(Opinion) Evolution, its not Breaking the System.

Games Halo 5: Guardians
#1

343 Industries took a new approach to Halo which resulted in many significant changes to the gameplay, story, and franchise as a whole. The #1 question is if it is a wrong approach, a wrong take on evolving the franchise we all love. Below is my opinion on why I accept and enjoy the direction they are going…

Part #1: Gameplay
I am starting to express my opinion on the gameplay portion of evolution first because it seems to be the biggest problem everyone has been noticing and stating.

- Sprint +1:
Sprint is a feature that is implemented in most Video Games and has been for multiple reasons, and one of them happens to be for overall mobility which Halo, believe it or not, is sorta’ big on in my personal opinion. I have been a fan of Halo since 2003 and it has been my #1 game since then and to me Halo always had that mobility element within all of its games (Jumping, Vehicles, etc), comparatively it allows more freedom of mobility than many other games. That’s why for me Sprint is a +1.

The reason why I give sprint a +1 is solely for advanced mobility. I understand the con’s of sprint very well, I have suffered many of them especially the “running away” issue, but for me it’s more tolerable to have a choice for an extra 10-15% er’ what not speed boost so I can achieve certain lengths or, special destinations, if I may. Sprint for me brings more intensity along with liveliness to a match or mission.

- Armor abilities +?:
The armor abilities seem balanced so far, as well as adding new game changing tactics onto the field. The concept of armor abilities have been putting people on the edge since Reach and I will admit, they do get on my nerves once in a while but there were a few that I did enjoy like Thruster pack, Jet pack, and Hologram. The Armor abilities in Halo 5 though seem a bit edgy worthy. The idea of adding Smart Scope has me both ways of it being good and bad, it has its up and most surely has its downs, but the general concept of Smart Scope does make sense, and would be a DECENT addition if developed right. Ground Pound + Shoulder Slam, these two have me a bit worried… I understand they want to evolve the combat scene as well, making you have more options then traditional run n’ gun but to me these two have a scent of exploitation and rage all over them. I have played Destiny and I never have came to enjoy the PvP much, the titan shoulder slam and warlock bomb look like these two new abilities and those had me dislike a portion of the game. I feel like 343i should pay close attention to these two. The Others don’t seem to have much of a PvP killer attitude in them, I personally think they would make decent additions to the mobility of Halo, if done right.

Part #2: Story and Franchise

343 Industries wants to make Halo big, and you cant knock them for working towards their goals. The story and franchise has not been a big topic around the web, but does have its part. The implementation of Halo Channel, as well as paving its way into live action with Nightfall and soon to be the TV series hopefully in the Nigh future in my opinion is pretty awesome! Halo to me is a masterpiece, my #1 Sci-Fi franchise and I personally agree with every choice they have made so far to bolster up the franchise as a whole. Agent Locke would make a great addition into Halo, the new stories and characters will allow people to divulge themselves in a rich and amazing story that I hope continues for a long time.

That’s all. If within this thread I attack, or miss inform I am completely sorry. This is just and overview of my opinion on Halo 5 and Halo’s future.

#2

So many times in past Halo games I thought to Myself how useful it would be if I could sprint in both Single Player and Multiplayer.

Halo Reach was the first Halo Game that gave us Sprint with the Addition of Armour Abilities. And now in Halo 5 Sprint and Clamber come as standard. I support these Updated Features, they were long overdue.

#3

“The reason why I give sprint a +1 is solely for advanced mobility. I understand the con’s of sprint very well, I have suffered many of them especially the “running away” issue, but for me it’s more tolerable to have a choice for an extra 10-15% er’ what not speed boost so I can achieve certain lengths or, special destinations, if I may”

Up the base player speed 10-15% and get rid of movement acceleration and everybody is happy. This also eliminates the negatives of sprint.
Higher base speed > sprint.

#4

> 2535425649312293;3:
> “The reason why I give sprint a +1 is solely for advanced mobility. I understand the con’s of sprint very well, I have suffered many of them especially the “running away” issue, but for me it’s more tolerable to have a choice for an extra 10-15% er’ what not speed boost so I can achieve certain lengths or, special destinations, if I may”
>
> Up the base player speed 10-15% and get rid of movement acceleration and everybody is happy. This also eliminates the negatives of sprint.
> Higher base speed > sprint.

Have you tried playing custom games with mobility speed permanently increased? It’s disorienting. I for one wouldn’t be happy.

