Call to Arms!!! Community Awareness and Healing!!!!!

[Twinreaper]

Greeting and salutations my fellow Halo Community members. For those of you that know of me, this post will not be a surprise, but unexpected in some ways. For those of you have not heard of me at all, a little background and introduction first.

 

My name is Twinreaper. I am a Generation 1 (old old school) modder and programmer with a rich heritage that stretches back beyond Halo 1, and stretches into every halo title produced, except Halo Wars. I was around at the ground floor when we were all starting to plan and build the now "Halo Community". I have participated in many posts, threads and websites around the internet. I hold a lot of credibility within my people and communities. I pull no punches and always tell you how it is. As a first step, I want to formally and officially apologize to anyone I may have insulted, looked down on, or made feel bad in the past. It was not my intention and in hind-sight I admit that my path was wrong. Now, my reason for this post...

 

Over the years I have seen this community evolve and in ways devolve. When I first came to Halo and started to build lifelong friendships, the community was still in it's infancy. People were still trying to figure out where they stood and what halo meant to them and to the people who shared their love for it as a whole. As with any community over time, is has been through many changes and many many troubling times. These troubling times have now become the present day "Halo Community" in which we all participate. While Halo may be a great title and have some great people that are a part of it, this community alone over the last 5 years, has declined into the "basement" of the gaming world.

 

Gamer Communities the internet over, now laugh at us and mock us at every turn. Once a great pillar of the gaming world, we are now shunned and left with no credibility or solid backing by anyone...even our own franchise. No one takes this community seriously anymore. No one wants to listen to anything we have to say. Now yes, there are certain times in the case of Reach TU, where the devs did give us a listen....but beyond that mostly what we speak of and talk about in terms of goals and game ideas is lost on deaf ears. SO you may be thinking to yourself, "You have no idea what you are talking about". Rest assured I know completely all too well in which I speak in terms of the community.

 

Anyone who would go to various websites around the net, could plainly see how divided and segregated we have allowed ourselves to become. Because of the fragile nature of a community with various sub-cultures, we lost our main goal. Our main goal used to be a simple fun gaming experience in which we all participated, respected one another, and worked towards making the gaming experience a great one, for all walks of life and gaming preferences. Now, we have sub-cultures who would rather shun, insult, ignore and plain out despise any other sub-culture whom does not share the same views. This is dangerous! This alone is why Halo is failing as a community and a franchise. We have lost ourselves amongst the years of gameplay and interactions resulting their of.

 

In order for this community to continue to grow and prosper, we need to begin to heal our current wounds and come to a great communal understanding. Regardless of whether you are a "Hardcore", "Casual", "MLG", "Fun", "Modder", "Noob" or part of any other sub-culture, you must realize this now.....we need to come together and put aside our past judgments and hangups that we have with each other. There are a great many threads here at 343i that are a shining example of everything I have spoken about. But one thing remains clear and front center...WE NEED TO FACILITATE A CHANGE!!!!!!!

 

I personally am stepping forward to promote and lead this change. Moving forward....You want 343i to take us seriously? You want 343i to listen to this community and really give us great things? You want to be part of something big, and not just a bystander? Do you love your game and community enough to change? I do! And that is why I am officially calling for all gaming sub-cultures of Halo to start trying better to get along. we need to come together and work together properly if we are to survive into something that can once again be the role model and top of the food chain in terms of gaming communities. I don't want us to dwell and further spiral down into a nothingness from which we can never return.

 

It does not matter if you like competitive play, if you casually play, or if you just like to have fun. There is no good reason why any of us have to continue to be jerks towards each other simply because we do not see eye to eye of gaming styles and title decisions. Halo is what united us, and it must be Halo that continues to keep us together. Shed off any misconceptions or hard feelings about title updates, title mechanics, gaming cultures, personal feelings, and help start getting this community back on track. No gaming company wants to try to even begin to listen to a community that is virtually broken. Help fix it now, and you may very well help to facilitate and change in the community and the game itself!

