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130°

Game Informer: Halo 4's Changes To Competitive Multiplayer

Game Informer: This week at gameinformer.com is devoted to the changing face of Halo 4's multiplayer and we are starting things out by talking about the competitive side of things. You might have heard that 343 Industries is interested in making some changes to the classic Halo formula. We sat down with lead multiplayer designer Brad Welch to talk about the new emphasis on story, customizable loadouts, and the new and updated modes for Halo 4. Watch the video below to learn more about what your competitive multiplayer experience will look like in Halo 4 and stay tuned to the site throughout the week to learn about the new co-op experience called Spartan Ops.

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gameinformer.com
TheMutator5152d ago

or destroy it!!! im not very happy with new changes

Kingdom Come5152d ago

Then you'll love Call of Duty...

Gazondaily5152d ago

I don't like the sound of armour abilities at all apart from sprint. X-ray vision just sounds something a camper would love. Armour lock- well we know why that sucks.

I guess it all depends on how 343 balance it all out.

The game really could do with dedicated servers though. Too often, the host connection determines a firefight.

Still, I'm sure the game will feel like Halo. Here's hoping that we get some amazing maps because, at the end of the day, what helps maintain the appeal for FPS' such as this is the map design and whether its memorable or not.

Virus2015152d ago

"The game really could do with dedicated servers though. Too often, the host connection determines a firefight."
???
Have you really played Halo online? The host has never had the advantage in an online match unless they used the "stand-by trick". However the stand-by trick could only be done during the first few months to a year after the release of Halo 2 until Bungie patched it up. If you've never heard of the glitch/trick then i'm can only guess that you have never played Halo 2 online.

The Halo servers have always been top notch. There is hardly any lag and I don't think it needs dedicated servers. Gears 1 had a big issue where the host would win a one v one shotgun fight but I have never seen that kind of thing with a Halo game.

Gazondaily5152d ago

Seriously? You really think the host has no advantage in Halo 3 and Reach online? Either you're from the States or you've hardly played Halo. The host advantage plays a BIG part in Halo. I have a few Halo vets with maximum BPR ratings who would like to have a word with you.

Virus2015152d ago

Yes I live in the US and I've been playing halo games since Halo C.E back in 2002. I played through the days when anything anyone played on Xbox live was Halo 2. I also played Halo 3, then switched to COD 4 when it came out that November but eventually went back to Halo 3 (got to lvl 43). I am currently a General Grade 4 in Reach. I've never seen someone win a gun battle because they were the host of the game.

humbleopinion5152d ago

Septic, I'm sorry but you have no idea what you're talking about. Halo games run a distributed networking model. It's not synchronous and the host has no advantage because each machine is running the entire model:
http://www.bungie.net/News/... (this doesn't apply to co-op)
Dedicated server model on the other hand will give advantage to people closer to the server (with lower ping) and will make the game less balanced.

As for what you refer to as "X-ray vision", this can actually solve the camping problem: you can't really camp if people can see you behind walls, no can you? Have you given this any thought?

180°

Halo art director leaves studio after 17 years with ominous message alluding to discontent

Glenn Israel writes: "As of today and after seventeen long years, I am officially no longer contributing to the Halo universe. There is little more I can say for the moment, though I intend to share this particular story in its entirety when it is absolutely safe to do so next year. In the meantime, I have a message for anyone and everyone who needs to hear it.

I know that the state of our industry seems dire, but never forget that you are *free to choose*. No illusion of security nor promise of wealth or fame or power is worth trading away your health, your dignity, your ethics or values - and no one can force you to. Stay strong, take evidence when necessary, and find where you belong."

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linkedin.com
Bathyj229d ago

My god.
There's a story for next year.

VenomUK228d ago

I’m really disappointed to learn there are still people/morale problems. I thought the whole point of rebranding 343i to Halo Studios was to signal that real changes had been made - not to cynically rebrand to paper over the problems.

I really hope the Halo CE remake is great and gets people hyped for the future of the series.

DarXyde228d ago

It's inevitable with the modern landscape. Even if some issues have been assuaged, new ones crop up all the time.

I'm willing to bet AI and the lack of regulation is causing substantial upset.

shinXseijuro228d ago (Edited 228d ago )

He said something very marking . We tend to complain a lot about the industry but deep down I realize that we never have we been offered this crazy amount of games all available for you to play now . You can literally play any sorts of games in 2025 . Nobody is forcing you to buy the latest COD or the latest BF . You’re more of a 8 bit cozy gaming guy there’s a whole niche of modern games for that . You like micromanaging there’s games for that . I feel like we have been spoiled so much we just stopped being realistic and thinking for ourselves . We follow trends cry about stuff online when you are the buyer you have the power .

Notellin228d ago

I'm not buying any games until another Immersive sim is made.

PhillyDonJawn228d ago

....wth happened over there?
Does this confirm a new Halo by next year?
What did they want him to do that made him feel it was morally wrong or a insult to his integrity?

