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Halo |OT7| You may leave, Juices. And take Team Downer with you.

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aPK

Neo Member
I know what you mean. I'm sure a lot of what I'm about to say would be similar to what many Halo fans felt about Reach, although I don't think it's nearly as bad as what's happened to the CoD franchise, myself.

I loved the original Modern Warfare. It strove to be balanced, fresh and easy to pick up and play. With every annual iteration, the game has become less balanced, less fresh, more frustrating and filled with "stuff", for lack of a better word, with no real thought to what that "stuff" would do to the formula. They basically made a conscious decision to cater to the lowest common denominator, which was a great business decision I guess, but I can't bring myself to play their games anymore as a result.

I stopped here.

As a person who has followed the Call of Duty franchise as passionately and as in much detail as I have with Halo, I can tell you confidently that since CoD 4, only MW2 and WaW have been worse in terms of balance and competitive merit (which is a good determinant of the game's balance).

Black Ops is considered to be, in the eyes of any serious CoD player, the best CoD to date other than CoD 2. MW3 isn't far behind, and even some consider it the best.

CoD 4's "greatness" is a product of nostalgia and (internet) mob mentality.

However, I'm not trying to demean what you have to say or how you personally view the game, I'm just trying to let you know the consensus of the passionate CoD fanbase.
 
Haven
Adrift
Longbow
Ravine (Forge World 2.0 Enviroment)
A fifth one was shown in the Infinity trailer but had not been officially revealed yet.
iborExeWJ4zxGK.jpg
 
Well, it's 1:30pm and matchmaking doesn't look any different. I guess that's a nope to an August update.

...........Reach...........MMupdates.............................. tumbleweeds...............


Haha, so true. I remember u4ix's old videos from the Halo 3 days.

So we're three months out from release, probably a few weeks out from going Gold, and general MP features aren't ironed out to the point where you can even disclose their existence?

Maybe they're having a Halo 2 style 11th hour mad dash. Ellis said they're on schedule; if that's the case I can only assume that Halo 4 vidocs and Reach MM updates weren't part of that schedule. If that's true why even hint that we might get a July or August MM update? Why make excuses for the lack of BTS footage or vidocs? I think they might be pulling 20 hour workshifts at the moment. It's completely understandable considering this is the studios first full project.

I know I'm going to get flak for this but why does the Black Ops 2 multiplayer trailer get me more hyped then the Halo 4 one?

I've NEVER been interested or hyped by COD games. Right now, at this particular moment on August 7th, I'm a little bit more hyped for the next COD game than the next Halo. Very weird feeling. It'll pass I'm sure but I may just actually buy BO2. Spectator mode plus the hint of a ranking system looks like the deployment of some big guns for the oft-overlooked competitive crowd.
 
Wouldn't having 2 extra players as spectators in a 4v4 match be the same as having 10 players in a 5v5?

I don't think its as simple as that, I believe its going to have something to do with streaming the entirety of potentially 8 first person perspectives to a single player.

Fyrewulf likely has a better explanation.
 
You people keep saying vocal minority, usually with negative connotation.

1. Just because you are vocal does not mean you are in the minority automatically. The majority just may not care enough to or know where to bring their opinions.

I'll give you an example: If you were to put a poll on 343s website and said "Would you use a spectator mode?" Majority would answer yes. Most defintely. Although you dont have the majority of people posting on Waypoint that they want a spectator mode. It doesn't cross their mind or they dont care enough to post it. They would probably still use it though if it was included. Same with 60fps. People wont bitch all day but the majority of players would love it. A very small number of people would dislike that change compared to the people who would enjoy it.

2. Even if the minority got what they want doesnt mean the majority wouldnt like it or eventually like it.
3. Catering to the majority might actually be bad. Its why a lot of companies start out great and fall apart. Companies sell out all the time and its usually terrible.

