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[Diablohead]

Speed boost is good fun if you have an automatic weapon on you, just run around like a nut spraying lol

SK-8 is going so slow, something like 54k to level and in the UK there is no double xp shit.

 

[Overdoziz]

TrounceX, FyreWulff is correct. No control = problem. If the game isn't picked up the playlist will either get removed since it's outdated or population goes down because of that reason.

Yet MLG playlist management is a lot more competent than Bungie's or 343's.

 

[S1kkZ]

i really love halo 4's multiplayer, but its telling that there arent more people online, even with the "cod" style changes they implemented. no cod player will switch to halo, no matter how much you try to appeal to them.

they really need to blow people away with halo 5's multiplayer. they need to innovate again, not chase after other games. i hope they can introduce some really cool and innovative stuff in 5, that hasnt been in any other game and makes the mp stand out (while keeping the "standard" mp stuff/playlists).

 

[Pooya]

they really need to blow people away with halo 5's multiplayer. they need to innovate again, not chase after other games. i hope they can introduce some really cool and innovative stuff in 5, that hasnt been in any other game and makes the mp stand out (while keeping the "standard" mp stuff/playlists).

can't wait to see who is going to make that next jump in online FPS. I really can't think of what can be done to have effect like Halo or CoD4 had in their time right now, it seems that since CoD4 it's been just an evolutionary progress. It's really hard to come with something new right now but I'm no designer

new hardware will probably help to have higher play count or bigger maps but that's not going to necessarily make things better.

Destiny can be the next one potentially or Respawn's first game but I'm thinking those will be just more of the same with slightly different flavor.

I like Halo 4 multiplayer but I'm thinking of it as a transitionary game from Bungie to 343, although you can say there are a lot of radical changes to the game they still played it safe overall, the additions are from another popular game translated into Halo. even in the single player it wasn't all that it could have been.

For next game, now that that transition from bungie to 343 is done, I can say it was mostly successful too, I hope they go think of next big thing for the genre while still being Halo not be scared of all the people that will cry to any changes, like we already have with 4 even.

Look at history of main line halo

Halo CE put the FPS on console and it was new kind of FPS, slow, strategic, with big levels and vehicles etc. It started the foundations of console controls for FPS, regen health etc.

Halo 2 started the whole online gaming on console like it is today.

Halo 3 didn't have as big of a effect but it brought the community aspect to the next level with theater and forge mode.

what Halo 4 did?

 

[S1kkZ]

can't wait to see who is going to make that next jump in online FPS. I really can't think of what can be done to have effect like Halo or CoD4 had in their time right now, it seems that since CoD4 it's been just an evolutionary progress. It's really hard to come with something new right now but I'm no designer

new hardware will probably help to have higher play count or bigger maps but that's not going to necessarily make things better.

Destiny can be the next one potentially or Respawn's first game but I'm thinking those will be just more of the same with slightly different flavor.

small changes can also have a big impact. we never got battlefront 3, so they could go in that direction (space, air and ground battles at the same time). or do stuff that a game named the crossing wanted to do (single + multiplayer). i really dont know. i think in some way, everything has already been done.

bigger maps, more players and great visuals arent enough anymore.

 

[Grisby]

No date but December so far. Hopefully sooner than later.

Thanks.

 

[GrizzNKev]

can't wait to see who is going to make that next jump in online FPS. I really can't think of what can be done to have effect like Halo or CoD4 had in their time right now, it seems that since CoD4 it's been just an evolutionary progress. It's really hard to come with something new right now but I'm no designer

new hardware will probably help to have higher play count or bigger maps but that's not going to necessarily make things better.

Destiny can be the next one potentially or Respawn's first game but I'm thinking those will be just more of the same with slightly different flavor.

I like Halo 4 multiplayer but I'm thinking of it as a transitionary game from Bungie to 343, although you can say there are a lot of radical changes to the game they still played it safe overall, the additions are from another popular game translated into Halo. even in the single player it wasn't all that it could have been.

