Halo: The Master Chief Collection Discussion

[Larry Sizemore]

Unless you only played MLG/Hardcore, the map pool really wasn't that great. For every "good" game (BRs on symmetrical maps with decent spacing) you had to sit through 5 or 6 games of SMG/AR starts or BR starts wasted on some piece of shit map like Gemini or Orbital. Every so often in 2011 I would get nostalgic for ol' Halo 3 BRs on Pit/Narrows/Construct/Heretic/Citadel/High Ground, get on, jump into matchmaking, and get hit with something like:

 

BRs on Assembly

ARs on Snowbound

ARs on one of those Sandbox maps

BRs on Snowbound

ARs on Guardian

BRs on Ghost Town

ARs on Foundry

 

And THEN I'd finally get one of the "good" games (50/50 chance it would be ruined by crap host or be a complete mismatch), then the cycle would reset and I'd be thrown back in to ARs Isolation or some shit. Then I'd either go to big team (where you'd be lucky to get a host in the same hemisphere as you) or just get off.

[Teapot]

Halo 2 had better online than all of those games.. Can't believe that your hatred of matchmaking is so great that you would claim that MechAssualt/PGR had comparable or less restrictive online experience. You were aware that if you disliked matchmaking so much you can just run customs? You know that feature where gametypes like zombies, troy, tower of power, and tour de walsh came from? Again attacking or disregarding H2's online component doesn't help your argument. It was the most robust online system at the time it made even PC players look back and it's still widely regarded as one of the best mulitplayers games in the history of the industry. 

 

 

Thought I'd clarify on this portion. Basically the majority of XBL titles prior to Halo 2 were giant server browsers that let you search for what you wanted to play. Not all were so expansive where you could search terms but it was certainly easier to find those "fun" modes through the optimatch system than it was in Halo 2. In Halo 2 you'd have to make friends with groups that you knew played those fun modes or go around joining lobbies off of your friends list or clans. Clans were great, and I loved the minor/major playlists after those lists were removed they basically became a 2nd friends list to find FFAs/4v4's.

 

Halo 2's match making system was one of the more robust systems at the time. What it did best was allow you to search playlists/modes that would get you a fair and competitive game rather quickly.

 

It comes down to a matter of preference. Do you value the luxury of the matchmaking system over having the ability to see every/any game that is available to join? I would bounce from room to room on older titles trying to find a more competitive lobby, but also took way less time finding the fun modes.

[ThreeShotPistol]

What's the verdict boys? MCC bout to get lit again? Halo 1 gonna be something playable not a broken PC game?

[FarSight XR~20]

What's the verdict boys? MCC bout to get lit again? Halo 1 gonna be something playable not a broken PC game?

[MultiLockOn]

Forgot to mention, H2 also has the smoothest aim mechanics of any Halo, and really good momentum melees

[Riddler]

What's the verdict boys? MCC bout to get lit again? Halo 1 gonna be something playable not a broken PC game?

that's what they're promising us

[Stoppabl3]

It was hard to pull people away from matchmaking. Zombies matches were fairly common, but otherwise customs just floated in the wind.

 

Rocketball was the best time I had with Halo 2, but hardly anybody ever wanted to play it.

 

But with MechAssault and PGR 2, craziness was common. Stuff like all Elemental matches and Cat & Mouse...epic times. And that glorious UT Instagib...

OG Xbox did have some sick online games though. Splinter cell spies vs mercenaries was the best, and they don’t make games like rainbow six 3 anymore. Pure hardcore bliss. And Battlefront 2? sooo good. Damn I’m feeling nostalgic now.

[Teapot]

OG Xbox did have some sick online games though. Splinter cell spies vs mercenaries was the best, and they don’t make games like rainbow six 3 anymore. Pure hardcore bliss. And Battlefront 2? sooo good. Damn I’m feeling nostalgic now.

 

 

I'm sure there were a couple other games that had this but I'm sure this function went away ASAP, but Unreal Championship let you edit your online name to whatever you wanted and could include symbols. You had your Xbox Live Gamertag that would connect online but you'd display the in game profile name you made. Thats when I first learned about clans and saw the likes of nbk and type z back then. I had a lot of early XBL games but only really remember it existing on this one game.

