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[Slightly Live]

Considering the massive population drop after DMR starts were introduced, I think they were.

Got numbers?

 

[GhaleonEB]

Considering the massive population drop after DMR starts were introduced, I think they were.

Curious about the numbers. I did not see any drop off after they were introduced, but I only checked for a few days after the update.

432 players right now, which is about what it was running at nightly IIRC. TO usually only got much above 500 on the weekends.

 

[Homeboyd]

Posting for new page:

343i's response to Ryan Payton's departure:

Source: Link

UPDATE: Microsoft has provided an official response to the news of Ryan Payton's departure from 343. Here's the full statement:

"343 Industries has assembled an all-star cast of talent working on Halo 4 under the design leadership of Studio and “Halo 4” Creative Director, Josh Holmes. We're excited to tell the next story in the Halo universe with Halo 4 as the first game in the Reclaimer Trilogy. Ryan Payton, who left earlier this summer, served as Narrative Designer on Halo 4 for 15 months. Armando Troisi was hired as the Halo 4 Narrative Director in March, having formerly served as the Lead Cinematic Designer on Mass Effect 2. Ryan has been a great friend and colleague during his tenure at 343 Industries and we appreciate his contributions to the team. We wish Ryan the best in his new game development venture."

 

[Havok]

Curious about the numbers. I did not see any drop off after they were introduced, but I only checked for a few days after the update.

432 players right now, which is about what it was running at nightly IIRC. TO seldom got above 500, even on the weekends.

It used to peak at around 8-900 on most weekday nights. It's been quite a bit lower than that for a while now.

 

[GhaleonEB]

It used to peak at around 8-900 on most weekday nights. It's been quite a bit lower than that for a while now.

Probably depended on when you looked; on the west coast where I am, I generally only get on after 8:00; the east coast was turning in around then on weeknights. I imagine it was a bit higher a few hours earlier.

I wouldn't be too shocked to see the population drop with DMR starts, but I think hard numbers are needed when citing a "massive drop" in playlist populations.

 

[FyreWulff]

It used to peak at around 8-900 on most weekday nights. It's been quite a bit lower than that for a while now.

Yeah. DEEP NNN didn't track Team Objective much, but it went from about 900-1500 nightly to maxing around 500-600.

DMR as a first voting option would have made sense.

AR skip after veto? Could see that.


100% DMR with AR start only being 2 Flag Classic? Same mistake they made with Social Skirmish when they crammed Team Throwback gametypes into it.

Making a playlist 100% DMR start ALWAYS drops population, just like making a playlist BR start in Halo 3 drop population. The definition of 'hardcore' is that it's not mainstream, and will therefore attract less players.

The rough order of population drop influence still remains:

1) Having any objective gametypes
2) Not allowing guests or bigger-than teamsize parties
3) Requiring DLC
4) Making it 100% DMR/BR start
5) Ranked

Making Social Skirmish a Throwback clone was a poor decision, and repeating the same mistake with Reach's Team Objective was just downright silly. I don't even know why they bother having AR start Objective anymore if they're just going to use it to pander to the hardcore that don't want to play it anyway down the line.

 

[Homeboyd]

...you first saw this?

I remember exactly where I was and all the crazy thoughts running through my mind as I watched it eleventeen million times before I went to work that day. That was such a glorious day. What were your thoughts when you saw this? Hyped as I was?

Still one of the greatest game trailers I've seen to this date.

 

[Havok]

Probably depended on when you looked; on the west coast where I am, I generally only get on after 8:00; the east coast was turning in around then on weeknights. I imagine it was a bit higher a few hours earlier.

I wouldn't be too shocked to see the population drop with DMR starts, but I think hard numbers are needed when citing a "massive drop" in playlist populations.

Oh sure, I definitely wouldn't describe anything about the change as massive. Besides, there are so many other factors to explain the drop in that playlist. Frustration with the extremely limited map selection, removal of all vehicle play, and if course the ever-looming Evade rage were what began my current habits of not playing it anymore. DMR starts were just another sort-of-neutral thing that was introduced.

 

[Hypertrooper]

Ahh.. tell me more.

*pullsupseat*

Tell me... everything.

I really want to tell you everything. But it will be naughty, so don't call your mom.

Spoiler

I'm tired right now. Have to go to school in one hour and so I don't really have the time :/

 

[Tashi]

Uphill both ways remix. Soooooooo fucking good man!

