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Subject: H2 Anniversary skulls: A What if topic
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If 343 does release a H2 Anniversary, what do you want to see concerning skulls?

I ask this because I have been disastisfied with how Halo difficulty has been turning out. On Waypoint forums, my struggling effort to restore honor to friendly AI and nullify the insane and unpredictable enemy AI just doesn't seem to be working.

I would like to see the following.

+H3 skulls:

Tough Luck, Tilt, Fog, Cowbell

+intermediate skulls:

-as Sputnik is on the extreme end of the modifier spectrum, Cowbell would be in the middle
-as Assassins is on the extreme end, a skull that makes enemies partly invisible (like in H3 custom games and Forge) would be in the middle. Friendly AI would suffer from blindness, but it wouldn't be as bad as when Assassins is on

+more AI modifying skulls:

-i.e. a skull that makes Elites pull out swords when their shields are dropped regardless of rank. It should be named Excalibur after the easter egg

-i.e. a skull that makes some or all Grunts panic when you take out headshot capable weapons. This wouldn't necessarily be an easy skull because it's even more harder to headshot them when they're panicking. Also, they're bait. They could stop running just when you're almost there to give them a whack.

+weapon modifying skulls:

-i.e. a skull that nullifies sword damage for the player (making it about the same as a plasma pistol overcharge) so it's just a toy that you beat Grunts with. :P To compensate, you can still assassinate enemies with it. And it would have that stun effect that you get when you melee a Elite or Grunt; they stumble back.

+skull modifying skulls:

-i.e. a skull that makes Black Eye only work on enemies that have compatible shields (as the Arbiter, you're compatible with Elite shields. As the Master Chief, you're compatible with Jackal shields).

So as the Arbiter, you would not get a shield recharge from meleeing Jackals but you would get a shield recharge from meleeing Flood Elites and Heretic Elites. As the Master Chief, you would not get a shield recharge from meleeing Elites but from meleeing Jackals.

+a skull menu

+the ability to toggle Blind skull for more than one effect (if the skull menu is implemented). You know how when a skull is turned on, the eye sockets light up with red? And how the Blind skull has white eyes when turned off? I think Blind should look like any other skull when turned off and on but have 3 effects and they get worse as the light deteriorates.

If you toggle once (select the skull and press A), the eyes turn red like every other skull, and it only takes away your weapons info and crosshair.

When you toggle again, the red light becomes dim (what it looks like when it's turned on in post-H3 games) and it takes away grenades info + shield bar + motion tracker (unless Fog skull is added) in addition to the above.

When you toggle the third time, the red light fades completely and you get the white eyes (like when it's turned off) and it takes away your first person model in addition to the above. In addition, Blind cannot be turned off at this point until you restart the console.

I propose these 3 levels of Blind because:

1. it adds to the immersion/realism
2. gives us more choice
3. adds something new to skulls
4. Blind would be kinda redundant (I suspect it's original purpose was for machinima and for recording) if Theater is included
5. gives an ominous feeling. The last level of Blind says, "tsk tsk this is why you shouldn't be messing with skull modifiers. Now you gotta pay the ultimate price."



[Edited on 01.17.2012 9:14 PM PST]

  • 01.17.2012 9:10 PM PDT
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Sometimes, I dream about cheese.

perhaps a skull which doubles the movement speed of enemies? (vehicles remain unaffected)

  • 01.17.2012 9:32 PM PDT

Have you seen my mind anywhere? I seem to have lost it...

0x0 x0x 0x0 000 000 x0x 000
x0x 0x0 0x0 0xx 000 0x0 000
x0x x0x x00 0xx 0x0 x0x 0x0

I have seen you future

If they were to make a Halo 2 remake I wouldn't want them to change anything about the skulls, just make a menu where they could be unlocked.

  • 01.18.2012 1:35 PM PDT


Ooh, I love those people, the ones who decide to throw everything and the kitchen sink at you, as if an M16 does anything to a T-90. Oh, MLG player with noobtube instead? Congrats! You blew off one of my ablative plates!

Gun, meet Bad Guy.
Bad Guy, this is Gun.

I liked the skulls for Halo CEA a lot but I'd love to keep the skulls from Halo 2.

And seeing as how good sales were for CEA I'd be dumbfounded if they didn't remake Halo 2.

  • 01.18.2012 1:46 PM PDT

"To me, a nice triple kill with the sniper is infinitely more impressive than any Living Dead Killionaire"

Does flaming people on forums count as an esport?