#5

I don’t think competitive players see it as “evolution”. I think for them, they play it like a sport. And adding things like Sprint and Armor Abilities/Spartan Abilities would be like if FIFA announced that next season everyone could use their hands to pick up and throw the soccer ball once every five minutes or something. It would be changing something that’s sacred to competitive players, so of course they’re against it.

But we then have the problem of isolating people who play just for fun and they may not want to play the same game every year. You can’t make the game too exclusive, yet you can’t exclude your competitive crowd either.

#6

I played Halo 3 on my relative’s projector for the first time in ages.
The movement felt amazing. Literally, honestly have no idea what people are talking about when they complain “eugh I don’t wanna move at the crawling speed of a toddler”.

Nothing will ever make me like sprint. No argument you provide me will ever make me say it belongs or works in Halo.
I almost wanna say sprint is single handedly the worst thing ever added to Halo, but things like Armor Lock are pretty close…
Remove sprint, give a slight buff to movement speed, and tweak field of view.

Thrusters allow new tricks, but are also used as an escape tool. I do completely respect thrusters as a side-grade to the skill gap, but I’m just not sold on them being a straight up improvement to the game.

Everything else is pretty “meh” for me.

Smart Scope is a pointless, canon breaking aesthetic change. I prefer the older scope but I can tolerate smart scope. The only thing I hate about it is how it buffs automatics.

Ground Pound is probably going to need some nerfing. Otherwise I don’t think it’s a huge deal.

Sliding is…eh whatever. Don’t really care, not going to be even remotely significant to the game.

Not a fan of Clamber, but it’s not game breaking either.

#7

I posted this on another thread but I also find it relevant here…
Halo 4 l alienated the majority of the fan base, and hurt Halo worse than any competing game could ever hope to. Halo killed Halo, by trying to be something it isn’t, people play Halo for a specific feel and type of gameplay, changing that means the reason people played the game and were addicted to it was gone. When you try to appeal to people other than your fan base, you fail on both ends, (example will be CoD) the Halo fans will be alienated and you begin to grow hate and division in the community, and CoD fans still won’t play the game, why, because CoD does CoD better than Halo and they don’t want to play a ripoff hybrid. Same thing would happen if CoD tried shields and slow kill times, they would crash and burn worse than the Challenger shuttle. My point, keep the core and the formula, build from that, don’t add to or change it, just build off it.

#8

> 2533274794991976;2:
> So many times in past Halo games I thought to Myself how useful it would be if I could sprint in both Single Player and Multiplayer.
>
> Halo Reach was the first Halo Game that gave us Sprint with the Addition of Armour Abilities. And now in Halo 5 Sprint and Clamber come as standard. I support these Updated Features, they were long overdue.

I wholeheartedly agree, good sir!

#9

> 2554720502921577;7:
> I posted this on another thread but I also find it relevant here…
> Halo 4 l alienated the majority of the fan base, and hurt Halo worse than any competing game could ever hope to. Halo killed Halo, by trying to be something it isn’t, people play Halo for a specific feel and type of gameplay, changing that means the reason people played the game and were addicted to it was gone. When you try to appeal to people other than your fan base, you fail on both ends, (example will be CoD) the Halo fans will be alienated and you begin to grow hate and division in the community, and CoD fans still won’t play the game, why, because CoD does CoD better than Halo and they don’t want to play a ripoff hybrid. Same thing would happen if CoD tried shields and slow kill times, they would crash and burn worse than the Challenger shuttle. My point, keep the core and the formula, build from that, don’t add to or change it, just build off it.

How could they build on the formula without adding to it, or changing it? Your statement contradicts itself. If everyone followed that logic, nothing would change. It’d get boring, and repetitive, people would want change. Except that’s the thing, see? Nowadays, in games, if you don’t change anything, it’s “boring”, and “repetitive”; But if you DO change something, it’s “too much change”, “not the same game”, and “go back to the way it was.”

#10

> 2533274873783305;9:
> > 2554720502921577;7:
> > I posted this on another thread but I also find it relevant here…
> > Halo 4 l alienated the majority of the fan base, and hurt Halo worse than any competing game could ever hope to. Halo killed Halo, by trying to be something it isn’t, people play Halo for a specific feel and type of gameplay, changing that means the reason people played the game and were addicted to it was gone. When you try to appeal to people other than your fan base, you fail on both ends, (example will be CoD) the Halo fans will be alienated and you begin to grow hate and division in the community, and CoD fans still won’t play the game, why, because CoD does CoD better than Halo and they don’t want to play a ripoff hybrid. Same thing would happen if CoD tried shields and slow kill times, they would crash and burn worse than the Challenger shuttle. My point, keep the core and the formula, build from that, don’t add to or change it, just build off it.
>
>
>
> How could they build on the formula without adding to it, or changing it? Your statement contradicts itself. If everyone followed that logic, nothing would change. It’d get boring, and repetitive, people would want change. Except that’s the thing, see? Nowadays, in games, if you don’t change anything, it’s “boring”, and “repetitive”; But if you DO change something, it’s “too much change”, “not the same game”, and “go back to the way it was.”

