Halo: Combat Evolved Forum
This topic has moved here: Subject: do you think MC is a good main character in any halo games?
  • Subject: do you think MC is a good main character in any halo games?
Subject: do you think MC is a good main character in any halo games?
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Mr.Negative personality

I really like halo but it has always mystified why master chief has no personality other then the silent protagonist type its kinda lame.He shows no emotion over the fact that the halo government has taken over his life.If that was me I'd be pretty pissed off. He also has this little chip that he plugs into his helmet called Cortana. Cortana is suppose to be like some super artificial intelligence. Cortana is pretty much the person who talks for master chief.Telling the person who is playing what is going on right I don't really know what her prepose in the game other then stealing dialogue from MC and discovering the plot of the halo ring .IS MC interesting character yes/no well despite him just being a total jar head yes I do think he is just because Master Chief may not have a good personality but he risks his life every day for a race that has change him forever.

[Edited on 08.31.2010 10:23 PM PDT]

  • 08.31.2010 10:20 PM PDT
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R.I.P. Halo 2
11/9/04 - 4/15/10

- B( )B

What? How can you not like John's personality?

He's the humble quiet guy who doesn't flaunt his ability to kill anyone and anything. He's the guy who humbly and confidently does whatever is needed of him, no matter what it will cost him.

His personality is perfect for this game.

  • 09.01.2010 9:44 AM PDT
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Jacob Knotek

Spartan 117 aka John is the best. But if you've read Fall of Reach, then you'd know that his squad mates are awsome as well.

  • 09.01.2010 2:26 PM PDT
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"Halo Government" ? Chwuhhh...
Chief is definitely your "Post-modern" hero. He does what he does because he must. There is nothing else. Obviously very smart, if you keep track of his (limited) commentary. But Cortana is the soul and voice of the entire series. Chief's separation from her is an intentional thing to make players feel what Bungie's trying to get at.

  • 09.01.2010 6:26 PM PDT
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Mr.Negative personality

Im only going by game logic not what the books says


[Edited on 09.01.2010 6:34 PM PDT]

  • 09.01.2010 6:33 PM PDT
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Posted by: CleanCutSoldier
Im only going by game logic not what the books says
Me too. I think it was a decision to let the player (especially in CE) feel what they will feel as MC. Some people won't care about the death of Marines, others will be bothered and motivated by it. Chief is kind of like a blank canvas that lets you be who you are. Maybe not as memorable as Marcus Fenix, but better for someone you inhabit for a time. (And I get your Halo Government thing. Government during the time of the Halo incident) :)

  • 09.01.2010 6:39 PM PDT
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Mr.Negative personality


[quote]Posted by: nesteggfailure
"Halo Government" ? Chwuhhh...
Chief is definitely your "Post-modern" hero. He does what he does because he must. There is nothing else. Obviously very smart, if you keep track of his (limited) commentary. But Cortana is the soul and voice of the entire series. Chief's separation from her is an intentional thing to make players feel what Bungie's trying to get at.
[/quote wait get at what?o ya limited comment part dude shut the -blam!- up

  • 09.01.2010 6:46 PM PDT
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Posted by: CleanCutSoldier

[quote]Posted by: nesteggfailure
"Halo Government" ? Chwuhhh...
Chief is definitely your "Post-modern" hero. He does what he does because he must. There is nothing else. Obviously very smart, if you keep track of his (limited) commentary. But Cortana is the soul and voice of the entire series. Chief's separation from her is an intentional thing to make players feel what Bungie's trying to get at.
[/quote wait get at what?o ya limited comment part dude shut the -blam!- up

Not quite getting that one. Must be a technical problem.

  • 09.01.2010 6:50 PM PDT
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Mr.Negative personality

ya dude im not much of halo fan boy like your self no disrespect.does the person who does master chief voice do the voice of the main character in
madworld?

[Edited on 09.01.2010 6:59 PM PDT]

  • 09.01.2010 6:58 PM PDT
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Posted by: CleanCutSoldier
ya dude im not much of halo fan boy like your self no disrespect.does the person who does master chief voice do the voice of the main character of madworld?

I dunno. Steve Downes is notorious for not liking video games. Pretty funny. Chicago Deejay, though I've never tried to find him...would be too weird. Is all good. People on the CE channel know they're old school and try to keep things light and cool.

