so, I don’t think anyone is super crazy about the three missions that are mostly about walking around an area. they’re not bad, but they feel slightly unformed next to how well-realized the combat missions are.
But I’ve been thinking about them, because they actually did leave an impression on me, and I’m realizing why. We’ve seen sections where you have to lower your gun in shooters before, but halo games aren’t designed like most shooters are. They’re about big arenas that you can run around and explore in lots of different ways. Seeing that extended to a non-violent section is pretty unique.
Like I said, these missions aren’t bad, they just feel like they need a little bit more to them. Some extra layer added on top of basically the same stuff, like perhaps some dialogue choices?
I really like the idea of figuring out more ways to tell parts of the story in first person, though cutscenes have their place. I appreciate the attempt and would like to see this concept given another shot.
I agree, yeah its a new concept for Halo but its been effectively performed in heavy story-based narrative games like Bioshock Infinite.
I don’t think they’re bad either, but I think it was a little deceptive to frame them as individual missions. Yes exploration has been part of most modern FPSs, but not like that. It feels like they were made into their own missions to bump the total mission count up for the marketing campaign, just like some of the cutscenes in H2 were “missions”.
I remember way back in the early H5 speculation days that H5 was initially going to be “open world exploration with multiple planets”. The assumption being that the Chief having gone Rogue in search of Cortana, grabs a pelican (which you outfit prior to each mission) and goes exploring. This is just a theory here - I think this was initially the plan and that this game was rewritten half way through development and many of those types of missions were scrapped. Perhaps those three wandering “missions” we have in H5 are remnant of that.
I liked them sicne I like exploring in games and it was a nice change of pace from all the run and gun up to those points, and I liked hearing what the npcs had to say, etc. But I feel as though they should have been fleshed out a lot more to match their standing as actual ‘missions’, though I think they would have been better attached to the beginning or end of their relative missions instead.
we should have had one or two on the Infinity to build up the Osiris characters a bit more.
I definitely agree the campaign probably had some kind of rebuild prior to launch. Its pretty par for the course in Halo. Same probably happened with Halo 4’s multiplayer.
I liked those missions, all they need to add is a few more objectives and include more dialogue.
I think if they were done well they could be a really cool addition. I think a lot of people didn’t like them because they were like a playable cutscene.
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> I don’t think they’re bad either, but I think it was a little deceptive to frame them as individual missions. Yes exploration has been part of most modern FPSs, but not like that. It feels like they were made into their own missions to bump the total mission count up for the marketing campaign, just like some of the cutscenes in H2 were “missions”.
that’s one possible explanation, but I also think it might have just been easier for the engine to handle these sections if they were designated as fully separate missions, since that gives them the opportunity for a longer load time, and wandering around these areas full of scripted NPC conversations probably takes a lot more hardware power than you might expect.
I agree that perhaps classifying them as something other than missions might be appropriate, even just from a thematic sense: “Mission” implies that you’re going to be getting into a bunch of combat, wheras non-combat sections where you’re gaining information from NPCs could fairly be called something else, like “Investigations” or “Info Ops”.
I haven’t actually found all the secrets and datapad stuff in these sections, but I plan to on my legendary playthrough. Extending that sort of stuff also seems ideal, these types of missions seem to be perfect for easter eggs and such.
As some people have said, I think this game in particular could have used more of these sections, particularly ones starring Blue Team, or Osiris in their own native environment on Infinity. More sections in more varied environments would be interesting. Perhaps some of these could be set in the aftermath of completed mission areas, in future games?
They were utter -Yoink-. Like complete garbage.
If 343i continues with this idea, id like to see more Easter eggs and Intel bits. Maybe do some retrieval missions where you have to extract data from somewhere and take it to a computer somewhere else. Something different. But the way it was presented, I would’ve rather had an extended cutscene
Agreed. I think they’re just barely starting to scratch the service as far as campaign. I, like so many others, was pretty disappointed in the H5 campaign, but I think they’re just trying out new things and trying to expand the character base. I think the key things for H6 would be making master chief the obvious focus (I loved the arbiter and like locke just fine, but I let’s be honest if you’re a halo fanboy you’re a MC fanboy) and adding to elements to the gameplay in campaign itself (which they’re starting to do). I think part of the problem was they made the campaign too focused on exploring the new mechanics and they left out story.
