A6ENT of CHA0S

That would be interesting indeed, as well as more plausible than the OP. Check back to my other post on this topic. That'll answer many of the questions you asked (my opinions of it, of course).

It would primarily only be additional work for voice actors and the "audio team", which wouldn't significantly interfere with gameplay developement/testing.

Your idea of a gametype where you had to figure out who the Infected were reminds me of Trouble in Terrorist TOWN, which I tried to recreate in Reach... The only problem is that your weapon reticle gives away whether or not they are Infected

Why does it matter who revived it? Its a creative idea that, although probably too in depth and complex for 343i to do right now, could lead to/be an inspiration for something more feasible for this game or the next.

I honestly have to agree that the whole idea would be either very difficult and strenuous for 343i to develop (taking time and effort away from gameplay developement/testing) or simply be a tacked-on excuse of the vision being described here. However, we could at least have some aspects of what you're talking about. If each team (speaking color-wise, rather than players specifically) determined the AI. By this, I mean Red Team will always have the same AI announcing things like "5 minutes remaining" and all the other things the classic announcer says, while Blue Team has a different AI announcer as well, it could make for some interesting mixing up of Halo tradition. It could also benefit gameplay (albeit by a very small degree) by allowing players to recognize at all times what team they're on through association with the team-specific AIs. Each AI could also display somewhat competitive tendencies toward the other while rallying your team on/ degrading you for a defeat (humorously of course, like GLaDOS from Portal 2). In free-for-all game modes, the classic Announcer would still fulfill his part and say his lines.

Why not give the BR a single-fire mode while scoped, to take the form of a balanced DMR and prevent it from being too effective at longer ranges? The concept has been proven to work with the introduction of the Light Rifle, and we have too many precision weapons (especially when most of them have about the same preferred/effective range).

What if we got rid of Sprint as an innate ability, instead simply increasing base player speed to quicken gameplay to a reasonable extent (as it is currently rather slow without sprinting)? Instead of having sprint, we could convert one of the other armor abilities of old into an innate ability to all players. My idea is to allow Evade (a.k.a. barrel-rolling). This would allow players more maneuverability in a firefight, but could only be used every so often, with no on-screen monitor of it (like in Halo 4 with Sprint) and without being able to use it twice in quick succession. What do you guys think?

I would like to see the Silenced SMG return for a specific reason: I feel that the Halo multiplayer sandbox can benefit from a scope-able automatic weapon meant for close-to-mid range. There have only been two other scope-able automatics: the CE Magnum and Reach's Needle Rifle, and they were both precision weapons. However, I would rather not see this weapon dual-wieldable, because that would interfere with this component that would set it apart from the other automatics, not to mention lower its effectiveness on its own. After all, the "silenced" aspect of the weapon is not, nor was it meant to be, for gameplay purposes. It is a strictly audio/tone based mechanic to make the weapon distinctive and apart from the other weapons of its kind. It won't make you any less visible on your enemy's motion tracker, nor is it necessarily any less noticeable to hear firing. I think that's a positive thing and think it would make a great addition to Halo's multiplayer sandbox.

I've got a few ideas: 1. Combine the BR and DMR into one rifle, similar to the Light Rifle. Before you shoot this idea down, let me explain. This hybrid rifle would fire 3-round bursts when "hip-fired", but would be semi-automatic when scoped. Unlike the LR, however, it would do more damage while hip-fired, and so scoping would sacrifice damage for accuracy at longer ranges. This would effectively get rid of the problematic 'utility weapon' known as the DMR and fit both the newer BR variant and LR into specific roles. One would defeat the other based on what range the engagement was at. If anyone needs me to explain this idea further, I will promptly do so. 2. Reintroduce the Needle Rifle in exchange for the Carbine. Though a shocking thought, it makes sense in the game's canon (as the Storm Covenant typically employ outdated technology, such as the Elites' combat harnesses and the older model of Beam Rifle. The Needle Rifle would also fit more into the threatening aesthetic for these Elites, with its design including jagged shards of explosive crystal. Gameplay-wise, it would work like its Reach iteration, but balanced to be effective alongside the LR and "BR variant" listed above. It would differentiate itself from the others in the sense that it is a fully-automatic precision weapon, as well as capable of supercombine kills. This would add variation to the sandbox's precision weapons and serve to enforce the more brutal nature of this Covenant Remnant. 3. Simplify loadouts. Making loadouts consist of your choice of AR, Storm Rifle, BR variant listed above, Needle Rifle, and LR is an obvious choice. The problems with loadouts generally stemmed from the choices other than primary weapon. That said, if everyone is only able to be equipped with a Magnum secondary and Frag grenades (allowing the Resupply ability to everyone) and had to scavenge for things like Armor Abilities, we could see more use in them. The absence of Plasma Pistol/Grenades at spawn would also allow vehicles to be more useful. With the only option being what primary weapon you spawn with, you can still have that sense of choice in what role you wish to play (choosing based on the effective combat roles/range of these weapons), but without the detriment of people being allowed to spawn with the N00B combo, Boltshot, or Plasma grenades (which were all the biggest problems with loadouts in general). I also have some ideas for Armor Abilities, but will post them at a later time. What do you think of the ideas so far?

