Can't find a straight answer

[Pope 138]

Haven't played Reach since before the TU. I've read about all the changes and I'm completely cool with them all but still have questions that I can't find straight answers to after searching these forums.

 

What's up with the voting? We only have three options now and one of them is "None of the Above?"

 

I hate bouncing back and fourth between TU and Vanilla. I play mainly TS, but sometimes TU is voted against. Am I missing something?

 

Can the anniverary maps be played with bloom and TU?

 

Does the TU apply to invasion?

 

Will it be like this forever?

 

I feel like now there's not a community of Reach players, but instead many subcommunities of Reach (What version of Reach do you play?). We're becoming more and more segmented.

 

I appreciate all your help!

[Twinreaper]

You have answered your own question. The Halo community itslef since Halo 2 has been fractured and divided into what i call I complete cluster ****. When you look back on the community 6 to 7 years ago, there was a common ground and common bond we all shared. With every new title that emerged things changed too drastic for some, and not enough for some. Realistically speaking, the whole community has emerged into 3 main catagories, or sub communities...

 

1. Hardcore/MLG/Competative

2. Fun/casual

3. Semi/competative/campaign

 

Within these communities however, halo 3 and reach has spawned various micro communities...being the TU/vanilla for each one of the main ones. The Halo community is in more pieces than a 1,00 piece jigsaw puzzle at this point. And because the genre of FPS's and competators alike keep evolving it is only hurting the fragile community even more. What even more seperates us is that we have 3 different Halo title servers to game on. Most FPS makers like to retire previous servers once a newer title comes out, or at least stop supporting it, or turn serving over to the community via a PC release.

 

Keep in mind also, that very few gamers contrary to popular beliefe, do not visit, join or participate in online gaming sites. And even if some of them do, many do not take the time to voice or post their feelings about the games they play or issues they have with it. Unfortunatly now, the sites are mostly dominated by hardcore or MLG lovers. The casual or family types have no real voice or presence, making things one sided and very uneven when it comes time for the developer to look into what will please the next generation of gamers, or the veterans.

 

In the end, by my own summary and thesis, the community will begin to even further shift out of alignment and seperate even more as the years and games go on. The only way the community can and ever will get back to it's roots and a singular common foothold, is if 343i or whatever next developer takes over, decides to stick with a solid core fundamental engine mechanic system and does not ever deviate from it.

 

In terms of the above, think about BF and MW. Every game is usually the same exact gameplay feel. No new powerups or jump settings, or even movement speed. It's the same game but with redifined weapons and story. Halo is constantly changing core gameplay mechanics and can never seem to find a cozy medium. All these things have led to Halo's downfall in terms of community one-ness.

 

Of coarse this is just the viewpoint of an older gamer who was well into his 20's when Halo started out. My perspective of it has always been one sided on the basis that my clarity oand experience ids that of an adult. As it is well known, people of younger ages see the world and many things in a simpler different light than adults do. So yeah, I'm a little biased and old, but that makes my position on it no more right or wrong...it siomply just is a viewpoint and should be taken as nothing more or less.

[Pope 138]

Thanks for your response. I liked what you said about BF and MW. Any fan of those franchises can pick up the controller and just start playing the new release without having to relearn anything. I've been playing Halo since H2 and have had no problem adapting to the gameplay, but until I read your post I've never asked myself if I should have to. That being said, once I get the feel for it I'm all good. In fact, I could care less if they go with TU or vanilla, I just wish they'd pick one so I knew what I was doing. I'll adapt to whatever they decide on, I just want to play some flippin' Halo!

 

So is this all temporary? Will they decide vanilla or TU once and for all? Remember, I'm just coming back to Halo for the first time since Oct.

 

Thanks!

[highplainsdrifter]

The current voting weirdness is a temporary situation that is being implemented as a poll to determine whether or not the Team Slayer playlist gets converted to TU settings. This should be ending today if my math is correct.

