ODST Series Alongside Main Series

Community General Discussion
#1

How many people here liked Halo 3 ODST? What if we got an entire ODST series alongside the main series?

Let’s say 343i broke up into two distinct teams or added enough staff to form a second studio. One would continue the series that 343i is currently working on (Halo 5, 6, 7, etc.). The other would make an ODST themed series. They could plan out development so that a staple Halo game (meaning the AAA FPS games) would come out every 2 years, but each game would get 4 years of development time. For example, let’s say Halo 6 came out 2018, then an ODST game would come out 2020… Halo 7 2022, ODST game 2024 and so on. This way we’d be getting a major Halo game every two years as opposed to now where we get one every three years and each one gets an extra year of development which would do wonders to polish/content. We all know that Halo 5 needed an extra year of development.

Campaign
So the “main” series would follow Spartans such as Blue Team and Osiris and would continue the current story with all the Promethean and banished covenant stuff, but always move forward in the timeline.

The ODST series could be a lot more flexible. Story wise it could follow one ODST team’s adventures and keep moving in a linear fashion similar to the main series structure. Or each game could be a sort of standalone. Different ODST’s each time set in different points in the timeline, different areas in a given war period, secret missions that we don’t know about, so many possibilities. The tone and pacing would also be very different than the main series. It could be darker, have more of a horror vibe, more stealth oriented, slower pacing, many possibilities in that area too.

Multiplayer
This is where things could get really interesting in terms of making sure the ODST and main series stay different and a line clearly divides the two in terms of gameplay. Everyone here knows that the community is in a divided state. You have the old fanbase who loved Halo 1-3’s “classic” Bungie style gameplay, then you have the new age fans who like 343i style of “modernized” Halo. I’m a fan of both and I think this dual series idea could satisfy both groups.

Let’s look at Halo 5. Spartans have evolved. Technology is advancing and Spartan 4’s are fast and aggressive. We have little jets in our armour that let us hover in mid air (stabilize), then propel our bodies down to the ground to smash the f*ck outta that stupid grunt with our fist. Sorry grunt, you’re not worthy of our bullets (ground pound). Or, we can dash in multiple directions in mid air thanks to our thruster packs on our backs. The main series that has spartans would have these abilities (stabilize, ground pound, thrust) and it would be fast paced. I would vote to take out at least spartan charge if they just won’t budge on sprint.

Now let’s think about how the ODST games would play. ODST’s are not spartans. They don’t have thruster packs or little jets all over their armour. They’re not super humans that can run and jump around like a maniac in thick metal armour. This would be classic Halo. No stabilize, no ground pound, no thrust, no sprint, no spartan charge. I would vote to keep clamber though.

As far as multiplayer goes, the spartan series would cater to the new fanbase, the ODST series would cater to the old fanbase. The only problem I see with this idea is if you would be one of those people who would only get the spartan or ODST series, you would be skipping the other and that would mean you’d have to wait 4 years for a new game.

So what do you guys think?

#2

I mean, maybe. I just don’t know if splitting up the fan base is a good thing. Honestly, I really don’t have any idea what is the solution to our division. Maybe somebody else on here can weigh on this matter. I will say I’d be open to playing both games.

#3

> 2533274857915830;2:
> I mean, maybe. I just don’t know if splitting up the fan base is a good thing. Honestly, I really don’t have any idea what is the solution to our division. Maybe somebody else on here can weigh on this matter. I will say I’d be open to playing both games.

I had that thought too. This might divide the two communities even further apart, it might just be better if 343i kept trying to meld old and new to hopefully make the community one. I honestly dont kbow if thats possible though. That’s in regards to the gameplay mechanics though, I will still love a series starring ODST’s.

#4

i would rather them focus 100% of their effort on Halo 6 then make ODST games, And even though I really liked ODST (beat it on Legendary Solo), I realized a lot of things don’t make sense or just don’t work. The story involving the Rookie was pretty dumb when you think about it, cause basically all he did was walk around the city picking up objects. The gameplay isn’t so unique either. An ODST shouldn’t be able to leap over a truck or punch a Brute and kill it. Plus, the open world was lame. If they intend to make an ODST spinoff, they should put some work into it.

