Suggestions for 343I, and the future of Halo

[ReapoBot]

I'll be simple and blunt: I wasn't happy with how Halo 5 played out. The story felt poorly-written, the game lacked the charm of the older Halo titles. The graphics were good, the scenes and sets were amazing, but it just didn't feel like a Halo story in the slightest.

So... I got to thinking. You guys (343 Industries.) can't be Bungie. Or, rather, you shouldn't -try- to be Bungie. You need to make your own, unique mark on the game series. Unfortunately, so far, it's not been spectacular. Halo 4 was acceptible because it was your first true steps with the Halo series, but Halo 5 somehow feels -less- than Halo 4 was.

So... Why not take the game in a different direction? Knowing that I just said you shouldn't try to be Bungie, what about making a game with an open concept like Halo: ODST was? To everyone else, hear me out.

 

Halo 3: ODST was unique in the fact that it wasn't like any other Halo game at the time. You played not a Spartan, but an ODST. The campaign was semi-Open World. Your character, while silent, had plenty of direct interaction with other characters otuside of 'Give me a weapon' and 'I'm gonna shoot that'. It had humorous story, but with a serious tone. Your squad was lost in the city, and it was up to -you- to find them.

What I'm suggesting is similar in many ways. Take the open-world concept, and apply it to the earlier days of the Covenant-Human war. Take a step back, show us, the fans, more of the Halo universe. Let's say there's this planet, before the fall of Reach, that used to be an Insurrectionist stronghold in the Innie wars. It holds strategic value to the UNSC, just like it did to the Rebels back then, and now the covenant are invading.

You play a Spartan II, and your squad is assigned with holding the capitol city along with a contingent of Marines and ODST. This provides several oppertunities for story-telling: Allowing us to see the interaction of the early Spartan-II units when mixed amidst the Marines and ODST, while giving us a narrative of the 'heroic saviors' here to push the Covenant back.

The game world would be semi-open, much like ODST, where several segments of the city are open to exploration at any one time. You would be stationed at a 'base camp' in one portion of the map where you can re-supply ammunition for basic weapons after missions, requisition heavy weapons with tokens of some form found in the campaign (X tokens found unlocks Y weapon for use.), and otherwise provide ambiance. Conversations between Marines and ODST about the Spartans, the conditions they're in, so on and so forth. Missions would be positioned at various points in the open-world, and initiated by simply traveling to them and activating some sort of trigger. This lets the player decide what missions to do in what order.

 

After a certain number of missions, you advance in the story by taking part in an assault on a Covenant stronghold within the city. After this operation, there's a small portion of time skipped, and you're given a new section of the city to fight in and conquer.

 

However, your squad of Spartan-II's was also stationed on this planet during the Insurrectionist war. After certain missions, optional objectives would take the form of flash-backs, in which your Spartans would fight their way back through the location they just fought in. This time, however, it's a glimpse of what combat and missions were like in the Innie days of the city.

 

The final (And perhaps most important detail.) of the game idea is that each 'chapter' is told from a standpoint of your Spartan talking with medical officers about the event, which would offer us a look into Spartan-II psyche. To put it into better words, the entire game's campaign is a recollection, a debriefing to the medical officers to ensure the Spartans are still fit for combat.

 

 

 

A big note here is that the idea of the game is to give you a personal take on the Halo universe. Rather than having a corridor shooter, give us something that lets us take control and actually be behind the wheel for portions of the game. Let us make our own decisions about where to go and when to do missions. Give us a look at the horrors that Spartans had to commit during the rebellion, and the effect it had on them in conjunction with their training.

 

There are other, smaller details that I would like to see included in a game like this. The ability to have your Spartan's gender have an effect on the gameplay (Fully voiced Spartan lines, male or female.), letting your personal armor for multi-player be used in the campaign for -all- the coop participants. Small things, like that. Best of all, this fits into your new squad-based combat that you've introduced in Halo 5: Guardians.



To end a rant, I just want a fresh take on the Halo universe from a company that has it in them to do so much better. Don't feel forced to follow in Bungie's footsteps, step out and make the series your -own- thing. Show us what -you- can do, don't force yourselves to use the same characters. As much as I love the Master Cheif, it's time to let him lay down and rest. His fight is over, done. Give us a new champion, give us a new story. Show us what the Halo universe can truly be in all of it's glory. Don't limit us, and yourselves, to one small -sliver- of the full picture. Even if this concept is laughed at, even if makes no sense, even if it seems utterly ridiculous, you have the ability to make a game like this and to do it -amazingly- well. Please don't waste that potential.

