Terence Bradshaw

It's back. I was able to play Episode 6, Chapter 1 but I get kicked back to the menu every time I try to start Chapter 2.

I am no longer having this issue, as of perhaps three days ago. How about everyone else? Am I just lucky or have 343 actually finally fixed the server problems?

I didn't realize this site had no affiliation with them, what with the unchallenged ownership of the domain "343industries.org." Oh well, maybe they're like Bungie and pay attention to what people say in fan forums. I'll go ahead and see if I can get a replacement disc. Microsoft should, at least, make the disc available for install online like they did with disc two. That would, theoretically, solve my issue if it's a bad disc and they wouldn't be out any extra cash doing replacements.

It's definitely not scratched or externally damaged. I checked it pretty thoroughly for that. All that I can see is that weird discoloration I mentioned. The episodes downloading doesn't seem to be the issue. It's more that, in multiplayer or Spartan Ops, it would get to the rotating UNSC logo as if it was going to start a game, then, BAM, main menu. Over and over again.

I have just been kicked out of a friend's "friend only" multiplayer game several times from the lobby, waiting for the game to start. I also can't install disc one. It never gets past 3%. When I first got it, I installed it just fine but couldn't properly progress through campaign without getting kicked back to the main menu and/or losing credit for completed chapters of the campaign. I uninstalled disc one, per some instructions I found in a forum discussing problems with the campaign. I stopped having issues there but have never been able to play more than two chapters of Spartan Ops back to back and usually get kicked out when trying to start a chapter. Disc two is installed, obviously but disc one will not re-install. I wonder how many of you can observe a strange, uneven area of different coloration on the data layer of your disc. If you look at the unlabeled side and slowly tilt the disc, you should be able to see it, if it's there. I'm beginning to think a lot of these issues that seem, on the surface, to be network or server problems, are really the result of defective play discs (disc one). Perhaps it's part of some digital rights management thing. It could be that their servers are attempting to verify my copy of the game is legal and failing because the disc is messed up. It would also explain why the majority of people seem not to be having a problem, while a sizeable minority is having pretty much *identical* issues.

Spartan Ops has the potential to be one of the greatest things, going forward, about the new Halo era. But only if you can play it. I have about a 10% chance of successfully starting a Spartan Ops chapter and I'm playing **solo**. This is, frankly, inexcusable. I understand there have been server issues since November. First of all, you should never have made any solo experience dependent upon your server performance. Secondly, it's January, now. How much longer do we have to wait for you to resolve this issue? I hear episodes 6-10 are coming soon. Fantastic. Will I be able to play them or will I just keep getting kicked back to the main menu for hours at a time as 1-5 have done? Eventually, I imagine you will want to charge for installments of Spartan Ops. You have a loyal fan base that absolutely would shell out more money to continue an interesting story that dovetails into the main storyline of the Chief but we demand a product that functions properly. I hope you and Microsoft take that to heart as you move forward with the franchise.

I'm having the same problem on Episode One, Chapter Three. UNSC logo comes up for a few seconds, then I get kicked back to the main menu. This has been happening for almost a month now. What's up, 343?

It keeps kicking me back to title whenever I try to start Episode One: Chapter Three.

I liked the ending. It showed MC's growth, symbolically demonstrated his weariness, his acceptance of the fact that he isn't just a machiine with one purpose, and the vulnerability exposed by the loss of all he held (personally) dear. It was also a legend being revealed to be human, as all the "new and improved" Spartans watched in obvious awe to see what was under that mythic armor. The Didact's voiceover added more gravity to the questions left unanswered, particularly what is the Chief now, what will humanity become, and are we truly the saviors of the galaxy or its gravest threat.

343i guys, you need to implement a method for offline progress to be uploaded when Live connection is restored. It's very frustrating to complete an episode only to find that it doesn't count because your connection to Live had dropped without your realizing it.