  • 09.01.2010 7:02 PM PDT
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Mr.Negative personality


Posted by: nesteggfailure

[quote]Posted by: CleanCutSoldier
ya dude im not much of halo fan boy like your self no disrespect.does the person who does master chief voice do the voice of the main charactetherr of madworld?

I dunno. Steve Downes is notorious for not liking video games. Pretty funny. Chicago Deejay, though I've never tried to find him...would be too weird. Is all good. People on the CE channel know they're old school and try to keep things light and cool. [/quote




if you had every play madworld hearing master chiefs voice for once is pretty awesome but i guess if halo wants to keep him quiet then thats their choose and their loss.wait steve downes hates video games wtf wow why would he do the voice if he hates video games

[Edited on 09.01.2010 7:26 PM PDT]

  • 09.01.2010 7:17 PM PDT

Ahhh, what's the reply I'm lookin' for?...Oh yeah: M.C. IS THE BEST!

  • 09.02.2010 3:33 PM PDT
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Posted by: Shad0wSlayer117
Ahhh, what's the reply I'm lookin' for?...Oh yeah: M.C. IS THE BEST!

FTW.
My buddy was a stuntman, so I learned some about show biz. Voice actors sit in a sound booth with a script and cup of coffee, long before a game is even fully realized. They read their lines, collect their check, and are done for the day. It's a job. Something different, something new to do. I think what's cool about Mr. Downes is that, even though he's not a fan of gaming, he understands that it meant a lot to a lot of people. So he came back and did work on 2 and even 3. That's awesome.

  • 09.02.2010 6:53 PM PDT

Let grunts Sleep!!!

He's a silent protaganist. It's a character type. Keeps you thinking.

  • 09.02.2010 8:12 PM PDT
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Mr.Negative personality


Posted by: nesteggfailure

Posted by: Shad0wSlayer117
Ahhh, what's the reply I'm lookin' for?...Oh yeah: M.C. IS THE BEST!

FTW.
My buddy was a stuntman, so I learned some about show biz. Voice actors sit in a sound booth with a script and cup of coffee, long before a game is even fully realized. They read their lines, collect their check, and are done for the day. It's a job. Something different, something new to do. I think what's cool about Mr. Downes is that, even though he's not a fan of gaming, he understands that it meant a lot to a lot of people. So he came back and did work on 2 and even 3. That's awesome.
yeah i dont think your trying to talk to the shadow slayer 117 .Wow dude this guy really likes master chief its amazing when you see people give their true and honest opinion mc is the best amazing I like that BTW we all know the really reason why Mr.Downes does the voice because M C has a very short dialogue and Mr.Downes really needs the money.Aw -blam!- why not its only just a few lines said Mr.Downes.I'm just kindin around but I get the point your establishing with Mr. Downes caring for the people of halo.Because all people would be demoralized by the thought of not hearing Mr.Downes voice as MC not try to be sarcastic with that sentence.

  • 09.02.2010 8:41 PM PDT
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Mr.Negative personality

Cortana does become connected to master chief.Their like best friends but if I'm wrong why does captain keys give Cortana to master chief is to guide him on this mission, because theirs a lot more simpler way. Like calling with his headset or what ever you want to call that antenna on the side of his helmet.please tell him cause I GOT NOTHING

sincerely Mr.negative

[Edited on 09.02.2010 8:52 PM PDT]

  • 09.02.2010 8:41 PM PDT
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Mr.Negative personality


Posted by: BadGrunt
He's a silent protaganist. It's a character type. Keeps you thinking.

very very very true

  • 09.02.2010 8:42 PM PDT

Posted by: BadGrunt
He's a silent protaganist. It's a character type. Keeps you thinking.

  • 09.02.2010 10:08 PM PDT

Posted by: CleanCutSoldier
Cortana does become connected to master chief.Their like best friends but if I'm wrong why does captain keys give Cortana to master chief is to guide him on this mission, because theirs a lot more simpler way. Like calling with his headset or what ever you want to call that antenna on the side of his helmet.please tell him cause I GOT NOTHING

You should go back and watch the cutscene. He didn't give Cortana to the Chief to help guide the Chief. He gave Cortana to the Chief because he couldn't allow her to fall into enemy hands, and a 7-foot supersoldier was about the best security measure he had available.

Back on topic...
//=======================

It's true that MC arguably doesn't have a particularly complex character. It is, however, also true that this doesn't matter.

