Yeah, the blog is difficult. I'm working at Playground Games now, which means while technically I could keep doing it, I was becoming privy to info that made it difficult to blog about Halo and Microsoft in general.
For example, if I blogged about a rumour (that I heard on GAF or something) that ended up being true, you could imagine a circumstance where MS didn't think I was just passing on rumours, but was instead leaking info I'd received through working with them.
For example, if I blogged about a rumour (that I heard on GAF or something) that ended up being true, you could imagine a circumstance where MS didn't think I was just passing on rumours, but was instead leaking info I'd received through working with them.
Playground eh? How about some hints to the next horizon location? Or, could you pass on to the team how much I want actually rally, ala fh1, to return? Storm island didn't cut it.
By FlawlessCowboy Go To PostHey everyone, it's me! You may remember me from such things as Little English Halo Blog (up until a couple years ago), and HaloGAF (as Shadders, up until about a year ago).=O
How's it hanging? That Halo 5 looks kind of ok, right?
I preordered the Halo 5 console today. They had one in-store in GAME, it didn't really look like to the promo shots, the left hand side is much darker as opposed to the silver in promo shots. Looked pretty hot.
You've returned to us! You were by far my all-time favorite Halo blog for pre-release Halo 4 and post-release. Fine journalism!
By LoopOfHenle Go To PostPlayground eh? How about some hints to the next horizon location? Or, could you pass on to the team how much I want actually rally, ala fh1, to return? Storm island didn't cut it.Heh, I'll be sure to pass on your dissatisfaction with Storm Island. :)
It was a much better value pack than Horizon Rally though, LOADS more content and a big new area to explore. It was a shame we couldn't give it an authentic Rally mode though.
By FlawlessCowboy Go To PostHeh, I'll be sure to pass on your dissatisfaction with Storm Island. :)
It was a much better value pack than Horizon Rally though, LOADS more content and a big new area to explore. It was a shame we couldn't give it an authentic Rally mode though.
Not so much my dissatisfaction with storm island, but my love of horizon 1's rally DLC. It was utterly fantastic, despite recycling locations from the base game.
Also, horizon desperately needs a (optional?) Co-driver so I don't have to race and constantly stare at a mini map to know where I'm going. This was especially problematic in the cross country events of horizon 2.
Anywho, welcome. I recognize the name, but not sure where from (halogaf is a safe bet). Let's play halo 5 in Oct and beyound!
Love the Horizon games like you wouldn't believe and as much as I love the JDM and US muscle scene it needs some Aussie cars. I remember how beffudled my friends and I were when they brought the new Commodore into Hzn2 but only as a rebadged Chevy lol.
By GringoSuave89 Go To PostI wish we'd get another Spartan in DOA, but I think we're both going to be waiting awhile.Yeah, since Itagaki ( who was cool with MS) left Ninja Dog , crossovers like that aren't happening. I would have loved to see someone like Sara Palmer ( yeah i know) or Kat in a DOA game.
By Welfare Go To PostSo Black Ops 3 is going to have player counts, but MCC and Halo 5 won't? That's some bullshit.Do we know H5 won't?
At least we can use it to estimate Halo 5. I hate that they got rid of them in MCC. Swallow your pride, it's relevant information.
Also to the Playground Games guy, FH2 is so, so good and I return to it often. More please!
By Rokklaggio Go To PostSomebody please helpWhat's wrong?
I'm looking at the worst thing I've ever laid my eyes on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdjJ0jmci0E&feature=youtu.be
IT'S EVEN WORSE WHEN YOU WATCHING WHILE LISTENING TO THIS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm-Z076RbhQ
IT'S EVEN WORSE WHEN YOU WATCHING WHILE LISTENING TO THIS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm-Z076RbhQ
By Rokklaggio Go To PostI'm looking at the worst thing I've ever laid my eyes on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdjJ0jmci0E&feature=youtu.be>Saw title
IT'S EVEN WORSE WHEN YOU WATCHING WHILE LISTENING TO THIS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm-Z076RbhQ
>Saw thumbnail
Fuck no, I'm not watching that. Get the hell off of 4Chan, or 8Chan or whatever freaky ass board you're on.