[BATMAN]

Honestly, I like your idea and would definitely play that game. I'm glad to see another fan have hope for the series and belief in 343i. It's actually quite a relief.

 

I would, however, recommend you post this idea on the official 343i forums, found at Halo Waypoint. I didn't care too much for ODST, but that's hardly relevant (I did have fun with it, though).

 

All in all, I hope you decide to stick around on the forums and join the community. We could always use more members for playdates.

[Needles]

To be honest I feel like they could have done with a completely new story involving the Marines most elite. But personally I didnt like 4 the weapons and enemies was a nice change and halo 5 didnt even have custom games why is this. We cant split screen but custom Games wasnt there. And how do you plan on explaining the new light update? The similarity of this is obvous.

[Sapper420]

Suggestion!!! Yes here's one, bring back split-screen! Figure it out. Only reason I get Halo is to slay with my wife, if I hadn't downloaded it and had the disc I would throw that mother-****er away!

[Caboose The Ace]

Suggestion!!! Yes here's one, bring back split-screen! Figure it out. Only reason I get Halo is to slay with my wife, if I hadn't downloaded it and had the disc I would throw that mother-****** away!

 

That game is already out stuff like that simply cannot happen because the game has been released.

 

Sorry but that's simply it.

[carloft]

bring Halo 5 to PC please alot of gamers that have a PC but cant afford to play on Xbox would love to play this on PC. Please 343 bring us Halo 5 Guardians to PC.

[Spartan S17]

* -Heres is my idea; a new style of Halo game with class load outs, large inventory of weapons and vehicles across large maps. Very ambitious, but if done correctly would change the way we play halo in a very awesome and new way.

 

* -Don't worry! It's not meant to replace the arena shooter Halo is, but add a new game style to this vast universe.

 

* - With this in mind it would be the ultimate Halo fans game; exploring known, and never before seen vehicles, weapons, tech, and locations from the lore of the Halo universe, and explaining the battles we've read about but never seen.

 

* -This wouldn't be your typical Spartan vs Spartan multiplayer, but more of an interactive campaign like multiplayer experience.

 

* -You'd play as the Covenant or UNSC ground troops, Supporting air vehicles, and Space vessels during the Human & Covenant War.

 

* -We're all familiar with the story of the Halo rings and the Forerunners, but only the books have covered the war up to Combat evolved. (save Halo: Reach)

 

* -Fight across the outer and inner colony's from Harvest and Meridian to Reach and Earth in different game modes from all out slayer, attack and defend modes, small team objective game types as specialized units.

 

* -The tutorial explaining basic combat would be set on Reach as a boot camp for marines, as the Covenant is set on High Charity; religiously preparing you to wipe the humans from the stars in the name of the gods.

 

* - Playing as the UNSC your primary goal in the main game type ground side is to evacuate and defend civilians, ether escaping up the orbital elevators, or taking commercial aircraft off world. Secondary objectives are to defend Alpha and Bravo base, third bonus objective is to offensively attack covenant dig sites and deny them forerunner artifacts. If you hold out long enough you and your squads are evac'd to safety.

 

* -Playing as Covenant in this game type, your objective is to cause as much damage as possible; denying humans the ability to evacuate, destroying their bases, and take the holy Forerunner artifacts. If achieved will end the match and Glassing of the planet will begin.

 

* -Think of it as Halo Wars chaotic combat without RTS. Being able to choose 3rd or 1st person views in vehicles or on foot.

 

* -As you start the battle there would be a cut scene similar to deployment into a War Zone game, but not as repetitive. (bases wouldn't be lazily the same copy paste layout or completely symmetrical maps ext.)

 

* -You start as marines, or Grunts and move up the latter to better troops, slowly gaining command of your own fire teams with a skill based system; eventually earning the chance to play as the Legendary Spartan II candidates in their Mark V armor as well as Elite Spec Ops, Ship and Field Commanders, the Arbiter, and Brute Chieftains (like Hero's in Battlefront 1 or 2)

* -No one will be confused on objectives! Your teams AI will guide the way keeping you and your squads informed on the changing battle.