 

[Slightly Live]

Probably depended on when you looked; on the west coast where I am, I generally only get on after 8:00; the east coast was turning in around then on weeknights. I imagine it was a bit higher a few hours earlier.

I wouldn't be too shocked to see the population drop, but I think hard numbers are needed when citing a "massive drop" in playlist populations.

There are so many variables for trying to build an idea of playlist numbers - you've point out some there. Even then to make a proper assessment, you need historical data and comparative data for the same time period.

A drop in numbers in a particular playlist could be following a trend over a period of months or could even be reflective of a wider trend across many playlists that looking at one playlist in isolation wouldn't tell you.

Heck, playlist changes themselves are usually group together, if two changes are introduced simultaneously and there is a change in the population, how dod you determine why specific change is responsible.

Never mind the fact that player-based playlist population data capturing is almost meaningless due to the canyon-sized margin of error.

 

[Devolution]

Oh sure, I definitely wouldn't describe anything about the change as massive. Besides, there are so many other factors to explain the drop in that playlist. Frustration with the extremely limited map selection, removal of all vehicle play, and if course the ever-looming Evade rage were what began my current habits of not playing it anymore. DMR starts were just another sort-of-neutral thing that was introduced.

I could see playing a game against someone who can evade + sword pretty well turning more people off than DMR starts.

There are so many variables for trying to build an idea of playlist numbers - you've point out some there. Even then to make a proper assessment, you need historical data and comparative data for the same time period.

A drop in numbers in a particular playlist could be following a trend over a period of months or could even be reflective of a wider trend across many playlists that looking at one playlist in isolation wouldn't tell you.

Heck, playlist changes themselves are usually group together, if two changes are introduced simultaneously and there is a change in the population, how dod you determine why specific change is responsible.

Never mind the fact that player-based playlist population data capturing is almost meaningless due to the canyon-sized margin of error.

True.

 

[FyreWulff]

Also, 52 Weekly Streak complete.

I've gotten every weekly for an entire year.


I am never doing LASO Pillar of Autumn ever again. 2 times is enough. That cruiser can glass the Autumn for all I care.

 

[Hypertrooper]

Also, 52 Weekly Streak complete.

I've gotten every weekly for an entire year.


I am never doing LASO Pillar of Autumn ever again. 2 times is enough.

The credts, dude. People will do everything for credits!

 

[Hitmonchan107]

A man who doesn't like a good pistol is no man.

Seriously though, when TU hits we are playing. 'Tiss been to long.

The Halo: CE pistol was the main reason I didn't enjoy CE multiplayer. Sometimes I wonder if I would be a Halo fan today were it not for Frankie's Weekly Updates hyping me up for Halo 2.

(Confession: The pistol was fun to shoot in the TU. Maybe it was witnessing bleed-through shields in Reach. I felt like I was cheating. Heh. I can't wait to play Pistols Only on Beaver Creek on custom nights.)

I plan on having an all-night Reach gaming session when we're graced with the TU's holy presence, so hopefully we can get a party going that day.

 

[FyreWulff]

The credts, dude. People will do everything for credits!

They'd have to make it like, 77,777 credits after this for me to even consider it.

Stopped caring about the Weekly credits after about #30 or so, the streak was more important.

 

[lybertyboy]

Also, 52 Weekly Streak complete.

I've gotten every weekly for an entire year.


I am never doing LASO Pillar of Autumn ever again. 2 times is enough. That cruiser can glass the Autumn for all I care.

So LASO Pillar of Autumn again next week?

Got it.

 

[kittens]

...you first saw this?

I remember exactly where I was and all the crazy thoughts running through my mind as I watched it eleventeen million times before I went to work that day. That was such a glorious day. What were your thoughts when you saw this? Hyped as I was?

Still one of the greatest game trailers I've seen to this date.

Whoa, I've never seen that! I was super cynical about Halo at the time, and had stopped gaming almost entirely. It's crazy to see, and LOL @ only beta maps being shown.

 

[Devolution]

So LASO Pillar of Autumn again next week?

Got it.

Hah. Hilarious.

Whoa, I've never seen that! I was super cynical about Halo at the time, and had stopped gaming almost entirely. It's crazy to see, and LOL @ only beta maps being shown.

