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Halo |OT13|

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stephen08

Member
Interesting. It seems a lot of you feel similarly that the draw to the franchise has faded and yet it remains the best of the worst options. Any other popular FPS just doesn't have the same pull that this franchise does.

My hopes are also riding on Bungie at this point.
 

orznge

Banned
Honestly, increasing the skill gap with something as shallow as learning which area to hold—because, for example, rockets will spawn in 3 minutes—is also damaging to the game. It makes the game more unfriendly to new players. It makes learning the maps much more paramount not for battle-to-battle situations, but for who is going to win the overall match.

Both with the current implementation of static ordnance spawns and the old static weapon spawns, the end result is that veteran players appear to arbitrarily have power weapons, and newer players will not understand where from as veterans are always snatching them up.

The real solution to both global and random ordnance balance is to have a countdown timer of around 15 seconds to warn of a resupply, and communicate that resupply both audibly and visually. Playing Infinity Slayer should feel a lot like playing King of the Hill (or Extraction), except the team that controls the hill will ultimately control a power weapon.

"Ordnance resupply incoming..."

*ordnance icons flash on the screen with small countdown timers appearing next to their icons*

"Ordnance resupplied."

Something to that effect.

could you go in depth on why map control is strategically shallow please
 

MrBig

Member
My hopes are also riding on Bungie at this point.

If destiny is anything similar to competitive PvP Halo, then truly: rip Bungie

That sector of gaming is dead to me.

I want something new and innovative, something that gives a cohesive, engaging, and constantly evolving experience; I don't want to play the same thing over and over again.
 
HUkMHh.jpg
NPzTeh.jpg

Mario Galaxy: Halo edition.
 
If destiny is anything similar to competitive PvP Halo, then truly: rip Bungie

That sector of gaming is dead to me.

I want something new and innovative, something that gives a cohesive, engaging, and constantly evolving experience; I don't want to play the same thing over and over again.
I think a successful mainstream console FPSMMO is something we haven't seen before.
 

FyreWulff

Member
Did you somehow misunderstand the question?

Nope. The question was, what would it take for you to walk away from the franchise. The question, to me, means "what action by Microsoft would make you go elsewhere" (although that's a bit weird since you can play multiple FPSes at once..)

My answer is if Microsoft Anniversary'd Halo 2 and included it's multiplayer, my reaction would "okay, that's enough'.
 

orznge

Banned
It appears to me, the gamer, on my first time playing this map ever, that a weapon spawns in this place. I discover this with regret though, as my memory will be wiped clean after finishing this fleeting 10 minute Team Deathmatch game.
 
If destiny is anything similar to competitive PvP Halo, then truly: rip Bungie

That sector of gaming is dead to me.

I want something new and innovative, something that gives a cohesive, engaging, and constantly evolving experience; I don't want to play the same thing over and over again.

Agreed. Take a look at games like XCOM, or Planetside 2. There's something to be said for those new-er takes on shooters.

Even more than that, I'd like to see something really left-field.
 
could you go in depth on why map control is strategically shallow please

It sounds like you're being cunty again, but I'll humor you.

Obfuscating the objective mode that is Halo's Slayer—see: be where the weapons spawn—is not a deep or interesting aspect of Halo. The fact that new players have to learn from word of mouth or by stumbling onto power weapons in a game based around the control of those weapons is an oversight in Halo's design. Not giving new players a heads up on weapon spawns, and forcing veteran players to memorize intervals and watch the clock is hardly a game skill worthy of any note. It's not exciting or compelling. It's just homework that poor game design has introduced.

"Be near rockets when they spawn."

"Oh, where are they? When do they spawn? Why do I have to ask you?"

It's a lot of prior knowledge that the game could be providing players with as they need it, lowering artificial skill gaps and keeping the real skill—how well you can shoot people with something other than a 1sk weapon—as the most important aspect to who wins the game.