-Foxtrot228d ago

Well how about that, a name change doesn’t fix internal issues

Who would have thought

jznrpg228d ago

MS was throwing money around for a long time but now it’s time to pay the Piper.

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110°

Halo 4 & Halo 5: Guardians Sales Reached Nearly 10 Million Units Worldwide

Lifetime sales of 343 Industries' first-person shooters, Halo 4 and Halo 5: Guardians, reached nearly 10 million units worldwide each.

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twistedvoxel.com
Sciurus_vulgaris319d ago

There were reports that Halo 4 and Halo 5 had similar sales to Halo: Reach years ago. The clickbait websites and rage bait YouTubers from 2012-2016 just wanted to spread excessive negativity about the franchise for their own benefit.

VenomUK318d ago

What did Halo: Infinite sell?

Sciurus_vulgaris318d ago

I don’t know. However, I would assume around 10 million. All the Halo FPS titles have done around 10 million sales, except ODST. Halo 3, was reported to exceed 14 million copies. I still remember back in 2007-2008, Halo 3 and COD 4 would duke it out for the most played XBL game.

MrNinosan317d ago

@Sciurus

There is NO WAY Infinite sold 10 million. Wake up dude.
Once upon a time, there was gamers on the Xbox side who actually bought games. Those times are since long gone.

Infinite has most likely not even hit 5 million sales

slate91318d ago

Nearly 10 million units and killing the brand is crazy work. Nicely done.

peppeaccardo317d ago

This New: Putting chocolate chips on top of a freshly made dog turd .....

1Victor318d ago

So let me get this straight in almost 13 years both games sold a combined 10 millions units.
Now I’m not going to use the obscured mentality and compared it to the amount of consoles sold and say it’s a failure 🤷🏿

thesoftware730318d ago (Edited 318d ago )

1Victor,

Halo 4 and Halo 5: Guardians, reached nearly 10 million units worldwide "each."

Read it again, there is a word in there that clears up your misunderstanding.

1Victor317d ago

@thesoftware720
I apologize I skimmed through the article and the headline blinded me and stuck in my mind thank you for the correction 👍👍

AuraAbjure317d ago (Edited 317d ago )

Halo 4 is the best multiplayer ever! It’s even better than Titanfall 2. I admit Halo 4 got CoDified but there’s nothing wrong with taking inspiration from other games sometimes and halo 4 did it sooooo well with that speed boost plus sword combo and SAW plus damage booth combo, holy guacamole 🥑

Some crucial improvements to halo 4 could’ve been to boost the power of the AA sentinel, and whenever matchmaking pits people against each other with an armor abilities turned off completely then the map needs to routinely spawn, plentiful, predictable, power weapons. Also, all frame rate drops are unacceptable for a halo game during split-split screen or couch co-op. Just dynamically scale the resolution of the game down but whatever happens don’t let the framer dip in a Halo game for the love of all that is holy and good!

My personal gameplay of getting 30 kills in a 4 v. 4 game of team slayer up to 60.

https://youtu.be/ZYDvior_K-...

Show all comments (12)
190°

OG Destiny artist recalls Bungie’s “disgruntled” reaction to Halo 4’s art style change

Original Destiny artist Darren Bacon recalls how Bungie reacted to the art style change of Halo 4 by 343 Industries.

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videogamer.com
Tacoboto400d ago

Bungie at that time became the most wonderful bunch of hypocrites in the gaming industry. Knowing this now, gosh the entitlement they felt was out of this world.

Nothing like buying yourself from Microsoft because you don't want to be the Halo Studio anymore, and the FIRST THING you do is sign your next IP over to Activision, for a DECADE, while they are in the middle of ousting the heads of Infinity Ward so they can exert even more control over COD while screwing out the devs at IW...

Should've come as no surprise then that Activision gutted the content of Destiny 1 before launch and was a horrible partner through Destiny 2, until history repeated itself and Bungie had to split from Activision only to wind up in the arms of another major conglomerate that also doesn't know how to handle these unmanageable devs.

Profchaos400d ago

Tti their credit they praised the technical abilities of 343 and I remember at the time thinking halo 4 was a huge graphical leap above reach everything else was rubbish when I actually got to play it but there was no doubt it looked good for the 360 and is probably the best looking game on the system.

But ultimately I think bungie has always had a leadership problem and going independent ultimately proved this it's only getting worse with studio heads being outed by Sony for abuse allegations seems like all bungies past success has been in spite of management not because of it.

But really I think the bungie we have today is not the same one we had in that Xbox era of Bungie

PhillyDonJawn400d ago

I liked the artstyle change. For the most part. Something looked worse but most of everything else looked better. Weapons and vehicles for sure. The wraith come to my mind instantly.
And how can they get mad when the bungie changed it with Halo Reach?

Sciurus_vulgaris399d ago

I know a lot of people dislike Halo 4’s arts style, but there’s thing about it I like and dislike. Personally, the Halo 4 design of Master Chief’s armour is my favourite depiction of the character’s armour.