By FlawlessCowboy Go To PostYeah, the blog is difficult. I'm working at Playground Games now, which means while technically I could keep doing it, I was becoming privy to info that made it difficult to blog about Halo and Microsoft in general.You guys at Playground are fucking awesome.
For example, if I blogged about a rumour (that I heard on GAF or something) that ended up being true, you could imagine a circumstance where MS didn't think I was just passing on rumours, but was instead leaking info I'd received through working with them.
By Rokklaggio Go To PostI can't. I'm sickened, and yet...curious for more...
Welp, I've just about seen as much as my soul can take.
Getting off the internet early tonight, see you all tomorrow!
Getting off the internet early tonight, see you all tomorrow!
By AnonomissX Go To PostSo, Halo.It's really pretty sad that we actually have to ask these questions pre-launch.
Will H5 have custom games at launch? How many players? Will the custom games be joinable?
So ridiculous that MCC doesn't have JIP for Customs. Unless I've missed something and they patched it in.
By AnonomissX Go To PostSo, Halo.O think that's a 100% given, despite mcc's shortcomings (hint, they aren't relevant to h5)
Will H5 have custom games at launch? How many players? Will the custom games be joinable?
We've known H5 will have custom games for ages.
They're also all on dedicated servers, pretty sure JIP was confirmed as well. As for player limit, as of E3 they were still working on it.
They're also all on dedicated servers, pretty sure JIP was confirmed as well. As for player limit, as of E3 they were still working on it.
By RoKKeR Go To PostIt's really pretty sad that we actually have to ask these questions pre-launch.
So ridiculous that MCC doesn't have JIP for Customs. Unless I've missed something and they patched it in.
If they patch that in, my screams of happiness will be heard in space.
And Jem "pretty sure" and "343" go together like a fish on a bicycle...
Tell them Playground boys I dug Forza Horizon 1 and I'm looking forward to play 2 and go make Project Gotham 5
By RoKKeR Go To PostDo we know H5 won't?
At least we can use it to estimate Halo 5. I hate that they got rid of them in MCC. Swallow your pride, it's relevant information.
If MCC doesn't have it, and Frankie's reasoning was that it has "multiplicative negative effects on niche populations", I don't see why Halo 5 would have it.
"Pretty sure" in this case means I think they've confirmed it but I can't quite remember. Not sure what that really has to do with 343.
God I could be so evil right now.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1097085
I could just say Halo series. You should play the good ones before the bad ones. Then just sit back and watch the insanity unfold with everyone fighting over which are which..
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1097085
I could just say Halo series. You should play the good ones before the bad ones. Then just sit back and watch the insanity unfold with everyone fighting over which are which..
By Mix Go To PostWere there grenade hitmarkers in the beta?
Yes. I hate how the tournament commentators even point them out as though they are some genuinely good mechanic.
"He looks for a grenade hitmarker and finds him bottom mid!"
This is just so wrong on so many levels.
Fahzgoolin is a sad panda.
I dunno, I've been thinking about it... the option to throw a grenade for a chance of spotting a hidden enemy has some interesting tactical possibilities. So long as grenades are thin enough on the map, at least.
By Poodlestrike Go To PostI dunno, I've been thinking about it... the choice to trade a grenade for a chance of spotting a hidden enemy has some interesting tactical possibilities. So long as grenades are thin enough on the map, at least.
I understand. However, I think the negatives outweigh the plausible positives.
I just want 343 to give a good answer in regards to why they implemented it and how it enhances the arena balance. My inner Ragnarok wants to claim it's because they are pandering to the CoD playstyle to bring in "familiar" mechanics to a broader audience.
The fact that you have to be a good day for me and I don't think that the government has been in the first place?
By Fahzgoolin Go To PostI understand. However, I think the negatives outweigh the plausible positives.Considering the play it got in the commentary, I'd call it at least half possible that the pro team signed off on it, whatever the original motivation is.
