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Halo |OT15| Beta-tested, GAF approved

I think 343 has so much potential to do a Forerunner Prequel Spin Off.. I mean just by watching all the terminal videos from CEA & Revealed So Much of the Forerunner Trilogy in Halo 4's it caught my interest immediately.
They know how to capture the story's essence BUT due to timing their execution in implementing it within in-game was evident.
Imo, I'm confident of said Spin-off would work very well as a Halo game.
 

ZeNy

Neo Member
CWHIMSAWN. CWHIMSAWN POOSH NUH BUTTON.



HALO
halo_opchasity.jpg


The year is 2560, three years after the Requiem event. Humanity has continued to push the boundaries of all known space with the mass production of Infinity class vessels, making them the most imposing force in the galaxy. The Master Chief has been deployed with the remnants of SPARTAN-II Red and Blue teams to assist in the capture of a live Forerunner shield world currently under siege by the Storm faction.
The Arbiter rallies any and all willing forces on Sanghellios to aid humanity in the siege of the planet. During the tumble they discover the location of the Greater Ark and move the combat there.

The campaign plays like a mix of Halo and Republic Commando. The multiplayer contains both the standard Halo experience in the Infinity menu (which will continue to act as the competitive multiplayer hub) and replacing firefight and SpOps will be Siege.

--SIEGE--

  • Siege is a class based multiplayer mode that takes place upon the Shield World, the Greater Ark and the Greater Halo Array. Each location has several maps created specifically for this gametype. When you enter the Siege menu you'll be prompted with a request to join either the UNSC or the Storm, which will determine the faction you'll represent for that campaign (which I'm thinking should last for about a month). After joining your faction you will be met with a map of the conflict spanning all of the locations mentioned above. The UNSC will have their base firmly planted on the Shield World while the Storm has taken control of the Greater Ark. The Greater Halo Array and several other smaller planets will be the pathway between the two planets. The UNSC and Storm can then pick a location and fight for control of that area, pushing up to the home base of the other over the course of the month. If one faction manages to take the home base of the other then the campaign ends early. If the home base is never taken, then by the end of the month the team that has pushed the furthest has won.

  • In Siege gameplay each faction during each battle will be tasked with several phases, each with different objectives depending on the map the battle is taking place on, which could entail capturing enemy territory, seizing enemy ammo caches, destroying generators, capturing power cores and navigation data, and the like. Each map has a total of five objectives/phases, with a new round for each phase or objective. The attacking team must push the defenders back in to their base before going in for the kill and the defenders must repel borders. If the attackers run out of respawn tickets or time before the objective is taken or destroyed, they are pushed back.

  • In Siege the UNSC are class based in so far as their loadouts dictate how they should go about playing, with classes for marksmen, medics, demolition experts, pilots and the like depending on the specifics of the map and gametype. These loadouts are unlocked by phase and/or ticket count.

  • The Storm is class based in the traditional sense - initial classes include Elite Warrior (Plasma Repeater/Plasma Rifle loadout) and Elite Marksman (Carbine/Plasma Rifle loadout). Each Storm player gets points for each kill, assist, objective assist and objective completion. These points can be spent on unlocking further classes (Brute Jetjumper, Jackal Sniper, Stealth Elite) or by spawning as powerful boss characters (Elite General, Brute Chieftain, Hunter). These points carry over between phases so that players can coordinate powerful attacks in the final phases.

  • Players in parties will be designated by their coordinating armor. Storm faction parties are represented by Elite Zealot kill squads like those seen in Reach and UNSC faction parties will be represented with armor detailing.

  • Players will be able to unlock new armor for their SPARTAN/Elite as they progress both in time invested and skill. As their rank progresses they'll unlock new armor patterns such as Officer, General and Councilor armor for the Storm faction and MJOLNIR Mark IV, V, VI and SPI armor for the UNSC. Depending on the skill based quintile you place in you will unlock different kinds of flair for your player. Storm faction players will unlock the distinctive Minor, Officer, General and Ultra colors while UNSC faction players will unlock the distinctive Recruit, ONI (Black), ODST and MJOLNIR (Gold) visor colors. The top quintile receives Arbiter armor and Mark VII armor for the Storm and UNSC respectively.

Seems like Invasion 2.0 with a good background story going deeper in the Halo Universe.

I like that, make it Halo 5.
 
Is the gunplay better than how it looked in the last few demos they did? Have they added recoil to the guns?

TBH it looked so bad I was turned off to the entire game.