I'm a commendation/achievement/statistics freak.

-David (Drake)


Posted by: DarkAero Trooper
I liked the skulls for Halo CEA a lot but I'd love to keep the skulls from Halo 2.


I agree on the skull menu and how things have to be unlocked, but then they can be toggled on and off from the menu. Do exactly what they did to Halo CE, just remaster graphics, keep physics engine, button glitches, don't take away or add any easter eggs, just leave it the same.



And seeing as how good sales were for CEA I'd be dumbfounded if they didn't remake Halo 2.

Yeah, the sales weren't bad, but of most who got it, they played the first 2 levels, said, "huh, that's pretty cool" and then never touched it again. Halo 2 has a much better replay value, so I think most would actually bother to finish campaign on it at least.

[Edited on 01.18.2012 2:10 PM PST]

  • 01.18.2012 2:10 PM PDT
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Just for the note, I never implied taking away Halo 2 skulls. I meant adding to the number of skulls.

These could be new graphics only skulls so if you play in the newer graphics, you get to use these in addition to the original skulls.

  • 01.18.2012 3:17 PM PDT

"To me, a nice triple kill with the sniper is infinitely more impressive than any Living Dead Killionaire"

Does flaming people on forums count as an esport?

I'm a commendation/achievement/statistics freak.

-David (Drake)

Oh, ok, I do like the idea, but I like all the original skull locations and I think it would be kind of a disgrace to the original H2 if some levels had multiple skulls.

Here's a question. Should skulls be kept to Legendary only (excluding Blind of course per se the original) or should they be any difficulty but Easy like CEA?

  • 01.18.2012 4:05 PM PDT


Posted by: MisguidedDrake4

Here's a question. Should skulls be kept to Legendary only (excluding Blind of course per se the original) or should they be any difficulty but Easy like CEA?
It will be a 10 year old game when it's remade, I'd say just put the skulls on a menu and forget difficulty.

  • 01.18.2012 4:35 PM PDT
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Posted by: MisguidedDrake4
Oh, ok, I do like the idea, but I like all the original skull locations and I think it would be kind of a disgrace to the original H2 if some levels had multiple skulls.
But some levels did have multiple skulls: CS, OS

Anyways, who said anything about location? They could be included by default. Besides, I was talking about their effects appearing in the newer graphics.

  • 01.18.2012 5:06 PM PDT

"To me, a nice triple kill with the sniper is infinitely more impressive than any Living Dead Killionaire"

Does flaming people on forums count as an esport?

I'm a commendation/achievement/statistics freak.

-David (Drake)


Posted by: Grumpy1

It will be a 10 year old game when it's remade, I'd say just put the skulls on a menu and forget difficulty.



But you do think that they should have to be acquired once and then can be accessed on the menu right? Because I hope to god it's not ODST/Reach style which is just making them available by default.

[Edited on 01.18.2012 6:35 PM PST]

  • 01.18.2012 6:32 PM PDT

"To me, a nice triple kill with the sniper is infinitely more impressive than any Living Dead Killionaire"

Does flaming people on forums count as an esport?

I'm a commendation/achievement/statistics freak.

-David (Drake)


Posted by: Sliding Ghost
But some levels did have multiple skulls: CS, OS


Ah, but The Heretic (cutscene) was technically a level and didn't have a skull, and blind is a bit odd since it's available on any difficulty so it's not in the general category of the rest of the skulls. It's like Bungie made the IWHBYD skull and then decided to include something easier as well or the other way around. I dunno.

  • 01.18.2012 6:35 PM PDT
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Ok let me just clarify.

The original skulls have to be discovered, on Legendary, and then they appear on the menu.

The newer skulls are on the menu by default with the exception of 1 or 2.

Posted by: MisguidedDrake4

Posted by: Sliding Ghost
But some levels did have multiple skulls: CS, OS


Ah, but The Heretic (cutscene) was technically a level and didn't have a skull, and blind is a bit odd since it's available on any difficulty so it's not in the general category of the rest of the skulls. It's like Bungie made the IWHBYD skull and then decided to include something easier as well or the other way around. I dunno.
Oh yeah, I forgot. It appears on the level before CS.

I'm pretty sure the Blind skull was placed there to dispel suspicion of additional skulls. Which is why I think there should be more than 1 skull on the level. I mean these are huge levels and there are places that people have accessed via stunts (i.e. top of Mac gun).

