Some feedback from a hardcore Halo 2 fanboy...

Games Halo 5: Guardians
1

Hey 343i and co.

Thanks for letting us get our hands on the beta for Halo 5 this holiday season. Can’t think of a better thing to do on vacation. :slight_smile:

Some feedback for Halo 5, from the perspective of someone who loved Halo 2 to death, disliked Halo 3, and enjoyed (though didn’t love) Halo 4:

System Design:

Very impressed thus far with the adjustments that have been made to Spartan mobility. The decision to go with a level playing field for all was the right call, and things like Sprint and Thruster Pack go a long way towards making the Halo formula feel very fresh again. I only mention Sprint and Thruster Pack because I do feel the other additions are very situational, though not useless (aside from Spartan Charge, which seems a bit underpowered at the moment).

  • Ground Pound: Just right. Fun, appropriate damage output, and suitably risky to perform.- Thruster Pack: Love it. Would like the indicator that my Thruster Pack is available to be a little more visible / audible. The AV feedback for shields is perfect. Perhaps some subtle flashing red on the icon and bumping up the volume / pitch of the indicator would do the trick.- Spartan Charge: Indifferent. Used more as a means of traveling without burning my Thruster Pack cooldown at the moment. Visual feedback isn’t as exciting as the Ground Pound, and feels very slow (super easy to dodge, even without using Thruster Pack)- Hover: Surprisingly useful in the right circumstances. Would like a slower descent, but wouldn’t be upset if this went untouched. Maybe an indicator of how long before hover expires? A decreasing meter on Smart-Link HUDs?- Sprint: Perfect risk/reward. Leave this alone, IMO.- Slide: Useful in the right circumstances. Maybe increase distance traveled a tad?Weapon Balance:

Was surprised to see some interesting changes to weapon balance this time around, nearly all of them are for the better in my opinion. Though we haven’t had any experience with Covie weapons just yet (Prophet’s Bane notwithstanding) the UNSC armaments are quite excellent.

  • Assault Rifle: Finally, this thing is useful. Perfect amount of damage and range, though often loses to the SMG at certain ranges that feel better suited to the AR.- Magnum: Perfect. Seriously, perfect.- SMG: Probably my new favorite gun in the game. Really fun, though I imagine its effective range could use a bit of a nerf. Or not. :)- Battle Rifle: Still really fun and effective. Definitely more skill-based than it ever was, and I think you know that, considering the new “Perfect Kill” medal. Not as good as it once was, but I’m chalking that one up to the fact that we’ve only been given small-medium range maps to play on so far.- DMR: Needs work. The BR got a substantial ROF increase to compensate for the new mobility options, while the DMR feels a bit archaic in the new era of Halo multiplayer. Smart-Link on the DMR is not gratifying due to the optics used, which obscure a large amount of vision when compared to the BR’s optics, which are open. The DMR could also use a damage buff on unshielded targets. The Magnum is a better option in nearly all firefights when compared to the DMR due to better optics and fire rate. I think with more open Smart-Link optics and a faster fire rate, the DMR would probably be much more satisfying than it is currently.- Sniper Rifle: The slower fire rate is rough, though forces players to hunt for headshots more. As a power weapon, I don’t know if this is necessary, however. With tight corridors, much more mobility than ever before, and mid-range lines of sight, this is a bit too rough, IMO. We don’t need to bring it back to Halo 2’s Sniper Rifle fire rate, but when paired with the slow draw times of the BR and DMR as a secondary defensive option, the player wielding the Sniper Rifle feels a little less lethal than he used to be.- Prophet’s Bane: So much fun. Love the movement speed buff. Glad / sad there isn’t real counterplay other than sweet Thruster Pack dodges. Please don’t bring back melee “blocks”. Those weren’t fun for anybody.- Grenades: Pretty much exactly where they need to be.Sound Design

Wow. Seriously, just wow. MCC has highlighted how much player feedback has evolved over the course of the franchise’s history (Halo: CE was terrible at communicating damage) and Halo 5 continues that legacy. I cannot stress enough how much I love all of the sounds that go into a firefight. The way the bass drops when a grenade drops your shields, the alert noises when your shield is half empty, the subtle cues that play when your weapons make contact with an enemy (and that “pop” headshot noise is wonderful). Please don’t change these (except for the Thruster Pack cues, those could be a little more dramatic). Guns sound awesome, too. Great work here, guys.

