A new Halo game

[mblackwell1002]

Oh, I see what you mean now, and I agree. Halo 5 maps do look a little repetitive. Post this on Halo Waypoint, and get 343 to listen! 343 is excellent at listening to fan mail.
StayFrosty, do it!

 

[agentflorida]

I had a idea along time when I discovered that Halo wars was a strategy game. What if there was a strategy game that you could take control of a character and fight, drive vehicles, as well as build, while in some type of command or head quarters. Of course there would be a way to return back to the sky view which reverted. When that character that your playing as is destroyed or killed in any way, it immediately returns you to the sky view you would need to do a lot of switching when you want or need to build something or send a unit to do something. Depending on the unit you control, and piloted vehicle if you were piloting one, if the unit were to die, there would be a like a cool down until you can use it and the cool down increases the more expensive and the higher worth or rank of the hosted unit.

 

[agentflorida]

I can agree with the maps. But that reminded me of something, map voting, come on everyone misses that right?

 

[agentflorida]

I also agree with the maps. I do miss those of that of the recreation of blood gulch in reach, and Valhalla/ Ragnarok. If anything they should introduce make a little program to make forge mode more "intense" with some type of way to create even better and legit looking structures. However I think it should be for the PC seeing how it would be difficult with a controller, maybe even have some programming in it.

 

[mblackwell1002]

I don't miss map voting. at all. I enjoy all the H5 maps, especially Breakout's, so I really had no reason to vote.
Remember in Halo Reach? how you could change your vote and everyone would choose swat potato? Bad memories for me. I like H5's system better. I especially like the cinematic map display.
It just looks nice.

As for Forge, I could never be happier. There's so much that you can do, but controlling is a little more difficult then it probably needs to be. Nevertheless, Halo 5 is the Halo game that I was most satisfied with. Halo CE is great, but looking back, it just isn't the same as it used to feel.

 

[Reclaimara]

Agree with Mblackwell, I don't miss map voting at all.
It always irritated me, playing same maps because people always chose those very same maps every damn time.

I like Halo Wars 2's artstyle, but I wish they would mix it, not fully go back(I enjoy the new Halo4/5 artstyle!). I hate those hooves elites have. OR damn! I totally can't stand the Halo IV-VI GEN2 hybrid! This is the ugliest thing I've ever seen in Halo. :/

As for Halo 5's gameplay, I totally love how more dynamic it feels. It's something I kinda wanted it to look like ever since Halo: CE came out.


Well, as for the poll or question. It wasn't only Halo: Reach. We had Spartan Ops! Which I loved. Those were so funny, I enjoyed the story, but I totally loved the in-game dialogue the characters had. Kept me entertained and I replayed them too many times.
I was very disappointed when they didn't make Spartan Ops 2.0. I would have loved it returned instead WZ Firefight. Or WZ Firefight with story... :/

Halo has potential for many games would take action in more expanded universe. Imagine a survival shooter as UNSC Marine or ODST where you'd have to survive against the Flood.
Or as ONI agent, doing the undercover dirty work the public never knows about. Working in the shadows.
Or even better! Ancient times! During the Forerunner Empire!
We could get even a SW:Battlefront (the old original ones) similar game. Showing us different times, the biggest wars, multiple factions available. Space battles too. It could be epic.

You can kill me, but Halo for me is the whole universe, not just Master Chief.
I didn't have any problem with not playing as Chief for the whole game in Halo 5.
I actually enjoy seeing things from other people's perspective (but I can't stand Locke!, other Osiris members are however very nice and interesting) or learning about new events or stories.
Halo has never been for me about only Master Chief or centered about him. Sure, most of the games are (the main FPS games), but because we got so much expanded universe media (games, books, comics and more) I can't see Halo=Chief.

This doesn't change the fact that I'm dying to finally see Halo 6. I HAVE TO KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT! T_T

 

[mblackwell1002]

Trust me, I'm on the same boat you are. I like the new art style, gameplay, REQ system, I love it all. I'm very pleased with 343i, I just have trouble with the banning thing sometimes.

for me, even with all the books, I always relate Halo to Chief. It's just always been that way. For you, it might be different, because you've made a Palmer suit, while I've made Chief. It's not that you made the suit, it's that you relate "Halo suit" to "My Palmer suit". I find nothing wrong with that, I just imagine it a little differently. I agree with you on Locke, I can't stand him. He's on our side now, though.

As far Osiris and Blue team go, I will always, ALWAYS, be rooting for Blue team and Chief, for multiple reasons: (A) Blue Team has been around for quite a while, and have some serious talent vs Osiris who rely on tech, yet Blue team comes out on top in the end. I have a feeling that Chief is going to lose a battle for once in Halo 6, and probably have a big part in the campaign. He will probably have to surrender and make a tough decision. (B) Chief has always been a fan favorite, he's...just...always been with us. He's always doing the right thing, making the right choices. It's like when they killed off Cortana. (or so we though at the time) It was a major blow! We kinda took the character for granted, and we were like "What. just HAPPENED?!" and then "why did she die! " when Cortana 'Died'. Anyway, similar circumstance.

