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[RoyalLaFlame]

This is the first time Halo didn't make it into NPD in one of the best months of the year. In Halo strongest territory. This is really sad and worrying. The game cant seem to get pass the number 10 on activity. Even destiny is being played more than Halo .

I really don't understand why this happens. Destiny PVP is simply horrible imo, lag, no equal starts, lag, horrible controls (I always feel like a tank) and did I say lag? LOTS AND LOTS OF LAG? PVE is good but that's it.


It's a shame what happened to Halo but this would eventually happen. COD, Destiny and BF are all more casual, players have a blast and don't get destroyed by someone with better skills. Even though you suck at COD you'll always get score and scorestreaks come into play giving you kills. There's no such thing in Halo, you can end matches with 0 kills and fuckton of deaths.

I don't have an Xbox One (love my PS4 but if I could I would trade it for an Xbox) and I really miss Halo - despite Destiny and COD being easier I always get shit scores. I know Halo 5 is way more difficult but I have a feeling I would rank better than those other games I mentioned, probably because Arena type games are my jam.

 

[op_ivy]

343 should work on making H5 more social - especially in the post game lobby. Let team members group up with a click of a button for instance.

and add a playlist where no parties are allowed

These two are in conflict. If 343 is honestly trying to make halo 5 a more social game, adding a lone wolves playlist is the last thing they should do.

 

[E92 M3]

These two are in conflict. If 343 is honestly trying to make halo 5 a more social game, adding a lone wolves playlist is the last thing they should do.

No, it makes it more welcoming to new players that don't want to get stomped by parties. I just remembered Bungie had a training playlist for new players in Halo 3. Something like that could also be implemented.

 

[jem0208]

Apparently 343 might have patched slide boosting.


I hope they haven't because it was an awesome aspect of the game.

 

[op_ivy]

No, it makes it more welcoming to new players that don't want to get stomped by parties. I just remembered Bungie had a training playlist for new players in Halo 3. Something like that could also be implemented.

Oh, I'd love to have it and you are right, it'd make for a better experience for new players, but it would actually hurt any drive to make halo more social.

 

[Trup1aya]

Oh, I'd love to have it and you are right, it'd make for a better experience for new players, but it would actually hurt any drive to make halo more social.

They just need to have an in-game LFG. It baffles me that all games expect gamers to handle that through third party means.

That's said, The MM system should automatically TRY to match solo players with solo player and groups with groups

 

[E92 M3]

Apparently 343 might have patched slide boosting.


I hope they haven't because it was an awesome aspect of the game.

Wtf? Why would they do that? It was a cool technique for advance maneuvering. Similar to wave dashing.

Oh, I'd love to have it and you are right, it'd make for a better experience for new players, but it would actually hurt any drive to make halo more social.

I don't think so, because they are not mutually exclusive. A simple starter solution would be to allow people in those lone wolves playlist to team and play as a team.

 

[Trup1aya]

Apparently 343 might have patched slide boosting.


I hope they haven't because it was an awesome aspect of the game.

That would be amazingly stupid. Unfathomably stupid. Where did you hear this?

 

[RedSparrows]

Apparently 343 might have patched slide boosting.


I hope they haven't because it was an awesome aspect of the game.

Pros were talking about using it, which means I won't believe it 'til I see it!

I think people are still often grouped together after a match, but it's done so silently it's hard to tell.

 

[Trup1aya]

Pros are saying they can't use slide boost at the Uk tourney... Some suspect that has to do with the low latency Of Their closed network...

Which kind of makes pros practicing it useless...

I guess this confirms that it is a fun bug and not a feature... Any patched they make need to be hard coding slide boost into the game.

 

[Ricky Ricardo]

Halo 5 has fallen from popularity because Microsoft mismanaged their console. They announced an Xbox that seemed made strictly for western markets.

Then 343 made poor design decisions with Halo 4 that distanced fans and then 343 and Microsoft made terrible decisions that alienated even more people with The Master Chief Collection debacle.

Halo 5 is a solid game on a technical and gameplay level, but in order for it to have truly set minds on fire, it needed to have been firing on all cylinders from day one and sadly, it wasn't.

