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[Enter The 36 Chambers]

Alternatively, it empowers the individual player because they can play more aggressive, which is especially helpful when your team sucks, you're getting bad spawns, and want to make a difference, faster, without worrying about the already-dominating enemy team knowing your every move, your moves where in Halo are actually not fast at all, so in order not to be seen you have to move even slower than that.

Run on that. #NoMotionTracker

For competitive play I agree with you. For matchmaking in general (outside the competitive playlists) and (whatever the Halo 2 classic team slayer playlist ends up being) there should and will be no radar.

Team Slayer as a playlist is the go to playlist for 4v4 team slayer in halo 2/3. At high ranks its pretty competitive. It will be the same in MCC hopefully.

By all means have a competitive/mlg/whatever playlist with no radar. Like Team Hardcore, MLG and Proving grounds(?). There's room for both options.

That shit will always be in team slayer, and I'm okay with that.

 

[Steelyuhas]

is there any website that posts legit stats?

Not really. Outside of a publisher saying we've sold x copies of game, there isn't really accurate total figures out there.

The number went up.

Delay confirmed.

 

[HTupolev]

I'm fine with CGI as long as it makes sense within the tone of the game.

The problem I have with Halo CGI is that, polished as it is, everything feels overwrought. It doesn't look like a high-fidelity execution on the underlying vision, it looks like the creators approached every situation with a "this doesn't look enough like a punchy Monty Oum cinematic" mentality.

Yup, only the intro and the ending (and the epilogue) are cinematics which is fine for me.

The middle of Reclaimer also has some CGI.

 

[Banderdash]

I was playing Titanfall last night and I found something I'd like to see in Halo.

In Titanfall, in addition to being able to select the individual gametype you'd like to play, they have an option that randomly mixes the games you play (CTF, Domination, TDM, FFA, etc).

As someone who doesn't play a lot of multiplayer, I'd like to see something like that.
It includes everything, then randomises it.
One game I could be playing Slayer or Team Slayer, the next Oddball, then CTF, then Griffball, and so on.

Just a thought.

 

[EroticSushi]

It's been said 1000 times, but damn the Blur CG Halo 2A cutscenes look nice:

Really prefer Chief's armor from Halo 2 out of all of the reiterations done to his armor . I liked how they made him look like a tank in Halo 4 but the design in Halo 2 just looks right and iconic.

 

[Fuchsdh]

Yeah another strike against pre-rendered cinematics is that you have to lock down your story much earlier because once it's in the pipeline you have far less chance to modify it.

 

[Slightly Live]

Yeah another strike against pre-rendered cinematics is that you have to lock down your story much earlier because once it's in the pipeline you have far less chance to modify it.

Imagine planning out a long term vision for a project and sticking to it by, at the latest, the half way point. Shocking.

If Bungie had done that, we may have got an actual story in Destiny.

 

[RowdyReverb]

I didn't realize that I missed pre-rendered cutscenes until H2A. I think they're good in small doses with most cutscenes being in-engine. For instance, intro and outdo cinematics can be pre-rendered while all the rest are in-engine.

 

[CyReN]

Roster for The Master Chief Collection Launch Invitational.

• StK – Heinz, OGRE2, Royal 2, Snakebite, Coach Diesel
• OpTic Halo – Flamesword, Pistola, Ace, Snipedown, Coach Elamite
• Believe The Hype – Formal, Lxthul, aPG, Maniac, Coach Mr. X
• The Agency – Ninja, Hysteria, FearItSelf, Victory, Coach Towey
• VwS Gaming – Naded, Legit, Goofy, Mikwen, Coach Wolfmayyne
• TCM Gaming – Riotz,TuFoxy, Ramirez, Chalkie, Coach Xavier
• Purple Rain – Gandhi, Puckett, Maven, Legion, Coach Sundance
• Str8 Rippin – Tsquared, Ryanoob, Roy, Str8 Sick

 

[darthbob]

Roster for The Master Chief Collection Launch Invitational.

• StK – Heinz, OGRE2, Royal 2, Snakebite, Coach Diesel
• OpTic Halo – Flamesword, Pistola, Ace, Snipedown, Coach Elamite
• Believe The Hype – Formal, Lxthul, aPG, Maniac, Coach Mr. X
• The Agency – Ninja, Hysteria, FearItSelf, Victory, Coach Towey
• VwS Gaming – Naded, Legit, Goofy, Mikwen, Coach Wolfmayyne
• TCM Gaming – Riotz,TuFoxy, Ramirez, Chalkie, Coach Xavier
• Purple Rain – Gandhi, Puckett, Maven, Legion, Coach Sundance
• Str8 Rippin – Tsquared, Ryanoob, Roy, Str8 Sick

Wow, are we gonna see StK OGRE 2 again? Now that brings back memories.

