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[mcfrank]

It has bothered me for a long time that when I play most multiplayer games, they feel like their matchmaking and party systems still have not caught up to where Halo 2 was in 2004. It has been a decade, why does every other game not have some of these systems? I am not talking about the actual game play, but the features which are available to improve the quality of life for multiplayer gaming.

2001 - Halo

Innovation in system link and 16 player local internet which was easy for anyone to set up and enjoy. I spent literally 1000s of hours playing Halo 1 multiplayer with a group of 30 or so friends and traveled to tournaments. It was amazing and the best example of system link.

2004 - Halo 2

First game to perfect concept of "couch online" where you could party up with a group of friends and play with them the entire night. It also had really smart and clear match making and ranking system with clan support. The playlist concept also was new to me with Halo 2 and was a massive improvement over the server browser concept of multiplayer gaming. 95% of games that come out still cannot compete with Halo 2's party and matchmaking systems. Halo 2 also had online stat tracking and carnage reports and long term developer support which other games still hardly ever match.

This article has a good summary

2007 - Halo 3

Halo 3 took all of the good things about Halo 2 and improved on them with features like the Forge map editor and sharable saved films. We take saved films for granted now with it being built in to the OS of the new consoles, but at the time an easy to use game save feature was amazingly useful for getting better and showing off cool moments.

2010 - Halo Reach

Again Bungie kept iterating on their multiplayer systems with Halo Reach by adding unlockables and armor customization. While they were not the first to do this well, the combination of that plus all of the features from previous games made Reach a very complete multiplayer package.

2014 - Destiny

So this brings me to why Destiny is my most anticipated game. Robust systems are the heart of any successful modern MMO in a post WoW world (think dungeon finder, raid finder, arena rankings etc). Bungie has proven time and again that they are leaders when it comes to implementing and supporting useful, new, and fun multiplayer features. For them to be making what is ostensibly a multiplayer only game with some MMO elements is extremely exciting because I know they are oneof the few developers who can truly pull of the infrastructure and support needed to make a game like this something special. Bring on the Beta and please, for the love of God, other developer, catch up to Halo 2. It has been a decade.

 

[BLACK AMERICAN PSYCHO]

Bungie is the multiplayer god on consoles imo. Infinity ward was really good for 1 game as well(CoD4).

 

[Jimmyfenix]

Yup Destiny is going to pretty goddamn awesome!

 

[Pathos]

I'm dying for some Destiny multiplayer info

 

[Marcel]

Bungie set a standard back in the day that is hard to best. 343 couldn't do it so it's clear Destiny is where it's at. I'm excited for it.

 

[farisr]

Still hoping against hope for a 2 player splitscreen online mode for Destiny.

Honestly, this game will rise to the top of the list of anticipated games if that's in for me. So far the only solid local multiplayer experience I've had this gen has been for Knack on Hard, which was a good amount of fun surprisingly (still don't think the game would've been fun solo).

(I don't care if the game takes a resolution hit in splitscreen mode)

 

[Spring-Loaded]

I was never a big fan of the Halo series, but I really loved the multiplayer, online or off. Of all the console games I've played online, halo 3 was easily the best. The amount of options and gametype customization could give PC games a run for their money.

 

[Wubbys]

Reach was a step in the wrong direction but at least they tried to implement something they thought would appeal to the competitive and casual crowd. Excited to see what they have in store for destiny.

 

[Anon67]

It's hard to disagree when you are right. Bungie is pretty good with all this stuff

 

[-tetsuo-]

World in Conflict still has the best matchmaking system ever

 

[kuYuri]

Bungie is the multiplayer god on consoles imo. Infinity ward was really good for 1 game as well(CoD4).

CoD4 was not even close to what Halo 2 offered.

 

[Sulik2]

How parties worked in Halo 2 should have been rolled out as mandatory implementation for parties on Xbox Live. Its amazing that Microsoft didn't standardize this stuff.

 

[Ashtar]

Bungie is definitely the GOAT IMO, I spent so much time on Halo 2 mp man, and the fact that the maps were free after a certain time was a great idea.
People who are super into it will spend the extra dough, but the base isn't fractured because everyone will get it eventually.

 

[Fugu]

I strongly disagree that playlists are an improvement over server browsers. There are many aspects of community and continuity that come from conventional servers that don't translate to playlists; furthermore, server browsers let me assess the quality of the match before committing to it.

 

[Mr. Lemming]

Myth and Marathon weren't too shabby either in this department.

 

[alr1ght]

Server browsers or bust, especially for games with low populations. Playlists do not work for them.

