There is only one way to improve Halo 5’s Forge customization that I can think of [excluding map size and sandbox]
Only two games I know of have done this, only one is practical.
Have you guessed it yet? It is Farcry. You can have an ocean in Farcry, adjust the terrain [without using pieces], place AI animals and enemies [and enemy animals!]. It is truly something else. And it has been done since the days of the 360, so I have no doubt the more powerful XB1 can handle it. Unless the impractical Minecraft becomes an option, Halo could take a note from Farcry’s map editor. What do y’all think?
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> There is only one way to improve Forge’s customization [excluding map size and sandbox]Only two games I know of have done this, only one is practical.
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> Have you guessed it yet? It is Farcry. You can have an ocean in Farcry, adjust the terrain [without using pieces], place AI animals and enemies [and enemy animals!]. It is truly something else. And it has been done since the days of the 360, so I have no doubt the more powerful XB1 can handle it. Unless the impractical Minecraft becomes an option, Halo could take a note from Farcry’s map editor. What do you think?
I think that Forge needs to strike a balance between being accessible for newer and inexperienced creators, while also providing a complex enough toolset for hardcore map makers. I think that adding those things might create such an overwhelming suite of tools that the former group might be put off, and while it may benefit the latter, keep in mind that Far Cry 3 was from a time where games rarely exceeded 10GB. Given the fact that the majority of players won’t be buying an Xbox Scorpio, and that Halo 5’s engine is something that the standard One still has some issues running, it’s unlikely that either will be added anytime soon.
Do keep in mind that I’d love these changes (especially the terrain modifier), I don’t think that they’re really in the cards in terms of a business or development standpoint. And while the Forge team has said they’re looking into Forge AI for future Halo games, it’s not a guarantee that they’ll appear, at least to the degree that people might want. Halo is, at its core, an Arena Shooter with social aspects. Microsoft will likely never allow Forge to reach the level of an actual dev level designer, solely because that would take away resources that could be spent on the more marketed features of Halo. I can’t even remember the last time Forge or Custom Games were the focus of a (pre-)launch trailer (as in not for Forge-focused DLC or Updates).