Halo was a very good game and a decent trilogy. Make any more games and you've ruined it (and earned a lot of money).

Stubee:
OMG! YOU DONT LIKE HALO!

I love the fact you clicked on this topic all the while knowing what you was guna post. You probably had a sly little grin on your face when you thought of your "witty" comment

ANYWAY

I just want more of the same. Just continue the trend. Better graphics, new weapons,new enemies. I would say concentrate mainly on multiplayer but seriously wtf could they do to make it better?

Wow....fanboy. You're just like everyone who loves Nintendo and keeps thinking they should re-release Brawl with the Zelda wolf in it. Honestly, I want to beat you. Let John (Spartan 117) die. It's had a good run.

Halo - Hell Jumper Assault

The Hell Jumpers are the ODST's (Orbital Drop Shock Troopers) You see in the game, with the full armour! Their motto is 'Jump feet first into Hell'!

You fight from the first assault through a campaign against the covenant, including elites! It would be amazing!!

I was never much of a Halo fan, except for coop mode which is fun, but I'd love to see a super-realistic sci-fi shooter set in the Halo universe. Try to make Halo as realistic as possible, with weapon and movement physics that might actually be possible, along with some very detailed environments like jungles with moving grass and deserts that will suck you in if you don't keep moving. Think a cross between Halo and the Bourne movies.

HAY SUP DOODZ I HERE HALO SUX ITT

Yes, it's true, a horrible admission: I disliked Halo, to the point that I actually quit playing it before I beat it. The only other FPS I can recall doing that with is Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior, although it's not really fair to compare the two: Fire Warrior was a truly miserable steaming dog turd, while Halo just ground me down with tedium.

Still and all, I'm don't think I'm so much of a Halo hater that I can't toss out a few ideas for Microsoft's benefit. Anything to help the 'soft, m i rite?

Whatever they do, it's got to be visceral. It's got to maintain a mature level of entertainment, by which I mean don't toss in some kind of Jar-Jar-Binks-ish bullshit to draw in the younger demographic. It's got to stay true to the Halo mythos, tightening it up if at all possible - fill in the gaps, put some meat on the bone, but again, don't use the scattershot, half-assed Lucas method to do it. Establish standards, hire professionals and give the Halo franchise some weight as a sci-fi property, not just an FPS.

I don't care for a lot of these ideas because I think Halo lives and dies on the strength of its characters. The human/Covenant/Flood three-way is interesting, but it's the story of the individuals involved - their heroism, their loss, their sacrifice - that give the game its compelling edge. Halo on a strategic, impersonal scale isn't going to do that, and the franchise will suffer as a result.

Being one of those arrogant, egotistical pricks who has a Mac computer and will never own a 360 in his life (though my roommate has one, and the Gears of War co-op was very enjoyable), lets see if I can find some middle ground between flaming the entire Halo franchise and being a sold-out fanboy who would give his left nut to meet Master Cheif...or rather, someone dressed like him.

Halo is undoubtedly the most popular FPS franchise...ever. Hell, even I, the guy who thinks both Microsoft, and the Xbox 360 with it, are on the decline, had more fun playing Halo 1 in my friends basement with 4 TVs and 16 dudes hyped up on caffeine than he's ever had playing any other FPS. That's sayin' something.
Bungie struck this magical cord, and the game exploded. Other developers have been ripping the series off ever sense.
The point is, Bungie is no longer owned by Microsoft, so I can tell you that there will not be another Halo FPS. I think I'm stating the obvious here. If you disagree, I'd tell you to pull your head out of the sand, and realize that a single game can be enjoyed for years, so just keep playing the original three, and you'll be occupied until arthritis rears its ugly head or you grow up and become too mature for video games...which we all know isn't going to happen to anyone here anyways, least of all me.

So, now what we know a FPS is out the window, lets investigate other ideas!
...here's where some of you actually start giving a shit about my post...

The RTS form of the game, Halo Wars, is already in the works. From what I hear, that's what the series was meant to be, but they left that idea behind and went for a FPS. I bet the dude who proposed that got a nice bonus...at least, he better have. I also hear whispers in the wind about it being the prequel to Halo 1. Once again, I own a PS3, so I could be totally off.

MMO? Horrible idea. Microsoft would effectively be taking millions of college frat boys and sticking them in a nunnery. They want to enjoy it so badly, but it's the total antithesis of their nature, leaving them stranded in this limbo of "I can't stop playing it, but I hate every minute of it."

