343 Industries and The Halo Franchise

[repeating integers]

I am one of those people who abuses Armour Lock religiously (it works, though - in FFA I usually do at least moderately well), so needless to say I'm not playing the new playlists.

I'm not convinced 343 know how to handle the franchise either, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. One title update? Things can easily improve from there.

 

[Thyunda]

Armor lock just doesnt belong. Armor abilities as a whole are complete bullshit. Almost everyone agrees on this, from long time Halo fans who suck and swear to newbs to the average joe thats an alright guy and only plays from time to time.

I hope they get removed, I hope we get another Halo 3. Because that game was pretty much perfect (to Halo fans, no need to jump on me just because you personally dont like Halo 3).

If you enjoy your armor lock, stick to Halo Reach? No one is forcing you to move on. The thing that bugs me is that you are presenting this as if you had been a long time fan of the series and things like armor lock had always been present. They were not. They came new with Reach, everybody hated them, and now they are going away again. Good thing too.

Nobody is freaking listening. I'm not talking about Halo 4, I'm talking about the Halo: Reach title update! If I want another Halo 3, I will go buy freaking Halo 3! If I want armour abilities and reticle bloom and stuff, I will play Halo Reach. If I don't, I'll play Halo 3. Why is this so hard to understand?

Then sorry, but what in gods name are you blabbering about?

I havent hopped on Reach in ages, but to my understanding 343s update only included some playlists with no armor abilities? And the other playlists are still intact? So what the fuck is the damn problem?

The current way of playing Reach will become the minority of playlists - the update they're making to pander to the vocal part of the community will be the norm. Essentially, it'll be Halo 3 with some armour ability playlists.

Yeah, well, sorry dude, but tough shit.

I thought the care package glitch that gave you infinite care packages in MW2 shouldnt have been patched, but it was, because it pissed the majority of people off. If I wanted a non-buggy care package system, I would have switched to Black Ops.

Same logic, does it make sense to you? Probably not. If the majority of a community wants something in a game, its right to give it to them. Just because YOU dont want it doesnt matter. You are not the center of the universe.

No, that's a fix, not an 'update'. And Black Ops was a sequel. So both arguments are void. Am I really the only person (I know I'm not) that believes the player should adapt to the game, and not whine until it's changed? I do not like how 343 reacted to the complaints because it just shows how willing they are to completely rewrite a perfectly good game to please the vocal part of the community. Armour abilities were representative of Halo trying something new for the series. Now they're being phased out because a few 'pro' kids couldn't handle Armour Lock. Naturally, I've tried telling them that Armour Lock can be beat. They reply by posting their K/D ratio...which is usually better than mine, since I'm not so good at it. Of course, to the forums, this renders my opinion meaningless, so I get ignored. Is a bit shit, to be honest.

I don't understand how being against making another trilogy that carries on the supposed ending, is being ridiculous.

I can't judge the game on its own merit before it gets released, but I can still get an idea of why they're doing this. One of the reasons could be Halo fans not wanting it to end, and 343 somehow wanting to appease them. But having the series supposed to end two times already to be met with a "Yeah...no" does seem a bit greedy.

I'd like for them to give it rest, at least for a little bit, but that apparent 'awful community' probably wouldn't like that.

It just implies that a character may only have one adventure in his lifetime. Master Chief is still alive. There's a whole universe out there. Why would he retire and live in a country estate just because he beat the Covenant.

Because that was the whole motivation and goal of the game.
Unless they pull some other aliens out of their asses. For a series that takes its lore so seriously, I doubt something like that, happening so predictably, would please many people.

The only reason to make a sequel is if you're bringing something new to the table, continuing a story, or telling a new one. All I can think of for another trilogy is either some other aliens coming along, or destroying a few that just happened to survive. And in terms of changes to gameplay, it is clear that people aren't happy with that.

Of course, they could somehow manage to make a good game. But as it is, it seems like being greedy will little reason to be.

I'd be interested in meeting these insurgents that cropped up before the start of Halo Reach. I mean, the Covenant war would have destroyed the UNSC's peacekeeping effectiveness, and they only won by a hair. The economy is going to be a bit crap, so any insurgents that were on Earth or another planet may well start up again. The Spartans were designed to combat rebels. Now they're all gone, leaving only Master Chief to keep the peace.

But I doubt that'll happen.

