Two Nonsensical Development Decisions

Games Halo 5: Guardians
1

I seriously think you guys just don’t playtest for inconsistencies. The small map sizes make zero sense. Same with the shortened radar.

It’s very possible that the outcome we have now is due to the order in which the devs thought up the ideas.

However, I have the impression that increased mobility and verticality were there from the beginning. Now, if your ability to get around the map is significantly greater than in any other game iteration, wouldn’t it make sense to design slightly larger maps? Instead, all of the arena maps are super freaking small. Would this be a big deal for doubles? No. 3v3? Maybe, maybe not. But in Slayer games, you often can’t move 10 meters before running into someone, if you’re lucky. And if you spawn by yourself, the likelihood of meeting more than one foe is exponentially high. Which means being at least temporarily stuck in a vicious cycle, where you can’t link up with your team because there’s almost always more than one person to deal with.

Objective gametypes on these maps are a bit stupid. Stronghold is the worst. Let’s say you spawn, and you’re closest to a captured base. Naturally, you try to take it. Unfortunately, it takes no time at all for at LEAST one person to reach you. And, before that battle is even finished, if you happened to survive then another enemy will be there to happily finish you off.

All of this is made exponentially worse by the shortened radar. Many of the above issues could be dealt with by having a normal radar. Yes, I watched the video where they said that, after the beta, they felt it was too big, due to the small map sizes. I fail to see how.

Let’s follow this logically for a minute. We know that there is more than one gametype (Arena and Warzone), with opposite map sizes. So if shortening the radar were to improve Arena–which it doesn’t seem to me that it does–then on principle alone it automatically punishes Warzone players.

But we can take this argument further. In general, regardless of map size, each player always has greater mobility. Greater mobility means it’ll be easier for players to surprise you, so paying attention to your radar is more important. So here’s an idea: let’s shorten the radar, ensuring that 80% of the situations where you’ll be shot in the back or the side are unavoidable, because you simply cannot know that anyone is there.

Mechanics should ALWAYS take precedent. Instead, you gave us the opposite–sacrificing crucial mechanics because you couldn’t plan your maps better.

Because it’s not a joke. I could make an obscenely long montage showing how many times I’ve been shot in the back or side by someone not far away, but doesn’t appear on the radar. At least in prior Halos, watching your radar was helpful. Now, there’s almost no point.

2

<mark>Do not post spam.</mark>

Git gud kid

3

> 2588229428725419;1:
> I seriously think you guys just don’t playtest for inconsistencies. The small map sizes make zero sense. Same with the shortened radar.
>
> It’s very possible that the outcome we have now is due to the order in which the devs thought up the ideas.
>
> However, I have the impression that increased mobility and verticality were there from the beginning. Now, if your ability to get around the map is significantly greater than in any other game iteration, wouldn’t it make sense to design slightly larger maps? Instead, all of the arena maps are super freaking small. Would this be a big deal for doubles? No. 3v3? Maybe, maybe not. But in Slayer games, you often can’t move 10 meters before running into someone, if you’re lucky. And if you spawn by yourself, the likelihood of meeting more than one foe is exponentially high. Which means being at least temporarily stuck in a vicious cycle, where you can’t link up with your team because there’s almost always more than one person to deal with.
>
> Objective gametypes on these maps are a bit stupid. Stronghold is the worst. Let’s say you spawn, and you’re closest to a captured base. Naturally, you try to take it. Unfortunately, it takes no time at all for at LEAST one person to reach you. And, before that battle is even finished, if you happened to survive then another enemy will be there to happily finish you off.
>
> All of this is made exponentially worse by the shortened radar. Many of the above issues could be dealt with by having a normal radar. Yes, I watched the video where they said that, after the beta, they felt it was too big, due to the small map sizes. I fail to see how.
>
> Let’s follow this logically for a minute. We know that there is more than one gametype (Arena and Warzone), with opposite map sizes. So if shortening the radar were to improve Arena–which it doesn’t seem to me that it does–then on principle alone it automatically punishes Warzone players.
>
> But we can take this argument further. In general, regardless of map size, each player always has greater mobility. Greater mobility means it’ll be easier for players to surprise you, so paying attention to your radar is more important. So here’s an idea: let’s shorten the radar, ensuring that 80% of the situations where you’ll be shot in the back or the side are unavoidable, because you simply cannot know that anyone is there.
>
> Mechanics should ALWAYS take precedent. Instead, you gave us the opposite–sacrificing crucial mechanics because you couldn’t plan your maps better.
>
> Because it’s not a joke. I could make an obscenely long montage showing how many times I’ve been shot in the back or side by someone not far away, but doesn’t appear on the radar. At least in prior Halos, watching your radar was helpful. Now, there’s almost no point.

