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Halo Series - What Should Have Been Done
I Have Defied Gods and Demons and Dodgy Controls
Some battles are just too big to walk away from. Some calls to arms too strong to resist. In 2001, with the release of Halo: Combat Evolved, not only was a new console war ignited but a new standard was set. A new frontier, that had previously only been whispered about in the same hushed tones reserved for discussing lands too remote and distant to possibly exist, was about to be explored. The console FPS had finally come of age. Fan boys in their hoards were about to be slaughtered! Oh, and apparently the future of humanity was at stake as well.It may not have been as dramatic as that but millions of us enlisted. Queuing up to join the fight in video gaming's equivalent of ‘your country needs you', but how exactly were disabled gamers welcomed into training? Admittedly, there was not long before everything kicked off onboard the Pillar of Autumn, certainly not long enough for any comfortable assimilation, but it was clear that disabled gamers were going to be shortchanged by the standard gear issued to repel the Covenant. Among the millions who lined up eager to kick some alien ass, and win glory on the new evolved battlefield, some of us would be lucky if we could even aspire be cannon fodder.
You see, for some players, the initial experience of this landmark franchise was not good. While many western gamers complained that the original Xbox controller to be huge, unyielding and brick-like, it was nothing compared to the hideous third-party controllers many disabled gamers were forced to endure just to play at all.
In common with much of gaming history, Halo gave us several controller options but no real ‘choice'. Well unless you count simply choosing whether you wanted your fire button or grenades on the left or right. True, there were options to alter the style of movement of the sticks, but the lack of a fully configurable ‘free setting' meant that many were doomed to third-party travesties or even forced to build their own. Yes, in the video gaming equivalent of some Heath Ledger movie; when lacking true nobility and the divine right to take part we were forced to knock up our own gear and fake our own heraldic gamertag, inspirational rock montage style.
Adapt and Overcome
We simply made our own gamepads, or at least modified them. The move towards a greater focus on triggers for Microsoft's upstart console set the stage for controllers that no longer simply lent themselves to being held the ‘right' way, they demanded it. You simply could not fire without using the exact finger as was intended, and for those who could not hold a controller altogether, tough.
"Hearing the forums across the internet bitch about controls systems always brings a smile to the faces of the legions who slaughtered millions of Covenant by squeezing the controller against their upper thigh."Playing Halo with the controller set on a table or in the lap was next to impossible. Hearing the forums across the internet bitch about controls systems always brings a smile to the faces of the legions who slaughtered millions of Covenant by squeezing the controller against their upper thigh. Not exactly pinpoint precision, and not to mention tricky to describe to those not in the know. Just how do you explain that you keep accidentally setting grenades off with your groin!?!
But despite all these hassles disabled gamers (at least some of them) found a way to play the greatest console FPS of all time. You just have to be that inventive when companies are not, that visionary when they are blind. But if Halo was blind to the needs of disabled gamers it was deaf as well. At least, deaf to the needs of the hard of hearing.
If war is hell, it seems it is also silent. Moreover, silent without any subtitles whatsoever. It is staggering that even back in the day, when most DVDs and a large proportion of TV content was close captioned, the biggest marquee entertainment release from one of the biggest companies on earth was not. Nothing. Zilch. Zip. Not on cut scenes nor in game. Not a piece of the story was accessible. Hell, you could play through the entire thing and never even know who Master Chief was! Still, these were just teething troubles, surely? Easily sorted out by the time the Covenant actually came to earth in Halo 2, right? Sadly, no. Halo 2 brought with it the same old problems along with a host of new ones, and I am not even talking about the ending.
Sequels Don't Always Get It Right for Disabled Gamers
For Halo 2, dual wielding only further exacerbated the problems for gamers who had trouble with triggers. Still dreaming of a control scheme option that would allow a face button as primary fire, we were left to sit there switching our flashlights on and off, jumping, and alternating between weapons with great aplomb, but just not firing the bloody things.
