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[Treythalomew]

Also, maps are now not actual locations? I actually enjoyed that part of the fiction.

I think they meant that the maps won't just be mostly identical to single player levels. They're putting a bigger emphasis on balanced, fun multiplayer games. They want to point out that they aren't going to have a Boneyard type map.

 

[Draconian]

I didn't say they were unobtainable. Do you think that having power weapons spawn randomly around the map is a good thing?

I'm taking a wait and see approach. If maps are designed taking this into account then perhaps yes.

 

[REV 09]

Doesn't sound too bad. Join in progress is a big win for me. Losing teammates and having to stick it out until the game ends just seems archaic in this day and age. Glad they're changing that.

 

[Sneaky Gato]

When did the UNSC get such large ships and such advanced tech?

 

[SolarPowered]

X-Ray vision and instant respawns sound way too crazy.

 

[Emitan]

I see no problem with this.

Yeah, fuck skills and time investment! Matches should be random!

 

[J@hranimo]

When did the UNSC get such large ships and such advanced tech?

Well this is some time after Halo 3 so...sometime after?

A lot of these sound good, but the random weapon spawns sounds kinda iffy. Gotta see this in action. Also seeing through walls is nuts! 343 better have some intricate multiplayer map designs to promote these changes they're making.

 

[shinobi602]

Yeah, fuck skills and time investment! Matches should be random!

I hope you're not insinuating that memorizing weapon locations is being skillful. At least the same person won't whore the power weapons all the time. Even playing field for all.

 

[Emitan]

I hope you're not insinuating that memorizing weapon locations is being skillful. At least the same person won't whore the power weapons all the time. Even playing field for all.

Map control is a skill. It's been made much less important to chase the CoD crowd.

 

[jet1911]

I'm glad I never cared about Halo MP because those seems to be some radical changes. Spartan Ops sound great!

 

[Draconian]

Yeah, fuck skills and time investment! Matches should be random!

You sound like somebody who camps on the power weapons and does little else.

 

[BoobPhysics101]

Firefight will be added as post-release DLC. Come on 343, just say it.

 

[Ramirez]

The plebs have finally won.

 

[Emitan]

You sound like somebody who camps on the power weapons and does little else.

Nope!

 

[BakedPigeon]

I'm not trying to be negative here but some of those details are really disappointing. Random weapon spawns from drop pods? Damn Halo, its been real, its been fun, its been real fun.

 

[Gareth Bale]

I think they meant that the maps won't just be mostly identical to single player levels. They're putting a bigger emphasis on balanced, fun multiplayer games. They want to point out that they aren't going to have a Boneyard type map.

"They fight in something called the UNSC Infinity. The UNSC Infinity is a 3km long ship sent into deep space on a mission. It contains a virtual reality sector that creates the multiplayer experience."

 

[shinobi602]

Map control is a skill. It's been made much less important to chase the CoD crowd.

Now since both teams will come across power weapons, we can actually see how the other team that skillfully "controlled" it fares against even odds.

 

[Neuromancer]

Spartan Ops sounds awesome.

 

[maquiladora]

I'm serious. Why else would they take away things that gave experienced players an advantage if not to try and make it easier for casual multiplayer users.

 

[Emitan]

Now since both teams will come across power weapons, we can actually see how the other team that skillfully "controlled" it fares against even odds.

The team who's better at controlling the map gets the power weapons. There are even odds because both teams have equal chances to control those spawns.

 

[Pappasman]

Wow. Random weapon drops sounds like shit

 

[PlayDat]

When I heard they'd be coming up with an explanation for the red vs blue multiplayer I was expecting something a lot better than that. They should have just left it alone to be honest.

I'm concerned about 343 trying to speed up the game since a slower pace is something I like about Halo. The random weapon spawns make no sense to me either. What's wrong with allowing the people who spend more time getting to know the maps have a bit of an edge? New players will become familiar with them eventually so it seems like a pointless change.

Neither of these things seem particularly rage worthy though, so I'll try to reserve judgement until I see the thing in action.

 

[FullMetalx]

I just wanted something simple like Halo 3...

 

[shinobi602]

The team who's better at controlling the map gets the power weapons. There are even odds because both teams have equal chances to control those spawns.

Then it becomes boring as hell. That was part of the problem me and my teammates had. We weren't incredible, but we were pretty decent. Controlling the power weapons equaled dull and monotonous matches. Have the rocket launcher/beam rifle? Yay, stick together and pick off the other team.

At least now it can shake things up a bit.

 

[ElRenoRaven]

The plebs have finally won.

Yup they have. I'm floored if this is true. I really kept giving 343 the benefit of the doubt too.

 

[Rickenslacker]

Now since both teams will come across power weapons, we can actually see how the other team that skillfully "controlled" it fares against even odds.

How does the current system not allow the teams to fare against even odds?

 

[CrazedArabMan]

I'll re-post my reaction to this news from the other thread because I can:

Campaign/co-op reaction:

MP reaction:

 

[DR3AM]

CoD: Halo

 

[Ramirez]

Now since both teams will come across power weapons, we can actually see how the other team that skillfully "controlled" it fares against even odds.

Bad kids are still going to get dumped on, it won't make any difference. All it will do is make evenly matched games come down to a random factor that no one can control. Imagine making a sweet come back, only to have it foiled because the game happens to drop a rocket launcher/sniper near the other team for the final kill, lulz.