Moreover, Halo 5 is a demanding game. I love that about it, but I see the challenge that keeps casuals away. With all of today's popular shooters, they are literally point and click. See and enemy, pull trigger, have some semblance of aim, get kill.

Halo has shields and shields keep people from that instant gratification they've come to expect for COD, Battlefield, etc.

What people need is to understand is that almost of the factors that made Halo 3 top dog last gen are gone and will likely never return again. You've got 36 million PS4s in the wild and other shooters on Xbox One and disillusioned fans and wary casuals to deal with now. I'm sure the brass at MS and leadership at 343 are already well aware of this fact. So it makes no sense to bemoan Halo's current position. The mighty have fallen, there's no arguing that.

What needs to happen now is that 343 needs to continue to build on Halo 5, not just until June, but for the foreseeable future and when Halo 6 finally arrives, it needs to be feature complete, ON DAY ONE. That won't guarantee 5 million sales in a week, but it'll surely continue to gain some goodwill, since 343've now shown that they can at least craft a technically competent Halo game.

 

[jem0208]

Fuck yes, finally got to Onyx in slayer.

Pros are saying they can't use slide boost at the Uk tourney... Some suspect that has to do with the low latency Of Their closed network...

Which kind of makes pros practicing it useless...

I guess this confirms that it is a fun bug and not a feature... Any patched they make need to be hard coding slide boost into the game.

Nope, it's not due to low latency because slide boost is possible in the campaign.

The pros in the tourney are also using new skins and armour so it seems like they might be running a new patch for the tourney.

 

[op_ivy]

I don't think so, because they are not mutually exclusive. A simple starter solution would be to allow people in those lone wolves playlist to team and play as a team.

Speaking for myself, as a mostly solo player beginning to reach out to match made teammates or community members to party up for a better experience, I'd just go back to solo only in the new playlist. There would be LESS incentive for me to go out of my way to play with others.

 

[Trup1aya]

Fuck yes, finally got to Onyx in slayer.


Nope, it's not due to low latency because slide boost is possible in the campaign.

The pros in the tourney are also using new skins and armour so it seems like they might be running a new patch for the tourney.

I see... Well, if it's patched out its a dumb decisions... And to do it in the middle of a competition is silly as well...

 

[RedSparrows]

Changing it mid-tourny would indeed be bizarre. Occam's razor: glitch/misreported/other issue.

 

[E92 M3]

Speaking for myself, as a mostly solo player beginning to reach out to match made teammates or community members to party up for a better experience, I'd just go back to solo only in the new playlist. There would be LESS incentive for me to go out of my way to play with others.

I am a solo player as well, and some inevitably only want to play solo. What's better at the end of the day: having solo players not have a proper option or giving them a playlist? It won't detract from social factors at all.

 

[Ramirez]

The more I play Strongholds, the more I hate it. Bring KOTH back, thanks.

 

[E92 M3]

The more I play Strongholds, the more I hate it. Bring KOTH back, thanks.

I agree. Some are super passionate about it, but KOTH is a lot more exciting for spectators and players.

 

[SCHUEY F1]

I agree that they should just continue to improve on 5 for the next two years. Some compelling solo/co-op content would be nice. Halo 6 should launch on the next Xbox. Halo Wars and a new side story game would be good to fill the gap,

 

[Trup1aya]

I agree. Some are super passionate about it, but KOTH is a lot more exciting for spectators and players.

Disagree. I'm a spectator and a player.

 

[Strider]

WhyNotBoth.gif

 

[Fuchsdh]

I agree that they should just continue to improve on 5 for the next two years. Some compelling solo/co-op content would be nice. Halo 6 should launch on the next Xbox. Halo Wars and a new side story game would be good to fill the gap,

Realistically I don't think it makes business sense for them. I do agree that I wish we saw console games have longer lifespans with more dedicated support. They seem to be adopting all the wrong things from becoming PC-like without the advantages. *wistful sigh*

 

[SCHUEY F1]

It is too bad they couldn't get splitscreen in. One of my good friends got it for Xmas and his wife and kids expressed interest in playing splitscreen. Hurts getting newer generation of players into the game.