For next game, now that that transition from bungie to 343 is done, I can say it was mostly successful too, I hope they go think of next big thing for the genre while still being Halo not be scared of all the people that will cry to any changes, like we already have with 4 even.

Look at history of main line halo

Halo CE put the FPS on console and it was new kind of FPS, slow, strategic, with big levels and vehicles etc. It started the foundations of console controls for FPS, regen health etc.

Halo 2 started the whole online gaming on console like it is today.

Halo 3 didn't have as big of a effect but it brought the community aspect to the next level with theater and forge mode.

what Halo 4 did?

Halo 4 pissed everyone off by CoDizing the game's feature set. That's a bold move.

I feel like they're waiting for new hardware to really make the next step.

 

[S1kkZ]

Halo 4 pissed everyone off by CoDizing the game's feature set. That's a bold move.

you are not everyone.

 

[GrizzNKev]

you are not everyone.

I know, I'm just butthurt. I still like the game though.

 

[enzo_gt]

I will wait till I see the December update before I decide whether 343 can salvage the game or not.

 

[Gr1mLock]

More of you guys should just play slayer pro. So many less headaches. Go back to infinity when you feel like mowing down 30 people with a saw.

 

[Crazyorloco]

Does anyone know what playlists the 3 new maps will go in? I'm satisfied with the current maps,but would love to see the new ones.

 

[Raide]

Does anyone know what playlists the 3 new maps will go in? I'm satisfied with the current maps,but would love to see the new ones.

New Fiesta playlist.

 

[Deleted member 1235]

I thought it was my console but I've narrowed it down to disc one of my H4 limited edition.
Does anyone have an issue with disc one causing their console to vibrate and be extremely loud when loading?

i have exactly this!

Go back to infinity when you feel like mowing down 30 people with a saw.

I feel like that all the time, the saw is the best gun I've played with in a multiplayer game in AGES. it's perfect that gun, such a monster. quite good range on it as well.

still got a love hate with the scattershot. I always grab it when available, but usually how it works for me is I run up to someone, try to shoot them, zoom in and shoot the wall beside them. Even if they're not looking, it seems like I have to shoot 3 times to take anyone down. when I first got my hands on it, that thing would disintegrate people in one shot all the time, I dunno what happened.

 

[Diablohead]

THe main reason for me getting a little bored of halo 4 online is because it's a DMR fest which kills too quickly, mix that with a heavy dose of ragnarok and things get dull.

I like oddball and flood but after an hour I tire of the same thing too.

 

[Deleted member 13876]

Ugh. The specialisation level up just ate up an entire 10k commendation bonus. I was level 59 before the match with 1k or something left. Leveled up, and lost all the excessive exp, which was around 11k. Seriously...

 

[GhaleonEB]

I will wait till I see the December update before I decide whether 343 can salvage the game or not.

Part of me feels that way, and there are some updates that will help the game. But for me, the stuff that breaks the game, and keeps me away from it (haven't touched it in a week) won't be fixed in an update. Global ordnance, flinch, the DMR, active camo, plasma pistols on spawn in BTB and so on. They could fix them (mostly through removal) but they won't be as they're part of the core designs for the game. There's just so much stuff in the game that was badly thought out.

 

[Blue Ninja]

I started up some multiplayer, hopped in solo and after getting bored of Flood (there's no way I'm getting that challenge today) I for some god-awful reason thought Big Team Infinity Slayer would be a good idea.

Needless to say, I'm playing AC3 now.

 

[thefil]

Decided to pick up Halo 4 after being sick for a while. I like big dumb shooting games during recovery.

2.5 hours into the campaign on Normal. It's my first time playing a console FPS since 2008. The basic shooting feels good, and parts of the levels are very Halo (oh hey, there's a multilevel bridge on this Forerunner planet!) but are there ever any more open cool areas? I'm thinking Halo 3's big Warthog zones or that fight with the two giant walkers. Regardless, I'm having fun. I like the "AI Elites" and the Laser guns (though I question why they didn't try to be even mildly creative with them). Also, why the loss of dual wielding?

