[Locked] The Official Splitscreen Thread

Welcome to the Official Splitscreen Thread.
(Please make yourself at home.)

We've all heard the news: Halo 5 won't support 4 player split screen, according to multiple tweets from Josh Holmes. We have to take Holmes' words seriously because he's the creative director for Halo 5, meaning that he makes those kinds of decisions.

As an individual who uses 4 player split screen often, this decision is extremely disappointing; it's a shame because I loved the beta. The fact is, Halo 5's lack of splitscreen support discourages me from buying it, and might prevent me from buying it. I certainty won't pre-order it.

Here's the deal: if 343 wants our support, their going to have to reconsider this decision.

Reasons to support 4 player splitscreen:

• 343 will get my money
• Splitscreen is one of the few advantages that console gaming has over PC gaming
• Halo 5 will have a feature that its competition lacks
• LAN parties will once again prosper
• The social lives of gamers will flourish
• Every single Halo FPS has featured 4 player splitscreen
• Not including it for performance reasons makes the Xbox One seem like an inferior console
• From a logical standpoint, it doesn't make sense to remove splitscreen on next gen hardware
• Splitscreen was one of the major reasons that allowed Halo Combat Evolved to be successful
• Halo night will live on
• Including split screen due to consumer backlash can help improve 343's abysmal public relation reputation
• The lack of 4 player split screen could be considered a design flaw
• A considerable amount of split screen users are willing to sacrifice graphics for performance
• Single player graphics won't be effected by split screen optimizations
• Removing it makes the game less flexible
• Splitscreen is a great way to advertise the game to friends, making them likely to buy it after playing it on your Xbox
• 1v1 multiplayer isn't a particularly memorable experience

Todo List for Optimizing Splitscreen

• Lock the split screen frame rate at 30 FPS to provide a consistent experience and allow the user's brain to adapt
• Disable anti aliasing, anistereopic filtering, depth of field, FXAA and dynamic lighting on split screen
• Reduce/remove particles, mist/smoke effects, decals, and shaders on split screen
• * Important: Use reduced-polygon meshes on split screen. Most 3D modeling programs have a plugin that will do this.
• Reduce the render distance but don't go crazy on it. We should be able to spot other players across the map. (Geometry can simplify, but make sure that players are distinguishable.)
• Use low-res textures on split screen but make that they aren't loaded at runtime.

Raising Awareness for Splitscreen
The developers at 343 don't browse these forums on a regular basis, and frankly, I don't blame them. The problem is, they won't see this thread. In order to effectively convince 343, we need to use social media to contact them.

I've created a hashtag on Twitter for our cause: #Halo5SplitScreen. Hash tags are powerful and spread quickly.

In order to raise awareness, tweet why you support split screen to @Halo, @JoshingtonState (Josh Holmes), @Brav, etc. Be respectful and polite: you catch more bees with honey. Be sure to provide a link to this thread because it contains valuable information. Also, include the hashtag I mentioned.

References to split screen from 343

• https://twitter.com/joshingtonstate/status/545000766969114625
• https://twitter.com/joshingtonstate/status/551899554191142912
• https://twitter.com/joshingtonstate/status/546126391201128448
• In the July 2015 issue of GameInformer, it was revealed that there would be no split screen coop; however, 2 player split screen would still be available for multiplayer
• http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=167186284&highlight=#post167186284
• https://twitter.com/franklez/status/608840793487347712

I'll add to the OP once my Writer's Block clears up.

Until then, let us come together and prove to Josh Holmes and the rest of 343 Industries that this is unacceptable.

If you're wondering why there's yet another split screen thread, the answer is simple: this thread managed to gain attention and flourish, but the OP wasn't constructive and the author managed to get banned. Banned members cannot edit posts, after all. Stuck with a thread that refers to gamers as "30 year old virgins," I decided that it was time to take matters into my own hands and start a new thread that will hopefully be more welcoming. This new thread will also allow me to include helpful information in the OP to coordinate the pro-splitscreen movement.