 

[Trup1aya]

Realistically I don't think it makes business sense for them. I do agree that I wish we saw console games have longer lifespans with more dedicated support. They seem to be adopting all the wrong things from becoming PC-like without the advantages. *wistful sigh*

Halo is typically in a 3 year cycle. The earliest a new numbered game would come out would be year end 2018... By that time we're probably looking at a new console launch... As these current consoles won't last as long as the previous gen. So I do believe it makes business sense to support this game for the next 3 years IF they can muster up the installed base to do so.

 

[Fuchsdh]

Halo is typically in a 3 year cycle. The earliest a new numbered game would come out would be year end 2018... By that time we're probably looking at a new console launch... As these current consoles won't last as long as the previous gen. So I do believe it makes business sense to support this game for the next 3 years IF they can muster up the installed base to do so.

We'll see. After the length of the 360 gen it does feel like another console in four years is extremely short, but you're definitely right that specs-wise this gen isn't as beefy.

 

[Samurai G0SU]

I really wonder how their plan for 2016 is going to be. They teased a surpise is coming but that's it.

Come on Bonnie Ross. Plz tell us an estimated roadmap?

We'll see. After the length of the 360 gen it does feel like another console in four years is extremely short, but you're definitely right that specs-wise this gen isn't as beefy.

Hope they use that HBM2 memory standard next console. Seems like a great leap for performance.

 

[jem0208]

The more I play Strongholds, the more I hate it. Bring KOTH back, thanks.

I agree. Some are super passionate about it, but KOTH is a lot more exciting for spectators and players.

KOTH would be nice to have as well but Strongholds is so much better for both watching and playing IMO. I actually wrote a big ass post about why Strongholds is awesome on Beyond:

1. The game won't end due to time running out.
- In other modes playing for time is something you regularly see. It draws the game length out and usually isn't very interesting to watch or play.

2. A team is scoring at all times.
- This keeps tension high and means that one team is almost always being aggressive because points are always at stake.
- In games like King you can have an entire hill go by with no one setting foot in it or in Oddball where the ball is left just sitting there. It can create long sections where nothing is really going on and can create some pretty "stalematey" gameplay.

3. The game is very high action.
- Because one team is always winning points the other is always on the offensive. It creates this interesting dynamic of constantly flipping which team is attacking and defending; there's never a stalemate in Strongholds

4. A point has to be captured for a team to score.
- This helps prevent what I call "scrappy time". You immediately start scoring upon entering the hill in KOTH whereas in Strongholds you need a properly coordinated push to control the point until it's captured.

5. - A player isn't required to be "incapacitated" for a team to be scoring.
- I've never been that keen on the dynamic where one player is forced to lose their weapon, move more slowly or remain in one location to score. This is largely just a personal preference for when I'm playing but it does have a fairly major impact on my last point.

6. There is a much greater potential for comebacks.
- Having a large point deficit in King or Ball makes it far more difficult to come back and win than in Strongholds, couple of the previous points link into this:
- No scrappy scoring means if you lose control you can't expect to gain those last few points from scrappy plays such as suicidal pushes.
- Not incapacitating a player means that if the losing team gains control they aren't put at a disadvantage when scoring making it easier for team to maintain control.
- This can make for some extremely exciting and clutch matches. It's not often you'll see a match of King or Ball where a team comes back from losing 0-99 and wins. That can happen in Strongholds (I've actually had a number of games had something similar occur and that's in solo matchmaking...).

 

[Magwik]

I can see Halo 6 being out next year, honestly.
They have the tech finally down on a good level. They have the basic foundations for the game, no need to add or throw more into the gameplay. The REQ system is near perfect, and just all the building blocks are there.

 

[RedSparrows]

I can see Halo 6 being out next year, honestly.
They have the tech finally down on a good level. They have the basic foundations for the game, no need to add or throw more into the gameplay. The REQ system is near perfect, and just all the building blocks are there.

Doesn't need to be called Halo 6. Just increment on the MP + add in more co-op stuff, and then do a big SP blowout in a few years.

 

[Akai__]

I really wonder how their plan for 2016 is going to be. They teased a surpise is coming but that's it.

Come on Bonnie Ross. Plz tell us an estimated roadmap?

