Halo: Reach Forum
This topic has moved here: Subject: ODST and Batman Inspired idea... Yes, seriously.
  • Subject: ODST and Batman Inspired idea... Yes, seriously.
Subject: ODST and Batman Inspired idea... Yes, seriously.
  • gamertag: Zereta
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This thread contains mild spoilers for Halo 3: ODST (Nothing major plot related) and some massive spoilers for Batman: Arkham Asylum. Reader discretion advised.

So, I was playing Batman: Arkham Asylum and as with anyone, I played through the Scarecrow levels which undoubtedly, was amazing. Just for context, in case you don't know who Scarecrow is: Scarecrow is a villain who shows you your fears in the most horrible way possible. And in Batman: Arkham Asylum, there are 3 Scarecrow scenarios that absolutely break the 4th wall in ways that are both disturbing and amazing.

So, ODST has just dropped into stores and one of the Easter Eggs include a marine talking about the nature reserve being this cage and how the Covenant were Lions. The dude was badly injured and was being treated with with some drugs.

Got me thinking: What if we combine these 2 elements for a set piece event in Halo: Reach?

Whoever you play as is in this big battle that we play in and then at the end, when things either are looking good/are going to -blam!-, he and his team need to be evacuated by a pelican. All of a sudden the player character gets caught in a trap and gets blown to hell. He's still alive but badly injured.Your view fades to black as your buddies load you up into the Pelican. Last thing you hear is someone telling someone else to get the Meds quickly and they pump you up with drugs to keep you alive.

As in real life, sometimes, when you take a high dose of medicine, you sometimes dream of weird, weird -blam!- and have hallucinations in these dreams and crap: Its pretty effed up really.

Where Reach can really transcend is do that in-game. Next level opens up in a horrible way and throughout the level, you're seeing weird stuff, things from the past. Its also a good place to introduce more back story to the character in a disturbing yet effective way ala Batman.

If the Player Character happens to be a Spartan as well, even better. There can be a seen where suddenly, the screen fades to white and you appear as a small kid with fatigues and stuff. Your CO is barking orders. You get on your knees. The directive pops up "Pull RT and LT together to do push-up" and you do it. You realize you're now seeing your Player character in training. Or hell, doesn't even have to be a Spartan.

Imagine you play a Marine. A scene could be his wife or something and himself in a restaurant and all of a sudden an Insurrectionist Attack. Wife gets killed in a horrible way. Voices slowly fade. Screen distorts. Ends with the Player Character saying "I'm here to Enlist" Someone else asks "Why?"
At the last moment, you hear the Player Character say "Payback." And it fades to the next scene.

This type of experience only needs to happen once, and still have the same impact as it did in Batman. have it all take place in first person as well.

God, I got excited just thinking about something like this.

What do you guys think?

  • 09.25.2009 8:06 AM PDT

that would actually be awesome im mean pretty good idea like it would make you care more about your character and see why he's fighting

  • 09.25.2009 8:14 AM PDT

awesome idea, i'd like to get more of a back story on the characters

  • 09.25.2009 8:25 AM PDT

Your Face!

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that is pretty awesome idea man!

  • 09.25.2009 8:29 AM PDT

That is actually one of the best ideas to come through these forums it would be a great way to introduce back story.
Bungie, listen to this guy, he seems to have some good ideas.

[Edited on 09.25.2009 8:35 AM PDT]

  • 09.25.2009 8:34 AM PDT

Halo: Reach
The Daniel Lamb Edition.

Seriously, No. I wouldn't like this idea at all. It might work in other games, but it's not in Halo's style.

  • 09.25.2009 8:51 AM PDT

PLEASE DO NOT SEND ME GROUP INVITATIONS

The Halo REACH Script (post thoughts in thread)

Writing Lead of Whisper Studios. Check out Heron!

Look... I'm on bungiepedia!

Sounds extremely cool... how would the scenes be activated, though? And would they be playable (perhaps with a Skull on, when you "die" you have a chance to come back to life if you complete the short dream sequence right, or you just respawn at your last checkpoint if you fail).

Would be a little hard to believe as a Spartan, though... maybe little flashbacks like the Chief had to his childhood in the CGI Halo 3 trailer when he was knocked out. But a Spartan tormented by his past...?

[Edited on 09.25.2009 9:20 AM PDT]

  • 09.25.2009 9:00 AM PDT

I am so glad none of you people work for Bungie.