 

No more will intolerance towards sub-cultures be tolerated. We must learn to work together, not bicker back and fourth about what "Halo really is", or "What a Halo game really is". halo means different things to many people, and must be respected as such. Please join with me now my fellow community members, and help to spark a change in the way we view each other and the game in general. Do not allow fear or unsettling feelings prevent you from becoming better towards the community and yourself. Join with me and say "We wont take it anymore, we are Halo HEAR US ROAR!!!!!"

 

If this post has spoken to anyone at all at any level, then I feel good about what I have started and what I have done. I sincerely hope that these words can start to facilitate the change and help change the state of things. In the end isn't that what we all want? To get along and have a great gaming experience? I thank you for your time in reading this, and if you have a similar goal or desire to see the community once again become the king of the gaming world, please sign a comment in the post and show your support!!!! Thank you all once again, and good gaming to you all!

 

- Twinreaper

 

This post has been promoted to an article

[gone]

This calls for change, we can all do our part. For me, this text is just pure fuel of inspiration for me to make a cross-community montage, with footage from Halo communities all over. Perhaps a montage with the same message as this, such an inspiring text. Well done.

[Carts]

Great post, I think another thing that would really move the community foward to being more united in having fun togheter is the return of communication. I remember when I started to play online in Halo 2, in less then a week I knew most of the call-outs just from random people telling me. I was in no means a competitive player at the time, but achieving a win with communication and making friends along the way was the best experience I ever experienced on XBL.

 

When I look in my friends list, about 80% of them are from H2 (I dont even play with most of 'em anymore). With maybe 20% since H3 release. And back in H2, I had to clean my f/l every 2 weeks to make room for new friends. The only thing that changed this is the lack of players using mics online. We need to bring back the online community to the days that every lobby had 90% of users using there mics. We all get a mic with our xbox so there is no reason not to talk and have these "silent lobbies".

 

So I encourage all of us, if you don't already, plug in your mic and start talking to any players that have their mics, but with good sportsmanship. If you're the only mic user then just do call-outs like "I got a sword here for you", "sniper spawned", "1 shot on my X". Eventually players will mic up themselves to contribute and join in, the key here however is to be a good sport and encourage players to mic up. I believe if we really try, we could bring Halo back to its hayday of unity.

[Mr Biggles]

this is an interesting post and a good read to anyone who wants to be inspired.

 

Nice read twin

[Caboose]

lolwut ?

 

Joking lol

 

Anyway thats a long post

[fzdw11]

lolwut ?

 

Joking lol

 

Anyway thats a long post

 

It is a long post, but a good post that everybody should take to heart. It was a great message, and a good time for it to be posted.

[Drizzy_Dan]

Impeccably said Twin and I couldn't agree with you more. I think anyone who has accounts on other forum sites should share this with them because this is truly inspirational and exactly what the Halo community needs to be doing to move forward. Everything explained perfectly to the last detail, well done Twin.

[MCPO Mayh3m]

Boom goes the DynaTwin! I agree Twin, good post and a great call to arms. I, Myself, will do my part and try my best to step forward and be a good role model here. We need to be the change we want to see in the Halo community.

 

Any MLGers out there want to invent the new callouts for the new maps? We can set a new tone going into Halo 4, a positive one! This forum, all 17k+ of us can radically change Halo for the better I believe.

[Absolute Dog]

I believe all of you know where I stand on this already. I have long been an advocate of getting those who have different views and opinions together to look towards the future of Halo. I tire of seeing the same old worn out cliches being thrown around as if they have some meaning to anyone but those who say them and those who feel the same. They only serve to further continue the divides that already exist.

 

It is too often that fans of opposite view points no longer actually listen to each other. I have stated a number of times that 343 Studios should not listen to the fans, they should just create the best game they can and go for it. I know there can be a unifying push that really does bring the community in general together, but it takes more than just words. it takes hard work! A number of us have shown that we can find ways to communicate with those who are angry or set hard in their opinions by just working to find some common ground.