Also hopped into multiplayer for a few rounds and had a decent time. In Halo 3 I always preferred Big Team Slayer and the maps for that in Halo 4 are much worse. Suit powers seem uniformly less interesting than Equipment. But the levelling thing doesn't feel like it affects me (I was never a hardcore online player) and the basic shooting feels good and like Halo. I suspect if I went back to 3 I would find it wasn't as good as I remember, or something.

The only question is how long I keep this game. Probably sell it when my 14 day live trial ends and hope it's still worth something.

 

[IHaveIce]

More of you guys should just play slayer pro. So many less headaches. Go back to infinity when you feel like mowing down 30 people with a saw.

Slayer Pro doesn't deserve the "Pro" in its name.

And without fixed and set weapon spawns every normal slayer list is dumb.
The atrocious spawns on most of the maps don't help either

 

[Chittagong]

Something is wrong in my MP today. Grenades areuseless, if I throw them only my hand swings and the grenade itself flies only later. Also seem to need like 5 headshots to kill someone. I'm on fiber optic.

 

[rakka]

Something is wrong in my MP today. Grenades areuseless, if I throw them only my hand swings and the grenade itself flies only later. Also seem to need like 5 headshots to kill someone. I'm on fiber optic.

well dmr IS 5sk so no issue there but the grenade thing seems like lag. I've had way more laggy games in halo 4 than reach. I think the game tries to match you up with players of similar skill even if they're on the other side of the damn world. not fun. where is my good connection filter. so what if skill differences exist in a match. at least itll be playable.

 

[Izayoi]

the DMR

Why? DMR is arguably the best thing about Halo 4.

 

[Sissel]

Part of me feels that way, and there are some updates that will help the game. But for me, the stuff that breaks the game, and keeps me away from it (haven't touched it in a week) won't be fixed in an update. Global ordnance, flinch, the DMR, active camo, plasma pistols on spawn in BTB and so on. They could fix them (mostly through removal) but they won't be as they're part of the core designs for the game. There's just so much stuff in the game that was badly thought out.

I think for me it's gonna be wait for Spartan Ops Season 1 to finish, and then sell the game. It's a very good game, but just not something I see myself playing in the long term for the reasons you mentioned.

 

[kylej]

Exactly. Halo has lost its competitive heart. There's no heartpounding excitement as you fight the clock for the last kill. There's no anger or bitterness over a defeat from a godlike team. There's no nervous moment where you wonder if that red blip on your radar has snagged the rockets at nine minutes in.

Win. Get XP. Lose. Get XP. Meh. It's all the same now.

Yes. That's exactly what I'm talking about. Every single moment of every match was determined by the skill of the player because the elements of the game itself were the same for all players. Those variables are now choices made in a menu that can't be predicted or reacted to. That is not balance.

It doesn't matter what you think you can do. If the opportunity is not the same, the game is not balanced. One team is forced into a more difficult situation. The outcome is impacted by something other than the player's input.

I'm not worried about noobies or vets. I like playing the game in a competitive manner. Halo is the only game I enjoyed playing in such a way thanks to its carefully crafted balance. Theoretically, if you pit two teams of equally skilled players against each other and allowed for loadouts and ordinance one will likely completely stomp the other because of unknowable, unpredictable random elements when the outcome should truly be as close as 1-3 kills. It makes it impossible for me to take this game seriously at all. The other issues like instant respawn and despawning weapons ruin the flow of the game but that's another issue entirely.

You're completely missing the point of why power weapons exist. They provide an advantage. I hate to do this but here's a scenario. One player from each team gets the points needed for ordinance. One team gets a sticky launcher, the other team an incineration cannon or whatever it's called. There's an obvious, unbalanced advantage there. The team with the better weapon will put it to use and create a loop of more frequent ordinance because a random number generator output in their favor one or more times.