I just want 343 to give a good answer in regards to why they implemented it and how it enhances the arena balance. My inner Ragnarok wants to claim it's because they are pandering to the CoD playstyle to bring in "familiar" mechanics to a broader audience.
So, here's my theorycrafted case in favor of grenade hitmarkers: Assume we have a player, Bob, running through the map. Bob decides to throw a grenade. The target Bob chooses may or may not contain an enemy; he neither sees one, nor saw one enter the area. What set of conditions make this a high-value tactic?
1. Bob knows that his targeted area is high-value, either because it has something worth pursing (weapon, powerup, advantageous position) or because it's high-traffic.
2. Bob can afford to burn the grenade on a miss.
3. Knowing where a wounded opponent is confers an advantage.
Point 1 is a fairly straightforward skill advantage in terms of map knowledge. Throwing the grenade is a better move for Bob than another player who is less familiar with the map.
Point 2 has two sub-conditions. Bob can afford to burn the grenade if the grenade is sufficiently low-value, or high in quantity. If grenades do lots of damage in a decent area, Bob might be better off holding on to it and using it when he's more certain of his target. This also holds true if grenades are sufficiently rare.
Point 3 is... uh, kind of painfully obvious.
The trick, then, is to balance those 3 conditions such that grenade hitmarkers are not too high-value, because otherwise you end up in a Promethean Vision/ Boltshot situation where EVERYBODY's using it and it breaks the game. Point 3 is basically out of the designers hands. So what about the other 2? These are the conditions that make the player choice interesting as well, so it makes sense that this'd be where the design focus is.
Well, the easiest way would be to make a wasted grenade really, really costly. If grenades become super useful in actual combat, throwing one through a window because somebody might be in there starts looking like a real dumb move. The next way is to raise the skill threshold on map knowledge. This is done by adding alternate routes, amongst other things.
It's interesting to note that the conflict between points 1 and 2 is where the skill gap on this potential mechanic would lie. Knowing when it's better to throw and when it's better to save depends on map knowledge and awareness, in addition to basic grenade chucking skills.
Something something poodles, m tired. G'night.
By FUNKNOWN iXi Go To PostI live in a reality where they added a new 12v12 mode that is more than sufficient enough for my BTB fix, and it's definitely more than enough to hold people over until 8v8 BTB rolls around. You see it as a missing feature, but I see it as something additional, something being added on the already good value that is Halo 5 as a $60 product. The only way I would see it as a "missing feature" is if they were shoehorning 8v8 BTB into Warzone maps long after launch, but they're not so that argument has no basis here.
I'll just go ahead and say that Warzone is going to be great and will probably be the new BTB. Just trust me on this.
Ugh, now we have a vague tease about an elite(not?) controller that is halo(5?) themed? :( Im still trying to get answers about the physical digital swap with the console LE lol I wish they could just say what things are. I was just about to pay off the elite controller too @_@
On the topic of playlist counters, I believe what frankie said about it before is very valid. That people psychologically avoid low population playlists sometimes simply because of its player count or where it is on the U.I. By hiding the numbers and moving playlists around it removes a layer of human dumb mental gymnastics and playlists that would be unpopular might get more healthy.
I for one am tired of seeing good playlists have almost no one in them cause so many people just run playlists based on whats most full :(
On the topic of playlist counters, I believe what frankie said about it before is very valid. That people psychologically avoid low population playlists sometimes simply because of its player count or where it is on the U.I. By hiding the numbers and moving playlists around it removes a layer of human dumb mental gymnastics and playlists that would be unpopular might get more healthy.
I for one am tired of seeing good playlists have almost no one in them cause so many people just run playlists based on whats most full :(
By Cliq Go To PostI'll just go ahead and say that Warzone is going to be great and will probably be the new BTB. Just trust me on this.
Yeah, but Cliq, the last time I just trusted you, I took your Warthog to the face in the tunnel on Avalanche in Halo 3 ;p
By Cliq Go To PostI'll just go ahead and say that Warzone is going to be great and will probably be the new BTB. Just trust me on this.I can totally see that. I just hope they get the 4v4 slayer playlist right.
