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Subject: Do you think 343i will try to give MC character?
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Why not just make John have a personality like he does in the books? I don't like John in the games because he doesn't have anything to contribute other than the occasional one liner, and bullets. I'm fine with him being silent in game but I think he should talk a bit more in cutscenes. Don't get me wrong I'd rather he talked in game, it annoys the -blam!- out of me when someone talks directly to him and he just stares blankly, or someone's asking if anyone's out there over the radio and he doesn't say anything. Of course maybe he's just adding dramatic tension, coming out of no where to save the day, that'd weird, but also slightly hilarious.

[Edited on 08.13.2011 10:31 AM PDT]

  • 08.13.2011 10:30 AM PDT

General of The Irish Punks

You guys are making it sound like MC never said anything, or that he had no personality. He did have personality through all of the games, he did say things, look at the cut scene for the control room in Halo CE when Cortana explains what the Halo is.

Could they have given him more personality?
Yes.

Should they have?
No.

They did give you an emotional attachment to other characters in the game, so you felt connected with the Chief, but yet you were saddened when someone, like Johnson, died.

If the next Halo game is going to just be Chief and Cortana though, I do hope they give both of them more personality.

[Edited on 08.13.2011 10:41 AM PDT]

  • 08.13.2011 10:40 AM PDT

Vengeance only leads to an ongoing cycle of hatred.

He already has subtle character. Especially if you read the books. However, I think 343 can do a better job with his personality and personal baggage.

  • 08.13.2011 10:42 AM PDT
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J13
I'm frickin working for Bungie someday!

yeah he already has character. and if you think to much of him is mystery then your totally missing the point, cause that's what his character is. Like seal sniper said, if you actually read the books then you would know that he has plenty of character. His past isn't much of a mystery even though he is mysterious.

  • 08.13.2011 10:47 AM PDT

"I don't care if it's God's own anti-Son of a -blam!- Machine or a giant hula-hoop!"

Let the books tell the story, let the games allow immersion.

  • 08.13.2011 10:50 AM PDT
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The Seventh Column demands it.

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His character in the games is negligible. There's nothing to know about him other than he's the last Spartan, and he's a badass. He talks very sparingly, and when he does, doesn't say anything of too much consequence.

And those saying he has character in the books, I implore you to read my OP more closely.

  • 08.13.2011 12:45 PM PDT
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Posted by: ROBERTO jh

Posted by: Shadow Artiste
Posted by: MGTrey
Bungie clearly meant for that Master Chief to be a blank slate in the games, and from a design standpoint, I think they pulled it off well. Master Chief is a gaming icon.

By allowing players to insert themselves into the game as the Chief, it took the focus away from the character and placed it on the setting and overall story instead. Halo was a much more colossal game because of that.

However, Bungie no longer runs the show, and I get the feeling that the biggest way for 343i to stand apart from their predecessors would be to try to tell a more personal story for MC. And considering that it seems evident a lot of the Halo backstory will be pushed into the spotlight enjoyed by the games in the franchise, it allows for MC's character to be fleshed out according to the canon already established. I can already imagine the Chief dreaming of his Spartan training as a child being the tutorial for Halo 4, right before he's waken up by Cortana.



A lot of people are always talking about the chief having no personality because 'we' are meant to be the chief. But I don't really buy into that. For a story to be compelling the it needs characters. If the protagonist of the entire series is just 'um ... um ... i are a guy ... who is going to win everything' I begin to disconnect.

I want more personality from the chief, I want more reason and motivation and risk and character. If he's just another 25 words over 5 hours of gameplay Halo will stay where it is.


This, unfortunately the Halo community doesn't like change. :/

But he is not "The Chief" anymore. When Cortana called him John, he became John, a human being with a name and history, not a vessel to carry a story (which I always found to be bull -blam!- anyway). I'd prefer the main character of a story to be likable with real human characteristics. We know he is not "us" plaing as him. We know he is still human. Its not like the silent Rookie where we had nothing to identify with.

And, 343i has said they will be devoloping his character more in this one, which is good. Characters further the plot, especially when, in this case, there's likely only going to be two main ones. Machines don't.


I just hope they don't turn him into a wuss, remember the Other M problem?

  • 08.13.2011 12:49 PM PDT


Posted by: ROBERTO jh

Posted by: Shadow Artiste
Posted by: MGTrey
Bungie clearly meant for that Master Chief to be a blank slate in the games, and from a design standpoint, I think they pulled it off well. Master Chief is a gaming icon.

By allowing players to insert themselves into the game as the Chief, it took the focus away from the character and placed it on the setting and overall story instead. Halo was a much more colossal game because of that.

However, Bungie no longer runs the show, and I get the feeling that the biggest way for 343i to stand apart from their predecessors would be to try to tell a more personal story for MC. And considering that it seems evident a lot of the Halo backstory will be pushed into the spotlight enjoyed by the games in the franchise, it allows for MC's character to be fleshed out according to the canon already established. I can already imagine the Chief dreaming of his Spartan training as a child being the tutorial for Halo 4, right before he's waken up by Cortana.



A lot of people are always talking about the chief having no personality because 'we' are meant to be the chief. But I don't really buy into that. For a story to be compelling the it needs characters. If the protagonist of the entire series is just 'um ... um ... i are a guy ... who is going to win everything' I begin to disconnect.

I want more personality from the chief, I want more reason and motivation and risk and character. If he's just another 25 words over 5 hours of gameplay Halo will stay where it is.