 

[StayFrosty]

Even from a prop perspective I prefer the original trilogy. Don't get me wrong, I really do enjoy playing Halo 5, but aside from preferring the original trilogy's gameplay, I also prefer the weapon design.

 

[Reclaimara]

mblackwell1002 I don't like all of it! I am not fan of REQ system... They could have implemented it in a much better way. There is a reason why Halo 4's SR and system is still canon.

They took all the good things and put them into the REQ system. The amazing customization from Halo 4. The rewarding system of ranking up your Spartan Rank and unlocking armor to reward you. And if you also made the Commendations or Specializations, you could unlock additional things. This was amazing!

But they had to screw it up by putting everything into a RNG system. Not rewarding at all - you don't work for your armor, you just randomly get it. :/
Oh, and they made the Achilles armor you could get through "work", which turned out to be a grindfest and it is the most hated armor because of that.
The customization? GONE. You could think it's the next-gen game, so it should be superior to a game from older generation, right? Nope. You can either change the whole armor or the helmet. Nothing more...

Also, because of the REQ system IMO there are way too many armor variants. Halo 4 had already enough. There are under 1000 Spartans, under 1000 Spartans wearing those armors (Infinity is supposed to have 300 Spartans and it has the largest amount of Spartans). So, for few hundred Spartans we have over 100 armor variants because of Halo 5's REQ system.
Imagine how much money would have to go into just R&D department for each variant. With 40-50 I could understand, but with over 100 armors? No way. And what is the point of bringing old tech, the GEN1 suits into GEN2? No point other than just pure fan service. Just saying my opinion, but from lore-perspective it doesn't make sense. Like, Noble Team is precious to the *gamers and Halo fans*.
Also, we already got GEN2 armor - EOD got introduced in Halo 4. And more. WHY didn't they bring it back?! Why the GEN1 so suddenly?
Or we have GEN2 Recon already. Why do we get GEN1 Recon?
This is all fan service, I know. And I don't have issue with it - they want people to play the game and get money (the pack with the classic helmets was 150k REQs or 10$, many people just paid with real money), but I don't understand it all from the lore-perspective. It's pointless.

I want Spartan Ops back. Or something similar to that. WZ Firefight is fun. But I loved Spartan Ops for the story it had and it was fun to play.

Also, the T-rating. Really? Halo always has been a more mature universe. I want it to remain like that. I don't want it to have suddenly rainbows and pink everywhere and turn into Disney musical.

Now, I am so happy with the Social Playlist. It's fun. Super Fiesta is loved by everyone.
Action Sack is great, BUT they should throw in more modes. Anniversary Playlist they had? Throw it into the sack! More racing modes. Many more custom games and it'll be even better because it gets boring after some time.

Just from the games members of the Blue Team are just as new as Fireteam Osiris as they were only in other media, never in games before. Actually now I wonder what did the player, who only played games, think when he saw Fred, Linda and Kelly with Chief, having no clue who they were, because they didn't really introduce them in the game either. I mean, Halo is expanded universe and I love it and want it to expand more. And it's just like with Star Wars - you miss out a lot of stuff if you don't watch and read all the other media, not just movies.

Well, Chief has been the main protagonist of the games. Kinda hard to have anyone else as fan favorite.

Well, Cortana is dead. The Cortana we see in Halo 5 is one of her rampant selves, her remnant that was reassembled and "healed" in the Domain. But the Cortana *we* knew? She's gone.

To be honest I have no idea what will happen in Halo 6. I just know that Flood will return, but there is so much currently going on in the galaxy that there is no place for Flood to return as faction. We have UNSC (Swords are allies) against the Created which is already huge confict. Then we also have the Banished. The Created are huge thread, Cortana with her Guardians policing systems alone, not talking about ground forces.
I think Flood is watching from the shadows, but for it to return, it's too soon. I think if they will return anytime soon, it might be teased at the end of Halo 6.
I think I remember 343i first saying it was to be Forerunner Trilogy, then changed it into Forerunner Saga, so Halo 6 may as well not be a huge trilogy ending like Halo 3 was to Covenant Trilogy.