Out came the third-party pads with the remap function again. Controllers with analogue sticks so poor they remind us that ‘dead zone' really is a Stephen King novel. And still not a single subtitle in sight. Not one. But the biggest change Halo 2 brought to table was online gaming. Halo's much lauded split-screen multiplayer was brought triumphantly online. Match making tech, give or take a few wrinkles, proved unprecedentedly successful in bringing online console gaming to the masses.
Halo 3 built with an extended range of options and a seemingly miraculous level of website integration. It seemed like everyone was invited to the party, but for many disabled players it was as if their invitation had been lost in the spam filter. Many felt they just couldn't take part on an equal playing field. In an environment where all the barriers are virtual and therefore unnecessary, this is completely unacceptable.
When Master Chief fell to earth with a bang at the start of Halo 3, he was not the only one. Yes, there were subtitles at last, but only on the cut scenes and with no indication of who was speaking. Bungie, your lip-synching animation may have come of leaps and bounds but we still can't lip read from it in game, and there was still no acknowledgement that the other challenges to some of the loyal community of fans even existed. After all that had achieved by the franchise in other areas we had a right to expect better.
And therein lies the clue as to why we've singled Bungie and Microsoft out. Why we have picked on them and not any of the other triple A franchises just as guilty of the same things. Why we zero in on Master Chief and not the semi-anonymous blokes from Call of Duty or the yet-another-space-marine-who's-name-escapes-me from Killzone. We focus of them because in everything they attempted to do with the Halo trilogy they succeeded without reservation.
"Games Are Communities"
On both a technical and creative level Bungie's achievement has been a true landmark in gaming. We'll even whisper it quietly and say in truth the controls are perfect, they really are. They may even be sublime. Expertly balanced and tweaked to give the perfect range of options for the vast majority of the people who will ever play it. We would not want to see any of Halo's features compromised or scrapped in the least. We're not talking about that.
What we are talking about is an acknowledgement that gaming is for everyone, it has never been more mainstream. As the developer and publisher of the most important titles on the system, a first party flagship franchise, Bungie and Microsoft should have set themselves the goal of achieving an altogether differed landmark as well. Acknowledging that, while no system with ever be perfect, accessibility issues will now always be considered an important part of the design ethos.
After all, Microsoft includes accessibility options in Windows without affecting those who do not have to use them. Ironically, could it be that the games industry, whilst constantly complaining that it is never taken seriously, still does not take itself seriously enough for these considerations to be automatic? Gaming is huge. It will only get bigger; it may even become a legal responsibility to ensure accessibility soon. The debate is ongoing as to whether it has already. To exclude a group of people by nature of their disability from games is unfair, but to exclude them from a community is unforgiveable.
That's what games are now. Games are communities. Virtual walls are just as restrictive as real ones; they are just far easier to knock down. At this stage the gaming industry is still young. It is possible to accuse it of nothing more than a youthful lack of forethought. If however it proves to be something more, if it proves to have a stubbornness and adherence to development dogma worthy of the High Prophet of Truth himself, it will find millions of disabled gamers more than willing to ‘finish the fight'.
EDITORS NOTE: AbleGamers did reach out to contaces at Bungie and Microsoft for this story, but our requestd for comment and input went unanswered. We tried.
Hear, hear. Controls should be configurable and cutscenes and gameplay should have subtitles that identify speakers, not just for the disabled, but for everyone. These features also enhance the experience, even for those whom these features are options and not requirements.
I feel that it is the responsibility of microsoft to include accessability options in their hardware and software. While it is unfortunate that Bungie didn't do something to remedy this, I feel the reponsibility doesn't lie with them.
All in all. I do think accessability options ought to be a standard in the next generation of consoles.
While I can understand your concern with wanting better ways to lay out controls for disabled gamers, I don't understand you single mindedness in selecting on one game trilogy to bash. While it was mentioned that there are other games out there, as a gamer unknowing of the disabled gamers plight, I want to know more about this issue but I'm held back by the hate I've seen thrown Microsoft and Bungie's way because the got almost everything correct.