The surprise is that Halo Wars 2 is this year. Other than that, I don't really expect anything else in terms of games. They still could do an other webseries (whatever happened to the Spielberg stuff) or stuff like #HuntTheTruth again.

I can see Halo 6 being out next year, honestly.
They have the tech finally down on a good level. They have the basic foundations for the game, no need to add or throw more into the gameplay. The REQ system is near perfect, and just all the building blocks are there.

I think they already confirmed a 3 year dev cycles to be the norm for major Halo games, so I don't think you will see Halo 6 until 2018. People were saying that there could be an other "Halo 5: <insert title here>" game like ODST and that would be actually pretty cool. Since H3A also probably won't happen it would be cool, if they could do a H3 themed map and REQ pack for Halo 5. It's been 2 games and I already miss the Brute weapons and vehicles for example.

 

[E92 M3]

Disagree. I'm a spectator and a player.

KOTH would be nice to have as well but Strongholds is so much better for both watching and playing IMO. I actually wrote a big ass post about why Strongholds is awesome on Beyond:

1. The game won't end due to time running out.
- In other modes playing for time is something you regularly see. It draws the game length out and usually isn't very interesting to watch or play.

2. A team is scoring at all times.
- This keeps tension high and means that one team is almost always being aggressive because points are always at stake.
- In games like King you can have an entire hill go by with no one setting foot in it or in Oddball where the ball is left just sitting there. It can create long sections where nothing is really going on and can create some pretty "stalematey" gameplay.

3. The game is very high action.
- Because one team is always winning points the other is always on the offensive. It creates this interesting dynamic of constantly flipping which team is attacking and defending; there's never a stalemate in Strongholds

4. A point has to be captured for a team to score.
- This helps prevent what I call "scrappy time". You immediately start scoring upon entering the hill in KOTH whereas in Strongholds you need a properly coordinated push to control the point until it's captured.

5. - A player isn't required to be "incapacitated" for a team to be scoring.
- I've never been that keen on the dynamic where one player is forced to lose their weapon, move more slowly or remain in one location to score. This is largely just a personal preference for when I'm playing but it does have a fairly major impact on my last point.

6. There is a much greater potential for comebacks.
- Having a large point deficit in King or Ball makes it far more difficult to come back and win than in Strongholds, couple of the previous points link into this:
- No scrappy scoring means if you lose control you can't expect to gain those last few points from scrappy plays such as suicidal pushes.
- Not incapacitating a player means that if the losing team gains control they aren't put at a disadvantage when scoring making it easier for team to maintain control.
- This can make for some extremely exciting and clutch matches. It's not often you'll see a match of King or Ball where a team comes back from losing 0-99 and wins. That can happen in Strongholds (I've actually had a number of games had something similar occur and that's in solo matchmaking...).

I know you guys like it, and I don't want to discredit that. KOTH is just something I love a lot and can't wait for anticipated return.

 

[Trup1aya]

KOTH would be nice to have as well but Strongholds is so much better for both watching and playing IMO. I actually wrote a big ass post about why Strongholds is awesome on Beyond:

1. The game won't end due to time running out.
- In other modes playing for time is something you regularly see. It draws the game length out and usually isn't very interesting to watch or play.

2. A team is scoring at all times.
- This keeps tension high and means that one team is almost always being aggressive because points are always at stake.
- In games like King you can have an entire hill go by with no one setting foot in it or in Oddball where the ball is left just sitting there. It can create long sections where nothing is really going on and can create some pretty "stalematey" gameplay.

3. The game is very high action.
- Because one team is always winning points the other is always on the offensive. It creates this interesting dynamic of constantly flipping which team is attacking and defending; there's never a stalemate in Strongholds

4. A point has to be captured for a team to score.
- This helps prevent what I call "scrappy time". You immediately start scoring upon entering the hill in KOTH whereas in Strongholds you need a properly coordinated push to control the point until it's captured.

5. - A player isn't required to be "incapacitated" for a team to be scoring.
- I've never been that keen on the dynamic where one player is forced to lose their weapon, move more slowly or remain in one location to score. This is largely just a personal preference for when I'm playing but it does have a fairly major impact on my last point.