Since Halo 1, I only play no radar. MLG and Pros have always played no radar which means not having radar is the definition of a competitive Halo which is what Halo 5 is trying to return to and an 18m radar was a comprise between those who want radar and those who don’t. The 18m seems to be fine for those who like a competitive Halo, but seems to be a major issue in Halo 5 for casuals. I’m not the best Halo player in the world, but I haven’t been assassinated yet in this game, watching my surroundings is not an issue because like you said, maps are small so I can see where everyone is using my eyes. You know why, because I don’t stare at radar all game.

The solution is that no radar playlists must be added for those who actually want a competitive Halo. All other playlists must then be changed to 25m. A larger radar only rewards campers. The larger the radar, the less reason you have to move on a map. You camp one base with the lead and wait for the other team to come to you and your team can see every direction they are coming from, it leads to awful games, unless you play at a low level in Halo in which everyone runs around aimlessly, then you don’t have to worry about the camping problem. But I for one, love playing Halo because it’s one of the few games that doesn’t reward camping and rewards those who move around the map to flank the enemy, some would call this strategy.

4

I think their reasoning for smaller maps was to cater to the Pro audience of Halo. Smaller maps and practically no radar (Most good players I know prefer not to have radars, so maybe that’s why it got nerfed) forces engagements to happen, for better or worse. I certainly have “loved” playing Swat on Truth just to be spawned killed 8 times in a row because the map is so small. It is frustrating and I think spawns need to be better on Swat (I saw a video where someone got a Killpocalypse spawn killing people in Swat).

On the other hand, for now, arena has focused on smaller group engagements and so I believe smaller maps are appropriate. Warzone, and the new Big Team Battle coming out, focus on large group engagement with vehicles and the maps are much larger with more open sight lines. I played a lot of Halo 4 and my feelings about that game was that it was a ranged game. There were a ton of big maps with open sightlines, and for the longest time DMRs ruled the day because of it. I’m glad that we finally have a distinction between the two and have small maps and large maps.

On a final note, I do feel Radar needs to be improved to promote map awareness. Right now it is horrible. And small maps are great, but the spawns need to be better so you don’t get spawn killed.
Just my opinion though.

5

From what I’ve seen of Arena it seems the maps are smaller horizontally but have more versatility vertically. Now instead of relying on man cannons and other things to get to a higher point on the map we can just climb or jump to new vantage points. I do feel the maps are a little small but that’s because the other maps used to be so large in previous games you could go almost a whole minute without running into another player. Maybe they want to see how the community does with more “fast paced” game types? And on the issue of the radar I have no problem with it. In Warzone (especially on Apex 7) the match usually devolves to mid and long range fighting anyway so the radar only helps when your trying to defend a base (and as far as I’ve seen, the 18m range pretty much covers the whole base.)

6

Remove Sprint, up the Movement speed to 100% and there you go… a very good halo with good but not outstanding maps. Increase Radar to 25 in a social list, remove it completely in an hardcore playlist.

7

I probably got killed 95 % by players who are worse than me, but just had the luck to spawn or stumble upon me from behind, which I couldn’t see on radar. Gone are the days where I could test my skill against another player on a fair duel. It’s sad.

8

> 2533274792617998;2:
> Git gud kid

Get good kid learn to spell.

9

I agree with OP, but have nothing to add.

10

I like the faster paced game it creates. Plays more like Halo 2 than turtle -Yoink!- slow Halo 3

11

The only reason MLG players hated expanded Radar was because it gave the above averages a fighting chance against them and they hated that. Now I do hate campers too which it does seem like there are less of them so far but it might be just because they haven’t figure out the good places yet to set up their tents.

12

> 2533274792003229;6:
> Remove Sprint, up the Movement speed to 100% and there you go… a very good halo with good but not outstanding maps. Increase Radar to 25 in a social list, remove it completely in an hardcore playlist.

To be completely honest I prefer no radar instead of 18m.

13

> 2533274800104109;8:
> > 2533274792617998;2:
> > Git gud kid
>
>
> Get good kid learn to spell.

