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[SHIFTYkiwi]

What do you mean in this day and age? I think therein lies the problem no? We are used to loadouts from other games, but as we've now seen with Halo 4, it just doesn't work.

Letting people choose which weapons they want to use is a huge problem. It's why the matches are dominated by DMR/boltshot etc. The fact you can change on death, ruins a key part of the game too.

Loadouts also neuter the sandbox. If you think about other games, sure it's nice to choose, but people find out that there is one weapon to rule them all, and that's what what the pick. Right now in black Ops, I believe people majority only use smg's to play.

I agree the perks and upgrades also affect it. But for example, say we are playing on my exile. Someone has ghost, you get splattered, you choose the loadout where you picked plasma Pistol and stickies. You're just given something that will almost surely kill the ghost, but required no skill on your part.

I agree loadouts stops things like AR starts, but that's poor playlist management and personal preferences. I'd rather have AR starts with BR pickups, if it meant people couldn't pick boltshots, DMR, assault rifle whenever they wanted no?

But I understand, we all view things differently. I often wonder what HaloGAF truly agrees on as a strong majority.

It could then be argued that it is a weapon balancing issue, and that maybe not all weapons should be available in loadouts. Don't get me wrong I hate being able to spawn with the boltshot and plasma pistol and I think they should not be a part of the loadout system. However if you remove them from the loadout system entirely the problem is that they do not really fit into the POD and world ordinance drops either, since the ordinance drops are supposed to be power weapons or player boosts. Which comes to my reason that ordinance is the most broken aspect of this game. If ordinance was removed then there could be proper weapons spawns on the maps, similar to what we have in Team Throwdown. Allowing for the removal of some unnecessary weapons from the loadout system.

This still does not answer the question of players using only the most dominate starting weapons only. In halo 4's case it is the DMR. However this should not remain a problem if the primary starting weapons are balanced to work within their desired roles of engagement (easier said than done).

What I meant by saying "in this day and age" was that I want the ability to play the game whatever way I desire within respectable limitations. I agree with you that my AR starts example could have been solved with better playlist management, although that could of resulting in greater dilution of players within their respected playlists. I think that offering players the ability to play the game that they want to play is the better option, even though it may not be the easiest.

 

[J10]

Loving suicide spawns on Settler. GG 343.

What are suicide spawns?

 

[The Real Napsta]

Idk what game you guys are playing but I see more try hards using the battle rifle than the DMR.

 

[SHIFTYkiwi]

Idk what game you guys are playing but I see more try hards using the battle rifle than the DMR.

DMR for big team, BR for everything else.

 

[StalkerUKCG]

DMR for big team, BR for everything else.

Gentlemen's Rules

 

[BlueScrote]

I don't think poor map balance should be used as a reason to exclude something. You can't shove everything on the map at once; there's a time and place for those things.

I don't even like the Falcon to be honest. I would have liked to see the Hornet back since it made flag runs on Avalanche interesting. But even then it'd be a flying death trap thanks to the abundance of power weapons and anti vehicle spawns.

sigh. It feels like I'm the only one who sees this issue.

You also can't include everything you want. If a vehicle isn't going to appear on the default maps, why spend time on something most players will never see?

 

[Overdoziz]

Biggest issue (singular, not plural) with Halo 4...Go!

It's too unpredictable.

 

[EagleBurnn]

Man, the stats in Waypoint blow B.net out of the water. It has cool effects going on in the background all the time. It does the super awesome slide thing when changing tabs. It's like everyone is on one large page! I can't get enough of this.

 

[MrGreencastle]

So the bulletin talked a bit about weapon balancing for precision and auto weapons in the layouts. What is a realistic ideal scenario here for how they would tweak the current settings on the rifles?

 

[Twilight Gap]

You also can't include everything you want. If a vehicle isn't going to appear on the default maps, why spend time on something most players will never see?