Benijam7 wrote:

KamikazePerro wrote:

It isn't Halo without 4 player split screen. Remind me what made CE so popular again?

Exactly my point

Yeah, I feel you. I don't even play multiplayer, games are for having fun with friends over at your house (1v1 isn't really a game). Don't get me wrong, multiplayer is still very necessary, but I don't have a reason to buy the game anymore. At least not for $60

ME GRIMLOCK 84 wrote:

"Power of next gen xbox"= less features.
Come on 343 just lock 4 player split screen at 30-40 fps and everything is fine. God I would love to have fully functioning split screen back, not the garbage that was H2A and H4.

Yeah, it's just sad. A tragedy, to be precise. It's a shame because I really liked Halo 5.

343

Why can't you do things right?

GiantSpaceNinja wrote:

Just want to share my support in this new thread. 4 player split screen is a must for me. It one of the reasons I love halo so much. There is nothing like playing Halo with 4 people in a room. I think there is lots of ways 343 could improve performance on 4 player split screen lower textures, lower the frame rate, lower the resolution, ect. All of these can been done with out affecting single player and the game can still play great and look decent even in split screen.

Thanks for your support! In the near future, I'm going to list ways to optimize split screen performance.

I dunno. There probably is a reason for the lack of 4P splitscreen, like why Theater wasn't supported for Campaign in H4.

That'd probably be a design flaw in its own right, though. So yeah, I dunno.

Trio of Kings wrote:

They never confirmed or denied 4-player split screen. Josh was just saying that they had 2-player split screen at the moment. It could change near release.
Also, I don't think this thread is "official" in any way.

He made it pretty clear in every tweet linked in the OP that the final game will only support 2 player split screen at max.

Benijam7 wrote:

Disclaimer: This thread is meant for supporting 4 player splitscreen. Please don't tell us that you don't use it.

Welcome to the Official Splitscreen Thread.
(Please make yourself at home.)

We've all heard the news: Halo 5 won't support 4 player split screen, according to multiple tweets from Josh Holmes. We have to take Holmes' words seriously because he's the creative director for Halo 5, meaning that he makes those kinds of decisions.

As an individual who uses 4 player split screen often, this decision is extremely disappointing; it's a shame because I loved the beta. The fact is, Halo 5's lack of splitscreen support discourages me from buying it, and might prevent me from buying it. I certainty won't pre-order it.

First off: You really shouldn't say something like "this thread is meant for supporting 4 player splitscreen. Please don't tell us that you don't use it." With that statement you are trying to create bias in this thread to make it look like a greater percentage of people are upset by this than really are. Nobody should be discouraged from posting a position that is contrary to the OP, provided they do so in a constructive manner and not like an -Yoink--hole :P

Personally, i don't give a -Yoink- about split screen either way. I haven't used 4 players split screen since probably 2008, and even then it was only if absolutely necessary. I also think people tend to over-estimate how much they will use 4-player split screen. There are always those that use it all the time, but I think they are the exception

That being said I DO support the inclusion of 4-player split screen because I recognize that there are a lot of other players that would use it. I think if they were to include it they could include a warning that came up on the bottom of the screen. It would say something like, "FYI. 3 or 4 player split-screen will reduce the frame-rate cap to 30 FPS. Dropping frames may occur when there is a lot of action on the screen"

This was true with previous halo games as well, 4 player split screen did not perform perfectly smoothly. I think if they were to set expectations appropriately in this regard, it would be ok. It's generally always bad PR to remove feature that people are used to having as well so if they were to say they were going to re-introduce 4 player splits, but at 30 FPS after listening to player feedback, it would be good PR for them which 343/Microsoft really needs right now!

HixBot wrote:

I support this thread! Major props to Another Locust for creating a better thread to voice our love for splitscreen. 4 player splitscreen in Halo is why I bought an Xbox One. It doesn't work well in MCC, Halo 5 is our only hope. Please 343, don't give up on a long-standing Halo feature.

Thanks for the compliment!