  • 09.25.2009 9:15 AM PDT

I hunt for the Prophet of Contentment, the San 'Shyumm that murdered my son, and stole his birthright, his Energy Sword. They call our species Heretics. They claim to all that our tongues sting, our words a vile poison that feeds on the unworthy. I have seen the true face of Heresy. The head of a gallant warrior lay on the ground. His neck scorched and blistered, scarred by his own blade. I shall retrieve the weapon, and drive it through that bastard's heart! Punishment for his sins is nigh.

I'm not sure you know the meaning of the 4th wall or not, as I have yet to actually play Arkham Asylum. But unless a character's interactions with the environments gave some clue that he KNEW he was in a video game, he was not breaking it.

Deadpool in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 1 and 2 breaks the 4th wall regularly, by both speaking directly to the player behind the tv AND commenting on Hit Points with lines such as "You should have asked the designers for more Hit Points!". As you can see he obviously KNOWS he is in a game, as opposed to other characters who simply go about the plot normally.

Great post by the way. I really think they could do some really cool scary stuff in Reach. After all, the Covenant turned Reach into Hell.

[Edited on 09.25.2009 9:22 AM PDT]

  • 09.25.2009 9:20 AM PDT

Corn, Oil, and Wine... We need more wine...

So, it would be the same thing as in Fallout 3, PL... When you eat the Punga Fruit seeds... Neat.

  • 09.25.2009 9:30 AM PDT

I hunt for the Prophet of Contentment, the San 'Shyumm that murdered my son, and stole his birthright, his Energy Sword. They call our species Heretics. They claim to all that our tongues sting, our words a vile poison that feeds on the unworthy. I have seen the true face of Heresy. The head of a gallant warrior lay on the ground. His neck scorched and blistered, scarred by his own blade. I shall retrieve the weapon, and drive it through that bastard's heart! Punishment for his sins is nigh.

speaking of Fallout 3, an FPS RPG would be a fantastic place for the OP's idea to occur. Or even better, an FPS MMO RPG.

  • 09.25.2009 9:33 AM PDT
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Join Sector 8b thats a awesome group, help us to save humanity

WE NEED YOU !!! FOR EARTH !!!

awesome idea man !

  • 09.25.2009 9:46 AM PDT
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Twitter.
WyIdfyre: 'lol, who the hell would even wear those?'
AuSam: 'lol, who the hell would even have sex with dogs?'

-K-

That pretty darn cool,
I like that idea, maybe a marine whos seen his family killed or some horrors of war are completely relived, or even him comitting horrors?
I like this.
-K-

  • 09.25.2009 9:47 AM PDT

I hunt for the Prophet of Contentment, the San 'Shyumm that murdered my son, and stole his birthright, his Energy Sword. They call our species Heretics. They claim to all that our tongues sting, our words a vile poison that feeds on the unworthy. I have seen the true face of Heresy. The head of a gallant warrior lay on the ground. His neck scorched and blistered, scarred by his own blade. I shall retrieve the weapon, and drive it through that bastard's heart! Punishment for his sins is nigh.

The Spartans had to watch whole worlds burn, glassed. They had to watch so much horror and death during the Insurrection AND the Covenant/UNSC war. Let's face it, they have worse fears than any Human, they are just better at conquering those fears.

  • 09.25.2009 9:49 AM PDT
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I would say Batman's Scarecrow scenes broke the 4th wall kinda. Those parts, at least slightly, break out to affect you as the player, not just show you what's up with Batman, but physically change the player's perspective as well. I don't know.

And to MLG Cheehwawa, it would serve similarly to ODST's First Person Perspective cutscenes, but with more interactivity.

The Drop Cutscene where you can look around and afterwards, push the safety locks of the Pod are just scratching the surface of that interactivity.In my idea, potentially, you're moving the camera around, in a cutscene, and maybe firing a weapon or two. Not sure how possible it is, But even if its not possible, this concept might actually work better if the player is just forced to watch from the first person perspective.

  • 09.25.2009 7:30 PM PDT

That would be an incredible experience. CONGRATULATIONS, YOU GETS A COOKIE. [edit: lol woops caps] But seriously, Bungie, if you're reading, implement this. Por favor.

[Edited on 09.25.2009 7:38 PM PDT]

  • 09.25.2009 7:37 PM PDT
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Posted by: RED RECON 14
That would be an incredible experience. CONGRATULATIONS, YOU GETS A COOKIE. [edit: lol woops caps] But seriously, Bungie, if you're reading, implement this. Por favor.


Thank you. And, I do like them cookies.

  • 09.26.2009 1:14 AM PDT
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  • Intrepid Legendary Member

blarg.

Pretty cool idea. And maybe at some points during the level you flahback to real life and see your friends in front of you, and then you go back into your stupor.

That would be awesome.

Great idea, man.

  • 09.26.2009 3:46 AM PDT