A lot of weapons and vehicles have been omitted from MP in the past for various reasons. The point I was getting at was that all this content is cut and there's little explanation as to why or how that came about.

 

[IHaveIce]

Man, the stats in Waypoint blow B.net out of the water. It has cool effects going on in the background all the time. It does the super awesome slide thing when changing tabs. It's like everyone is on one large page! I can't get enough of this.

There isn't even a page for a complete medal list. Awesome stuff right there.

 

[SHIFTYkiwi]

So the bulletin talked a bit about weapon balancing for precision and auto weapons in the layouts. What is a realistic ideal scenario here for how they would tweak the current settings on the rifles?

To me it sounded as though most weapons were getting a buff in one way or another. But it was fairly vague.

 

[Duji]

Biggest issue (singular, not plural) with Halo 4...Go!

It's hard to tell wtf is going on (due to instant respawn, sloppy maps, AAs, ordnance, uninformative HUD, etc).

 

[Omni]

Which specialisation gives you the BR skin?

 

[Hypertrooper]

Which specialisation gives you the BR skin?

Stalker.

 

[Omni]

Stalker.

thanks.

The Arctic skin gets a bit sore on the eyes after a while.

 

[StalkerUKCG]

Stalker.

Before I gave up trying I was saving this for last because until master was patched in the last specialization stuck on your player card. Guess if I do end up playing more at some point this will be the next I take.

Halo 4 your armor is ugly, feel bad.

 

[IHaveIce]

I have to do a correction.

Complex is the worst thing about Halo 4.


The worst in the world.

Complex, STOP VOTING FOR THIS CRAP

 

[Twilight Gap]

I have to do a correction.

Complex is the worst thing about Halo 4.


The worst in the world.

Complex, STOP VOTING FOR THIS CRAP

Complex is definitely in my top 5 worst Halo maps. I get that they were going for a High Ground thing, but ultimately it ends up being an annoying camp fest on the rooftops that are too bright for me to even look at. What bothers me is that it was designed to play like this.

After this post I was joined into a game with 2 guests as teammates

again on Complex.

I left immediately again.

Oh yea, it's an insta-quit for me. I'll take a 10 minute quit ban any day.

 

[IHaveIce]

Complex is definitely in the top 5 worst Halo maps.

After this post I was joined into a game with 2 guests as teammates


again on Complex.

I left immediately again.


EDIT: also Rumble pit is inferior to the Community Forge FFA.. you had good maps right there and what do you put in rumble pit? Solace and Abandon.... is this reality?

 

[Tawpgun]

To answer Tashi, I think it's hard to pick my biggest issue with Halo 4 because things like Loadouts and ordnance tie into each other.

I consider that one issue.

The other huge one is lack of battlefield clarity. Which loadouts and ordnance contribute too.

So I'm using that as my answer. The HUD and player icons are less informative. The x's aren't that good and firing/taking damage indicators are way too subtle and don't appear at the edge of your HUD like the other games. You need to see your teammates icons in order to find out what's going on.

Ordnance makes shit random and confusing and frustrating as do loadouts which cause their own balance issues.

 

[Gui_PT]

Hard to pick the biggest problem, so many thing wrong with this.

Horrible UI, mediocre maps along with mediocre playlist management. Terrible design choices like not being able to drop the flag and so on.

But the biggest problem is quite possibly the randomness.
They wanted to make a completely random game where anything can happen at any time making people go "whoah, that was awesome"

Of course completely clueless, casual players are going to feel like that.
People who have no idea what's supposed to be going on are going to live seeing spartans fly around, seeing a power weapon randomly spawn in front of them, disabling vehicles left and right, being able to turn invisible or use a shield to protect themselves from an encounter they should've lost.

But what about players that have been playing Halo for years? Players that appreciate strategy and knowing they beat weaker players and are beaten by stronger players?
Knowing everyone starts the same way, with the same weapons, usually at the same distance from power weapons and that good teamwork/coordination will lead them to victory?

