Halo 4. My Thoughts on the changes.

[Admiral Ackbar]

As most people know, technology is innovative and is constantly evolving. The majority of the evolution seen is a good thing given time. Sometimes with a brand new piece of hardware or software there are kinks, quirks, and bugs to fix. The majority of video game franchises follow this same progression. From Tony Hawk Pro Skater, to Halo, and Mass Effect. Every single franchise evolves and learns from the that evolution.

 

Halo 4 is the next step in the Halo Universe. It implemented new ideas into the Halo Universe and is learning from that. There are bugs that are being fixed, quirks that are being discovered, and kinks that are being ironed out. Some of the newest additions are under close scrutiny. The main ones I'm talking about are the specializations, the loadouts and the instant spawns. A large group of people don't like that idea because it's reminds them of CoD or other franchises.

 

I'd like to take a closer look at these changes. The specializations is a new idea in the Halo Franchise. Never before have you had that option. Now here comes the kinks, quirks and bugs I mentioned earlier. Some people have yet to receive their codes. Due to many reasons. A changed email address, unverified email addresses, and the location that the individual lives. The kinks are being worked out and people are receiving codes, albeit slowly. I can understand the frustration felt, however this is the first time in the Halo franchise that something like that has been offered. Things can go wrong from time to time. As for the people who claim to be die hard fans and say that because they don't have a code they will never play Halo again, I find it hard to believe that you are die hard fan. This is the first game something like this has been implemented, as a die hard fan you should be more concerned with the game play and game mechanics themselves. Which for the most part is the same. It's still the same Halo with or without the specializations.

 

Pertaining to loadouts. The majority of first person shooters now have loadouts. I believe that is part of the evolution of First Person Shooters. As for this being copied from CoD, I don't believe that. I find there are some KEY differences between CoD loadouts and Halo loadouts. In Halo you have the choice betweeen assault rifles, in CoD you can choose anything from a sniper to a shotgun. You have the ability to have more power weapons. Halo balances that by not letting you have those power weapons from the beginning. In order to gain a power a weapon you have to find the weapons on the maps.

 

Instant Spawns; are also a new addition. Again people claim this to be like CoD. I don't see it that way. In Halo there are only certain gametypes that you can instantly respawn. In CoD the majority of the time you can instantly respawn. Also as video games evolve and become faster and faster, in order to keep up the pace you have to have enemies to kill. To have enemies you have to have people respawn faster. Again, that's just my thought on it.

 

And I didn't mention it before, but the other big thing: Ordinance Drops. Yes, CoD has these. But again there are some major differences. In CoD your drops can be anything from radar for the team, missiles that can demolish an entire team, or a helicopter that stays in the air until someone shoots it down. In Halo the drops are a single power weapon, an armor ability meaning speed boost or damage boost, or another grenade type. Not nearly as powerful as some of the possible drops in CoD.

 

These are just my thoughts on everything that has been said about Halo 4. I think the game evolving. Some of the evolution that has occurred hasn't been the best and will have to be tweaked for future games. I've been an avid Halo fan since Halo 1, and I'm actually a fan of the majority of new features in Halo 4. I admit there are some changes I'd like to see. Some tweaks that should be implemented in future game updates. But I'm no concerned if they don't get fixed right away because I really enjoy the game. These are my thoughts. If you disagree, so be it. Let's stay civil.

[Harbinger]

Ackbar you said what all of us hardcore Halo fans have been thinking and times it by 10.

[Admiral Ackbar]

Thank you for the support!

[Rob T]

Awesome post Adm Ackbar, If people could learn to appreciate how the game is evolving they would see just how awesome of a job 343 did.

[Admiral Ackbar]

Thank you. I know that not everyone will appreciate the evolution of the game. It's impossible to make everyone happy.

[asooklall95]

Everyone should read this post before they go on about yet another rant about the game.

[Saint Mudknot]

You cant please everyone, but people who arent butt hurt over HALo4's new updates and changes, will agree with this 100%

[Admiral Ackbar]

Thank you all for the support. And I know a lot of people won't agree with this. But I think if people were to read it with an open mind, it makes sense

[Spectral Jester]

Cracking post, well thought out.

 

This is my post of the week

[Caboose The Ace]

alot of writing

[Twisted Oracle]

Great post!

[Mr Devil]

Great post. I agree completely. I've been reading a lot of threads on here that have been bashing this game like crazy, but I don' see their reasoning behind it, and they're just trolling. I've been a long time Halo fan as well and have greatly enjoyed Halo 4 and have a few issues myself but I can still see a great game that 343 has built.

[Admiral Ackbar]

alot of writing

 

It's a lot of writing. But its what I think about the changes of Halo.

[SkItZo1041]

Pertaining to loadouts. The majority of first person shooters now have loadouts. I believe that is part of the evolution of First Person Shooters. As for this being copied from CoD, I don't believe that. I find there are some KEY differences between CoD loadouts and Halo loadouts. In Halo you have the choice betweeen assault rifles, in CoD you can choose anything from a sniper to a shotgun. You have the ability to have more power weapons. Halo balances that by not letting you have those power weapons from the beginning. In order to gain a power a weapon you have to find the weapons on the maps.