Map Design

Equally awesome. Truth and Empire are really outstanding maps that make great use of the new mobility options. I always felt like I had a place to duck to cover with the Thruster Pack and I love how equipping the Prophet’s Bane lets me hop to the center platform in Truth. Super smart, incredibly fun, and if my time with the beta is any indication, endlessly replayable.

Overall, I’m super pleased with what you guys have done with Halo 5. It feels fresh, it feels fast, and it has already hooked me more than any multiplayer shooter in the past year. Looking forward to seeing how Breakout and Covenant weapons play into Arena (if at all).

Keep up the great work.

2

Really awesome post. Goes incredibly in-depth. I really hope to see some Covenant weapons and/or Forerunner weapons next week. I will say my only real issue is that map Empire. The power weapon should be changed since I personally feel that the Sniper Rifle doesn’t fit on a map with so many obstructions on the map. It has barely any sight lines. Anyway, good post OP!

3

Now this is great constructive critism…not nonsense that is spewed all over this forum…he’s a avid halo 2 fan but can see how this game has similarities…I agree with most of ur post except the dmr…it’s really good sometimes better than the br u just have to use it in the right situation…I feel like everything in halo 5 is strategical…the smartest player I feel IMO usually wins the gunfight and the match…it helps to have a good team as well

i also should say…I really hope 343 reads this because it really is a good post

4

> 2792633876079838;1:
> Hey 343i and co.
>
> Thanks for letting us get our hands on the beta for Halo 5 this holiday season. Can’t think of a better thing to do on vacation. :slight_smile:
>
> Some feedback for Halo 5, from the perspective of someone who loved Halo 2 to death, disliked Halo 3, and enjoyed (though didn’t love) Halo 4:
>
> System Design:
>
> Very impressed thus far with the adjustments that have been made to Spartan mobility. The decision to go with a level playing field for all was the right call, and things like Sprint and Thruster Pack go a long way towards making the Halo formula feel very fresh again. I only mention Sprint and Thruster Pack because I do feel the other additions are very situational, though not useless (aside from Spartan Charge, which seems a bit underpowered at the moment).
>
> - Ground Pound: Just right. Fun, appropriate damage output, and suitably risky to perform.
> - Thruster Pack: Love it. Would like the indicator that my Thruster Pack is available to be a little more visible / audible. The AV feedback for shields is perfect. Perhaps some subtle flashing red on the icon and bumping up the volume / pitch of the indicator would do the trick.
> - Spartan Charge: Indifferent. Used more as a means of traveling without burning my Thruster Pack cooldown at the moment. Visual feedback isn’t as exciting as the Ground Pound, and feels very slow (super easy to dodge, even without using Thruster Pack)
> - Hover: Surprisingly useful in the right circumstances. Would like a slower descent, but wouldn’t be upset if this went untouched. Maybe an indicator of how long before hover expires? A decreasing meter on Smart-Link HUDs?
> - Sprint: Perfect risk/reward. Leave this alone, IMO.
> - Slide: Useful in the right circumstances. Maybe increase distance traveled a tad?
> Weapon Balance:
>
> Was surprised to see some interesting changes to weapon balance this time around, nearly all of them are for the better in my opinion. Though we haven’t had any experience with Covie weapons just yet (Prophet’s Bane notwithstanding) the UNSC armaments are quite excellent.
>
> - Assault Rifle: Finally, this thing is useful. Perfect amount of damage and range, though often loses to the SMG at certain ranges that feel better suited to the AR.
> - Magnum: Perfect. Seriously, perfect.
> - SMG: Probably my new favorite gun in the game. Really fun, though I imagine its effective range could use a bit of a nerf. Or not. :slight_smile:
> - Battle Rifle: Still really fun and effective. Definitely more skill-based than it ever was, and I think you know that, considering the new “Perfect Kill” medal. Not as good as it once was, but I’m chalking that one up to the fact that we’ve only been given small-medium range maps to play on so far.
> - DMR: Needs work. The BR got a substantial ROF increase to compensate for the new mobility options, while the DMR feels a bit archaic in the new era of Halo multiplayer. Smart-Link on the DMR is not gratifying due to the optics used, which obscure a large amount of vision when compared to the BR’s optics, which are open. The DMR could also use a damage buff on unshielded targets. The Magnum is a better option in nearly all firefights when compared to the DMR due to better optics and fire rate. I think with more open Smart-Link optics and a faster fire rate, the DMR would probably be much more satisfying than it is currently.
> - Sniper Rifle: The slower fire rate is rough, though forces players to hunt for headshots more. As a power weapon, I don’t know if this is necessary, however. With tight corridors, much more mobility than ever before, and mid-range lines of sight, this is a bit too rough, IMO. We don’t need to bring it back to Halo 2’s Sniper Rifle fire rate, but when paired with the slow draw times of the BR and DMR as a secondary defensive option, the player wielding the Sniper Rifle feels a little less lethal than he used to be.
> - Prophet’s Bane: So much fun. Love the movement speed buff. Glad / sad there isn’t real counterplay other than sweet Thruster Pack dodges. Please don’t bring back melee “blocks”. Those weren’t fun for anybody.
> - Grenades: Pretty much exactly where they need to be.
> Sound Design
>
> Wow. Seriously, just wow. MCC has highlighted how much player feedback has evolved over the course of the franchise’s history (Halo: CE was terrible at communicating damage) and Halo 5 continues that legacy. I cannot stress enough how much I love all of the sounds that go into a firefight. The way the bass drops when a grenade drops your shields, the alert noises when your shield is half empty, the subtle cues that play when your weapons make contact with an enemy (and that “pop” headshot noise is wonderful). Please don’t change these (except for the Thruster Pack cues, those could be a little more dramatic). Guns sound awesome, too. Great work here, guys.
>
> Map Design
>
> Equally awesome. Truth and Empire are really outstanding maps that make great use of the new mobility options. I always felt like I had a place to duck to cover with the Thruster Pack and I love how equipping the Prophet’s Bane lets me hop to the center platform in Truth. Super smart, incredibly fun, and if my time with the beta is any indication, endlessly replayable.
>
> Overall, I’m super pleased with what you guys have done with Halo 5. It feels fresh, it feels fast, and it has already hooked me more than any multiplayer shooter in the past year. Looking forward to seeing how Breakout and Covenant weapons play into Arena (if at all).
>
> Keep up the great work.

