Halo's Future

[Professor S]

I know that feelings on this forum toward the Halo franchise are mixed, but I'm not here to discuss whether or not Halo is in fact a good or bad game. To be honest, there is not argument: Halo is a great franchise with tight gameplay, flawless presentation, brilliant AI and a strong universe surrounding it. Whether or not an FPS has done the same things as Halo or not is irrelevant.

Halo and Halo 2 were great games from an objective observation, and they essentially made the FPS mainstream (actually, Halo remains probably the only real mainstrem FPS). To argue about Halo's quality and influence is to waste breath, IMO. Nuff said.

This thread is about how you'd like to see an already great, but seemingly stalling, franchise be revitialized. And the inclusion of a flamethrower ain't it.

1) Weapons - Let's get future, here. Microwave emitters, GAUSS rifles, Smart Bazookas, whatever. Lets get creative, but also keep with the realism that has been so important in drawing the player into the universe. Unreal and other FPS games have always had very creative weapons, but they've always been too "fantastic" for a real world based game like Halo, in which the single player experience is still so vital.

2) Open it up - Halo has always endorsed the tight, claustrohobic idea of FPS gameplay. It might be interesting to open it up a bit, with larger battles, over bigger areas, in conflicts that you might or might not need to help win. Maybe you just need to get through. Call of Duty was GREAT at that type of gameplay, and I'd like to see Halo adopt some of it.

3) Vehicles - GO SPACE! Lets get some 3D flight sim going, or maybe even a little strategy with larger Cap ships.

What are you're thoughts?

[Angrist]

I say...... make a Halo RTS!!


Oh wait.

[The Germanator]

My thoughts on the future of Halo? The answer is in the picture below! Halo 3 Mountain Dew! Game Fuel! (I've only played Halo for a bout 1 hour in my life, so I don't really have anything constructive to add.)

http://www.energyfiend.com/wp-content/md-gamefuel.jpg

[Professor S]

:bump2:

[gekko]

My thoughts on the future of Halo? The answer is in the picture below! Halo 3 Mountain Dew! Game Fuel! (I've only played Halo for a bout 1 hour in my life, so I don't really have anything constructive to add.)

http://www.energyfiend.com/wp-content/md-gamefuel.jpg

OMG! Halo the drink! "Finish the Drink on September 25." Sweet, where do I preorder?

[Professor S]

Anyone actually care to post on topic? Anyone? Bueller?

[Angrist]

Ehm.... maybe... a point and cli... ok sorry, serious now.

They better keep on doing what they're doing best, but I don't see the series staying as popular as it is.

[Professor S]

They better keep on doing what they're doing best, but I don't see the series staying as popular as it is.

I see Halo becoming much more popular in the future. Keep in mind, Peter Jackson is producing a big budget film about the whole universe, and unlike most videogame movies, the Halo universe has a lot more mainstream appeal to go along with the videogame "cult" following.

A summer blockbuster will go a long way toward selling Halo games, and I forsee a Halo game being released shortly before or after the movie debuts... I don't know, maybe I'm psychic...

[Yoda9864]

First off, I will say that I do not like Halo. Of course, maybe that's the wrong way to put it. Halo itself is a good game. I dislike that for some reason, Halo became popular for doing something that has been done already (and IMO a lot better) on PCs for many years.

To reply to your topic, I don't think that anything (short of another fluke like Halo 1) can be done to revitalize the new games in the series. I would disagree that adding a new weapon or two, adding space vehicles, or any other individual thing would somehow make it the "best Halo ever".

They (Microsoft/Bungie/whoever makes it) just need to focus on making another solid game with a solid story. They could create a whole new arsenal of weapons. IMO if they simply add 1 weapon, or 1 new vehicle, or 1 new gameplay mechanic, the game will simply feel like an add-on or hack to Halo 1. Ideally, I would like to see a complete reinvention of the game.

[Professor S]

Ideally, I would like to see a complete reinvention of the game.

This is what I'm after. How would you reinvent it? How would you take it from simply a "popular rip-off of better FPS's" into a game that continues to progress and become more than just `another installment'?

I find that while criticisms of games are frequent, proposed solutions are few and far between. I gave my ideas, whether good or bad, but I'd like to hear yours and everyone else's as well.

There is no need to point out what is "wrong" with Halo... those that don't like it have all been doing that since it came out. This thread wants to know how you would make it "right".

[Yoda9864]

Maybe Master Chief could become...corrupted...and start fighting...space pirates...?


Sorry, too much Metroid on my mind. :-)



But seriously, maybe they could make a prequel type story on Master Chief? I'm not very creative....

[Professor S]

But seriously, maybe they could make a prequel type story on Master Chief? I'm not very creative....

Actually, thats not bad. Having the Master Chief pre-armor would create a whole different game experience. You could inclue the first invasion of the Covenant and show Earth degrading from wonderful place to war torn nightmare, and the need for humans to sacrifice their humanity (cybrogs) to save humanity. More stealth and realistic gameplay. Precision before run n' gun.