You BUILD off the core, don’t change or add to the core, an example is equipment in H3, they changed the game, but not the core, they were pick ups, like weapons, but they CHANGED the core when they became default armor abilities thereby changing the golden triangle into something else, It was no longer guns, melee, grenades it was now guns, melee, grenades, armor abilities. Also, you say people complain about CoD not changing, but who had kept their fan base? Halo has changed, yet lost their fan base? People play specific games for specific gameplay, don’t fix what isn’t broken.

#11

> 2661949065475413;4:
> > 2535425649312293;3:
> > “The reason why I give sprint a +1 is solely for advanced mobility. I understand the con’s of sprint very well, I have suffered many of them especially the “running away” issue, but for me it’s more tolerable to have a choice for an extra 10-15% er’ what not speed boost so I can achieve certain lengths or, special destinations, if I may”
> >
> > Up the base player speed 10-15% and get rid of movement acceleration and everybody is happy. This also eliminates the negatives of sprint.
> > Higher base speed > sprint.
>
>
>
> Have you tried playing custom games with mobility speed permanently increased? It’s disorienting. I for one wouldn’t be happy.

Yes I have, and it’s not disorienting at all when it’s a minimal increase. If you think a 10% increase is disorienting (especially considering the slow base movement speed for games like Reach and Halo 4), I don’t know what to say.

Here’s an idea: remove sprint and make maps to fit the base movement speed so we don’t have to increase it at all.

> 2533274883669557;5:
> But we then have the problem of isolating people who play just for fun and they may not want to play the same game every year. You can’t make the game too exclusive, yet you can’t exclude your competitive crowd either.

That was never a problem before. The people who “just play for fun” will play for fun anyway, and to be honest it seems a lot of them don’t understand the detrimental effects of things like sprint on the game (most people don’t browse Halo forums and the like, so how would they?). I have a hard time believing anybody who plays casually (especially people who already one an XB1) would pass Halo 5 because of no sprint.

People buy CoD every year and it’s constantly insulted for “being the same game every year” (which it honestly isn’t). Staying the same is not something that turns too many people off.

#12

> 2533274913448583;11:
> > 2661949065475413;4:
> > > 2535425649312293;3:
> > > “The reason why I give sprint a +1 is solely for advanced mobility. I understand the con’s of sprint very well, I have suffered many of them especially the “running away” issue, but for me it’s more tolerable to have a choice for an extra 10-15% er’ what not speed boost so I can achieve certain lengths or, special destinations, if I may”
> > >
> > > Up the base player speed 10-15% and get rid of movement acceleration and everybody is happy. This also eliminates the negatives of sprint.
> > > Higher base speed > sprint.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Have you tried playing custom games with mobility speed permanently increased? It’s disorienting. I for one wouldn’t be happy.
>
>
>
>
> Yes I have, and it’s not disorienting at all when it’s a minimal increase. If you think a 10% increase is disorienting (especially considering the slow base movement speed for games like Reach and Halo 4), I don’t know what to say.
>
> Here’s an idea: remove sprint and make maps to fit the base movement speed so we don’t have to increase it at all.
>
> > 2533274883669557;5:
> > But we then have the problem of isolating people who play just for fun and they may not want to play the same game every year. You can’t make the game too exclusive, yet you can’t exclude your competitive crowd either.
>
>
> That was never a problem before. The people who “just play for fun” will play for fun anyway, and to be honest it seems a lot of them don’t understand the detrimental effects of things like sprint on the game (most people don’t browse Halo forums and the like, so how would they?). I have a hard time believing anybody who plays casually (especially people who already one an XB1) would pass Halo 5 because of no sprint.
>
> People buy CoD every year and it’s constantly insulted for “being the same game every year” (which it honestly isn’t). Staying the same is not something that turns too many people off.

True, but look at CoD’s sales as they’ve kept up that pattern. I think people are starting to get bored of it.