#5

I think just throwing a random ODST or the original idea Recon(Stealth game) again is a good idea. I dont like the idea of alternating games soo much, if 343 has time in their schedule to create something good thats great, if not, just skip it… I agree, its neat to explore the POV of a regular soldier, just trying to survive the day. BUT with Halo Wars coming next year? maybe? I feel like thats enough content for now. I also think the division you’re imagining isn’t really old vs new. Its either you like the concept of halo’s universe or don’t. Anyone can play a game for months, and just decide they’re tired of it. Its just part of human nature…

#6

> 2535413996242118;4:
> i would rather them focus 100% of their effort on Halo 6 then make ODST games, And even though I really liked ODST (beat it on Legendary Solo), I realized a lot of things don’t make sense or just don’t work. The story involving the Rookie was pretty dumb when you think about it, cause basically all he did was walk around the city picking up objects. The gameplay isn’t so unique either. An ODST shouldn’t be able to leap over a truck or punch a Brute and kill it. Plus, the open world was lame. If they intend to make an ODST spinoff, they should put some work into it.

As far as 343i focusing 100% on H6, that’s why I proposed them having two teams. They would add more staff to be able to focus on the two series. Similar to how CoD works right now. They have three different studios making CoD games but each game has a 3 year development cycle. It’d basically be another studio within 343i making the other series. This way they’d also get an extra year (4 years a game instead of 3) of development time to maximize quality and content and fully realize their ideas.

I suppose it doesn’t make that much sense that a single ODST could single handedly take on a group of Brutes. Maybe they could make it more stealth oriented, it’d be a lot harder to kill a single enemy so you’d have to implement more thought and tactics, planning out each step and position instead of going in guns blazing. This would also add a horror element as you’d be more afraid of confrontation as an ODST than a spartan.

I actually really liked their method of storytelling in Halo 3 ODST. Roaming a level in the quiet dark until you found an object that triggered a flashback sequence, bring you through what had happened. I didn’t think of the Rookie as a main character like Chief but more of a medium to experience the story through. It also allowed them to pick whatever setting and time they wanted each flashback without having to form a linear line of events and branching them together in present time.

#7

> 2533275031939856;6:
> > 2535413996242118;4:
> > i would rather them focus 100% of their effort on Halo 6 then make ODST games, And even though I really liked ODST (beat it on Legendary Solo), I realized a lot of things don’t make sense or just don’t work. The story involving the Rookie was pretty dumb when you think about it, cause basically all he did was walk around the city picking up objects. The gameplay isn’t so unique either. An ODST shouldn’t be able to leap over a truck or punch a Brute and kill it. Plus, the open world was lame. If they intend to make an ODST spinoff, they should put some work into it.
>
>
> As far as 343i focusing 100% on H6, that’s why I proposed them having two teams. They would add more staff to be able to focus on the two series. Similar to how CoD works right now. They have three different studios making CoD games but each game has a 3 year development cycle. It’d basically be another studio within 343i making the other series. This way they’d also get an extra year (4 years a game instead of 3) of development time to maximize quality and content and fully realize their ideas.
>
> I suppose it doesn’t make that much sense that a single ODST could single handedly take on a group of Brutes. Maybe they could make it more stealth oriented, it’d be a lot harder to kill a single enemy so you’d have to implement more thought and tactics, planning out each step and position instead of going in guns blazing. This would also add a horror element as you’d be more afraid of confrontation as an ODST than a spartan.
>
> I actually really liked their method of storytelling in Halo 3 ODST. Roaming a level in the quiet dark until you found an object that triggered a flashback sequence, bring you through what had happened. I didn’t think of the Rookie as a main character like Chief but more of a medium to experience the stor through. It also allowed them to pick whatever setting and time they wanted each flashback without having to form a linear line of events and branching them together in present time.

