: Actually I was just suggested something positive for once. The simple fact is
: that even if you go in with a party, internet connections drop and random
: things happen that might make it really beneficial to get someone in there
: to help you out, or at least an extra DMR/BR to delay or wound some
: people.

This is a fair point, but even here you say 'delay' which in my head sounds like 'delay the inevitable' loss that might happen. There are a lot of variable to this of course but again, I see where you're coming from.

:When I say one extreme to another, I feel like before you could
: join in progress regardless of time left, score, or anything. There's a
: slot open? You're in. Now it's more like, well, half way is done, so let's
: close it up even if it's close and even if there's plenty of time left.

: I feel like join in progress was poorly implemented from the start, mostly
: because of what you described where you'd get dropped into a game where
: you're being crushed or where it's about to end and there's no chance of
: coming back. I was more proposing something that could detect that maybe
: the game has reached a half way point AND is within a kill or two, a
: single flag cap, or completely tied. I'm thinking more on a CTF level
: about how disappointing it could be to have the game tied up, have the
: match go on for another 5 minutes, and maybe one or two of your buddies
: (or randoms) dropped. You may end up losing just based on numbers. Sad
: time. But oh well, hopefully this newer way works out.

See, I think Having JIP enabled for the entire game or having it off the entire game ARE the extremes of that spectrum, and having it on to mid game IS the middle ground.

I don't agree that JIP in Halo 4 is/was poorly implemented and I don't see how its any different from JIP in any other game such as Call of Duty. I remember plenty of times playing CoD where I'd be dropped into a game that was about to end or was already over and thinking what bullshit it was. Even in team games with randoms (Halo OR CoD) if a player JIPs and then sees its an un-winnable or pointless scenario they drop out again anyway.

I really don't care to be that one guy on a team that stays while a revolving door of other players join my game, see that my teams fucked, and then drop out.

I think that having JIP enabled to either mid time or mid score is a logical solution and better than the alternatives of no JIP at all or flaky rotational players the whole session.

Again, no need to get defensive, I see and sympathize with your frustration. I think deep down that what the root of the problem is, is people quitting period. There still isn't a system in place that punishes quitters fairly while sparing people with bad connections (who should be rethinking if its a good idea to play anyway IMO).

Maybe someday there will be a system in place for MM where it can tell if someone disconnects accidentally or on purpose and decides to drop another player in, IDK.

I don't think the system is ever going to be perfect and its not unique to Halo by a long shot.