Overall, I believe that most games, not only FPS, should have accessibility options for all. Secondly I would like to see another article like this, but focusing more on the issue of lack of controllers or lack of control options.
Sure, you can complain about lack of subtitles. Bungie probably should have been on that in, at least, Halo2. But I find your attack against Bungie for the Xbox 360 controllers (that Microsoft manufactures) to be absurd. Besides the fact that Bungie is limited to what hardware Microsoft gives them, what exactly is Microsoft supposed to do? You complain about a controller that was designed in order to make gaming more casual and easy-to-approach for such a large audience, but you can't pitch your own idea for a better designed controller for your 'able gamers'?
Try pitching some controller ideas to the actual gaming studios that makes the controllers, if you find difficulty playing on the ones they provide. Or better yet, create your own controller modifications.
Go be an able gamer!
Not to sound like the cold hearted jackass that I am... but... really, QQ MORE NOOB
Now, before I twist the hatred valve let me just say that I am going to school to be a game designer so I have a first hand knowledge of the stresses of trying to pull a triple "A" game together, even with a huge team and the backing of Microsoft there is still mountains of issues to overcome. That said, building a second and perhaps even a third interface just for disabled people is going to be simply impossible, let alone trying to sway the hardware producer and company owner to change or alter the hardware, it is just not going to happen...
Now that I've said that let me get down to the cold hearted evil reasons I came to this forum (BTW, I came here from a halo website). Honestly, your complaining about how your crippled and how you have to use crappy gaming gear. Your dragging down on one of the most popular entertainment franchises in history. Just quit making people who love the game feel bad for you about how you cant hold a controller or whatever. Speaking of which, complaining about how the DEVELOPER didn't give you a good controller is ludicrous, they have no bloody say in the design. That is... once again ...Microsoft's decision, and the fact that they made one that you don't like is really nothing for you to complain about.
Bibblles, honestly, you are misinformed at best. The reason why there is not game controllers out there is MS requires a HUGE HUGE HUGE payment for the SDK, and so many nitch controllers can NOT be made because of this fee. I can not make a controller for a population of 3000 people when it costs $50,000 to $100,000 for the rights to make it.
A "AAA" Game CAN be made as accessible as the developer cares to.. it is not hard, it just requires you to think about others (somthing clearly missed on you). "AAA" titles are made all the time that include all sorts of disabled folks. Read this site, and you will see that we highlight them all the time.
And lastly, I will not apologize for "making you feel bad", I will say this, and I speak as someone who went to work one day minding my own biz, and 3 days later I awoke in the naval hospital forever disabled. I tell you insensitive self that to tell you this, THE DISABILITY CLUB IS REAL REAL EASY TO JOIN, AND FOR MANY, IT IS NOT A PART OF THE PLANS. BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU DISMISS THIS ISSUE, BECAUSE, GOD FORBID, YOU ARE ONLY A BAD DAY AWAY FROM JOINING US.
Mark Barlet
Editor of AbleGamers.com
I have an older brother who had a stroke and lost the ability to control the left side of his body. He loves video games and plays whatever he can get his hands on. I don't hear him complain about control schemes, etc. He just plays the games he can and accepts that there are others, for one reason or another, that he will not be able to play. And he is ok with that. I totally empathize with what it is you are arguing here, but I do have to agree with some on here that I think your decision to single out Bungie is questionable. You did call out other games, but it sounds like you expected something from Bungie that they do not have much control over. Just my 2 cents. Peace!
Like I said on HBO, I think your spot on. It's the popular games that need to do more so more indie games will realise it's a core part of their gaming population. I see no reason why, with a few quick changes to a control scheme, a disabled guy shouldn't be able to get a better experience playing a game of Halo round his friend's house.
@rdadufal, Thank you for stopping by AbleGamers, we did not single out Bungie on the site, we singled out Bungie in this story. This site spends more time that you will ever know praising games and calling them out. You clicked on one link, and you read one story... take the time to to explore the site before you make a comment.
It was a story about Halo, so who would you expect for us to single out? Would be the same as saying, "Why is this story about Barack Obama's first 100 days in office all about Obama?"