Bump because this post deserves it

5

In be4 the crybabies ask if you work for 343.
Great post BTW and agree with everything.

6

> 2557401216982994;2:
> Really awesome post. Goes incredibly in-depth. I really hope to see some Covenant weapons and/or Forerunner weapons next week. I will say my only real issue is that map Empire. The power weapon should be changed since I personally feel that the Sniper Rifle doesn’t fit on a map with so many obstructions on the map. It has barely any sight lines. Anyway, good post OP!

I think you’re probably right, though I wonder what would be a better option, seeing as the map has symmetrical power weapon spawn points. Two rocket launchers would be too much, but maybe two shotguns or something better suited to CQB would be better.

7

Agreed

8

> 2533274913557812;3:
> Now this is great constructive critism…not nonsense that is spewed all over this forum…he’s a avid halo 2 fan but can see how this game has similarities…I agree with most of ur post except the dmr…it’s really good sometimes better than the br u just have to use it in the right situation…I feel like everything in halo 5 is strategical…the smartest player I feel IMO usually wins the gunfight and the match…it helps to have a good team as well
>
> i also should say…I really hope 343 reads this because it really is a good post

I agree that the DMR is definitely effective in the right situations, but I do feel that those situations mean that you have to alter your playstyle pretty dramatically. When you grab a DMR on Truth, you are pretty much locked into a few key parts of the map if you want to be really effective. That’s not necessarily bad, I just wonder if that affects how fun the gun is to use for others, as it is for me.

9

> 2792633876079838;8:
> > 2533274913557812;3:
> > Now this is great constructive critism…not nonsense that is spewed all over this forum…he’s a avid halo 2 fan but can see how this game has similarities…I agree with most of ur post except the dmr…it’s really good sometimes better than the br u just have to use it in the right situation…I feel like everything in halo 5 is strategical…the smartest player I feel IMO usually wins the gunfight and the match…it helps to have a good team as well
> >
> > i also should say…I really hope 343 reads this because it really is a good post
>
>
> I agree that the DMR is definitely effective in the right situations, but I do feel that those situations mean that you have to alter your playstyle pretty dramatically. When you grab a DMR on Truth, you are pretty much locked into a few key parts of the map if you want to be really effective. That’s not necessarily bad, I just wonder if that affects how fun the gun is to use for others, as it is for me.