Long live the casuals, screw the older fans!

Too bad ordnance drops or AA's will always be a part of Halo from now on.

 

[Twilight Gap]

Too bad ordnance drops or AA's will always be a part of Halo from now on.

At least Destiny will be out by then. I'm not going to play another Halo game with that in it. I can't think of any valuable way Ordnance has improved Halo.

 

[Deadly Cyclone]

lol at least Destiny will be out by then. I'm not going to play another Halo game with that in it.

I like how everyone assumes Destiny is going to be good. Bungie's last game was Reach, and they are now making a MMOFPS (basically).

Do I want it to be awesome? Hell yeah. Am I "sure" it's going to be awesome? No.

 

[squidhands]

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon Gameplay

Michael motherfucking Biehn as the main character on TOP of all that glorious 80's feel. Day 1.

Biggest issue (singular, not plural) with Halo 4...Go!

Loadouts. They cause the majority of the problems I have with matchmaking.

- Vehicles are neutered because PP and stickies are available right off spawn.
- Boltshot is still a terrible one-hit-kill weapon to have right off spawn, and it's not a rare occasion to have the ground littered with them.
- The DMR in it's current state is too powerful to have right off the bat. It makes the other rifles relatively useless against a solid player.
- AA's off spawn add to the overall unpredictable nature of Halo 4, which makes it a lot more irritating play. Camo needs to go back to being a powerup, Promethean Vision is too easily used as a bullying tactic and stagnates combat, jetpack defies the intended map flow (and 4's maps are hardly anything to write home about anyway), etc. Remove them all and place them on the battlefield where they belong to be fought for and won.​

So the bulletin talked a bit about weapon balancing for precision and auto weapons in the layouts. What is a realistic ideal scenario here for how they would tweak the current settings on the rifles?

Other than what I mentioned above...

- Remove or reduce the scope of the DMR to match that of the other rifles. Maybe even reduce the clips from 2 to 1 off spawn. I like the power that it has, so just reduce the aim assist to the bare minimum to make it a more skilled weapon to use.
- Make the Light Rifle more viable by making it match the power of both the BR and DMR in firing modes. Have it eat up more ammo in single-fire to compensate.
- Carbine's power seems fine to me, so I don't see a need to change it. I will say that I rarely use it, mainly because it gets outclassed by the DMR so easily.
- I think the Battle Rifle is pretty much perfect as it is.
- AR is finally a viable starting weapon in terms of power, but if I had my way, I'd make it a burst-fire weapon to eliminate the constant trigger holding that goes on in close-quarters. Same goes for the Supressor; you don't see any Prometheans running up and just spraying the shit out of you like how it happens in matchmaking. Make the overheat faster on the Covenant gun for the people the like to just hold down the trigger.​

fin

 

[IHaveIce]

I like how everyone assumes Destiny is going to be good. Bungie's last game was Reach, and they are now making a MMOFPS (basically).

Do I want it to be awesome? Hell yeah. Am I "sure" it's going to be awesome? No.

Reach wasn't a bad game it was just a horrible Halo game IMO

Also other people working on Destiny, but no I totally not assume it will be like Halo or anything, but I have high hopes.

edit: People have to stop thinking that people who look forward to Destiny think it will be like Halo

 

[EagleBurnn]

I like how everyone assumes Destiny is going to be good. Bungie's last game was Reach, and they are now making a MMOFPS (basically).

It's amazing on how many people are forgetting this. Everyone needs to stop acting like Bungie's last game was Halo 2 and Destiny is going to be the next big multiplayer shooter. Destiny seems more like a Borderlands like coop game than anything, not PvP. PvP is confirmed for the game but that looks to be it already secondary to coop. I have no doubts that Destiny will be a great game, just that the PvP isn't going to be anything huge.

 

[The Henery]

I have to do a correction.

Complex is the worst thing about Halo 4.


The worst in the world.