I'll step to the extreme and lump Halo LEGO, racing, and arcade games all into one category; Mircosoft will sell plenty of it, but they'll still be terrible games. Now, my perspective comes from that of a gamer, and not a business executive. I think that's the point of this thread, anyways. I don't give a rat's ass what makes Mircosoft money. I'm concerned about a good, solid game that will do the series justice. Malygris hit the nail on the head. It's the characters that drive the games. Every one of those ideas would destroy the fabric of what made the series popular.

In my most humble opinion, I'd say let it die. Microsoft, you've reached the pinnacle of your achievements, and it's all downhill from here. You'll make some more coin if you keep going, but you'll do your fan base an incredible disservice.

However, if they are set on releasing something, let them release the RTS, like was originally intended. The horse is dead, pal, but if you're convinced that the twitching of you hitting it in the head is actually signs of life, you'd be well advised to stop when rigor mortis sets in or you'll look like a damn fool.

Cheers
M

I think RTS is the only place Halo can really go from here. Frankly I hope the employees of bungie form a new company and move beyong Halo, like they wanted to do after the first one.

I think the Halo series will end with the Halo wars than Microsoft will have to find a new gimmick. Lets hope it's an interesting one

*Ready to be flamed by Halo fanboys, but my disdain for the Halo series is legendary.....

I've got an idea for the Halo series: let it die. M$ has made a billion dollars off of what Yahtzee brilliantly (and truthfully) labeled "an overhyped festival of mediocrity", so get Halo Wars out to appease the RTS crowd, then either A) let the series die, or B) concentrate on making it actually deserving of the hype it gets.

here is a idea don't it will save every one allot of trouble.

Bungie is out of ideas? Stop the presses!
anyway, if I were to suggest a game for the Halo franchise, it would be a sandbox rpg where you can play as a spartan back when there were more spartans than master chief or play as and elite

Eldritch Warlord:
Personally I've always found these PC "smart shooters" to be low on raw fun and bigger on making you think it was a good game afterwards. Then the other shooters have only one environment with no scope (I'm looking at you FEAR). And finally the Crysis aproach which puts the graphics to such ridiculous quality that less than 500 PCs on the planet can run it decently. I think Halo is the best thing to happen to the shooter genre since Wolfenstein 3D (the first FPS).

There's a difference between being "raw fun" and tedious, but you brought up a good point nonetheless. I was actually quite surprised at how much more enjoyment I got out of Gran Turismo 4 than Burnout 3 despite having no history with either franchise, so maybe it's just taste. Still, I had more fun playing the FEAR demo on a computer with a GeForce FX 5200 (lowest possible specs) than I did playing Halo online for a few hours with some friends (they said I was good, but maybe we all just sucked).

Interesting that you refer to PC fps's as "smart shooters", leaving the definition open like that. Perhaps you're referring to more complex plots (arguable), innovative ideas (not the nintendo kind), or actual skill and thought required to play the game other than fast reflexes (don't recite cranking up the difficulty). Maybe you're the type that prefers the original Gauntlet to the 2-D Zelda games. You know, whack-whack-whack instead of hit, dodge, change tactics? Good ol' "raw fun" versus "smart adventure"!

Just to keep on topic, how about expanding the games into the novels? Star Wars did it with Shadows of the Empire, and I enjoyed it almost as much as I did the book.

its not fair for bungie to keep making halo franchises when they could be working on something new that could blow us all away and re imagine what gaming is, which they couldnt do if their forced to just put out more halo titles like some sort of conveyor belt

uhhh.. last i heard was that a halo rts was in the works. i can't remember where, but i saw a teaser for it somewhere.

i am careless for suggestions though. halo was never a good story to begin with. also i heard that bungie split from microsoft after the last halo game, so it seems someone else is gonna pick up production if it's ever going to happen.

Random argument man:
I think the Halo series will end with the Halo wars than Microsoft will have to find a new gimmick. Lets hope it's an interesting one

It really doesn't matter. Even if Microsoft's next big thing is a big steaming pile of unoriginal mediocrity, they'll just get the hype machine working and turn said game into the most popular game franchise known to man.

See what i did there? heh.

Stubee:
To AlphaWolf

Wait a minute you hate Microsoft? So i can assume you dont have an xbox, xbox 360 or a windows based PC? Can i ask HOW then you have played Halo? Assuming of course your hatred of the series isnt just born out of petty fanboyism?

Also if you hated 2 why did you play 3?

Yes I hate Microsoft. In any case, I did have an xbox and was very big on Halo1 and 2 for a time. I don't have a 360 because of the failure rate, and the fact that I only played 3 games on the Xbox. Morrowind, Halo, and Halo 2.

