Halo 4: "Random" factor seems high!

[PROZAC77]

I'm looking forward to seeing Halo 4, but I'm also getting a bit nervous. From what I'm reading it sounds like many changes will raise the "random" factor. I don't think random=great gameplay. Frankly, that "What a cluster!" sense of randomness is why my COD disks are collecting dust.

 

One of the things I have always LOVED about Halo is the great balance between skill and strategy. Games have momentum and there is an ebb and flow. Anticipating whats about to happen in the game is as important as seeing whats on the screen. They might be up by 10, but if you play smart or time a power wep right it can shift the momentum and change the game. I'm really hoping that with Halo 4 that sense of structure to MM games is retained.

 

Threats to that sense of "order" to the game include:

1. Join In-progress: Most of the time people quit out there is a reason: they are getting outplayed. Its their way of conceding the battle. I HATE joining a game in progress where my team is getting humiliated and I'm the replacement meat shield for people who quit out. I also loathe besting a team and having half of them quit out, only to see them replaced by champs. Please let people earn their own wins and losses.
   
2. Instant Respawn: Spawn times create a built-in momentum that I love. It gives a penalty for getting out-played and rewards the other team for their accomplishment. In an objective game good teams are always calling out how many enemies are down, and it gives you some time to heal or grab an objective. Spawn times also protect teams from BAD players since it slows down the rate at which they can die and doom their own team to failure.
   
3. Custom Gear and Loadouts: I LOVE the fact that in Halo a noob has just as good of gear as a pro. Nobody had to grind for an in-game advantage, so I can play on ANY of my several accounts without worrying about whether a weapon is unlocked. Someone who plays all day has no in-game advantage over a casual gamer. And when a game starts you have a really good idea of what your enemies are coming at you with. You know what you should do to avoid damage from that particular weapon, or how many shots you can take before dying to it, or which weapon you should pick up to counter it. That sense of "order" to the battle distinguishes it from those games where your always going "WTF!" (eg Action Sack, or random spawn customs).
   
4. Random weapon spawns: Weapon spawns are one of the most strategic elements of Halo. Setting up to get a key power weapon, or avoiding an area the enemy just got one, is a key tactic to the game. Random weapons change that for the worse. Encountering a shotgun on a level where there shouldn't be a shotgun, or where its unbalanced? Or having a mosh-pit rush to an advertised spawn? Ugh.
   

 

Am I the only one getting a little nervous?

[Lᴜᴋᴇ]

I think you have come up with some good points here. I'm not sure all of these are confirmed to be in-game, but if they are I'm certain it will create a split in the Community.

[CandiBunni]

1. I would like to believe that it wouldn't be that way if they are actually implementing a join in-progress system. I would hope that if they use this feature, that you would only join games with people with the same skill level or rank as you, instead of being matched up at random with other players.

 

2. This might only be for certain gametypes, and not a universal system. So long as the spawns aren't absolute rubbish and there is ample cover on the map, I don't think this would be that big of an issue, if one at all.

 

3. I would think that the custom loadouts will only feature certain weapons and abilities for players to choose. No power weapons and overpowered weapons or abilities would be available. In order to keep it closer to Halo's style, I don't believe there will be different versions of weapons or attachments or things like that, merely the option to choose between a DMR, Battle Rifle, or Assault Rifle as your primary weapon, a side-arm/pistol type weapon, and an ability. These weapons would still be placed around the maps for others pick up (as well as other weapons).

 

4. More than likely the weapon spawns will not be random as some fear. Regular weapons might spawn just how they would in other Halo titles, while power weapons might be given different key areas to spawn in on the maps. For example: There are three key points on "Map 1". The rocket launcher might spawn in either of these three locations at a specific time, just like in past titles. You would be required to keep a watch on all three locations to see where it spawned. I personally wouldn't mind something like this.

 

To answer your final question, no. You are never the only one to think something, feel a certain way, or to do or say something. There are millions of people on Earth, so the chances of you being the only one to think, do, or say anything is very slim. I'm not nervous. I don't think that we know enough about Halo 4's features to really form a proper opinion on them, and I'm going to wait until I hear and see more and play the final game in its entirety before judging anything.

[Zuko 'Zarhamee]

1. I would like to believe that it wouldn't be that way if they are actually implementing a join in-progress system. I would hope that if they use this feature, that you would only join games with people with the same skill level or rank as you, instead of being matched up at random with other players.

 

2. This might only be for certain gametypes, and not a universal system. So long as the spawns aren't absolute rubbish and there is ample cover on the map, I don't think this would be that big of an issue, if one at all.

 

3. I would think that the custom loadouts will only feature certain weapons and abilities for players to choose. No power weapons and overpowered weapons or abilities would be available. In order to keep it closer to Halo's style, I don't believe there will be different versions of weapons or attachments or things like that, merely the option to choose between a DMR, Battle Rifle, or Assault Rifle as your primary weapon, a side-arm/pistol type weapon, and an ability. These weapons would still be placed around the maps for others pick up (as well as other weapons).

 

4. More than likely the weapon spawns will not be random as some fear. Regular weapons might spawn just how they would in other Halo titles, while power weapons might be given different key areas to spawn in on the maps. For example: There are three key points on "Map 1". The rocket launcher might spawn in either of these three locations at a specific time, just like in past titles. You would be required to keep a watch on all three locations to see where it spawned. I personally wouldn't mind something like this.

 

To answer your final question, no. You are never the only one to think something, feel a certain way, or to do or say something. There are millions of people on Earth, so the chances of you being the only one to think, do, or say anything is very slim. I'm not nervous. I don't think that we know enough about Halo 4's features to really form a proper opinion on them, and I'm going to wait until I hear and see more and play the final game in its entirety before judging anything.

I'd just like to add some stuff to this.

 

1.Nothing to add.

 

2.It has been confirmed that instant respawning will not be in objective games. I'm not sure about other games, though.

 

3.Frank O'Conner said that players will not be able to spawn with power weapons.

 

4.Frank also said that weapons spawns will not be completely random and will be predictable.. This is being implemented to make players move around the map more.

[Constantly]

I'll chime in:

 

1. I think this is fine. The number of people quitting games in Reach and H3 right now is ridiculous. It makes it no fun for either side. Ever played 1v4 on Valhalla? Doesn't matter which end you're on, it's gonna be boring.

 

2. This is whatever. I made a separete thread regarding this and kill cams.

 

3. If it worked out to where I could choose a BR over an AR everytime. Then yes. I love this.

 

4. I like the idea of having to hold different areas of the map. Maybe you're good at holding a specific room, but can you hold a wide open area? May the better player win.

[fzdw11]

All good points, Constantly. I'll chip in now.

 

1. I love the join in progress idea, but I've said it multiple times. Does it work with Ranked? Not so much, and hopefully you won't have people quitting out of ranked matches, but to implement it into a social setting? Absolutely.

 

2. I think Ms. Mystic has this right, it's only for speciic playlists, not all of them. It wouldn't be an ideal situation to have it in all playlists.

 

3. 100% agree with the others on this. If it's a choice between AR/BR/DMR, then it's perfectly acceptable as long as all the weapons are balanced well with one another.

 

4. Again, Ms. Mystic and TrueGhostly have this right, I believe. Not so much random as in they will drop anywhere, but in key locations that at first won't be known, but after time playing the game you will learn them and use them.