I completely agree…

10

I think an important thing to note with the DMR is that there will be bigger maps where it’s longer range can be better utilized.

11

But Halo 2 fanboys are supposed to hate everything that’s remotely different

12

I agree with everything you said. I would like to see the audio feedback on shielding go back to a more classic sound though. The new audio is very high pitched and grating sometimes. Also I think the AR smart scope needs to be nerfed ever so slightly.

13

Great post. Agreed, the Magnum is perfect. :blush:

14

Agree with all of your points, although many including myself see the AR as, to say the least having some problems. I would say slight nerf in accuracy so it isn’t SO dangerous mid-range versus a BR or DMR. Otherwise, weapon balance feels damn near perfect.

15

Pretty much agree…I personally don’t care for either one of the beta maps. That’s being to nice…I think the maps are terrible, design and graphics wise.

16

[deleted]

17

Just to add on:

Sprint feels kinda clunky on Recon, so add that to the no shield regen buff, I have really no incentive to use it to run away. As of now, I am relying on my thruster to duck into cover.

Might be because of the maps, but ground pound doesn’t really seem to shine in the current beta maps, since small map size and lack of high amnush points make this rather difficult to use. Wonder if this will change in other maps.

SMG is kinda of a strange topic. On one hand, it definitely performs a lot better than the AR in close quaters, so there’s an incentive to swap the AR for it, which is how it should be. On the other hand though, it kinda feels too good…

18

> 2533274913557812;3:
> Now this is great constructive critism…not nonsense that is spewed all over this forum…he’s a avid halo 2 fan but can see how this game has similarities…I agree with most of ur post except the dmr…it’s really good sometimes better than the br u just have to use it in the right situation…I feel like everything in halo 5 is strategical…the smartest player I feel IMO usually wins the gunfight and the match…it helps to have a good team as well
>
> i also should say…I really hope 343 reads this because it really is a good post

All he did was praise everything about Halo 5, and gave no suggestion as to how they could be made better aside from the DMR and Sniper Rifle.

That’s not criticism.

This is why Halo is dying.

19

> 2557401216982994;2:
> Really awesome post. Goes incredibly in-depth. I really hope to see some Covenant weapons and/or Forerunner weapons next week. I will say my only real issue is that map Empire. The power weapon should be changed since I personally feel that the Sniper Rifle doesn’t fit on a map with so many obstructions on the map. It has barely any sight lines. Anyway, good post OP!