6. There is a much greater potential for comebacks.
- Having a large point deficit in King or Ball makes it far more difficult to come back and win than in Strongholds, couple of the previous points link into this:
- No scrappy scoring means if you lose control you can't expect to gain those last few points from scrappy plays such as suicidal pushes.
- Not incapacitating a player means that if the losing team gains control they aren't put at a disadvantage when scoring making it easier for team to maintain control.
- This can make for some extremely exciting and clutch matches. It's not often you'll see a match of King or Ball where a team comes back from losing 0-99 and wins. That can happen in Strongholds (I've actually had a number of games had something similar occur and that's in solo matchmaking...).

Amazing post... I can't understand the opposing viewpoints... Though admittedly I don't think anyone has even attempted being this articulate .

 

[Fuchsdh]

I think they already confirmed a 3 year dev cycles to be the norm for major Halo games, so I don't think you will see Halo 6 until 2018. People were saying that there could be an other "Halo 5: <insert title here>" game like ODST and that would be actually pretty cool. Since H3A also probably won't happen it would be cool, if they could do a H3 themed map and REQ pack for Halo 5. It's been 2 games and I already miss the Brute weapons and vehicles for example.

What makes you think it wouldn't? It'd probably be the last remaster (as it's really the last game that needs it, and I think there's a level of tactlessness in making your own games again) but come 2017 it seems possible. Certainly MCC's 1080p60 presentation of Halo obviates some of it but it could still benefit from plenty of sprucing.

 

[Ramirez]

My biggest problem with SH, is that I feel 90% of the time, the spawning system just completely falls apart and can't keep up with the action. You could apply that to a lot of modes in this game though, it needs work.

 

[Trup1aya]

I know you guys like it, and I don't want to discredit that. KOTH is just something I love a lot and can't wait for anticipated return.

I love KOTH too... Because it's fun. But interms of competiive Halo, strongholds is much more exciting thanks to the constant scoring. It also calls for the entire map being a battle ground, rather than concentrating the entire fight into a single area. That make it much better to watch as strategies unfold...

I do greatly miss KOTH through, and all of the other missing modes

 

[belushy]

That's pretty sweet man. Now 343 needs to make a way to allow munitions to fly through solid objects.

That would actually be kinda cool if they could make just bullets go through a wall, and its an option in forge mode on each piece. We could simulate wallbanging from other games like COD and CS with that.

 

[Samurai G0SU]

The surprise is that Halo Wars 2 is this year. Other than that, I don't really expect anything else in terms of games. They still could do an other webseries (whatever happened to the Spielberg stuff) or stuff like #HuntTheTruth again.


snip

I mean the surprise Bonnie mentioned specifically for Halo 5 during the Video Game awards. like the hint was dropped twice during the month i believe.

 

[Magwik]

The surprise is that Halo Wars 2 is this year. Other than that, I don't really expect anything else in terms of games. They still could do an other webseries (whatever happened to the Spielberg stuff) or stuff like #HuntTheTruth again.



I think they already confirmed a 3 year dev cycles to be the norm for major Halo games, so I don't think you will see Halo 6 until 2018. People were saying that there could be an other "Halo 5: <insert title here>" game like ODST and that would be actually pretty cool. Since H3A also probably won't happen it would be cool, if they could do a H3 themed map and REQ pack for Halo 5. It's been 2 games and I already miss the Brute weapons and vehicles for example.

I didn't even think about it. Halo 3 will be 10 next year.
Fuck.

 

[Trup1aya]

My biggest problem with SH, is that I feel 90% of the time, the spawning system just completely falls apart and can't keep up with the action. You could apply that to a lot of modes in this game though, it needs work.

Really? Seems to me like you just spawn near one of your strongholds. Unless the enemy has a tripcap, then it seems to work like slayer spawns.

If your up against a decent team who is locking down two objectives, you might get spawn trapped... Which can be frustrating, but it's a part of halo.... You fight your way out, then do it to them...

That would actually be kinda cool if they could make just bullets go through a wall, and its an option in forge mode on each piece. We could simulate wallbanging from other games like COD and CS with that.

Yeah that would be cool too! I just wanted to be able to shoot banshee bombs from my x-wing.

