[Demoncarnotaur]

I really don't like that map based weapons do not continue to spawn at all.. it would be nice if non power weapons still spawned regularly with the ordinance system.

Also, as for the killstreak weapon drop.. I want more info. I also want to know if that is the only way weapons will drop.

[Hydranockz]

Wait just one fucking minute. What do you mean "earn" an ordinance drop? Point/killstreaks?

Lololololololol Someone's losing their cool.

[Karl2177]

Shit. Why is the 343-only apparel so sexy? Open a store already 343i. Please.

If only they had grabbed a small... That would actually look pretty good as a v-neck.

[StalkerUKCG]

There is one condition where I will welcome these changes. They are apart of some experience and there will be an equal experience of classical halo golden formula of fairness and skill. I'd love to play Halo gameplay with these new systems in place. Could be a cool change of pace. But I want to be able to play classic Halo at launch also. And not just in custom games.

Maybe not at launch but a classic playlist seems like something they could easily implement.

The lack of any kind of map based weaponry at all seems a bit odd, but spawn choices and pickup might just make it okay.

Im a bit taken back by it all but ill wait till any hands on to see how much it impacts me, im betting ill end up liking the changes in the end

[Shadders]

Shit. Why is the 343-only apparel so sexy? Open a store already 343i. Please.

I know! I used to buy almost all my clothes from the Bungie store, they're getting a bit tatty now. TAKE MY MONEY 343!

[Dax01]

I am quite wary about a lot of this stuff as well, but you've got to think that if the Plasma Pistol is a starting weapon that the overcharge won't be incredibly good. I got to have faith in 343 in that regard at least.

The fact that we can start off with the PP leads me to believe that the EMP effect against vehicles has been removed. I would be sad to see it go as I liked the functionality in multiplayer. I especially liked using it in campaign – it added a whole new dynamic, but Reach did go too far in having the enemies use it against us.

Wu did say he was killing people using single shot function of the gun, so maybe it has been refocused a bit to make the single shot function quite good and the overcharge still a reliable function, but perhaps no Halo 2 PP here.

I don't expect the Halo 2 PP. The was one of the most broken, unbalanced aspects of Halo 2 and it would be so ridiculous for it to return.

[WJD]

I have a feeling 343i are intentionally trying to scare us before blowing our minds and revealing a custom game browser feature.

Right guys?

...right?

[Homeboyd]

Hey Wu, what did you build in Forge?

[AllIsOneIsNone]

Wait just one fucking minute. What do you mean "earn" an ordinance drop? Point/killstreaks?

I cursed halo 4 when I compared power weapons to killstreaks in response to one of your posts. I'm gonna go ahead and blame you just for the hell of it.

[CyReN]

343i hoodie or bust. Love the design though.

[Hypertrooper]

343i hoodie or bust. Love the design though.

That's my phrase... now.

[Blueblur1]

Yeah, definitely going to need some clarification on those weapon drops.

I really love how we constantly need clarification upon clarification when it comes to Halo 4 details. What a mess.

[zlatko]

I like the ordanance drop ideas, because of what it does.

Right now in Halo, you spawn, you run to a power weapon, and if you're someone who is beastly with sniper, then no one really sees you that whole game since you'll rock it the whole time racking up kills.

Now, you gotta do several things to possibly get at a sniper. Gotta do some DMR/BR fighting to earn one yourself. Can't do it? Then you gotta try to take one somene else earns and drops somewhere. A whole sleu of shit can happen here with where did it drop, if it isn't picked up are they waiting to ambush you, and so on. Some more team work will come into play for controlling weapons. A lot of good it will do if one guy on your team is doing great, raining down weapons, but he can't claim them so it just powers the other team more.

[Demoncarnotaur]

Yeah spawning with a PP scares me. I was hoping weapons like that would just be map based weapons, that regularly spawned separate from ordinance.

*earning power weapons isn't awful, anyone can get them. It just worries me that this may be the only way to get certain weapons into a match.

[FyreWulff]

Yeah, definitely going to need some clarification on those weapon drops.