Honestly, I think it should be a priority to properly balance the weapons and vehicles that we know will be in the game. That said, I think the Warthog variants should be put into specific combat roles: Warthog= anti-infantry, Gausshog= anti-vehicular, Rockethog= anti-aircraft, and add the Transport Warthog into the multiplayer (for BTB, CTF, etc.). Another thing I'd like to see would be the classic Banshee design. As for new additions, we could finally get the Covenant Locust from Halo Wars. Serving as a repurposed mining platform, the Locust could be the Covenant's counterpart to the Mantis. Canonically, the appearance of this vehicle is very possible, since the 'Storm Covenant' clearly have mining equipment (as evidenced by the Harvester in Spartan Ops). Perhaps we can even encounter a few Scarabs in the campaign, as well as the Locusts, but the Locust could really show its worth in the multiplayer, being a shielded quadrupedal warmachine able to fire a continuous stream of plasma to suppress and destroy enemy infantry and vehicles.

So you mean to say that you mean no offense, but use the word "wimpish" to describe AR users? The AR is a good short-to-long range rifle. It has drawbacks, same as every weapon, and just because it works and its not a BR or DMR that makes it "wimpish". Its fully automatic, is not headshot capable, and has a comparatively short range... so how is it that people say it is a sub-par weapon. You have to make your shots count, because you can't just fire four times and get the kill. It takes consistency, whereas BRs and DMRs only really have to make their last shots count and dont have to worry about spread affecting how many rounds hit their target.

I don't really see the need for aquatic vehicles personally. I'd rather see the return of the Brute Chopper and Prowler, as well as the Halo Wars Locust to act as a counterpart of the Mantis. The problem with aquatic vehicles is that map design would ultimately suffer. With ground vehicles, infantry can go to the same places, and usually is the same with aircrafts, but map design and gameplay flow would deteriorate because no ground vehicle or infantry could go through water, aircrafts would have limited capacity space to transport people, and teleporters for infantry would make the boats useless.

Another great addition to the vehicular arsenal would be the Locust from Halo Wars, serving as a Covenant counterpart to the UNSC Mantis. Fitting it in story-wise, the Storm Covenant clearly have access to mining and excavation tools, like the Harvester from the Spartan Ops map of the same name, so its not a far-fetched idea for them to have Locusts in their arsenal. After all, Locusts and Scarabs are quadrupedal mining platforms repurposed for combat roles. Add this to the possible return of the Brute Chopper and Prowler and Halo's Big Team maps could be incredibly fun.

I don't think the Scarabs were the main reason behind 'The Covenant's popularity. This was a level with all available forms of vehicular combat, brilliant map design and aesthetics, and put an end to the Covenant in a personal way. The writing of this level was laced with action, energy, sacrifice, retribution, and that special something that makes Halo one of the best game franchises in our generation. It was properly paced into memorable segments, including the one moment in Halo's history where Master Chief had to simultaneously face two Scarabs, as well as form a temporary truce with the Gravemind. It was also the first campaign level in which you could pilot the Hornet. I agree that Scarab fights are an interesting situation and epic encounters are bound when facing them, but there are many other reasons (some more pressing than the Scarabs guarding the Citadel) that made this mission great. As for what we miss the most from H3, we all have our favorites. Personally, I loved the combat against Brutes and the inclusion of their arms and vehicles into the multiplayer. Such a shame that they aren't in Halo 4, but there's still hope for the future.

