I think a lot of what we call sameness is developers (more often that not, with low budgets) using stock assets, tools, and features without much customization. In that sense, blaming the tool is like blaming a web development tool for a lot of websites looking the same. I’d actually argue that stuff like that is allowing lower budget games to compete at a higher level. And sure they identified some stock stuff in this video, but this is early development/tests.
And while I understand wanting more competition in the engine space, Halo Studio’s only job is delivering the best product that they can and they should be using what they think is the best tool set for the job.
Yup, Sea of thieves, Hifi rush, Everwild are also made in Unreal but look very different from your typical unreal game. The sameness comes from games like Black myth Wukong that just drop trees and terrain from stock assets, but not every studio can afford to make their assets from scratch.
Also, if Halo Studio staff upto or exceed 343 studios head count, then they will be the 2nd biggest 3rd party studio working on the engine after CDPR. And as a publisher Xbox is probably the biggest customer of Unreal. So, there is a lot of knowledge and expertise inhouse to produce a final product that looks and performs better than the rest.
The only solution to losing inhouse engines would have been for MS to work on their own, and make it available to others like unreal or source. Consolidate all the split engine development at multiple studios into a new modern engine to run a variety of games, whilst not 100% mandating to use it, avoiding EA’s situation with frostbite. But it seems too late now and they are all aboard the UE hype train.
I loved Halo Infinite and the only major issue I had with the game was the open world structure. I will say that the video from Rebs Gaming about what was cut from Infinite sounded really good. Granted, familiar to Far Cry/Ghost Recon but still sounded good.
I do prefer the linear setup for Halo but maybe a few missions outside so the grapple hook can be used. Also, maybe advancing the grapple hook to pull enemies to you or you to them and then strike them with a forearm smash.
Either way, we’ll see what they come up with. Just hope the sprinting doesn’t go away and the grapple hook even though I would understand the grapple hook being removed if the missions are inside locations and thus, not needed.
I sort of don’t want to open up the open world discussion can of worms by getting into detail here so I’ll leave it at: the implementation of OW in Infinite was sometimes good (sometimes great) but overall poorly implemented when we contrast it to other OW games.
But OW in relation to this thread in particular: UE5 can do it all. So Halo Studios has options. Whether some levels are wide open, or extremely linear, the engine can do either with no issues. If they want to make an entire game linear, they can reuse the same assets to make an entire game OW.
Goofy idea for a side game
I hope they do make a PvP game with a completely blank Halo ring. Full 10,000 km diameter with all biomes. Then let gamers choose to play as the UNSC or Covenant and then get five 10×10km spaces on the ring. Pop bases on there like Halo Wars with resource extraction and all. And then allow Forgers to “terraform” and create their maps at locations on the ring. Basically using gamers as free labour to populate an entire Halo ring with content. Both sides fight to dominate and capture the ring.
This idea was inspired by the fact that gamers have spent 11,000 years combined playing Balatro. 1 million gamers can actually populate an entire ring, something a 2000 person dev team couldn’t do.
Unfortunately the vast number using UE5 are in that camp be it so I was just pointing something that is noticeable even the DF team saw to make note of it. No one is blaming this tools they are their to help.
For me I have been impressed by the demos just not the implementation. I would love to see it in Halo if they stay this course as I imagine something may change again the next time theirs an update maybe in a couple of months or years will probably be surprised when they eventually unveil the game.
If they keep it open world, I hope they make it smaller and include the ideas they had for Infinite that were cut because that at least serves a purpose and can allow the story to progress. Like for example, make a few points of interest in a region that has enemies in it that you need to take out which opens up the stronghold which should be a linear story mission. This is what I would do if it was up to me. Gives you the open world activities while making the story missions be more linear and story/character focused like they should be. Win win.
I am all for it to give the studio a fresh restart. While it will be a challange to get UE5 to a consistant 60fps I understand the easier way to get talent on board and streamlining the deleopment process by doing it. I also think with now many more experiencied studios with UE5, cross-studio support will be even more mission-critical by harvesting synergies.
Yeah i’ll take an extremely disgruntled employee’s opinion with a heavy dose of salt, the shoutout to to Schreier and the #savehalo makes me want to say gtfo
Also I have no idea what Pierre is like as a leader but he was in charge of MCC’s revival so imma give him the benefit tbh, also could have sworn I saw someone say they were told by various people how excited they were about Halo now Pierre is in charge
Yea…even if this dude is telling the truth, anyone airing their grievances in this manner would be an instant avoid
Hopefully this isn’t going to become disgruntled employees all decided to air their greivences. But this is against Microsoft and most people don’t give a shit about what they air against them.
Because this makes 2 that pretty much have said Hintze’s leadership is not good. Or maybe this is the person that talked to Rebgaming?
He doesn’t say much about Pierre other than he laid people off and then decided to go with Unreal. But Pierre hadn’t even been there long enough for most of what this dude is complaining about.
I guess, but it still reads like the change in leadership didn’t change anything. I also hope that no more of this come up because while it’s in the past, it can actually hurt Halo Studios permant hiring chances.
But I don’t really expect them to stop using contractors for development anyways.
lol a studio can be ran terribly and produce a good game and a studio can be ran well and produce a “bad” game. People need to think critically with some nuance when reading these types of post from devs who most certainly don’t have the entire picture. Like, this one dude thinks his singular idea would have saved MS “billions”… like ok lol.
What the… All I see is someone with a giant ego and saviour complex who don’t know how to stay in his lane.
“Imagine telling a studio (loudly) almost daily how to succeed”
“explaining to them over and over”
“it came down to me”
By all accounts, there were some leadership issues going on over there, but as far as I’m concerned phrases like those are giant red flags and tells me I shouldn’t take anything he says at face value.
My favourite part is the bit about how he disregarded his own duties, and spent who knows how many hours taking it upon himself to do other people’s work (no doubt being disruptive as hell while doing it) only to be outraged when he’s chewed out by a higher up.
Both sides fight to dominate and capture the ring.
All I see is someone with a giant ego and saviour complex who don’t know how to stay in his lane.