 

You've got great points, I just disagree with this one in particular.. Not that Halo doesn't balance the loadouts, just CoD's shotguns and snipers aren't power weapons, they do better in specific situations is all. They do a fine job of balancing as well. I think it would be nice if Halo had a little stat tracker thing for each weapon. Like Call of Duty almost; rate of fire, damage output, accuracy, etc., so it could show people what gun is best for which situation.

[Admiral Ackbar]

The only reason I called the shotguns and snipers power weapons is because for the most part they are 1 or 2 shot kills. And in Halo they are generally considered power weapons.

[SkItZo1041]

Well yes, in Halo they are. Just in Call of Duty, they're much different. An assault rifle can kill in about 2-3 shots as well on there, so there's not much that can be considered a power weapon.

[SykoWolf]

Finally , everything i wanted to say about Halo 4 to those who complain all put into a nice easy thread...... *copies* im about to give this link to anyone who complains xD

[Cortar]

As most people know, technology is innovative and is constantly evolving. The majority of the evolution seen is a good thing given time. Sometimes with a brand new piece of hardware or software there are kinks, quirks, and bugs to fix. The majority of video game franchises follow this same progression. From Tony Hawk Pro Skater, to Halo, and Mass Effect. Every single franchise evolves and learns from the that evolution.

 

No one is complaining about evolution. Halo 1, 2 and 3 are all very different games. The point everyone is making which you seemed to have missed entirely is that the evolution done by 343 moves Halo drastically away from what it MEANS to be Halo.

Halo 4 is the next step in the Halo Universe. It implemented new ideas into the Halo Universe and is learning from that. There are bugs that are being fixed, quirks that are being discovered, and kinks that are being ironed out. Some of the newest additions are under close scrutiny. The main ones I'm talking about are the specializations, the loadouts and the instant spawns. A large group of people don't like that idea because it's reminds them of CoD or other franchises.

 

"A large group of people don't like these change because they go counter to the original idea behind Halo"

FTFY

 

I'd like to take a closer look at these changes. The specializations is a new idea in the Halo Franchise. Never before have you had that option. Now here comes the kinks, quirks and bugs I mentioned earlier. Some people have yet to receive their codes. Due to many reasons. A changed email address, unverified email addresses, and the location that the individual lives. The kinks are being worked out and people are receiving codes, albeit slowly. I can understand the frustration felt, however this is the first time in the Halo franchise that something like that has been offered. Things can go wrong from time to time. As for the people who claim to be die hard fans and say that because they don't have a code they will never play Halo again, I find it hard to believe that you are die hard fan. This is the first game something like this has been implemented, as a die hard fan you should be more concerned with the game play and game mechanics themselves. Which for the most part is the same. It's still the same Halo with or without the specializations.

What point are you even making? Again, you miss the point that the whole problem with the specializations is silly because it should have just been enabled by default. There is no reason for this problem to even exist!

 

Also, it definitely is not "the same Halo with or without the specializations." It is completely different! Even the most die hard supported of H4 must realize this.

Pertaining to loadouts. The majority of first person shooters now have loadouts. I believe that is part of the evolution of First Person Shooters. As for this being copied from CoD, I don't believe that. I find there are some KEY differences between CoD loadouts and Halo loadouts. In Halo you have the choice betweeen assault rifles, in CoD you can choose anything from a sniper to a shotgun. You have the ability to have more power weapons. Halo balances that by not letting you have those power weapons from the beginning. In order to gain a power a weapon you have to find the weapons on the maps.

 

Your argument is all over the place. First you say that Halo is copying all other FPSs by implementing loadouts because "its the evolution" but then you claim Halo isn't copying them...

 

Anyways, you are nitpicking details about the differences between CoD and Halo's loadout system, AGAIN MISSING THE POINT that if COD weren't so popular, its very doubtful that Halo would even have a loadout system in the first place.

 

Also its funny that you say this line "Halo balances that by not letting you have those power weapons from the beginning. In order to gain a power a weapon you have to find the weapons on the maps" when they got rid of this system...

Instant Spawns; are also a new addition. Again people claim this to be like CoD. I don't see it that way. In Halo there are only certain gametypes that you can instantly respawn. In CoD the majority of the time you can instantly respawn. Also as video games evolve and become faster and faster, in order to keep up the pace you have to have enemies to kill. To have enemies you have to have people respawn faster. Again, that's just my thought on it.

 

Lol, heres a hint when trying to prove a point, don't talk yourself out of the point you are trying to make...

 

You state that evolution of video games makes them faster and faster, as if thats the only direction that the evolution can take. Halo has always been a slow FPS, which millions of people have loved because it allows skillful interactions between players than that the, shoot first, always win like in COD or Battlefield. Your argument might hold some weight if people didn't continue to buy Halo 2 and 3. But they did, that obviously shows you that faster games = better.