 

[Dogstile]

I honestly don't get the hate for armour lock i've seen, even in just this thread. Its so damn easy to counter.

Aside from that, i see where you're coming from OP. In halo three you couldn't play big team battle later on without map packs, I hope they don't do that again, that was bullshit.

 

[RadioactiveMicrobe]

343 will just CoDify the series.
They've already started by negating changes Bungie made for Reach.

Coming right out of the gate announcing a whole new trilogy that expands the Chief's story unnecessarily is just ridiculous.

That's not Halo anymore. That's just, "The adventures of Master Chief."

And also trying to hype up CEA by trying to make it sound like it's a whole new game just screams milking.

Not to mention the whole story MS tried to hype up about how in the background of Forza, you might see a warthog at some point. "Look guys! Halo! Go buy that!"

 

[Thyunda]

snip

Then get ready for this. Are you ready? This might blow your mind.

If you don't like what's in the sequel, stick with what you're already familiar with. Good God, is it really that hard to think of? If you want to play Halo 3, play Halo 3. I cannot fathom why you would spend £50 on Halo Reach and then convert it to Halo 3. This is what I cannot get my head around. If I'm the only person who likes armour abilities, then why the bollocks aren't I the only one playing Halo Reach? I would sooner play through the original BioShock again than BioShock 2. Why? Because I think they messed up with the Big Daddy. Am I going to petition them to change the main character to a human? Fuck no. I'm gonna play the original. Because I enjoyed it more.

Moral of the story is - If you don't like a game, don't fucking buy it.

 

[Korten12]

343 will just CoDify the series.
They've already started by negating changes Bungie made for Reach.

Coming right out of the gate announcing a whole new trilogy that expands the Chief's story unnecessarily is just ridiculous.

That's not Halo anymore. That's just, "The adventures of Master Chief."

And also trying to hype up CEA by trying to make it sound like it's a whole new game just screams milking.

Not to mention the whole story MS tried to hype up about how in the background of Forza, you might see a warthog at some point. "Look guys! Halo! Go buy that!"

Well considering Halo 4 was hinted at on Halo 3, it wasn't a suprise they announced it. Also a remake is MILKING? I guess being able to play an old game in new graphics is milking. >.> They aren't trying to hype it as a new game, but being able to play a remastered edition of an old game with some extra's. It will also be a more of an introduction for new comers to the series as they have stated.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well Bungie got out for a reason and MS is pressing on with another one, simply put all old IP's outsell new ones... no businessman will pass up on that.

I don't think any franchise should go beyond 3 games, but publishers will keep it going while it makes money, your move fans...

 

[VeneratedWulfen93]

I just don't like how the marketing for Halo 3 was: Finish the fight.

Yeah awesome finished...so why is their a Halo 4?

Community support could have just been used to keep Halo Reach fresh enough to keep Halo fans interested but then these tweaks become major overhauls which removes the paradox that I believe is the fun of Halo: Inconsistent awesomeness consistingly happening.

If playlists become more and more devoid of armour abilities and other crazy stuff than all the new awesome is gone, replaced by Halo 3 awesome which doesn't compare to Reach unscripted awesome.

 

[Thyunda]

snip

Then get ready for this. Are you ready? This might blow your mind.

If you don't like what's in the sequel, stick with what you're already familiar with. Good God, is it really that hard to think of? If you want to play Halo 3, play Halo 3. I cannot fathom why you would spend £50 on Halo Reach and then convert it to Halo 3. This is what I cannot get my head around. If I'm the only person who likes armour abilities, then why the bollocks aren't I the only one playing Halo Reach? I would sooner play through the original BioShock again than BioShock 2. Why? Because I think they messed up with the Big Daddy. Am I going to petition them to change the main character to a human? Fuck no. I'm gonna play the original. Because I enjoyed it more.

Moral of the story is - If you don't like a game, don't fucking buy it.

What the fuck are you telling me for? I havent played a Halo game in about half a year, didnt pay full price for Reach, and didnt pay full price for Halo 3 for that matter.

Moral of the story is - stop making threads in which you do nothing but whine and *****, and if you do, and everyone disagrees with you, maybe, just maybe, you should rethink your position a little.

Besides, stop pretending the only new thing Reach brought with it were armor abilities. Yeah, theres the armor abilities, and then theres new weapons, new maps, the whole fucking nine. Its not turning Reach into Halo 3, its removing an unpopular feature to make Reach better.

