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> > > > when you as a developer see fans leaving Halo, which apart from Halo 4 has basically been the same formula since launch,
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> > > Wait, what?
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> > > People only started leaving after the developers (both of them) changed the formula. Reach, Halo 4, H5G… none of them play like OG Halo. It’s a dead giveaway as to why customers leave the franchise, yet nobody in the higher-ups either seems to notice or seems to care.
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> > I’m talking about a slow change in formula, sorry I was unclear. There was a clear natural progression from CE to Reach but all throughout they kept the basics which was the “golden triangle”: Meele, grenade, gun. This made the game universally welcome to people who preferred simpler and slower gameplay, especially when you had twitch shooters like COD adding more complicated and often unbalanced things.
> >
> > The progression really started in Halo 3, with the addition of equipment, this led to Reach and it’s Armor Abilities, and you’re right, some people left, but most left after the Title Update that 343 pushed out after it took over. Halo 4 is what interrupted the progression with loadouts and they took Armor abilities too far with perks and unbalanced gameplay. When you look at the numbers, after one year Halo 3 had over 1 million players still, Reach had 900K at its one year, and Halo 4 had something like 30K. I think those numbers speak for themselves, don’t you?
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> There was a very clear difference with Halo 3’s equipment though.
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> It was a pick up-able item. Like a vehicle or power weapon. It did change the gun fight you were in, but you didn’t spawn for it, you had to pick it up. When you died you lost it, and potentially gave it to the other team. It was fair.
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> This is why for years me and others argued AAs should be pick up-able items, that dropped upon death.
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> Both Reach and Halo 4 played better when you took AAs and sprint out. They both still had other issues, like bloom and flinch, but having a gameplay/gunfight modifier like AAs or SAs interferes with the game at it’s very base level and in every fight you have, not just the odd one or two. Remember having a sniper camo guy, or vehicle going around would create a focus, an enemy that was a clear threat that needed to be taken down. In Halo 4 and 5, every body is all doing the same stuff, they are all super powered from the start, that is what creates the issue. Maybe in Halo 6 a jetpacker, or even an armour lock guy (yes I said it, I can envision a Classic Halo game that has armour lock) can be a power player going a round that has a power item you want to take from him.
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> That’s why I’m campaigning for all that fluff to be taken out. And of course I feel like this needs to be said, not because of you but because there’s always one. But I’m not against change, I wouldn’t straight out remake Halo 2 or 3. I’d use them as base gameplay models and then try to build up from there in ways that AAs and SAs actually fit in with the gameplay, not force the gameplay to fit them.
Fair enough, agree to disagree here I think. Though I will make one last contribution before I go to bed, I’ll check back tomorrow for a reply.
To me, Halo 3 was great, it was also the first game I payed for Live to play though I played a lot of Halo CE and 2 online and off, so I view it with a lot of nostalgia, but I always preferred Reach because of the AA. Hear me out, Bungie went to great pains to try and balance the limited loadouts, which was cool, and I liked being able to choose an ability instead of relying on luck. Balance was there because everyone had it, instead of being locked behind progression or REQs.
Where I see a very jarring change is when 343 introduced the custom loadouts and power weapon drops, in what still seems like a blatant attempt to wipe out the old style. This allowed people to build overpowered loadouts with weapons like the Boltshot, it was like giving every player the ability to spawn with a Shotty. This went too far for me, and I stopped playing except when with friends. Now I take your point about a droppable armor lock, very cool idea. I love the concept of a power ability instead of a power weapon, pickups are different. But I really loved being able to choose a balanced loadout which fit with my strategy and play to my strengths.
I actually never ever had a problem with bloom, I know lots hate it but I think it made long range shooting more of a skill contest than games without.
I now prefer Halo 5, content aside, because the SA is balanced and equal, and doesn’t break the game like Promethean Vision or whatever else did. I love the movement and enjoy the extra tactical options it gives me. Thought you had me cornered? Nope, clamber and reversal and jokes on you!