Complex, STOP VOTING FOR THIS CRAP

Complex is bad but Abandon is worse and, crucially, infects the playlists I enjoy most (dubs and throwdown).

The fact that Abandon and Solace (maybe Complex too?) are in the FFA playlist completely puts me off it. I'd take the forge FFA playlist everytime over a list with those maps, that's how formidably abysmal I consider those maps to play. Shame too because I think FFA really shines in Halo 4 with pro settings.

 

[willow ve]

It's amazing on how many people are forgetting this. Everyone needs to stop acting like Bungie's last game was Halo 2 and Destiny is going to be the next big multiplayer shooter. Destiny seems more like a Borderlands like coop game than anything, not PvP. PvP is confirmed for the game but that looks to be it already secondary to coop. I have no doubts that Destiny will be a great game, just that the PvP isn't going to be anything huge.

The last Bungie game where multiplayer was secondary to campaign was called Halo CE - this sounds like a good thing.

A smaller team working on multiplayer would help most franchises. Gets rid of all the noise and extra bullshit additions.

 

[Twilight Gap]

I like how everyone assumes Destiny is going to be good. Bungie's last game was Reach, and they are now making a MMOFPS (basically).

Do I want it to be awesome? Hell yeah. Am I "sure" it's going to be awesome? No.

It's amazing on how many people are forgetting this. Everyone needs to stop acting like Bungie's last game was Halo 2 and Destiny is going to be the next big multiplayer shooter. Destiny seems more like a Borderlands like coop game than anything, not PvP. PvP is confirmed for the game but that looks to be it already looks to be secondary to coop. I have no doubts that Destiny will be a great game, just that PvP isn't going to be anything huge.

I honestly don't even feel like counting Reach anymore since it couldn't receive Bungie's proper attention post-launch like their other games. I still wont put all my faith in them just yet either, but I am at least cautiously optimistic. Everything I've heard (other than ADS) sounds like the game that I always wanted Halo to be - especially the fact that it's more co-op oriented.

It might not end up being the 'next big thing', but we shouldn't forget that Bungie's been making these things for over 2 decades. A few bad games doesn't change the shitload of experience they're going into Destiny with, and all that experience and feedback from creating and maintaining Halo is being channeled. They experimented with some things that didn't work out, but everything else was as good almost as good asHalo had ever been.

 

[Hydranockz]

I think fixed loadouts with variety are so much better than being able to customize your own.

Set weapon spawns also get rid of any problems I had with Ordinance.

 

[IHaveIce]

Complex is bad but Abandon is worse and, crucially, infects the playlists I enjoy most (dubs and throwdown).

The fact that Abandon and Solace (maybe Complex too?) are in the FFA playlist completely puts me off it. I'd take the forge FFA playlist everytime over a list with those maps, that's how formidably abysmal I consider those maps to play. Shame too because I think FFA really shines in Halo 4 with pro settings.

Yeah Abandon is also on my hate list.

And I agree, FFA was soo good with Forge only, now you have to hope agai nto get Haven to get a decent map :/

 

[The Real Napsta]

Complex is bad but Abandon is worse and, crucially, infects the playlists I enjoy most (dubs and throwdown).

The fact that Abandon and Solace (maybe Complex too?) are in the FFA playlist completely puts me off it. I'd take the forge FFA playlist everytime over a list with those maps, that's how formidably abysmal I consider those maps to play. Shame too because I think FFA really shines in Halo 4 with pro settings.

Abandon is fun in doubles imo.

 

[Twilight Gap]

I actually like

Abandon

I think it would be a decent map with good power weapon placement, better spawns, and no flinch or AAs.

But then again, so would most other maps that are held back by these.

 

[HiredN00bs]

I haven't read the bulletin yet, but a friend was reading it in a party and I had to tell him to shut up. I've never heard so much talk about game balance that essentially said nothing.

 

[EagleBurnn]

I honestly don't even feel like counting Reach anymore since it couldn't receive Bungie's proper attention post-launch like their other games.

