Halo: Infinite (Dec. 8th, 2021) - Xbox Series X

[JaegerDice]

That's cool for you but most games have some type of progression system ongoing, this one it appears doesn't. Halo Reach took years to complete. They decided with this multiplayer it would be FTP but with BP's six months apart? It's contrary to their model and could significantly impact the player base. It's possible this game is so far behind and with work on Forge, Coop and BR they don't have the manpower to do more.

I don't have anything against progression, I just can't imagine playing a game for the sake of unlocking goodies instead of because I actually enjoy playing the game.

You referenced Halo: Reach's progression, but what did you do in Halo 2 and Halo 3 when there was no progression outside of playlist ranking? Were those games lesser because they counted on the actual moment-to-moment gameplay as the draw, instead of the chance at unlocking a new hat?

Halo Infinite's progression model had (has) obvious issues out of the gate. Changes have led to unintended consequences.

The original idea for the Halo Infinite Battle Pass was that it would take a long time to complete, because the bulk of XP would come from challenges. Under the original XP model, 6 months isn't a crazy time-frame for completion for the average player.

More over, the model for Halo Infinite is a no-FOMO model. Unlike other games with Battle-passes, you don't have to complete the Infinite pass within x months or lose out on anything you didn't unlock. Even as new passes come out, you'll still be unlocking stuff on the old pass until you complete it.

The original idea, rightly or wrongly, was a more relaxed, long-tail battle pass rather than a sprint through a 3 month battle pass that gets replaced.

Fans didn't like the progression. So they added a ton of XP and now you're basically guaranteed a battle pass level per day, just for playing 6 matches of anything. So yes, everybody is going to finish the battle pass well ahead of the original planned time-frame.

They may respond by pushing up the schedule of a new battle-pass, or they may have a few months where there isn't progression, and people have to play the game just to enjoy the game.

 

[chicagoskycam]

I don't have anything against progression, I just can't imagine playing a game for the sake of unlocking goodies instead of because I actually enjoy playing the game.

You referenced Halo: Reach's progression, but what did you do in Halo 2 and Halo 3 when there was no progression outside of playlist ranking? Were those games lesser because they counted on the actual moment-to-moment gameplay as the draw, instead of the chance at unlocking a new hat?

Halo Infinite's progression model had (has) obvious issues out of the gate. Changes have led to unintended consequences.

The original idea for the Halo Infinite Battle Pass was that it would take a long time to complete, because the bulk of XP would come from challenges. Under the original XP model, 6 months isn't a crazy time-frame for completion for the average player.

More over, the model for Halo Infinite is a no-FOMO model. Unlike other games with Battle-passes, you don't have to complete the Infinite pass within x months or lose out on anything you didn't unlock. Even as new passes come out, you'll still be unlocking stuff on the old pass until you complete it.

The original idea, rightly or wrongly, was a more relaxed, long-tail battle pass rather than a sprint through a 3 month battle pass that gets replaced.

Fans didn't like the progression. So they added a ton of XP and now you're basically guaranteed a battle pass level per day, just for playing 6 matches of anything. So yes, everybody is going to finish the battle pass well ahead of the original planned time-frame.

They may respond by pushing up the schedule of a new battle-pass, or they may have a few months where there isn't progression, and people have to play the game just to enjoy the game.

You act like you can't have both. Enjoy the game and make progress at unlocking stuff. The challenges are contrary in some cases to your team doing well in the game. From a competitive standpoint, I enjoy ranked without the need to complete specific challenges to rank up. In this regard I would prefer it be like COD, I could just play the game to win and push through the BP. Now, you have teammates attempting to get kills with some weapon they suck at to complete the BP. I do like the changes to the challenges to include more win-based and score-based. I guess I would be shocked if they waited to May to release another BP.

and f*** oddball. I feel like in previous Halo games it rarely came up in objective. They need to lower the amount if comes up or add a voting screen please.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

I feel like I’m the only person who likes Launch Site as a map. It’s big, but it’s the only arena map that isn’t the same on both sides. See it get a lot of hate as a map online.

Getting Fiesta mode full time has been great.

 

[JaegerDice]

You act like you can't have both. Enjoy the game and make progress at unlocking stuff. The challenges are contrary in some cases to your team doing well in the game. From a competitive standpoint, I enjoy ranked without the need to complete specific challenges to rank up. In this regard I would prefer it be like COD, I could just play the game to win and push through the BP. Now, you have teammates attempting to get kills with some weapon they suck at to complete the BP. I do like the changes to the challenges to include more win-based and score-based. I guess I would be shocked if they waited to May to release another BP.

and f*** oddball. I feel like in previous Halo games it rarely came up in objective. They need to lower the amount if comes up or add a voting screen please.

