: The 'press back to switch graphics' in CEA was a neat gimmick for stage
: shows, but it was very much a gimmick and should not return. It was too
: slow (potentially fixable), wasteful of hardware resources (not fixable)
: and muddies the memories of very passionate fans who have very fond
: memories of this classic game.
: That said, still have a 'classic' and a 'remastered' version but make it an
: upfront menu option on the level select screen. I could reconcile this
: since it would be more along the lines of 'two games in one box' than
: additions to an established game.
: The Classic version should be more or less a straight port. The only
: differences to the original game being high-res rendering, better
: anisotropic filtering on the textures, better anti-aliasing, higher
: texture resolutions and higher quality effects.

Why level select screen? I feel like there is something you are leaving out... I cannot see a runner ever utilizing that option mid-run. Generally, it'd be as inconvenient as having to go to the level select screen to enable/disable skulls (after which, for some reason, you are compelled by the game to restart the mission). The skulls were in-game and the press back to switch was also in-game. There were some easter eggs did not display properly when in the new graphics. And it was hell a lot harder to pull off some of CE's finer tricks while using the new graphics.

: Keep the gameplay tick at 30hz. Fix texture-pop, make it run like silk on the
: Xbox One, but other than that don't fix any 'bugs' unless they make it
: literally unplayable.

Texture-pop in should no longer be a thing in any new Halo game as of Xbox One. No bugs should be touched at all.

: Add a menu select for the skulls (since we don't
: have multiple profiles for save games) and/or multiple save game system.

I will only accept a skull menu if we are allowed to enable/disable them without having to restart the level. Unless they add Scoring, Theater, or online stats tracking, I see no reason to leave this limitation intact (has been the case since Halo 3 and there was no real need for it in Anniversary or 4). At best they should try to emulate the immediate skull effect upon pickup if we are deprived of skull profiles, which would be a terrible inconvenience.

: Add a few new control schemes to reflect paradigms from other recent games
: (i.e. CoD's left trigger for sights) and the changes to the controller
: since the Duke. Add LAN and online co-op and it'll be sweet.

Yeah, I guess. Online Co-op is a must! Not sure if I'm optimistic for 4 player Co-op, that could take away from the depth of Halo 2 tricking.

: The experience should be something like playing Halo 2 Vista on a modern PC.

Care to elaborate? Playing Halo 2 Vista on a modern computer doesn't change anything about it, it still experiences random frame drops and is utterly atrocious.

: The Remastered version should be more like a remake. Treat the development
: more like 'this is what Halo 2 would be like if it came out today' rather
: than giving an old game a new, ill-fitting, skin.

I absolutely despised the reuse of older models. They only remade the AR, Pistol, and Shade iirc.

: To start with, import the content to a modern engine. Whatever 343i are
: working on for Halo 5 would be preferable. Feel free to make the game run
: at 60hz to give us a taste of what Halo 5 will feel like. Make sure it
: has modern niceties like replays and screenshots, scoring, timing, stats,
: file-shares, save-anywhere. Give it all the skulls of Halo 2 and 3, and
: feel free to add whatever else they like. But make sure there are
: easily-selectable 'skull sets' that make sense. e.g. one that is just the
: Halo 3 skulls for Mythicers would be a good start.

Yeah.

: Give it the obligatory graphical overhaul with extra foliage and bump maps
: and wow-inducing shaders (but PLEASE remember less is sometimes more in a
: pure aesthetic sense).

Yeah. Comparison between Lockout and Blackout:
http://s64.photobucket.com/user/heheshabutie33/media/lockout.png.html http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h173/heheshabutie33/blackout.png

Also, that horrific abomination of a run on Midnight. Way too many distractions in the background.

: From here, the developers would have my personal permission to go 'all out.'
: Add new areas and encounters, change geometry to add new routes, FIX
: SNIPER ALLEY .

Absolutely not.

: In regards to skips like the Outskirts rooftops or Delta Halo hills, please
: don't stop us (NO GOD DAMNED INVISIBLE WALLS) but feel free to do
: interesting things with it: add new trigger zones so that the level
: continues to load and flow properly, add new encounters up there, or give
: us a hard encounter in exchange for skipping some others.

That would make it a different game.

: They can even go even wilder if they want: add a mode to use weapon sets from
: the other games or even just add them (Focus Rifles instead of Beam Rifles
: for Jackal Snipers would be a good move in my book). Go crazy and add a
: mode were players can use Sprint or even Armour Abilities. Why not?

As long as it stays out of Campaign and Multiplayer.