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Halo |OT13|

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ElRenoRaven

Member
Can someone explain to me why LE owners are upset?

The people who got the maps for free, arent actually getting them for free, they are having a "demo" of them, or getting the for free for 7 days, then they have to fork up if they want them. You guys still get them for free forever, people who paid get them forever.

What is the big deal here. I don't believe this was planned, as Xbox Support and no word by 343 kind of shows that, but im not getting the fuss.

You don't understand. They aren't getting to demo them. They get to keep them.
 

wwm0nkey

Member
Can someone explain to me why LE owners are upset?

The people who got the maps for free, arent actually getting them for free, they are having a "demo" of them, or getting the for free for 7 days, then they have to fork up if they want them. You guys still get them for free forever, people who paid get them forever.

What is the big deal here. I don't believe this was planned, as Xbox Support and no word by 343 kind of shows that, but im not getting the fuss.

The way its worded seems to be if you download it before the 18th you keep it forever, not you only have it until the 18th.

Though if its the former then that is perfectly fine.
 

Ken

Member
Can someone explain to me why LE owners are upset?

The people who got the maps for free, arent actually getting them for free, they are having a "demo" of them, or getting the for free for 7 days, then they have to fork up if they want them. You guys still get them for free forever, people who paid get them forever.

What is the big deal here. I don't believe this was planned, as Xbox Support and no word by 343 kind of shows that, but im not getting the fuss.

I don't think that's what they mean by "limited access to Crimson Map Pack?"
 
So does nobody think they'll just put three more maps out for a fourth pack then? I'd think the last people they'd want to really piss off are people who put out extra money out front for their products.
 

Nowise10

Member
Oh wow, I get what you are saying, so people can get it for free until the 18th? I thought it was free for people UNTIL the 18th, then they had to buy/

Yeah, thats pretty stupid. I bought them like right when they came out, and my achievements are glitched because of buying it so early also.

Ah well.
 

Blinding

Member
Guys, if you seriously get out your pitchforks you can just say goodbye to ever getting free maps in the future, which is actually really good for the population.

The thought of free map packs has been gone since halfway through Halo 3, and the people who were screwed over by this are justified in their frustration/anger/etc. This absolutely needs attention so those that paid more out of pocket have that much better of a chance at getting reimbursed for Microsoft's fuck up.
 

CyReN

Member
Here's the actual source.

Hey everyone! There were some initial complications with the distribution of the “14 day, Buy and Play” reward tokens, and so we decided to provide the additional reward of complimentary access to the Crimson Map Pack, for a limited time, as a “thank you” to our customers that contributed to the success of the Halo 4 launch. Those of you that own the Halo 4 Map Pass via standalone purchase or the Limited Edition will not be impacted and will continue to have access to the content after the complimentary access period ends on Tuesday, December 18 at 9am UTC/GMT. Hope this helps clear things up! :)
 
Can someone explain to me why LE owners are upset?

The people who got the maps for free, arent actually getting them for free, they are having a "demo" of them, or getting the for free for 7 days, then they have to fork up if they want them. You guys still get them for free forever, people who paid get them forever.

What is the big deal here. I don't believe this was planned, as Xbox Support and no word by 343 kind of shows that, but im not getting the fuss.

The Halo 4 Limited Edition meant that we could only buy it in the months before launch and for a week or two after launch while stocks lasted. Once you got it, you kept it.

I fear 'limited access' to the Crimson DLC is much the same.

Edit:

In light of Cyren's above source, I am now bleh.
 
I wonder if this deserves its own topic? Seriously there was already so much miscommunication between 343, MS and customers before launch and now even after launch. I really hope there will not be a repeat of this for the next title because it really is annoying as someone who is paying money for this stuff.

This absolutely needs to be a topic over on Gaming side. This shit is ridiculous and Microsoft deserves to be called out on it.

EDIT: One was made? Good.
 

willow ve

Member
Free maps are great. After playing them and suffering through countless bouts of near game breaking framerate drops I can safely say I would never buy these.
 
