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Halo |OT10| The Calm Before The Storm

S

senador

Banned
Tawpgun said:
So am I getting this right?

There is NO across the board visible skill ranking system in Halo 4.

And there is NO news of an Arena or Ranked like playlist.

*sigh*
Click to expand...

CyReN said:
I hope skill ranks are for a later time and this isn't confirmation of none.
Click to expand...

All signs have pointed to this most likely not happening. Everyone should assume its out and you can be pleasantly pleased if it exists in any form. You guys (skill rank dudes) have all been holding on to nothing for too long. Let it go, you'll feel better. ;)
 
S

Seance

Banned
From bulletin:

New SPARTAN-IV recruits are issued the following gear:


• Assault Rifle
• Magnum
• Frag Grenade
• Recruit Armor, Emblem, Visor and Stance
Click to expand...

TaWCM.gif
 
H

Havok

Member
Challenge overhaul seems nice, as someone who just crossed 1k Reach challenges. Not getting XP for Campaign mission completions makes sense within their multiplayer canon, but is a bit of a bummer.

So you don't have access to the full five custom loadouts until SR-41. That's always seemed strange to me in the Call of Duty games. At least in Halo 4 you can change the contents of each loadout midmatch, but that just means I'll be digging into menus more often than if they just gave those slots to me at the beginning. It's not a meaningful restriction, just an annoyance and a hassle. Heck, folks here were listing out a bunch they wanted to make and switch between (rapidly, I'd presume) and it sounds like that'll have to wait a while. Not wholly against it, it's just odd. Maybe it all makes a ton of sense when you see how all the other stuff progresses, but given that the last gameplay unlock is at SR-26, I dunno.

Edit: Hang on. You don't even have an Armor Ability slot to start with (at SR-1) for your custom loadouts? You don't have all the perk slots until level 12? Why? I can see why you'd restrict the individual perks for progression, but that's weird. Matching with people near you in the progression system, regardless of Trueskill, just became orders of magnitude more important than it currently is. Having to take the good with the bad in a premade loadout is no match for being able to tick exactly which boxes you want to mix and match.
 
Genesis Knight

Genesis Knight

Member
So the early specializations for Limited Edition owners can only be accessed after you go through one of the first two available specializations... Geez, I just can't justify my LE anymore since I'm not much of a lore guy. Cancelling and going regular + map pack.
 
T

The P of Poland

Member
heckfu said:
And oh god, the screenshot in the Bulletin showcases one of their pre-made loadouts before you unlock new weapons and slots...and guess what it shows? AR start!
Click to expand...

Karl2177 said:
Default loadouts on maps better have some BR/DMR starts or I'll be a sad panda.
Click to expand...

You guys misunderstand. That's not a premade loadout, those are the only weapons you will have unlocked to make your own classes with at start. And Frankie confirmed a long time ago that every map will have premade loadouts with BR/DMR/Carbine/Light Rifle for the time before you unlock those weapons yourself.
 
K

Karl2177

Member
The P of Poland said:
You guys misunderstand. That's not a premade loadout, those are the only weapons you will have unlocked to make your own classes with at start. And Frankie confirmed a long time ago that every map will have premade loadouts with BR/DMR/Carbine/Light Rifle for the time before you unlock those weapons yourself.
Click to expand...

I know that. They said that loadouts are being custom tailored to maps. Let's say that there is a CQC map similar to Adrift and none of the map loadouts have DMR/BR. I'm gonna be a sad panda.
 
I

indubitably

Member
I accidentally highlighted some blank space and this showed up:
PLNB PRIORITY TRANSMISSION [CLASSIFIED]
ENCRYPTION CODE: [CLASSIFIED]
PUBLIC KEY: N/A

FROM: CODENAME SURGEON
TO: CODENAME COALMINE

CLASSIFICATION: ELEVENTH HOUR [1/5]
SUBJECT: AFTERMATH

/FILE EXTRACTION-RECONSTITUTION COMPLETE/
/START FILE/

Decades from now, when historians evaluate the war, what will they say about us? Will they claim that our victory was ultimately fruitless? That it failed to secure a lasting peace, or worse, that it was only a prelude to far greater horrors that now lay ahead?

My hope – OUR HOPE – is that history would instead view this war as a catalyst. That the last thirty years were a crucible, a threshing floor for our species, sifting out our fears and frailties. And that ultimately it made us stronger and more vigilant in the end, fully prepared for whatever will come next. After all, what good is struggle if there is no change? What good is a fire if the sword is not made stronger?