Random global ordnance with a heads up in the form of a countdown timer doesn't nix map control. It just removes the predictability of where in the map control needs to be placed. It solves a lot of problems with map design, too, as power positions like Ring 3 must be sacrificed to grab the weapons as they appear on the map, and players can't just sit on inevitable weapon drops even before the notification. Halo 4 falters in that it only gives a heads up to Engineers.

But that's the issue with personal player customization in a competitive game. Halo 4, as Ghal has mentioned, is a design in "breaking" the game and letting players fix the parts they're bothered by most. Hate Flinch? There's an app for that. Hate random ordnance? There's an app for that.
 

neoism

Member
I have a question for those who are split on Halo 4. What would it take for you to outright abandon the franchise? For me, I think it would limp on until some other franchise took its' place.

it has... have no reason to trust 343 again will buy 5 on sale.. if Destiny is amazing and it will be I mean one of the best developers are making it so...then
 

kylej

Banned
It appears to me, the gamer, on my first time playing this map ever, that a weapon spawns in this place. I discover this with regret though, as my memory will be wiped clean after finishing this fleeting 10 minute Team Deathmatch game.

lol
 

orznge

Banned
The following games, in which map control is a major factor in the decision tress of their multiplayer, suck:
  • Quakeworld
  • Quake 2
  • Quake 3
  • Tribes 1
  • Tribes 2
  • Tribes: Vengeance
  • Tribes Ascend
  • Counter-Strike
  • Quakeworld Team Fortress
  • Team Fortress Classic
  • Fortress Forever
  • Team Fortress 2
  • Rainbow Six
  • Ghost Recon
  • Battlefield
  • Day of Defeat
  • Half-Life Deathmatch
  • Warsow
  • Painkiller
  • Return To Castle Wolfenstein
  • Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory
  • Enemy Territory: Quake Wars
  • Soldier of Fortune
  • Soldier of Fortune 2
  • Doom
  • Firearms
  • Resistance and Liberation
  • Red Orchestra
  • Red Orchestra 2
  • The Battle Grounds
  • Arma
  • Arma 2
  • Operation Flashpoint
 
It sounds like you're being cunty again, but I'll humor you.

Obfuscating the objective mode that is Halo's Slayer—see: be where the weapons spawn—is not a deep or interesting aspect of Halo. The fact that new players have to learn from word of mouth or by stumbling onto power weapons in a game based around the control of those weapons is an oversight in Halo's design. Not giving new players a heads up on weapon spawns, and forcing veteran players to memorize intervals and watch the clock is hardly a game skill worthy of any note. It's not exciting or compelling. It's just homework that poor game design has introduced.

"Be near rockets when they spawn."

"Oh, where are they? When do they spawn? Why do I have to ask you?"

It's a lot of prior knowledge that the game could be providing players with as they need it, lowering artificial skill gaps and keeping the real skill—how well you can shoot people with something other than a 1sk weapon—as the most important aspect to who wins the game.
ignore feature is awesome, brah
 
I had fun last night playing Halo and most of the time it was on BTB maps. Certain things were bullshit like I spawned right in front of a warthog out in the open...yea I wouldn't even had time to charge a PP lol I was dead instantly. The majority of the time I was having fun though, but be prepared this is as positive as my post gets. From here on out it gets a little salty:

The maps were pretty rough (especially regarding performance) and I still dont get the layout of the whole thing (it almost doesn't really make sense - logically) but I know most of the map now. I really really wish weapons would be on the map again I hate Global Ordnance and not knowing when Global Ordnance was available, we played Ragnarock and I couldn't for the life of me figure out when our sniper respawned, so it tells you initially but after that you need to time it?

I hate weapons despawning so fast. Played Ragnarok CTF against a pretty good group of players, probably the most trueskill equal game I've seen so far. I took guy out top mid in the beginning saw two guys coming so I grabbed laser and booked it got it to our side like a bit past the river where the two rocks converge I was taken out, by the time I got back to it it despawned. So there I am, then a Warthog comes charging at me from their team that I could have annihilated with laser if it was any of the previous Halos I could but instead it gets an easy kill on me as I'm pretty out in the open. So I basically spent the first minute or so on a fools errand. All because the game has a shitty despawn setting. When really what I did was pretty strategic at every move, I thought quick knew I was going to get taken down moved a power weapon to our side, but none of my knowledge paid off.