Halo's multiplayer held a special place in my life for a very specific reason: the result of every game came directly from the input of the player (disregarding lag / netcode issues). There was no intermediate of random generation or unseeable menu tweaks. If you won, it's because you played better. Nothing more. This is now lost and I fear for the future of the franchise. Long-time fans are upset and bored with the game because of this.

Skill can trump luck but balance facilitates fair play and fun competition.

As Karl said, we are assuming that both teams are of equal skill. If the skill is the same then the team with the more powerful weapon has the advantage. It's the entire philosophy behind the design of the game's sandbox. It's why more than one weapon exists.

You have demonstrated that you don't understand what balance means so I'm just going to stop.

A+

 

[def sim]

ah shit am i in communi-

you fuckers

 

[Fuchsdh]

This is going to get spammed across three different threads because we'd got too many damn ones, but anyhow...


Co-op Campaign Night 11/27/12

What is it?
A co-op playthrough of Halo 4's campaign mission hosted by Forward Unto Dawn, with the goal of discussing and discovering more about the game's fiction. Also defending humanity from alien threats through use of exotic weaponry. That too.

If you're an achievement completionist, we're playing on Legendary--so if you want to work on co-op and/or Legendary achievements and can stomach some serious Halo talk, so much the better.

We're inviting people from HaloGAF and HBO too--any Halo player out there who likes Halo's fiction and wants to talk about it is welcome.

When is it?
Tuesday (11/27), 8PM EST (UTC-5). We're not sure this will be the case every week, but we'll see how it shakes out.

This week we're on to the fourth mission, "Infinity". Chief walks around jungles! Gets judged by his height! Marines are found and killed rather quickly! Del Rio snaps at people! All this and more!

How do I get a piece of the action?
Message Postmortem (GT: FinalPOSTMORTEM), and be online by 8pm (a few minutes before would be best, so we can jump into sorting into four-person teams and get into the mission quickly). We're not sure exactly how many people we're going to have, so the sooner we get everyone together, the faster we can be.

Any questions, let us know here or via XBL message (My GT is Pixelfox.)

 

[The Lamonster]

I still have to do reclaimer, infinity, and midnight on legendary. Anybody want to do co-op? Gamertag is my Gaf name, online right now.

 

[FUNKNOWN iXi]

can't wait to see who is going to make that next jump in online FPS. I really can't think of what can be done to have effect like Halo or CoD4 had in their time right now, it seems that since CoD4 it's been just an evolutionary progress. It's really hard to come with something new right now but I'm no designer

new hardware will probably help to have higher play count or bigger maps but that's not going to necessarily make things better.

Destiny can be the next one potentially or Respawn's first game but I'm thinking those will be just more of the same with slightly different flavor.

I like Halo 4 multiplayer but I'm thinking of it as a transitionary game from Bungie to 343, although you can say there are a lot of radical changes to the game they still played it safe overall, the additions are from another popular game translated into Halo. even in the single player it wasn't all that it could have been.

For next game, now that that transition from bungie to 343 is done, I can say it was mostly successful too, I hope they go think of next big thing for the genre while still being Halo not be scared of all the people that will cry to any changes, like we already have with 4 even.

Look at history of main line halo

Halo CE put the FPS on console and it was new kind of FPS, slow, strategic, with big levels and vehicles etc. It started the foundations of console controls for FPS, regen health etc.

Halo 2 started the whole online gaming on console like it is today.

Halo 3 didn't have as big of a effect but it brought the community aspect to the next level with theater and forge mode.

what Halo 4 did?

Nice post. I definitely agree that those games definitely have a better shot than most others out there to really change up the space and innovate upon what we've experienced for years.

With Halo 4, the one thing that could've changed up the formula and set a new standard is a Custom Games/MM hybrid. At some point we'll get to a place where we won't be bothered by either "too many options" (Custom Games Browser) or too little/limited options (MM).