My ideas for “Halo 5”: Campaign-wise, I think 343i know what they’re doing. However, I feel that the Promethean forces weren’t as menacing and dangerous as they could have been. They appeared too simple, aesthetically, and could’ve had more powerful weaponry, especially considering they are Forerunner military technology. Only the Binary Rifle and Incineration Cannon lived up to my expectations of what firearms the legendary Forerunners would make. I would also love to see a return of the Brutes, as they were interesting enemies with a suite of fun weapons in their arsenal that helped make Halo 3 the revered game that it is. On a side note, I dearly miss the Covenant enemies speaking in English and verbalizing threats and screaming out of anger and fear. As for multiplayer, I have more to say. I felt that the inclusion of loadouts and ordinance were completely unnecessary and devolved the Halo experience by putting less focus on map control and scavenging for better weapons on the map. I also miss dual-wielding and many of the weapons associated with the ability, such as the SMGs. I do realize that Halo 4’s weapon balancing period was probably a bit rushed and that with Quinn DelHoyo from Epic Games now a primary designer of this aspect, 343i can properly balance this ability. I also feel that Armor Abilities should be treated more like power weapons, similarly to the equipment in Halo 3. As such, players would have to go out of their way to grab a Jetpack and put more of an emphasis on the actual enhancement of these Armor Abilities, allowing them to be more useful. This, combined with the classic weapons-on-map approach, would aid in bringing Halo multiplayer back into its prime. Additionally, some AAs seem less useful than others, such as the Hardlight Shield and the Thruster Pack. I would have you consider the concept of carrying a Jackal’s shield as an AA, with a similar effect to the Hardlight Shield. The difference being that the Jackal Shield would allow players to fire back, similarly to if they had the shield as a dual-wielded weapon alongside a Plasma Pistol or Magnum, for instance. This has been the problem with the self-defense AAs in the past, with both Armor Lock and Hardlight Shield you are usually only delaying your imminent death. As for the Thruster Pack, I would actually prefer Reach’s Evade over the over-reactive thought of a Thruster Pack to shift into a position of about 1-2 meters. If not Evade, consider a short-range “lunge-warp” like the ‘Lancer’ variant of Promethean Knights. I found that Spartan Ops was a linear and paced version of Firefight from previous Halo games. Unlike Firefight, however, it seemed to lack replay value (for me, anyways) and the CGI cutscenes and additional plotlines, while interesting, could’ve better served in a different medium. Spartan Ops lacked customization, was extremely repetitive, and had no risk. Along with the relatively simple inclusion of Firefight in Halo 5, I’d like to propose something somewhat new. A new gametype, acting as a spiritual successor to Invasion from Halo Reach and Spartan Ops, in which players fight to defend/attack an objective as either a fireteam of Spartan-IVs or a group of various Covenant/Promethean forces. For reference, look to Gears of War: Judgment’s Overrun Mode (worked on by Quinn DelHoyo). The Spartan team has to protect an objective from destruction for a set amount of time, while the Covenant team must accumulate points by damaging the objective or killing enemies in order to become stronger units, such as Elite Zealots, Brute Chieftains, Hunters, or Promethean Knights. Starting units would include Grunts( potentially Halo Wars-esque Suicide Grunts), Jackals, and Elite Minors. For each map, there is a CGI narrative story detailing the situation, akin to Spartan Ops. The objective, and possibly the selection of Covenant/Promethean forces, is determined by said map. Ideas for objectives include a Forerunner artifact, UNSC asset, or a captured Prophet (Covenant may want revenge for their lies, while UNSC offers sanction in exchange for the Prophet’s knowledge in finding Forerunner artifacts and potentially Dr. Halsey). After either the time limit is reached or the objective is destroyed, the teams change roles, like in Invasion. This type of multiplayer experience with a narrative could be a form of competitive new matchmaking gametype, mirroring the concept of the Xbox One launch title, Titanfall.