Having both would be the best option, though.

 

[AllIsOneIsNone]

I strongly disagree that playlists are an improvement over server browsers. There are many aspects of community and continuity that come from conventional servers that don't translate to playlists; furthermore, server browsers let me assess the quality of the match before committing to it.

I find most server browsers to be very limiting. Not because of the concept itself, but because of how they are implemented. Bungie's matchmaking system was incredibly consistent, whereas server browsers often have special rules, mods, people who hang about on the same servers all the time (good and bad), etc. Even in a fully fleshed out interface with in depth filtering like Battlefield 4 I find it annoying.

With that said, i'd probably choose a game with a server browser over a game with mediocre matchmaking.

 

[atr0cious]

I've always had general apathy towards Bungie as a developer, Oni withstanding, but I cannot deny they have the best multiplayer systems. Were they the first to do the party system ever? Watching my roommates play Halo, then switching to something like CoD4 was just a stark contrast. I'm always amazed with how they out do themselves, even 343i couldn't fuck it up, and I'm hoping Destiny is something I can get in to.

 

[mcfrank]

I find most server browsers to be very limiting. Not because of the concept itself, but because of how they are implemented. Bungie's matchmaking system was incredibly consistent, whereas server browsers often have special rules, mods, people who hang about on the same servers all the time (good and bad), etc. Even in a fully fleshed out interface with in depth filtering like Battlefield 4 I find it annoying.

I agree. I just find server browsers to be an annoyance. When I sit down to play a game - I want to play a game, I do not want to spend time finding a server and learning its unique rules or community. I can see how that is appealing to other people, but it is just not my preferred way to play.

 

[2San]

I strongly disagree that playlists are an improvement over server browsers. There are many aspects of community and continuity that come from conventional servers that don't translate to playlists; furthermore, server browsers let me assess the quality of the match before committing to it.

I think they both of their pro's and cons. With servers list it's a pain in the ass to find a game with a group. Since you either have to play against each other or create lopsided teams (if the game even allows that). It's also harder to find evenly skilled teams in my experience.

 

[McBradders]

When you're talking matchmade games Bungie are unquestionably unmatched. Halo 2 MP was the fucking blueprint for Xbox Live moving forward. Staggeringly well designed.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

I still remember logging into bungie.net in like...2004? To look at halo 2 post-match data.

Far, far ahead of the times.

 

[mcfrank]

When you're talking matchmade games Bungie are unquestionably unmatched. Halo 2 MP was the fucking blueprint for Xbox Live moving forward. Staggeringly well designed.

Yes. When I was writing this post I couldn't remember which features specifically came in which game, but when I went back and looked it up, most of them were Halo 2. So far ahead of its time.

 

[kittens]

Battlefield really needs to copy Halo's lobby system. Playing BF with friends is such a hassle. Hell, after Halo 4, even Halo needs to copy Halo's lobby system.

 

[RagingAvatar]

Completely agree with the OP.

Bungie's multiplayer systems - especially their integration of parties, LAN, local player drop-in/out should be an industry standard and copied at every turn.

For some reason (pride?) it's not. :'(

 

[Tidus_Great]

Halo trilogy was awesome. honestly halo 2 was "THE" online game to play. Nothing to this day really comes close to how good it was.

 

[K.Sabot]

Valve pls

 

[Jack Scofield]

Matchmaking in Halo games is terrible. I could literally be searching for a game for five minutes before it inexplicably restarts the search. And when the game finally does begin, players drop out and no one fills their spots.

Compare to COD, where I'm placed into a game within seconds. Bungie was surpassed in the multiplayer realm way back in 2007.

 

[Silky]

I still think Halo: Reach is the definitive Halo MP

 

[HigherLevel]

Matchmaking in Halo games is terrible. I could literally be searching for a game for five minutes before it inexplicably restarts the search. And when the game finally does begin, players drop out and no one fills their spots.

Compare to COD, where I'm placed into a game within seconds. Bungie was surpassed in the multiplayer realm way back in 2007.

Matchmaking in Halo takes longer because there's actual match making going on. CoD just drops you in a match.

 

[To Far Away Times]

Even the best matchmaking is worth less than the worst server list.

 

[Omega]

I wish more games were like Battlefield. Allowing for server browsing AND matchmaking.

Bungie is unsurpassed when it comes to pure UI though. It's so neat and clean and you're never confused.

 

[kayos90]

Halo 2 WAS Xbox Live.

 

[mcfrank]

Matchmaking in Halo games is terrible. I could literally be searching for a game for five minutes before it inexplicably restarts the search. And when the game finally does begin, players drop out and no one fills their spots.

