I know what all of you will answer to this post: more Sandbox and no scripting Yoink!.
I think for a game to be epic, it needs scripted moments. One of the things that made Halo: Reach’s campaign SOOO much less epic is the lack of scripting in an almost complete fashion. It made the game less memorable and less awesome. Reach didn’t have Scarab battles or any dynamic objectives. It was plain and straight forward and the only level that felt truly epic for me was LNoS.
Halo 2, on the other hand, was too scripted (if I remember correctly). There were a number of boss battles, too much enclosed spaces and much more reliant on story than its predecessor. It was as epic as any game I have ever played put together (I maybe exaggerating), but it was lacking what made the original unique: the sandbox, the multiple ways you can approach each scenario and how open the world really was.
I find that both scripting and sandbox are needed to make the perfect Halo games, with some levels being more open and multi-pathed while other levels having pure epic moments that you will remember as the “landmarks” of the game, by sacrificing the moments to scripting.
Halo 3 did this the best in the series (I think), where most levels are sandbox and open but others are more confined and epic (that final Hog run was so awesome). Another thing that adds to the epicness of a game is cut-scenes, which both Halo 2 and 3 did well and Halo: Reach did (possibly) even better (but the lack of story in the game kind of cancelled that out).
I hope H4 will be as good at this balancing as H3, with loads of sandbox AND enough pure epic moments that I really missed in Reach (hell, even ODST was more epic- excluding LNoS- and ODST was supposed to be more small scale and personnal).
Scripted doesn’t quite mean what you think it means. Scripted means the event is planned out beforehand, and the player can do nothing. Cutscenes, for instance. You’re talking about linearity versus sandboxness. And quite honestly, Reach was far too linear and simple. 75% of the levels are “Go here. Hit this button. Go here. Defend this area.” Right now, Halo is about a 2 on this chart, I think a 3 would fit well. (without sidequests, though)
I have to agree with you. I want it to strike a good balance like Halo 3, because scripted moments CAN be good, but certain games use them waaay too much. I loved the combination of third and first person cutscenes in ODST and Reach as well. I feel that adds a little more to the cutscenes, reminds you that this is the character you’re playing as.
I’m not a vehicle person, but I have to admit that scripted Hog run endings are epic.
I love the scripted moments in Halo campaigns, the Frigate coming down to drop off the tanks on The Ark seriously blew my mind when I first played it (I was high). I also like the covenant ships flying overhead, that’s extremely epic. I didn’t really get any of those epic feelings from Reach, the civilian ship crashing into the water was pretty cool aswell as the city glassing on New Alexandria but they didn’t turn me on as much as the stuff in 3 or ODST.
We need the next gen of Xbox so that we can have both very effectively. Halo 5 could do with Halo’s battles that God of War3 enjoyed on the PS3. Insane battles, both near and far. Perhaps with some very creative programming and writing, Halo4 could have something smaller in scale to how I imagine Halo5 could be with its size.
Halo already draws great things for both large and far. But filling up that area… meh, they get the job done most times, but not in a consistent game-play fashion. Reach did a great job at attempting to take this to the next level, but as I say, needs more RAM and maybe another pipe or 2 between cores.
Can’t leave without praising New Alexandria’s level design… wow what scale. And to mix so many different styles of lighting effects. That is truly the level to show off the engine’s potential, both draw and lighting. The cruisers that fly in and begin to glass things are only the beginning of what I believe the next gen can help expand with. Similarly ODST’s elevator collapsing moment too.
> Scripted doesn’t quite mean what you think it means. Scripted means the event is planned out beforehand, and the player can do nothing. Cutscenes, for instance. You’re talking about linearity versus sandboxness. And quite honestly, Reach was far too linear and simple. 75% of the levels are “Go here. Hit this button. Go here. Defend this area.” Right now, Halo is about a 2 on this chart, I think a 3 would fit well. (without sidequests, though)
Ah, thanks for that link. Very helpful. Bookmarked for future reference. :]