ishotthepilot

Good stuff. I apologize then for not reading the thread.

Why does it matter if a game designer intends for it or not? If it's an improvement on gameplay and well balanced (which it is), then it really shouldn't matter. It's not like a glitch that gives you invincibility, or gives you any significant advantage over other players. The only issue that I can see is that not everybody would know about it, because it wasn't intended, but it's not like it's difficult to figure out. Regardless, bungie kept flag juggling in every halo (except Reach I believe, but they still threw it in there as an option). So, you honestly can't say that it wasn't intended, otherwise bungie would have kept it out of Halo 3 and Reach completely. I can definitely understand how the announcer can get annoying, but that's an easy fix.

As long as they have the option to not include a voice for your character, or only you are the one able to hear it. Otherwise it could easily give away your position.

I agree that people should not be attacking 343 and should practice civil discussion rather than using blatant insults/arguing, but everything else you stated I more or less disagree with. First, Your first statement on hardcore halo fans was a complete generalization. I actually have been with the series since Halo 1, and I can see how a lot of these changes are causing people to get uneasy. Also, telling people to shut the heck up and to keep their opinions to themselves is just as rude as the people complaining/knocking on 343. So, you're just adding to the problem that you're complaining about. As for the COD bit, some of the changes that 343 are making ARE most certainly pointing in the direction of COD territory. Does that make them the same game? No, but it doesn't mean that people shouldn't be able to express their concern with the fact that they don't want their favorite game to make the same mistakes as the COD has.

I like the thought that you put into your post, but I disagree with your conclusion. Halo is a TEAM game. If people are ranked up based on individual accomplishments, such as medals or k/d, then that will greatly encourage camping/stat whoring/power weapon hogs/bad teamwork. In this system people will be awarded for grabbing sniper and rockets instead of distributing them effectively among teammates. Not only that, but instead of going for the objective and risking death, the player will be encouraged to stay back and let others go for the flag while he stays back picking people off. So, with that system we would be stuck with bad teamates and derankers (which i dont believe you can get rid of). Stat whores would make the competitive experience much worse than just derankers. In my opinion, they should stick with the Halo 2 system and add on the Reach exp system as a side for the more casual players. Or they should go with the Starcraft 2 ranking system, which I've heard good things about.