 

[S0cc3rpunk]

One of the best things about a new Halo. Finding out what the guns will sound like.

yeah you said it can't wait for the halo 5 beta.

 

[Banderdash]

Really prefer Chief's armor from Halo 2 out of all of the reiterations done to his armor . I liked how they made him look like a tank in Halo 4 but the design in Halo 2 just looks right and iconic.

Halo 2 armour is what I picture when I think of him.

I think it's the iteration where it's looked most like actual armour.

 

[danwarb]

Chief again looked boss in the Halo 3 announcement trailer and TV spots.

 

[BigShow36]

For competitive play I agree with you. For matchmaking in general (outside the competitive playlists) and (whatever the Halo 2 classic team slayer playlist ends up being) there should and will be no radar.

Team Slayer as a playlist is the go to playlist for 4v4 team slayer in halo 2/3. At high ranks its pretty competitive. It will be the same in MCC hopefully.

By all means have a competitive/mlg/whatever playlist with no radar. Like Team Hardcore, MLG and Proving grounds(?). There's room for both options.

That shit will always be in team slayer, and I'm okay with that.

Why? Explain to me why Social playlists need to have a completely unnecessary and frankly detrimental gameplay element? Because that's how it started? Why should any player, social or otherwise, want to know where enemy players are at all times? Why not just put a big indicator over every players head?

Not even CoD puts movement-based radar in their playlists. There is absolutely no evidence that radar increases a Social or casual players enjoyment, but it certainly slows down encounters and further nullifies an individual player's ability to be successful.

 

[TriStateTryHard]

Halo made all Spartans. Radar made all Spartans equal.

 

[ElRenoRaven]

NIce to see the love for Halo 2 Chief. Without a doubt it was my favorite of every incarnation. I actually wish 343 had went back to it with 4.

 

[Poodlestrike]

NIce to see the love for Halo 2 Chief. Without a doubt it was my favorite of every incarnation. I actually wish 343 had went back to it with 4.

Eh. H2's chief is nostalgia-riffic, but 4's design is much better, IMO.

 

[Masterz117]

what's different between H2 and H3 chief?

 

[Captain Friendo]

what's different between H2 and H3 chief?

minor design differences, ie. the hand gauntlets are different, one part on the legs produces light but it was green in halo 2, etc.

 

[Banderdash]

Why? Explain to me why Social playlists need to have a completely unnecessary and frankly detrimental gameplay element? Because that's how it started? Why should any player, social or otherwise, want to know where enemy players are at all times? Why not just put a big indicator over every players head?

Not even CoD puts movement-based radar in their playlists. There is absolutely no evidence that radar increases a Social or casual players enjoyment, but it certainly slows down encounters and further nullifies an individual player's ability to be successful.

Because when you spawn you want to know which direction to head towards?

 

[Booshka]

Because when you spawn you want to know which direction to head towards?

You don't need radar to tell you where to go, just awareness, experience, and teamwork. Control portions of the map to pickup weapons/powerups, or help your teammates pickup weapons/powerups, based around timers. Push with your teammates for the objective, or defend with your teammates. Look where a teammate needs help, or pay attention to the enemies around your dead body before you spawn, and listen to what your teammates are telling you, who is weak, who has what.

 

[Ragnarok Flames]

Because when you spawn you want to know which direction to head towards?

thats why 343 has all those great waypoints.

 

[Poodlestrike]

You don't need radar to tell you where to go, just awareness, experience, and teamwork. Control portions of the map to pickup weapons/powerups, or help your teammates pickup weapons/powerups, based around timers. Push with your teammates for the objective, or defend with your teammates. Look where a teammate needs help, or pay attention to the enemies around your dead body before you spawn, and listen to what your teammates are telling you, who is weak, who has what.

The one problem is that a lot of that isn't really worth much to a player in the general matchmaking population, since odds are good they won't be experiencing any sort of communication with their team whatsoever.

 

[Banderdash]

You don't need radar to tell you where to go, just awareness, experience, and teamwork. Control portions of the map to pickup weapons/powerups, or help your teammates pickup weapons/powerups, based around timers. Push with your teammates for the objective, or defend with your teammates. Look where a teammate needs help, or pay attention to the enemies around your dead body before you spawn, and listen to what your teammates are telling you, who is weak, who has what.

thats why 343 has all those great waypoints.

The question was why social playlists need it...
I wouldn't expect social players to have the map awareness, nor the halo multiplayer experience, that HaloGAF or MLG would have.

I certainly don't

The one problem is that a lot of that isn't really worth much to a player in the general matchmaking population, since odds are good they won't be experiencing any sort of communication with their team whatsoever.

That would be me.
General pop, no parties, no communication.

