Original Trilogy:
- Skill Based Matchmaking: A lot of matches in Halo 4 were you giving lopsided beatdowns or receiving them. Another reason is teammates skill, relative to your skill and the opposing team’s skill. I have seen complaints on the forums, of having games where it is a race to kill the other team, before your teammates get killed by them. It is not common that you will lose a game that you finish with 20+ kills and a good K/D. You will always have games that you are severely outclassed, but when it is the minority it is not a frustrating experience.
- Skill Based Ranking System: This must be reflected in game, otherwise they might as well not have it. It is an incentive to do better in games, an incentive to keep playing and something to work towards.
- Ranked/Social Playlists: Halo 3 got it right with Ranked/Social Playlists, with for the most part universal settings across the board. The only difference between the two is the incentive to win and the attitudes of the players. Every single person is playing the same game and you have the choice of playing with people with a similar minded people. Also, gametypes like Fiesta, Grifball relegated to Social Playlists only.
- Arena Based Gameplay and Lack of Randomness- Halo’s core is arena gameplay, equal starts and power weapon placed on the map on predictable timers. All aspects of the game are controlled by the player. All encounter’s should be determined by the skill and his strategic decisions, not random elements. When teams are at equal skill, the team who makes the better decisions at that point should determine the winner.
- Team Balancing- Games should not be locking 2v4, 3v4, 1v4 and even sometimes 4v0. H1-3 waited until the lobby was full before the game started.
- Lack of JIP, Penalties for Leaving- JIP to a game where your team is down by a significant margin is not the greatest experience. JIP is not needed if games are not starting 4v2, penalties for leaving and Skill Based Matchmaking are present. You should be punished for leaving games and temporarily banned for leaving a certain number of games in a row.
-In Game Based-
- Descope, No Flinch- Descope gives an equal chance when fighting at range, able to fight off snipers and other utility rifles. Flinch is random, you can be shooting first and the guy has no chance to shoot back or you could shoot first, he still gets the shot off and your reticle is off target. Flinch along with no descope makes Sniper Rifles extremely powerful.
- Ability to drop flag- When fighting at range or even a small distance, picking up the flag, almost guarantees a death. When getting shot at while running the flag, the ability to drop your flag should be there so you are able to defend yourself with any weapon you have and not just the pistol. The ability to Juggle should be returned. A skill that can be developed and allows for strategies like passing, sneaking, faking a direction etc.
- Utility Rifle starts- Utility rifles allow for a chance at all times. This is not the case when it comes to ARs, because fighting snipe with ARs is not necessarily effective.
- Aim Assist and Bullet Magnetism(or lack thereof), Movement Speed - Halo 2 had a lot or way too much bullet magnetism and Aim assist. Aim assist should be lowered allowing encounters again to come to one’s individual aiming.
- Movement Mechanics and Map Design- Both very controversial and heavily discussed topic on the forums. Not even going to go into it. In addition, dynamic map elements returned
Reach and Halo 4:
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Net Code, Shot registration- Halo 3 will surely not win any awards for world’s greatest net code. Halo 4 ironed them out well. Hit scan weapons to me is 50/50 to me. I prefer projectiles where you have to lead your shots, but I don’t see hitscan as a problem at all if there is low aim assist.
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Customization- I myself don’t care much for armor customization, but Reach and Halo 4 had a large variety of armor choices which allow for immersion. They are purely cosmetic and don’t affect gameplay, which is a good thing. Armor choices unlocked through a progression system, separate from the ranking system. Weapon customization, like skins are fine unless they start to affect gameplay(eg. different types of scopes, supressors, laser sights, different barrels).
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Spartan Ops and/or Firefight- Spartan Ops could have been significantly better. Spartan Ops in H4 was essentially kill the zerg swarm, press a button on the same 5 maps over and over again. Firefight I felt was well done for the most part. Any improvements, features are left for the developers to decide.
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Map Voting System- It was a great idea in theory to let players choose the map, but playing Haven and Cage 7 times in a row is not too fun for some, but can be for others. Voting system should lock a certain map selection for a round or two in the same lobby to force players to try new things. Either Veto or an improved Map voting system are both suitable and viable options.
New Additions to Halo 5:
I honestly feel that I am not in a position to give suggestions to what new features or mechanics that 343 should add.I don’t know what new and innovative ideas I could add to improve Halo. I feel as a player I can only add give feedback to what 343 decides to do. I can pitch an idea right now and feel that it could work, but can cause equally as much harm since I lack the ability to extensively playtest it. As a player, I believe I should only be able to make suggestions based on what is or was present in the games.