Also not a fan of the rock ledges on Ragnarock people can jetpack up to and snipe from, especially since the rock ledge has a lip they can hide behind if getting shot at, and they dont have to drop down. If you can get a vantage point like that you should have to drop down if you're getting shot at there shouldn't be a wall on the vantage point. IMO.

I now mention that 4 of their team ended negative while me n Ram both had around 25 kills or so. They got one cap. Winning a battle at mid when both our flags were out at middle. Respawn times still dont penalize death enough in objective. Combat wasn't even close, was their team that much more tactical? No. No, they were not.

What this makes me realize though that even though the game can be fun, once you start to play at a competitive level it becomes more about abusing the game than playing good Halo. I don't think this game was playtested enough at a competitive level, but at a casual level. Once you have the hardcore fans come in they break your map, find glitches, and abuse spots that are too powerful because no teams with a ton of skill playtested extensively.

I also don't think they analyzed the gameplay hard enough with respect to the player and the experience, and analyzed it more in theory or on their whiteboard.

The game was not designed well in terms of evolution. Why release the BTB map pack first when more of the maps are already big than small maps? Why release Team Regicide after FFA Regicide?

I think with the addition of a bunch (5 or 6) small Arena maps mostly symetrical and the removal of sprint (added option with a patch) and a dash of boost to base speed this game could be played great competitively and would suit a very well needed competitive playlist. Slayer Pro fails mostly because of the maps, like what are you going to play Haven over and over for three hours? No you end up just playing the game for a shorter period of time.

And for gods sake do not add Forge maps into MM to fill the void of small maps. Every Forge map I've seen looks like crap. Forge fails, because you can't make anything that doesn't look like just another map. You still have no foliage, trees, dirt patches and other general terrain objects. So what you end up with is pieces upon pieces of steel and you get to see the line where they meet at each piece, and its not great. Its the opposite of great. For shame CA. What were you thinking?
 
As a LE owner, give it out to everyone for free and I'll take the "bullet". Yea it sucks, but I honestly feel worse about the European Halo crowd with specializations, plus it would boost the dwindling population and make 343 look good to the majority of players.

A lot of their problems are common sense fixes, I just don't get it. 343 needs a PR person.

As a LE owner and a European unless 343 does make the maps free for Europeans I will lose a lot of respect for them.

I dont actually care that im personally losing out, its the shitty treatment of entire geographic communities that pisses me off. I will not be buying Halo 5's LE and unless I can see that 343 treat Europeans in the same way they treat Americans im tempted to just do my best to buy used from now on - its not like I am going to get fair treatment as a customer anyway.

TLDR: I want everyone to get the perks and maps and think its bullshit that Europe gets treated in a different way to America. I own the LE but couldnt care less about being ripped off, everyone having the maps is good because I will play them more often. I feel gutted that I gave 343 more money than I needed to or that they deserve but what can I do? Again if 343 doesnt throw european players a bone I will be pretty disappointed. I paid this time round for the same treatment a standard edition American gets. I wont be paying more next time and I cant wait to see how 343 shows they treat European standard edition customers.
 

Booties

Banned
It sounds like you're being cunty again, but I'll humor you.

Obfuscating the objective mode that is Halo's Slayer—see: be where the weapons spawn—is not a deep or interesting aspect of Halo. The fact that new players have to learn from word of mouth or by stumbling onto power weapons in a game based around the control of those weapons is an oversight in Halo's design. Not giving new players a heads up on weapon spawns, and forcing veteran players to memorize intervals and watch the clock is hardly a game skill worthy of any note. It's not exciting or compelling. It's just homework that poor game design has introduced.

"Be near rockets when they spawn."

"Oh, where are they? When do they spawn? Why do I have to ask you?"

It's a lot of prior knowledge that the game could be providing players with as they need it, lowering artificial skill gaps and keeping the real skill—how well you can shoot people with something other than a 1sk weapon—as the most important aspect to who wins the game.