Lol, its intentionally spelled that way moron. Engineering degree and a law degree.

14

OP was heading in the right direction but then he lost it.

The maps are bigger. Don’t tell me that you think maps like rig and plaza are the same size as maps like lockout, ivory tower, warlock, chill out, guardian, etc. I mean look how much more stretched out regret is compared to midship.

15

No, good players prefer no radar because it adheres to realistic battle dynamics. You can’t flank people with radar. In addition, situation awareness and knowledge of firing angles should determine a successful engagement, not random luck from grenade tosses towards someone’s radar signature.

16

> 2533274792617998;2:
> Git gud kid

You have ~500 arena kills with not much less deaths. The majority of your time you have played Warzone, where you have ~13k kills. If “get gud” is you answer, then your Arena playtime should be much higher.

17

> 2533274826203061;16:
> > 2533274792617998;2:
> > Git gud kid
>
>
> You have ~500 arena kills with not much less deaths. What do you know? Majority of your time you have played Warzone, where you have ~13k kills.
>
> To the OP, yes the design choice is odd. Some say the maps are not smaller, and while that might be true, they sure feel and play alot smaller. Part of the reason for that is because most the maps are utter garbage with terrible sight lines and cramped spaces. A great example is the Rig; it is an atrocious map shortly followed by regret and plaza.
>
> As already stated, the short radar makes the situation even worse especially when considering how much the automatics got buffed.
>
> Nystic brings up a good suggestion. The radar should be restored to its previous incarnations and an MLG/No Radar playlist should be added like it has existed in previous games. Too bad 343 has the memory of a toddler.
>
> Maybe the radar would not be as bad if it functioned at its advertised 18m. See here for explanation.

Wrong, my Arena KDA is 3.0. Glad you took the time to look me up though, even if you misrepresented the facts. Regardless, my KD is irrelevant to the conversation at hand. Plain and simple, good players want no radar, bad players prefer radar. I’ll leave it to you to figure out which one you are lol.

18

To the OP, yes the design choice is odd. Some say the maps are not smaller, and while that might be true, they sure feel and play alot smaller. Part of the reason for that is because most the maps are utter garbage with terrible sight lines and cramped spaces. A great example is the Rig; it is an atrocious map shortly followed by regret and plaza.

As already stated, the short radar makes the situation even worse especially when considering how much the automatics got buffed. Most players including me don’t want to play all Arena matches as it is slayer pro or MLG. Also, I mostly play solo, and the current game mechanics make it extremely undesirable to play Arena without a team/party.

Nystic brings up a good suggestion. The radar should be restored to its previous incarnations and an MLG/No Radar playlist should be added like it has existed in previous games. Too bad 343 has the memory of a toddler.

Maybe the radar would not be as bad if it functioned at its advertised 18m. See here for explanation.

19

> 2533274826203061;16:
> > 2533274792617998;2:
> > Git gud kid
>
>
> You have ~500 arena kills with not much less deaths. The majority of your time you have played Warzone, where you have ~13k kills. If “get gud” is you answer, then your Arena playtime should be much higher.

I’m not playing Arena because my mic isn’t working, and hasn’t been since the game launched. I’m not even bothering to look you up because I already know you’re bad because you want radar.

Once again, how much time I play Arena is irrelevant to my skill at shooters.

How old are you?!? I feel like I’m having a discussion with a teenager lol. I’ll ignore you from now on unless you manage to put together a logical train of thought.

20

> 2533274792617998;17:
> > 2533274826203061;16:
> > > 2533274792617998;2:
> > >
>
>
> Wrong, my Arena KD is 3.5. Regardless, my KD is irrelevant to the conversation at hand. Plain and simple, good players want no radar, bad players prefer radar. I’ll leave it to you to figure out which one you are lol.

Last I checked 484/418 ≠ 3.5, unless you play on multiple accounts. This account has no record of playing Halo 2, 3 or MCC. Also, you are SR93 in H5, maybe its time to take a washroom break?

As far as your radar generalization goes, if you want Halo to completely die out then be my guest. Remove radar and only the gamebattles and MLG players will be left; the game will be a ghost town, as if it’s not becoming one already.

Having no radar (or broken radar) is only rewarding when facing absolutely clueless players or when playing with a full team who has the advantage of communication. The games fast pace gameplay and narrow fov make it extremely difficult for anyone playing solo. It devolves the game to “who shot first wins.”