Then what about the game at launch? That was all Bungie. Reach at launch was their worse yet. I'm not saying to lose all faith, but I would hate Bungie to think we didn't hate or count Reach because I never want to see a game like that again from them.

Everything I've heard (other than ADS) sounds like the game that I always wanted Halo to be

What is "everything" exactly? ADS is one of the few things we know besides it being a coop and class based game.

Don't get me wrong, I'm stoked for Destiny and I'll be there day one, I'm just not going to get my hopes up because Bungie knows how to hype a game more than anyone. It's almost like I'm growing an immunity to their ViDocs where they speak so highly of everything they touch.

 

[Tawpgun]

Just played the most frustrating match of Halo 4. I think all its problems were apparent. I kinda want to save the film and have someone cap and commentate over it.

For starters, it was me and 3 randoms. I'm the only one mic'd up.

Against an organized team of 4. Matching gamertags. MLG emblems.

One of our teammates drops immediatley in the pre game lobby... probably because...

the team of 4, and someone on our team apparently, voted for fucking COMPLEX. Keep in mind this is Team Fie I mean Infinity Slayer.

Game starts off and some tard on my team rushes the sniper only to get himself killed immediatley. We then proceed to get Complex'd as they have more people than us and are communicating.

And I saw a textbook example of how BS ordnance is. I was in the main building and there was this dude with a sword running around. I begin to engage him, put like 3 DMR shots into him, he jets around a corner, only 2 shots left on him. And he fucking calls in an OS. I get him to one shot but he picks it up and then charges and kills me.

I wanted to punt a baby.

Then, it being Complex and the ordnance being LOLRANDOM... we had no way of trying to get them off their hold of the top middle structure. I was dealing with one of them being camo and one or two others having Regens. Not to mention they got a sniper drop as well.

How the fuck is this game more accessible.

QUESTION ABOUT THE KNOBS

I wonder if they can adjust the ammo the gun can hold. One of the more bullshit things Halo 4 did was keep the DMR 5 shot and remove a bullet from it ensuring you can never get 3 perfect kills like you could with every other precision utility weapon in the Halo Franchise. Maybe it was to balance the power of the DMR. Nope. Because they made the BR 5 shot and didn't up its magazine capacity. Why? Why? Why?

 

[squidhands]

Complex is a far better map than either Abandon, Solace, or Adrift. It amazes me that Abandon has the best callouts in the game, but is in my mind the second worst on-disc map in Halo 4. That dubious honor goes to Solace, which is chock-full of shit to get caught on while you navigate/battle through it, unnecessary height variation and random pieces of geometry for cover, and a ridiculous vertical beam of light used as a sight blocker.

--------------------------------------------------------

As to the Destiny topic, did anyone read this? Their enthusiasm for this really has me hopeful that it will be something that I can get on board with. I'm going in with zero expectations, but I'm digging what I'm hearing/reading.

 

[Poker Face]

Yea picking the biggest issue with Halo 4 isn't easy. There's so much to choose from (loadouts, ordnance, global ordnance, instant respawn, sprint, slow base movement, JiP, no playlist split, DMR, jetpack, etc)

I don't think I can't just pick one.

I'm not sure how you guys can compare Reach to Destiny, when it seems the game is going to be 99% co-op. It would be totes awesome if multiplayer was balanced and competitive, but I don't expect that, and I'm not sure why anyone would.

 

[Fotos]

Complex is a far better map than either Abandon, Solace, or Adrift. It amazes me that Abandon has the best callouts in the game, but is in my mind the second worst on-disc map in Halo 4. That dubious honor goes to Solace, which is chock-full of shit to get caught on while you navigate/battle through it, unnecessary height variation and random pieces of geometry for cover, and a ridiculous vertical beam of light used as a sight blocker.