 

[Poodlestrike]

The question was why social playlists need it...
I wouldn't expect social players to have the map awareness, nor the halo multiplayer experience, that HaloGAF or MLG would have.

I certainly don't

Where's that GIF with the warthog?

 

[Booshka]

I'd rather there not be giant waypoints, radar or some other overbearing handholding mechanics in pretty much any playlist. Especially when something like a 2v2 playlist isn't even going to be in MCC on Launch.

Tunnel vision Social goobers be damned.

 

[danwarb]

Eh. H2's chief is nostalgia-riffic, but 4's design is much better, IMO.

4 was a bit top heavy I thought.

 

[Madness]

The question was why social playlists need it...
I wouldn't expect social players to have the map awareness, nor the halo multiplayer experience, that HaloGAF or MLG would have.

I certainly don't

That would be me.
General pop, no parties, no communication.

I can get that argument, but even then, it's something people can pick up pretty easily about how spawns work, what team is in what area, how the map works.

I'm a fan of no radar with a good communicating team because it really makes the game play so differently. No turtling in areas of the map and dot watching, really changes the dynamic of gameplay at times.

Though it's been in Halo so long, any removal would really impact players so dependent on it now, so it makes sense to leave it in playlists with social/unranked gameplay. Even more considering that communication is really down across the board in FPS, I wouldn't expect any meaningful communication anymore.

 

[HTupolev]

4's Chief felt like a pretty good attempt at bringing Halo 1's tank-jet aesthetic vibes into a higher-fidelity visual style. And given how they used him in the narrative, that flavour of imposingness seemed reasonable.

(That's not to say I wholeheartedly liked it; the caveat is that I would have preferred 343i to have steered the franchise in a very different direction altogether.)

 

[Poodlestrike]

4 was a bit top heavy I thought.

A little bit, but he managed to look more imposing and significantly less bulky than 2/3. Plus, no space diaper.

4's Chief felt like a pretty good attempt at bringing Halo 1's tank-jet aesthetic vibes into a higher-fidelity visual style. And given how they used him in the narrative, that flavour of imposingness seemed reasonable.

(That's not to say I wholeheartedly liked it; the caveat is that I would have preferred 343i to have steered the franchise in a very different direction altogether.)

Hmm. I actually quite like what they're doing (thematically and story-wise), but I'm curious.What direction were you thinking of?

 

[Madness]

A little bit, but he managed to look more imposing and significantly less bulky than 2/3. Plus, no space diaper.

Hmm. I actually quite like what they're doing (thematically and story-wise), but I'm curious.What direction were you thinking of?

Not really a fan of how "exposed" he looks. Shoulder pieces almost look floating, entire chest/abdominal area is basically just the undersuit. I get the more gritty and fighter jet look, but the worst part was such a massive change affects story/canon and they couldn't even explain it any way.

 

[darthbob]

Not really a fan of how "exposed" he looks. Shoulder pieces almost look floating, entire chest/abdominal area is basically just the undersuit. I get the more gritty and fighter jet look, but the worst part was such a massive change affects story/canon and they couldn't even explain it any way.

I really dislike the H4 era suit designs. It just looks so... cheap?

Like, the armor contrasts against the bodysuit/undersuit so much that it looks visually unappealing compared to this

The latter feels so much more like powered armor, rather than what we got in H4.

 

[GrizzNKev]

Not really a fan of how "exposed" he looks. Shoulder pieces almost look floating, entire chest/abdominal area is basically just the undersuit. I get the more gritty and fighter jet look, but the worst part was such a massive change affects story/canon and they couldn't even explain it any way.

It was explained though

Spoiler

nanomachines

 

[antigoon]

Holy shit, StK OGRE 2.

MEMORIEZ

 

[HTupolev]

but I'm curious.What direction were you thinking of?

Anything that sits better in the narrative and tone that Bungie laid down. If they couldn't figure that out with a direct successor to Halo 3*, I would have preferred not having a direct successor to Halo 3 at all.

*By the way, from a narrative structure perspective, I always thought the legendary ending felt extremely dissonant as a follow-up to the regular ending. It seemed like a tacked-in and very much out-of-place sequel hook.

 

[BigShow36]

How about you respect the player-base enough to recognize that most of them have intelligence above that of a dial-tone?

How can players remember how to shoot if we don't constantly show them "Press RT to Shoot"??? How can they know where they are on a map if we don't constantly have a giant map outline right in front of them!?!?! How can they know how to move around if we don't constantly have directions in front of them!??

Players learn and improve. That's how any interest evolves into a hobby, how any ability transforms into a skill. Players will learn if you let them, they will improve if you challenge them. Radar is absolutely unnecessary and is a detriment to player development for new players and enjoyment for advanced players.

