn’t seem to understand that if there wasn’t a great campaign, there wouldn’t be great multiplayer and that each part needs to be treated with equal attention.

13

> > > when it should be more like 25% campaign and 75% multiplayer.
> >
> > If this is the case then its just a CoD game. If Halo follows this then its not Halo.
>
> Exactly.
>
> He doesn’t seem to understand that if there wasn’t a great campaign, there wouldn’t be great multiplayer and that each part needs to be treated with equal attention.

I’ve always prefered Campaign over Multiplayer. Halo should always divide it’s attention equally.

14

First off this does not belong in the multiplayer forums. This is a topic about where the developer focus should lie. I am saying it should lie with multiplayer, and I guess, because I actually gave a multitude of reasons why, people think the topic is actually about multiplayer. Many of you have already stated that you think campaign should stay the main focus, albeit without very many supporting reasons. Had I thought campaign was where developer focus should be then I should have posted this in the campaign forums? No, because that isn’t what the topic is about.

Seriously, I can see how my intent was a little confusing, and if someone decides to move this then they move it. Until then, this is where I thought it should go.

15

> First off this does not belong in the multiplayer forums. This is a topic about where the developer focus should lie. I am saying it should lie with multiplayer, and I guess, because I actually gave a multitude of reasons why, people think the topic is actually about multiplayer. Many of you have already stated that you think campaign should stay the main focus, albeit without very many supporting reasons. Had I thought campaign was where developer focus should be then I should have posted this in the campaign forums? No, because that isn’t what the topic is about.
>
> Seriously, I can see how my intent was a little confusing, and if someone decides to move this then they move it. Until then, this is where I thought it should go.

Regardless, i think both Campaign and Multiplayer should be focused on equally. It’s the Campaign tha brought most of us into the Halo Universe and i believe that should be respected by not making it any less important than multiplayer.

16

> > when it should be more like 25% campaign and 75% multiplayer.
>
> If this is the case then its just a CoD game. If Halo follows this then its not Halo.

No, just no… this is completely illogical. Halo with a focus on multiplayer does not make it CoD. It makes it Halo, with a focus on multiplayer. I’m not even sure what to say to this. If 343 focuses on the multiplayer we won’t get a game anything like CoD. This doesn’t even make sense.

17

It should be 50% Campaign, 50% Multiplayer.

Done.

/thread

18

> > > when it should be more like 25% campaign and 75% multiplayer.
> >
> > If this is the case then its just a CoD game. If Halo follows this then its not Halo.
>
> Exactly.
>
> He doesn’t seem to understand that if there wasn’t a great campaign, there wouldn’t be great multiplayer and that each part needs to be treated with equal attention.

There are plenty of games with bad campaigns/no campaign and great multiplayer.

19

> > First off this does not belong in the multiplayer forums. This is a topic about where the developer focus should lie. I am saying it should lie with multiplayer, and I guess, because I actually gave a multitude of reasons why, people think the topic is actually about multiplayer. Many of you have already stated that you think campaign should stay the main focus, albeit without very many supporting reasons. Had I thought campaign was where developer focus should be then I should have posted this in the campaign forums? No, because that isn’t what the topic is about.
> >
> > Seriously, I can see how my intent was a little confusing, and if someone decides to move this then they move it. Until then, this is where I thought it should go.
>
> Regardless, i think both Campaign and Multiplayer should be focused on equally. It’s the Campaign tha brought most of us into the Halo Universe and i believe that should be respected by not making it any less important than multiplayer.

The problem here is that you wrongly assume “its the campaign that brought most of us in.”

It’s not. Multiplayer is far and away what led most people to play Halo. This is statistically proven. The majority of people came to play Halo because of Multiplayer and the majority of people buy the next game in order to play the multiplayer.

20

> > > First off this does not belong in the multiplayer forums. This is a topic about where the developer focus should lie. I am saying it should lie with multiplayer, and I guess, because I actually gave a multitude of reasons why, people think the topic is actually about multiplayer. Many of you have already stated that you think campaign should stay the main focus, albeit without very many supporting reasons. Had I thought campaign was where developer focus should be then I should have posted this in the campaign forums? No, because that isn’t what the topic is about.
> > >
> > > Seriously, I can see how my intent was a little confusing, and if someone decides to move this then they move it. Until then, this is where I thought it should go.
> >
> > Regardless, i think both Campaign and Multiplayer should be focused on equally. It’s the Campaign tha brought most of us into the Halo Universe and i believe that should be respected by not making it any less important than multiplayer.
>
> The problem here is that you wrongly assume “its the campaign that brought most of us in.”
>
> It’s not. Multiplayer is far and away what led most people to play Halo. This is statistically proven. The majority of people came to play Halo because of Multiplayer and the majority of people buy the next game in order to play the multiplayer.

Halo CE was all about the Campaign, Multiplayer was a bonus. Like i said, it should be equal.