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Halo |OT13|
- Thread starter kylej
- Start date
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Halo 4's numerical progression system unlocks aesthetics like emblems and armors. In order to design your Spartan, you are forced to play the game until you hit a certain rank similar to Reach. Reach offered a different scenario though, where you had multiple choices once you earned enough EXP. This type of progression was moderately flawed because there was a long stretch where everything was purchased and the player had a long ways until the next rank(which still didn't unlock anything). The basic purchase worked though. Taking a look at Halo 4's system, armors are unlocked at very distinct XP levels.
Now about player identity. Players craft what their Spartan looks like. Its intent is to have each player look unique. Players also craft their emblem. When you combine the two, in Halo 3(which had many less options) there were over a billion ways to customize your Spartan. In Reach and 4, this number skyrockets. Now how does player identity mesh into the progression system?
We can take a look at Modern Warfare 2, where players have an emblem and a player card. If you go on today, you'll see that a lot of people never changed from the starting card/emblem combo. You'll also see that players that do change have a high tendency to pick ones that are "funny" or reflect their preferred playstyle. Halo Reach locked certain armors away that were "cool" until the later tedious levels. Halo 4 does the same. Halo 4 takes this a step further though. In Reach you could craft a basic identity with your emblem. Halo 4 locks that away as well. I find it ridiculous that I had to unlock an emblem that I designed for Reach. I find it ridiculous that quite a few emblems were dropped from previous titles.
What did Halo 4 do right in these regards? It allowed the player to unlock armors based on how they play through commendation unlocks. It also failed by not giving those commendation unlocks any sort of identity.
Since progression unlock systems have to be on the money the first time, what am I proposing for future games?
Here's a bonus video from Halo 2 on player identity:
http://youtu.be/YGSuPZVgxLg?t=4m
Now about player identity. Players craft what their Spartan looks like. Its intent is to have each player look unique. Players also craft their emblem. When you combine the two, in Halo 3(which had many less options) there were over a billion ways to customize your Spartan. In Reach and 4, this number skyrockets. Now how does player identity mesh into the progression system?
We can take a look at Modern Warfare 2, where players have an emblem and a player card. If you go on today, you'll see that a lot of people never changed from the starting card/emblem combo. You'll also see that players that do change have a high tendency to pick ones that are "funny" or reflect their preferred playstyle. Halo Reach locked certain armors away that were "cool" until the later tedious levels. Halo 4 does the same. Halo 4 takes this a step further though. In Reach you could craft a basic identity with your emblem. Halo 4 locks that away as well. I find it ridiculous that I had to unlock an emblem that I designed for Reach. I find it ridiculous that quite a few emblems were dropped from previous titles.
What did Halo 4 do right in these regards? It allowed the player to unlock armors based on how they play through commendation unlocks. It also failed by not giving those commendation unlocks any sort of identity.
Since progression unlock systems have to be on the money the first time, what am I proposing for future games?
-Have all emblems unlocked from the start. Players need some sense of identity when they start playing.
-Return to a modified Reach unlock system. Every armor piece is assigned a Spartan point value, except for unlocks through commendations/achievements/campaign. Have every armor shown at the start.
-Assign values based on the type of armor, not on how "cool" the dev team thinks it looks. That just results in people wearing the same shoulder pads because they were worth 250 000 credits. Helmets are the most visible, so either make them worth more or make more of them.
-Continue with the commendation unlock system. Give distinct helmet designs for each commendation. Have the Laser one be Gungnir.
-Give unlocks to campaign related stuff, similar to the Mk VI or many of Halo 3's unlocks.
-Tie some armors to legacy player similar to CQB or Military Police in Reach. But DON'T put them behind a pay wall like Halo Waypoint. (And as a bonus, you're allowing dedicated fans to craft their armor identity immediately as well as getting people to play more of the franchise).
-Return to a modified Reach unlock system. Every armor piece is assigned a Spartan point value, except for unlocks through commendations/achievements/campaign. Have every armor shown at the start.
-Assign values based on the type of armor, not on how "cool" the dev team thinks it looks. That just results in people wearing the same shoulder pads because they were worth 250 000 credits. Helmets are the most visible, so either make them worth more or make more of them.
-Continue with the commendation unlock system. Give distinct helmet designs for each commendation. Have the Laser one be Gungnir.