Wait, so we needed to activate the specializations code in order to get the Crimson Map Pack for free?

Also, I feel terrible for anyone who paid for the Map Pass. :^(
 
Can someone explain to me why LE owners are upset?

The people who got the maps for free, arent actually getting them for free, they are having a "demo" of them, or getting the for free for 7 days, then they have to fork up if they want them. You guys still get them for free forever, people who paid get them forever.

What is the big deal here. I don't believe this was planned, as Xbox Support and no word by 343 kind of shows that, but im not getting the fuss.
Shhhh you. Thats too rational.

They fucked up. We all know this right? This wasn't the plan. At this moment in time nobody has lost anything.

making the maps available to everyone as a quick salve is a good thing. Hell, they should make these "demos" a standard practice.
 

Caja 117

Member
Of course it contributed, but its a roll on effect of a bunch of little things.

CoD explodes, people leave, but hardcore stay

Reach tries to adjust to get some defectors back but pisses off some hardcore in the process, CoD explodes more anyway

4 tries another method to get defectors back but still to no avail. Lose more hardcore.

i think 343 need to accept that Halo will never be number 1 anymore, but instead, like their parent company and the console their game resides on, make Halo the strongest number 2 around.

Halo 3's population hasn't grown since Reach and 4. So you guys are all whining for classic Halo but wont ho back and play it yourselves?

Halo's popularity was going to dwindle regardless. The only thing that can get Halo back its crown, is a surge in popularity of sci fi. Even then, Treyarch will find a sci fi angle to keep people in.

Woa, you should stop assuming things, first, how do you know i dont play halo 3 day in and day out? I dont hate halo 4 or Reach, I was just pointing out how the gameplay changes had something to do with the decrease on population.
 
Maybe you guys should stop buying virtual armor and little pamphlets with a bunch of throwaway garbo on it. Stop giving into all this DLC pre-order stuff and Mt Dew and Doritos and its all sickening I cant go on. I'm stopping, ignore this post.

Guys, if you seriously get out your pitchforks you can just say goodbye to ever getting free maps in the future, which is actually really good for the population.

Thats tr...o wait.

untitled-6.png
 

willow ve

Member
Okay, no, Im reading Cyrens source, and its free for people until the 18th, THEN they have to pay.

So this isnt a big deal.

Yeah I'm understanding that source the same way.
Freeloaders gotta pay on the 18th.

That will be an even bigger mistake. Imagine everyone wakes up on that day and the DLC maps have been pulled... Can't imagine that happening (and wouldn't care personally - maps drop framerate like crazy).

This would be a great time for clarification from 343...
 

Havok

Member
Guys, if you seriously get out your pitchforks you can just say goodbye to ever getting free maps in the future, which is actually really good for the population.
If you think that a huge screwup on their part is in any way indicative of maps going free in the future, I've got news for you. The Microsoft that was willing to experiment with emerging revenue streams all those years ago is not today's Microsoft.
 

willow ve

Member
The Waypoint forums are the most confused I have ever seen them. No one knows what is going on with the DLC. How long it's free, is it a "trial" that will be taken/blocked from your Xbox soon, how do achievements carry over.

This is becoming comical.
 

Satchel

Banned
Woa, you should stop assuming things, first, how do you know i dont play halo 3 day in and day out? I dont hate halo 4 or Reach, I was just pointing out how the gameplay changes had something to do with the decrease on population.

im not saying YOU don't. I have guys on my list who play 3.

But its not like 3 rocketed up the live activity list since Reach and 4. So it makes it look like the complaining is simply for the fuck of it.
 

Havok

Member
So this is a trial thing or what?
I very seriously doubt it. I'd wager that the "complimentary access period" is code for "until we patch out the ability to get them for free with the specialization priority alpha code" and whoever gets them now has 'em forever. I don't know of any other game-related content on the Xbox Marketplace that has a license expiration like that. The ones that do are stored on things like EA servers for Mass Effect unlocks and whatnot.
 

