A Detailed Analysis of Halo: Reach (TL;DR and Cookies Inside!)

[Wumpa Warrior]

In my honest opinion, Reach can be described in one word when compared to previous Halos. Different. This isn't always a bad thing, as minor tweaks and changes freshen up a game. The problem I see with Reach is that the changes made affected the core gameplay mechanics of Halo 1/2/3. It just isn't normal for most veteran players. The movement speed, grenade damage, armor abilities, etc. (the list goes on forever), are all some major changes from the core mechanics found in previous titles. In this post, I will outline many of my major qualms with Reach.

 

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1. The DMR

Halo 2 and 3 are often dubbed as the best multiplayer games of the decade, and for good reason. Between these two fantastic games, the weapon sandbox stayed relatively the same. There were several tweaks, some new things like brute vehicles (Chopper <3) and equipment, but the weapon sandbox in both games is very close. This did a lot of good in multiplayer, because the veterans from Halo 2 had a much smaller change between games.

 

The problem with Halo: Reach, is that it had a very drastic change from Halo 3's weapons to Reach.The DMR is a hitscan weapon (instantly hits target the second you pull the trigger). The BR was not hitscan, and players had to lead their shots to be accurate at long range. This tends to break down the open maps with little or no cover, because I can shoot from teleporter to teleporter on Hemmorhage without having to lead my shots. This was never possible on Valhalla, Sandtrap, or any Halo 3 maps. Imagine if you could camp on the dune of Sandtrap and pick people off across the map! It would have broken the map completely!

 

In Reach, a team can win the entire game without even thinking about power weapons. Why? The DMR. The DMR has infinite range, and can be aimed with some skill, across any map in matchmaking. It also tears through vehicles like tissue paper (another thing not present in H3). The DMR IS a power weapon. Give it to a well coordinated team, and it's an easy win as well.

 

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2. Objective

Halo: Reach has drifted towards being very slayer dominant. What I mean by this is that no matter what the gametype, most players will have a primary focus on getting kills and a secondary or even tertiary focus on getting the objective. Point being, the core focus of objective gametypes has been lost between Halo 3 and Reach.

 

I would say that 75% of my objective games turn into a bloodbath, with nether team making strong attempts towards the objective. Yes, there is almost always that ruffgonja-ing kid, who rushes the objective countless times, but I mean a full push as a team. Why go for a flag or capture a territory when you can sit nearby with your tank and destroy everyone? The reason players go for kills is because they are rewarded with each one they get. Every time you get a snipe, headshot, beatdown, assist, spree or multikill, a number pops up in the bottom corner saying something like, "+8cR." There is not a single reward for scoring the objective, aside from feeling good about yourself.

 

Unfortunately, presented with these options, any smart player will simply go for kills so they can go purchase things like lighting or gold visors or a knife on their shoulder. What do objective players get? Nothing, nothing but death with no reward.

 

But why in Halo 2/3 was this not a problem? People went for objectives all the time in those games! Its because the only way you could rank up in 2 and 3 was by winning. Trueskill goes up by winning, and experience goes up by winning. When you win objective games you are rewarded with a better rank in 2/3. 2 and 3 had incentive to win objective games while Reach has absolutely no incentive to win except for the satisfaction of winning.

 

So how can we reward people who go for objectives (as well as give people incentive to go for objectives)? It's simple:

 

1. Objective Daily and Weekly Challenges: Right now, challeges basically involve 3 things: kills, assists, and campaign mission completion. Nothing relating to objectives. If we have more objective challenges with large cR rewards, people will go for objectives. Such as:

a. Flagtacular!: Capture 3 flags today in multiplayer matchmaking (1200 cR).

b. Get Off My Cloud!: Rack up 200 points in KOTH gametypes today in multiplayer matchmaking (1000 cR).

c. Lawsuit: Detonate 3 bombs today in Assault gametypes in multiplayer matchmaking (1500 cR)

-If you believe that challenges don't affect gameplay just pay attention to whenever there is a jetpack multiplayer challenge, because most people use jetpacks during those games.