Here is a link with all the February Update changes listed.

http://www.343industries.org/forum/topic/5782-halo-reach-february-updates-in-full/

And here is a link with more technical information.

http://www.343industries.org/forum/topic/4643-halo-reach-full-playlist-details-review-only-no-comments/

I hope that helps and welcome to the forums.

 

Twinreaper, i'm going to edit this when i have something intelligent to add to what you said.

[V934]

I'm going to just say I remember a time when the TU was only a concept along with the teaser for Halo 4 and that once it would actully be implimented it would be a catagory of its own... not mixed into the game completly! So now the whining noobs of the game have there way to be "better" at the game(no armor lock) or the pros of MLG have better headshots(reduced bloom).

in short Vanilla reach was supposted to be its own catagory "Vanilla Playlists" untouched by the TU which would have its own catagory as well "TU playlist".

Now it just seems 343i has done just as Twinreaper said "the sites are mostly dominated by hardcore or MLG lovers. The casual or family types have no real voice or presence, making things one sided and very uneven when it comes time for the developer to look into what will please the next generation of gamers, or the veterans."

 

I only heard this from a few friends who decided to play earlier today and they dident want to play it after one game becuase of the changes... they simply could not play a Vanilla gametype in the ranked system.

Q:"Well what about custom games?" Says the noob or mlg player.

A: A simple answer. Credits.

Why should players who love the game as it was, be forced to play new repeatitive gametypes catered to the voices that are crying like children who didn't get there own way? I wonder if I whine enough will 343i add the title update tools to the gametype creations list? No, they likely won't, becuase I'll have less then 100 posts when this is posted.

 

Now I made the comments on no armor lock and reduced bloom. Here's where I stand on them.

No armor lock. Very stupid idea! it was nice to see the original ideas in play where, if you where stuck and entered aromor lock you WOULD die. If you took a rocket or tank shell it ran out faster reducing EMP, that was fine but for **** sakes don't remove it from the gametypes even in Vanilla!

Reduced bloom. It's not a bad idea just keep it in the playlists it belongs in MLG under TU playlists.

 

Really what I guess I am saying is... Do what you said you where going to do 343! Don't just listen to the one sided voices on your websites. 2 catagorys Vanilla playlists and TU playlists!

[Pope 138]

Thanks for the posts everyone. It sounds to me like 343i needs some backbone. You can't make everyone happy and trying to do so just leaves everyone unsatisified.

 

343i: implement your changes or don't. It's your game now, so act like it. It's inevitable that some people won't like it. It's naive to think you can please everyone.

 

Thanks agian, guys!

[The Director]

I think they should go back to the ol' ranked and social categories, with slightly differing rules for each of them, so the MLG players have something to play, and the casual/fun gamers have something else to play. That way, if there are complaints about one category, they can change it without touching the other.

 

I'd also like to point out that after they released the info on the TU everybody supported it, then they started incorporating it and that's when everyone started complaining about it. It seems to be one of those "looks better on paper" things.

[Twinreaper]

It seems to be one of those "looks better on paper" things.

 

And this is the exact problem with Bungie/Microsoft and now 343i. As far as supporting and nurturing the community goes, they fail miserably. Either one of the aformentioned companies never truly speak out or state their end result or goal in terms of changes. Usually they always appear cryptic or they do not translate well. I have yet to date, see another developer misconstrue or misrepresent their intentions when placing core altering changes up. very few companies now in the midst of competition and economic woes, want to make waves in the kiddie pool. Most now just stick to a tride and true formula and only after heavy thought and community input, institute changes exactly as stated. Again, Activision, FrostBite, Bethesda, Crytek and a few others are all good examples of this. They GET IT, and dont mess with it much. From a long time franchise supporter of Halo, I would have to classify the experience as something like, A rollercoaster ride from hell laced with porky goodness flavored with an undertone of dissapointment." Quote un-quote.

[Anarchy]

I dont think TU applies to invasion as far as i know though i havent played inasion in a while but I still dont think so.