Attached are four reports accounting the major contingency structures our species currently faces in the wake of the war. Please evaluate them closely. Their outcomes will dictate how history views us, or if history even views us at all.

Xenomorphic element [2/5]
Martial element [3/5]
Provenancial element [4/5]
Primogeniture element [5/5]

As Machiavelli once said: “the Romans, foreseeing troubles, dealt with them at once, and, even to avoid a war, would not let them come to a head, for they knew that war is not to be avoided, but is only put off to the advantage of others.”

Likewise, we must deal with these issues head-on, without fear and without hesitation. We can afford no other stance.

/END FILE/
Click to expand...
It is in every space pretty much

edit: spoiler tags just in case
 
B

Bsigg12

Member
wwm0nkey said:
I think I might just wait until I level up enough to get a BR to go into MM
Click to expand...

There will be loadouts available in each playlist that offer weapon and armor abilities that you may not have unlocked yet but based on the Pax stuff, when people hit SR-2 or 5 or something they unlocked a bunch of shit.
 
G

GhaleonEB

Member
Havok said:
Challenge overhaul seems nice, as someone who just crossed 1k Reach challenges. Not getting XP for Campaign mission completions makes sense within their multiplayer canon, but is a bit of a bummer.

So you don't have access to the full five custom loadouts until SR-41. That's always seemed strange to me in the Call of Duty games. At least in Halo 4 you can change the contents of each loadout midmatch, but that just means I'll be digging into menus more often than if they just gave those slots to me at the beginning. It's not a meaningful restriction, just an annoyance and a hassle. Heck, folks here were listing out a bunch they wanted to make and switch between (rapidly, I'd presume) and it sounds like that'll have to wait a while. Not wholly against it, it's just odd. Maybe it all makes a ton of sense when you see how all the other stuff progresses, but given that the last gameplay unlock is at SR-26, I dunno.

Edit: Hang on. You don't even have an Armor Ability slot to start with (at SR-1) for your custom loadouts? You don't have all the perk slots until level 12? Why? I can see why you'd restrict the individual perks for progression, but that's weird. Matching with people near you in the progression system, regardless of Trueskill, just became orders of magnitude more important than it currently is. Having to take the good with the bad in a premade loadout is no match for being able to tick exactly which boxes you want to mix and match.
Click to expand...

Personally, I won't be touching MP until I've unlocked a solid load out via Spartan Ops.
 
G

GhaleonEB

Member
Genesis Knight said:
So the early specializations for Limited Edition owners can only be accessed after you go through one of the first two available specializations... Geez, I just can't justify my LE anymore since I'm not much of a lore guy. Cancelling and going regular + map pack.
Click to expand...

No. You just need to clear the first 50 ranks. Regular edition owners just have access to the first two Specializations released, but LE owners can pick from all eight.

Purchasers of the Limited Edition and pre-orders in certain territories have launch day access to the remaining six Specializations – although you still need to complete the initial 50 Ranks before you can enlist in one.
Click to expand...

Which is still a bad thing.
 
H

Havok

Member
The War Games and Campaign challenge sections specified what the update times on those were (daily/weekly/monthly), but Spartan Ops challenges weren't labeled in the same way. Wish they'd elaborated on that a bit more.
GhaleonEB said:
Personally, I won't be touching MP until I've unlocked a solid load out via Spartan Ops.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I guess it all depends on how fast that first bunch of levels are. I tend to agree with you; I don't want to feel like I'm being handicapped by having things restricted from me for the first few hours of multiplayer. Not saying that it's necessarily going to be like that, but other progression systems that work this way (this is pretty much exactly the Black Ops unlock system, with Spartan Points replacing COD points) absolutely have that feeling. I really hope that the systems lying on top of the gameplay, like this progression, don't end up interfering with what seems like a very solid base as with other unlock-based shooters.
 
B

BackdoorBeauty

Member
Ultimately, this isn't the matchmaking rank system. I don't see any way to actually match you just using your unlock progression.

Still looking forward to seeing what the matchmaking critera is in relation to their take on trueskill.
 