But hell, I dont have to care, im not going to play Reach again no matter what they patch,.

Then why are you even here?

 

[Korten12]

I just don't like how the marketing for Halo 3 was: Finish the fight.

Yeah awesome finished...so why is their a Halo 4?

Community support could have just been used to keep Halo Reach fresh enough to keep Halo fans interested but then these tweaks become major overhauls which removes the paradox that I believe is the fun of Halo: Inconsistent awesomeness consistingly happening.

If playlists become more and more devoid of armour abilities and other crazy stuff than all the new awesome is gone, replaced by Halo 3 awesome which doesn't compare to Reach unscripted awesome.

Halo 3 - Finish the Human-Convenant War/Human/Convenant-Flood war.

There is still much to the universe.

 

[Bluntman1138]

I'm not saying anything about Halo 4. I've not got anything to go off. My complaints were about Halo Reach and the playlists I have played. I just don't think these changes are going to get me very excited for their first 'masterpiece'.

SO you dont like a few new playlists that have come out. BIG DEAL. That doesnt mean Halo 4 is going to be titled Halo 4: Griffball. Or Halo 4: MLG.

The new playlists are OPTIONAL, you dont have to play them. And it doesnt change anything to do with the other 50 playlists, nor does it mean that it is a sign of the future of the Halo series. They are simply different playlists for people who want something a little different when playing the game.

 

[Thyunda]

I'm not saying anything about Halo 4. I've not got anything to go off. My complaints were about Halo Reach and the playlists I have played. I just don't think these changes are going to get me very excited for their first 'masterpiece'.

SO you dont like a few new playlists that have come out. BIG DEAL. That doesnt mean Halo 4 is going to be titled Halo 4: Griffball. Or Halo 4: MLG.

The new playlists are OPTIONAL, you dont have to play them. And it doesnt change anything to do with the other 50 playlists, nor does it mean that it is a sign of the future of the Halo series. They are simply different playlists for people who want something a little different when playing the game.

That's odd. One release I read stated that the 'classic' way of playing Reach would be removed to playlists specifying such. The changes were to affect the majority.

It's the principle. Is Halo 4 just going to be a mix of everything people on the forums demanded? Or will it be a thoroughly unique, innovative product that will then be changed because the community wanted Halo fucking 3?

 

[ckam]

What people forget about in Halo 1 is that the game also has medical kits. They didn't completely remove themselves from the olden days of pushing your body with your lips to the nearest health potion and... I forgot what I was talking about. Anyway, Halo 1 should have just stayed as a single game with no sequels, I would've been fine with that. Now there's this cow that just refuses to die and basically is going to get ripped to pieces sooner or later once it becomes a really stupid crutch for the industry, just like Sonic the Hedgehog.

 

[Reverber]

I don't have time right now to read the whole thread, so this may have already been said, however the reason 343 industries have introduced these new playlists is because they are the playlists that are going to be used for the Halo: Combat Evolved multiplayer that is coming out in november, this is because like bungie did with Halo: ODST 343 are going to use the multiplayer side from reach and just bundle it with the new / rebuilt halo:ce campaign. Wether this will mean people with reach can play with ce people (exactly like odst did with halo 3) i don't know. just my two pence / cents

 

[woodsymoments]

I've played every halo game and number two was the worst but everyone on the bungie website idols tat rubbish gltchy game. The new features aren't the greatest but tha is why they're classed as a beta playlist if there's somehing you don't like pst on 343's website and tell them what you don't like.

 

[Trippy Turtle]

I am starting to hate how much an effect the community can have on a game. First with MW3 taking out commando and now people complaining about armor lock which is one of the more useful and fun armor abilities.
Anyway I am kind of glad they are removing the armor abilities. They are sometimes fun but otherwise I preferred equipment. If they could put armor lock as an equipment item in halo 4 then hooray.

Kind off of topic: I hate how people are complaining that reach killed the halo franchise. Even if you don't like it how the fuck does it effect the other games? If you are one of the people saying this then please shut up. Your argument is stupid.

 

[blaze6012]

I personally like the Halo games. Even reach had its moments. What I dont understand is where 343 want to take the series as a whole. Ok they are saying that they want to do their own "trilogy" and that they want to continue it from the ending of Halo 3.

Erm am I missing something as I thought that the series had been wrapped up?