Interesting...

[Bond]

I don't think Halo has much of a future, to be honest. Halo is a trilogy, after all, and I think Halo 3 will be the end for the series. There is obviously going to be Halo Wars, and maybe a few other spin-offs (although I hope not), but I think that's really it.


I see Bungie starting a new franchise which will be equally as successful as Halo has been.

[Dylflon]

Anyone actually care to post on topic? Anyone? Bueller?

Is ham on topic?

I think I'd like to talk about ham.

[Fox 6]

I think a game about the fall of Reach could be fun and informitive.

[Null]

I don't think Halo has much of a future, to be honest. Halo is a trilogy, after all, and I think Halo 3 will be the end for the series. There is obviously going to be Halo Wars, and maybe a few other spin-offs (although I hope not), but I think that's really it.


I see Bungie starting a new franchise which will be equally as successful as Halo has been.


Agree with the top part.


and i agree with bungie starting a new franchise.. but i dont think it will be anywhere near the popularity as halo has gotten. i think after this 3rd halo game your going to begin to see bungie fall off the map. maybe a couple mediocre game releases.. then eventually nothing. much like Rare in that regard. i think the halo series is going to be thier kinda one hit wonder for them.


that be my prediction at least.

[Professor S]

I don't think Halo has much of a future, to be honest. Halo is a trilogy, after all, and I think Halo 3 will be the end for the series.

Well Star wars was originally a trilogy too, until they figured out how much money there was in making more of them...

It comes down to cash. If Nintendo can bleed Mario for 25+ years, Microsoft will find a way to bleed Halo as long as it makes money. Bungie doesn't even need to be involved, technically. They're owned by Microsoft, so Microsoft owns the Master Chief. Money is money.

[Null]

yea and its when microsoft takes on the game by themselves or they start forcing bungie into it is when it REALLY goes down the shitter.


i can see them going back for another attempt at it after a new franchise fails. but i dont think it will do that well, and will never be the same as it is now.

i think these 3 are it for a while, and even with any new additions later on, i think they will also be considered the series.

[manasecret]

They should -- spinoffs aside -- probably leave the franchise alone and come back to it ten years from now, when everyone has put it out of their mind but at the mention of it remember all of their beloved memories that have been glossed over with time, and the technology at the time will make it awesome just for the brand new shiny graphics. It won't matter if it's groundbreaking then, everyone will be dying for the sequel to their long-lost childhood or adulthood memory that no one will care what the game is like, as long as it's sorta good.

That's what Nintendo does. Seems to work.

[TheGame]

The game industry is too smart these days. IF Halo 3 is a big seller, you better believe we're going to see anotther in 2009. Countless series have done the same exact thing, acting like each game is possibly the last, but whenn it sells enough they just keep going.

And Rare is a bad example. Rare got popular in the first place because of a extremely popular licence. Then EA buys the licence for big bucks... They never did make a direct sequal to goldeneye, their spin off game required an add on... then they were sold to microsoft and a lot of developers quit. I don't know about you, but I seriously doubt bungie will suffer the same exact fate...

Money and Risks killed rare. Halo is already on to its third direct sequal without much of a risk or a change. As a 2nd party game, it seems like it's only having the same bumps as a MGS or Zelda. ZOMG MYAMOTOS LAST ZELDA!! ZOMG MGS2... wait 3... wait MGS4 IS THE LAST NOW!

I can imagine Bungie having a sucsessful spin off if they keep the gameplay in tact and don't make it require the HD DVD drive. And I also can imagine them staying sucsessful with the same exact series...

[Null]

i wasnt using rare as an example really.... im saying in the end what happens to the company will be comparable..

but i can clearly see bungie dying off. i see the flood of FPS games hit consoles from the PC developers making the cross over this gen, and especially next gen, and i dont think bungie will be able to keep up. i think a new franchise they start is going to attempt to make a big leap, but just wont be done well enough and people will start to forget about em.





BTW, Halo movie.... not looking good, pretty much canceled for now with Fox and Universal pulling the plug.

http://www.cinematical.com/2006/10/20/fox-and-universal-pull-plug-on-halo-movie/

[Professor S]

BTW, Halo movie.... not looking good, pretty much canceled for now with Fox and Universal pulling the plug.

http://www.cinematical.com/2006/10/20/fox-and-universal-pull-plug-on-halo-movie/

You gotta keep up with the times, man. ;) Its been back on for quite some time.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0464037/

[Null]

You gotta keep up with the times, man. ;) Its been back on for quite some time.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0464037/


ahh, my bad, never knew they started up again. hehe. :)

[Professor S]

ahh, my bad, never knew they started up again. hehe. :)

Also, the director is a beginner with feature length, but he has some chops. His background fits the whole theme and film style that Halo is going to have to have to be successful.