I play alone 90% of the time, and I absolutely hate radar because it completely eliminates my ability to maneuver and out think my opponents. If I want to flank an enemy based off where my teammates are, even though I am not verbally communicating it to them, I can with radar off. I can't with radar on. If I want to get behind a base, waiting to grab a flag when my teammates attack or move to a certain point, I can do that when radar is off. I can't with radar on.

 

[Ragnarok Flames]

It was explained though

Spoiler

nanomachines

except the MkVI mjolnir suit does not have Nanomachines, at fucking all. the mkVII does, and the reason this retcon of FUD having nanomachines on board is to justify a change for the sake of change.

 

[Demoncarnotaur]

Not really a fan of how "exposed" he looks. Shoulder pieces almost look floating, entire chest/abdominal area is basically just the undersuit. I get the more gritty and fighter jet look, but the worst part was such a massive change affects story/canon and they couldn't even explain it any way.

Give him the Halo 3 shoulders (perhaps slightly altered) and chest (but bulkier like the Halo 4 chest) and it would be perfect IMO.

 

[Random17]

I actually kind of wish they never created The Gravemind. The Flood seemed like a much cooler and scarier concept when they were just an out of control parasite.

Coordination is still the most intimidating aspect of the Flood. I only appreciated this fact after reading Silentium. Conventional warfare is one aspect, but using Sauron like tactics is another. Destroying the Forerunners from within is still their greatest accomplishment thus far.

A coordinated parasite is vastly more dangerous than a mere virus.

 

[Booshka]

Holy shit, StK OGRE 2.

MEMORIEZ

Another Shadowrun Troll post

so to speak, lol.

 

[YourExWife]

I'm not a fan of Fake Bregmann.

 

[Japarican]

I just checked the last date I boosted on my friend's accounts for LoL which were 13-16 days ago. Praying to the based god these 17 days zip by as well because I thought I boosted them last week

 

[GringoSuave89]

No idea if anyone cares, but my work has the listing for the Halo 2 Anniversary soundtrack set for a November 24th release, and selling for $18.95 MSRP. So it won't be released with the CD version, but it is cheaper.

 

[iFirez]

Give him the Halo 3 shoulders (perhaps slightly altered) and chest (but bulkier like the Halo 4 chest) and it would be perfect IMO.

I totally agree, something about his 'floating' shoulders have always bothered me in Halo 4. Don't get me wrong I feel like the changes they made to the Mjolnir armor in Halo 4 were good and made it look much more militaristic, realistic and tank like - but they kind of effed up the iconic silhouette shape with those shoulders. See this image that has all the main line chiefs in just black: http://firedragonmatty.deviantart.com/art/Halo-Master-Chief-Collection-Silhouette-Vector-490532245

Anyway, here's quick dirty photoshop changing his shoulders to a more flat design... I'd make it look better but its 8am....

Compare that to the original (up the page) and you'll see that the more 'flush' shoulder design looks a lot more like the Mjolnir armor of Halo 1-3.

 

[GringoSuave89]

I totally agree, something about his 'floating' shoulders have always bothered me in Halo 4. Don't get me wrong I feel like the changes they made to the Mjolnir armor in Halo 4 were good and made it look much more militaristic, realistic and tank like - but they kind of effed up the iconic silhouette shape with those shoulders. See this image that has all the main line chiefs in just black: http://firedragonmatty.deviantart.com/art/Halo-Master-Chief-Collection-Silhouette-Vector-490532245

Anyway, here's quick dirty photoshop changing his shoulders to a more flat design... I'd make it look better but its 8am....

Compare that to the original (up the page) and you'll see that the more 'flush' shoulder design looks a lot more like the Mjolnir armor of Halo 1-3.

Removing the floating shoulders makes a MASSIVE difference.

 

[iFirez]

Removing the floating shoulders makes a MASSIVE difference.

Totally, I hope 343 make some more changes or chief gets a special new Mjolnir VII suit (Not GEN2 please, we have Locke for that) but I have a feeling that 343 are set on this exact suit they've put out there in Halo 4. Going off comics, ingame cinematics and the cover art for Halo 5, looks like we're not getting any changes to Chief - although in the cover art the shoulders do look more 'flush' to his body (http://media1.gameinformer.com/file...eatured/microsoft2014/halo5/halo5-146-610.jpg) but no idea if that's just the angle/pose.

 

[Welfare]

So StK is the team to root for at the Invitational. They even have Diesel has the coach!

 

[maximrace]

I'm really surprised at how good CEA looks, way better than on the 360 imo. Great lightening

 

[Ein Bear]

Every time the re-design the Chief, they make him look worse.

Halo 1 had the GOAT design.

 

[Madness]

I'm really surprised at how good CEA looks, way better than on the 360 imo. Great lightening

Would this be under NDA or no? Just don't want you to be in trouble because it's great having someone who reviews the games be a part of the community here.