I agree with everything you pointed out. The trio of Warthog variants are designed to fill these roles, but poor execution makes a lackluster outcome. I personally found the H3-era Warthog to be what I consider "definitive". It was fast, versatile, rugged, and fairly durable, but had an ample amount of various threats (rather than just PP and grenades). Best of all, it felt solid, yet had fluid movements, whereas the current H4 'Hog is rather stiff and not as intimidating as the previous iterations. I do think that you're onto something in terms of which weapons should deal comparatively threatening damage. I, however, am personally against the inclusion of loadouts and preferred the classic gameplay mechanics of scavenging for weapons on the map. It added more depth to the maps in general and rewarded those of us who were smart and swift enough to get the power weapons and use them effectively. Nowadays, gameplay is too repetitive, seeing people with the exotic Covenant/Forerunner weapons in their hands at spawn lessens the experience of using them. It also seems to harm the weapon balancing, as when you can use these weapons at spawn, they can only be so powerful... I also must admit that I don't care much for the new 'Hog chaingun's reticule, preferring the circle target used in all previous Halos. Over-heating, while not necessarily a bad addition, is too severe for it to be effective and a significant threat/able to aptly defend itself when impaired by an EMP. Again, the concept of the Warthog has (hopefully) not changed, but the realization of such a concept determines its success.

Agreed... Although Bungie took that out in H3 and, with the Needler used a a power weapon in H4, I don't think we have to worry about that. Hopefully ;P

Its a compromise. More damage in exchange for melee and grenade throwing capabilities. It could be further balanced by reducing accuracy/increasing recoil or longer reload time. Also, in Halo 3, dual-wielding didn't stack the damage, doubling the damage output of an SMG by dual-wielding. It was given different stats, while still obviosly stronger than a single SMG. It would usually have about 50% higher damage output, but only when fired simultaneously. If you fired only one of your SMGs, you would notice it actually would take more rounds than if you weren't dual-wielding. Also, while I'm not a big fan of loadouts ( it has had map-set weapons in all previous titles, so I don't see why they would try to fix something that wasn't broken, other than the obvious desire to appeal to new players with a CoD approach...), I could see an SMG as a secondary weapon. It could be something useful for CQC when your primary was a DMR or LR, especially if you could manage to dual-wield it with another SMG or Magnum. I agree that dual-wielding is a tricky thing to implement, but so are Armor Abilities. I would much rather have dual-wielding be an optional tactic and have Armor Abilities set on maps, similarly to Halo 3's equipment. Make people actually fight for the ability to fly or become invisible, etc...

I've also toyed around with this idea. However, I'd like to see it as a Matchmaking gametype, rather than something like Firefight and without AI, since the AI in Halo would detract from the fun of such a concept, in my opinion. I had thought of it in this format: 2 teams (one team of Spartan-IVs, one team of various Covenant and/or Prometheans), typically the Spartans defend an objective (preventing its capture or destruction) while the other team uses the various forms of Covenant infantry to attack. Similarly to how ordinance is accounted for, the Covenant team players earn points to spend on higher-level forms, like Promethean Knights, Brute Chieftains, Zealots, Hunters, etc. This way, you will generally have a majority of lower species, like Grunts, Jackals, and Crawlers. Each race has a set arsenal (some have different types, like Grunts with Fuel Rod Cannons), while the Spartans can use dropped weapons as well as firearms already supplied to them/called down via ordinance. Here's a brief idea of different Covenant/Promethean classes: 1. (Suicide) Grunt- cannon fodder, armed with Needlers or Plasma Pistols and Plasma Grenades. Can choose to detonate their methane tanks, causing damage to enemy forces, objective, and fortifications (automated turrets, etc...) 2. Jackal- armed with Covenant Carbine or Plasma Pistol and Jackal Shield (which can be picked up by Spartans, like the S-IIIs did in Ghosts of Onyx), also has a variant for having no Shield and only a Beam Rifle or Focus Rifle. 3. Brute Minor- power armor, armed with new Spike Rifle (similar to Retro Lancer from Gears of War), Spike Grenades, and can go berserk (increases melee damage and movement speed, as well as resilience). A good way to expand on this would be a "loadout list" type of menu where you choose what species you want, then can pick different variants (with different costs of points, of course). Then again, it might be better for gameplay reasons to keep it simplified, but game testing would be needed to determine that.