Well the Light rifle’s coming atleast nothing else though

> 2792633876079838;1:
> Hey 343i and co.
>
> Thanks for letting us get our hands on the beta for Halo 5 this holiday season. Can’t think of a better thing to do on vacation. :slight_smile:
>
> Some feedback for Halo 5, from the perspective of someone who loved Halo 2 to death, disliked Halo 3, and enjoyed (though didn’t love) Halo 4:
>
> System Design:
>
> Very impressed thus far with the adjustments that have been made to Spartan mobility. The decision to go with a level playing field for all was the right call, and things like Sprint and Thruster Pack go a long way towards making the Halo formula feel very fresh again. I only mention Sprint and Thruster Pack because I do feel the other additions are very situational, though not useless (aside from Spartan Charge, which seems a bit underpowered at the moment).
>
> - Ground Pound: Just right. Fun, appropriate damage output, and suitably risky to perform.
> - Thruster Pack: Love it. Would like the indicator that my Thruster Pack is available to be a little more visible / audible. The AV feedback for shields is perfect. Perhaps some subtle flashing red on the icon and bumping up the volume / pitch of the indicator would do the trick.
> - Spartan Charge: Indifferent. Used more as a means of traveling without burning my Thruster Pack cooldown at the moment. Visual feedback isn’t as exciting as the Ground Pound, and feels very slow (super easy to dodge, even without using Thruster Pack)
> - Hover: Surprisingly useful in the right circumstances. Would like a slower descent, but wouldn’t be upset if this went untouched. Maybe an indicator of how long before hover expires? A decreasing meter on Smart-Link HUDs?
> - Sprint: Perfect risk/reward. Leave this alone, IMO.
> - Slide: Useful in the right circumstances. Maybe increase distance traveled a tad?
> Weapon Balance:
>
> Was surprised to see some interesting changes to weapon balance this time around, nearly all of them are for the better in my opinion. Though we haven’t had any experience with Covie weapons just yet (Prophet’s Bane notwithstanding) the UNSC armaments are quite excellent.
>
> - Assault Rifle: Finally, this thing is useful. Perfect amount of damage and range, though often loses to the SMG at certain ranges that feel better suited to the AR.
> - Magnum: Perfect. Seriously, perfect.
> - SMG: Probably my new favorite gun in the game. Really fun, though I imagine its effective range could use a bit of a nerf. Or not. :slight_smile:
> - Battle Rifle: Still really fun and effective. Definitely more skill-based than it ever was, and I think you know that, considering the new “Perfect Kill” medal. Not as good as it once was, but I’m chalking that one up to the fact that we’ve only been given small-medium range maps to play on so far.
> - DMR: Needs work. The BR got a substantial ROF increase to compensate for the new mobility options, while the DMR feels a bit archaic in the new era of Halo multiplayer. Smart-Link on the DMR is not gratifying due to the optics used, which obscure a large amount of vision when compared to the BR’s optics, which are open. The DMR could also use a damage buff on unshielded targets. The Magnum is a better option in nearly all firefights when compared to the DMR due to better optics and fire rate. I think with more open Smart-Link optics and a faster fire rate, the DMR would probably be much more satisfying than it is currently.
> - Sniper Rifle: The slower fire rate is rough, though forces players to hunt for headshots more. As a power weapon, I don’t know if this is necessary, however. With tight corridors, much more mobility than ever before, and mid-range lines of sight, this is a bit too rough, IMO. We don’t need to bring it back to Halo 2’s Sniper Rifle fire rate, but when paired with the slow draw times of the BR and DMR as a secondary defensive option, the player wielding the Sniper Rifle feels a little less lethal than he used to be.
> - Prophet’s Bane: So much fun. Love the movement speed buff. Glad / sad there isn’t real counterplay other than sweet Thruster Pack dodges. Please don’t bring back melee “blocks”. Those weren’t fun for anybody.
> - Grenades: Pretty much exactly where they need to be.
> Sound Design
>
> Wow. Seriously, just wow. MCC has highlighted how much player feedback has evolved over the course of the franchise’s history (Halo: CE was terrible at communicating damage) and Halo 5 continues that legacy. I cannot stress enough how much I love all of the sounds that go into a firefight. The way the bass drops when a grenade drops your shields, the alert noises when your shield is half empty, the subtle cues that play when your weapons make contact with an enemy (and that “pop” headshot noise is wonderful). Please don’t change these (except for the Thruster Pack cues, those could be a little more dramatic). Guns sound awesome, too. Great work here, guys.
>
> Map Design
>
> Equally awesome. Truth and Empire are really outstanding maps that make great use of the new mobility options. I always felt like I had a place to duck to cover with the Thruster Pack and I love how equipping the Prophet’s Bane lets me hop to the center platform in Truth. Super smart, incredibly fun, and if my time with the beta is any indication, endlessly replayable.
>
> Overall, I’m super pleased with what you guys have done with Halo 5. It feels fresh, it feels fast, and it has already hooked me more than any multiplayer shooter in the past year. Looking forward to seeing how Breakout and Covenant weapons play into Arena (if at all).
>
> Keep up the great work.

Your post is great I agree with everything just that the ar does need a little less damage out put, I’m prety good at the beta and noobs with -10 KDR are getting killing sprees with it. dont get me wrong there easy to kill. But I think they’re onto us that are on the Forms, they figured out the damage output might be a little to much but you know, Opinions.

20

> 2535460843083983;18:
> > 2533274913557812;3:
> > Now this is great constructive critism…not nonsense that is spewed all over this forum…he’s a avid halo 2 fan but can see how this game has similarities…I agree with most of ur post except the dmr…it’s really good sometimes better than the br u just have to use it in the right situation…I feel like everything in halo 5 is strategical…the smartest player I feel IMO usually wins the gunfight and the match…it helps to have a good team as well
> >
> > i also should say…I really hope 343 reads this because it really is a good post
>
>
> All he did was praise everything about Halo 5, and gave no suggestion as to how they could be made better aside from the DMR and Sniper Rifle.
>
> That’s not criticism.
>
> This is why Halo is dying.

It’s feedback. Criticism, by definition, doesn’t always imply negativity.