I agree that games definitely need to accommodate those who aren't fully able to use the controllers but I do wonder why this article only focused on Halo? I imagine other popular FPS games are hard to control and I'm fairly sure most games don't offer the customizability that would allow for full access.
@Bobski See my post above yours, AbleGamers works to get and cover as many games as we can, this story is about Halo, but we write stories all the time about all the games we can. Please take a moment and click the home link at the top of the page and explore the site.
While I can understand your frustration with the lack of controlled options, I am a little dissapointed with the fact that you decided to single out the Halo franchise and it's creators. If someone with a disability really wanted to play Halo, it is up to them to find a way to make it work. Oh, and all 4 Halo games have subtitles so if your deaf, easy solve. And if your blind, you have bigger issues to solve.
I think it's funny watching the closed-minded fanbois defend their precious game. Don't they realize adding accessibility is never bad. Or do they fear change so much that requiring subtitles and mappable keys is terrifying?
Bibblle is about 14 I'm guessing, grow-up kid. Constructive criticism of games helps improve them. Like it or not developers want help to be more accessible, they get it, why don't you?
this story at the core is not about Halo. it does however "single out" and "pick on" halo as you said, to convey the frustration with the lack of accessability options in current day gaming which is on the verge of inexcusable in this day and time. i do understand however how people can be misinformed to think this one story is representative of the entire site. many of us (including the hardcore fanboys) have never been to ablegamers.com, and this story is our first impression of the site.
that all said, i see no reason controls these days can't be user-mapped. who cares if i want the a button to crouch and click the left stick to switch weapons...that should be my choice...and it IS a software side decision to allow or disallow full customization of the control scheme. on subtitles, i've always thought subtitles are necessary for video games, especially during scenes that can distract the player from paying attention to whats being said and what they may need to know.
MacGyver - I agree, anonymity breeds ignorance. Of course, you are right about first impressions but if people can't be bothered to click "home" and read our other articles then good riddance. All articles are about one subject and ultimately this article brings awareness.
We are trying to reach disabled gamers, not closed-minded kids. If we inform one person about these issues then all the p.o.'d fanbois are worth it.
Btw, Newman and other negative posters: Games are being more accessible thanks to the efforts of ablegamers, oneswitch, 7-128, igda and more. Change is good.
While I understand the frustration disabled gamers obviously feel with games that lack consideration for their needs*, I feel you have unfairly singled out the Halo franchise in this article. Furthermore, the article is rather biased, though I suppose that is to be expected, and the author seems to have a chip on his shoulder. Consider the development of the game from Bungie's POV: it is an action FPS game, and thus every effort was made to give the gamer ultimate control of his/her character's abilities within the game environment. I would not be surprised if Bungie had actually considered making the controls more accessible, but then scrapped the idea when they could not develop them to the high standards they are known for. Perhaps I am wrong, but I doubt that the thought escaped Bungie.
That said, I as a non-hampered gamer I would like the ability to freely set any action to any button in any game. Personally, I have been 95% (give or take) satisfied with the control schemes available in the Halo games, particularly Halo 3. Some games can't even get the sensitivity ramp-up of the analog sticks correct, which is a travesty in FPSs.
Would the ability to freely set actions-- besides look and move, which all but require analog sticks-- make the difference between nonplayable and playable in the Halo series? I suppose the answer is likely yes for a few people, but I suspect that a greater number of people would still not be able to play Halo well even with remapped buttons. It seems to me that custom hardware-- controllers-- are a better answer for that greater population and maybe for everyone concerned. That is outside a game developer's realm of responsibility.
* Okay, perhaps I don't fully understand since I am not disabled, but I think I grasp your general point of view, and I can at least begin to imagine the difficulties, if not fully realize them.
Not sure any game should be singled out since all most all console games at this point don't allow you to remap the controls some thing that is not hard to implement as there are a couple games that do it. Then again I play the pc version of games because they contorls are better 99% of the time.