Many people have this idea that stories need to be constructed in a way where you need a plot that has a specific amount of complexity and progresses at a certain reasonably snappy rate, and every once in a while you need to make sure to drop some expository direct "character development" content for a protagonist and a modest number of supporting characters. This isn't how stories must be told, it's just how Hollywood blockbusters tends to tell them because it's easy and it's a formula that everyone is already acclimated to and can connect with; it's a simple lowest common denominator mechanism. It's so prevalent that people go as far as to build their rubrics for judging things to cater to it: Plot complicated enough? Characters well enough developed?

Let me go ahead and introduce to you some things about the 1925 Soviet film Battleship Potemkin.
First, its plot:
-During a revolution, rotten meat aboard one of the tsar's ships serves as a catalyst for a successful crew mutiny; one of the mutineers dies.
-The ship heads to Odessa, where the dead mutineer serves as a catalyst for the city to engage in revolution, supporting the ship.
-The tsar's infantry massacre a bunch of the ship's supporters, and the ship fire's on a tsarist headquarters in the city.
-The ship learns that the squadron that it's normally a part of is on its way, so they head out to confront them and ask them to join them in revolution.
-At the last minute as the shots are about to be fired, the battle is called off because the squadron joins them.
Yeah, see that? That's everything that happens.
Now, how about the films characters? How does it do in that department? Well, after the first two 'parts' (out of five), there really aren't any. After the first part of the film, the only named character left living is a thematic figurehead who is almost never called by name and rarely appears on-screen.
So naturally, with the film lacking these basic things, it's pretty obvious that when the critics at the Brussels World's Fair in 1958 rated it, they said it sucked. I mean really. Barely any plot to speak of, and its characters actually decrease in existance as the film progresses? That sounds awful! Oh wait, whoops. No, it looks like they didn't say it sucked. Rather, they named it the best film ever made.

So, what happened? Well, there's a heck of a lot more to storytelling than the straightforward mix of heavy plot drive and modest character drive that people tend to think about. Remember the whole characters ceasing to exist as the film progresses thing? Yeah, that progression from individuals to a unified whole is one major facet of the storytelling. In addition to many other wildly creative things, director Sergei Eisenstein was actually using the existance of individuality in the film as part of his storytelling drive.

The point? What a character should be, how developed they are, or even whether they should exist or not depends entirely on the context and the use of that character. Those rubrics I mentioned? Yeah, they work okay for those Hollywood blockbusters I mentioned, because they cater to each other's expectations. But it's unfortunate that that sort of thinking of what characters have to be has penetrated expectations for all levels of storytelling, because it serious limits creativity and what people can and should do with a story.

Am I saying that Bungie used creative storytelling brilliance on the level of Sergei Eisenstein in the creation of Combat Evolved? Not really, and the comparison is useless because the styles in question are totally different. But I am saying that Master Chief being 'undercharacterized' by many standards and thereby being an unsuited character for a typical Hollywood blockbuster doesn't make him an unsuited character for storytelling in general. Different styles demand different storytelling methods and different kinds of characters in different parts of the storytelling process. Bungie didn't need a heavily characterized character as a protagonist for the style of storytelling they use in Combat Evolved. They didn't need an Atticus Finch or a Michael Corleone or an Andy Dufresne. They needed a character with less individuality that would get between the story being told by the player's actions through the character and the video game world. They needed a character with a convincing enough low speech quantity than when he didn't yap and blabber constantly when you're staring at blue beam towers it would seem perfectly natural. They needed the froodlenutzskying Master Chief. And he serves his duty in this game perfectly.



tl;dr version: MC's lack of heavy characterization isn't a problem because he's not being used in the storytelling process in quite the same manner as many traditional characters which require heavy characterization. Expectations in what a character is should account for the context of how that character is being used.

[Edited on 09.02.2010 11:23 PM PDT]

  • 09.02.2010 11:23 PM PDT

"It doesn't matter what I say, since Halo is already more popular than god!" - Zero Punctuation, Halo 3 review

same reason he doesn't take off the helmet...
so you feel like him (sorry Girls)

  • 09.22.2010 5:50 AM PDT
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M.E.R.C
Kill them all & let god sort them out

hes the quiet guy who can kill you without a blink of an eye. Like Sensai from naruto. i think those kind of people are very cool.

  • 11.10.2010 10:28 AM PDT