At this point though, maybe Spartan Ops has the potential to create a new standard of delivery episodic content if executed properly.. other than that? idk, maybe connecting the Campaign/War Games in a single narrative?

 

[Steelyuhas]

Does anyone know what playlists the 3 new maps will go in? I'm satisfied with the current maps,but would love to see the new ones.

I'm sure they will be implemented in all playlists where appropriate, but it remains to be seen if people buy them/if 343's matchmaking algorithms work in matching you up with others than also have DLC.

 

[Prologue]

Was there a lack of interest in clan matches in Halo 2 ? We never saw it again after that.


Bring it back!

 

[enzo_gt]

Part of me feels that way, and there are some updates that will help the game. But for me, the stuff that breaks the game, and keeps me away from it (haven't touched it in a week) won't be fixed in an update. Global ordnance, flinch, the DMR, active camo, plasma pistols on spawn in BTB and so on. They could fix them (mostly through removal) but they won't be as they're part of the core designs for the game. There's just so much stuff in the game that was badly thought out.

Well put, a lot of the stuff seems inherently bad by design and devs are always reluctant to retroactively change things like that which they carry a lot of pride in.

For me, I don't play a lot of super competitive game types and gravitate towards silly chaotic game types like Regicide and KotH more so I'm affected less, but that is when glaring technical issues come to light, most notably join in progress. Flinch.. I can't even rationalize it from a dev perspective like everything else. It needs to go ASAP or large maps are ruined forever.

If these technical issues are fixed at the least, I think I'll hang on much longer. The lack of acknowledgement or communication with the community over all of this is kind of disappointing. I expected the last two bulletins to have some more.. Substance, in terms of the state of MM.

 

[-PXG-]

A+

I've said it for years:

Random effects undermine balance, team work, competition and in some cases, skill itself

Unpredictable elements and personal unlockables and EXP have ruined competitive multiplayer. Besides having less time to play, it's these things that prevent me from enjoying mutliplayer over a long period of time. I just get sick of the bullshit and mindlessly filling up bars.

 

[Garrett 2U]

I was playing some AGL customs yesterday.. and they just weren't fun.
It felt so artificial.
Are MLG maps/rules better? Because I honestly enjoy Vanilla H4 more.

 

[Izayoi]

Stumbled across a post from our very own Stinkles while reminiscing on the Halo 3 pre-launch hype. In regards to button combos and glitches/exploits:

This is what's cheating: Using something you know gives you an unfair advantage.

It is very plain.

So the official word is, it's cheating. Sorry Gr1mLock and friends.

 

[FUNKNOWN iXi]

Stumbled across a post from our very own Stinkles while reminiscing on the Halo 3 pre-launch hype. In regards to button combos and glitches/exploits:

So the official word is, it's cheating. Sorry Gr1mLock and friends.

So I guess if person A knows that power weapons spawn every 2 minutes and sets up around the map but person B doesn't, then person A is cheating.

Not everythingthey say is absolute truth, at least with that reason alone.

 

[Gr1mLock]

Stumbled across a post from our very own Stinkles while reminiscing on the Halo 3 pre-launch hype. In regards to button combos and glitches/exploits:


So the official word is, it's cheating. Sorry Gr1mLock and friends.

Lol. I really dont feel like shitting up the thread for another day. Let's just agree to disagree.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Why? DMR is arguably the best thing about Halo 4.

It's one of my carry over critiques from Reach; it's the reason we now have flinch. I think extending the range of the rifles to 3x from 2x creates too many problems. In past Halo games weapons outside of the sniper had at most a 2x scope and you weren't getting tagged by players so far away you could barely see them, much less tag them without being scoped. The DMR doubled the effective range of Halo 3's BR, which meant you were getting tagged from all over the map, which demolished maps like Hemorrhage. That got you into the scope/descope/scope/descope loop of death.