Check out how cool invasion looks. Now think about how it really plays out.

/depressionmode

 

[heckfu]

So LASO Pillar of Autumn again next week?

Got it.

SLASO, just for fyre.

 

[FyreWulff]

So LASO Pillar of Autumn again next week?

Got it.

Bringiton.tif

 

[Booshka]

So LASO Pillar of Autumn again next week?

Got it.

Do it for GAF, it would be hilarious to hear FyreWullf's PoA LASO tale every week. When he gets to 104 Weekly challenges straight, it will be something truly special.

 

[Hitmonchan107]

So LASO Pillar of Autumn again next week?

Got it.

EASYB Pillar of Autumn -- Easy Difficulty All Skulls on + Blind

 

[Tawpgun]

EASYB Pillar of Autumn -- Easy Difficulty All Skulls on + Blind

I would laugh so hard.

 

[FyreWulff]

EASYB Pillar of Autumn -- Easy Difficulty All Skulls on + Blind

On Nightfall.

 

[Striker]

I just couldn't imagine playing an objective game with AR starts. Not any sort of competitive one anyway.

I remember playing TO at launch. Drop Shields and AR's. Gross.

They fixed TO.

No Drop Shield. Still AR's. Washed my hands and never again until the godly DMR update.

They 'fixed' TO by: keeping in evade, removing one map (the vehicle oriented Hemorrhage), not adding any maps in, adding fringe gametypes while also keeping in Hot Potato

I guess... that's fixing it? All I really wanted around that Drop Shield BS time was simply, remove Drop Shield loadouts, add DMR start for Hemorrhage gametypes (hell, it was DMR starts in maps like Boardwalk and Tempest, but nowhere else), and add in 2-bomb. And as I said before, I don't encourage AR stuff - I loved using the Pistol against those AR jetpack wielders and on maps. Now it's just a DMR fray, which isn't necessary on small maps and, in my view, universally. Instead they did the opposite and just made it a stale playlist where I quite frankly am not desired to join much anymore.

Had some fun games tonight in Arena and BTB. Trueskill is the worst.

 

[Homeboyd]

Check out how cool invasion looks. Now think about how it really plays out.

/depressionmode

 

[FyreWulff]

Do it for GAF, it would be hilarious to hear FyreWullf's PoA LASO tale every week. When he gets to 104 Weekly challenges straight, it will be something truly special.

Biggest mistake on the run this time was bringing zero Needle Rifles to the Brute Firefight segment.

Also you know 117 Weeklies is where it's at

 

[ncsuDuncan]

Halo Reach Weekly #53: C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER - Earn 500 kills with the Assault Rifle in the Team Objective playlist. - 343 cR

 

[Hypertrooper]

Check out how cool invasion looks. Now think about how it really plays out.

/depressionmode

If I'd had mic, I would have recorded a "facking grenadez" to cheer you up.

Halo Reach Weekly #53 - C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER - Earn 500 kills with the Assault Rifle in the Team Objective playlist. - 343 cR

mmh. Impossible. Can't wait for the weekly "get 1,000 Rejection medals in the Squad Slayer playlist".

 

[Havok]

They 'fixed' TO by: keeping in evade, removing one map (the vehicle oriented Hemorrhage), not adding any maps in, adding fringe gametypes while also keeping in Hot Potato

I guess... that's fixing it? All I really wanted around that Drop Shield BS time was simply, remove Drop Shield loadouts, add DMR start for Hemorrhage gametypes (hell, it was DMR starts in maps like Boardwalk and Tempest, but nowhere else), and add in 2-bomb. And as I said before, I don't encourage AR stuff - I loved using the Pistol against those AR jetpack wielders and on maps. Now it's just a DMR fray, which isn't necessary on small maps and, in my view, universally. Instead they did the opposite and just made it a stale playlist where I quite frankly am not desired to join much anymore.

Had some fun games tonight in Arena and BTB. Trueskill is the worst.

It was definitely a case of overfixing things in some cases, yeah. Armor Lock was never really a problem in Objective, but it got the axe too while it and DS were replaced with Evade, which has become a bigger problem than either of them ever were. The lack of Multibomb is still completely baffling - one of the premier objective gametypes completely ignored.

If Objective is ever touched again, I'd like to see how Classic Forge variants fare (sans the ones with technical problems + Rat Trap) - they sure can't be worse than some of the experiences I've had in there. Honestly, stuff like Noble Creek and Magus work better than Sword Base or Uncaged.