 

2. Objective Commendations: These of course are very similar to the challenges but they are long term so that even if there isn't a challenge, people will still go for objectives because they are consistently rewarded for it. Examples include:

a. Poor Yorick: Get Points in Oddball or Headhunter

b. Conquistador: Capture Territories in Territories

c. Star Spangled Banner: Capture Flags in CTF or Stockpile

 

If all of these are established, I guarantee that there will be a tremendous rise in objective play.

 

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3. Stats

The addition of stats has slowly begun to consume much of this amazing community. I remember 7-10 years ago, when I would go to Battlefront 2 parties, or 007 Nightfire parties on the PS2, and we wouldn't care a bit about who had the most kill with what weapon. We played for fun back then. I feel that slowly, throughout the last several years, online statistics have begun to turn many players into ultra competitive, trash talking, K/D card pulling jerks. There is a definite line between being competitive and being an *******.

 

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4. Vehicles

One of the main staples in all of the Halo games is the variety of drivable vehicles. Honestly, I think this feature sets Halo apart from other games. Nothing is more fun than driving around a buddy in a warthog and watching the wheelmen medals stack up. Halo 3 had a nearly perfect balance between vehicle attack damage and vehicle health. No vehicle was particularly overpowered, but all of them had specific uses. Another major factor in the vehicle success in Halo 3 is that the maps always had a solid balance between vehicles and their counterparts.

 

My largest issue in Reach vehicles, is the fact that they are made, literally, out of construction paper. Vehicles can be a joke in big team battle, because a coordinated team can take down a vehicle with extraordinary ease. Warthog? 4 DMR's can rip through that in a matter of seconds. Banshee? I've seen that thing go down in less than 5 seconds because the enemy team all looked to the skies and used their DMR. In Halo: Reach, vehicles are imbalanced, with very high attack damage, and low health.

 

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5. Remakes

Remaking a map works well between some games. It really does. Between Midship and Heretic, yes there was some change, but it still felt like Midship to me. That's because there were not many changes in core mechanics between Halo 2 and 3. Remakes almost never work, because of the diversity of sandboxes between games.

 

The open style of some maps worked great for Halo 1/2/3. But the BR/pistol did not have any of the range of the DMR. An open map generally played well back in the day. However, given the DMR, any open map with little cover instantly becomes a standstill. Players rarely go through the middle of the map, and those that do get slaughtered. When players cant use the middles of the map for infantry movement, the games, especially objective, become stagnant.

 

Good god..If you managed to actually read the entire thing, you deserve several cookies.

(: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (:

 

 

TL;DR

 

1. The DMR ruins the game, due to it's ability to shoot players across the map.

2. Objective implementation was a failure in Reach.

3. Stats are turning too many players into ultra competitive idiots.

4. Vehicles are made out of construction paper.

5. Remakes do not typically work well, due to the diversity of weapon sandboxes between games.

 

Feel free to comment, leave an opinion, whatever, but keep it classy

[Spectral Jester]

Totally agree with this, well thought out, and told, great thread

[ZB-85]

Very good topic. Nice job Wumpa Warrior

[Anarchy]

I never thought about it that way but now you mention it i think i understand

[Esorath]

Very nicely done.

 

I think that two things you mentioned could be related, and had they been fixed that might have fixed Reach. The maps in Reach do not play to the DMR's power. The DMR - like you said - is super powerful because of it being hitscan. But I think the DMR can work as a primary weapon if the maps catered to that need. They did not cater to it, and it has failed.

 

One more thing I think you forgot to mention is the ranking system failed once you have bought everything in the armory. There is little to no reason to keep playing anymore. I've unlocked everything. I've achieved top 5% gold in Arena without the hope of achieving Onyx without a better more full team, therefore I have "beaten" halo reach's multiplayer.

I never felt like I was done in H3's multiplayer. I finally reached a 47 in Team Slayer and was satisfied to be a Brig.

 

You also brought up the maps. And it is not only the remakes that don't work, it is the lack of effort overall in the multiplayer maps that really brought me down. Not counting the map packs from 343 because I enjoy nearly all of them. But the campaign based multiplayer maps that were strewn about in Reach. I admit some of them work. i.e. Zealot and possibly countdown. This is mainly due to how their construction in campaign was planned to be a map in multiplayer.

