Foreword:
Some players have tendered their disapproval of the “Join in Progress” system. They put forward a variety of reasons for disliking the system; they often insist that the feature has no place in Halo at all. Such impassioned minds, though, myopically overlook the future potential of the very system they despise!
Indeed, the “Join in Progress” innovation represents only the first of many new matchmaking innovations. As Halo continues to evolve, so too will the matchmaking continue to adapt to its players’ needs!
#5 - Ordnance in Progress
As the match’s end nears, you notice that you have completed about half of your ordnance progress meter. You know that you cannot hope to complete it in the short time remaining; therefore, you shall simply submit a request for a partial ordnance drop!
No doubt, rolling into combat with a Saw that only came with 3 rounds will present its own unique challenges. You will have to weigh the risks against the benefits on your own.
#4 - Team Balance in Progress
Although Halo 4 utilizes incredibly efficient and effective matchmaking algorithms, it doesn’t always put together the best competitive matchup. No doubt you have found yourself on the wrong end of an 800 - 500 score at one time or another. What can you do, besides to quit?
In the future, you will not have to quit! As one team begins to pull ahead in the match, the losing team will begin to receive extra teammates to help them in their fight against the better team. With more and more players, you will finally have the crew you need to come back to win the game!
#3 - Reload in Progress
You just can’t beat a good one-on-one duel in a game of Halo. As you turn that next corner, you see a member of the enemy team and immediately target him for extermination. Sometimes, though, that other player starts to get the better of you. His shots, they land harder, and they land faster; your reticule shivers as you futilely struggle to land your shots, and promptly you drop to the ground, thoroughly defeated.
Halo, though, always strives to provide a fair and balanced playing experience to each of its players. Oh, yes. As Halo continues to innovate forward, you will no longer have to worry about losing these one-on-one battles. Consider this alternate take on the previous scenario:
As you turn that next corner, you see a member of the enemy team and begin assaulting him with your Assault Rifle. He spins around, dodges your assault, then rapidly drains your shields with his Battle Rifle. Just as he prepares to take the 5th shot, though, his gun spontaneously decides to reload, allowing you plenty of time to defeat him in Halo combat.
Reload in Progress will finally allow players of all skill levels to compete on a level playing field.
#2 - Surrender in Progress
Although each of the previous matchmaking innovations will excellently level the playing field, some players may still find themselves losing a match by great scores. Instead of quitting the match, these players will instead initiate a surrender to the other team. Once a majority of one team decides to surrender, they will enter a peace negotiation with the opposing team. The action will momentarily pause (very much like a “black screen”) as the opposing factions enter into a bargaining session; once they have reached an accord, the game will end immediately!
#1 - Game Over in Progress
While the Surrender in Progress feature will allow desperate teams to escape unbalanced matchups in team modes, players in free-for-all modes will not have access to a surrender option. To remedy this, free-for-all modes should likely introduce the “Game Over in Progress” feature. If one of the players begins to enjoy a dominating lead over his counterparts, then the server will simply remove him from the contest so that the remaining participants can enjoy a fair and engaging free-for-all session.