 

[Homeboyd]

mmh. Impossible. Can't wait for the weekly "get 1,000 Reflection medals in the Squad Slayer playlist".

HAX

 

[Dug]

...you first saw this?

I remember exactly where I was and all the crazy thoughts running through my mind as I watched it eleventeen million times before I went to work that day. That was such a glorious day. What were your thoughts when you saw this? Hyped as I was?

Still one of the greatest game trailers I've seen to this date.

I remember B.net forums getting very speculative about what Active Roster meant...

 

[Hypertrooper]

HAX

Crap. I meant Rejection. lol.

 

[Booshka]

Also you know 117 Weeklies is where it's at

Seeing as how you won't be getting Halo 4, it's possible.

 

[orznge]

Considering the massive population drop after DMR starts were introduced, I think they were.

(in FyreWulff voice) Maybe you along with the other people who stopped playing that playlist were not in tune with the developer's intent.

 

[Tunavi]

...you first saw this?

I remember exactly where I was and all the crazy thoughts running through my mind as I watched it eleventeen million times before I went to work that day. That was such a glorious day. What were your thoughts when you saw this? Hyped as I was?

Still one of the greatest game trailers I've seen to this date.

It was 3:30 in the morning. Just got back to my dorm after a fun night at my friends dorm. I saw it posted on b.net, there was a weird japanese title, god damn so nostalgic of freshman year of college

 

[Devolution]

Bandwidth Grenade - Explosion sound is a very loud voice yelling "FREE HD MOVIE DOWNLOAD - USE CODE AM4Z AT AMAZON-VIDEO.COM". This prompts anyone in the room your opponent is playing in to start a 7 GB movie download, killing his latency.

Battery Drainer - Equipment that is deployed just like the power drainer. Players caught in the radius of effect will experience maximum controller vibration. Which doesn't stop. Ever.

Ejection Hammer - A special Grav Hammer. Any opponent you strike will immediately see his Xbox 360's disc tray open. The effects can be mitigated by purchasing Halo: Reach - Games on Demand™ for only 3200 MSP!

 

[RebornYeti]

...you first saw this?

I remember exactly where I was and all the crazy thoughts running through my mind as I watched it eleventeen million times before I went to work that day. That was such a glorious day. What were your thoughts when you saw this? Hyped as I was?

Still one of the greatest game trailers I've seen to this date.

I think I was on GAF. I watched it and my head exploded. I watched it about a million more times after that to catch every single detail and my head still exploded every time. It hurt. It hurt so good.

EDIT: Awesome Devo! Haha

 

[vhfive]

lol devo

love the the subtle detail on the hammer one

 

[Ramirez]

Nice Devo...lol

TO never had a population of 1500, we've played it pretty much exclusively since launch and it always hovers around 700 people or less at 9-10 EST+...

Played some truly awful people in Team Slayer all night, and that has like the second highest population in the game, so I guess my theory of trueskill not having enough players to pick from in TO for a competitive game is debunked.

 

[Hitmonchan107]

...you first saw this?

I remember exactly where I was and all the crazy thoughts running through my mind as I watched it eleventeen million times before I went to work that day. That was such a glorious day. What were your thoughts when you saw this? Hyped as I was?

Still one of the greatest game trailers I've seen to this date.

I was sitting in the college library waiting for my girlfriend's class to end. It was during the height of my pre-acceptance HaloGAF addiction.

I remember audibly giggling like a Catholic schoolgirl. People shot me strange looks -- a mixture of silent surprise and deep-seated fear. I put on my best "Nuthin' but a G Thang" stunna stare, and then shit got real.

Two guys stood up from their table and approached my computer. "Who the fuck you think you is?" asked the first man. "This cracker is tripping," snarled the second white man without a hint of irony.

I cracked my knuckles, cleared my throat, and with all of the cool confidence of a fat cat on ice, I said, "Do you guys play Halo?"

They looked at each other, visibly surprised that their tough front passed over me like a tornado over a storm shelter.

"Well, if you weren't before, you will be now."

I turned the monitor toward the two gentlemen wearing finely pressed polos and cargo shorts, and I let the video roll.

Jetpacks. Loadouts. Assassinations. Each visual treat brought tears of joy to their eyes.

