I, like many people, along with Microsoft and 343i (even if they don’t openly admit it)want to see Halo take the number one spot on XBL again. I want it to be a game people will have fun playing for years rather than months. So here is a few thing they can do with Halo 5 and 6 if not already implemented in 4.
First thing is add new game modes and features and things players can do. Halo 3 added forge and theater, ODST added Firefight, and well, Reach broke that by not really adding anything. For Halo 4 Spartan Ops is a step in the right direction. Unfortunately you cut Firefight for it. So here is some things you can do.
-Return Firefight: There are many people who loved this. Refine and enhance it. Make it feel like a challenger and for run allow players to customize Firefight maps. Also make it 6-8 players. I never cared for firefight but I probably would if it is better. Overall it isn’t about me it is about giving players something else to do which would increase longevity.
-Map Editor/Advanced Forge: Allow players to start will a grid and build an entire map from ground up. Allow them to share that map and then players can rate them after they play them. The highest rated maps can be reviewed by you guys to decide if they are MM worthy.
-Mission Editor: This feature hasn’t been on the console since 2002 with the release of Operation Flashpoint: Elite. At least to my knowledge. Those of you who have played that or Arma on the PC know how amazing this mechanic is. Allow players to go on existing maps or maps they created and place AI, give them waypoints, behaviors, actions, etc. Allow them to set player spawns, objectives, etc. Then allow players to string missions together to create their own little campaign and then share it with others. This alone will provide endless replay value to your game
-Add AI bots: Whether it be for fun or practice this would be awesome.
-Battlefront Style Gametype: Lets face it, we aren’t going to get a Battlefront 3 anywhere in the near future so give players something to satisfy their hunger for it. Don’t be afraid to mix it up. Allow players to play as regular soldiers on a battlefield filled with AI and objectives.
-Bring Invasion back along with Elites: Invasion in Reach should of felt amazing but it wasn’t. It was actually better in the beta when it was green vs blue/purple for a change. Anyways, this time make it feel like an Invasion. 12 vs 12 and if you can throw in drop ships and AI. Give us interesting and FUN scenarios with a huge assortment of objectives. It shouldn’t just be Attack/Defend. Also give invasion dedicated servers.
-Space battles: Why this wasn’t in Reach baffles me.
-Custom Game Search: Another thing that should of been in Reach. It speaks for itself. This also adds much need replay value.
-Bigger battles: We were promised to have a player cap increase in Reach. That clearly didn’t happen. Hopefully 4 will be more than 16 but if not then Halo 5 should be at least 24, and 6 should be 32. Especially with the next-gen system.
-Machinima Tools: Good machinimas are hard to find these days. If you gave players tools to make better ones even if it is something as simple as lowering your weapon in customs. Why add this? Because people watch them. If there is some awesome machinimas that take place in Halo that might get people to get hyped and buy Halo. Many people bought Minecraft because of the Yogscast. It could have the same effect.
-Better Unlock system and why: —> http://halo.xbox.com/Forums/yaf_postst85292_343i-Take-Notes---Progression-Unlock-System.aspx Basically. Unlocks should be from every part of the game, hidden, challenging, and fun to get. They should not be from only MM and have to be obtained through ranking up, credits, or spartan points. Otherwise many people will only play MM to obtain those without trying to explore the other parts of he the game. That is why hardly anyone plays private matches through CoD and why they don’t exist in Battlefield…because unlocks are only obtained through MM in those games. Long story short, unlocks need to go back to the way they were in Halo 3 rather than using the same overused and generic system. The more you can do > The more you can unlock.
Lastly. Don’t make everything players can do have to be serious or make sense. That can hurt your game. It doesn’t have to make sense as long as it is fun. Now I’m not talking about adding guns that shoot skittles or anything. That would just be silly. I’m talking about adding gamemodes that might not make sense to the story. Such as Spartans vs Elites. The Infinity story is cool and all but because of it you removed elites and potentially Invasion and other gametypes that could be extremely fun. Treyarchs CoD games have Zombies in them. That doesn’t make any sense but it is fun as hell and that is what matters. If Black Ops 2 has 8 player zombies you can bet your -Yoink- that I’ll be buying it just for that. Same thing with the Battlefield 3 being rumored to have a dinosaur hunt mode. It didn’t but if it did it wouldn’t of made sense at all but it would of been fun as hell.
Oh yet forgot one thing. Add a -Yoinking!- Legendary Ending!