#13

> 2533274883669557;12:
> > 2533274913448583;11:
> > > 2661949065475413;4:
> > > > 2535425649312293;3:
> > > > “The reason why I give sprint a +1 is solely for advanced mobility. I understand the con’s of sprint very well, I have suffered many of them especially the “running away” issue, but for me it’s more tolerable to have a choice for an extra 10-15% er’ what not speed boost so I can achieve certain lengths or, special destinations, if I may”
> > > >
> > > > Up the base player speed 10-15% and get rid of movement acceleration and everybody is happy. This also eliminates the negatives of sprint.
> > > > Higher base speed > sprint.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Have you tried playing custom games with mobility speed permanently increased? It’s disorienting. I for one wouldn’t be happy.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Yes I have, and it’s not disorienting at all when it’s a minimal increase. If you think a 10% increase is disorienting (especially considering the slow base movement speed for games like Reach and Halo 4), I don’t know what to say.
> >
> > Here’s an idea: remove sprint and make maps to fit the base movement speed so we don’t have to increase it at all.
> >
> > > 2533274883669557;5:
> > > But we then have the problem of isolating people who play just for fun and they may not want to play the same game every year. You can’t make the game too exclusive, yet you can’t exclude your competitive crowd either.
> >
> >
> >
> > That was never a problem before. The people who “just play for fun” will play for fun anyway, and to be honest it seems a lot of them don’t understand the detrimental effects of things like sprint on the game (most people don’t browse Halo forums and the like, so how would they?). I have a hard time believing anybody who plays casually (especially people who already one an XB1) would pass Halo 5 because of no sprint.
> >
> > People buy CoD every year and it’s constantly insulted for “being the same game every year” (which it honestly isn’t). Staying the same is not something that turns too many people off.
>
>
> True, but look at CoD’s sales as they’ve kept up that pattern. I think people are starting to get bored of it.

That might have something to do with the fact that a new CoD is released every single year.

#14

> 2533274883669557;5:
> I don’t think competitive players see it as “evolution”. I think for them, they play it like a sport. And adding things like Sprint and Armor Abilities/Spartan Abilities would be like if FIFA announced that next season everyone could use their hands to pick up and throw the soccer ball once every five minutes or something. It would be changing something that’s sacred to competitive players, so of course they’re against it.
>
> But we then have the problem of isolating people who play just for fun and they may not want to play the same game every year. You can’t make the game too exclusive, yet you can’t exclude your competitive crowd either.

No, those are clearly defined rules for the game.

There are no clearly defined universal rules that Halo must follow. It’s just a video game.

FIFA shows a real life sport, with clearly defined and accepted rules.

#15

> 2533274878211546;14:
> No, those are clearly defined rules for the game.
>
> There are no clearly defined universal rules that Halo must follow. It’s just a video game.
>
> FIFA shows a real life sport, with clearly defined and accepted rules.

Soccer is “just a game”, what makes Soccer any different? There’s no reason everyone playing soccer couldn’t just come together and say “you know what, we need to be able to throw the ball now”. The fact is, they don’t want to. Rules for various sports have evolved over time, until we eventually just settled upon an working set of rules.

Soccer doesn’t change it’s rules because its fans have come to accept them and would oppose any changes to them.
Similarly, successful franchises don’t generally change their formula unless that formula is falling out of favor.

#16

> 2533274819302824;15:
> > 2533274878211546;14:
> > No, those are clearly defined rules for the game.
> >
> > There are no clearly defined universal rules that Halo must follow. It’s just a video game.
> >
> > FIFA shows a real life sport, with clearly defined and accepted rules.
>
>
> Soccer is “just a game”, what makes Soccer any different? There’s no reason everyone playing soccer couldn’t just come together and say “you know what, we need to be able to throw the ball now”. The fact is, they don’t want to. Rules for various sports have evolved over time, until we eventually just settled upon an working set of rules.
>
> Soccer doesn’t change it’s rules because its fans have come to accept them and would oppose any changes to them.
> Similarly, successful franchises don’t generally change their formula unless that formula is falling out of favor.

Funny thing evolution. Eventually you no longer have a dinosaur, you have a chicken.

#17

> 2533274794991976;2:
> So many times in past Halo games I thought to Myself how useful it would be if I could sprint in both Single Player and Multiplayer.
>
> Halo Reach was the first Halo Game that gave us Sprint with the Addition of Armour Abilities. And now in Halo 5 Sprint and Clamber come as standard. I support these Updated Features, they were long overdue.

This

#18

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