Why you would assume I don't use Microsoft stuff? Just because I hate them, doesn't mean I won't use their stuff. First off, I didn't always hate Microsoft. I use windows, because there isn't much else. And I've had the same copy for quite some years now, and OS's aren't cheap. Of course I avoid service packs like I would avoid Gorillas. They haven't seemed to help with anything, except make that cute little screen turn bright blue.

As I became aware of their inability to actually TEST stuff before they release, I started to develop hate towards Microsoft. Look at all the Windows OS and tell me they haven't fucked up several... several... times... Also look at the huge failure rate of Xbox 360's, then the massive complaints against the company for the "customer service" they have shown people ;). Just overall, they seem to fail in many ways.

As for Halo, well... Halo 1 was amazing, I loved the game to death. Halo 2 seemed more like a downgrade. It was slowed down, and some of the new items in the game just killed it for me. Like the sword... yuckie... As for halo 3. I've played with friends. The graphics are a little more noticeable than Halo 2, even though it's on a New Generation Console, and there is almost no change to the combat system. It's just Halo 2 with glitter to me.
Oh, and I played Halo 3 because I wanted to. Am I not allowed to check out a game to see if it's good? Just because I wasn't happy with Halo 2 doesn't mean I didn't have hope that Halo 3 could be better.

Oh, and as to the "fan-boyism". Uhhh, ok... where the hell did you come up with that? Tell me, what kind of fan boy am I? I don't see any clue up there as to even MENTION what games I play, or what I play them on. So how did you chalk me up to the typical "fan boy"? Please elaborate.

HailtotheKing:
*Ready to be flamed by Halo fanboys, but my disdain for the Halo series is legendary.....

*gets an eyeful of that userpic* So, how's your Duke Nukem Forever pre-order goin' for ya?

leugim789:
its not fair for bungie to keep making halo franchises when they could be working on something new that could blow us all away and re imagine what gaming is, which they couldnt do if their forced to just put out more halo titles like some sort of conveyor belt

Bungie staff have said in interviews that they are working on a new "intellectual property", and that for once Halo production didn't cannibalise it. They've also publicly announced that it's something completely new to them... which dashes hopes for a Marathon, Myth, or Oni revival but does kindle a warm centre of optimism within me.

As to future Halo titles released by Microsoft (with or without Bungie involvement) I'm going to wait and see how Halo Wars and Chronicles turn out before really bludgeoning my brain for ideas. Though I do fear that another FPS done with a less-deft touch is probably likely due to the pressure of all those Benjamins in the franchise's attic.

-- Steve

How about this:

Get Ensemble Studios to work on "Age of Halo"?

Novan Leon:
How about this:

Get Ensemble Studios to work on "Age of Halo"?

Ensemble is making Halo Wars.

Anyway, I second the calls for a shooter where you play as an ODST or Marine. An MMO would not work.

maybe something liek Star Wars Battlefront, play as different marines and the covenent and unlock "heroes" (arbitur, master cheif, whatever covenent people there are)
or
or
or

you just let it die already

an mmo could definitely work as long as you could only play as humans. the difference between the marines and the elites is too great, as it takes a squad of marines to take down an elite. this would break PvP, as level 70 elites could be able to stomp out their human counterparts. with only a human faction, though, it's certainly possible. 'battleground' planets where there are fights going on all...........

..........

forget it, actually. the more i think about it, the more it's a terrible idea. completely shit. as much as i'd like to see a good halo MMO, it can't be done.

JakubK666:
Well...they could try to completely revolutionize the genre.However this will end up in every single other FPS copying them(control scheme,rechargeable health,multi-player)

Honestly, do some research before claiming Halo introduced any of those concepts...

Back on topic.

How about a puzzle game.
Play as the Monitor or a Sentinal/Enforcer and keep one of the rings running. There's the potential for teleporting based puzzles and shooting elements when you have to keep those pesky parasites in check. Or people looking for shiny new weapons...
With several of the rings undiscovered there's plenty of scope for keeping it separate from the Trilogy. Playing on the two finished rings in the series might break the game slightly. As you would be playing a game you would eventually lose regardless.

Galduke:

Eldritch Warlord:
Personally I've always found these PC "smart shooters" to be low on raw fun and bigger on making you think it was a good game afterwards. Then the other shooters have only one environment with no scope (I'm looking at you FEAR). And finally the Crysis aproach which puts the graphics to such ridiculous quality that less than 500 PCs on the planet can run it decently. I think Halo is the best thing to happen to the shooter genre since Wolfenstein 3D (the first FPS).

