In my opinion, there are currently 3 main problems with Halo Infinite. They are:
Networking Issues… This problem has a number of different factors including, but not limited to: desync, server tick rates, traditional lag, hit registration, etc. For some reason this game struggles with these issues more than any game that I have played. And it is especially concerning that some of these issues are even observed in LAN games. This causes me to think that it is actually a huge issue that can’t be dealt with easily; but it does need to be dealt with because it is causing people to not play the game. People don’t want to play a game that doesn’t work.
Progression… This problem includes both the need for an additional XP based progression system and a revamp of the challenge system. There are many ways that these things could be added/fixed but the primary concerns are that people want a reason to keep playing and the current challenge system is actually discouraging people from playing.
Matchmaking… Some people seem to think matchmaking is working fine but you don’t have to look very far to find posts on Waypoint, Twitter, Reddit, etc. about how bad the current state of matchmaking is in this game. Numerous posts… Frequent posts… This includes things like how Match Making Rank and Competitive Skill Rank are used, the current implementation of Skill Based Match Making in all game types, the inability to select appropriate server locations, etc. All these things are causing bad games for many people. It isn’t just driving people away from the game. In some instances, it is actually making it so that it isn’t even possible for them to find matches when they want to play.
I have seen 343 briefly acknowledge these issues but not much more than to say they are looking into them. In my opinion, these 3 things need to be top priority. And if they want to deal with them successfully, they should be more open about their plans and accept feedback. I guarantee that it will be a disaster for them if they just release some convoluted XP progression system as a surprise and expect it to go over well with the player base. If 343 wants these things to work, they should let the player base know their plans for how they are going to deal with these things, get feedback before actually implementing them in the full release game, and actually apply that feedback.
What do you see as the biggest issue(s)? Vote for as many as you like. (Feel free to add other issues in the comments.)
Networking and a small map poll are legitimately my only issues with Infinite that I think MUST br fixed ASAP.
Myself and my fireteam buddies gave always just been matchmaking players, so we’re not really missing forge, coop, or the custom games browser. I hope those come soon for those communities though
My fireteam buddies haven’t consistently played Halo since H3, so they’re only ok at Infinite. This kind of leads to a lot of frustrating games for me when we play together because my MMR is about 1.5 categories higher than theirs (they’re low/mid gold, and I usually place or end up somewhere in mid diamond in H5/ Infinite). So I usually have to try and carry our 4v4 games against squads of my MMR class. It actually makes me actively relieved when they don’t want to play which kinda sucks .
When I solo que I usually get excellent 12v12 servers (30 ping or less), but crappy 4v4 servers (90+ pretty consistently). What’s frustrating is that I get joined into 90+ ping 4v4 servers nearly instantly when I’d rather wait (much longer) for a better ping server.
I’ve said it in a few topics for a while now. 343’s matchmaking principle of “the best skill-matched games as fast as possible” needs to be thrown in the trash. Giving me a severe ping disadvantage but players of the same skill is just not fair, and there’s no way to justify that approach imo. Games aren’t set up to see who’s actually better at that point, they’re legitimately just testing who has a better server connection.
Me: Ok, we’re one win away from my ranking up, let’s own guys!
343: Here’s a server on the moon. Enjoy getting shot behind walls and whiffing your melee’s all game!
Me:
Is it fair to say these all fall under a broad category of more content?
The game definitely needs more content, but more content is only as good as the game that uses it. That being said, it is going to be a sorely missed opportunity if forge is released without a custom game browser.
This issue is going to get much bigger if it isn’t fixed when forge and a custom game browser are released. Without forge and a custom game browser, my guess is that this issue will not get much attention.
This has been bad for a while. I forget about it because I gave up on it.
= Wrong content? I wouldn’t care as much about this sort of thing if the challenge system didn’t require you to play game types you don’t want to play in order to complete the challenges.
I voted in “matchmaking,” but would like to clarify that I mean more like the accumulation of a dozen annoying little issues that mostly have to do with matchmaking and customization. Those being:
BTB only having 3 modes and Stockpile being way worse than the other 2. Please add KOTH or something.
I haven’t tried recently, but as far as I’m aware fireteams still get split up in BTB and non-ranked playlists being restricted with anyone in your fireteam.
No ranked FFA.
Neutral Flag existing in custom games but not being available in the playlists.
A lack of modes I appreciated from other games like Infection or Invasion.
Maps being a bit too samey with the 3 lanes and minor elevation changes. Would like more maps in the vein of Narrows, Lockout, or Recharge to use an example from Infinite.
The user interface for matchmaking being very convoluted. There should just be a primary menu for selecting social, ranked, or bots, and then a single sub-menu for selecting a mode without having to go further to press play.
Custom games being kinda broken and the UI for simple things like selecting a mode being a gigantic mess.
Seeing my beloved CQC equipment perpetually being beyond my reach and the Mark V core needing more armor coatings; I basically like just one armor coating on that core (this will probably be addressed soon though).
My progression coming more or less to a halt if I have no challenges.
For me personally it is the progression and challenge system. The challenges force me to do stupid things I normally wouldn’t do like walk around trying to throw fusion coils, or play fiesta, which is awful in this game.
Second biggest would be the desynch and lag issues, it is frustrating having shots not register at the same time that I am getting shot around corners.
Networking and stability as well as the awful aimcurve that makes the game feel unplayable most of the time.
The colossal lack of content to play, the maps, playlists, gametypes, forge, custom games and co-op.
Silly game design decisions like the complete lack of social interaction in the form of lobbies, or the medals, collision, friendly fire, outlines, no veto system, armour cores, no emblem customisation, no stat tracking, how BTB handles vehicles, sniper glare, challenge system…to me deliberate changes that make the game less personable and Halo feeling.
I feel like all 3 to me are deal breakers and if we were to look at the game by the end of 2023, the least likely to be different is the silly decisions.
Q1 & 2)
All my friend stopped playing after about 2 weeks. 2 of them were new to Halo - coming over from Destiny. The De-Synch, Rubber banding, slow time to kill (for them it was), bullet sponge players (because they were using AR’s), limited weapons and the De-Scope (which they though was lame) drove them away.
Q3 & Q4) The matchmaking system is complete -Yoink!-. I’m in Alberta Canada and 80% of the time the Server connects me to Amsterdam Server with 250+ ms of ping time (that’s 4fps folks). 20% of the time it connects to Seattle which gives me ping times of 25 ms and the game plays good. And the new system that punished you with a TimeOut warning if you leave a 4FPS match completely sucks the meagre amount of fun out of the game.
Networking for sure. Seems to be everyone’s biggest issue of the available choices. I’d say a lack of PVE modes is an issue as well. This game is incredible and would benefit greatly from a PVE mode or two.
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