Please keep your vocal minority crap out of my GAF. I'm going to suggest what I want because I'm a fan who is going to play the shit out of this game. My opinion is worth more than yours. Unlike these casual shitty kids who will play 100 games maybe. Who wont ever even learn the ins and outs of 10% of the elements in the game.

I'm a true Halo fan, let me feel my feelings!

I'm going to shake your hand.
 
Wouldn't having 2 extra players as spectators in a 4v4 match be the same as having 10 players in a 5v5?

Nope. A lot of Halo's prediction I believe is based on Heuristsics and not continually updated. You must continually update a spectator about everything everywhere on the map so its more bandwidth consuming.

IMO spectator mode shouldnt involve FPV which would suck but I think they could include 5-8 cameras around each map that can wiggle a bit up down left right and you could put a third team in that doesnt get spawned but instead can watch the cameras all over. This way you can watch the game as it unravels in a higher larger scale than an individual player.

Edit reading through some quotes: Didnt realize Bigshow had pretty much said the same thing I did in my last post bout minority/majority. Bigshow and aPK and u4ix are good posters. Read their stuff.
 
But you're assuming that the "majority" is at odds with the complaints of the "minority." Just because the majority doesn't care or know enough to come posting on a Halo forum doesn't mean they wouldn't accept and welcome some of the changes we're pushing for.

People call them the silent majority, and then in the same sentence project what they want that "silent" majority to be saying.

100% agree lol - But here's the issue, what if that thing you wanted to change wasn't bad at all, but you convinced the majority to hate it too even though no one has even played it? How is that fair to 343 if that thing you complained about was misconstrued.. and who's to say it wasn't changed later anyway?

They need to be cautious about what they reveal, but things such as what others have suggested like screenshots of maps, etc. should be pouring out by now.. including the things they know for sure will be in the game. Why it hasn't already is beyond me ;\

I'm a true Halo fan, let me feel my feelings!

If you were referring to me then I feel so misunderstood :'[
 

u4iX

Member
To be fair comparing CoD to Halo is like apples and oranges.

I don't think it's about comparing games as much as it is comparing developers.

Sure, MW3 and BO2 will use the same engine that CoD has used for a while now, with their minor tweaks.

However, Halo 4 will be using a tweaked engine from Halo: Reach as well.

Halo 4 has had a 4 year development cycle with DLC outsourced to Certain Affinity. BO2 has had a 2 year development cycle but managed to add in things Halo players and CoD players, especially in the competitive scene, have wanted.

Treyarch notoriously was the first CoD game to have everything unlocked on LAN, H4 followed suit with this.

Treyarch also managed to include a spectator mode AND bot matches for training, catering towards newer players and competitive leagues.

Halo has been asking for these for a while, with no true word on a spectator mode other than "we're looking into it" and "it's a bandwidth hog."

Halo: Reach ranking, or lack there of, was complained about in various respects, both good and bad, from a wide range of communities. Outside of boosting and cheating, Halo 2 and 3's leveling system seemed far superior to the people actually playing the game (aka not the developers or publishers) than Reach's.

However, 343i has only said "they're looking into it." We don't even know if ranks will be visible, how they will play into the EXP system that spans both "Spartan Ops" and "War Games," or much else for that matter.

Treyarch, seeing how well like Starcraft 2's ranking system is and how heavily it is praised, not to mention how FUNCTIONAL it is in matching like-minded and like-skilled players, decided to hint at its implementation in BO2 directly on twitter following their MP reveal trailer.

Finally, Treyarch had the balls to not only just improve their spectator mode, but DIRECTLY throw a bone to the competitive community by having hastr0 shoutcast the final seconds of their reveal trailer showing off that not only do they have a spectator mode, but it includes in-game overlays for the teams, score, and player names.

Even though Treyarch arguably says less with the videos they release, they far and away reveal MORE in those actual trailers about their game and what players will be getting.
 
I don't think its as simple as that, I believe its going to have something to do with streaming the entirety of potentially 8 first person perspectives to a single player.

