Ever since the Campaign Reveal, I gotta say, i am so stoked for this game. The improvement is so visible, and the delay definitely did this game some good. it is looking, sounding, and definitely feeling fantastic. Ever since participating in the technical flight, the past games just seem boring. What a success. The sandbox style gameplay is back, and better than ever, a true celebration of what Halo is. The modern touches bring this game to par with what gaming is now, while at the same time, respecting the legacy.
I wanted to start this thread to gain some commentary on a couple of visual feedback systems. Primarily explosions and blood.
As far as explosions go, I feel like this is a part where the game is currently lack. Something I have loved about the earlier games is how realistic explosions look in general. In my opinion, Halo 3 had some of the best looking explosions. They were bright and full of light. There was dirt thrown of from the ground, cohesive with what the ground was made of, be it dirt, sand, etc. There was residual smoke. Whatever material, be it a box, vehicle, was left in flames after it was destroyed. The explosions in Infinite don’t quite come to par. They look very “painty.” There isn’t a whole lot of light involved, and very minimal smoke. Not as much dirt is thrown up. Something in particular I’ve noticed is that materials don’t really look damaged when they explode. When a a vehicle is destroyed, you see a an explosion of what looks like paint, and it breaks up. There is no residual smoke or flame, and the material looks almost unscathed. Compared to Halo 3, a destroyed warthog would be scorched, tarnished, wrinkled, and in flames.
Another huge one that has bugged me since Halo 5 is the lack of blood. Maybe this is just my irrational lust for violence. However, I feel like in a First Person Shooter, blood serves as a legitimate visual feedback. I’ve noticed in infinite there is a very minimal amount of blood upon bullet impact, but that’s it. I miss the blood decals of early halo games. I feel that this should be fairly feasible without changing the rating of the game, given that “blood” is already in the Teen rating.
These are areas of visual feedback that I feel would look even better with some given attention. What is everyone’s thoughts?