Random global ordnance with a heads up in the form of a countdown timer doesn't nix map control. It just removes the predictability of where in the map control needs to be placed. It solves a lot of problems with map design, too, as power positions like Ring 3 must be sacrificed to grab the weapons as they appear on the map. Halo 4 falters in that it only gives a heads up to Engineers.

But that's the issue with customization. Halo 4, as Ghal has mentioned, is a design in breaking the game and letting players fix the parts they hate having broken the most.

Custom game walk through or social playlists are options for you.
 

stephen08

Member
If destiny is anything similar to competitive PvP Halo, then truly: rip Bungie

That sector of gaming is dead to me.

I want something new and innovative, something that gives a cohesive, engaging, and constantly evolving experience; I don't want to play the same thing over and over again.

Oh I am with you there. I don't think that's much a worry though. Why would Bungie split from MS to make a game that's like another version of Halo but without the immediate marquee value? It wouldn't make much sense.

I think PvP is absolutely going to be an element within this new franchise but when I say all hopes to Destiny I mean as a franchise that I care about as much as I used to Halo. Not that it needs to be a carbon copy of Halo.
 

orznge

Banned
the funny thing is that the implementation of Global Ordinance (lol at that name still) is like a dozen times harder to understand or analyze than "x thing spawns here"
 
I've found a lot of really awesome Forged maps in the Forgotten Treasures thread: http://www.forgehub.com/forum/halo-...47-forgotten-treasures-iii-submissions-2.html

This Turf remake is the best I've seen: http://www.forgehub.com/forum/halo-4-forge-discussion/142699-turf.html#post1563891

And Construct is pretty cool, too: http://www.forgehub.com/forum/halo-4-forge-discussion/142712-awestruck-construct-remake.html

Really impressive stuff. Does anyone know how to get that modded gametype with the classic settings? I'd love to try some of these maps with those settings. I do agree that people should be hesitant about Forge maps being in Matchmaking after what happened to Reach. But 3 or 4 wouldn't be too bad. Maybe one exclusive per playlist or something.
 

stephen08

Member
the funny thing is that the implementation of Global Ordinance (lol at that name still) is like a dozen times harder to understand or analyze than "x thing spawns here"

I still don't fully understand it. I know the initial drop is the same every time on each map but from then on I think the weapons can drop randomly at certain designated points. But only certain weapons will spawn in certain areas. The time it takes between drops is also random and can be as early as 120s or as late as 320s.

I think that is all correct but it still leaves me completely lost on which power weapon is going to drop where and when. Those are a lot of unknowns and generally I had a pretty good handle on the weapon spawning in past Halo games.
 

Fuchsdh

Member
I still don't fully understand it. I know the initial drop is the same every time on each map but from then on I think the weapons can drop randomly at certain designated points. But only certain weapons will spawn in certain areas. The time it takes between drops is also random and can be as early as 120s or as late as 320s.

I think that is all correct but it still leaves me completely lost on which power weapon is going to drop where and when. Those are a lot of unknowns and generally I had a pretty good handle on the weapon spawning in past Halo games.
I think it's pretty easy to figure out but not knowing exactly when something might drop seems just plain annoying. I do like getting a random weapon, since it makes more of a risk-reward scenario for sticking by the drop point.
 
I had fun last night playing Halo and most of the time it was on BTB maps. Certain things were bullshit like I spawned right in front of a warthog out in the open...yea I wouldn't even had time to charge a PP lol I was dead instantly. The majority of the time I was having fun though, but be prepared this is as positive as my post gets. From here on out it gets a little salty:

The maps were pretty rough (especially regarding performance) and I still dont get the layout of the whole thing (it almost doesn't really make sense - logically) but I know most of the map now. I really really wish weapons would be on the map again I hate Global Ordnance and not knowing when Global Ordnance was available, we played Ragnarock and I couldn't for the life of me figure out when our sniper respawned, so it tells you initially but after that you need to time it?

