Each and every Halo iteration has been bigger than the last and Halo 4 will be no exception. Halo, as a universe, offers so much more than any other FPS. Match Making has been a standard for many years as has Theater and Forge. With the addition of FireFight from ODST, load outs featuring Armor Abilities, and the new Gametype: Invasion, Halo: Reach was the largest and most far reaching games to date. Stilll the fact remains that some things may be cut during the transition from the first "Trilogy" in the hands of Bungie and the next "Trilogy" courtesy of 343. New gametypes and settings like Regicide and in game weapon drops are being revealed while some old ones, like Fire Fight and Armor Lock will be laid to rest. Some of this is to streamline the series, trim the fat and focus on the staples of Halo. Another aspect is that 343 wants to set itself apart from Bungie.
One way of doing this? A new weekly campaign, an interactive experience currently dubbed "Spartan Ops" will, in essence, be replacing Fire Fight though the details of the gameplay aren't clear. It will be linked to the campaign in some form and will be available to play with friends. Though it will mostly resemble a traditional campaign this could include Fire Fight scenarios that require players to hold out on certain maps/locations before moving on to the next phase or level.
Halo4 will be bringing fiction into gameplay by connecting books, anime, other media and the Halo Universe at large to online play. New Characters, old favorites, old enemies with new ones and much much more will intersect and thats the just the foundation that 343 is setting for the FUTURE of Halo.
The graphics look to be very high quality as do the maps and weapons. Other games, such as Battlefield3, include the option to install and HD skin or texture pack and I hope that Halo4 does the same. This would allow those players capable and willing to step up their playing experience without forcing everyone to participate.
One of Halos greatest achievements has been the Theater which has allowed players to share, learn, teach, and enjoy all that Halo has to offer. From online matchmaking to custom games players have been saving films for years, making screenshots, rendering clips, making montages, and uploading them to YouTube. This is a GREAT method of PR that is almost free. I'm not going to pretend to know how much it costs to create or maintain the Halo Theater (hopefully we can render film with 343 like we could with bungie). The fact is that Halo was one of the first to implement Theater and, as long as Halo 4 allows us to watch film WITH other players, I'm looking forward to seeing it return.
The one thing that SHOULD be in Halo4 that has not been in previous halos is an in game spectator mode. This would only be available for custom games so there is no fear of cheating or exploitation. There is a demand for this feature within the MLG and Streaming Community that would allow players/community members that already HAVE the capability to stream live gameplay to host custom lobbies and feature matches between players or teams on any level... be in 1v1, MLG, BigTeamBattle.net, or Competitive Invasion from the HaloWheelmen.
Going beyond the basics, MLG personality Nexy has posted his
thoughts on the matter here with some great ideas including a "Coach Mode" that would allow someone to go from player to player (on their OWN team), watch them in 1st person, or watch all 4 of them at once, and be able to communicate with them via LIVE party chat with a headset. Different spectator modes would be great too like a Referee that could move about the map freely and go through walls.
Forge has been confirmed and, though Reach made great strides, Halo4 promises that its new Forge "wont disappoint". We can only speculate at what it would include but no matter what color scheme or palette is chosen players will grow tired of it quickly. Online gamers are spoiled and impatient, complaining about the green, the sand, and gray of each and every new Forge map we are given. The one fix to this is to include multiple skins or palettes instead of just one... however this requires space and memory and may not be possible. Perhaps in ADDITION to several large areas like Forge World (for BTB, races, and Invasion) we could get smaller maps, or rather play spaces, that were perfectly sized to accommodate no more than 10 people. Several of these maps could be produced each with their own skin or palette. One playspace would be strictly covenant, mostly purple, and include round edges and sumptuous curves while another would be on the streets of Earth or Reach surrounded by buildings and civilization. A simple skybox in space or on a UNSC ship would be welcome as well and we can't forget our gray forerunner friends either. This would supply an infinite number of 1v1,2v2, 4v4 and FFA maps to be used for MM, Competitive customs, Grifball, or anything else without the encumbrance of the REST of Forge World to render and account for.
Another forgers opinion on the matter.
Baby, look at those curves...Blocks and walls are easy enough but something that Forge has wanted, needed, for a long time is round or curved objects. Players have yet to be able to create covenant maps like Zealot or Midship because of the nature of blocky and bulky objects. The reasons not include them are legitimate, curved surfaces take more to create and more to render in a game. There is no point in creating an object, or rather an entire palette of objects, that will never be in MM to begin with... If there is a way to ensure that those of us who WANT to download/install these palettes, skins, maps, DLC, etc then we should be able to do it.
Halo has a very large "cult following" including the preverbial Custom Lobby Warrior. Their existence began with the creation of Custom Lobbies. These players prefer to stay out of MM, playing instead with their friends or future friends and creating fun gametypes like Rocket Race, Grifball, etc. For their sake I hope that almost every setting, map, gametype and beyond is customizable. This will undoubtedly take up space and memory but it is something that has already been teased and, regardless, is necessary. Whether its gravity, shields, speed, weapons, vehicle health, Vehicle use, Armor Abilities, grenades only, weather effects, or special effects, ad infinity... players have been promised that a classic Halo game will be more than possible in addition to the new changes.
Another small but relevant thing that Halo 4 SHOULD have is the ability to chose a screen shot or image to accompany a custom map. Whether its a Load Out cam or an actual in game screen shot chosen from the menu makes no difference to me but so long as we have a way of distinguishing which map is which OTHER than the name, then I'm happy.
But, all of these cool features, great suggestions, and classic treats come at a cost. Halo 4 online multi-player deserves to be massive as does its Campaign/Spartan Ops. The LEAST 343 can do, and I know its probably already decided one way or the other, is to give Halo Fans what they need, what they want. Whether its 1v1 race maps or 8v8 territories on Guardian it should be great and they have my full support to do whatever it takes to make it happen. If that means that there are 2 discs then great, if that means that there is Day 1 DLC for Forgers then so be it. There are players, though they may be few, who will only play the campaign... will only play Match Making... will only Forge for hours or just watch others play, forge, and create. What is amazing about the Halo Community is that we will can do this and not only survive, but thrive! There are communities DEDICATED to Forge, to the Warthog, the Sanghelli, to Grifball or RocketRace. Not just a couple people but legions of fans that come together to celebrate the depth that makes Halo Great. You cannot find this love and admiration among other FPS let alone most games. By adding more features, settings, weapons, species, vehicles, gametypes you are only extending the Reach of Halo.
For the Love of the Game.Whats done is done but
IF there is still a debate... any doubt at all on the part of 343 on whether they should cut features to cram Halo4 into one disc to save a buck, I beg them to reconsider and add as much as they can to the game for the sake of quality and longevity and self preservation. By giving Halo Fans more to work with we will create SO much more, not only ensuring that the game continues, but offering up free publicity in the form or Status Updates, YouTube vids, Forum Signatures, Maps, Screenshots, Live Streams, Commentary, Gametypes, Rants, Smileys, Gifs, and every kind of Custom Content Imaginable.