As far a subtiles go most games used to have them and I'm guessing someone got the bright idea it would look better without them, not bothering to think it through. Once one company did it others simply jumped on board as new shiny must be better.
I will say it again, and again, and again...
This story singles out Bungie is because this is a story about Halo and Bubgie. Just like a story about Obama being all about Obama, and a story about WOW being all about WOW. If you took the time to click around the site, you would see that we have other stories about other games.
For some here, thank you for posting, and for others, thank you for posting without bothering to read the story. AbleGamers notes in the story that each Halo is better for the disabled than the one before it, and we have high hopes for Halo 4.
Given the comments that are made from "fans" many who want us to believe they are speaking for "Bungie", we are going to turn on moderation of comments. If you want to make a comment to defend the game, you are welcome to, if you are going to come on to this site and rip people with disabilities, don't waste your time. Bungie can speak for themselves, and to be honest, I am sure they do not want these guys doing it for them.
I was a "normal" gamer. We have a fab game room with surround sound stereo speakers; 52" wide screen HDTV; networked; multiple xbox; xbox360; playstation and PC's. Loved Halo 1 & 2. Loved Oblivion.
Woke up one day in trauma recovery ICU; with a very broken body. Mentally intact; still love gaming; but things don't work as they previously did.
I was a software developer, and I was responsible for creating open adaptable systems. Is it hard? well - frankly yes it is. In the beginning days of Microsoft neigh impossible due to the the "closed" infrastructure Billy and gang created.
The closed infrastructure and elitist licensing practices is the root of the lack of adaptability from Microsoft and gang. For folks for whom adaptability is important; and who are willing to undertake the funding and development; it can not be done due to lack of open standards and/or practical licensing practices.
Months after awaking in ICU I came home; hubby and I tried to play some co-op Halo; my damaged hands just couldn't reach around the xbox controllers. We ended up trying a few PS2 games. Hubby went off to buy a child size controller for the xbox 360; came home with an xbox (original) child size controller. Game store stated that Microsoft was not allowing or had not licensed the production of third party controllers for the xbox360.
I played Elder Scrolls a lot; Betheseda is more advanced than Microsoft in thinking about game accessibility.
Now I play WoW; for open and mod'able. Cheers.
But I still miss Halo; and likely will continue to in it's next release.
Be careful how you think about gamers who seek out alternative methods of interaction with popular games; you too could wake up one morning a changed person; or it could be a loved one in your family or network of friends. The statistics are not in your favor.
Just to clear a few things up. The above feature is full of love and admiration for the halo series. It calls it the ‘greatest console fps of all time’ it refers to the controls as perfect and sublime, calls the online play miraculous. The reason why halo was chosen was not simply a case of having a crack at the biggest obvious target, but an acknowledgement that if halo took on board these changes the rest of the genre will follow. I would have thought halo fans would agree with that. We are crediting it with so much influence it can only really be a compliment.
The example of Bethesda is a good and illuminating one. There are remappable controls in oblivion because there is a tradition of remappable controls in Bethesda games. And that’s all it is we’re talking about really, a lack of a design tradition. There is also a tradition of remappable controls in fighting games, for example. There just isn’t one in console fps. The issue of cost is a huge red hearing. It just a arbitrary design decision. We are just pointing out how important this little option is.
If any developers are reading this I’d like to illustrate the point with the example of two games which seem to be almost universally loved and respected throughout the industry, and by most hardcore gamers regardless of platform loyalties. Ico, and Shadow of the Colossus. Both have fully remappable controls. Is there any possible reason on earth why these should and Killzone 2 should not.
We chose halo because it has the power to lead in this area, to establish a new design tradition, and because it has the legions of fans (including us and our friends from the halo sites) ready and eager to salute it when it does.
It is with great pleasure that I have come across your website. I am an
advocate for website Accessibility and Usability and it is rewarding to see such
dedication in the gaming industry. Understanding how disabled people access and use games can be challenging, but one worth supporting -- Accessibility is about the ability for all people to reach the content; Usability is about the ability for all people to complete the given task; and ENJOYMENT -- Priceless...
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