I hate weapons despawning so fast. Played Ragnarok CTF against a pretty good group of players, probably the most trueskill equal game I've seen so far. I took guy out top mid in the beginning saw two guys coming so I grabbed laser and booked it got it to our side like a bit past the river where the two rocks converge I was taken out, by the time I got back to it it despawned. So there I am, then a Warthog comes charging at me from their team that I could have annihilated with laser if it was any of the previous Halos I could but instead it gets an easy kill on me as I'm pretty out in the open. So I basically spent the first minute or so on a fools errand. All because the game has a shitty despawn setting. When really what I did was pretty strategic at every move, I thought quick knew I was going to get taken down moved a power weapon to our side, but none of my knowledge paid off.

Also not a fan of the rock ledges on Ragnarock people can jetpack up to and snipe from, especially since the rock ledge has a lip they can hide behind if getting shot at, and they dont have to drop down. If you can get a vantage point like that you should have to drop down if you're getting shot at there shouldn't be a wall on the vantage point. IMO.

I now mention that 4 of their team ended negative while me n Ram both had around 25 kills or so. They got one cap. Winning a battle at mid when both our flags were out at middle. Respawn times still dont penalize death enough in objective. Combat wasn't even close, was their team that much more tactical? No. No, they were not.

What this makes me realize though that even though the game can be fun, once you start to play at a competitive level it becomes more about abusing the game than playing good Halo. I don't think this game was playtested enough at a competitive level, but at a casual level. Once you have the hardcore fans come in they break your map, find glitches, and abuse spots that are too powerful because no teams with a ton of skill playtested extensively.

I also don't think they analyzed the gameplay hard enough with respect to the player and the experience, and analyzed it more in theory or on their whiteboard.

The game was not designed well in terms of evolution. Why release the BTB map pack first when more of the maps are already big than small maps? Why release Team Regicide after FFA Regicide?

I think with the addition of a bunch (5 or 6) small Arena maps mostly symetrical and the removal of sprint (added option with a patch) and a dash of boost to base speed this game could be played great competitively and would suit a very well needed competitive playlist. Slayer Pro fails mostly because of the maps, like what are you going to play Haven over and over for three hours? No you end up just playing the game for a shorter period of time.

And for gods sake do not add Forge maps into MM to fill the void of small maps. Every Forge map I've seen looks like crap. Forge fails, because you can't make anything that doesn't look like just another map. You still have no foliage, trees, dirt patches and other general terrain objects. So what you end up with is pieces upon pieces of steel and you get to see the line where they meet at each piece, and its not great. Its the opposite of great. For shame CA. What were you thinking?


Excellent, well thought out post.
 
I still don't fully understand it. I know the initial drop is the same every time on each map but from then on I think the weapons can drop randomly at certain designated points. But only certain weapons will spawn in certain areas. The time it takes between drops is also random and can be as early as 120s or as late as 320s.

I think that is all correct but it still leaves me completely lost on which power weapon is going to drop where and when. Those are a lot of unknowns and generally I had a pretty good handle on the weapon spawning in past Halo games.

The issue is that 343 and whoever else is making maps were very inconsistent with how they implemented "Global Ordnance". Some initial drops respawn after 3 minutes. Some never respawn. Some maps have inconsequential random drops like Sticky Launchers and Needlers. Others have Binary Rifles :)lol, Haven). And some might have different drops than they had at launch :)lol, Haven?).

It's peculiar, and obviously rushed.
 
It sounds like you're being cunty again, but I'll humor you.

Obfuscating the objective mode that is Halo's Slayer—see: be where the weapons spawn—is not a deep or interesting aspect of Halo. The fact that new players have to learn from word of mouth or by stumbling onto power weapons in a game based around the control of those weapons is an oversight in Halo's design. Not giving new players a heads up on weapon spawns, and forcing veteran players to memorize intervals and watch the clock is hardly a game skill worthy of any note. It's not exciting or compelling. It's just homework that poor game design has introduced.

"Be near rockets when they spawn."

"Oh, where are they? When do they spawn? Why do I have to ask you?"