 

[shinobi602]

I just wanted something simple like Halo 3...

Then it'd be called Halo 3 and not 4.

 

[Emitan]

Then it becomes boring as hell. That was part of the problem me and my teammates had. We weren't incredible, but we were pretty decent. Controlling the power weapons equaled dull and monotonous matches. Have the rocket launcher/beam rifle? Yay, stick together and pick off the other team.

At least now it can shake things up a bit.

That's the matchmaking's fault, not the game design's.

 

[JWong]

Can't wait for the Laptop Turret gun as well.

 

[BakedPigeon]

I just wanted something simple like Halo 3...

Well at least we still have Halo 3.

Until MS pulls the plug for it on XBL, which I have zero doubt will happen within the next two years. That's how those bastards roll.

 

[Orayn]

Then it becomes boring as hell. That was part of the problem me and my teammates had. We weren't incredible, but we were pretty decent. Controlling the power weapons equaled dull and monotonous matches. Have the rocket launcher/beam rifle? Yay, stick together and pick off the other team.

At least now it can shake things up a bit.

The best team should always win.

 

[Sean]

It all sounds pretty good to me except for the random weapon drops. I'll wait for details on how it's implemented before freaking out though.

 

[Bornstellar]

After reading about it more, Spartan Ops sounds fantastic. Weekly coop missions with story bits? Sign me up!

 

[shinobi602]

I don't mind the randomness, but for everyone freaking out, a lot of HaloGAF are saying random drops rumor was spread before and Frankie squashed it before so, take that what you will.

I'm not trusting everything 100% until I get the official mag.

 

[Feel the Swift]

Terrible if true. I won't believe until I get my own magazine.

 

[CrazedArabMan]

Can't wait for the Laptop Turret gun as well.

Maybe they'll add incoming barrel bombs as well!!!

Spoiler

Far Cry 3 joke for those who were apart of that devastation

 

[Deadly Cyclone]

Sounds great to me. I await Frankie and his details too.

 

[Draconian]

Bad kids are still going to get dumped on, it won't make any difference. All it will do is make evenly matched games come down to a random factor that no one can control. Imagine making a sweet come back, only to have it foiled because the game happens to drop a rocket launcher/sniper near the other team for the final kill, lulz.

How is this any different than a map like Reflection where people virtually spawn on the rocket launcher anyway? Spawn in the water, walk back three steps, if the rocket launcher's there, it's yours. I do enjoy this myth that power weapons can only be gotten by skill 100% of the time though.

 

[Haint]

Spartan Ops sounds like a DLC cash cow specially designed to be a DLC cash cow.

 

[Bornstellar]

The best team should always win.

The best team will be able to adapt and control the power weapons first. The way I see it since it's a random drop (I assume with a strong visual / aural cue ala Reach), it should trigger a rush to control it thus dynamically shifting the action to different parts of the map. The more I think about it the better it sounds.

 

[FullMetalx]

Then it'd be called Halo 3 and not 4.

Halo 3 wasn't called Halo 2. The best thing about Halo 1-3 is that it kept the multiplayer simple but tweaked it out a bit every time to get rid of all the nuances of the recent game. They even expanded the community part of halo 3 by adding forge, theater, and filesharing. Halo is seriously being taken in the wrong direction for MP.

 

[shinobi602]

The best team will be able to adapt and control the power weapons first. The way I see it since it's a random drop (I assume with a strong visual / aural cue ala Reach), it should trigger a rush to control it thus dynamically shifting the action to different parts of the map. The more I think about it the better it sounds.

This is pretty much what I mean. It creates an interesting dynamic to the combat.

 

[GrizzNKev]

Yup they have. I'm floored if this is true. I really kept giving 343 the benefit of the doubt too.

Yeah, I... I don't know. I was worried when the game was announced, but Frankie's soothing words calmed me slowly over time, so much so that in the cover reveal thread I said I was excited. I feel nothing but betrayed now.

 

[Future PhaZe]

Armor abilities returning
Randomized power weapon locations

Yea uh...who's up next to bat as far as FPS? Treyarch? I'll wait for that I guess.

 

[Deadly Cyclone]

Halo 3 wasn't called Halo 2. The best thing about Halo 1-3 is that it kept the multiplayer simple but tweaked it out a bit every time to get rid of all the nuances of the recent game. They even expanded the community part of halo 3 by adding forge, theater, and filesharing. Halo is seriously being taken in the wrong direction for MP.

Yeah, based on all the gameplay footage we've seen of 4 you seem to be right.

/sarcasm.

Let's get all the details before the doom and gloom folks.

 

[Orayn]

The best team will be able to adapt and control the power weapons first. The way I see it since it's a random drop (I assume with a strong visual / aural cue ala Reach), it should trigger a rush to control it thus dynamically shifting the action to different parts of the map. The more I think about it the better it sounds.

Not... Exactly. Unless the weapon drops are somehow deterministic, there's no skill involved in happening to be near where the weapon drops occur. The playing field isn't level, because a team can be granted an advantage or screwed over by a game mechanic that neither team has any control over.

Armor abilities returning
Randomized power weapon locations

Yea uh...who's up next to bat as far as FPS? Treyarch? I'll wait for that I guess.

You say that as though the next CoD won't be worse.

 

[botty]

What about bubble shields... what about bubble shields?