This, unfortunately the Halo community doesn't like change. :/

But he is not "The Chief" anymore. When Cortana called him John, he became John, a human being with a name and history, not a vessel to carry a story (which I always found to be bull -blam!- anyway). I'd prefer the main character of a story to be likable with real human characteristics. We know he is not "us" plaing as him. We know he is still human. Its not like the silent Rookie where we had nothing to identify with.

And, 343i has said they will be devoloping his character more in this one, which is good. Characters further the plot, especially when, in this case, there's likely only going to be two main ones. Machines don't.


He always was a character with a name and a history. He's had it since the very beginning of the series. I think it's far more enjoyable what they've done in the games. He has character development and displays character, but it's always been more subtle than obvious. I've always been pleased with the method in which his characterization has been carried out. Whatever development with Chief's character 343i chooses to make they need to make sure that it remains in line with what has all ready been established with John. To have him suddenly expressing emotion at every turn would be a move for the worst and would not be in character.

John's expressions of emotion are subtle and for the most part internal, he won't let his emotions detract from the goal of the mission.

  • 08.13.2011 1:29 PM PDT


Posted by: Sandtrap

Posted by: ROBERTO jh

Posted by: Shadow Artiste
Posted by: MGTrey
Bungie clearly meant for that Master Chief to be a blank slate in the games, and from a design standpoint, I think they pulled it off well. Master Chief is a gaming icon.

By allowing players to insert themselves into the game as the Chief, it took the focus away from the character and placed it on the setting and overall story instead. Halo was a much more colossal game because of that.

However, Bungie no longer runs the show, and I get the feeling that the biggest way for 343i to stand apart from their predecessors would be to try to tell a more personal story for MC. And considering that it seems evident a lot of the Halo backstory will be pushed into the spotlight enjoyed by the games in the franchise, it allows for MC's character to be fleshed out according to the canon already established. I can already imagine the Chief dreaming of his Spartan training as a child being the tutorial for Halo 4, right before he's waken up by Cortana.



A lot of people are always talking about the chief having no personality because 'we' are meant to be the chief. But I don't really buy into that. For a story to be compelling the it needs characters. If the protagonist of the entire series is just 'um ... um ... i are a guy ... who is going to win everything' I begin to disconnect.

I want more personality from the chief, I want more reason and motivation and risk and character. If he's just another 25 words over 5 hours of gameplay Halo will stay where it is.


This, unfortunately the Halo community doesn't like change. :/

But he is not "The Chief" anymore. When Cortana called him John, he became John, a human being with a name and history, not a vessel to carry a story (which I always found to be bull -blam!- anyway). I'd prefer the main character of a story to be likable with real human characteristics. We know he is not "us" plaing as him. We know he is still human. Its not like the silent Rookie where we had nothing to identify with.

And, 343i has said they will be devoloping his character more in this one, which is good. Characters further the plot, especially when, in this case, there's likely only going to be two main ones. Machines don't.


I just hope they don't turn him into a wuss, remember the Other M problem?


Just because he would have emotion doesn't mean he would be a wuss. I could see him talking through gritted teeth, for example. But they really can't do much short of taking his helmet off. The helmet is what truly restricts them from doing anything with him really, but hey, they will probably find a way.

  • 08.13.2011 5:30 PM PDT

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Posted by: talon2000
We know enough about the Chief as is. I'm hoping they leave him the same.

  • 08.13.2011 5:39 PM PDT
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The Seventh Column demands it.

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Of course we know about the Chief, but 343i is launching a new trilogy; they'll want to attract new customers. People obviously enjoy fleshed out characters, and I myself will admit that it couldn't hurt to explore the Chief in game a bit more.

  • 08.13.2011 5:56 PM PDT


Posted by: MGTrey
Of course we know about the Chief, but 343i is launching a new trilogy; they'll want to attract new customers. People obviously enjoy fleshed out characters, and I myself will admit that it couldn't hurt to explore the Chief in game a bit more.


As long as they remain true to what has been established as his character in the past I'm all for getting to explore more of his characterization.

  • 08.14.2011 10:50 AM PDT

Why get handed lemons when you can grab an orange?


Posted by: Shadow Artiste
Posted by: MGTrey
Bungie clearly meant for that Master Chief to be a blank slate in the games, and from a design standpoint, I think they pulled it off well. Master Chief is a gaming icon.

By allowing players to insert themselves into the game as the Chief, it took the focus away from the character and placed it on the setting and overall story instead. Halo was a much more colossal game because of that.


However, Bungie no longer runs the show, and I get the feeling that the biggest way for 343i to stand apart from their predecessors would be to try to tell a more personal story for MC. And considering that it seems evident a lot of the Halo backstory will be pushed into the spotlight enjoyed by the games in the franchise, it allows for MC's character to be fleshed out according to the canon already established. I can already imagine the Chief dreaming of his Spartan training as a child being the tutorial for Halo 4, right before he's waken up by Cortana.



A lot of people are always talking about the chief having no personality because 'we' are meant to be the chief. But I don't really buy into that. For a story to be compelling the it needs characters. If the protagonist of the entire series is just 'um ... um ... i are a guy ... who is going to win everything' I begin to disconnect.

I want more personality from the chief, I want more reason and motivation and risk and character. If he's just another 25 words over 5 hours of gameplay Halo will stay where it is.

Look what they did with Mass Effect guys.. it is possible to open up a character without taking away the ability to be Bad Ass. If when you were rushing to save someone you cared about you felt emotion in the game, how would that be such a bad thing? I say we add some soul to that already magnificent persona... hell, it worked with Noble Team right?

[Edited on 08.14.2011 10:59 AM PDT]

  • 08.14.2011 10:56 AM PDT

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