So, honestly I have no idea what is going to happen in Halo 6 at this point - I have hoped Halo Wars 2 would share anything about it... But we're still at the very same spot where Halo 5 ended... ;_; It hurts me, to wait so long to finally see what it going to happen... And also I have no idea what's going to happen with Chief.
I don't really think they would say goodbye to him in Halo 6. I wouldn't have anything against it, to be honest, but the farewell has to be done just right. Of course Chief could never retire. This would have to be done perfect and it's going to be damn hard to do, to give us closure and do something fitting and right for the legend he is.
I loved Halo 4, it's masterpiece to me. Especially on the emotional level, the struggle to save Cortana, to fix her, and fail in the end. That ending was done beautifully. Just perfect. I cried like a baby, many times. But it's just beautiful. Her farewell, then the epilogue with Lasky and his words. The whole game...

It's just me but I am in LOVE with the updated weapons, designs and all. The weapons? Magnum, DMR, BR, AR and more? I am so in love with the new updated ones. Can't even fully express my love.
BUT I am totally in love with the Mark IV. Especially how they even updated the design in Halo Wars 2. It's godly. SO beautiful and sooo pretty... On the cutscenes, I'm melting.

And the AIs! I totally love Roland. And now Isabel! I have a soft spot for AIs. I even had a small hope Serina would somehow survive...

Oh and as for Sangheili, Grunts and all... I would like to see both if they wanna mix art style.
We already have Kig-Yar, the Jackals. We have 3 confirmed subspecies, the Ruuthian - the ones we most commonly know, the T'voaon - we know from Reach as Skirmishers and the ones with fluffy feathers and the new ones introduced by 343i - Ibie'shans.
I totally can see it with the Sangheili and Unggoy being multiple subspecies.
(but for fff sake, don't give Elites hooves!)

Well, I really like what 343i is doing. I am very pleased and happy and support most of it, but I also have issues.
Like listed above or more concerning collectibles and merchandise - Microsoft focusing on children, going fully to Mattel, ditching nice McF figures for crappy Mattel barbie toys, downscaled boomco stuff that fits children and more. Not even mentioning that all this Mattel stuff is in USA only, they don't even care to distribute it worldwide...
I have nothing against expanding but changing priorities while ditching long-time fans? That's not cool.

Also, as for the new designs, gameplay... I call it EVOLVED (pun intended). It may be just me, but I like constant change, as small as it may be. Evolution is part of everything, so maybe that's why I don't cling to the old so much.

- Palmer

PS. I apologize for the wall of text. Blame it on Roland.

 

[mblackwell1002]

CommanderPalmer; Hrm, good read. Halo's combat must evolve, or else people will lose interest. I really like the new weapons as well, and how all the H5 weapons feel balanced and useful, plus they just look awesome.

However, I'm not a huge fan of the Halo wars Mk IV. I just don't like the design very much. I don't mind the helmet, but I don't like the body armor.

I don't get why you don't like the T-rating. does it really matter? I mean, what exactly do you miss? I don't think there's even a tiny chance that Halo is going to turn into some magical Disneyland. (no offense to Disney fans )

I do miss the Halo 4 customization, though. I liked having the Defender shoulder on my right shoulder and the Recruit shoulder on my left. I dunno, I just thought it looked good.
Anyway, I liked that customization style. speaking of, did you know that the recruit shoulders are asymmetrical? just a little fun fact.

I actually never got into Mcfarlane figures or action figures in general, always full-sized stuff. I don't grab the boom-co stuff anymore because I have better prop making resources, so there's no real need for the collectibles. 3D printing is my go-to now.

I think the Flood will return in...Halo 7 (if that's the title) I think they will need something new and interesting to spark some conflict, and with the Halo 3 teaser near the end, Bungie probably had plans to re-introduce them, but we know that didn't happen.

When and If the Flood return, I hope they look pretty scary. Lately halo hasn't been scary, and I think Halo needs some more thrills.
Maybe a fan-made concept art is needed! I didn't like Halo 4's Flood, they were plain ol' ugly with a scary smiley face. (you can never unsee the smiley face) They need to look big(ish) with those weird red celery stalks sticking out of where the host's face used to be. (you know what I mean)

I don't want them to look the same as Halo CE-3, but I want them to show some more resemblance. I like the bubbly-puss-filled flood in the originals, but I like how 343 made them a bit more sleek and angular. I think there is a good medium that could make them look a little scarier. Bungie's flood didn't look super scary; 343's looked scary but a bit dumb-looking. I think 343 should take their flood as a base, make the upper body/ head look somewhat like Bungie's, but make it more angular like 343's flood; then make there be more festering boils on the skin. I want a flood that resembles 343's Halo 2 A Gravemind.

 

[agentflorida]

I see your point.

 

[agentflorida]

Welcome back CommanderPalmer.

 

[agentflorida]

We did get the classic helmets for a while that was limited time. Gen 1 helmets including EOD, Recon, and many more.

 

[mblackwell1002]

CommanderPalmer, this is basically what I was imagining, it's not a great sketch, but it'll do:

I'd be pretty scared if I saw this chasing after me...It's a mix of both 343's and Bungie's designs.

yes, I know, the Mjolnir exoskeleton details aren't all there.