 

[AlStrong]

I think they already confirmed a 3 year dev cycles to be the norm for major Halo games, so I don't think you will see Halo 6 until 2018.

That's probably for the best. More time for design & polish. Potentially also more time to take in feedback for the previous game.

People were saying that there could be an other "Halo 5: <insert title here>" game like ODST and that would be actually pretty cool.

H5G wasn't the spin-off to introduce Team Osiris?

j/k

What makes you think it wouldn't? It'd probably be the last remaster (as it's really the last game that needs it, and I think there's a level of tactlessness in making your own games again) but come 2017 it seems possible. Certainly MCC's 1080p60 presentation of Halo obviates some of it but it could still benefit from plenty of sprucing.

mmhm.... I'd be happy with updated Hood & Miranda, and the rest of the character models just need a higher poly budget based off of the original art design. Sound-wise, as much as I don't fully agree with what 343i has done to alien sounds, H3 was probably the weakest.

As for the rest of the engine... Keep the lighting engine, re-bake for higher resolution lightmaps, revamp the shadowmapping, and add some compute shader stuff (e.g. AO, improved water physics).

Wouldn't mind if they skipped multiplayer altogether... (to avoid splitting playerbase? and also development cost...)

 

[Akai__]

What makes you think it wouldn't? It'd probably be the last remaster (as it's really the last game that needs it, and I think there's a level of tactlessness in making your own games again) but come 2017 it seems possible. Certainly MCC's 1080p60 presentation of Halo obviates some of it but it could still benefit from plenty of sprucing.

I don't really have a reason. I just don't see it happening, that's all.

I mean the surprise Bonnie mentioned specifically for Halo 5 during the Video Game awards. like the hint was dropped twice during the month i believe.

There were hints at The Game Awards? Is this why the Firefight rumours started? lol

All I can remember from TGA was the teaser for December and more Halo news in 2016 and I thought that was referring to general Halo news, instead of Halo 5.

 

[Trup1aya]

That's probably for the best. More time for design & polish. Potentially also more time to take in feedback for the previous game.




H5G wasn't the spin-off to introduce Team Osiris?

j/k

Well, they could always do H5: Blue Team or something like that. Same engine, same multiplayer component, but a few for story missions...

 

[AlStrong]

Well, they could always do H5: Blue Team or something like that. Same engine, same multiplayer component, but a few for story missions...

I'd be down for a prequel-type set of missions to expand upon Fred's comment that Chief has been going non-stop post-Halo 4. Showcase more of how tightly knit the four of them are besides the FoR movie.

 

[Samurai G0SU]

I don't really have a reason. I just don't see it happening, that's all.



There were hints at The Game Awards? Is this why the Firefight rumours started? lol

All I can remember from TGA was the teaser for December and more Halo news in 2016 and I thought that was referring to general Halo news, instead of Halo 5.

here is the interview and time stamp starting at 48 seconds -

https://youtu.be/MKxaNB_xQ2M?t=48s

 

[AlStrong]

here is the interview and time stamp starting at 48 seconds -

https://youtu.be/MKxaNB_xQ2M?t=48s

Not really much to go on.

 

[IHaveIce]

here is the interview and time stamp starting at 48 seconds -

https://youtu.be/MKxaNB_xQ2M?t=48s

that sounds like nothing special at all? That just sounds like the monthly updates.

 

[BradC00]

slide boosting was taken out? that sucks.

 

[Sikamikanico]

Gonna queue up some Forge maps tonight for some playtesting. If you have a map you want played, drop your GT. Also need some players. Gonna start in about 2/3 hours. Hope some of you can join in.

 

[op_ivy]

Gonna queue up some Forge maps tonight for some playtesting. If you have a map you want played, drop your GT. Also need some players. Gonna start in about 2/3 hours. Hope some of you can join in.

cant make it, can you stream?

 

[BraXzy]

Gonna queue up some Forge maps tonight for some playtesting. If you have a map you want played, drop your GT. Also need some players. Gonna start in about 2/3 hours. Hope some of you can join in.

Feel free to test out S 1.18 on my tag (BraXzyy). It's a Breakout map

If I can make it, I'll be there!