Adding Ranks to Halo 4

[PaladinFTW278]

After a long discussion with friends on XBOX Live Party I've decided to post a topic directly to 343 on a suggestion to not only improve the longevity of the Halo 4 for fans of the game, but also to give a boost to the Multiplayer population of the game as well.

 

The primary reason for this discussion began with our titles. Once we hit level 130 we were frozen with the specialization we last picked. Right now I'm an Engineer and it seems I may stay one for the remainder of the game. So we started talking about Reach and how great the ranking system was and why it wouldn't be in Halo 4.

 

 

Then it hit me, the Spartan IVs are basically fresh Spartans that haven't felt the heat of battle and have been going through the Infinity Battle Simulator to prep themselves. Recruits don't earn ranks in boot camp.

 

It even states in the Spartan Ops video that Palmer wanted the teams to run through the Battle Simulator for 48 hours before putting them on Requiem. That tells me that they're green, inexperienced, and they're using Requiem as a way to get their feet wet in combat before going into something really heavy.

 

So perhaps once Spartans reach level 130 they "graduate" boot camp. They complete the Simulation program and are dispatched to other locations to become true Veterans and not somewhere that they're watched over by Infinity and constantly babysat by Palmer.

 

But just because they're dispatched doesn't mean they can't still enjoy combat simulation, perhaps after completing a campaign they come back to Infinity and show the new Spartans a thing or two

 

 

Their expertise in the battlefield would be shown with a ranking similar to Reach's ranking system that displays next to the SR 130 on a player's card. http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/Rank_(Halo:_Reach) << See link for reference

 

The Specialization title would be replaced with the title of your rank. Imagine entering a lobby and running into "INHERITOR SR130", I remember when playing Reach, if an Inheritor was in the game lobby, you were in for a tough fight most of the time.

 

This game has SO much potential to open up to something even better once you take the time and effort to reach level 130. Maybe even once reaching 130 and maxing your commendations on weapons/assists/whathaveyou, you unlock the iron>bronze>silver>gold>onyx for your commendations, so once you hit 7/7 on DMR, you get additional bragging rights for yourself So there be the idea, tell me what you think!

[Iиversiσn]

Okay, you want my honest opinion? No.

 

Halo: Reach's system was awesome? According to an unbelievable number of players, this is completely wrong. Halo: Reach's ranking system represented how long people played or how much firefight they played, it was almost never a representation of skill. Leveling up by playing games that you don't even have to win for hours on end with no reward (besides playing barbie) will not bring back any fans, nor improve the game. I remember so many inheritors that were simply awful at the game, I would check their stats and they would have 5000 kills and over 10 days of firefight. To be frank, your idea improves the longevity of the levels (not the lifespan of the game) but it will not bring any fan that has left, back. Many players that left (that I know of), left due to the fact that the ranking system is pointless and expanding a pointless idea is in retrospect, prolonging death.

 

I agree with your last point though, that the game has incredible amounts of potential to be something better. In my opinion, this will not be achieved by adding more ranks. As for your commendation idea, Halo 4 already has this (Novice -> Proficient -> Adept -> Expert -> Distinguished -> Master, don't quote me on this, but it is similar to Reach). This, once again does not give bragging rights, it shows how long you've played the game. Take the "DMR Master" title into example, if a higher skilled player was to play the game with only the DMR, he/she would be able to get it faster than a lower skilled player, the point is that they will both eventually get it and arrive at the same point and there's no bragging rights in that.

 

If you want to improve the longevity of the game itself, add a visible trueskill ranking system. It seems to me like you're a kind of person that enjoys having bragging rights over others, and this is a perfect way to do so. A good player will achieve a higher rank than a lower skilled player, therefore allowing bragging rights because it does not take time played into account, but the approximate skill required. Enough about bragging rights now, I just want to talk about my experience with the lifespan of Halo 4. It is dying faster than Halo: Reach did, and in my opinion (and experience) it is because there is nothing to strive for in the game. I feel like I want something gained of value inside the game that I can be proud of accomplishing. Playtime/Level doesn't quite cut it for me, although once again, a trueskill system would completely give me something to strive for, to improve my game completely. This is what kept bringing players back and keeping them for good.

 

Just my take on things, feel free to respond (you are more than entitled to your opinion as I am to mine). Thanks,

-Inversion

[Caboose The Ace]

1 this is a comminty forum not 343 here

 

2 i do agree with u abit on the ranks it was to short but reaches was to long in reach do 50 games barley make a dent in the levling up

 

3 i also agree with u on the engineer think once we hit max we get to make out own title not whatever spec we do last

[Hater]

That is an interesting concept you have there, but I would rather see a Halo 2/Halo 3 ranking system over a Halo Reach/Halo 4.

[Billy Mays]

Oh boyyyyyy another topic about a ranking system in Halo 4....

[VinWarrior]

Uh you know this ain't directly the 343 hub right? That is over at Halo Waypoint, nobody here is bs angel or frank o'connor. But I like some ideas. We should have our own title. So I do agree we should up the ranks but not like that. At 130 a specialization appears called master where when you unlock it you get a storm rifle skin, MK V Armor and the next 100 ranks. You can also write down you're title like a service tag except longer, e.g. The Almighty SpartanCUPID or something I dunno.

[PaladinFTW278]

Sorry for the wait there, got caught up with things. Anyways, i agree that having a true skill ranking does indeed show bragging rights. But the intention behind the idea is not to simply express how skilled/non-skilled someone else is. The idea behind 'graduating' boot camp was to add another dimension to the Infinity universe, and that is for those players who are all about grinding out levels and wanting to just get one step higher, whether or not there's actually any gear/weapons/skills achieved for doing so, they would still get a simple 'stripe' for each level above and beyond level 130. Remember, 343i adds new challenges on a daily/weekly basis... once you cap at 130 they're no use to you anymore. Also if you're still working on your weapon commendations you get MASSIVE exp bonuses for finishing those levels but once again, level 130 prevents you from receiving any of that experience. If we could either gain a stripe and move back down (Prestiging in CoD) or proceed with an exp heavy leveling system after 130, you could actually use that experience gained instead of it all going to waste.

 

The Spartan Ranking level to me reminds me of school. You go from Elementary to College, but what do we do after we graduate? We get a job of course. A Spartan's job would be to go out into the battlefield and be put into active duty. In fact if you recall the introduction video to the game itself, Sarah Palmer mentions that we are now on the offense across the galaxy and bringing the fight to them. We still have no idea if we're in an alliance with the Covenant, and just like the game said; a lot can happen in 4 years. 

 

So they have a new Spartan program and I'm betting it wasn't very cheap to produce the Spartan IVs so they want to make DAMN SURE through trial and error in a simulation that these Spartans are prepared for combat. So why should it stop at level 130?

[Frankenzer]

I think it's ok but they better get rid of the call of duty feel and bring back the halo feel which you only get to start with basic weapons

[Sp4rkFloW]

Ranking up is too easy to me. :\