[BuZZ]

I'm sure there were a couple other games that had this but I'm sure this function went away ASAP, but Unreal Championship let you edit your online name to whatever you wanted and could include symbols. You had your Xbox Live Gamertag that would connect online but you'd display the in game profile name you made. Thats when I first learned about clans and saw the likes of nbk and type z back then. I had a lot of early XBL games but only really remember it existing on this one game.

 

I am one of the few people that actually really enjoyed UC. With the AA off it was great. 

[Hard Way]

UC was sick as hell. Splinter Cell Chaos Theory was the best non-halo multiplayer on OG Xbox though.

[Landonio]

UC was sick as hell. Splinter Cell Chaos Theory was the best non-halo multiplayer on OG Xbox though.

Ninja Gaiden Black.

[Landonio]

Haha is that Huber?

[BigShow36]

UC was sick as hell. Splinter Cell Chaos Theory was the best non-halo multiplayer on OG Xbox though.

 

Nah brah. 

 

[Hard Way]

Nah brah. 

 

I mean, Crimson Skies was good as hell, but Chaos Theory was next level good. Such a cerebral game.

[FarSight XR~20]

Haha is that Huber?

 

Does Onimusha need to come back? ^_^

[Squatting Bear]

Does Onimusha need to come back? ^_^

 

I wish it did.  Loved the first three games- oh wait.

[-DeucEy-]

Rainbow Six 3/Black Arrow and Splinter Cell Chaos Theory.

 

Top tier non-Halo xbox live experience. Unrivaled.

[Arena1999]

Perfect Dark is still fun. But it's really held back by its outdated controls and AI. Sure it was held back by the N64 so its hard to fault the developers themselves, but the point remains that it is held back by these things. Maybe they should have told Nintendo that they wanted to make it a Gamecube launch title and take advantage of more powerful hardware?

 

Like Halo came out literally a year later and is still replayable to this day and has more interesting gameplay and AI than Halo 5. Obviously the Xbox was more powerful and had a better controller but it was a gigantic leap forward and will stand the test of time much better.

Outdated controls, maybe, but A.I.? Not really. The A.I. in that game was borderline stupid, but the framerate is what really held the game back. Besides, being able to do hold-ups, disarm and shoot weapons out of some someone's hand, and guards sprouting memorable dialogue like, "Why... me?" and "She got me...!" was always hilariously to hear, so I think all of those things compensate for the terrible A.I.

 

You're definitely on point with Halo: CE and the original Xbox. I just wish Halo had level design which was similar to GE and PD, and cheats which could be unlocked by finishing levels at a certain time at a certain difficulty. In fact, an FPS with Halo: CE's A.I. and gameplay, and Perfect Dark's disarming features, mission design and cheats, combined with Halo CE's MP and PD's stimulants, with TimeSplitters-esque challenges, this would be the definite console of the decade - guaranteed. Although this does sound way too ambitious to happen. 

[Moa]

[Cursed Lemon]

 

[Turkeyyy Lips]

When I bought MCC on release day, my plan was playing this for a decade plus. Sucks that for the first 2 years it was a disaster, but Im excited for this new update and hopefully the population gets bigger through gamepass or games with gold.

[Basu]

Just signed up, let's give my Xbox cancer with some MCC test builds :weback:

[Champloo]

Investing resources into a completely dead game that isn't going to bring people who left back to the scene...

 

Y'all can call this a good faith gesture if you want, you can be happy that it might finally be playable 3-4 years after release- but this is just the newest dumb decision in the chain of colossal fuck-ups by 343.

[SweetNSavery]

I'm excited for all this to never change anything. But like a moron I can feel my hope building up that this is finally going to be the turning around point for all the MCC related problems.

[Cujjer]

Investing resources into a completely dead game that isn't going to bring people who left back to the scene...

 

Y'all can call this a good faith gesture if you want, you can be happy that it might finally be playable 3-4 years after release- but this is just the newest dumb decision in the chain of colossal fuck-ups by 343.

 

As long as i can get 3 other people to play halo 1 2v2 with its not dead.