You obviously can have both.

Like I said in this thread, I'm at level 50 on the battle pass despite never attempting to complete a challenge. Most come naturally over the course of play.

On some level it feels like the battle pass and challenges were made for players like me. People that would play the game, and passively complete things in the process. Maybe 343 should have been smarter or more prepared for the players that would fixate on challenges rather than simple view them as some extra to unlock along the way.

I just feel like there's a disproportionate focus on a supplementary system compared to the actual meat of the game.

I'd rather have a great game with a bad battle-pass than vice versa. A battle-pass is honestly easy to ignore.

Honestly, I think the only issue with Halo Infinite that deserves legitimate fixation and vitriol is the pricing of stuff in the store. I bought one 200 point package so I could have the little keychain thing of Cortana on Chief's head, but the fact that some packs are going for the equivalent of $10 or $20 is obscene.

People complaining about how hard it is to unlock stuff in the battlepass get an eye-roll from me. People complaining about predatory pricing in the store have my complete support.

 

[chicagoskycam]

I feel like I’m the only person who likes Launch Site as a map. It’s big, but it’s the only arena map that isn’t the same on both sides. See it get a lot of hate as a map online.

Getting Fiesta mode full time has been great.

It's different and sometimes feels too big for 4X4. My friends hate it but on the bottom, I just grab rockets and camo. Up top has Sniper. It's also the only map with 1 flag as a game mode.

 

[chicagoskycam]

You obviously can have both.

Like I said in this thread, I'm at level 50 on the battle pass despite never attempting to complete a challenge. Most come naturally over the course of play.

On some level it feels like the battle pass and challenges were made for players like me. People that would play the game, and passively complete things in the process. Maybe 343 should have been smarter or more prepared for the players that would fixate on challenges rather than simple view them as some extra to unlock along the way.

I just feel like there's a disproportionate focus on a supplementary system compared to the actual meat of the game.

I'd rather have a great game with a bad battle-pass than vice versa. A battle-pass is honestly easy to ignore.

Honestly, I think the only issue with Halo Infinite that deserves legitimate fixation and vitriol is the pricing of stuff in the store. I bought one 200 point package so I could have the little keychain thing of Cortana on Chief's head, but the fact that some packs are going for the equivalent of $10 or $20 is obscene.

People complaining about how hard it is to unlock stuff in the battlepass get an eye-roll from me. People complaining about predatory pricing in the store have my complete support.

Yeah, the store items really suck but I'm okay with spending $$$ on stuff I like if I enjoy the game You have the option to buy it or not so I don't see it as predatory. Their pricing is in line with COD, Gears, Fortnite, ect. I just think they are slow playing better items coming down the road. The skins you get in the campaign are better than anything they have in the store. It's a great game even if they are releasing the full package all at once. Forge can really eat up some time and the maps some people create are very well done.

 

[Blitzkrug]

The store prices are mindnumbingly greedy.

I had 10 bucks in MS credit so I bought the bundles with the chibi player icons. Mostly because they at least have versatility where I can slap them on my gun, vehicle, armor and my playercard. Kind of a waste but I think it cost me like, 50 cents in real money?

10 bucks for player icons is ridiculous and I wouldn't have spent the money if I didn't have the credit laying around. That's not even getting into the price for armor and other shit.

Free to play shouldn't be a license to get greedy. Rocket League did the same shit too when it went F2P. Extra cosmetics (unique shit like the batmobile, ecto-1, KITT) cost a few extra bucks if you wanted to buy it. Now they're charging as much as 25 bucks for a damn car body with unique colors or some stupid shit

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

They did say yesterday on the stream that they’re looking at the store. They also made it seem like there’s a clear difference in the devs and the people in charge of the store.

I don’t buy skins or stuff like that normally anyway, but definitely wouldn’t with the prices they have. I’m happy they’re adjusting the Tenrai event now to where you unlock the stuff without paying.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Yeah the Tenrai changes are a really good step in the right direction.

After listening to them speak on it it definitely leads credence to the theory that there was a disconnect between what the devs wanted, and what Microsoft wanted where all the inane shit (Inital playlist design, the event, etc) was forced on them and now that the backlash is this bad, they're being allows to clean up the mess

 

[Unholy]

I also am more towards not liking Launch Site for regular matches. Depends on the players but I've had a couple matches where it actually went to a timeout for Slayer because no team was able to get to 50 kills in time. I love those type of maps for 1 Flag and 1 Bomb though.