 

Another thing you did not mention was the AAs. Maybe this was on purpose, maybe not. But I think had the AA's been pickups on certain maps such as camo/overshield was on h3 I think everything would have been changed. This was not done and the start of every player spawn allows the pick of their "class". The maps could not include this because they were ripped straight from campaign and probably some producer told the poor Multiplayer level designer to "make it work" with weapon placement.

Halo was always better in my opinion because everyone started with the same advantages and disadvantages. Reach destroyed that formula because now everyone has separate advantages etc.

The class formula might have worked had it been done similar to elite slayer's class system. The advantages and disadvantages not only lie in the AA you choose, but the weapons that you are given as well. To make it more clear - this is how I would place a class system using the AA in Team Slayer.

 

Sprint - DMR Pistol 1 Frag

Armor Lock - Assault Rifle Pistol 1 Frag

Jet Pack - Assault Rifle 1 Frag

Camo - Dmr Assault Rifle 1 Frag

Hologram DMR Assault Rifle 2 Frags

 

Even though this has never been tested, I feel that AA's on carefully built maps but smart level designers could have made Reach phenomenal.

[Twinreaper]

Although your post was layed out and tbought out fairly well, but you simply cannot post up that you know anything about core mechanics without providing technical data in relation to tag values or physics/collision handling. I do applaud you sense of style though.

 

Dmr is.not.hitscan. Hitscan.weapons do not have a defined projectile speed, as seen in the weap tags on the DMR. The speed of the projectile.is.meerly increased to.simulate hitscan...but it is not.

 

Vehicles were nerfed because they were strong against infantry weapons. Biggest complaint about vehicles in Halo 2 and 3 was how ward it was to take.them.down with standard respawn.equipment. The vehicles in Reach are balancex between sacrificing armor.for power.

 

Yet again simple.minds.dont.grasp the ranking system Reach uses. It isnt about credits or actual.rank. The mm system compares.your commendations to match you up.against players.....if that is you adjust the custom.search setting. Ive heard far more than enough whining about your precious bragging system. Not everyone wants it...deal with it.

 

[highplainsdrifter]

Good topic, I think that your opinions are well formed but i don't agree with all of them.

To me the DMR isn't perfect but i don't think the BR was perfect either.

 

I think changing the commendations and challenges to better encourage people into going for the objectives is a great idea. I really enjoyed the objective games and playlist but stopped playing because I'd put so much effort into getting maybe one teammate there with me, while all the other hung around the base, and then die at the enemy base or on the way back because the other team was doing the same thing.

 

Ranks are pointless to me and i'm glad Reach did away with them, all they do is make Halo more like other FPS and create infighting. I enjoy that i can look at my stats though because i play a lot of Swat and Snipers with my brother, we don't much care about any other stats though. However when people start arguing about whose stats are better i just tune out. It's too bad rank and stats are still a big deal and there isn't really a way around that.

 

I actually wish the Revenant was easier to take down, other than that i think that the vehicles are balanced for how Reach plays. That doesn't mean most of the vehicles aren't weak but road ragers can get mighty annoying if they aren't so easy to put down.

 

I think the remakes are fine actually, it's the maps from the campaign that i tend to have problems with. I mostly don't like that they aren't original but some are amazing, Spire for me is as bad as they get (even though none come close to the awkwardness of Spire). The revamped maps are just meant to be played differently than the originals, like how Blood Gulch keeps changing in every title, i see the remakes and revamps as another dimension of the originals. They aren't exactly perfect for new titles that's for sure and time could have gone into making more exclusive maps for MM.

[Esorath]

@Twin

I don't see where he said anything about the matchmaking system. Not sure what your going on about that. I agree that vehicles are fine in Reach and that the DMR isn't hitscan.

Easy dude

[Twinreaper]

As I had said he touched based on the ranking system in mm. Im not getting all worked up...though it may seem like it some times.

I actually thougjt OP did a fairly decent job as a first post for this sort of.topic. Mg only primary concern is the influx of new members that dont take the proper time to.search for the posts that we already have like this. Members need to start using the search feature a little more.

[Wumpa Warrior]

Thanks to all of you

You are correct. It needs to either be the weapon being non-hitscan, or the maps need to be redone with more cover. I avoided AA's and the matchmaking system, because they have been beaten to death IMO.