It's a lot of prior knowledge that the game could be providing players with as they need it, lowering artificial skill gaps and keeping the real skill—how well you can shoot people with something other than a 1sk weapon—as the most important aspect to who wins the game.

Random global ordnance with a heads up in the form of a countdown timer doesn't nix map control. It just removes the predictability of where in the map control needs to be placed. It solves a lot of problems with map design, too, as power positions like Ring 3 must be sacrificed to grab the weapons as they appear on the map, and players can't just sit on inevitable weapon drops even before the notification. Halo 4 falters in that it only gives a heads up to Engineers.

But that's the issue with personal player customization in a competitive game. Halo 4, as Ghal has mentioned, is a design in "breaking" the game and letting players fix the parts they're bothered by most. Hate Flinch? There's an app for that. Hate random ordnance? There's an app for that.

All this means is that players need to be shown an overlay of the map with where all the weapons will initially spawn instead of being shown a black screen. Hell make the overlay appear when you press back button to check the scores of players. Hold BACK, Overlay fades in on the right side players names and scores fade in on left release and it fades back away all smooth and seamless.

Global Ordnance is a sloppy, convulated system that wasnt implemented well enough to take over the system of map control and static weapon drops, it destroys the location of spots as a ton of callouts are based on where weapons drop and obtaining the power weapons which creates map flow. It allows an additional level of skill needed to play the game and move towards and time weapon drops as you are focusing on micro and macro game elements.

People don't take tests and write "Oh I didn't look at the notes prior so I dont know this answer" and the teacher goes "Oh thats an acceptable answer" No you are penalized for not knowing things. Thats life. Study the map, learn the weapon drops and the times and you will be ahead of most of the class with just that act.
 

Tawpgun

Member
The issue is that 343 and whoever else is making maps were very inconsistent with how they implemented "Global Ordnance". Some initial drops respawn after 3 minutes. Some never respawn. Some maps have inconsequential random drops like Sticky Launchers and Needlers. Others have Binary Rifles :)lol, Haven). And some might have different drops than they had at launch :)lol, Haven?).

It's peculiar, and obviously rushed.

LOL.

Nope thats by design.

At the start of the map you always have the same weapons at the same locations in the initial drop.

Then, every 2 minutes there's one RANDOM weapon (could be needler, could be incinerator...) spawn in at a RANDOM location (could be bottom mid, could be near a teams base...)

The fact that you think this is bugged, glitched, and rushed design is hilarious and really shows what a poor system it is. Static across all maps 343.
 

Havok

Member
Had a game earlier where I was in a firefight, having just called in a sniper, and during my strafe a Global Ordnance Needler dropped on me without warning, cut my shields in half, and I lost the fight. What a crummy system.

re: static weapon spawns not being interesting - I couldn't disagree more.

I still don't fully understand it. I know the initial drop is the same every time on each map but from then on I think the weapons can drop randomly at certain designated points. But only certain weapons will spawn in certain areas. The time it takes between drops is also random and can be as early as 120s or as late as 320s.

I think that is all correct but it still leaves me completely lost on which power weapon is going to drop where and when. Those are a lot of unknowns and generally I had a pretty good handle on the weapon spawning in past Halo games.
It's every two minutes after the start of the match, and that's consistent from the tests I've done. Each Random Drop item can be tailored to have a certain pool of weapons that can appear there. I believe that the system picks a weapon from the full list of possible weapons that can be dropped on the map, which are set up with weightings so Rockets aren't common, then picks a spot on the map where that weapon drop is possible. It's an entirely opaque system to the player, totally removing a key predictive element of the game that I found fascinating in past games.
 
All this means is that players need to be shown an overlay of the map with where all the weapons will initially spawn instead of being shown a black screen. Hell make the overlay appear when you press back button to check the scores of players. Hold BACK, Overlay fades in on the right side players names and scores fade in on left release and it fades back away all smooth and seamless.

Gears 3 did this excellently.
 
Global Ordnance is a sloppy, convulated system that wasnt implemented well enough to take over the system of map control and static weapon drops, it destroys the location of spots as a ton of callouts...