Fyrewulf likely has a better explanation.

The only explanation I need right now is why COD can do it but Halo can't.
 

mhi

Member
The mechs look kinda cool. The gameplay looked slow, maybe that is just me though..

Don't worry Halo 4 has them too. Also if am not mistaken, all the scoped weapons have square scopes like the Halo 2 sniper
 

BigShow36

Member
I'm going to shake your hand.

MB_ndr_moreau.jpg



Treyarch, seeing how well like Starcraft 2's ranking system is and how heavily it is praised, not to mention how FUNCTIONAL it is in matching like-minded and like-skilled players, decided to hint at its implementation in BO2 directly on twitter following their MP reveal trailer.

Finally, Treyarch had the balls to not only just improve their spectator mode, but DIRECTLY throw a bone to the competitive community by having hastr0 shoutcast the final seconds of their reveal trailer showing off that not only do they have a spectator mode, but it includes in-game overlays for the teams, score, and player names.
.

Halo developers seem to share this simple design philosophy; if it's beneficial to, designed for, or construed to be in any way related to competitive gamers, it must be changed/purged from Halo.
 

DeadNames

Banned
MW3 isn't far behind, and even some consider it the best.

wut. MW3 is so frustrating and unbalanced, it's insane. I broke my copy due to rage...

From MTW:

See you at PAX, Frankie. I’ll bring my ethernet cable, you bring your sword.

BO2 looks decent... Might be due to the rapid changes in clips... But to be completely honest, it looks like an exact clone of BO. Weapon sounds, animations, etc.
 

LD2k

Neo Member
Even though Treyarch arguably says less with the videos they release, they far and away reveal MORE in those actual trailers about their game and what players will be getting.
Great points - but comparing marketing is where I would draw the line. Two different games, two different engines and two different messages conveyed to their respective communities.
 
I stopped here.

As a person who has followed the Call of Duty franchise as passionately and as in much detail as I have with Halo, I can tell you confidently that since CoD 4, only MW2 and WaW have been worse in terms of balance and competitive merit (which is a good determinant of the game's balance).

Black Ops is considered to be, in the eyes of any serious CoD player, the best CoD to date other than CoD 2. MW3 isn't far behind, and even some consider it the best.

CoD 4's "greatness" is a product of nostalgia and (internet) mob mentality.

However, I'm not trying to demean what you have to say or how you personally view the game, I'm just trying to let you know the consensus of the passionate CoD fanbase.

I'd agree that Black Ops was a bit of a port in the storm (other than it's miserably failed experiment with the spawning system, which is what eventually ruined it for me), but if you're telling me that CoD's fanbase thinks MW3 might be the best game in the series, then this is a sad day, indeed. That game is a Frankenstein's monster of everything wrong with the modern "competitive" shooter, IMO.

And, of course CoD 4 gets the benefit of nostalgia from many, myself probably included. The same could probably be said of Halo 2 and, to a lesser extent, 3. I guess I'm just looking at what all of those games strived to be back in the time frame when they came out versus what we see now. It doesn't feel like they're even trying anymore.

Anyways- I promised to stay on topic. Halo 4! 3 months! I'm jacked! Woot!
 
10 maps, 3 forge envinronments, possibly pre-made Forge variants. That ain't a bad thing. As long as those variants are good, unlike the shit Bungie gave us.

EDIT oh, no Forge maps in MM? Hmm. Why make 3 forge worlds then?
I did not say no Forge maps in MM. I said no Forge Maps in regular MM.

Will any 343-created Forge maps be released into matchmaking alongside the 10 regular maps? - Link1201

We won’t be putting Forge creations in the “main” matchmaking areas initially, at least. Certainly Forged variants may go in (rules, the odd object placement) eventually, but we’re still discussing how to promote and enable Forge creations in a way that maintains a separation of that kind of content from the main mix.
Halo Bulletin 07.18.12


Initially.