Much, much better, as good as a standard FPS now. Recoil is in the game, and is different for each weapon.

I set my expectations for Bioshock Infinite to very very low. I'm glad to hear it's good! Gonna have to pick it up once the price drops a bit.

This one is worth more then the asking price, I can assure you.

Approximately how many hours did it take?

About 12, explored everything, and still missed some diaries and tonics and side quests.

As a last thing, and I will shut up after this, and patiently wait for Halogafs reaction...

The twist in Infinite makes the twist in BS1 seem insignificant, you won't see it coming and it will knock you on your fucking ass.
 
K

kittens

Unconfirmed Member
That makes no sense, Irrational can do no wrong.
Well, it seemed like Infinite was having some pretty big development hiccups, so I was worried. Also, I think the Bioshock games are a bit overrated, so this one had to sound REALLY good for me to consider picking it up. And it sounds like that's the case, based on GAF impressions.
 

Arnie

Member
If I had my way and unlimited budget I'd make Halo: Arena; a downloadable, multiplayer only, completely competitive experience with oodles of symmetrical maps, playlists and mechanics tuned for balance and to supplement player ability, rather than override it. It'd have a proper theatre mode, too, with spectating and Live commentary.

It'd have visual, skill based ranks and would fuse Halo with sporting culture in almost every aspect.
 

IHaveIce

Banned
If I had my way and unlimited budget I'd make Halo: Arena; a downloadable, multiplayer only, completely competitive experience with oodles of symmetrical maps, playlists and mechanics tuned for balance and to supplement player ability, rather than override it. It'd have a proper theatre mode, too, with spectating and Live commentary.

It'd have visual, skill based ranks and would fuse Halo with sporting culture in almost every aspect.

You can be hired for my Halo Live Arena development team if you like. Infos are one page back( 100ppp master race)
 
K

kittens

Unconfirmed Member
If I had my way and unlimited budget I'd make Halo: Arena; a downloadable, multiplayer only, completely competitive experience with oodles of symmetrical maps, playlists and mechanics tuned for balance and to supplement player ability, rather than override it. It'd have a proper theatre mode, too, with spectating and Live commentary.

It'd have visual, skill based ranks and would fuse Halo with sporting culture in almost every aspect.
This is exactly what I've been calling for / dreaming about.
 

BigShow36

Member
If I had my way and unlimited budget I'd make Halo: Arena; a downloadable, multiplayer only, completely competitive experience with oodles of symmetrical maps, playlists and mechanics tuned for balance and to supplement player ability, rather than override it. It'd have a proper theatre mode, too, with spectating and Live commentary.

It'd have visual, skill based ranks and would fuse Halo with sporting culture in almost every aspect.

Eh, symmetrical maps are overrated. Yeah, they're fine, but they aren't inherently better than asyms. The only reason they've become such a necessity is because of how easy aiming has become (seriously. If you want me to explain further I can).

I'd like a 60/40 blend of asyms/sym.
 

Arnie

Member
You can be hired for my Halo Live Arena development team if you like. Infos are one page back( 100ppp master race)
I graduate in June, need something to keep me busy.
Eh, symmetrical maps are overrated. Yeah, they're fine, but they aren't inherently better than asyms. The only reason they've become such a necessity is because of how easy aiming has become (seriously. If you want me to explain further I can).

I'd like a 60/40 blend of asyms/sym.
I think symmetry makes for a vastly more satisfying playing field because encounters are weighted fairly. Football pitches are symmetrical, chess boards are symmetrical, Halo's best maps, for the most part, are symmetrical.

I like to think that complete symmetry offers a greater breeding ground for strategy because both teams must counter one another. On a map like Lockout, the team that controls BR tower effectively controls the map, negating strategy because one team is at an inherent advantage.
 

Dongs Macabre

aka Daedalos42
Ok here is my developement plan and franchise handling.

There will be one big maingame it will release with campaign, firefight and spartan ops.
Campaign theater is also included.

Additional it gives you a free voucher to two download games ( Halo live Arena and Halo creator) both are also seperately aviable for 10 $

Halo live Arena
This is a standalone multiplayer game, 60 fps, dedicated servers and full blown custom options, base gameplay is arena shooter
Btb modes possible for servers.
Theater aviable much improved.

The game is fully supported and advertised for years.( info on this below)

Halo creator is a full blown map creator and modder
It is also fully supported and advertised for years.


More Maintitles are just like the above described campaign game but they will include map,skin, assets and weapon packs for Halo live arena and Creator

These updates are also seperately aviable for the standalone games.