  • 01.18.2012 7:16 PM PDT


Posted by: Sliding Ghost
Ok let me just clarify.

The original skulls have to be discovered, on Legendary, and then they appear on the menu.

The newer skulls are on the menu by default with the exception of 1 or 2.

Sounds awesome possum.


I mean these are huge levels and there are places that people have accessed via stunts (i.e. top of Mac gun).
I hate what they did with Silent Cartographer's Bandanna Skull. Soo not cool.

  • 01.18.2012 7:36 PM PDT


Posted by: MisguidedDrake4

Posted by: Grumpy1

It will be a 10 year old game when it's remade, I'd say just put the skulls on a menu and forget difficulty.



But you do think that they should have to be acquired once and then can be accessed on the menu right? Because I hope to god it's not ODST/Reach style which is just making them available by default.
If you mean hide them in a different place then that would be cool. To put them in the same spot is ludicrous as far as I'm concerned what with the vids out there and such. If they want to have a few new people go searching when the majority already know where they are it's OK with me. i just want a skull menu no matter how they set it up.

  • 01.18.2012 8:14 PM PDT

"To me, a nice triple kill with the sniper is infinitely more impressive than any Living Dead Killionaire"

Does flaming people on forums count as an esport?

I'm a commendation/achievement/statistics freak.

-David (Drake)

Posted by: Sliding Ghost
Ok let me just clarify.

The original skulls have to be discovered, on Legendary, and then they appear on the menu.

The newer skulls are on the menu by default with the exception of 1 or 2.


I'll agree with the keeping them accessible on Legendary only. I actually like your idea a lot.

I mean these are huge levels and there are places that people have accessed via stunts (i.e. top of Mac gun).

So I guess the question now is to keep skulls in old places, put them in new places, or some of both? also add skulls?

  • 01.19.2012 12:36 PM PDT


Posted by: MisguidedDrake4
Posted by: Sliding Ghost
Ok let me just clarify.

The original skulls have to be discovered, on Legendary, and then they appear on the menu.

The newer skulls are on the menu by default with the exception of 1 or 2.


I'll agree with the keeping them accessible on Legendary only. I actually like your idea a lot.

I mean these are huge levels and there are places that people have accessed via stunts (i.e. top of Mac gun).

So I guess the question now is to keep skulls in old places, put them in new places, or some of both? also add skulls?
I don't trust 343 to give us good new skulls. Bandana is outrageous, infinite grenades are FTL. It destroyed SLASO and who knows, maybe that was the intention.

None of the original skulls were hard to get to other than just playing Legendary so I don't see them making it any harder the next time around.

Maybe we need something other than skulls that are extremely hard to get to. A prize that would not render SLASO ridiculous.

  • 01.19.2012 2:12 PM PDT
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Posted by: MisguidedDrake4
Posted by: Sliding Ghost
Ok let me just clarify.

The original skulls have to be discovered, on Legendary, and then they appear on the menu.

The newer skulls are on the menu by default with the exception of 1 or 2.


I'll agree with the keeping them accessible on Legendary only. I actually like your idea a lot.

I mean these are huge levels and there are places that people have accessed via stunts (i.e. top of Mac gun).

So I guess the question now is to keep skulls in old places, put them in new places, or some of both? also add skulls?
Yep, because it's not that hard to get them. Even without perma camo, H2 Legendary isn't that bad. It's just a matter of using cover. A lot. Black Eye can help with that discipline and Envy encourages it even more. And thanks!

I think some of both. The one that's guarded by Jackal snipers; I thought that was pretty challenging. I attempted it without perma camo just for the fun of being sniped. :D But Envy skull... that's brutal. I modded to get that one. As much as I want it to be very easy to get, I'm afraid they may have to make it, *gulp* dare I say this, even harder. Think about the IWHBYD challenge. With all the vehicles on Delta Halo, with a little AI spawn modification, the vehicle collection would no longer be pointless. We could have an army of 100 AI!!! >:D And let's not forget Quarantine Zone and Metropolis.