 

* -Kill your foe with a massive Arsenal. If you've used it in a halo game before, it's in here and more! M6 pistols and MA rifles of every type. Plasma Rifles, repeaters, storm rifles ext. Every weapon in the games, as well as books/lore of the Halo Universe! Like the never before used MA5K carbine, M99 gauss sniper, lotus AT mines, C12 shaped charges, to needler pistols, assassin style energy garrote, energy daggers & energy mortars.

 

* -Customize each class of troop the more you play with it. Thousands of choices; voices, faces, skin color, facial hair, scars, armor, fatigue camo, war paint, weapon and equipment load outs, to aesthetic things like cigars, dog tags, blood splatters, the mark of shame, prosthetic limbs or wounds. (all aesthetics would be cannon; i.e. Major elite, Minor elite, no Call of duty colorful weapon camo crap here) All unlocked though good old fashion play time. (Not a random REQ system.)


* -When playing the powerful Alien onslaught bent on humanity's extinction, use Grunts, Jackals, Elites, Hunters, Drones, & Brutes to take control. Each class with their own unique characteristic abilities; able to use a vast number of covenant weaponry and technology.

 

* -Fight as vulnerable but powerful humans in tight knit units of hard charging marines, Jumping feet first from orbiting ships into hell as ODST's, (Insert awesome cut scene from Halo 3 ODST deployment) and specialized ONI units out for Intel gathering to help your team; all utilizing known and never before featured UNSC tech and weapons.


* -The battles, taking place on large scale fields, Cities and landscapes throughout the inner and outer colonies, Complete with burning, melting, and exploding environments.

 

* -Ground based battles would be AI, and real players, not being able to be differentiated. (People would only kill real players) Battling on foot or in vehicles, for control of the map.

 

* -Weapons would have longer effective ranges in order to account for the size and range of combat in larger maps. Keeping the smart link scopes, MA5 rifles, needlers and plasma would reach out to at least a 100 meters effective range vs the 15 meters in a halo game now. DMR's BR's and Carbines and Needler rifles would be similarly "more effective" being that they reach out and touch over longer distances.

 

* -Stronger Power weapons would deploy in drop pods, be found in armories, weapon racks or crates scattered throughout the map.

 

* -A vast number of vehicles from the games as well as lore; from nimble ghosts, banshees, Warthogs, & hornets, Pelicans and Spirits (able to pick up and deploy vehicles and troops) to Longswords and Seraphs over head as Scorpions and Wraiths battle it out. Hell! Even the occasional Scarab tearing down buildings as a player controlled vehicle!

 

* -Space battles! Switch it up from ground combat for a new game type! Imagine Halo fall of reach animated series, the space battle scene as a multiplayer experience!

 

* -6 vs 6 ship combat. Choose your type of UNSC and Covenant (player controlled) Naval ship. From destroyers, frigates, prowlers and corvettes to the largest most durable medium armed but slow Carriers with large AI controlled defensive fighter squadrons. One ship of each per team chosen at the beginning.

 

* Utilize plasma torpedoes, energy projectors, inter-system slip space jumps to archer missile pods, MAC cannons, and nuclear missiles. If your ship is destroyed, you spawn exiting the hanger of your teams ship as Longswords or Seraphs. (Long Night of Solace) like gameplay for multiplayer.

 

* Each Ship has have its own unique advantages from more health but slower, to heavier firepower, faster maneuverability, stealth ext. each equally important for your team.

 

* To win the match you must Board the last damaged vessel to capture the Human slip space data as elite shock troops or on the flip side Nuke the covenant ship from the inside out as Spartans, giving the underdog a chance to turn the tide by stopping them and defending their ship.

 

* One player would assume the roll of Fleet Commander and has authority to assign fields of fire, maneuvers, and attack orders making it a strategic fight, follow your orders and receive bonuses.

 

* Fight above planets, hide behind them in the shadows, utilize wreckage and asteroids as cover from incoming fire. All plays "from the books" as they say. Keys Loop!


 

Theres no shortage of content for a game like this in a Lore Universe as big as the Halo Franchise, and I can't think of a better way to let us play with all of these things in one sandbox.