E

Elros

Member
The first days of SpOps and MP are going to be very poorly entertaining, I guess. No BR/DMR/Carbine/LightRifle at start and none on the maps either (unless dropped by a killed dude) :/
 
S

senador

Banned
I'm not worried about the early levels of the progression system. I generally find those the most fun, but maybe I'm sadistic. It makes me appreciate stuff more and feel like I really earned some shit, even though its just a brief time. The early ranks seem extremely short, and the AR and Pistol won't be too bad. I don't think it really compares to the military shooter start ranks.

At launch, everyone will be in the same boat, and if you pick up the game at a later date, hopefully TrueSkill matching is improved and you'll get matched with similar players until you at least unlock a few things.

Definitely not classic Halo, not ideal for most, but mostly a non issue IMO.
 
N

Noricart

Member
All the hidden stuff in the update (cryptic, doesn't seem all too spoilery):
ENCRYPTION CODE: [CLASSIFIED]
PUBLIC KEY: N/A
FROM: CODENAME SURGEON
TO: CODENAME COALMINER
CLASSIFICATION: ELEVENTH HOUR [1/5]
SUBJECT: AFTERMATH
/FILE EXTRACTION-RECONSTITUTION COMPLETE/
/START FILE/
Decades from now, when historians evaluate the war, what will they say about us? Will they claim that our victory was ultimately fruitless? That it failed to secure a lasting peace, or worse, that it was only a prelude to far greater horrors that now lay ahead?
My hope – OUR HOPE – is that history would instead view this war as a catalyst. That the last thirty years were a crucible, a threshing floor for our species, sifting out our fears and frailties. And that ultimately it made us stronger and more vigilant in the end, fully prepared for whatever will come next. After all, what good is struggle if there is no change? What good is a fire if the sword is not made stronger?
Attached are four reports accounting the major contingency structures our species currently faces in the wake of the war. Please evaluate them closely. Their outcomes will dictate how history views us, or if history even views us at all.
Xenomorphic element [2/5]
Martial element [3/5]
Provenancial element [4/5]
Primogeniture element [5/5]
As Machiavelli once said: “the Romans, foreseeing troubles, dealt with them at once, and, even to avoid a war, would not let them come to a head, for they knew that war is not to be avoided, but is only put off to the advantage of others.”
Likewise, we must deal with these issues head-on, without fear and without hesitation. We can afford no other stance.
/END FILE/
Click to expand...
Edit: damn you indubatibly!!!
 
Pop

Pop

Member
Tawpgun said:
Well no news of hints at a true ranking system is still terrible.

Someone at 343 tell me my itch will be scratched. Or at least tickled.
Click to expand...

Frank has already confirmed(twice that I can think of) that there will be a skill based ranking system. What they describe in the bulletin was a progression system.
 
R

Ramirez

Member
Quick fix to the early levels? Stock up on Mt. Dew & Doritos! I'm sure if you have double XP for all of your games on launch night, you'll be level 10 or so by the end of the night. :p

I just want dat BR.
 
S

Steelyuhas

Member
Karl2177 said:
Default loadouts on maps better have some BR/DMR starts or I'll be a sad panda.
Click to expand...

I'm fairly certain that 343 has said that at least one of the preset loadouts for each map and gametype combo will always has one of the ranged starting weapons (BR, DMR, Carbine, LR).


Oh, and BR and DMR were unlocked at SR-2 in the PAX build, so it's not really a concern.

Glad to see they did the progression right this time were winning and personal performance are the dominating factors to get your more points, not play time, like in Reach's absurdly backwards system.
 
nillapuddin

nillapuddin

Member
• Also, for a limited time, Halo 4 games sold at Walmart will include an insert with a unique code. Pair that unique code with the Double XP codes found on a 24-pack of Mountain Dew and specially-marked 10 ½ or 11 ½ oz. bags of Doritos chips and unlock a total of 38 matches of Double XP.
Click to expand...

WALMART MASTER RACE!
 
K

kittens

Unconfirmed Member
Not earning XP in campaign sucks.

But I don't care.

spanish people, steal me a copy of halo 4 now gracias
 
S

Slightly Live

Dirty tag dodger
Is America/Canada the only region with double xp crap? I haven't been paying much attention to it. Would suck if merkins get an advantage like that exclusively.
 
G

Gabotron ES

Member
kittens said:
Not earning XP in campaign sucks.

But I don't care.

spanish people, steal me a copy of halo 4 now gracias
Click to expand...
Well duh, I have seen some shit.

Will post on this soon but I'll just say the internet is not safe, nothing spoilery for now. Currently talking with the leaker.
 
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