As the clip ended, so, too, did their reign of library terror. They shook my hand, thanked me for my time and took the elevator down to the ground floor exit.

And like the rolling thunder of a coming storm, the people around me began to clap, then cheer, and before I could grasp the situation, they gathered around me, lifting me on their shoulders and chanting my name.

For too long had they feared happiness. Too long had they hidden their gleeful faces behind solemn masks. Now they were free to laugh, to smile, to live.

 

[The Librarian]

Posting for new page:

343i's response to Ryan Payton's departure:

Source: Link

What does a "narrative design" do?

 

[feel]

I was sitting in the college library waiting for my girlfriend's class to end. It was during the height of my pre-acceptance HaloGAF addiction.

I remember audibly giggling like a Catholic schoolgirl. People shot me strange looks -- a mixture of silent surprise and deep-seated fear. I put on my best "Nuthin' but a G Thang" stunna stare, and then shit got real.

Two guys stood up from their table and approached my computer. "Who the fuck you think you is?" asked the first man. "This cracker is tripping," snarled the second white man without a hint of irony.

I cracked my knuckles, cleared my throat, and with all of the cool confidence of a fat cat on ice, I said, "Do you guys play Halo?"

They looked at each other, visibly surprised that their tough front passed over me like a tornado over a storm shelter.

"Well, if you weren't before, you will be now."

I turned the monitor toward the two gentlemen wearing finely pressed polos and cargo shorts, and I let the video roll.

Jetpacks. Loadouts. Assassinations. Each visual treat brought tears of joy to their eyes.

As the clip ended, so, too, did their reign of library terror. They shook my hand, thanked me for my time and took the elevator down to the ground floor exit.

And like the rolling thunder of a coming storm, the people around me began to clap, then cheer, and before I could grasp the situation, they gathered around me, lifting me on their shoulders and chanting my name.

For too long had they feared happiness. Too long had they hidden their gleeful faces behind solemn masks. Now they were free to laugh, to smile, to live.

Alright we're gonna need some CEA/TU/H4 news on the double, people are starting to trip balls over here.

 

[Tunavi]

Loadouts ruined halo.

Wake me when its november

 

[wwm0nkey]

Saw this on reddit

Description:

Halo’s unique and extraordinary features raise serious questions. Are campers really doing anything wrong? Does Halo’s music match the experience of the gamer? Would Plato have used Halo to train citizens to live an ethical life? What sort of Artificial Intelligence exists in Halo and how is it used? Can the player’s experience of war tell us anything about actual war? Is there meaning to Master Chief’s rough existence? How does it affect the player’s ego if she identifies too strongly with an aggressive character like Master Chief? Is Halo really science fiction? Can Halo be used for enlightenment-oriented thinking in the Buddhist sense? Does Halo's weapon limitation actually contribute to the depth of the gameplay? When we willingly play Halo only to die again and again, are we engaging in some sort of self-injurious behavior? What is expansive gameplay and how can it be informed by the philosophy of Michel Foucault? In what way does Halo’s post-apocalyptic paradigm force gamers to see themselves as agents of divine deliverance? What can Red vs. Blue teach us about personal identity?

These questions are tackled by writers who are both Halo cognoscenti and active philosophers, with a foreword by renowned Halo fiction author Fred Van Lente and an afterword by leading games scholar and artist Roger Ngim.

 

[thezerofire]

...you first saw this?

I remember exactly where I was and all the crazy thoughts running through my mind as I watched it eleventeen million times before I went to work that day. That was such a glorious day. What were your thoughts when you saw this? Hyped as I was?

Still one of the greatest game trailers I've seen to this date.

I miss being able to fire the pistol that quickly.

 

[Ken]

When we willingly play vanilla Reach again and again, are we engaging in some sort of self-injurious behavior?

Great book.

 

[heckfu]

...you first saw this?

I remember exactly where I was and all the crazy thoughts running through my mind as I watched it eleventeen million times before I went to work that day. That was such a glorious day. What were your thoughts when you saw this? Hyped as I was?

Still one of the greatest game trailers I've seen to this date.

Brilliant trailer but still to this day do I think the intro to the assassination portion looked dirty.

 

[wwm0nkey]

So Battlefield 3 is getting Anti Aliasing on the 360, really hope Halo 4 is getting FXAA since I know they where investigating that.