With the question of how to fit them canonically into the story, 343i can use the excuse of Forerunner intervention to repopulate the Brutes. The Halo 5 trailer shows what may be the partially damaged Ark. The Forerunners have specimens of every species, including the Brutes, indexed on the Ark and possibly in other Shield World installations. The Didact would obviously know of this tactic and may seek to enlarge his forces by releasing these indexed specimens. This could also be a new window of opportunity to introduce more species from other parts of the galaxy, but that's all a far-fetched idea. The Shield Worlds are even known to support life of many species, such as some of the animals in Halo Wars. Imagine the next Halo game visiting a Shield World where Brutes have lived for countless years and having to fight them along with standard Covenant, and possibly Promethean, forces.

I'd like to propose the idea (although already said many times by others) to implement a new Halo 4 playlist that hearkens back to older Halo titles, namely H2-3. 1. No loadouts, including slayer pro loadouts. Have everyone spawn with a BR or maybe even just an AR. 2. Armor abilities and weapons set on the maps. Like H3 handled equipment, have AAs set in predetermined locations on the map. Same with weapons (and not just power weapons), and don't have randomized power weapons. 3. No ordinance, especially personal ordinance. 4. Resupply for all players. I believe it was foolish to make that an "armor mod". 5. I don't care if Sprint stays. I understand that several jumps on some maps can only be made with the inclusion of it, so it's removal would be potentially problematic. Who knows. If this playlist were to be made, it could help save Halo's decline, as well as pave the way for how Halo 5 will be...

I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't like the Hardlight Shield. I've thought about the Jackal shield being used in a Halo game ever since I read Ghosts of Onyx. It told about how the Spartan IIIs (without MJOLNIR armor, unlike Noble Team) would scavenge for these to help protect themselves while on suicide missions. All surviving S-IIIs were offered to become Spartan IVs, after all, so it would make sense that this tactic would become more used as they taught the next generation of Spartans. I don't think that the shield should be an Armor Ability, since that never seems to work with the Halo games (Reach and 4), but dual-wielding would be perfect. However, I think it should only allow dual wielding of secondary weapons and very specific power weapons, which would need to be dual-wielded on their own to work sensibly. The Brute Maulers for instance, would be a great weapon to use with the Jackal Shield, and I'd take the Mauler as a dual-wieldable power weapon over the Boltshot secondary any day. Some things in the arsenal should change, to accommodate for this addition. The Spiker (assuming the Brutes return) would need to be done differently. I'd like to see a Retro Lancer-esque ( for those of you who play Gears of War) iteration of the Brutes' main rifle, rather than the Spiker's small design that even a Prophet could use. This would somewhat mimic 343i's transformation of the Plasma Rifle into the Storm Rifle.

Why not keep Armor Abilities in the competitive playlist? Rather than being equipped at spawn, place them on the map to be fought over, like power weapons. Also, the exclusion of sprint could pose some problems for map design, since some maps have jumps where you need the momentum of sprint to achieve.

Don't forget that many of the franchise's best multiplayer maps were asymmetrical, such as Hang em' High. Also, keep in mind that many maps in Halo don't have any vehicles and yet are known for being some of the best, competitively speaking. Examples include The Pit, Lockout/Blackout, and again Hang em' High. Don't get me wrong. Vehicles are great, but shouldn't be present on every map. Oh, and can't forget the asymmetrical infantry glories of Guardian...

So... some of your ideas are a bit outlandish, such as having 2 Elephants and a Mammoth on a Sandtrap "remake". They all seem to have potential, but there are a lot of things to consider when making a map. About half of your ideas are remakes of maps that already exist, and many of the others don't seem to have the kind of capacity for the kind of armaments you're suggesting. You want maps to be small, as you say in your first comment, and that's why many of 343i's maps suck? Yet in the same post, you share the ideas of Locusts, Mantises, Warthogs, Mongooses, Ghosts, Banshees, and Cyclops all on the same map? Not to mention the map concept "Core" with 2 Hornets, a Scorpion, 2 Wraiths, 3 Banshees, a Pelican, and a Phantom Dropship.... I'm not saying these are bad ideas, but you basically talked about huge maps after complaining about the large ones in Halo 4, arguing that they were too big.