There's a difference between being "raw fun" and tedious, but you brought up a good point nonetheless. I was actually quite surprised at how much more enjoyment I got out of Gran Turismo 4 than Burnout 3 despite having no history with either franchise, so maybe it's just taste. Still, I had more fun playing the FEAR demo on a computer with a GeForce FX 5200 (lowest possible specs) than I did playing Halo online for a few hours with some friends (they said I was good, but maybe we all just sucked).

Interesting that you refer to PC fps's as "smart shooters", leaving the definition open like that. Perhaps you're referring to more complex plots (arguable), innovative ideas (not the nintendo kind), or actual skill and thought required to play the game other than fast reflexes (don't recite cranking up the difficulty). Maybe you're the type that prefers the original Gauntlet to the 2-D Zelda games. You know, whack-whack-whack instead of hit, dodge, change tactics? Good ol' "raw fun" versus "smart adventure"!

Just to keep on topic, how about expanding the games into the novels? Star Wars did it with Shadows of the Empire, and I enjoyed it almost as much as I did the book.

I didn't actually lump all PC shooters into the category of "smart shooters." By smart shooter I mean a shooter that demands thought to play (not just skill and reflexes), a game like BioShock or Rainbow Six Vegas. When I said "PC smart shooters" I merely observed that most games I would call smart shooters are PC exclusive (although my two examples aren't).

My experience with my examples of smart shooters is that there's more enjoyment to be had in preparation and completion than in execution (layman's terms: before and after the killing is fun, the killing itself? not so much). And in my opinion the point of a shooter is to have fun killing things.

I've never played Gauntlet but I love Zelda (games). I didn't say a "smart" game is worse, I said there's less instant gratification and more long term satisfaction.

And being on topic: there are currently 5 Halo novels (The Fall of Reach, The Flood, First Strike, Ghosts of Onyx, Contact: Harvest) and a sixth one is in production (The Cole Protocol).

I believe the most natural way to develope the Halo franchise is to expand the telling of the Human-Covenant War, by strategy games and shooters taking place during the war. In the not too distant future games set in Covenant and Forerunner history could be viable, maybe even an RPG. And of course there should be a Halo 4 staring Master Chief (and the Arbiter maybe), but not right away. I think Halo 4 as a launch title for the next Xbox would be ideal, and that could be another ten years.

EDIT: The post above me's puzzle idea is not bad. Maybe it could also blend some city building features like producing containment walls and Sentinel factories with harvested resources.

EDIT2: @ the poster above me, Halo did invent that control scheme I'm pretty sure. And if not they did popularize it and I also believe he did not claim that Halo invented those things. He merely asserted that those things are largely copied from Halo.

Redo Halo 1 and 2 using Halo 3 graphics.

I'm on the fence with this LEGO Halo, while it would be awesome there is so much other stuff I want LEGO to work on..I'll stop here since that list is longer than Canterbury tales.

Isaac Dodgson:
DOS is an old group of operating systems.

As for ideas for the next halo game in the franchise...well fuck anything will sell really.

Holy crap, I was thinking he was asking DOS as in D.O.S. not the old computer programing.

Frankly, I think it would have been better if they had killed Chief or had let him live a normal life after the war against the covenant because if anyone deserves it Chief does, he has literally lost all of his friends and his family, several potential girlfriends even his home planet was vaporized. I would think after all of that they would allow him to be happy but no he isn't allowed to be happy apparently, we will let him have the small satisfaction of getting to hang out with his quasi-girlfriend Cortana for a few more minutes then strand him in deep space.

Kovash86:

Frankly, I think it would have been better if they had killed Chief or had let him live a normal life after the war against the covenant because if anyone deserves it Chief does, he has literally lost all of his friends and his family, several potential girlfriends even his home planet was vaporized. I would think after all of that they would allow him to be happy but no he isn't allowed to be happy apparently, we will let him have the small satisfaction of getting to hang out with his quasi-girlfriend Cortana for a few more minutes then strand him in deep space.

The Chief's current state of affairs is allusory to the legend of King Arthur sleeping in Avalon until his country needs him. Few people caught that but I think that the allusions are one of the best features of the Haloverse.

Eldritch Warlord:
The Chief's current state of affairs is allusory to the legend of King Arthur sleeping in Avalon until his country needs him. Few people caught that but I think that the allusions are one of the best features of the Haloverse.

I got the reference. Bungie have had a lot of biblical and mythological references woven into the games.

By the way, I also realise that your avatar is your Halo 3 emblem.