Halo 2 had great maps for those. My personal preference over 2 Flag.

 

[S E P H]

I would buy more skins if it wasn't ten effin' bucks for one of those gaming championship stuff. That is awfully overpriced.

 

[S E P H]

Just got a super glitch against me where I lost all my HUD; could not jump, could not shoot, could not quit the match, and all I could do is walk around.

 

[x Tame Impala]

I feel like I’m the only person who likes Launch Site as a map. It’s big, but it’s the only arena map that isn’t the same on both sides. See it get a lot of hate as a map online.

Getting Fiesta mode full time has been great.

Its good but it needs BR start. It’s too much walking around and not enough action

 

[x Tame Impala]

Just got a super glitch against me where I lost all my HUD; could not jump, could not shoot, could not quit the match, and all I could do is walk around.

Halo: Purgatory

 

[chicagoskycam]

I would buy more skins if it wasn't ten effin' bucks for one of those gaming championship stuff. That is awfully overpriced.

Actually, compared to other games they are not bad for $10. The problem is you cannot alter them at all or add any armor effects to them. The skins they have had in the main store for $15 have been awful.

 

[x Tame Impala]

If they added maybe 10% more free stuff and the BP cost maybe $30 instead of $45 it would be better IMO.

I agree in part with Jaeger that getting worked up over customization is a little silly but the BP general practices are pretty grimey

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

What Battle Pass cost $45? Is there a special one? I only paid $10.

 

[chicagoskycam]

What Battle Pass cost $45? Is there a special one? I only paid $10.

So did I. There was an upgraded one that boosted you a bunch of levels but I don't think that one exceeded $20

 

[chicagoskycam]

I don't have anything against progression, I just can't imagine playing a game for the sake of unlocking goodies instead of because I actually enjoy playing the game.

You referenced Halo: Reach's progression, but what did you do in Halo 2 and Halo 3 when there was no progression outside of playlist ranking? Were those games lesser because they counted on the actual moment-to-moment gameplay as the draw, instead of the chance at unlocking a new hat?

I can't recall what we had to do in Halo 3 to get the Hayabusa armor but it wasn't easy. I think find all the skulls

 

[Unholy]

I can't recall what we had to do in Halo 3 to get the Samuri armor but it wasn't easy.

The Hayabusa? I believe it was get all the skulls and achievements for H3. I remember some being a bit of a pain but it's a good feeling once you get them done

 

[S E P H]

What Battle Pass cost $45? Is there a special one? I only paid $10.

There's one for like 28 bucks and you get 25 levels for free. So if you're a level 20 and buy the bundle, you go to level 45.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Matchmaking seems to be better now at filling games instead of dropping a shitty bot in to replace a leaver/Disconnect.

Not a big fan of how FFA plays in this compared to others. In the couple games I played it felt like there was nothing happening since it was only 6 people. It's kinda similar to how I dislike 4 v 4 on behemoth or launch site.

Still holding out hope for the rest of the straggler game modes (infection, KOTH, maaaaaybe husky raid?) pop up sometime after 343 is back from their break

 

[JaegerDice]

I've never found FFA particularly fun in Halo games. Maybe goofy modes like FFA Rockets, FFA Oddball, or FFA Fiesta, but never standard FFA.

The TTK is just such that it's a constant loop of killing a guy, then another guy picking you off when you're weak.

Survivability in Halo is largely based on recognition of when to push vs when to retreat, but that doesn't work if you retreat right into full health enemy that spawned behind you.

Honestly, the last game I LOVED free-for-all in was Quake 3: Arena. And that came out in 1999...

 

[Super Cake]

I literally feeling like deleting this game right now.

Just ran into a serious glitch where the campaign did not save any of my progress. I did so many side activites like collect spartan cores, kill targets, collect armor and what not.

Then i died and i find out none of was saved and i got placed so far back where i lost everything i just collected.

I wish every game had manuel saves in addition to auto saves.

 

[Blitzkrug]

HCS hits the stage for its first pro showcase in Infinite and it's been nothing but crashes and disconnects. Whether you care about the pro scene or not that's a very, very bad look. Even worse considering the viewercount was pretty massive and thats probably not what you want your potential customers to see.

They just announced that BTB isn't getting fixed until next month.

Right call given everyone deserves time off but...yikes.