Compare to COD, where I'm placed into a game within seconds. Bungie was surpassed in the multiplayer realm way back in 2007.

There is no matchmaking in COD. Putting a level 1 against a level 50 is not match making.

 

[cbox]

Oh man that halo 1 system link just brought back a flood of memories. OP is right.

 

[BLACK AMERICAN PSYCHO]

I still think Halo: Reach is the definitive Halo MP

yes

 

[Korosenai]

Matchmaking in Halo games is terrible. I could literally be searching for a game for five minutes before it inexplicably restarts the search. And when the game finally does begin, players drop out and no one fills their spots.
The
Compare to COD, where I'm placed into a game within seconds. Bungie was surpassed in the multiplayer realm way back in 2007.

Ive been playing halo since 06, thousands of hours, and i dont think ive ever had to wait longer than 1-2 minutes to be put into a match. Its usually pretty quick.

 

[Bsigg12]

Halo 2 WAS Xbox Live.

And all signs point to it coming back later this year for Xbox One.

 

[Chinner]

Halo 2 really was the foundation of multiplayer on consoles. All you have to do is look at the launch of the X360 and see how they basically implemented Halo 2's system but on a console wide level.

 

[Salvor.Hardin]

It's pretty cool that Bungie can finally be properly acknowledged by a bigger chunk of the gaming audience and not be subject to the vitriol hurled towards them by console warriors who were missing out.

 

[soulassssns]

My problem with Bungie is the lack ofchoosing a specific map to play. There is always certain maps/gametypes that I hated and got stuck playing.

Especially when it came to Map packs.

 

[Jack Scofield]

There is no matchmaking in COD. Putting a level 1 against a level 50 is not match making.

When I sit down to play a video game, I want to play a video game. I'm not competing in eSports. I don't care if the match is perfectly balanced. Just get me into the game and I'll be happy.

And don't get me started on the horrible implementation of DLC in Halo games. Not buying DLC will literally lock you out of certain playlists.

 

[AllIsOneIsNone]

When I sit down to play a video game, I want to play a video game. I'm not competing in eSports. I don't care if the match is perfectly balanced. Just get me into the game and I'll be happy.

And don't get me started on the horrible implementation of DLC in Halo games. Not buying DLC will literally lock you out of certain playlists.

So you're willing to sacrifice a proper match, but not a couple extra minutes for the game to automatically find one for you? I just sit there and munch on a snack while waiting.

 

[J10]

How parties worked in Halo 2 should have been rolled out as mandatory implementation for parties on Xbox Live. Its amazing that Microsoft didn't standardize this stuff.

No other developer anywhere did anything for like the next few years after Halo 2. It was weird. Everybody knew it was awesome yet nobody was trying to copy it. Made no sense.

 

[J2d]

Their matchmaking is too damn slow though, playing as a party turned many of my friends off of halo 3. I don't know if they improved watching and editing replays but that was also a painful experience.

 

[Ridesh]

It's pretty cool that Bungie can finally be properly acknowledged by a bigger chunk of the gaming audience and not be subject to the vitriol hurled towards them by console warriors who were missing out.

Absolutely right.

 

[TGO]

When I sit down to play a video game, I want to play a video game. I'm not competing in eSports. I don't care if the match is perfectly balanced. Just get me into the game and I'll be happy.

And don't get me started on the horrible implementation of DLC in Halo games. Not buying DLC will literally lock you out of certain playlists.

I agree with this, I don't want to be spending 60% of the time in the lobby, some seem to actually enjoy it..........I don't.
The OP maybe right but most games if not all games copy COD now, although I do prefer the good ol SOCOM style myself

 

[Stoze]

Halo 2 and bungie.net were groundbreaking.

There's something ridiculous about the fact that I can go to halo.bungie.net, and see the stats, players with links to their individual profiles, medals, pictures of maps with icons of where each death took place, all on a multiplayer match I played 7-8 fucking years ago on Halo 2.

And I can still see the points and the basic stats of the first match I ever played 9 years ago. Crazy.

 

[T.O.P]

I don't care if the match is perfectly balanced. Just get me into the game and I'll be happy.
.

Said no one ever

 

[Hoo-doo]

When I sit down to play a video game, I want to play a video game. I'm not competing in eSports. I don't care if the match is perfectly balanced. Just get me into the game and I'll be happy.

And don't get me started on the horrible implementation of DLC in Halo games. Not buying DLC will literally lock you out of certain playlists.

So, you have extremely low standards for online play so everyone else should suffer? No thanks.