While you did point out the fact that I know almost nothing about the hardware and technical jargon of the game, I have played it enough to understand the main mechanics. If the DMR is not hitscan, it is very close. I think that it should not have the range that it does. Less range or at least less accuracy at range. Expanding on the vehicles point, I have always felt that the maps as far as vehicles, were much better balanced in H2 and H3. Each vehicle had many effective counters on the map being played. I dislike the fact that the DMR can tear through vehicles. If you've ever played in a full party, vehicles are almost not worth using, because 8 DMR's will take out a vehicle in seconds. Halo 2 and 3, you were forced to search for a vehicle counter. This promoted map movement and variety.

[Esorath]

One thing that balanced the h3 and h2 vehicles was the map itself. At all times in H3 there was a way to take down the vehicles. Power weapons on the map balanced the air vehicles as well as having the power drains and plasma pistols.

to me it comes down the the maps most of the time. maybe thats just the level designer in me.

[Destroyaaa]

Great post. I was playing a lockout remake the other day and it totally changes the way you play due to the DMR in Reach vs the BR in Halo 2. FFA on lockout in halo 2 was as good as it gets but with a DMR it was pretty bad.

 

This idea just came to me. In halo 4 what if they kept the DMR in the game as a power weapon and brought back the BR for a starting weapon? It could serve not as important as a sniper rifle but could definitely give a team an advantage in long range combat. This could add a new element to the game.

 

As for your take on objectives, all you need to do is add a ranking system that rewards wins. This will result in people trying to capture flags, stand in the hill,etc... in a systematic way, rather than that 1 guy who just plays objective like a moron.

 

As for the remakes, some work some dont. Blackout was a terrible remake, yet tombstone i enjoyed. The ivory tower remake in reach (i forget the name) is good as well. Point is that you need to go on a case by case basis.

 

Vehicles need work too. Revenant is invincible, banshee is paper, warthog is weak. Now im not saying the banshee should be like it was in halo 2, where it was unstoppable, but it needs to get to a level that makes it a big advantage for that team. I really liked the balance of the halo 3 banshee, it was destructable and if could also be very good. I feel like the warthog turret is also tuned down a bit in reach, making them unpopular. Ghosts are terrible with everyone having a DMR. Only vehicle I really like in Reach is the Wraith.

[Twinreaper]

Halo 2 did NOT have any effective means of taking down a vehicle. To this day, Coagulation shows a great example of this. If the opposing team should happen to gain both banshees or even one tank and all hogs, it is nearly impossible to counter the team. You can't get enough shots off at the vehicles or grenades to counter them. In Halo 3, they downshifted the health of all the vehicle permutations to provide players an easier method of taking them out. Reach simply downplayed them further, but if you take a closer look at the vehicle use on each map and the completely dominant power they possess compared to their H2 and H3 counterpart, it is balanced well.

 

Part of the magic in Reach, is being able to choose and utilize a vehicle knowing that doing so sacrafices armor. It actually takes a bit more skill behind the wheel to stay alive and rack up kills. Last thing I ever want going into MM, is being dominated by a sissy vehicle driver the entire match, or at least lose a slayer or objective match, because every time you respawn, a vehicle user is taking you out. I can count on one hand, how many times I ever needed or used a vehicle in the entire Halo series....and I have been playing since launch of Halo 1. I hate vehicles period.

 

I will say that the range of the DMR is horribly wrong. It is way too overpowered in those terms. IIRC, the world unit max range is something like 575. In Halo terms, Masterchief stands nearly 1 World unit tall. So line up 575 players back to back and that s roughly the distance you can shoot before the projectile de-spawns. For a weapon, thats pretty disproportioned compared to earlier perscision weapons. In fact, here is a fun test that will show you how much range it really has. Play on the level where you get the jumppack and meet the ODST Bullfrog troopers. I think the map is "New Alexandria"?. Anyway, make your way to the end where you encounter a Brute with a Fuelrod gun. Now, get past those brutes and glitch or trick jump out of the map, all the way back to where you get the jumppacks for the first time. You can do this by jetpacking to the building off the right side of the map. Go unitl you reach the spot where the phantom landed or dissapears at. From that spot all the way accross the map, you can still fire accurate shots with the DMR and still hit the brutes.