Halo 4 kept the DMR (and added the Light Rifle) and addressed the scoping issue by adding flinch, which I hate with a passion. So rather than fix the root of the problem, Halo 4 compounded it with another.

A lot of people like the extended range of the rifles, which is fine. But to me Halo was never about these super long range ping fests, so I was dismayed to see it return with the 3x scope - not to mention flinch added on top of it. So now we get long range ping fests with the added frustration of a perpetually bobbing targeting reticule. Just terrible game design, IMO.

 

[JB1981]

Why do people hate flinch so much? I understand it's a change from Descope but what about it design-wise do you find so game breaking ?

 

[Digital Limit]

Why do people hate flinch so much? I understand it's a change from Descope but what about it design-wise do you find so game breaking ?

Just that it's weapon-dependent, so you can't get good at reacting to the flinch because it's effectively "random." To clarify, the flinch distance from a DMR shot is different than the flinch distance from a BR shot is different than the distance from a Sniper Rifle shot, etc.

That's coming from a guy who hated descoping, mind you. Comparatively, I love flinch. Rescope descope rescope descope was frustration incarnate. Just missing shots because you're being shot up, eh, it doesn't bother the frustration centers in my brain.

 

[OverHeat]

]

Just that it's weapon-dependent, so you can't get good at reacting to the flinch because it's effectively "random." To clarify, the flinch distance from a DMR shot is different than the flinch distance from a BR shot is different than the distance from a Sniper Rifle shot, etc.

That's coming from a guy who hated descoping, mind you. Comparatively, I love flinch.

Same here.

 

[Fuchsdh]

Just that it's weapon-dependent, so you can't get good at reacting to the flinch because it's effectively "random." To clarify, the flinch distance from a DMR shot is different than the flinch distance from a BR shot is different than the distance from a Sniper Rifle shot, etc.

That's coming from a guy who hated descoping, mind you. Comparatively, I love flinch. Rescope descope rescope descope was frustration incarnate. Just missing shots because you're being shot up, eh, it doesn't bother the frustration centers in my brain.

Not to mention it gives you at least the feeling of having a better chance of fighting back.

 

[Sir Hamish]

Decided to pick up Halo 4 after being sick for a while. I like big dumb shooting games during recovery.

2.5 hours into the campaign on Normal. It's my first time playing a console FPS since 2008. The basic shooting feels good, and parts of the levels are very Halo (oh hey, there's a multilevel bridge on this Forerunner planet!) but are there ever any more open cool areas? I'm thinking Halo 3's big Warthog zones or that fight with the two giant walkers. Regardless, I'm having fun. I like the "AI Elites" and the Laser guns (though I question why they didn't try to be even mildly creative with them). Also, why the loss of dual wielding?

Also hopped into multiplayer for a few rounds and had a decent time. In Halo 3 I always preferred Big Team Slayer and the maps for that in Halo 4 are much worse. Suit powers seem uniformly less interesting than Equipment. But the levelling thing doesn't feel like it affects me (I was never a hardcore online player) and the basic shooting feels good and like Halo. I suspect if I went back to 3 I would find it wasn't as good as I remember, or something.

The only question is how long I keep this game. Probably sell it when my 14 day live trial ends and hope it's still worth something.

Not really :\ Unfortunately. Nothing on the scale of Tsavo Highway/The Ark/The Covenant from Halo 3

It's a shame.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Why do people hate flinch so much? I understand it's a change from Descope but what about it design-wise do you find so game breaking ?

One of the reasons I have loved Halo in the past was the way combat was designed so it didn't have mechanisms that pushed back against the player. Engagement outcomes were determined by things like aim, movement, positioning, anticipation, situational awareness and leveraging the combat sandbox. There was a simplicity to it that made it a pleasure to play.

Flinch is a mechanic that runs counter to that design philosophy. Now long range combat is in part about who can best steady their bucking targeting reticule. (Or, who has the perk to stabilize it.) I can lose encounters because there's a game mechanic layered on top of something as simple as returning fire. I don't want to grapple with a mechanic that's pushing back on my input. It's like running against a treadmill. Just let me run.