 

[Reclaimara]

mblackwell1002 I hope you're aware that in Halo 4 was no Flood. It was just Infected Spartans for training purposes, but not real Flood.
It was still more than what they did in Halo 5 - giving us only the stinky infected sword, but the Spartan still looks the same.
Still, Infection as a mode is not canon (as in lore and events in universe), it's just a game type in multiplayer.

343i has shown us some canon Flood appearances. I mean the Tales From Slipspace stories. In Something Has Happened they shown us what happened to the Flood Infection Form onboard the Spirit of Fire.
It has evolved. The Infection Form looked different, more dangerous. Combat Form had a this claw, and more. So I can assure if, Flood will be different. More dangerous.

Also, I am not afraid of 343i's take with Flood. Take Halo 2 Anniversary as an example, IMO Flood was looking great there.

Also, well. I guess everyone has a different taste. I love Mark IV most of the older gen armors. I love GEN2 most. Then Mark IV. I dislike Mark VI most. It's GEN2>Mark IV>Mark V>Mark VI.
I really don't understand why they didn't care at all for the customization. Even with the REQ system the customization could have been even better. They would have had more of the REQ cards - many for the forearm, shoulder, chest, etc. And some potential accessories like pouches, etc. It would have been even more than now. No idea why they went to just armor set + helmet.

Well, I always like collecting stuff and McFarlane produced great figures. Earlier we had nice 1:1 things like Laser Tag Plasma Rifle and Plasma pistol which are huuuge. Literally 1:1.
BoomCo could have been 1:1 or close to that, no idea why Microsoft wants to make everything for small kids now. I wouldn't mind if they would continue to make stuff for adults and additionally for kids. But suddenly concentrating for them only? Nope.
I wouldn't mind going with lower rating too much if I wasn't seeing Microsoft trying to sell everything for kids too.
You won't get a more mature game with T rating, same as you won't get a movie like that. With the T rating Flood is even impossible, because it's blood and gore, unless it doesn't look scary at all. Just, lower rating closes many doors. Even swearing - which is normal in stressful situations for adults. Marines did swear sometimes.
So, I care about the rating, R or M rating is best and shouldn't go lower. Take Deadpool as an example, even with R rating. None of it in the movie would be possible with T rating.
And most games for more mature audiences are M anyway, because they don't want to restrict themselves and they are also aware that kids will play the games anyway.

PS. Halo 2 Anniversary had nice infected Spartans (this wouldn't have made it into game with T rating):

 

[mblackwell1002]

well, yeah. I'm talking about the multiplayer form. I'm just making a statement that 343's design looked dumb. I reaaaally don't like the slipspace stories flood. my GOSH it's so thin!
flood are huge, bulky, monstrous species. what's with all these flood that look similar to humans?! I love the Halo 3 flood, they were big, a tad bit gory, I dunno I just like em'. I want them more dangerous, but art style! I love 343's art style, and they pertain to a basic set of 'rails'. by rails, I mean that they do something that looks similar to Bungie's art, yet distinctly different. I want a Flood that looks similar to bungie's, but I want them to take it a little bit into their own hands. I would prefer the H4 flood over the slipspace stories' one.

I do like the Halo 2 anniversary on, though. looks quite nice, but the body needs to look bigger.

 

[agentflorida]

I do miss the flood game mode from halo 4. and the picture of the infected flood head you posted is pretty terrifying.
If Halo does make any ties with Disney or the maturity level around Disney's level, they will completely loose my support.
I have done a lot of research since Halo 4 came out and before I was actually able to start playing the halo trilogies and games, after halo 4 was released, 343 planned on ending it with Halo 6, but that was almost 5 years ago, things change, they could make another game after 6, or even better, start a new trilogy.
In order for a game to survive, it cannot be completely relying on a single character. They would be on the back of Chief and once he is down or gone, they need to make another legend or just quit all together. I feel that Locke would be that character for it. I also feel that Locke was put in the story to provide a rival for chief. Locke is still a mystery to me but quite an amazing character. He still has such a long way before becoming the legend Chief is today, but he is bringing his team with him, like Chief brought Cortana with him till the end of halo 4.
I was pretty happy to see that Buck actually became a better because in many places, Buck's description was that if he was any better, he'd be a spartan, and look what happened.

I was pretty mad about the reduced armor customization as well as the random packs. I would have done it so that you could earn the armor and visors and emblems, and get randomized variants and earn or buy the primary weapons and have the moded ones randomized. The armor abilities and mods could be bought as well just like halo 4.The certifications and the reqs would be randomized. Stances and assassinations would be earned.

I do miss the Spartan ops because it was pretty much making you the main character.

And has anyone noticed that this is the first time hearing Kig yar or Jackals speaking English.