Pie Lord

Member
I really don't understand this obsession with peak population. Back in 2007 and 2008, Halo 3 consistently had a higher number of concurrent players than Call of Duty 4. However, Call of Duty 4 consistently ranked higher on the Xbox Live activity chart. What that tells us, is that peak population isn't necessarily an accurate reflection of how many people are playing a given game on a regular basis.

Don't misunderstand me, there is little doubt in my mind that the Halo series has lost a substantial portion of its population. Instead, the point I am trying to make is that waving around peak population as evidence of this probably isn't the soundest argument.
 

Caja 117

Member
That will be an even bigger mistake. Imagine everyone wakes up on that day and the DLC maps have been pulled... Can't imagine that happening (and wouldn't care personally - maps drop framerate like crazy).

This would be a great time for clarification from 343...

Yes, taking away the maps will only make people even more irritated, to this point, i dont care about having paid for the map pass, at least now i know that all my friend have it, and when we go to war games, there is a higher change of these maps to appear.
 

Blinding

Member
I very seriously doubt it. I'd wager that the "complimentary access period" is code for "until we patch out the ability to get them for free with the specialization priority alpha code" and whoever gets them now has 'em forever.

That's my feeling as well, which isn't surprising considering their "14 Day, Buy and Play" program BS.
 
I very seriously doubt it. I'd wager that the "complimentary access period" is code for "until we patch out the ability to get them for free with the specialization priority alpha code" and whoever gets them now has 'em forever.

That's definitely what it is. This was in no way intentional.. unless they screwed up the "intentional" part because some people still don't see it for free.

And to think I handed in my thesis about effective communication in healthcare tonight.. Should've done that shit on Microsoft/343 lol


-EDIT-

Oh this thing is linked to the Specializations problem too. Those same people are having problems with the maps ;\

I really don't understand this obsession with peak population. Back in 2007 and 2008, Halo 3 consistently had a higher number of concurrent players than Call of Duty 4. However, Call of Duty 4 consistently ranked higher on the Xbox Live activity chart. What that tells us, is that peak population isn't necessarily an accurate reflection of how many people are playing a given game on a regular basis.

Don't misunderstand me, there is little doubt in my mind that the Halo series has lost a substantial portion of its population. Instead, the point I am trying to make is that waving around peak population as evidence of this probably isn't the soundest argument.

Is that how those charts work? Based on "peak" populations throughout the week?
 
I really don't understand this obsession with peak population. Back in 2007 and 2008, Halo 3 consistently had a higher number of concurrent players than Call of Duty 4. However, Call of Duty 4 consistently ranked higher on the Xbox Live activity chart. What that tells us, is that peak population isn't necessarily an accurate reflection of how many people are playing a given game on a regular basis.

Don't misunderstand me, there is little doubt in my mind that the Halo series has lost a substantial portion of its population. Instead, the point I am trying to make is that waving around peak population as evidence of this probably isn't the soundest argument.

Here you can see the hourly populations. It's a bit more informative as you can see the lows too.
 

willow ve

Member
Someone needs to post a countdown clock to 12/18 at 9am PST. The next meltdown commences (either people lose maps and are furious - or keep maps and the haters are furious)

Hmm.

This could be a happy accident. If they keep doing map pack trials, I would love to have a week of free play at launch. this is fuckin brilliant.

Except MS doesn't hand out free achievements.

Or the wrong people lose their maps.

Sadly, that would be par for the course.
 

heckfu

Banned
Yeah I definitely think this is/was a Microsoft decision to pull the maps after seven days.

Ultimately people will remember 343 at the helm during this mess, but then again, I could be wrong about both.
 

willow ve

Member
The bulletin this week should be interesting.

Odds are it won't address the issue at all. Or it will just be PR speak with no real meaning or clarification about the DLC issue. We've seen this before in bulletins where there is a certain lack of clarity. The Bulletin might have already been written - aren't a lot of the 343 crew on holiday?
 
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