In effect, I find it just frustrating as hell, and in its own way, even more frustrating that bloom. At least that one was under my control and semi-predictable. Now the reticule will jerk around unexpectedly and the result is I often lose a shootout because I wasn't able to steady my aim good enough. It's just maddening, and on large maps, determines the outcome of a lot of encounters.

To be honest, it's one of (many) reasons I think Halo 4 is simply broken beyond repair. It's just not a game I have any desire to play.

 

[Izayoi]

A lot of people like the extended range of the rifles, which is fine. But to me Halo was never about these super long range ping fests, so I was dismayed to see it return with the 3x scope - not to mention flinch added on top of it. So now we get long range ping fests with the added frustration of a perpetually bobbing targeting reticule. Just terrible game design, IMO.

To each their own, I suppose. I loved the Pistol in Halo 1, it was probably one of my favorite things about the multiplayer, so to have the DMR as it is now is a dream come true to me (outside of a Halo 1 remake with, you know, multiplayer).

 

[Digital Limit]

One of the reasons I have loved Halo in the past was the way combat was designed so it didn't have mechanisms that pushed back against the player. Engagement outcomes were determined by things like aim, movement, positioning, anticipation, situational awareness and leveraging the combat sandbox. There was a simplicity to it that made it a pleasure to play.

Flinch is a mechanic that runs counter to that design philosophy. Now long range combat is in part about who can best steady their bucking targeting reticule. (Or, who has the perk to stabilize it.) I can lose encounters because there's a game mechanic layered on top of something as simple as returning fire. I don't want to grapple with a mechanic that's pushing back on my input. It's like running against a treadmill. Just let me run.

In effect, I find it just frustrating as hell, and in its own way, even more frustrating that bloom. At least that one was under my control and semi-predictable. Now the reticule will jerk around unexpectedly and the result is I often lose a shootout because I wasn't able to steady my aim good enough. It's just maddening, and on large maps, determines the outcome of a lot of encounters.

To be honest, it's one of (many) reasons I think Halo 4 is simply broken beyond repair. It's just not a game I have any desire to play.

You have access to a large community of gamers and Custom Games which can address these issues: BR-only, Magnum, Flinch perk and predictable Global Ordnance through Map Variants.

That's the game you would love. You could be playing it right now.

 

[Havok]

I wrote a little bit about the effects of Global Ordnance on the tone and pace of Halo matches on my dumb blog here, since I didn't figure folks wanted to scroll through 2600 words.

You have access to a large community of gamers and Custom Games which can completely solve your problem: BR-only, Magnum, Flinch perk and predictable Global Ordnance through Map Variants.

That's the game you would love? You could be playing it right now.

Except that you can't set Specialization perks as game loadouts, every person in the lobby would have had to complete the Rogue specialization which isn't available to 95% (if not more) of the playerbase since 343 decided to gate off gameplay items for the Limited Edition. Oh, and there is no way to make Global Ordnance spawn locations predictable with the tools we have unless you use Initial Ordnance items with Resupply Time set, in which case you can't set the ammo count in the weapon respawns and everything has a giant waypoint over it. Trying to place traditional weapon spawns results in everything refusing to spawn, one of a few Forge bugs. Maybe in a game with fleshed out customs options, but not this one. Even if that weren't the case, customs are a hassle to begin with in a world where you can hit a button and be in a matchmaking game in 20 seconds (which is why I don't think the customs argument has ever really held water when it comes to making a competitive experience rather than minigames).

 

[Demoncarnotaur]

Active Camo as an AA was a horrible idea. It doesn't break the game for me per say, but there is no reason for it to be an AA and not a powerup. They should have went with something far more subtle if they wanted a stealth inspired AA, but TBH Im not sure what other options there would be. Its surprising that it made its return relatively untouched and maybe even more effective than its iteration in Reach.