Personally, what I would like to see is more cps. Some places should have infinite cps (like on H1 level Halo and SC). For example, the lz where the Heretic leader leaves on The Arbiter. Returning to there should grant a cp. I'm very disappointed Bungie never considered megabattles in Halo 2. The Arbiter can have about 20 Heretic Elites and 20 Heretic Grunts, as well as 5 Spec Ops Elites and 2 Spec Ops Grunts, as well as the Heretic leader himself. Of course, 2 of the Elites and the 2 Grunts are dropped off by the Phantom and it is very difficult to get them all. Heck, I doubt it is even possible. I modded so the Banshee had hover ability. Without it, bringing even 1 extra Elite would be quite a feat. Anyways, cps are scarce and the only way to get one after getting the Phantom friendly AI on your Banshee is to leave at least 1 fuel rod gun Grunt alive and kill him when you've dropped your allies off. Then delay the cp with Banshee bolts until you're ready.

  • 01.19.2012 4:04 PM PDT
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Posted by: Grumpy1

I don't trust 343 to give us good new skulls. Bandana is outrageous, infinite grenades are FTL. It destroyed SLASO and who knows, maybe that was the intention.

None of the original skulls were hard to get to other than just playing Legendary so I don't see them making it any harder the next time around.

Maybe we need something other than skulls that are extremely hard to get to. A prize that would not render SLASO ridiculous.
I have to admit, 343 could have included Blind to make up for the absence of Theater or at least take Blind and made it more realistic (only removes hud, not the fp model) instead of offering us Malfunction.

The skulls that ruined CEA SLASO were:

-Foreign. The 3 Covie weapons in CE weren't stock weapons. They were special. Removing them makes gameplay so boring and unpleasant.
-Boom. This is like the equivalent of Sputnik, only much more worse because it doesn't even help with tricking and jumping. You have to be close to the blast radius of a grenade for a decent grenade jump.
-Bandanna. Infinite ammo would have been ok, but infinite grenades is horrible. Not what I was expecting at all.
-Mythic. I warned about including this one a while ago. While it would work in H2, it is too unrefined in CE.
-Recession

The only skulls that were interesting to me were Pinata and Eyepatch, but even then, the latter is unrefined and the former can be abused.

  • 01.19.2012 4:20 PM PDT

Halo 2 > Halo 3 > Halo 3 ODST > Halo Reach > Halo CE

Based on campaigns.

Thunderstorm should return, it's my favourite skull

How about a skull which reverses weapon use. All covenant use human weapons and you use covenant weapons. You would start off with a carbine and plasma rifle. Jackal snipers would use sniper rifles and battle rifles. Elites use SMGs and battle rifles, grunts use magnums, SMGs and rockets, jackals use SMGs and magnums, drones use magnums and SMGs, brutes use SMGs, battle rifles and rockets

When playing as the arbiter, you start with human weapons, and heretics use human weapons as well, battle rifles, SMGs, rockets etc.

  • 01.20.2012 8:54 AM PDT

Ha ha, maybe have a skull that allows an Ally to use the scarab gun and marines can use swords. Or what if an Elite could use the Scarab gun? You would probably want to hide.

  • 01.20.2012 9:31 AM PDT
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All of those are better than the new skulls offered in CEA. The only new skulls in CEA that interested me was Mythic, because that would be useful for AI collections, and Pinata.

  • 01.20.2012 11:15 AM PDT

Halo 2 > Halo 3 > Halo 3 ODST > Halo Reach > Halo CE

Based on campaigns.

What about a skull where all enemies have fuel rods and rockets

  • 01.20.2012 11:34 AM PDT
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Posted by: Mark V guy
What about a skull where all enemies have fuel rods and rockets
Even that would be better than what CEA offered.

But the rocket launcher is over the top. If anything, only Zealots should have those. Like this.

  • 01.20.2012 1:35 PM PDT

Halo 2 > Halo 3 > Halo 3 ODST > Halo Reach > Halo CE

Based on campaigns.


Posted by: Sliding Ghost

Posted by: Mark V guy
What about a skull where all enemies have fuel rods and rockets
Even that would be better than what CEA offered.

But the rocket launcher is over the top. If anything, only Zealots should have those. Like this.


How do you get the half infected chieftain to have swords and rockets?

  • 01.20.2012 1:54 PM PDT


Posted by: Mark V guy

Posted by: Sliding Ghost

Posted by: Mark V guy
What about a skull where all enemies have fuel rods and rockets
Even that would be better than what CEA offered.

But the rocket launcher is over the top. If anything, only Zealots should have those. Like this.


How do you get the half infected chieftain to have swords and rockets?

SG has a bunvh of videos on his file share. It shows how to get it to work, and it is surprisingly easy.

  • 01.20.2012 2:27 PM PDT

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