--------------------------------------------------------

As to the Destiny topic, did anyone read this? Their enthusiasm for this really has me hopeful that it will be something that I can get on board with. I'm going in with zero expectations, but I'm digging what I'm hearing/reading.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg2u_De8j5o

 

[Twilight Gap]

Then what about the game at launch? That was all Bungie. Reach at launch was their worse yet. I'm not saying to lose all faith, but I would hate Bungie to think we didn't hate or count Reach because I never want to see a game like that again from them.

Halo's have been getting worse at launch since Halo 2, so that was no surprise. What was different in this case was that they couldn't TU the game, which meant longer waiting periods for things that should have been immediate fixes.

I'm only not counting Reach in that regard because they were leaving Microsoft and in a transition period. The framework itself was done really well I'm looking forward to that Bungie's polishing in Destiny if anything.

What is "everything" exactly? ADS is one of the few things we know besides it being a coop and class based game.

Don't get me wrong, I'm stoked for Destiny and I'll be there day one, I'm just not going to get my hopes up because Bungie knows how to hype a game more than anyone. It's almost like I'm growing an immunity to their ViDocs where they speak so highly of everything they touch.

There's quite a bit of Destiny info out there. Things like customizable characters with different species, real time settings, large battles and environments, and the possibility of clan support are all things that tickle my fancy.

I'm not trying to hype up the game, and again, I don't want to jump back on the Bungie wagon after Reach just yet. All I'm trying to say is that the premise of Destiny appeals to me, and the fact that they will be making it (with Joe Staten at the forefront nonetheless) has me excited.

 

[Nebula]

I actually like

Abandon

I think it would be a decent map with good power weapon placement, better spawns, and no flinch or AAs.

But then again, so would most other maps that are held back by these.

I can't remember what map Abandon is. Wow.

Also Reach was a tactical destruction of the Halo franchise to enable Destiny to have a better chance of success. I will continue to believe this until I see Destiny.

 

[Tawpgun]

2nd game I get JIP'd onto the losing team 2/3 into the match.

3rd game got voted complex and we started with 3 players.

I think Halo 4 is trying to show me how terrible it can be today.

 

[The Henery]

It amazes me that Abandon has the best callouts in the game, but is in my mind the second worst on-disc map in Halo 4.

My teammate used the callout 'brown tree' playing Abandon the other day. I couldn't tell if it was satire or not.

^Tapgun stap playing infinity slayer you crazy individual.

 

[Twilight Gap]

I can't remember what map Abandon is. Wow.

Also Reach was a tactical destruction of the Halo franchise to enable Destiny to have a better chance of success. I will continue to believe this until I see Destiny.

I used to think they made it to troll Microsoft, but conspiracy theories are stupid.

Everybody makes something bad once in a while. Bad songs, bad paintings, bad dishes, bad movies, bad jokes.

Bad games. But if Reach could hold my attention for as long as it did, how bad was it really?

 

[ElzarTheBam]

My teammate used the call 'brown tree' playing Abandon the other day. I couldn't tell if it was satire or not.

^Tapgun stap playing infinity slayer you crazy individual.

My callouts for Abandon.

Andy-side, non-Andy side, and fetus low, mid and high.

 

[Tawpgun]

My next game was Abandon and 3 of my teammates Abandoned me HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Why do I play this garbage

 

[MaximumFlipFlop]

My next game was Abandon and 3 of my teammates Abandoned me HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Why do I play this garbage

Spoiler

Once I could play last night I had fun lol

 

[EagleBurnn]

http://www.diabetes-warrior.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/insanity.gif[/mg]

[spoiler]Once I could play last night I had fun lol[/spoiler][/QUOTE]

I thought Vaas came up with that??

[spoiler]I'm kidding[/spoiler]

 

[Tawpgun]

I'm doing a case study on what percentage of infinity slayer games are actually good and fun.

I'm on a pretty bad streak so far and I just got JIP'd onto the losing team on a 4 on 3 (after I joined) Complex match.