I’m sure I have a very different and will be considered “wrong” by many of you, but i sincerely hope not. I’m just here for my two cents. Seeing as the forums are up in arms after the (fairly) recent post by 343 on the changes they will make to the beta, I’d like to give my input.
I feel that 343, as a new developer, who has a very broken image within the Halo community, is doing its best to stay true to itself as a developer and help make the community as welcome as possible. Most people would not have been happy with anything less than a complete removal of sprint and what it brings to the game. But lets face it. 343 is a “new” developer, responsible for Microsoft’s flagship series. They are coined the caretakers of Halo, and are dedicating their livelihood’s to it. Do we all really think they are only in it for the money? These people, who decided to spend their lives making Halo, must have some love for it. Just as all of us do, they have a certain view of it, as they should. And as a new developer, they must stay true to that vision, no matter how their community acts. I feel that if 343 was to stay true to this vision of Halo 5, the one they have now, with their various changes and additions, that it will be a game for this shattered community to rally around. Too long has this community been fighting about various things like loadouts, sprint, map design, map size.
These issues will always persist, and will always cause people a certain amount of distress. But i feel that if we all want Halo to get back to its former glory, we must rally around it, not crucify its developer, idolize the ones who sold it off, and bicker and fight amongst ourselves. There is always room for constructive criticism, but these forums have turned into a multi sided conflict, which will never end well for the community.
A few words for 343. Take the vision you have, this vision you must have for Halo. Listen to the community actively, conduct your surveys, but maintain that vision. I hope, that as caretakers of this great franchise we all love, you have a vision for where you see this game going.
A few words for the fans. Take into account the changes 343 has made from the beta itself. Now recall how Halo is not only its multiplayer, but the sum of all its components. Can we all have just a little more faith and a little less hate in these forums, and I have no doubt Halo will remain a juggernaut of franchises for years to come.