By Cliq Go To PostI'll just go ahead and say that Warzone is going to be great and will probably be the new BTB. Just trust me on this.
It's not a replacement all all points but it sure is one heck of an upgrade. Looking forward to it!
By Poodlestrike Go To PostConsidering the play it got in the commentary, I'd call it at least half possible that the pro team signed off on it, whatever the original motivation is.
So, here's my theory crafted case in favor of grenade hitmarkers:
Something something poodles, m tired. G'night.
Yeah, I can see your points and I don't think it's entirely incorrect.
This is my primary issue with grenade hitmarkers that I feel breaks the game:
Knowledge of enemy position > Grenades in stock
Especially when a team is winning and has set up their positions, it's very easy to throw grenades into where you think the other team might spawn and get a little hitmarker to confirm they are there. It makes the losing team feel more pressure than necessary. This is personal experience, but I have had countless times in the Halo 5 beta and H2A where I was in the lead and took advantage of the spawn system and threw nades in the areas that the enemy team might spawn in. It's uncomfortably easy to do this and lets your team know immediately where they are. Sure you might lose your grenades, but team firing and coordination is far more important than how many grenades you have. Also, if you spam an area with grenades and DON'T receive a hitmarker, it's pretty safe to say no one is there either. A skilled player will realize this and will have a better idea where an enemy ISN'T positioned.
For lower level play, these are probably not concerns, but for skilled players...it's just really easy to take advantage of.
From GAF thread about no BTB at launch:
"My favorite gamemodes were always Invasion, Firefight and BTB. All of them are missing and merged into that RNG-Tradingcard mode, wtf...
You can implement your own ideas 343i, no problem with that, but why cutting out all things that Halo fans love? BTB is definitely the most played playlist since Halo CE behind Team Slayer.
By not implementing another mode with vehicles they are really forcing people to play Warzone, guess what, the only mode where you can buy things for real money. 343i want that money like Heartstone or what?
Instead of things we love, they make stuff like Breakout mode, which nobody demanded. Having one life and super weak shield in Halo is just wrong.
I reckon the worst for Forge and Custom Gametypes in Halo 5..."
"My favorite gamemodes were always Invasion, Firefight and BTB. All of them are missing and merged into that RNG-Tradingcard mode, wtf...
You can implement your own ideas 343i, no problem with that, but why cutting out all things that Halo fans love? BTB is definitely the most played playlist since Halo CE behind Team Slayer.
By not implementing another mode with vehicles they are really forcing people to play Warzone, guess what, the only mode where you can buy things for real money. 343i want that money like Heartstone or what?
Instead of things we love, they make stuff like Breakout mode, which nobody demanded. Having one life and super weak shield in Halo is just wrong.
I reckon the worst for Forge and Custom Gametypes in Halo 5..."
By the way Wesleyshark, I played the Destiny trial and got my male titan character to 7. My friend is gonna let me borrow his copy of Destiny until TTK so I can get the character to 20... I don't need TDB or HOW to get to 20 and maybe get a nice titan Exotic from Xur, right? If I'm not mistaken I just need to grind some Strange Coins for that.
That thread on BTB being absent from launch is a shit show, so many hyperbolic people, but that's the internet.
By Fata1moose Go To PostThat thread on BTB being absent from launch is a shit show, so many hyperbolic people, but that's the internet.
It's really not a big deal. 20 maps at launch and also the BTB maps are being designed from the ground up. I can wait, there will be plenty to do.
By derpface123 Go To Posthttp://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=168418327&postcount=9141i really hope one of the things they've focused on is figuring out ways to actually share and play a variety of maps with the community.
By LoopOfHenle Go To Posti really hope one of the things they've focused on is figuring out ways to actually share and play a variety of maps with the community.I want to see different themed items on the various templates, covenant, UNSC and Forerunner items.
I don't know shit about game development, but it'd be nice if they just "gave" us the shaders / finishes used on Spartan armors to apply to objects and make them completely (or at least mostly) textureless otherwise.