 

UNSC Weapons:
http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Human_Weapons
UNSCShips:
http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/UNSC_Starships
UNSC Vehicles:
http://www.halopedia.org/Category:UNSC_Vehicles

Covenant Weapons:
http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Covenant_Weapons
CovenantShips:
http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/Covenant_Navy
Covenant Vehicles:
http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Covenant_Vehicles

Planets:
http://www.halopedia.org/Human_colonies






























-

[Rampageborn1959]

To whom it may concern at X-box Live, 343, and Microsoft;

When I purchased Halo MCC, it was with the intent of playing Halo CE, "Free-for-all" online.  ( Free-for-all isn't even offered in MCC for Halo one CE.) 

   Due to the lack of dedicated servers, I and many others have a difficult time with online play.  When I shoot at an opponent, I will be right on target (their forehead).  Also, (he hasn't got a power up)with five or six shots,  he doesn't die.  With one shot he can kill me.  I have been playing this game since it's inception and have been a very successful player in the past.  In Guardians, my player level is in the thirties.  Someone with a faster internet speed definitely, always has the advantage in Halo MCC.  In HALO MCC I had to back my level to 3 or 4, or never win a game ever. (which is no fun).  The game will also pair me with a 1 or 2 and put us against levels 47s and 50s!  This wouldn't  bother me if I was by myself with dedicated servers and nobody had the advantage.   My download speed is 6.4 mbps and my upload speed is .42 mbps, which seems to work great in Guardians with its dedicated servers.  There is nothing I can do about my internet speed since it is the fastest speed offered where I live.   This has proven to be an extremely miserable experience for me and many other bloggers I have chatted with.

Another blogger wrote the following blog which I am now sharing with you

"In any online game, there needs to be a server that receives and transmits data to all of the players. In most games on consoles, the player with the best connection in a game, will be made the server. Because it is an average user, if their connection is not that great, or is interrupted, it can cause lag for all of the players. A dedicated server is a server that is not a player, but rather a dedicated computer connection that everyone connects to with more computing power and a better connection. Dedicated servers cost money, player servers don't. I personally think it's a rip off that we pay $60 a year for Xbox live and don't receive dedicated servers... Many computer games use dedicated servers and the users pay nothing."          

    Another thing that is sadly missing  in Gaurdians and MCC is a custom map mutiplayer choice for regular players to pick. Here, this beautiful forge has been built with awesome maps and map making abilities, but we can't use it for a multiplayer game.  So, you download or make some great maps and TRY to get people to play, but,  as soon as they realize thats what you have invited them to, they quit!   And yes, I realize there are sites like HALOFORGE and reddit, etc but they don't work ether.  I tried it and no one shows up.  I would like some answers.   a) Are you going to put dedicated servers in HALO MCC?  If yes, when?    b)Are you going to put Free-for-all in MCC?    c)Are you going to put a custom multiplayer choice in both?   I  am sure many others won't be buying anything else until you start paying attention and make these games more enjoyable.          

This letter is from a 56 year young adult who is taking the time to try to help you make a better product. (Please pay attention!) 

To whom it may concern at X-box Live, 343, and Microsoft;

When I purchased Halo MCC, it was with the intent of playing Halo CE, "Free-for-all" online.  ( Free-for-all isn't even offered in MCC for Halo one CE.) 

   Due to the lack of dedicated servers, I and many others have a difficult time with online play.  When I shoot at an opponent, I will be right on target (their forehead).  Also, (he hasn't got a power up)with five or six shots,  he doesn't die.  With one shot he can kill me.  I have been playing this game since it's inception and have been a very successful player in the past.  In Guardians, my player level is in the thirties.  Someone with a faster internet speed definitely, always has the advantage in Halo MCC.  In HALO MCC I had to back my level to 3 or 4, or never win a game ever. (which is no fun).  The game will also pair me with a 1 or 2 and put us against levels 47s and 50s!  This wouldn't  bother me if I was by myself with dedicated servers and nobody had the advantage.   My download speed is 6.4 mbps and my upload speed is .42 mbps, which seems to work great in Guardians with its dedicated servers.  There is nothing I can do about my internet speed since it is the fastest speed offered where I live.   This has proven to be an extremely miserable experience for me and many other bloggers I have chatted with.