If they expanded their staff it would be nice to have a spinoff but knowing Microsoft and 343 they’ll mess it up

#8

> 2533274808672714;5:
> I think just throwing a random ODST or the original idea Recon(Stealth game) again is a good idea. I dont like the idea of alternating games soo much, if 343 has time in their schedule to create something good thats great, if not, just skip it… I agree, its neat to explore the POV of a regular soldier, just trying to survive the day. BUT with Halo Wars coming next year? maybe? I feel like thats enough content for now. I also think the division you’re imagining isn’t really old vs new. Its either you like the concept of halo’s universe or don’t. Anyone can play a game for months, and just decide they’re tired of it. Its just part of human nature…

My thinking is that they would make time by adding staff and essentially having a separate studio dedicated to this series within 343i instead of stretching time and resources of the existing team right now.

I’m sure they’d schedule every game to come out not too close to each other, I really doubt they’d launch a main game within the same year as HW2 for example.

My impression of the community being divided by old vs new comes almost exclusively from these forums. It’s absolutely everywhere to the point it’s overwhelming and seeing it as a topic in the forums and other places like youtube and twitch is just a regular, every day occurrence.

#9

> 2535413996242118;7:
> > 2533275031939856;6:
> > > 2535413996242118;4:
> > > i would rather them focus 100% of their effort on Halo 6 then make ODST games, And even though I really liked ODST (beat it on Legendary Solo), I realized a lot of things don’t make sense or just don’t work. The story involving the Rookie was pretty dumb when you think about it, cause basically all he did was walk around the city picking up objects. The gameplay isn’t so unique either. An ODST shouldn’t be able to leap over a truck or punch a Brute and kill it. Plus, the open world was lame. If they intend to make an ODST spinoff, they should put some work into it.
> >
> >
> > As far as 343i focusing 100% on H6, that’s why I proposed them having two teams. They would add more staff to be able to focus on the two series. Similar to how CoD works right now. They have three different studios making CoD games but each game has a 3 year development cycle. It’d basically be another studio within 343i making the other series. This way they’d also get an extra year (4 years a game instead of 3) of development time to maximize quality and content and fully realize their ideas.
> >
> > I suppose it doesn’t make that much sense that a single ODST could single handedly take on a group of Brutes. Maybe they could make it more stealth oriented, it’d be a lot harder to kill a single enemy so you’d have to implement more thought and tactics, planning out each step and position instead of going in guns blazing. This would also add a horror element as you’d be more afraid of confrontation as an ODST than a spartan.
> >
> > I actually really liked their method of storytelling in Halo 3 ODST. Roaming a level in the quiet dark until you found an object that triggered a flashback sequence, bring you through what had happened. I didn’t think of the Rookie as a main character like Chief but more of a medium to experience the stor through. It also allowed them to pick whatever setting and time they wanted each flashback without having to form a linear line of events and branching them together in present time.
>
>
> If they expanded their staff it would be nice to have a spinoff but knowing Microsoft and 343 they’ll mess it up

Hahaha yeah maybe. This is just me thinking in a perfect world lol I’m sure there’d be tons of issues and mistakes if they actually implemented it.

#10

> 2533274808672714;5:
> I think just throwing a random ODST or the original idea Recon(Stealth game) again is a good idea. I dont like the idea of alternating games soo much, if 343 has time in their schedule to create something good thats great, if not, just skip it… I agree, its neat to explore the POV of a regular soldier, just trying to survive the day. BUT with Halo Wars coming next year? maybe? I feel like thats enough content for now. I also think the division you’re imagining isn’t really old vs new. Its either you like the concept of halo’s universe or don’t. Anyone can play a game for months, and just decide they’re tired of it. Its just part of human nature…

The division on the fanbase is absolutely about old vs new. I used to love the concept of Halo’s universe back when the Spartans were walking tanks. Now that the Spartans are treated like nimble, sped up superheroes, I hate it.

#11

Perhaps some time after Halo 6. We can definitely get at least some sort of sequel since a LOT of us wanted HW2 and now we’re getting it. But for now, let’s not risk anymore excitement or split and just let the focus be on HW2 and Halo 6.

#12

> 2535405116054664;11:
> Perhaps some time after Halo 6. We can definitely get at least some sort of sequel since a LOT of us wanted HW2 and now we’re getting it. But for now, let’s not risk anymore excitement or split and just let the focus be on HW2 and Halo 6.

That’s fair. Just an idea for the future.