[CandiBunni]

As for the remakes, some work some dont. Blackout was a terrible remake

I personally enjoy Blackout. I don't know why you'd consider it such a terrible remake when, to me, it plays just like Lockout.

[The Director]

Part of the magic in Reach, is being able to choose and utilize a vehicle knowing that doing so sacrafices armor. It actually takes a bit more skill behind the wheel to stay alive and rack up kills. Last thing I ever want going into MM, is being dominated by a sissy vehicle driver the entire match, or at least lose a slayer or objective match, because every time you respawn, a vehicle user is taking you out. I can count on one hand, how many times I ever needed or used a vehicle in the entire Halo series....and I have been playing since launch of Halo 1. I hate vehicles period.

I myself have never been a big vehicle driver, but I've seen tanks taken down with SAF on Halo Reach. Try to do that in real life. No, really, I dare you. It doesn't matter how many 7.62 bullets you fire into a tank, the thing is just going to laugh at you while it slowly rotates it's canon in your direction. I realize that "It's a game, it's not REAL" and blah blah, but most people who argue that forget that this is a SCIENCE FICTION game. That means that it is supposed to have roots in real life. In Halo 3, when the mood struck me, I would get in the tank and automatically get a killing spree. Whenever an opponent got into a tank, I would pick up a power weapon and drop them. Maybe I'm just good at taking out vehicles, maybe I'm just normal, but I've never had a problem with the enemy team grabbing vics in Halo 3.

 

This doesn't even begin to mention the fact that the covenant vehicles are now (for some reason or other) superior to the human vehicles. For instance, I've seen a banshee take two direct hits from a scorpion before it blew up (I even jacked the kill with my sniper), the wraith can take up to three shots from the scorpion, while the scorpion can take two from the wraith, the banshee's unlimited dodge makes it to where a skilled flier can use it throughout the entire match while the falcon can literally be shot down with SAF. The hypothesis that covenant vehicles are superior in multiplayer is supported by the fact that in most maps the only human vehicles available are the warthog and mongoose.

 

As far as the OP goes, well thought out and well worded. The DMR is not hit-scan, but does have a ridiculous range when compared to the "future" models. Still, props are given, and thanks for the cookie!

[Destroyaaa]

I personally enjoy Blackout. I don't know why you'd consider it such a terrible remake when, to me, it plays just like Lockout.

 

Doesnt feel quite the same. First of all its dark out, which changes visibility. The railings are made differently, and there are shortcut jumps that you could make in Lockout that cannot be done on Blackout. It is not an exact replica of Lockout, if thats what they were going for. It is not a terrible map, sorry if i made it sound like that, it just isnt lockout for me. MLG on Blackout isnt the same as MLG on lockout. Snipers on blackout was a fun gametype.

[FIREN4]

Honestly, best thread I've ever seen. Totally true, well-though out, and...did I mention true?

Ya'know what, here's a cookie *hands cookie*

[Wumpa Warrior]

Agreed, the maps in Halo 3 were great as far as vehicles and their counterparts. A better design of each level would greatly influence the way each map plays. Due to the DMR, open maps need more cover. Hemorrhage only has 1 effective heavy weapon (Plasma Launcher), even though it has the most vehicles on any map in matchmaking.

I actually liked Blackout quite a bit. It was great for 1 sided objectives IMO. As far as H4 goes, I think while that is a new and kindof decent idea, it shouldn't be implemented. They really should stick with the core power weapons. Sniper for each race, a rocket launcher for each race, a CQC weapon, and that's it. Adding a DMR on the map would just be awkward IMO. The only weapon that should be in H4 from reach, is the grenade launcher.

Thank you. *munches cookie slowly*

Never actually played Halo 2 online, but I played customs every day for like 4 years. The point you made about the world units is scary. Also, I went onto Exodus and did that, and that's shocking. The DMR's range should be a lot less. The thing I liked about Halo 3 was the fact that every vehicle had a counter. If reach had H3 vehicle characteristics, the maps would have to be redone.