Another blogger wrote the following blog which I am now sharing with you

"In any online game, there needs to be a server that receives and transmits data to all of the players. In most games on consoles, the player with the best connection in a game, will be made the server. Because it is an average user, if their connection is not that great, or is interrupted, it can cause lag for all of the players. A dedicated server is a server that is not a player, but rather a dedicated computer connection that everyone connects to with more computing power and a better connection. Dedicated servers cost money, player servers don't. I personally think it's a rip off that we pay $60 a year for Xbox live and don't receive dedicated servers... Many computer games use dedicated servers and the users pay nothing."          

    Another thing that is sadly missing  in Gaurdians and MCC is a custom map mutiplayer choice for regular players to pick. Here, this beautiful forge has been built with awesome maps and map making abilities, but we can't use it for a multiplayer game.  So, you download or make some great maps and TRY to get people to play, but,  as soon as they realize thats what you have invited them to, they quit!   And yes, I realize there are sites like HALOFORGE and reddit, etc but they don't work ether.  I tried it and no one shows up.  I would like some answers.   a) Are you going to put dedicated servers in HALO MCC?  If yes, when?    b)Are you going to put Free-for-all in MCC?    c)Are you going to put a custom multiplayer choice in both?   I  am sure many others won't be buying anything else until you start paying attention and make these games more enjoyable.          

This letter is from a 56 year young adult who is taking the time to try to help you make a better product. (Please pay attention!) 

[Twinreaper]

It still makes me lul that people really think we have anything to do with Microsoft or 343. If you fine folks spent as much time trying to find the correct site to post to as you do writing this stuff up, you would be kosher.

 

However for the zillionth time, we are not 343. We have no affiliation and or partnership with them. Halowaypoint is their official site, of you wish t ok have anythinf you write possibly seen.

 

Now far be it from me to overlook or shame ideas, but quite honestly if you look at how the developer has actually listened to some of the communities ideas and how bad they have failed......blame yourselves for how poorly halo 4/5 turned out. I can say with 100% certainty that not a single member of the community grasps any full/whole concept of how their ideas would work systematically/mechanically/coding wise. If they did/had then most of the concepts listed here and around the community would have a much better impact.

[Halo4suckswaytoodamnmuch]

I can NOT express how much more halo 3 was FAR SUPERIOR than all halo games that came about after. I call halo 4 call of halo and now I been hearing halo 5 is worst than halo 4 by true halo players. Halo was the only reason I would have bought xbox one but I have no intentions of buying one ever. I hate halo 4 so much that it breaks my damn heart. halo 3 is life

My first comment ever on this forum was based out of hurt and EXTREME frustration. This is more of a cry out for bringing halo back to being halo. I know some might feel that halo must grow and evolve but the true halo fans from halo 1-3 will most likely come back and buy the game and system necessary to play it. I would. I believe I speak for all true halo fans that have to much pride to say it but I BEG for halo to be created the way it first was. Call of duty is fun, but halo was different and much more enjoyable because of it but now all I do is play cod because it's far better than halo 4 or 5. I'm not even a call of duty fan..

[RedStarRocket91]

I'm not even a call of duty fan..

 

Call of duty is fun

 

now all I do is play cod

So let me get this straight: you don't like CoD and prefer Halo, and you show this by... not playing Halo and playing CoD?

 

I call halo 4 call of halo

So what's the problem? It's similar to the game you spend most of your time playing, after all.

 

I believe I speak for all true halo fans 

 

all I do is play cod because it's far better than halo 4 or 5

Not really a very good 'fan', are you? Certainly not a true fan, considering you haven't even played the newest game and now spend all your time playing a different game altogether...

 

And no, you don't speak for the rest of us, and you certainly don't speak for me. It's incredibly disrespectful to insist that anyone who doesn't share your particular view of the way Halo should be can't be 'true' fan. More to the point: perhaps you should stop listening to these 'true halo fans' of yours who insist that Halo 5 is 'worst' than Halo 4 (and incidentally, if they don't like it, then they obviously aren't true fans), and actually try it out for yourself? Second-hand criticism isn't really worth anything, and given that the majority of the community would probably agree that Halo 5 actually has the best gameplay in the series since Halo 3 (and possibly ever), just dismissing it without even trying it based on the things you've heard from a few fake fans doesn't really make for a good argument.