Thoughts on all the changes to Halo

Games Other Halo
#1

I’m sick and tired of 343 changing all this -Yoink- if i wanted to play another game i would, i want to play Halo, good old fashioned Halo. Not Call of Duty, not Battlefield but Halo. Halo 4 is hardly even Halo. Now i don’t think it’s a horrible game don’t get me wrong, but it is not really Halo anymore.

Here are the changes that I’m happy with, and the ones I’m not.

Changes i like:

The new weapons (the majority f them rock i love them)

The Prometheans (they are really cool as well, i wish they didn’t totally replace the brutes but they are very cool)

Regicide (by no means do i think it should take the place of Rumble Pit but it is cool)

New Armor (i love the armor in Halo 4 it’s probably my favorite in any halo game)

Personal ordinance (this i’m not 100% for but it’s one of the better features they added)

Changes i don’t like:

Custom game options (this is just pitiful, i could make an entire post about it but the entire custom community knows where I’m coming from)

Joining Mid-game (this to me practically breaks the entire matchmaking experience and makes the game much less fun for me, like 7 out of 10 games i play I’m put into the middle of a game i hate that)

Lobby after game (not sure what to call it but i hate how after each game you are paired with the same guys you just played with, and if you don’t want to play with them again you have to back out and start up again most likely in the middle of a game)

Load-outs (I don’t like them at all i think it should be the same for everyone (no I’m not a noob I’m SR-21 so i can choose practically any primary i want) it just kinda ruins game-play for me, it was much more fun without the custom load-outs)

Playlists (I’m not gonna really go into this cause I’m sure more will be added, but no multi team/doubles/rumble pit at launch, not cool at all)

No 1-50 ranks (I know this has been brought up time and time again, but it really is one of the best features in the Halo series, i know they claimed to be putting in something similar, but i have my doubts it will even be similar, and i guaranty that it won’t be in game which basically ruins the whole concept of the skills)

No weapons on map (I do not like that there are no weapons on the map personal ordinance is kinda cool, and i think that it could maybe work but initial ordinance and ordinance throughout the game is not good for game-play as a whole)

No real incentive to win (This is going to the same long and lonesome road that reach went down, it’s already been proven that is there isn’t an incentive to try in objective game-types then people won’t. I personally love objective game-types and i love trying in them, but nothing is more frustrating then when you are trying your hardest for the objective (flag, oddball, Hill ect.) and nobody else on your team is trying they are just stat padding, i loved Halo 3 so much because it was super competitive in all objective game-types because you could only get EXP by winning the game)

Slayer not going purely by kills (this isn’t a huge deal but it’s pretty frustrating to me to bring up the scoreboard and see 260 next to my name or something, i just want to see how many kills i have, or looking at the scoreboard and seeing 640-370)

The death-cam (It infuriates me after i die and chuck a sticky grenade out i want to at least see if i killed them and how i did, not just when i re-spawn see the medals for a split second as they are fading away)

No sniper head shot stick medals (People are probably going to say this is nit-picky, but it’s important to me, and 343 had no apparent reason to change it, but i don’t like how ever single kill with the plasma grenade counts as plasma grenade kill, and you don’t get a grenade stick medal, that is really lame, same with the sniper)

Halo 4 stat tracking (this is my last complaint and it’s about waypoint not the actual game, i don’t like the layouts for checking your own stats, it’s really pretty annoying to use an checking your medals on here is a total pain, i want to see all of them lined up not have to cycle through like 8 at a time, if you can do that i haven’t figured it out yet)

These are just my personal opinions, is you agree, disagree, have stuff to add, whatever let me know, i want to know if I’m way off on these matters.

#2

This is exactly what I was thinking. There are some key aspects to a Halo game that makes it a Halo game…and unfortunately 343 changed, or completely removed, some of those aspects. I REALLY hope they realize this soon. There obviously needs to be a pretty big update to custom games. And the only way I’ll be happy with matchmaking is if they end up implementing a good ranking system, and remove instant respawns and kill cams. Maybe there can be a classic playlist or something that does this.

#3

Sooooo true.

I prefer Reach over Halo 4 so far…

#4

Glad i’m not the only one.

#5

> Sooooo true.
>
> I prefer Reach over Halo 4 so far…

Not sure if i would say that for sure yet, we’ll just have to wait and see.

#6

No, I dissagree in every way possible.

#7

> Sooooo true.
>
> I prefer Reach over Halo 4 so far…

Me too, the only bad things about Reach were the maps and OP’d melee.

H4 MM has been watered down… Too easy to kill, too easy to die.

#8

I agree with some of your points.

This is why a public Beta should have been conducted…

#9

> I agree with some of your points.
>
> This is why a public Beta should have been conducted…

They did that for Reach. and look how much complaints were made against it after its release.