Think of big patches coming to the year long supported everytime a main title comes out.

Now hiring. I want juices, bigshow, duji,orznge and kyle for sure for Halo Live Arena.

Wahrer is concept artist

Edit: sorry for bad english and spelling on phone and german :(

Would your Halo Creator be on the PC?

Also, would Halo Creator be necessary to enjoy user-made maps, or is Halo Live Arena the only necessary one?
 
I graduate in June, need something to keep me busy.

I think symmetry makes for a vastly more satisfying playing field because encounters are weighted fairly. Football pitches are symmetrical, chess boards are symmetrical, Halo's best maps, for the most part, are symmetrical.

I like to think that complete symmetry offers a greater breeding ground for strategy because both teams must counter one another. On a map like Lockout, the team that controls BR tower effectively controls the map, negating strategy because one team is at an inherent advantage.

This isn't soccer. You can have a great map that's small and not have every single one of them be symmetrical.
 

Dongs Macabre

aka Daedalos42
I graduate in June, need something to keep me busy.

I think symmetry makes for a vastly more satisfying playing field because encounters are weighted fairly. Football pitches are symmetrical, chess boards are symmetrical, Halo's best maps, for the most part, are symmetrical.

I like to think that complete symmetry offers a greater breeding ground for strategy because both teams must counter one another. On a map like Lockout, the team that controls BR tower effectively controls the map, negating strategy because one team is at an inherent advantage.

How about maps that aren't completely symmetrical, like Battle Creek/Beaver Creek/Battle Canyon?
 
K

kittens

Unconfirmed Member
Eh, symmetrical maps are overrated. Yeah, they're fine, but they aren't inherently better than asyms. The only reason they've become such a necessity is because of how easy aiming has become (seriously. If you want me to explain further I can).

I'd like a 60/40 blend of asyms/sym.
Yeah, please explain. I'm not saying you're wrong, I just don't see your reasoning.
 

Madness

Member
The only problem is that 343 has put gametypes made for symmetrical maps on asymmetrical maps and they play poorly.

My favorite maps are symmetrical however, and I feel they play best when playing 4v4.
 
The only problem is that 343 has put gametypes made for symmetrical maps on asymmetrical maps and they play poorly.

My favorite maps are symmetrical however, and I feel they play best when playing 4v4.
Of course, they do play better for the most of the gametypes. Asymmetrical maps always give one team an advantage. Symmetrical don't. I do not understand how they could release so many asymmetrical maps when there are not gametypes like One CTF or Assault.
 

neoism

Member
gotta say if feels weird and sad to trade in a halo game but I finally did (h4)....kept all the rest... so see you bros around i guess ... love this community halogaf so will check in every once in while...


Ot... My moms is doing great btw...she is recovering nicely... :D


ps to 343 please dun fuck up halo 5 please with sugar on top... pro tip finish the game before you release it. also don't make it shitty... :b
 
Of course, they do play better for the most of the gametypes. Asymmetrical maps always give one team an advantage. Symmetrical don't. I do not understand how they could release so many asymmetrical maps when there are not gametypes like One CTF or Assault.

How dont you understand. 343 is in charge. Most of the people there dont understand Halo and have played less than most of us here...
 

Arnie

Member
This isn't soccer. You can have a great map that's small and not have every single one of them be symmetrical.
I'm referring to a hypothetical Halo title focused on competitive multiplayer. For competitive multiplayer, when the game's about leveraging one's ability, as well as their ability to function as part of a team, a level, symmetrical playing field is best suited.

Soccer is but one example that proves my point, because its end result is exactly what I've just outlined.

Asymmetrical game types do work on asymmetrical maps, I'm not arguing that, and they do have a place in Halo.
How about maps that aren't completely symmetrical, like Battle Creek/Beaver Creek/Battle Canyon?
When it's but a difference in rock placement, or potholes in the ground, I don't think it's much of a problem. The core resources and vantage points being the same for both sides is the greater concern, as is having two distinct positions for players to spawn.
 
gotta say if feels weird and sad to trade in a halo game but I finally did (h4)....kept all the rest... so see you bros around i guess ... love this community halogaf so will check in every once in while...


Ot... My moms is doing great btw...she is recovering nicely... :D


ps to 343 please dun fuck up halo 5 please with sugar on top... pro tip finish the game before you release it. also don't make it shitty... :b

how come you traded it in?
 

