Halo 4 Matchmaking Update: 12.9.13

Bravo:

Today is the 343rd day of the year making it 343 Day! Naturally, this calls for a celebration, so…we’re celebrating. 343 Day has its very own playlist, complete with a new game type: Speed Slayer. Speed Slayer features increased player speed, 6 vs. 6 combat, and the below settings.

[XiSasukeUchiha]

Hopefully It will make Halo a even faster-paced game than COD

[Naga]

Why would that be a good thing?

[XiSasukeUchiha]

IDKW but doesn't matter either

[Naga]

So you're hopeful for something but you have no idea why. Wow.

I highly advise applying at least *some* critical thought to your feelings before you attempt to communicate or act on them. Otherwise, you're demonstrating about as much intelligence as a rabbit.

[spicelicka]

I'm having a blast with halo 4. So many excuses people have about it being not like halo 2/3 or too much like Cod.

I feel it's more of people missing those nostalgic moments from the older halos and some part of their brain wants those experiences back, which just can't happen unless you go back in time. So people think taking the gameplay back in time will fix it but in reality those moments can never really be recreated the same way. That's how i feel myself sometimes.

It sure can be improved for the better and some complaints are definitely valid, but it's an underrated and under-appreciated game if you ask me.

[Shadonic]

I remember when i first played Halo 3 and I Jump out of a warthog and hijack an Arial vehicle after pulling off a Jump in the middle of Valhalla. Tried that on Halo 4 and I could barely survive for 30 seconds in the warthog because everyone has plasma pistols. Snipeing is so easy that even I can do it which is kind of bad since I could never snipe in previous Halo's and while I can see ordinance working its too unbalanced and the reason behind it is bonkers.

[spicelicka]

Well that doesn't mean the game is bad. You could do that in classic slayer. The problem you had can easily be fixed with more classic playlists, which i understand they don't have.

But I could bring up similar complaints about halo 3. I absolutely love sniping, and there were only a couple of places you could find the sniper, the person who spawned closest to it always got it and I spent more time waiting for the sniper to respawn than actually playing properly. Half the time i barely got to use the weapons I wanted. This was so much easier with ordinance in halo 4 cuz I got to call the weapons in and enjoy more time using them.

Of course these complaints aren't that serious, and for sure there were positives about having only one person with the sniper, since that kept the game more balanced.

Point is you can throw around pros and cons to both games. When halo 3 came out, there were many people who complained about it being different from halo 2. People have their preferences, and there's just no way to please everyone.

[Shadonic]

I didn't say that it was bad. I enjoyed it for a while but that really died down quickly because of how the gameplay was which could of mostly have been fixed with quick changes, sadly this did not happen. While I do enjoy Halo 3's difficulty a slight bit more I still Like halo 4. Even with all its issues I still would rather play it then COD ghost.

The issue is that these problems stem form the idea of making it easier for new players but which in the end made it really too easy and open to more BS like camo campers and perks preventing you from other things and stuff like that. It really just feels like a step back especially with the perks and stuff. 343 has the talent it just feels like there blinded by the things that are popular at the moment. People are calling it an evolution but it doesnt feel like one. I't feels like some fusion or mutation that while fun at times just ends up falling in upon itself in some areas. It just makes me mad because it could of been fixed after thier break pretty fast with a steady stream of new playlists and stuff and bringing in a classic mode in the first place but it took up to 2 months before the TU for the in game easy updates and even after that it took about the same amount of time.

I'm sure that there were complainers as you've stated with Halo but to have this big a change to the point that the only differences between your game and the current highest selling FPS is the fact that its sci fi, has an incredible story and doesn't come out ever year than somethings a bit off. I want 343 to actually put in there own flare yes these things are new to the sires but then again a good 80 % as played a game that's already used those same features or additions or perks 10 times over. I swear 2012 was the year of the quick reload perk because almost every FPS had it. IDK maybe its just me, maybe im looking into it too much but it's really scaring me not just for the future of halo but for the future of other FPS games as well. If its really just going to all use basically the same exact systems with subtle differences then whats the point.

Sorry for book I just wrote.

[spicelicka]

Well I have no problems with your problems, and pretty much agree with what you're saying. The perks are very unnecessary and other than a few basic ones, i rarely feel any effect they have in terms of improving the gameplay. So in that sense yes 343 took a misstep and tried to make it easier to get into, which backfired.

I do think they had a lot of pressure though, people were swaying away from halo and as a new studio they have to bring in the population. And the biggest dilemma now is that people are just used to getting rewards for playing. Back then you could play the same game over and over again and enjoy it everytime. Ever since Cod became popular, people are too used to have some useful rewards for progression, such as weapon unlocks or perks or whatnot. Repetition has been replaced with progression and multiplayer modes follow the RPG formula. I won't lie I'm guilty of it myself, and it's no one's fault really, that's just how things have become now. I enjoy barebones classic multiplayer a lot but there's always this itch in my subconscious wanting me to earn something rewarding. Another thing Cod has brought in is selfish lone wolf gameplay. Everyone is worried about their own challenges and unlocks so people sacrifice team play for personal satisfaction, even if the match is lost. I have noticed 100% the time if i'm communicating with my team properly or playing with friends, the game is wayy more fun and everyone forgets about the little perks and challenges and worries about the team.

I think they really need to sit down and approach the issues efficiently. If they know the community won't be satisfied by one solution then maybe multiple types of multiplayer modes is the answer. Have one mode that has progression, and unlocks, and something that keeps players busy. Have another mode for classic players, straight arena style gameplay. And have a custom games browser for players wanting to just have fun.

I know the playlists try to segregate players like this already, but they're very very limited. Or maybe just scrapping everything and keeping it original is the answer. I just hope whatever they choose is the best option.

[GearSkiN]

halo is the only arena game that still kickin. i dont see any other game in console (ARENA SHOOTER) doing what halo can do.