What I dislike more than Active Camo is Global Ordinance. It just does not make sense and does not keep the match flowing to different control points of the map. Teams can now anchor in with little worry as weapons rarely drop in, and if they do they will get notification.

On another note, the game desperately needs more small-medium sized maps like Haven and Adrift, but hopefully closer to the style of Haven. I'm pretty sure 343 must recognize this as the voting data probably reflects it really strongly. I like the maps in Halo 4, but with such an even spilt between 4v4 maps and 8v8 maps I can't help but feel there is not enough variety per playlist. 343 should consider adding a light version of Ragnarok into Infinity Slayer with less vehicles.. Also, is Complex a Dominion or BTB map? Because Im sure it could work as one if not.

One of the reasons I have loved Halo in the past was the way combat was designed so it didn't have mechanisms that pushed back against the player. Engagement outcomes were determined by things like aim, movement, positioning, anticipation, situational awareness and leveraging the combat sandbox. There was a simplicity to it that made it a pleasure to play.

Flinch is a mechanic that runs counter to that design philosophy. Now long range combat is in part about who can best steady their bucking targeting reticule. (Or, who has the perk to stabilize it.) I can lose encounters because there's a game mechanic layered on top of something as simple as returning fire. I don't want to grapple with a mechanic that's pushing back on my input. It's like running against a treadmill. Just let me run.

In effect, I find it just frustrating as hell, and in its own way, even more frustrating that bloom. At least that one was under my control and semi-predictable. Now the reticule will jerk around unexpectedly and the result is I often lose a shootout because I wasn't able to steady my aim good enough. It's just maddening, and on large maps, determines the outcome of a lot of encounters.

To be honest, it's one of (many) reasons I think Halo 4 is simply broken beyond repair. It's just not a game I have any desire to play.

I do understand and empathize with the complaint, but Flinch isn't awful IMO. That said, I do think it may be overused and can have similar frustrations attached to it that bloom had, though not nearly as bad (for me). I really could see 343 addressing this by reducing the amount of flinch across all weapons which would probably greatly help some issues. That said, Flinch used reasonably is a fun mechanic for me, and it usually is a breeze to overcome (for me). I think general weapon recoil every time you shoot the gun would be better though, instead of surprise recoil when you are shot.

 

[User 73706]

Active Camo as an AA was a horrible idea. It doesn't break the game for me per say, but there is no reason for it to be an AA and not a powerup. They should have went with something far more subtle if they wanted a stealth inspired AA, but TBH Im not sure what other options there would be. Its surprising that it made its return relatively untouched and maybe even more effective than its iteration in Reach.

On another note, the game desperately needs more small-medium sized maps like Haven and Adrift, but hopefully closer to the style of Haven. I'm pretty sure 343 must recognize this as the voting data probably reflects it really strongly. I like the maps in Halo 4, but with such an even spilt between 4v4 maps and 8v8 maps I can't help but feel there is not enough variety per playlist. 343 should consider adding a light version of Ragnarok into Infinity Slayer with less vehicles.. Also, is Complex a Dominion or BTB map? Because Im sure it could work as one if not.

Make camo an outright powerup. Introduce a new armor ability that

in team games: makes your armor the same color as the enemy team. Crosshair, aim assist, etc. are unchanged.

in free-for-all: makes your armor the same color as a random person in the match.

The ability would likely not work in Flood, or disguise you as an infected member wielding a gun. Reverse would hold true as well: flood forms using it would look like humans with energy swords.

Duration would be much less then camo and would require a continuous use until exhaustion. Duration could be approximately 5-15 seconds, with a recharge of 30 seconds.

 

[ElzarTheBam]

Make camo an outright powerup. Introduce a new armor ability that

in team games: makes your armor the same color as the enemy team. Crosshair, aim assist, etc. are unchanged.

Hey, this isn't bad idea for a 'Camo' style AA.

They should still appear red on the radar, I'm more surprised that you managed to create a decent idea!