Through some metric, you earn the ability to decide what the game will drop at a location, and then can decide to bait the other team to it or get there and grab it early for yourself.

tl;dr Invasion Slayer but you control what drops </ReachAnalogy>

[Tawpgun]

Maybe not at launch but a classic playlist seems like something they could easily implement. The lack of any kind of map based weaponry at all seems a bit odd, but spawn choices and pickup might just make it okay. Im a bit taken back by it all but ill wait till any hands on to see how much it impacts me, im betting ill end up liking the changes in the end

I think there will be a classic playlist at Launch. I remember Frankie saying something along the lines of the playlists will have something for everyone/don't worry. Only reason there wouldn't be is they want people to experience their new system only at first.

[Overdoziz]

Lololololololol Someone's losing their cool.

It's like they're going down the checklist. So sad.

[daedalius]

I like the ordanance drop ideas, because of what it does. Right now in Halo, you spaw, you run to a power weapon, and if you're someone who is beastly with sniper, then no one really sees you that whole game since you'll rock it the whole time racking up kills. Now, you gotta do several things to possibly get at a sniper. Gotta do some DMR/BR fighting to earn one yourself. Can't do it? Then you gotta try to take one somene else earns and drops somewhere. A whole sleu of shit can happen here with where did it drop, if it isn't picked up are they waiting to ambush you, and so on. Some more team work will come into play for controlling weapons. A lot of good it will do if one guy on your team is doing great, raining down weapons, but he can't claim them so it just powers the other team more.

There are still static weapons at the beginning of a match.

The ordnance drops only happen on power-weapon respawn.

So it would be very likely that someone could pick up an initial sniper, but perhaps not as easily additional snipers.

[CyReN]

That's my phrase... now.

I was waiting for you to post that lol.

[-Yeti]

Thanks for the impressions Wu! Totally called right stick sprint and B button crouch as the default control scheme.

I called it first!

Actually, I totally don't know who did, but I had the same thought. :P

[zlatko]

There are still static weapons at the beginning of a match. The ordnance drops only happen on power-weapon respawn. So it would be very likely that someone could pick up an initial sniper, but perhaps not as easily additional snipers.

Where did they say there are still static ones? Wu even said he didn't see anything aside maybe a needler, and he thought maybe that came from a dead person's body and not being a static in the game.

[blamite]

There were almost no weapons on the map at all in the games we played. (I'd say there were none, but I seem to remember a needler or two lying around - I guess maybe a deady guy could have dropped it, not sure.)

Hnnnnnnng. I need to see this needler. Please tell me someone got a photo of the needler!

Neeeeeeeedlerrrrrrrrr

[WJD]

I like the ordanance drop ideas, because of what it does. Right now in Halo, you spawn, you run to a power weapon, and if you're someone who is beastly with sniper, then no one really sees you that whole game since you'll rock it the whole time racking up kills. Now, you gotta do several things to possibly get at a sniper. Gotta do some DMR/BR fighting to earn one yourself. Can't do it? Then you gotta try to take one somene else earns and drops somewhere. A whole sleu of shit can happen here with where did it drop, if it isn't picked up are they waiting to ambush you, and so on. Some more team work will come into play for controlling weapons. A lot of good it will do if one guy on your team is doing great, raining down weapons, but he can't claim them so it just powers the other team more.

This is exactly what will happen in the average game with randoms though won't it? I'll be donging (relative the the rest of my team) winning all sorts of weapons and shit and they'll all just carry on sucking and handing over weapons to the other team.

The easy solution shouldn't be "don't play with randoms" either.

[Bregmann Roche]

I'd love to play Halo gameplay with these new systems in place. Could be a cool change of pace. But I want to be able to play classic Halo at launch also. And not just in custom games.

I agree and I'm willing to bet that 343 agrees with you as well.

You're right, they mentioned timer systems.. Perhaps it's actually a vote? Or everyone gets to pick one throughout the course of the match?

That makes the most sense, each team would get an equal number of opportunities to determine drop sites and the "predictability" that Frankie mentioned would be the predictability that the team choosing the drop site will choose a drop site close to their current location.

[Recarpo]

Where did they say there are still static ones? Wu even said he didn't see anything aside maybe a needler, and he thought maybe that came from a dead person's body and not being a static in the game.

There are power weapons that will be there at the beginning of the match. For example, for a map like the pit 2 snipers and rockets would be there at the start of the match and after that they would only be dropped by ordinance.

Also, it seems like with all the new options there's going to have to be a huge amount of playlists again, like reach. I hope 343 can find a nice balance of settings and playlists so we don't have so many of them that are slightly different than each other.