IHaveIce

Banned
Would your Halo Creator be on the PC?

Also, would Halo Creator be necessary to enjoy user-made maps, or is Halo Live Arena the only necessary one?

I sadly think even Halo Live Arena would have to be on the PC to be successfull and to have feasible patches, but yes Halo Creator would be on the PC or have a PC port( superior version)


Halo Live Arena is enough to play the maps, but to create them you need Creator.
 
How about maps that aren't completely symmetrical, like Battle Creek/Beaver Creek/Battle Canyon?

Semi-Syms as I call them are among the most interesting maps IMO. If it's made right, you get two sides with distinct pros and cons, which in turn leads to different tactics employed.

Some people don't like them though, and it's understandable because they're not always balanced well. But when they are, it gives you that high-adrenaline competitive match without the mundane mirror design. Mirror syms are best suited for artificial maps like human buildings or forerunner structures. They feel a bit awkward IMO when they're on terrain maps.

Standoff and Avalanche are examples of a Semi-Sym, though much less so than others.
 

BigShow36

Member
Yeah, please explain. I'm not saying you're wrong, I just don't see your reasoning.

When we look at how ease-of-aiming impacts map design, we first need to point out the obvious difference between asymmetrical and symmetrical maps; that being one inherently creates geometrical advantages (there are geometric advantages on symmetrical maps as well, but teams typically spawn equidistant to them).

As Arnie said, whoever controlled BR tower has a large advantage on Lockout.

The reason for this is because the aiming is easy enough to the point that geometric discrepencies infer too great an advantage. Part of the skill gap in Halo games is map control. Another large part was aiming skill or manual dexterity. When you remove the aiming skill gap, or at least significantly lower it, suddenly map control becomes incredibly important. An asymetrical map suddenly grants one team a massive advantage if they happen to spawn next to a geometrically advantageous position.

If there was a larger shooting skill gap, holding and defending that position would be more difficult. If everyone can 4 or 5-shot easily, geometric advantages become insurmountable, or at the very least, incredibly valuable. Asymetrical map design falls apart because if the major skill of the game is obtaining geometric advantage, as it has become, you can't grant one team that advantage by luck of the draw.

A large shooting skill gap can mitigate geometric advantage and visa versa; when you remove the shooting skill gap, all that's left is geometric advantage. This is further compounded when you remove other incentives to move around the map (I'm looking at you loadouts and ordnance).
 

Dongs Macabre

aka Daedalos42
I sadly think even Halo Live Arena would have to be on the PC to be successfull and to have feasible patches, but yes Halo Creator would be on the PC or have a PC port( superior version)


Halo Live Arena is enough to play the maps, but to create them you need Creator.

If it's marketed well, I'm sure it would draw lots of PC players to the Xbox. Right now only PC games have large modding communities. A moddable game for a console would be extremely unique.
 

Arnie

Member
When we look at how ease-of-aiming impacts map design, we first need to point out the obvious difference between asymmetrical and symmetrical maps; that being one inherently creates geometrical advantages (there are geometric advantages on symmetrical maps as well, but teams typically spawn equidistant to them).

As Arnie said, whoever controlled BR tower has a large advantage on Lockout.

The reason for this is because the aiming is easy enough to the point that geometric discrepencies infer too great an advantage. Part of the skill gap in Halo games is map control. Another large part was aiming skill or manual dexterity. When you remove the aiming skill gap, or at least significantly lower it, suddenly map control becomes incredibly important. An asymetrical map suddenly grants one team a massive advantage if they happen to spawn next to a geometrically advantageous position.

If there was a larger shooting skill gap, holding and defending that position would be more difficult. If everyone can 4 or 5-shot easily, geometric advantages become insurmountable, or at the very least, incredibly valuable. Asymetrical map design falls apart because if the major skill of the game is obtaining geometric advantage, as it has become, you can't grant one team that advantage by luck of the draw.

A large shooting skill gap can mitigate geometric advantage and visa versa; when you remove the shooting skill gap, all that's left is geometric advantage. This is further compounded when you remove other incentives to move around the map (I'm looking at you loadouts and ordnance).

Great post, and I agree.

On a console, when auto aim is a necessity, and analogue sticks are the primary source of orientation, geometric advantages, as you put it, are hugely important. This doesn't take away from Halo, though. I love the franchise because it mixes the two.

I also love Counterstrike, a game with a much larger skill gap, despite relying almost exclusively on asymmetrical maps.
 

