I’ve always liked Halo because it was unique and offered an experience not found in any other FPS title. I’m also of the belief that the franchise has declined largely due to the inclusion of features that are considered “standard” or “trendy” because they appear in other modern shooters. I saw a few features in the Halo Infinite gameplay demo that I would group under the umbrella of, “This was clearly added because it’s in other games, not because it necessarily fits Halo.” I felt that way initially about sprint, clamber, slide and the Grappleshot, though I’ve since come to accept the inclusion of these mechanics and look forward to experiencing them firsthand (particularly the Grappleshot).
That all being said, there’s one U.I. element I saw pop up in the demo that disappointed me, and that was the presence of hit markers. I personally have never liked hit markers, especially in Halo, simply because it turns every combat encounter into a battle with the heads-up display, rather than what it actually is: an engagement with an adversary that’s right in front of me. Shooting an enemy until they fall dead to the floor is much more immersive and satisfying than shooting until the HUD tells you what you’re shooting at is no longer a living target. It feels less arcade-like and more akin to an actual battle for survival, which this franchise has excelled at conveying in previous titles. (It’s a similar issue I have with health bars, however those can be forgiven in RPG/MMO titles such as Destiny where hit values fluctuate much more dynamically across different weapons and as such I don’t think is a threat in Halo.)
I can’t deny the useful applications hit markers have in encounters where visibility is obstructed--particularly in multiplayer--and as such I wouldn’t expect or even ask for their outright removal. But I would very much like to see a toggle feature at launch that allowed the player to turn off hit markers altogether or, better yet, during campaign and multiplayer individually. Halo on console has never really embraced personalization options when it comes to its user interface, be that the HUD, FOV or reticle positioning, and while these would all certainly be welcome additions, a toggle for hit markers is a feature I feel passionately enough to go beyond complaining over Twitter and actually request it here on the forums. I’m hoping this is seen by 343 and taken to heart before launch, or hell, even after. But even if nothing comes out of it and hit markers stay for good—ugh—I’ll at least sleep soundly knowing I did my due diligence to say something.
That all being said, there’s one U.I. element I saw pop up in the demo that disappointed me, and that was the presence of hit markers. I personally have never liked hit markers, especially in Halo, simply because it turns every combat encounter into a battle with the heads-up display, rather than what it actually is: an engagement with an adversary that’s right in front of me. Shooting an enemy until they fall dead to the floor is much more immersive and satisfying than shooting until the HUD tells you what you’re shooting at is no longer a living target. It feels less arcade-like and more akin to an actual battle for survival, which this franchise has excelled at conveying in previous titles. (It’s a similar issue I have with health bars, however those can be forgiven in RPG/MMO titles such as Destiny where hit values fluctuate much more dynamically across different weapons and as such I don’t think is a threat in Halo.)
I can’t deny the useful applications hit markers have in encounters where visibility is obstructed--particularly in multiplayer--and as such I wouldn’t expect or even ask for their outright removal. But I would very much like to see a toggle feature at launch that allowed the player to turn off hit markers altogether or, better yet, during campaign and multiplayer individually. Halo on console has never really embraced personalization options when it comes to its user interface, be that the HUD, FOV or reticle positioning, and while these would all certainly be welcome additions, a toggle for hit markers is a feature I feel passionately enough to go beyond complaining over Twitter and actually request it here on the forums. I’m hoping this is seen by 343 and taken to heart before launch, or hell, even after. But even if nothing comes out of it and hit markers stay for good—ugh—I’ll at least sleep soundly knowing I did my due diligence to say something.