 

Accept the fact that you actually will have little to no impact on Halo 4. The game is made. If you want to be part of something big, like what once was years ago, then roll up your sleeves, stop encouraging arguments and get to work figuring out a way you can contribute to bringing the community together.

 

I stand with Twinreaper and all of those who truly understand what is being said here. Anyone can talk a good game, how many of you can actually play one?

[MCPO Mayh3m]

I believe all of you know where I stand on this already. I have long been an advocate of getting those who have different views and opinions together to look towards the future of Halo. I tire of seeing the same old worn out cliches being thrown around as if they have some meaning to anyone but those who say them and those who feel the same. They only serve to further continue the divides that already exist.

 

It is too often that fans of opposite view points no longer actually listen to each other. I have stated a number of times that 343 Studios should not listen to the fans, they should just create the best game they can and go for it. I know there can be a unifying push that really does bring the community in general together, but it takes more than just words. it takes hard work! A number of us have shown that we can find ways to communicate with those who are angry or set hard in their opinions by just working to find some common ground.

 

Accept the fact that you actually will have little to no impact on Halo 4. The game is made. If you want to be part of something big, like what once was years ago, then roll up your sleeves, stop encouraging arguments and get to work figuring out a way you can contribute to bringing the community together.

 

I stand with Twinreaper and all of those who truly understand what is being said here. Anyone can talk a good game, how many of you can actually play one?

 

Check Mate.

 

I agree, and I remember your call to arms topic a long while ago. I think both need to be heard and acted upon (positively).

[AgentLoFi]

Wow, this couldn't have been explained any better, I fully support bringing this community (not just this site) back to the glory that drew us together in the first place......Halo!

[FIREN4]

That's a long post Twin, I guess all in a day's work for someone awesome like you, right ?

I fully support your thread, like many other members, and just like how I've supported your previous ones. Thanks Twin.

[ZB-85]

That is a long post, but It is very well put. There definitely needs to be a change, and if we all work together we can change anything.

[skummgummigubbe]

its a awesome post i can't agree with you more, we need to stand united for the thing all our hearts beats for....HALO

[Azaxx]

Dammit AD, Change ur text font, its sooooo hard to read

 

And epic post Twin, this should be pinned if it not already.

[Iиversiσn]

Oh Halo, the game that packed the largest punch, stayed in our hearts, remembered us of our younger days, a foundation of our childhood. Yes, this game... This amazing game, that brought together such a wonderful community.

 

I have to say Twin, this has been the ONLY thread on here that has properly, and professionally explained the issue with this broken community in such a sophisticated manner. You put this incredibly well, Halo was once a foundation for gaming everywhere. Halo 2 was the cornerstone of the gaming industry at it's hay day and NO OTHER GAME could even compare to it.

 

The Halo series had the best community in the world! They were kind, friendly, knowledgeable, understanding, and offered so much support in every way. Today, most of that has fallen apart and the community and the game are starting to crumble and get swapped under the rug by other games.

 

I stand by you with every point that you made, and am willing to aid you in any way possible.

 

Well put Twin,

-MaGIIXz

[Father B]

Twin, I love you. You're the best and I'm proud to call you a friend.

 

 

Point of concern:

 

Members of the original Halo community and fandom seem to me to have become the minority.

 

The majority consists of the Youth demographic. Of that demographic alone, the majority consists of those less mature individuals (not necessarily kids) who just don't have the time to really be part of the community. The only involvement of these individuals in the community seems to be on the fringe where the extent of their involvement is to boast about how awesome they are, and to complain about the details that they have a problem with. They really don't want to work together with anyone, or even go about expressing themselves in a decent and civilized manner.

 

I don't know how to explain it with my mind as haywire as it is (my Thought prioritization and organization charts out like the storyboard of a Tarantino flick), but I'll give it a shot: The rifts between "cliques" or "sub-communities" are like cracks in the clay ball of our world of Halo. But if you follow those cracks down toward the core of the world, I'm sure you'll find that they don't all run as deep as one. One crack (no jokes, please) runs all the way through the world, and it divides those of us who genuinely care for Halo from those individuals who really don't.