And I didn't mention it before, but the other big thing: Ordinance Drops. Yes, CoD has these. But again there are some major differences. In CoD your drops can be anything from radar for the team, missiles that can demolish an entire team, or a helicopter that stays in the air until someone shoots it down. In Halo the drops are a single power weapon, an armor ability meaning speed boost or damage boost, or another grenade type. Not nearly as powerful as some of the possible drops in CoD.

 

Again with the nitpicking, just because they aren't literally the same thing doesn't mean that the ideas weren't copied. I will make the same point again, that if COD was not the most popular FPS, then Halo wouldn't have POD. Besides, POD are perhaps the most greavous change in the Halo series. Before POD, games were about strategy and teamwork, controlling important parts of the map in order to win. Now, all of that is gone and games revolve around getting lucky and getting an IC in your POD instead of a concussion rifle.

These are just my thoughts on everything that has been said about Halo 4. I think the game evolving. Some of the evolution that has occurred hasn't been the best and will have to be tweaked for future games. I've been an avid Halo fan since Halo 1, and I'm actually a fan of the majority of new features in Halo 4. I admit there are some changes I'd like to see. Some tweaks that should be implemented in future game updates. But I'm no concerned if they don't get fixed right away because I really enjoy the game. These are my thoughts. If you disagree, so be it. Let's stay civil.

 

Sorry but everyone who congratulated you on a "well thought out" post should really actually read said post before responding. You make no good arguments for anything, you contradict yourself constantly, and all of your so called points are basically boil down to needless nitpicking.

 

What gets me is that you say you have been a Halo fan since Halo 1. You should know then how different Halo 4 is from the previous games.

[Admiral Ackbar]

Halo 4 is very different from Halo 1. Hence the evolution of the game. It's evolved from Halo 1 to Halo 4. Every Halo game brings something new to the table.

 

The points that I'm being nitpicky about are the points that a lot of people been bringing up every time I see the complaints in the shoutbox. You don't like specs, you don't like the instant spawns, or you don't like how you're stuck at 70. I addressed those points. Yes the game has changed, if it wouldn't have changed and evolved it would have been left behind. Face it, if every Halo game was exactly like Halo CE, the franchise would have died. I love Halo CE, that being said it needed to change, evolve, and adapt with time.

 

I don't contradict myself. I try to see things from the other persons mind frame. I see that you're frustrated with the changes. I have parts of the new Halo I really don't like either. But overall the game is still a Halo game. In my opinion it's a great Halo game.

[Cortar]

Halo 4 is very different from Halo 1. Hence the evolution of the game. It's evolved from Halo 1 to Halo 4. Every Halo game brings something new to the table.

 

The points that I'm being nitpicky about are the points that a lot of people been bringing up every time I see the complaints in the shoutbox. You don't like specs, you don't like the instant spawns, or you don't like how you're stuck at 70. I addressed those points. Yes the game has changed, if it wouldn't have changed and evolved it would have been left behind. Face it, if every Halo game was exactly like Halo CE, the franchise would have died. I love Halo CE, that being said it needed to change, evolve, and adapt with time.

 

I don't contradict myself. I try to see things from the other persons mind frame. I see that you're frustrated with the changes. I have parts of the new Halo I really don't like either. But overall the game is still a Halo game. In my opinion it's a great Halo game.

 

.... Please read my post before responding.

 

I already talked about the evolution of the game series.

 

 

Being nitpicky doesn't make them wrong or you right. Especailly in those contexts. Thats like saying that if I wrote a book and called it Jerry Notter and changed a few more details about the plot and such that it isn't copying...

 

You actually did contradict yourself:

 

Instant Spawns; are also a new addition. Again people claim this to be like CoD. I don't see it that way. In Halo there are only certain gametypes that you can instantly respawn. In CoD the majority of the time you can instantly respawn. Also as video games evolve and become faster and faster, in order to keep up the pace you have to have enemies to kill. To have enemies you have to have people respawn faster. Again, that's just my thought on it.

 

You try to say that Halo's instant respawn is different because its only in certain gametype but then in the next sentence you say the same thing about CoD.... Which makes no sense.

 

 

Yes the game has changed, if it wouldn't have changed and evolved it would have been left behind

 

Since you obviously didn't read my post... Let me repeat myself.

 

Yes the game has changed. All Halo games have change. But Halo 4 changed in a much different, and worse way than Halos 2 and 3. Halos 2 and 3 kept the core gameplay of Halo 1 and added new elements that either improved gameplay or just changed it. Halo 4 changed by scrapping much of the core gameplay by adding in very radical way. halo 4 would have been like 2 or 3 and changed.... but in a good way. There was no reason to change it like they did. Halo 3 sold millions of copies. Halo 3 still had a large online audience. There was no evidence that people were tired of the traditional Halo experience at that point or that they would ever be. Its telling that for all of its changes Halo 4 still sold as much as Halo 4.

[xX FUNKYFLUMP]

very well said.

 

ITS A TRAP!

[Goatny]

Id like to congratulate you on your well thought out post..