Halo 3 Multiplayer - The Elephant in the Room

[Anton P. Nym]

Halo is epic in the modern mainstream sense, but that would be akin to winning the Olympic silver medal in dressage.

Dressage.

Better that than beach volleyball anyday... but this isn't a thread on Olympic "sports".

-- Steve

 

[PxDn Ninja]

To: Anton P. Nym

Ah, a viable answer. I do know most of what you speak of (not sure about the mountain part). I did play though all three games to completion, but they never hooked me into wanting to know more about the story (to go read the novels for example). This is why I feel the story wasn't well done, because it didn't inspire that desire to learn more. IF I read all the novels and such, perhaps it would appear more epic that it does, but I assure you I more than just stood at the shore, looking to the tide. I swam, but perhaps not far beyond the dock, because it didn't beckon me forward.

The first game didn't have many large battles (that I recall, or what I considered large) and the repetitive level design really broke down some of the suspension of disbelief for me.

Sound design on the game was top notch though, that I will agree with whole heartedly. But I agree with you, this is all of course opinion and subject to each persons views of the game. I love MGS, but some people just don't get it, same here.

 

[Gormers1]

Dont fall of your chairs now, but I think that fps on consoles generally works just as fine as on the pc. Ive not played that many pc shooters, but take for example half live 2, which I replayed one more time when I got orange box for the 360. I had a much easier time beating the game on the 360 as I had beating the game on hard on the pc (playing both versions on hard since it was pretty easy compared to half life 1). Of course many console fpses doesn't have that good controls but I think halo series had one of the best controls on consoles because of the slight autoaim assistance (at least it was slight in the first game) and otherwise tight controls.

 

[Anton P. Nym]

:falls out of chair:

When console developers provide universal mouse and keyboard support, then console fps games will work just as fine as their PC counterparts. Epic got it right with Unreal 3 on the PS3, so why can't everyone else?

If you gamed in a Lay-Z-Boy, you wouldn't fall out of your chair so easily. You'd also probably not be so enamoured with mouse-and-keyboard too. (Unless, of course, you're one of those players who likes to play with mice in his pants...)

-- Steve

 

[shatnershaman]

But kids these days don't value proper posture (or proper controls for first person shooters).

Proper controls is a light gun then. Much better than a mouse. Screw moving with the chiclet keys.

 

[shatnershaman]

Ask yourself this: why do the vast majority of people interface with a mouse for point and click actions in a computer GUI and not a joystick or a light gun (or in this case, a Gyration remote)?

Light guns are not easy to set up and Command line owns mouse. By your logic (majority rules) the game you hate (halo) is one of the best games of all time and surpasses the likes of Half-life and Portal.

Ask yourself this:Why are games like Time Crisis and House of the Dead so popular?(Hint:Its not the amazing VO)

 

[Anton P. Nym]

Majority rules isn't my logic at all. It's a question of efficiency. Why aren't you using your Xbox 360 controller to operate your internet browser right now?

Your choice of pseudonym and userpic is appropriate.

I use a mouse and a keyboard to control my browser because my computer is on a desk and I like to type on it. If I was browsing on my Origami, though, I'd be using a touchscreen which pwnz0rs mouse and keyboard for web browsing in a mobile environment. (Ask iPhone 3G enthusiasts.)

Again, the control mechanism used should be determined by the environment of play; WASD for desk-gaming, controller for couch-gaming, waggle-stick for jumping-around-gaming. Anybody insisting that there's one "best" control scheme for all circumstances is confusing personal preference to be an absolute, and is therefor not yet out of the Terrible Twos in terms of debating.

-- Steve

 

[shatnershaman]

Majority rules isn't my logic at all. Arguments based on popularity are always poorly based since pandering to the lowest common denominator drags down all possibilites of the best quality outcome.

It's a question of efficiency. Why aren't you using your Xbox 360 controller to operate your internet browser right now? Why aren't corporate workstations all around the world, driven as their owners are by market forces to be as efficient as possible, outfitted with dual analog pads to navigate Windows?

You said why do so many use the mouse for their GUI an example of Majority rules arguement.

I can't use it for that and don't know where to get a program to do that I use it for what I can (some games). Mice and Keyboards are cheaper and the standard.