 

I adore those of you here in this particular site who take the time to really think, who bear a deeper understanding of the state of affairs, and who offer services and aid to those who want to be better in-game, who want to create in Forge or Theater mode, or who just want an awesome sig for the forums. I think it's incredible how many of you there are, and that alone gives me a nice, warm feeling inside.

 

Despite this, working together to try and guide 343 Industries in future iterations of what has always been our game will be a push - a big push - because we'll be competing with an aimless, immature and sometimes malign anti-community of gamers whose selfish mind-state would unintentionally see Halo continue to lower itself to the standards of unintelligible, no-skill-required FPS's whose titles shall not be named here by me but that offer a truly false sense of superiority when someone's a higher Level than you (for example).

 

 

A push. Like childbirth. It'll be long. It'll be painful. And it'll be messy. But in the end, if and when we're successful, our baby will be the most beautiful, the smartest, the fastest and the strongest baby in the world.

 

I'll push with you, Twin. I'll push with you until the bloody end.

 

 

Oh, also, those individuals - the Fringers I was talking about - are the types who aren't at all likely to read posts that are as long as these, and those that would read them aren't likely to w00t! *fistpump* and jump on board with us.

 

That said, I was wondering if maybe it would be a good idea to create a video - a Machinima - with this message of unifying the Halo community under one banner (so to speak), and people could show their support for it just by hitting "Like" and maybe dropping a comment. In this way, the message might go further and resonate with more intensity in the minds of those who might be disinclined to read long spiels. Not to mention that it would cross borders with more ease.

 

This is assuming, of course, that there isn't somebody already running rampant across the vast wilderness of the Internet spreading the word by hand on every Halo community forum they can find, and doing so with flashy posts that are short, sweet and to the point, or maybe using .gifs to portray the message with clarity and pointed humor.

 

Hey, that's another idea...

[Shadow Hunter Honor]

Every word of that was right on with how i feel. there has to be change in the Halo Community. after the waves of adversity The makers of CoD and others are licking their chops at the Halo series. they expect to outsell Halo 4 and dominate it, that's where they are doomed to fail. the exact opposite is happening with Halo 4 then with Halo 3, its being under-hyped, The other big guys are seeing that as an easy beat, especially with the new guys at 343, but again, they are wrong. Twain, as i said before, i will stand by you on your quest to bring back the once great Halo Community, for i wish to see the same objective met. we shall prevail. HALO4LIFE!!!!

[Drizzy_Dan]

Like I said earlier if anybody with accounts on other forums would post this on there just to get it out there that this is what we need I think that'd be a big step.

[Carts]

 

If such thing exists, I can help spread it on numerous Halo communities I know from my years at Podtacular.

[RelevantWolf]

Very well done Reaper. You do clarify a lot of things. I did , however, clarify in my posts that 343 ignores the community, (in an indirect sense). Nonetheless, I agree with you, on several of these points. You have my following as well as my rating, 5 stars for excellence. Jolly well done.

[Ccup-mann]

Such a true and inspiring post, thank you

[I Dont Screw Up]

w00t im 100% with you brother even if i am late to the party!

[ΠΘVΛ]

343i will listen, we are what makes Halo and Halo is what has brought us all together. Halo deserves a better community and it seems only this forum would be the one to start this movement. This forum is a Utopia compared to some forums out there. Twin, I am so glad you have taken this under your wing, and that you are an old Halo member and know what the old community was like. I never got to know, but I sure would like to see it back to that!

I am and hopefully everyone els with any common scene is fully behind you. We are your shield, we are your sword.

[Quantum]

I agree with Twin 100% of the way. We have what it takes to change this whole thing. I also agree with Carts, and I now play with mic in. I shout out helping advice, and hope for others to do the same. I want us to be respected, not laughed upon. We DON'T deserve much better than we are being given. But we will. Come on, guys, let's get this back together.