> 2533274874023152;10:
> They were utter -Yoink-. Like complete garbage.
Obviously this guy just ran through everything. I thought the little details they added were great. The conversation between a grunt and an elite about grunt life was very amusing as well the little bit of detail provided about colony life and the swords of Sanghelios.
It was cool during the Sanghelios missions where you had time to walk around the Arbiter’s camp, collect some intel, catch some conversations (one in particular being very amusing). But it would be nice if you could have these little areas between some of the missions, maybe let someone choose their loadlout guns from the usually selection before heading to the next area (AR, BR, DMR, SMG, Magnum).
Those mission should of not been listed as actual mission but having said that, there is huge potential for this type of gameplay.
What if in Halo 6 in between mission you are on the infinity and you can walk around and talk to different people like Blue Team, Osiris, Plamer, Arbiter and so on and you could choose your loadout before each mission. Then you could have secert areas where could find skulls and have other easter eggs.
They could have used more interactivity. One of the things that makes Deus Ex so fun is the ability to mess around with the environment and see how people react. Granted that Halo never was nor will be as complex as that game, but I think more areas to explore for lore and weapons/equipment that would carry over into the next mission would have made these missions more than glorified cutscenes. I can appreciate that there was an attempt in that regard with the conversations on Meridian and between the grunt and apathetic elite, but I feel that it’s just so much -Yoink!- into the wind without a little more incentive to do it.
> 2614366390845858;4:
> I remember way back in the early H5 speculation days that H5 was initially going to be “open world exploration with multiple planets”. The assumption being that the Chief having gone Rogue in search of Cortana, grabs a pelican (which you outfit prior to each mission) and goes exploring. This is just a theory here - I think this was initially the plan and that this game was rewritten half way through development and many of those types of missions were scrapped. Perhaps those three wandering “missions” we have in H5 are remnant of that.
My thoughts exactly, the game was changed halfway through maybe due to time constraints. Those could of served as a hub world with side missions that we could take on heck it could of been a full open world experience…
> 2533274794210491;15:
> Those mission should of not been listed as actual mission but having said that, there is huge potential for this type of gameplay.
>
> What if in Halo 6 in between mission you are on the infinity and you can walk around and talk to different people like Blue Team, Osiris, Plamer, Arbiter and so on and you could choose your loadout before each mission. Then you could have secert areas where could find skulls and have other easter eggs.
I like this idea, I think it would be a good addition, add some depth to the campaign and allow you to change your loadouts. Also a good idea would be a computer terminal that has information that can be accessed that would fill in the story gaps for people who don’t read the books. As you progress through the campaign more files/information are unlocked
> 2533274840624875;13:
> > 2533274874023152;10:
> > They were utter -Yoink-. Like complete garbage.
>
>
> Obviously this guy just ran through everything. I thought the little details they added were great. The conversation between a grunt and an elite about grunt life was very amusing as well the little bit of detail provided about colony life and the swords of Sanghelios.
Obviously you don’t know the heart and soul of Halo. You can get everything you got in those stupid “levels” through dialogue during vehicle segments, certain combat situations, and terminals just like all the other games before this one. Halo is one of the last pure FPS games out there man. Its about a great story, high stakes, and being a badass and saving the world. Its not about being some boring by the books “Spartan” that walks around listening banter you could get elsewhere. Its not about ducking behind cover when your shields break or waiting for dumb AI to revive you. Its not about shooting 2D enemies that give no gratification when you kill them. Sorry dude, but I think everyone agrees campaign was botched. Kotaku has a great article on it. The essence of Halo campaigns was missing. My sentiment stems from the whole mess of the campaign. It was by far the worst on record and that just makes these segments even worse.
> 2533274818508074;18:
> > 2533274794210491;15:
> > Those mission should of not been listed as actual mission but having said that, there is huge potential for this type of gameplay.
> >
> > What if in Halo 6 in between mission you are on the infinity and you can walk around and talk to different people like Blue Team, Osiris, Plamer, Arbiter and so on and you could choose your loadout before each mission. Then you could have secert areas where could find skulls and have other easter eggs.
>
>
> I like this idea, I think it would be a good addition, add some depth to the campaign and allow you to change your loadouts. Also a good idea would be a computer terminal that has information that can be accessed that would fill in the story gaps for people who don’t read the books. As you progress through the campaign more files/information are unlocked
That would also be awesome, did not even thing of that.