I'm sure there will be in some form, just not in the "competitive" nature ones.
You are correct. I should have searched the quote before posting.
 

a zoojoo

Banned
What CoD is "balanced?"

There's always the best guns.

CoD4: M16, AK47, MP5, AK74u
MW2: ACR, UMP45
BO: FAMAS, AK74u, SPAS12
MW3: Type 95, ACR, MP7

too many guns that fufill basically the same role in the sandbox. It's like having different colored shovels, there's no point and it's just there for flash.
 
I don't think its as simple as that, I believe its going to have something to do with streaming the entirety of potentially 8 first person perspectives to a single player.

Fyrewulf likely has a better explanation.

This is about right, except you don't have to do them all at once - only the person you're watching. Have you noticed the size of a theater file for a game? This is the amount of data needed to complete such a task, for the course of an ENTIRE GAME. Honestly not that much. Granted the person they are watching needs sufficient upload for their motions and actions in addition to the standard netcode.

The real question is: How on earth is this a problem for LAN!?

Even better: Just add an option where you can enable or disable uploading of your spectator POV (maybe you need the bandwidth or have a bandwidth cap) when playing on XBL, or *gasp* just test the upload bandwidth of the player during the same test as the "host test" and auto-enable if they can support it and have it set to ON.
 

Talents

Banned
I don't know anything about game developing or whatever it involves so don't rage at this post:
How come CoD can have both 60fps, and spectator mode? Is it because their graphics are crap, or there aren't as many explosions going on at once? Or is it something else like 343 has money issues?

(Yes I know 343 shouldn't have money issues as they're being pretty much sponsered by Microsoft).
 

DeadNames

Banned
What CoD is "balanced?"

There's always the best guns.

CoD4: M16, AK47, MP5, AK74u
MW2: ACR, UMP45
BO: FAMAS, AK74u, SPAS12
MW3: Type 95, ACR, MP7

Good point... I feel that BO had the potential to be the most balanced, but they just screwed it over.


I don't know anything about game developing or whatever it involves so don't rage at this post:
How come CoD can have both 60fps, and spectator mode? Is it because their graphics are crap, or there aren't as many explosions going on at once? Or is it something else like 343 has money issues?

(Yes I know 343 shouldn't have money issues as they're being pretty much sponsered by Microsoft).

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it has to do with graphics. Take a look at the textures/models the next time you play.
 

Korosenai

Member
When did Bungie put up an actual survey for beta testing? I remember when I signed up for it a year or so ago that you just clicked confirm and you were in. Oh well, I just reapplied, hopefully I can get into Destiny still.
 
I don't know anything about game developing or whatever it involves so don't rage at this post:
How come CoD can have both 60fps, and spectator mode? Is it because their graphics are crap, or there aren't as many explosions going on at once? Or is it something else like 343 has money issues?

(Yes I know 343 shouldn't have money issues as they're being pretty much sponsered by Microsoft).
Just because you're owned by MS doesn't mean there isn't a budget
 

LD2k

Neo Member
It's a myriad of reasons. But for time's sake, left just say some titles use up almost all the hardware - there is no more room for stuff like spectator mode at that point.

I believe, that come next gen, titles will implement this stuff left and right. From FPS to sports titles.
 

Arnie

Member
I don't think it's about comparing games as much as it is comparing developers.

Sure, MW3 and BO2 will use the same engine that CoD has used for a while now, with their minor tweaks.

However, Halo 4 will be using a tweaked engine from Halo: Reach as well.

Halo 4 has had a 4 year development cycle with DLC outsourced to Certain Affinity. BO2 has had a 2 year development cycle but managed to add in things Halo players and CoD players, especially in the competitive scene, have wanted.

Treyarch notoriously was the first CoD game to have everything unlocked on LAN, H4 followed suit with this.

Treyarch also managed to include a spectator mode AND bot matches for training, catering towards newer players and competitive leagues.

Halo has been asking for these for a while, with no true word on a spectator mode other than "we're looking into it" and "it's a bandwidth hog."