[Garrett 2U]

Not perks! The modifications are more like bees really!
Just a few customizable slots allowing you to start with faster shield regen, more grenades, extra ammo, etc, etc.


No point streaks! You simply earn ordinance drops by preforming a variety of game related tasks.

*crosses fingers that it still plays like halo, and not other game(s)*

What kind of tasks will actually earn them?

We dunno. Louis Wu wasn't sure how he earned them.
Just that he pressed the dpad to enable them. (NOT POINTSTREAKS BTW!)


I didn't mean for this to sound negative. Well I did, but it isn't my serious opinion.
I have full faith that Halo 4 will be the best Halo yet.
We just have so much speculative information and so little official information that it is a bit scary sometimes.

[Recarpo]

No point streaks! You simply earn ordinance drops by preforming a variety of game related tasks.

What kind of tasks will actually earn them?

[Overdoziz]

What kind of tasks will actually earn them?

Sexual ones.

[Tha Robbertster]

I thought the idea was to make the game more approachable for new, less skilled players. Now, it sounds like the bad players won't be able to get the power weapons all together.

[ElzarTheBam]

Awesome Wu. Thanks.

[FyreWulff]

Not perks! The modifications are more like bees really

Now I just got a really funny mental image of someone choosing to deploy bees onto the map.

[Dax01]

I thought the idea was to make the game more approachable for new, less skilled players. Now, it sounds like the bad players won't be able to get the power weapons all together.

That's why there will be deathstreaks! :P

[The Real Napsta]

I thought the idea was to make the game more approachable for new, less skilled players. Now, it sounds like the bad players won't be able to get the power weapons all together.

They will know were they spawn (the game will tell them) and can fight over them just like they could in previous titles.

This time they will at least know where.

[Tha Robbertster]

Now I just got a really funny mental image of someone choosing to deploy bees onto the map.

That'll actually bee a kill streak!

I'm terrible lol

They will know were they spawn (the game will tell them) and can fight over them just like they could in previous titles. This time they will at least know where.

Yep, and the good team will communicate the location and hold that location down, thus ensuring the other team won't get the power weapon. That's how it happens right now at least.

[Louis Wu]

Okay, last post of the day. Really.

Clarification: I have NO CLUE what generated the Ordnance popup in my HUD. I ASSUMED it was something I 'earned' (through kills/points/something else)... but I did NOT clarify this with anyone at 343. For all I know, it could be totally random, and assigned to a random player each time it comes up (no earning involved). I simply don't know.

Don't freak out until someone's TOLD you that it's exactly how you don't want it. :)

Demoncarnataur - I didn't see any jackals at all. Only campaign enemies in the demo were Grunts and Elites.

Also: the fact that the loadout last night included a Plasma Pistol as secondary weapon means NOTHING for Halo 4's matchmaking - it was set up at the show by the guys configuring the Xboxes. DO NOT PANIC THAT BTB WILL HAVE ANTI-VEHICLE WEAPONS ON SPAWN - you're drawing huge conclusions from very, very spotty (and non-relevant) data.

quick last-minute quote:

There are power weapons that will be there at the beginning of the match. For example, for a map like the pit 2 snipers and rockets would be there at the start of the match and after that they would only be dropped by ordinance.

This is not how it worked last night. There were no power weapons at the start of the matches - they only came in on ordnance drops. (Again - these were CUSTOM games, set up by 343 staff. This tells you NOTHING about Matchmaking - but I wanted to clarify that what I played was NOT what you just described.)

Gotta go. Love you all. Kisses.

[squidhands]

The fact that we can start off with the PP leads me to believe that the EMP effect against vehicles has been removed. I would be sad to see it go as I liked the functionality in multiplayer. I especially liked using it in campaign – it added a whole new dynamic, but Reach did go too far in having the enemies use it against us. I don't expect the Halo 2 PP. The was one of the most broken, unbalanced aspects of Halo 2 and it would be so ridiculous for it to return.

Do you remember when Frankie said that loadouts were tailored to maps and gametypes, because I sure do.

We love you, Wu. Thanks for the impressions, can't wait to see all the MLG tears if HaloGAF is going off the rails already. fuckinglol

[AllIsOneIsNone]

There's no way power weapons are going to be killstreak related though. I don't believe it, I can't believe it. I'll wait for more info.

[Gui_PT]

Just got home.