I agree with you. It's sloppy. It's not a fit replacement as it stands. Honestly, if all they did was remove random ordnance drops, have global ordnance respawn on a 2-minute timer and give everyone the Engineer perk, Halo 4 would be more fun.

That said, I think a consistently and properly implemented Global/Random Ordnance system is friendlier and more dynamic (HaloGAF Radio called it "reactive" rather than "predictive") than the antiquated system of previous Halo games. Halo's Slayer is an objective mode without an announcer or HUD elements, despite what you might like to believe.
 
LOL.

Nope thats by design.

At the start of the map you always have the same weapons at the same locations in the initial drop.

Then, every 2 minutes there's one RANDOM weapon (could be needler, could be incinerator...) spawn in at a RANDOM location (could be bottom mid, could be near a teams base...)

The fact that you think this is bugged, glitched, and rushed design is hilarious and really shows what a poor system it is. Static across all maps 343.

You're wrong and it's embarrassing. Go do your research before you condescend.

Scattershot on Abandon? Never respawns. Sniper on Ragnarok? Respawns after 3 minutes; also respawns in random ordnance elsewhere.

Global ordnance encompasses both initial+resupplies AND random ordnance.
 
I agree with you. It's sloppy. It's not a fit replacement as it stands. Honestly, if all they did was remove random ordnance drops, have global ordnance respawn on a 2-minute timer and give everyone the Engineer perk, Halo 4 would be more fun.That said, I think a consistently and properly implemented Global/Random Ordnance system is friendlier and more dynamic (HaloGAF Radio called it "reactive" rather than "predictive") than the antiquated system of previous Halo games. Halo's Slayer is an objective mode without an announcer or HUD elements, despite what you might like to believe.

If they did that then it would be fine (since it basically would just be the weapon drop system). Although maps generally drop a lot of weapons where Global Ordnance is just a few spots, can you imagine all that grey weapon text?

I'd just want an overlay and weapon drop system. Besides power weapons need different drop times than regular weapons and who knows if the global ordnance system in 4 is even that customizeable (I'd guess no)
 

Tawpgun

Member
I agree with you. It's sloppy. It's not a fit replacement as it stands. Honestly, if all they did was remove random ordnance drops, have global ordnance respawn on a 2-minute timer and give everyone the Engineer perk, Halo 4 would be more fun.

That said, I think a consistently and properly implemented Global/Random Ordnance system is friendlier and more dynamic (HaloGAF Radio called it "reactive" rather than "predictive") than the antiquated system of previous Halo games. Halo's Slayer is an objective mode without an announcer or HUD elements, despite what you might like to believe.

Ugh...
 
It's every two minutes after the start of the match, and that's consistent from the tests I've done. Each Random Drop item can be tailored to have a certain pool of weapons that can appear there. I believe that the system picks a weapon from the full list of possible weapons that can be dropped on the map, which are set up with weightings so Rockets aren't common, then picks a spot on the map where that weapon drop is possible. It's an entirely opaque system to the player, totally removing a key predictive element of the game that I found fascinating in past games.

Actually, I think it's the opposite. First it randomly picks the location from all of the spawn points available, and then it randomly picks a weapon from that specific location's list.

-------
I'll post my Global Ordnance article tonight. I've had it typed up for a while but I wanted to give "Picturing Destiny" room to breathe.
 

senador

Banned
BS Angel. Good Person. Bad content writer.

Nah, I just don't think she is given much to work with but still tries to come up with fun filler and such. I haven't been as interested in Bulletins like I was with Bungie Weekly Updates, but that's due to many different reasons, nothing to do with her I don't think.
 
If they did that then it would be fine (since it basically would just be the weapon drop system). Although maps generally drop a lot of weapons where Global Ordnance is just a few spots, can you imagine all that grey weapon text?

I'd just want an overlay and weapon drop system. Besides power weapons need different drop times than regular weapons and who knows if the global ordnance system in 4 is even that customizeable (I'd guess no)

It's flexible. Replacing static weapons with Global Ordnance is pretty trivial, although 343 forgot to let you adjust ammo for whatever reason. If they patch that in, they could conceivably remove random ordnance drops from every map, setup short respply times on Needlers and long resupply times on Spartan Lasers and save Halo 4.

