Excellent post sir. I most assuredly feel your frustration. Although the FF limited playlist numbers were small, the population was consistent in all but the most obscure hours of the day. Search times for games were not unbearable and most of the players were very dedicated to the playlist. For us, FF limited was a key reason why we played reach; it was what made the game enjoyable to us. This is why many of us are so bewildered and ultimately frustrated by its removal.
I would humbly offer my own service record as an example - hundreds of FF limited games logged - all relatively consistent. What factors lead to 343’s decision? The playlist did not have downward trend in population - in consistently held several hundred players. What about games logged? There must have been thousands of FF limited games played per week. Did 343 look at these statistics?
As you mention, why take away a core game mechanic? Reach has 3 essential mechanics: multiplayer, campaign, and firefight. All game modes are playable online for credits. Limited was closest to FF’s ODST roots - arcade does not do justice to the FF gametype. Cooperative campaign’s population was hardly above FF limited, often with only a few hundred players. I cannot recall when it was last consistently above 1,000.
What may be most confounding, is that literally days before the launch of a new, much-anticipated FF map, an essential FF playlist is eliminated. Why? If FF limited was to ultimately be culled, why not at least wait until sometime after the release of new map that is being promoted? Many of us have been eagerly awaiting the limited game play experience on this map. If this map is only playable in matchmaking via arcade, why would one be tempted to use the chain gun warthog when a FRG and jetpack are available as a loadout? Why would one venture out on the map for a strategic position and make timely use of the man cannon back to base, again when a FRG and jetpack are available at spawn?
As you mentioned OP, it would just be nice to understand 343’s logic as to the removal of FF limited. I could hardly wait to read today’s bulletin, hoping that given the large number of posts about limited in the past week, that 343 may address its removal, if even just a sentence or 2 to give us more than the “slow death” nonsense from last week’s bulletin.
I have not yet lost faith in 343, and we can only hope that a new FF playlist (similar to your suggestions above) is released, or at very least that FF limited can be re-instated. If our FF options remain unchanged from now until November 2012, I fear we can only be further disheartened at the prospects for firefight in Halo 4…
With much respect and admiration, please 343, let us have a firefight gametype in reach worth playing!