Halo: Reach ranking, or lack there of, was complained about in various respects, both good and bad, from a wide range of communities. Outside of boosting and cheating, Halo 2 and 3's leveling system seemed far superior to the people actually playing the game (aka not the developers or publishers) than Reach's.

However, 343i has only said "they're looking into it." We don't even know if ranks will be visible, how they will play into the EXP system that spans both "Spartan Ops" and "War Games," or much else for that matter.

Treyarch, seeing how well like Starcraft 2's ranking system is and how heavily it is praised, not to mention how FUNCTIONAL it is in matching like-minded and like-skilled players, decided to hint at its implementation in BO2 directly on twitter following their MP reveal trailer.

Finally, Treyarch had the balls to not only just improve their spectator mode, but DIRECTLY throw a bone to the competitive community by having hastr0 shoutcast the final seconds of their reveal trailer showing off that not only do they have a spectator mode, but it includes in-game overlays for the teams, score, and player names.

Even though Treyarch arguably says less with the videos they release, they far and away reveal MORE in those actual trailers about their game and what players will be getting.

Another exceptional post. Bravo.

And to clarify I've little interest in Call of Duty.
 

BigShow36

Member
This is about right, except you don't have to do them all at once - only the person you're watching. Have you noticed the size of a theater file for a game? This is the amount of data needed to complete such a task, for the course of an ENTIRE GAME. Honestly not that much. Granted the person they are watching needs sufficient upload for their motions and actions in addition to the standard netcode.

The real question is: How on earth is this a problem for LAN!?

The same reason that allowing custom control schemes means potentially more animation glitches.
 

Woorloog

Banned
I did not say no Forge maps in MM. I said no Forge Maps in regular MM.

*Shrugs* OK.
Still find 3 Forge Worlds silly.

Won't be missing Forge variants though, unless one or both of the unrevealed Forge Worlds are cool and people actually make very good maps (and only the best of the best will be chosen for MM) on those that are not so stupid looking as Reach's Forged maps (shadows are going to help a lot).
 

u4iX

Member
too many guns that fufill basically the same role in the sandbox. It's like having different colored shovels, there's no point and it's just there for flash.

Halo 4 anyone?

BR, DMR, Carbine, Light Rifle, Pistol

AR, Storm Rifle, PR, Promethean AR, Needler

Sniper Rifle, Focus Rifle, Promethean Sniper

Rockets, Spartan Laser, Rail Gun, Sticky Detonator, FRG, Promethean Rockets

Shotgun, Sword, Scattershot

And we get to hear about more weapons at PAX, so they're probably be MORE redundancies...

Compare this to Halo 1.

PP
PR
Shotgun
Pistol
Sniper Rifle
Rockets
Needler
 
What CoD is "balanced?"

There's always the best guns.

CoD4: M16, AK47, MP5, AK74u
MW2: ACR, UMP45
BO: FAMAS, AK74u, SPAS12
MW3: Type 95, ACR, MP7

Those aren't the best guns for BO :p but my real point is that while some guns are better than others, black ops is the most balanced since cod4 as a gun game. It even avoids the bad overpowered shotguns the other games have, so I like it. The other games have felt very gimmicky, I just hope halo 4 managed to stay on the right side of that line
 
Is this thread finally having an active, respect-ful/able discussion as a collective whole?!

images


I don't think it's about comparing games as much as it is comparing developers.

Difference between 343 and Treyarch is that 343 maintains the entire Halo property. Everything. Treyarch only has to deal with its game. Not giving 343 an excuse for how they've been handling things, but I'm giving 343 an excuse for how they've been handling things.

a tiny excuse at least lol
 

nexy

Neo Member
Sorry if this general knowledge - simply wanted to clarify. When 343 said they don't have the "bandwidth" for spectator mode. I'm pretty confident they're talking about internal/development resources. Not that the game couldn't handle the bandwidth.