Halo 4 will have Perks

[Overdoziz]

They will know were they spawn (the game will tell them) and can fight over them just like they could in previous titles. This time they will at least know where.

Maybe there's a perk or armor ability that disables your opoonents' HUD. That would be so cool.

[Bregmann Roche]

The fact that we can start off with the PP leads me to believe that the EMP effect against vehicles has been removed.

Or using the EMP option takes out a significant chunk of the PP's ammo. Regardless of that, players are going to be spawning with plasma grenades as well which means vehicle drivers are going to have their hands full in BTB.

This is exactly what will happen in the average game with randoms though won't it? I'll be donging (relative the the rest of my team) winning all sorts of weapons and shit and they'll all just carry on sucking and handing over weapons to the other team. The easy solution shouldn't be "don't play with randoms" either.

The bigger frustration is going to be that you will get yourself a weapon drop, then gain control of the drop location only to watch your teammate swoop in and grab the weapon OR betray you for it. I'm anxious to try this new system out and/or get details on exactly how it works. It's not fair to judge it based off of what little Wu has been able to relate to us about his experience.

EDIT: Beaten by Wu...then apparently kissed by him???

[monome]

It's like they're going down the checklist. So sad.

I have a Reggie Fils Aime vibe going through his WiiU check list too.

I hate perks, hate them so very much, how can I get a quick game with a non-FPS litterate friend if I have to get him up to date with all the goddamn options?
How can I play against someone who aims better, knows the map better, knows the system better, has more options than me etc...and feel like I'm gonna have fun? I'm bond to remain in noobs Hell for matchmaking...(not all doom and gloom though but I'll be stuck in SPartan Ops like I was in Firefight and Big Team Battle).

[zlatko]

I'm just seeing the glass half full at all this new info. Until Frankie drops a disappointment bomb, I'll keep being optomistic about all these new inclusions.

[Recarpo]

This is not how it worked last night. There were no power weapons at the start of the matches - they only came in on ordnance drops. (Again - these were CUSTOM games, set up by 343 staff. This tells you NOTHING about Matchmaking - but I wanted to clarify that what I played was NOT what you just described.)

Interesting. I swear I remember a 343 person saying that's how it would, or could with the option for that, work.

[daedalius]

Well, when ordnance is dropping in, it DOES pop up on your HUD, as we've seen in other videos.

This doesn't have anything to do with earning them though.

[Tawpgun]

There's no way power weapons are going to be killstreak related though. I don't believe it, I can't believe it. I'll wait for more info.

From Wu's impressions we have to remain skeptical.

They could be showing off options and what Halo 4 can do with these new systems in place.

A standard Team Slayer match might have this system, but not as extreme (I hope).

[Dax01]

NOBODY PANIC...yet!

Do you remember when Frankie said that loadouts were tailored to maps and gametypes, because I sure do.

For that I thought he was only talking about the default loadouts that the game gives you. Beyond that I'm interested in seeing how they implement it. Will the inappropriate, user-created loadouts be greyed out as an option at the start of each game? Will the playlist tell us what starting weapons will not be allowed?

Edit:

Or using the EMP option takes out a significant chunk of the PP's ammo. Regardless of that, players are going to be spawning with plasma grenades as well which means vehicle drivers are going to have their hands full in BTB.

Oh yeah. That's right. Welp, that's another concern to add to the list.

[Tha Robbertster]

I have hope though. From the podcast, it didn't sound like you earned the weapons.

[squidhands]

From Wu's impressions we have to remain skeptical. They could be showing off options and what Halo 4 can do with these new systems in place. A standard Team Slayer match might have this system, but not as extreme (I hope).

Holy shit, a rational conclusion. Bravo, sir.

NOBODY PANIC...yet! For that I thought he was only talking about the default loadouts that the game gives you. Beyond that I'm interested in seeing how they implement it beyond that. Will the inappropriate, user-created loadouts be greyed out as an option at the start of each game? Will the playlist tell us what starting weapons will not be allowed?

It seems completely counter-intuitive to have loadouts that are matched with a map/gametype, only to have it negated by a personalized/unlocked loadout system. There are finer details that we are obviously not privy to, so the best thing to do is just happily speculate without getting one's panties in a bunch. :-)

[StalkerUKCG]

Now I just got a really funny mental image of someone choosing to deploy bees onto the map.

[Letters]

It's like they're going down the checklist. So sad.

I chuckled and SMH'd at "B to Crouch".