-Give unlocks to campaign related stuff, similar to the Mk VI or many of Halo 3's unlocks.
-Tie some armors to legacy player similar to CQB or Military Police in Reach. But DON'T put them behind a pay wall like Halo Waypoint. (And as a bonus, you're allowing dedicated fans to craft their armor identity immediately as well as getting people to play more of the franchise).
Here's a bonus video from Halo 2 on player identity:
http://youtu.be/YGSuPZVgxLg?t=4m
xxjuicesxx
Member
Uncharted Waves. Brings up Multi-Team in both his posts here.
BK confirmed.
BK confirmed.
That's not what "dudebro" is referring to.
BlueScrote
Member
III's were somewhat older children than the II's, survivors from colonies glassed by the covenant. They were given SPI armor which doesn't even begin to compare to MJOLNIR. The later batch had
hormone experiments in an attempt to give them an extra edge in their suicide missions.
I agree completely about the IV's. We haven't been told anything about them that would separate them from ODSTs, although we assume they were medically modified and they wear MJOLNIR variants.
The ODST's in the expanded fiction are generally characterized extremely favorably. Basically soldiers who climb into a metal coffin to be delivered behind enemy lines. That's part of the reason why I enjoyed ODST's campaign so much. It had a much more desparate feel than anything you do as Master Chief.
Uncharted Waves
Banned
What is BK?
A 'bad kid'.
MaximumFlipFlop
Banned
Dinosaurs are dead. RIP Halo.
Reach feels more polished I guess. Halo 4 is a better game altogether in my opinion though.
Demoncarnotaur
Member
Nah, they just are birds now. Evolved. Just like Halo.
Tha Robbertster
Member
I'm not sure yet. Campaign wise, I prefer Reach. Multiplayer for Halo 4 isn't looking too well either. I'm already getting tired of it. Way faster than I did with Reach.
Gabotron ES
Member
Reach was only good because of Invasion.
No thanks. ODST had the worst characterization and most unlikeable personalities in the entire franchise. 343's main team should be on it, they did at least a half-decent job with the main campaign's new characters.
MaximumFlipFlop
Banned
Glad we're on the same page lol.
StalkerUKCG
Banned
.... I don't even know what to say.
User 73706
Banned
Halo |OT13| Of Birds, Big Brains and Burger King
I don't even know where to start with this.
I remember when wearing skater shows and Phat Farms in middle school was the cool thing to do.
gAg CruSh3r
Member
I played Halo 4 for a week and Reach for months/years. Nuff said.
Not really, different circumstances, they're both equally undesirable to play.
MaximumFlipFlop
Banned
Does the BK lounge offer anything good nowadays?
StalkerUKCG
Banned
NZBmatrix has gone.
I feel sad. Now what? do I have to download headers like a peasant?
Edit: Shit off topic top of page post.
Here's some spikers
I feel sad. Now what? do I have to download headers like a peasant?
Edit: Shit off topic top of page post.
Here's some spikers
xxjuicesxx
Member
Chicken Tenders with Buffalo Sauce is good. Also have good fries when fresh but BK is 50/50 on quality control (Guess this depends on location but the ones by me at least)
MaximumFlipFlop
Banned
xxjuicesxx
Member
Wendys I'm all about the monterey ranch chicken sandwich which is on the dollar menu, and the bacon potato is real good too.
K
kittens
Unconfirmed Member
people still talk about halo?
Franklinator
Member
Baconators are awesome
Wendy's>Halo 4
MaximumFlipFlop
Banned
Baconators result in a very unhappy colon.
StalkerUKCG
Banned
I wish the UK had Wendys. (I think we used to back in the day)
K
kittens
Unconfirmed Member
I have a lot of awesome memories of getting frosties with my gramma and granpa at Wendy's. Never liked their actual food, though.
had a Sausage Mcmuffin from mcdonalds yesterday for $1, suprisingly good. Sweet pancakes as the bun.
I get those after a morning gym session every once in a while. I get them without egg cause McDonald's egg looks like a sauteed placenta. They're good. As long as you don't think about what you're eating.
MaximumFlipFlop
Banned
In n' Out >
Brolic Gaoler
formerly Alienshogun
Never had it (none near where I live). People do seem to like it though
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