#10

I have a question that goes along with the “changes” topic:

I just played MP for the 1st time last night, so what is up with only 3 maps being listed in the lobby playlist???

Seems like when I stay in 1 lobby you only get the same 3 maps every time. You have to leave the lobby to get a new set of 3 maps, but many times it’s the same 3 maps over and over and over.

I was trying to figure out so many things last night so perhaps I’m just missing something, but can somebody please shed some light here???

Thanks!

#11

This is a much better thread than I created.

#12

> > I agree with some of your points.
> >
> > This is why a public Beta should have been conducted…
>
> They did that for Reach. and look how much complaints were made against it after its release.

True, i really enjoyed Reach, but i guess people just find it hard to accept change. I am happy with Halo 4 so far.

I just don’t like the things they have removed from the game.

Where most people seem to be more concerned about the new things added to Halo…

EDIT: I did not vote in this thread as there is no moderate…“The changes are ok, i need more time to fully decide” vote.

I wouldn’t say the changes are ‘perfect’ but i would not say thry are abysmal either.

#13

The Custom Game issue is my only significant gripe. The rest I can adjust to over time and Skill Ranking is around the corner anyways.

#14

IMO Halo 4 is better than Reach in it’s two year cycle. The fact that IMO (again) it feels much closer to a Halo game and realizes the potential (however flawed that may or may not be) that Reach failed to do so. I cannot and will not ever (EVER) back down from the criticisms i gave the game since i joined on Waypoint (that’s including when i was trollish jerk back in the beta). No way in hell i am calling Reach the “better” game because that is simply not true. I did enjoy Reach however, don’t get that wrong. I just feel that out of all the Halo games, it was the least enjoyable one out of the bunch.

However, just because i have a huge hard on for Halo 4 MP doesn’t mean i don’t have my own wonderful lists of likes and dislikes. Though i will need to play the game more since i haven’t tried everything out, here goes.

Likes

  • The aiming code is much smoother and consistent than we have been given in recent years.

  • The game in general feels much faster and the pace is adrenaline inducing (for me). Despite the hate, i am liking how natural instant re-spawning is feeling in the non competitive playlists. I will not like this to be so in a more MLG or competitive oriented playlisst however. It does add to the game’s pace though it won’t be liked by everyone.

  • Despite my concerns, the new CTF isn’t the horrible abomination everyone feared (though with more tweaks it can be better)

-The vast amount of unlocks. Holy -Yoink-.

-Firing any gun (however bad or good) just feels satisfying to get kills with.

-Speaking of kills, deaths feel like less BS from the game and more of my lack of skill.

-I am enjoying Dominion. I loved Invasion back in Reach and this is my fix for that. Feels a bit like Heavies though, not exactly my favorite gametype but the capture mechanics and tower defense style turrets keep me coming back.

-Haven’t played Slayer Pro but I’ve heard good things. Full teams and trying hard is the order of the day.

-Flood mode surpasses Living Derp by more than a mile. It was much more fair in choosing who was zombie and who was human at the start of the round.

-The Suppressor and Assault -Yoinking!- own. The Storm Rifle is decent though i prefer the other two for better kill times and support rather than support alone. Still, 343 did right by making the non dual wielded automatics viable in MP FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A HALO GAME. It only took 10 years to realize that element of the sandbox was beyond horrible compared to the over-dominating utility rifles but hey, the dawn lateness is better than the midnight of never right?

Voting system; no more troll votes and indecisive kids can’t deciding what map they want to play.

Dislikes

-Auto Pick up for flag. For a game revolving around choice, i find it odd to remove it here at that level. Accidental flag pick ups will happen because of this (though you fools with power weapons; do try to STAY AWAY from the flag. Let your buddies pick it up and cover them with rocks/sniper.)

-No Competitive Ranks at launch. While not a major issue to make or break the game for myself, it was a bit sad not seeing ranks at launched. Hopefully, the extra data and time given to 343 to refine the system will make the ranking much cleaner.

-The BR needs work. ROF buff; nothing else needs to be nerfed but buffed if necessary.

-Hardlight Shield; it was still annoying like Armor Lock but not so much it’s incredibly cheap. This one is simply because i was robbed kills and was picked off :frowning: (hey at least i admit it).

-Thruster Pack needs a buff to it’s directional movement. It’s not really that good in MP; good in Campaign though. As in, it doesn’t cover much ground in MP and you are better off not using it most of the time.

-Jetpack and Camo being on spawn in general. nuff said.

-Flags, bases, and extraction supply points need less time to defend. Right now, you have to spend a too amount of time defending these objectives. Reducing the time limit allows for less campyness and more movement towards other objectives IMO. It gets players moving and to the point. I can’t defend my other flag or base when this one still has 30 seconds left before capture/flag resets. Flag should be instant reset too but that’s just me.