Akai__

Member
Ot... My moms is doing great btw...she is recovering nicely... :D

Nice to hear. :D

I haven't slept properly like 8 days or so, because my dad was in hospital, too. Had a heart attack, but he feels better now.

However, got a call last Friday, that a girlfriend of mine got hit by a car in Croatia, after the Croatian-Serbian football match. She is still in a coma and appereantly the driver was drunk, too. Don't know anything, besides what I mentioned, because the family is unreachable, which is quite understandable, but I'm still worried. :(

Last days were a pain...

---

Anyways, I heared about the Halo 4 news. Don't know, what to think about the next map pack, but we'll see.

I welcome the addition of a new forge envirorement, too, even if I'm not a forger. Would rather have some more small maps, to be honest.

I also thinks it's a little bit silly, that the CSR will be in all playlists. I don't know much about the CSR, but will it match you with people similiar to your rank? If so, who needs this in Flood or in Grifball for example?

Since Reach, I wished, that we would have ranks like in Halo 2/3 in next Halo games. I hope the CSR will be included in Halo 5 from the beginning and not comming 5 months later.

I also have an idea, for a new ranking system, which I saw in SC2's HotS. I wonder, if it would help, if we could chose, if we want to play ranked or unranked, but without ranked/social playlists.
 
GUYS I DON'T KNOW HOW IT HAPPENED BUT I MANAGED TO INSTALL THE PATCH EARLY

reG2olm.png


special thanks to slutpoison for sending me a box of special sauce.

pkBHZpn.png


ohgosh.jpg
 

Omni

Member
Why would you hesitate to do what you have already done? Last time you asked me, if it were my choice, would I do it? Having had considerable time to ponder your query, my answer has not changed. There is no choice. We must activate the rings.

-343 Guilty Spark, Halo: Combat Evolved

Tell me, Chakas, if this was your choice, after all we have seen and survived... would you fire the rings?

-IsoDidact/Bornstellar, Halo Silentium

So Bornstellar is supposed to be the Master Chief or something. Huh.
You've either misinterpreted what that is, or you missed a part of the book.

Once 343GS got to installation 04, his memory indexes were wiped for compartmentalisation, albeit this wasn't 100% effective. During Halo CE in the prospect of entering rampancy, 343GS simply mistook MC for the IsoDidact because he couldn't remember otherwise.
 

Dongs Macabre

aka Daedalos42
You've either misinterpreted what that is, or you missed a part of the book.

Once 343GS got to installation 04, his memory indexes were wiped for compartmentalisation, albeit this wasn't 100% effective. During Halo CE in the prospect of entering rampancy, 343GS simply mistook MC for the IsoDidact because he couldn't remember otherwise.

I think it was a nice throwback, though.
 

IHaveIce

Banned
Nice to hear. :D

I haven't slept properly like 8 days or so, because my dad was in hospital, too. Had a heart attack, but he feels better now.

However, got a call last Friday, that a girlfriend of mine got hit by a car in Croatia, after the Croatian-Serbian football match. She is still in a coma and appereantly the driver was drunk, too. Don't know anything, besides what I mentioned, because the family is unreachable, which is quite understandable, but I'm still worried. :(

Last days were a pain...

---

Anyways, I heared about the Halo 4 news. Don't know, what to think about the next map pack, but we'll see.

I welcome the addition of a new forge envirorement, too, even if I'm not a forger. Would rather have some more small maps, to be honest.

I also thinks it's a little bit silly, that the CSR will be in all playlists. I don't know much about the CSR, but will it match you with people similiar to your rank? If so, who needs this in Flood or in Grifball for example?

Since Reach, I wished, that we would have ranks like in Halo 2/3 in next Halo games. I hope the CSR will be included in Halo 5 from the beginning and not comming 5 months later.

I also have an idea, for a new ranking system, which I saw in SC2's HotS. I wonder, if it would help, if we could chose, if we want to play ranked or unranked, but without ranked/social playlists.

Wow hope she gets better and wakes up :/


----

And yes I'm also a little bit confused by the CSR for all playlists, I don't think ranking works with guests, without quit penalty and JIP
 

Tawpgun

Member
Damnit, kid that won the FFA competition on sunday looked young. The contest is only eligible for 17 and up but the kid is 18... oh well.
 

Shadders

Member
I really didn't like Bioshock,is Infinite sufficiently different that I should still pick it up?

Also, if you're starting a game studio I can model in Max and Maya, and code for HTML5 and in C#, I'm rusty in C++, but could get up to speed.
 
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