I doubt we'll be losing random ordnance though. Eh. Makes using the Engineer's perk pretty exciting, at any rate.
 
Global Ordnance makes me want vomit.

On Haven I put on my perk that lets me see ordnances before they fall. So I'll be like, "wow incineration cannon/ binary rifle about to spawn, better run over there!" Then I put on camo and sit and wait.

No one else has a fucking clue that the weapon spawns because I pick it up so quick, then I shit on kids because they don't even know the weapon spawned on the map.

It's priceless!
 

Tawpgun

Member
You're wrong and it's embarrassing. Go do your research before you condescend.

Scattershot on Abandon? Never respawns. Sniper on Ragnarok? Respawns after 3 minutes; also respawns in random ordnance elsewhere.

Global ordnance encompasses both initial+resupplies AND random ordnance. You know less than me and you should feel bad for thinking otherwise.

Wasn't being condescending to you bro, calm down.

I was ragging on the system because you not understanding how it works shows that its a terrible system. Everyone should be able to understand how the weapons drop.

I'm not sure about the snipers on Ragnarok, they could be similar to how grenade ordnance works, meaning once you pick it up a 3 minute timer starts. Might be to try and emulate Halo 3's static spawns.

But everywhere else it works like this.

Start of the game: Weapon drop in, you know where these are, you know what these are. This is INITIAL ORDNANCE.

Then, from there on in, on every map (except seemingly Ragnarok snipers) a random weapon will drop in every 2 minutes on the gameclock, regardless if anyone picked anything up. So at 10 minutes, 8 minutes, 6 minutes etc a new weapon spawns on the map.

But this is a random location, and a random weapon.

Initial ordnance is just there for the beginning, the entire system is replaced by global "2 minute random" ordnance.

Ragnarok being the exception I guess.
 

Havok

Member
Actually, I think it's the opposite. First it randomly picks the location from all of the spawn points available, and then it randomly picks a weapon from that specific location's list.

-------
I'll post my Global Ordnance article tonight. I've had it typed up for a while but I wanted to give "Picturing Destiny" room to breathe.
The thing about picking the location first is that it would be harder to weight high-tier power weapons, right? I mean, on something like Solace, you'd have a flat 2/10ish chance to get an Incineration Cannon since each spot only has one weapon tailored to it. I dunno honestly, that we have to guess like this speaks to what I think of the system.
 

orznge

Banned
I agree with you. It's sloppy. It's not a fit replacement as it stands. Honestly, if all they did was remove random ordnance drops, have global ordnance respawn on a 2-minute timer and give everyone the Engineer perk, Halo 4 would be more fun.

That said, I think a consistently and properly implemented Global/Random Ordnance system is friendlier and more dynamic (HaloGAF Radio called it "reactive" rather than "predictive") than the antiquated system of previous Halo games. Halo's Slayer is an objective mode without an announcer or HUD elements, despite what you might like to believe.

"reactive" and "predictive", as you cited from HaloGAF Radio, are two different methods by which you can facilitate weapon/map control; so why do you take it upon yourself to argue that one has innately more merit than the other without writing a single sentence that explains anything from a strategic perspective?

you should consider writing out your thoughts without letting hypothetical focus group pandering and PR platitudes seep into them
 

Without random ordnance, you'd be playing the same game as before, except your casual friends wouldn't have to ask you where Rockets spawn or why we're camping at this one building over here. They'd already be at that building fighting for Rockets because the game told them shit was going down. As well, you wouldn't have to do "map walk-throughs" or pay such attention to the clock.

I know, it feels good to have knowledge no one else has and kill them with it, but something as crucial as where and when Rockets spawn in a mode about getting the most kills? That a Halo game hasn't introduced that knowledge to the player directly before Halo 4 is surprising. It'd be a lot like playing King of the Hill without waypoints or an announcer saying "HILL MOVED".
 
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