If the mouse is so good for FPS why does the US army use the 360 controller for their drones?

 

[jacodemon]

Majority rules isn't my logic at all. Arguments based on popularity are always poorly based since pandering to the lowest common denominator drags down all possibilites of the best quality outcome.

It's a question of efficiency. Why aren't you using your Xbox 360 controller to operate your internet browser right now? Why aren't corporate workstations all around the world, driven as their owners are by market forces to be as efficient as possible, outfitted with dual analog pads to navigate Windows?

You said why do so many use the mouse for their GUI an example of Majority rules arguement.

I can't use it for that and don't know where to get a program to do that I use it for what I can (some games). Mice and Keyboards are cheaper and the standard.

If the mouse is so good for FPS why does the US army use the 360 controller for their drones?

Good one! But the military does use mouse and keyboard for FPS-style realtime battlefield training simulation software.

 

[The Wooster]

Majority rules isn't my logic at all. Arguments based on popularity are always poorly based since pandering to the lowest common denominator drags down all possibilites of the best quality outcome.

It's a question of efficiency. Why aren't you using your Xbox 360 controller to operate your internet browser right now? Why aren't corporate workstations all around the world, driven as their owners are by market forces to be as efficient as possible, outfitted with dual analog pads to navigate Windows?

You said why do so many use the mouse for their GUI an example of Majority rules arguement.

I can't use it for that and don't know where to get a program to do that I use it for what I can (some games). Mice and Keyboards are cheaper and the standard.

If the mouse is so good for FPS why does the US army use the 360 controller for their drones?

Good one! But the military does use mouse and keyboard for FPS-style realtime battlefield training simulation software.

Is this the same millitary that keeps on accidentally shooting their allies?

 

[shatnershaman]

Good one! But the military does use mouse and keyboard for FPS-style realtime battlefield training simulation software.

For America's Army yes but other simulators use light guns that look and act similar to the guns themselves.

EDIT:Theres a reason why the bazooka (or whatever they call it now) has a diagram on how to use on it (Point this way!)

 

[jacodemon]

Good one! But the military does use mouse and keyboard for FPS-style realtime battlefield training simulation software.

For America's Army yes but other simulators use light guns that look and act similar to the guns themselves.

Sweet. Real war baaad. Virtual war goood.

I (EDIT: think I) know that one of the lead texture artists on GTAIV was headhunted from a software developer for military apps, ho ho

 

[frontier psychiatrist]

Now you've probably seen/heard this before, and it does smack of sour grapes, but one of his biggest arguements really hit home, and that was that the hype didn't match the gameplay. He concluded that he understood the game, and that he shouldn't have to play the single player to improve, he should have a fair chance.

Halo is no different from everything else in life. Those with experience and skill defeat those who have neither.

And having heard that opinion several times I wonder if it's true, is Halo 3 simply for the hardcore kids?

Halo kiddies wouldn't recognize hardcore even if it painted itself pink and then attacked them with a giant dildo. Or something. Point is, Halo kiddies and hardcore should not exist in the same sentence.

Thinking objectively, I can't help but wonder if we love something which we know in our hearts is not actually as wonderful as we make out, and then I ponder if that is such a bad thing. Perhaps something thta can only be enjoyed by a few should be treasured rather than villified. All I know is that all the Johns of this world can't be entirely wrong.

All the Johns in the world are usually entirely wrong.

 

[ImStarKiller]

Halo 3 has a huge learning curve, not to be good but to not get your genitals ripped off and shown to you. The game is for the hardcore kids now, for example when Halo 3 released on September 25, 2007 there was over 2 million people online in the game and stayed around that number for a few months, however now 250,000 people online is the most you see online if its a good day. As for your friend the only way to get better is multiplayer, campaign has no relevance to the multiplayer, not even on legendary. My best advise is to take up Call Of Duty 4.

 

[shatnershaman]

Halo 3 has a huge learning curve, not to be good but to not get your genitals ripped off and shown to you. The game is for the hardcore kids now, for example when Halo 3 released on September 25, 2007 there was over 2 million people online in the game and stayed around that number for a few months, however now 250,000 people online is the most you see online if its a good day.

http://www.bungie.net/