Actually I'll go further - Here's my thinking on why we won't get a bunch of innovative MP special features.

343 MUST nail Halo4. If they don't create an outstanding Halo experience, reviewers will be quick to shit on them for falling short of Bungie's iterations. 343 knows this. Big shoes to fill - per say.

So what is Halo? It's not spectator mode. It's not clan rankings or whatever other features the wrongfully titled "vocal minority" are asking for. 343 would rather use their bandwidth (see: development resources) to spend time improving and polishing Campaign/Spartan Ops and multiplayer to ensure a good Halo game. I don't blame them.

But you better believe - Once Halo4 sells well and 343 is trusted with the Halo franchise, Halo 5 will start to branch out with some of the original requests we've made.
 
It's a myriad of reasons. But for time's sake, left just say some titles use up almost all the hardware - there is no more room for stuff like spectator mode at that point.

I believe, that come next gen, titles will implement this stuff left and right. From FPS to sports titles.

WAT

The box doing the spectating would be running the graphical simulation, not the player they are watching. They are still only running the one that they are using to play. In a sense, you would just need to funnel the same data that currently goes to your storage device for the theater film file and send it out on the network with the standard netcode.

NO EXTRA PROCESSING REQUIRED FOR THE NON-SPECTATING PLAYER.
 

a zoojoo

Banned
Halo 4 anyone?

BR, DMR, Carbine, Light Rifle, Pistol

AR, Storm Rifle, PR, Promethean AR, Needler

Sniper Rifle, Focus Rifle, Promethean Sniper

Rockets, Spartan Laser, Rail Gun, Sticky Detonator, FRG, Promethean Rockets

Shotgun, Sword, Scattershot

And we get to hear about more weapons at PAX, so they're probably be MORE redundancies...

Compare this to Halo 1.

PP
PR
Shotgun
Pistol
Sniper Rifle
Rockets
Needler
AR
FRG
Flamethrower
Added a couple. For Halo PC anyway
 

LD2k

Neo Member
WAT

The box doing the spectating would be running the graphical simulation, not the player they are watching. They are still only running the one that they are using to play. In a sense, you would just need to funnel the same data that currently goes to your storage device for the theater film file and send it out on the network with the standard netcode.

NO EXTRA PROCESSING REQUIRED FOR THE NON-SPECTATING PLAYER.
It's not that simple - I work in the gaming industry. Though I am not a developer, one of my first questions arriving was "why can't we have spectator mode." If it was that simple, you'd see more of it.

You don't think 343i would love to implement it if they could?
 

TheOddOne

Member
Difference between 343 and Treyarch is that 343 maintains the entire Halo property. Everything. Treyarch only has to deal with its game. Not giving 343 an excuse for how they've been handling things, but I'm giving 343 an excuse for how they've been handling things.
What people do gloss over is that every Call of Duty game is made with 4 to 5 studios (Full 100-150 people) and more then a few contractor studios.
 
Sorry if this general knowledge - simply wanted to clarify. When 343 said they don't have the "bandwidth" for spectator mode. I'm pretty confident they're talking about internal/development resources. Not that the game couldn't handle the bandwidth.

Actually I'll go further - Here's my thinking on why we won't get a bunch of innovative MP special features.

343 MUST nail Halo4. If they don't create an outstanding Halo experience, reviewers will be quick to shit on them for falling short of Bungie's iterations. 343 knows this. Big shoes to fill - per say.

So what is Halo? It's not spectator mode. It's not clan rankings or whatever other features the wrongfully titled "vocal minority" are asking for. 343 would rather use their bandwidth (see: development resources) to spend time improving and polishing Campaign/Spartan Ops and multiplayer to ensure a good Halo game. I don't blame them.

But you better believe - Once Halo4 sells well and 343 is trusted with the Halo franchise, Halo 5 will start to branch out with some of the original requests we've made.
1 user thanked nexy for this useful post. Hypertrooper on 8/7/2012
 
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