Hello Waypoint folks, dude527 here again with another thread, because I know you all love to see me squabble! Wow, squabble is actually a word? I was only using it because it sounded right in that context, but I didn’t realize it would actually be a word. Note to self: Look up squabble in the dictionary later. Now what was I saying?.. Oh, right! The logic about Halo Anniversary that I didn’t understand! On with it then!
Now, before I start the thread proper, I want to put in a little disclaimer. First of all, and most importantly, I am in no way debating the should-be existence of classic Combat Evolved multiplayer in Anniversary. I fully understand that no matter what any of us have to say on the matter, Reach multiplayer will be part of the deal in Anniversary. So this thread is not about that; please don’t steer it in that direction. Secondly, I am not trying to be ungrateful, or even inquisitive. I thoroughly appreciate that 343 Industries is bringing back my all-time favorite campaign, beefing it up, and allowing me to love it even more ten years later. I generally try not to question that or demand more out of the package (though let it be noted that that does not stop me making suggestions). Rather, this thread is purely to point out what I see as an anomaly in one of the particular facets of reasoning regarding the disinclusion of Combat Evolved multiplayer in Anniversary, just for the sake of pointing it out. I’m not trying to make any specific points to help the cause of bringing my favorite multiplayer to the console. All that said, let’s get on with the thread.
Now to start, I want to post a quote from Frank O’Connor of 343 Industries. It’s from the very first Halo Bulletin on June 7, 2011. This quote describes one of the reasons he cites for choosing not to include Combat Evolved’s multiplayer in Anniversary: “If we added netcode to Halo CE’s console gameplay, it would change it irrevocably. It would NOT be the same game you remembered – it would be a compromised vision of it, with the pros and cons that lag, latency and more can bring.” I’m sure you’re all familiar with this reasoning Frankie provides. It’s been mirrored by countless people at 343 since Frankie originally said it, for one thing. It’s also probably the first reply anybody who criticizes the exclusion of Combat Evolved multiplayer on these forums gets.
I want to say that I understand this reasoning on principle, as a standalone. Many people played Combat Evolved on LAN, where lag was not a factor. I’ll give 343 that much ground on the matter. What I don’t understand is 343’s solution to this problem. In short, their solution is to give us some of our favorite classic maps in the current Halo multiplayer game, which is review, again, for many of us. This puzzles me. Let me tell you why.
I’ll start with intent. That’s at the core of my bewilderment, so it’s a good place to cut into. Let me be clear: One of 343’s intents is clearly to please the “hardcore” fanbase of Halo: Combat Evolved. Many people at 343 have expressed this. Frank O’Connor is again one of them, in this video: “… we’re certainly doing stuff with matchmaking to make those maps feel as close to the original matchmaking feel - simplicity, for example - as possible, plus some other stuff that we haven’t talked about yet, that’ll make some of the really hardcore vociferous complainers, right now, a little bit happier. We’ll never be able to make them ecstatic, but we’ll do our best.” This quote clearly expresses a desire to at least try to please people who want Combat Evolved multiplayer.
And so with intent clear, they present another solution, beyond just giving us our maps: They also want to allow us to play these maps in what they describe as a “more classic” way. I’ll just let another quote do the talking, this one from Dan Ayoub in this video: “What we’re also going to let you do is play those classic maps without these new additions, so it’s exactly as you remember from the first time.” This quote, along with Frankie’s earlier one, and the frequent hinting of other 343 personnel, makes it clear that 343 is poised to attempt to make Reach’s multiplayer mimic Combat Evolved’s multiplayer.
This is what I don’t understand. To reiterate: One of the reasons 343 chose not to provide Combat Evolved multiplayer in Anniversary was because they felt that it would compromise the original experience; what some people remember of that multiplayer. So instead of doing that, they’re offering these people an attempt at mimicking these memories in Reach. My question: How isn’t this also a “compromised” version of the multiplayer we remember? Why does 343 feel it’s not OK to compromise our original experience in an attempt to give us that original experience, while simultaneously feeling that it’s perfectly OK to compromise that original experience even more severely by offering an imitation of it, rather than a (probably not all that) “laggy” version that’s genuine? That’s what I don’t understand. Why would it ruin our memories to give us a version of our original multiplayer with modern netcode? How does offering an imitation of our fond memories not ruin them? Or, more succinctly, what does 343 feel it will do better than a direct updated port to enhance them?
That’s all I’ve got, people. Feel free to discuss.
