Halo Xbox One thoughts on gameplay mechanics

[Garrus Vakarian]

Halo Xbox One thoughts on gameplay mechanics

 

NOTE : The following is mainly personnel opinion and may not accord to your liking. Any feedback of personnel judgement would be appreciated, Thank you.

 

   I feel that Halo 4 had an amazing campaign and direction of story but I'm sure we can all agree that the multiplayer of the game feels unfinished. That is why I am going to share my thoughts on what I think could make the next Halo installment one of the most memorable in the series. One of my thoughts is that cooperative play should feel more interactive such as the ability to share ammo and even interactive gameplay mechanics to help players get to a certain unreachable point. For example, in Halo 3: ODST there were supply caches scattered across the map. Say your playing the campaign solo and you pass by a point of interest that could aid you but is unaccessible and only notified to you in co-op through your HUD. So if you were to go back and play the same sequence (this time in co-op) then your HUD would notify you maybe on your radar that there is supplies nearby. You or partner could give the other a boost and be pulled up to achieve supplies.

 

   The next thing I wanted to talk about was the melee combat. I have been saying that it would be cool if you could equip your knife or bare hands since Halo Reach was released and featured assassinations. If a player were to run out of ammo with his/her firearm they could then switch to their blade or fists by choice. This wouldn't just be for the overall look. If you had a rocket launcher, it'd have more damage behind it's swing than your fists or knife would. But if you were to smack someone with it, it'd have a slower swing than your knife or fists would have. It would also add a possible variety with each weapon to have their own initial assassination, similar to Gears of War's executions. I would also like to see the same with armor. If I am wearing the scout helmet or boots then perhaps I should have increased vision or movement. If I had the EOD armor set then I should have an increased resistance to explosives. I'd also appreciate a quick timed counter attack during assassinations. Now I know you're probably thinking of Battlefield 4's counter knife attacks and that IS where I drew my inspiration from but trust me, this is different. Say a button prompt pops up on your screen as you about to be assassinated. If pressed at the correct time it would prevent a player from killing you and a second prompt would become available but whoever presses it first finishes off the other.  For example say a player controlled spartan (or possibly even elite if they return) is about to stab you in neck from behind. You press the button prompted at the correct time and your character grabs the others' arm and flips 'em over your shoulder but the person you just flipped trips you and you fall as well. Your enemy climbs on top of you and raises the blade, the second prompt pops up and the following occurs:

 

1. The enemy pressed the prompt first and shoves the blade in your chest

 

2. You pressed the prompt first and your character twists the blade around and forces your enemy to shove it through their throat or visor

 

   A counter prompt type of mechanic could even work for vehicle hijacks. One example could be you're driving the warthog and an enemy hops in the passenger seat like how they usually do so they can pummel you out. In this situation you'd hold down the melee button for the amount of time it takes to perform an assassination and you character kicks the guy out of the passenger seat and they fall out only to have the rear tire roll over their face causing instant death. If the other person performs this on you then you would meet the same fate only on the driver side and they get to commandeer the vehicle after you have fallen.

 

   One of the last things I'd like to share is the many possibilities of forge mechanics such as unlimited objects, movable objects, weather enhancements, and backdrops. Bungie and 343i added a budget system to keep us from lagging our maps and prevent render problems onscreen. I would greatly appreciate it if they would remove this system and replace it with something much like Far Cry 3's level editor where it'd tell you if the game's "performance" was high or low. It would also make maps more immersive and possible if objects could be set to a movable state through their trait settings such as setting it a coarse to move in rapidly, back and forth or have it move to a position and stay there. These events could be triggered by a player entering a boundary, trait zone or through a time set for this action to occur. This would be insanely helpful to create things such as doors, elevators, traps and even custom vehicles. Forge would also be a whole lot more immersive with a weather enhancement system. Again this is much like Far Cry 3's level editor but it could also add more atmosphere to custom maps and shouldn't effect the map's rendering at all if it's just a visual effect and doesn't alter the map's environment physically.

 

   Weapons and vehicles are the last subject I would like to discuss because it is completely my personnel opinion and if you don't feel the same then that's fine. That's the reason I wanted to share this last. I would like to see the flamethrower, SMG, plasma rifle, plasma repeater, sentinel beam, and all brute equipment (such as the brute shot, mauler, spiker, spike grenade, flame grenade, chopper and prowler) return. Night vision would also have a pretty sweet comeback as either an armor ability or armor installment (like sprint) if there were more levels where you actually needed it. Speaking of which, stealth missions were great and some of the stealth missions were the most memorable moments in the previous Halo games. If a couple new stealth based levels were to be implemented in the new Halo then night vision and a knife would become pretty handy (if usable). Now the vehicles are the last thing that I am going to discuss... When I see a perfectly intact vehicle whether it be civilian or military, I WOULD LOVE TO DRIVE IT! Why haven't we been able to operate any vehicle we'd like in a Halo game before? I mean sure, we could take construction transport vehicles for a ride in Halo Reach but for instance in Halo 2's level, "Metropolis" there were over a hundred different vehicles abandoned on the bridge and around the streets of New Mombasa for like three or four kilometers. Why couldn't we take one for a spin? It's not like the keys aren't already sitting in the ignition of an abandoned car that's perfectly intact, right? Anyway, I hope you appreciate what I had to share and all of the above are completely possible and fairly easy to program and implement into the game. Any feedback would be appreciated. Soon I should have a couple of videos uploaded to a community channel on YouTube known as the Halo Xbox One gaming news and reviews. I am the owner and only member of this community and I would greatly appreciate any feedback you'd like provide. You may participate in this community I'm trying to build but only if you are actually willing to contribute.

