When Reach came out we saw a new side to Halo, limited as it was, it was enjoyable all the same. The addition of Space combat added something unique to Halo Reach, unlike any other Halo before. Some will argue its useless, some love it.
Space combat allowed the player to delve deeper into the halo universe by leaving all that “boots on the ground” stuff behind and putting them into another major conflict told time and time again in the Halo Universe. Players were for once put into a new world of halo, a place of equally epic battles and environments. The large scale space conflicts that take place alongside almost every single ground op the chief or any other soldier of the UNSC had undertaken. A story largely told only in books and cinematic’s.
The space combat in Reach was expertly created, the flight controls were near flawless and the dynamics of it just worked. For the first time in Halo we had a properly working flight mission, more than just hovering in a banshee, and jumping in and out of it every few minutes. It was exactly how it should have been, and it could have even been more. And 343I has access to all the data for making it work.
But we have a draw back. Halo is an FPS and always has been, that’s why we play it. People don’t play for space combat, they play for close quarters combat, tanks, warthogs and the like. That’s the nail in the coffin, its not what Halo was.
But can we make it work, if we built it off of our existing FPS multiplayer gaming standards and work it into a smooth transition for players without all the new information to learn.
If it were to succeed we need to turn what we have into it, not put what it is into halo.
Here’s some ways we can achieve this.
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Ranks system will bridge both flight and ground combat areas:
We can’t separate the two from each-other, whatever ranks system is in place will have to cross over for the two different playing types, to help influence the playing of this mode. But we can’t let it hurt people who only play the main FPS mode. -
Weapon Pickup is gone:
It just wont work in flight, it just feels too… cheap and clunky! Flight games will be played with load-outs that will be earned depending on what you do. The load-outs secondary weapon will be custom to a degree, when you die you can quickly choose one of two or three alternate options that you think work best for you load-out. But none will have to be too greatly over powered, but will still need to work differently in certain situations. Depending on your game-type, CTF, assault, slayer, VIP, etc. Secondary and main weapons are setup for their respective games, or by custom setting in the menu. -
Game Types:
Normal game-types can still apply to Arial/Orbital combat. -
Controls:
The setup right now is fine, some minor tweaks maybe, but it works good right now. -
Forge:
Large open expanses, no land allows greater possibilities for content and number of objects like, wreckage, meteors, satellites, small ships, larger ships(maybe), small space constructs, space stations or chunks of them, specialty objects for racing and other modes. -
custom settings:
Will still apply just like the Main FPS mode, speed, damage, shields, team colors, etc. -
Weapons types:
Rockets, Missiles, torpedoes, Gatling Gun, EMP, Cannon, guess more if you like. -
View Point:
Cockpit is a possibility, but 3rd person is probably the best option.
This is all depending on what the story in Halo 4 is, we might never get to orbit for more than a few minutes of play, even then its probably aboard a larger vessel.
As well, Halo is mainly FPS, this might not even be worth it to enough people to even make it worth the thought and effort. Which it probably isn’t. But part of my hope for it one day, as slim the chance is.