-Flag goals should be 3, not 5. Games are drawn out by this length; 3 flag caps is to the point and feels less grindy.

#15

The only real issue I have is join-in-progress. Frankly, I just don’t understand its inclusion here, as it is completely, 100% antithetical to competitive play in every possible way.

I think it’s too early to tell if some of the other things (e.g. loadouts, point system etc) are going to be negative.

Reach was a bunch of boring crap IMO and only good for goofing around in big team or zombies or such.

The pre and post-game UI definitely isn’t as intuitive as Bungie’s was with Halo 3/Reach, but again I think we’ll adjust to this over time.

343 already stated their plans for the ranking, which I’m mostly satisfied with though I still think a ranked/social playlist distinction would be helpful and would solve 99% of the problems people have (you could keep JIP in social and get rid of it in ranked, for example).

#16

Im glad im not the only one who feels the same way about many of those things. Personally i feel as though the personal ordnance system is kinda gimmicky and needs to be removed for favoring the weapons on the maps. Also the point systems is kinda lame…Also something small but i wish they still had the same color schemes for the old medals still being used…like beat down with the green fist and the iconic double kill yellow medal and blue stars…why change something that isn’t broken.It adds a nostalgic feel to the game don’t you think? :slight_smile:

#17

Personally, I think the game is nigh on perfect, it flows beautiful it looks beautiful, the weapons work beautifully and it’s just a damn masterpiece, literally my only complain is bringing your weapon up coming out of sprinting it sometimes sticks throwing off combat

#18

Reach gameplay wise is far superior to H4, you had to put in the extra effort to get the kill. Cross mapping with a DMR was rare but in H4 its commonplace and accounts for a high percentage of kills.

H4 has been designed with H3 crybabies /Reach haters in mind.
Disable fall damage - check
Pointless shields - check
aimbot - check
faster killtimes - check
weakazz grenades - check
Remove any player skill - check
Create loadout illusion (all you need is a DMR / BR) - check

Trying to get the H3 crowd back from CoD will backfire.
Those of us who like shooters now have nowhere to go to get away from CoD type games.

#19

> Reach gameplay wise is far superior to H4, you had to put in the extra effort to get the kill. Cross mapping with a DMR was rare but in H4 its commonplace and accounts for a high percentage of kills.
>
> H4 has been designed with H3 crybabies /Reach haters in mind.
> Disable fall damage - check
> Pointless shields - check
> aimbot - check
> faster killtimes - check
> weakazz grenades - check
> Remove any player skill - check
> Create loadout illusion (all you need is a DMR / BR) - check
>
> Trying to get the H3 crowd back from CoD will backfire.
> Those of us who like shooters now have nowhere to go to get away from CoD type games.

As much as i love Halo i have to agree with you.

#20

> Reach gameplay wise is far superior to H4, you had to put in the extra effort to get the kill. Cross mapping with a DMR was rare but in H4 its commonplace and accounts for a high percentage of kills.
>
> H4 has been designed with H3 crybabies /Reach haters in mind.
> Disable fall damage - check
> Pointless shields - check
> aimbot - check
> faster killtimes - check
> weakazz grenades - check
> Remove any player skill - check
> Create loadout illusion (all you need is a DMR / BR) - check
>
> Trying to get the H3 crowd back from CoD will backfire.
> Those of us who like shooters now have nowhere to go to get away from CoD type games.

You must be having a laugh. Halo 3 is 10 times as skillful as reach. I’ve got multiple 50s in halo 3 and a bpr of 100 in reach so I know what I’m talking about.

Fall damage is minor either way and depending on context can add to or takeaway from skill.

If you’re referring to shields recharging more quickly that increases individual skill allowing a player to get more kills providing they have the skill.

Reach has super slow strafing high aim assist and hitscan weapons. All of the above detract from skill. Dmr battles in reach were almost always a near draw, infact quite often actually a trade. The br in h3 required far more skill with less aim assist, faster strafing, and more precise aiming/leading of shots due to no hitscan. If a good player wasn’t quite on his game you could walk away from a br duel with more than half your shield.

Faster kill times to a certain degree increase skill, reach’s were so slow that they reduced skill due to teammates always joining in.

H3 style grenades are far more skillful as they require more precise placing and timing to weaken/Finish off enemies. Not to mention reach’s were often unavoidable due to tortoise like strafing. Reach’s grenades were a major issue in terms of spamming.

Halo reach was far more like cod than halo 3.

Not to mention other skill detracting aspects of reach:
Sprint double beatdown
Sprint sword
Sprint hammer
Overpowered rockets due to slow movement and reduced gravity
Much less skillful sniper (loads of aim assist)
Awful map design
Getting lucky kills via trigger spamming Dmr/pistol
Sprinting away when weak
Armour abilities
No power ups on map