 

link to YouTube channel - http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCowUL_bTJdePwUkwp9V5D4w/feed

 

link to google+ page - https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/100922647061327760973/100922647061327760973/posts

 

Thank you and as always...

 

We'll keep you posted,

-----------------------------

the Halo Xbox One

gaming news and reviews team

 

 

 

[SPARTAN 117]

While you offer a legitimate, and popular, argument for multiplayer alterations, many felt that even Halo 4's multiplayer was a step in the wrong direction. While it is still technically fair if all players have their own custom armor qualities and weapons of choice, many people, such as myself, still prefer a perfectly even combat gradient in which all players, no matter experience, are exactly as powerful as everyone else. No special armor effects. No special weapons. Only those with skill and experience and vigor succeed. That is why Halo 2 and 3 were such successful multiplayers, even when Call of Duty and Battlefield (both great franchises) were turning heads. I think multiplayer should play exactly like Halo Reach except players may only sprint and, perhaps, if I could choose my preferred starting rifle (like Halo 4), that would be nice, too. The assassination scenes in Reach were much quicker than in Halo 4 so assassinating enemies was not such a big deal, which was a plus. I like your idea of whipping out a knife when out of ammo, but it may be a little unfair to make certain weapons better for melee attacking. I feel that the possibility of countering an assassination is unnecessary in a Halo style multiplayer considering players never really need to camp (at least usually), but perhaps making the assassination perform at a much slower pace (to increase possibility of getting saved by an ally) would be interesting. I think alot of your ideas would play better if Halo played alot more like Battlefield (which would be cool), but being the grizzled vet that I am, I'll stick to the classics. Hope Halo 2 Anniversary comes around!

[rrhuntington]

This is somewhat why Halo 2 Anniversary (if it's made) needs to bring back the multiplayer component as well as the campaign.  A Halo 2 anniversary rumor has already made some people say they'll buy the whole Xbox One for it if it's made. Voices and backlash from Halo 4 turned heads at 343i, but seeing the deep love people have for Halo 2, especially for it's multiplayer...they should come full circle and see clearly what everyone wants. (and no I don't mean Halo 2 or Halo 3 MP for Halo 5, I mean something like them but with new flavors added in as well)

 

I hope Microsoft realizes what opportunity they have with Halo 2 anniversary...and I hope 343i realizes why that opportunity is there for the taking.  

[Garrus Vakarian]

While you offer a legitimate, and popular, argument for multiplayer alterations, many felt that even Halo 4's multiplayer was a step in the wrong direction. While it is still technically fair if all players have their own custom armor qualities and weapons of choice, many people, such as myself, still prefer a perfectly even combat gradient in which all players, no matter experience, are exactly as powerful as everyone else. No special armor effects. No special weapons. Only those with skill and experience and vigor succeed. That is why Halo 2 and 3 were such successful multiplayers, even when Call of Duty and Battlefield (both great franchises) were turning heads. I think multiplayer should play exactly like Halo Reach except players may only sprint and, perhaps, if I could choose my preferred starting rifle (like Halo 4), that would be nice, too. The assassination scenes in Reach were much quicker than in Halo 4 so assassinating enemies was not such a big deal, which was a plus. I like your idea of whipping out a knife when out of ammo, but it may be a little unfair to make certain weapons better for melee attacking. I feel that the possibility of countering an assassination is unnecessary in a Halo style multiplayer considering players never really need to camp (at least usually), but perhaps making the assassination perform at a much slower pace (to increase possibility of getting saved by an ally) would be interesting. I think alot of your ideas would play better if Halo played alot more like Battlefield (which would be cool), but being the grizzled vet that I am, I'll stick to the classics. Hope Halo 2 Anniversary comes around!

Thank you for the positive feedback and I have my finger crossed for a remastered Halo 2 as well! I completely understand and agree with your statements. I guess I listed these thoughts because I think Halo 2 Anniversary would compensate for that classic feel that the Halo games have provided. I just think the possibility of trying something new would be like taking a break and if gamers didn't appreciate the changes given to them then 343i could stick with the classic gameplay in the sixth installment. Although I guess it's better to play it safe and not create more mistakes with the upcoming Halo game.

[ShockGazm]

I was about to say that's one hell of long introduction...

Edited February 24, 2014 by ShockGazm

[Garrus Vakarian]

I was about to say that's one hell of long introduction...

Yeah, sorry about that. I tried to make it as short as possible and I'm still getting used to how things work around here, this was my first post. 

[ShockGazm]

Yeah, sorry about that. I tried to make it as short as possible and I'm still getting used to how things work around here, this was my first post. 

 

Ahh, no worries dude. You're not the first one to do it, haha. Welcome to the Community by the way! See you around the forums.