I'm sure this has been posted many times before, but the influx of people complaining made it seem like a decent enough idea to redistribute the info. Also, I've read several comments where people have said "I'm sure Bungie will explain why it's not included soon". Well, they did, a long time ago. Here you go.

Clicky

Halo 3: ODST features a new multiplayer mode called Firefight. It’s kinda like the Horde mode from Gears of War 2. For some reason though, it doesn’t support matchmaking.

When I spoke with Bungie producer Curtis Creamer last week, I asked him why they don’t support matchmaking in Firefight. He explained how it comes down to a technical issue.

Firefight is based on the cooperative campaign mode from Halo 3. It uses that as a base technology with all the same gameplay mechanics, including AI. Matchmaking was simply not part of that Halo 3 campaign.

“With this game we wanted to make sure everyone knew this was built off the Halo 3 engine, which is why we left Halo 3 in the title of it,” says Creamer. “That was basically one of the limitations we had, that we couldn’t just add matchmaking for Firefight because it was based upon the cooperative Campaign gameplay.

“It would’ve been a massive technical rewrite of code, and we didn’t think it would have been the right thing to invest in anyway because it’s meant to be a cooperative experience you have with friends.”

Of course, when playing Firefight, just as when playing the cooperative campaigns from Halo 3 and ODST, you can party up with your friends. Creamer says the idea behind Firefight is not to play with a bunch of strangers online, but to enjoy a more intimate experience that harks back to the early days of Halo.

“It’s really trying to get back to that same sort of experience we had in Halo 1 multiplayer,” says Creamer. “Since there was no Live then and no matchmaking, you really had to get together with your friends, you know, have LAN parties at your house and have that cool social experience with your buddies all sitting together. Firefight is really all about getting together with your friends online and playing that way.

“So in a way matchmaking is not something that makes a lot of sense in that kind of system, even though in reality it’s not something we would have been able to pull off anyway.”

I’m not a competitive multiplayer gamer. Co-op is more my style, having played through Halo 3, Gears 2, Resident Evil 5, Left 4 Dead and others recently. Personally I wouldn’t want to play those co-op games with strangers, preferring instead to schedule sessions with people I know.

But maybe I’m just weird. Do you play co-op games with strangers? Or do you stick with your friends? Is the lack of matchmaking here really a big deal?

those friends an family things are just terrible excuses. bungie is filled w/ a bunch of cheapos. they didnt want to spend the money to add in the features. all of that about friends and Halo 1 experience is PURE B.S.!

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Only Chuck Norris can believe it is not butter.....

PlayStation Network username: DPM410

 xDPM410 wrote:

those friends an family things are just terrible excuses. bungie is filled w/ a bunch of cheapos. they didnt want to spend the money to add in the features. all of that about friends and Halo 1 experience is PURE B.S.!

Of course. The technical limitations of the games architecture and time line for development have nothing to do with it. These are just stories made up to cover up the fact that the studio is "cheap"...

edit: Granted, you never can believe everything you're told, but I'd buy their excuse before your accusations.

Eh... The Halo 1 thing seems like a bunch of crap.

I would've gladly accepted they just didn't have the time and money to dedicate to it.

I don't like dumb excuses like that.

 Gazzy Jack wrote:

 xDPM410 wrote:

those friends an family things are just terrible excuses. bungie is filled w/ a bunch of cheapos. they didnt want to spend the money to add in the features. all of that about friends and Halo 1 experience is PURE B.S.!

Of course. The technical limitations of the games architecture and time line for development have nothing to do with it. These are just stories made up to cover up the fact that the studio is "cheap"...

edit: Granted, you never can believe everything you're told, but I'd buy their excuse before your accusations.

I agree, that is the most BS response I have ever heard. He is acting like its better this way, when in reality, its better for them.

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Jennifer's Body

will one day be a cult classic.

 xDPM410 wrote:

those friends an family things are just terrible excuses. bungie is filled w/ a bunch of cheapos. they didnt want to spend the money to add in the features. all of that about friends and Halo 1 experience is PURE B.S.!

so what would you rather have, a crappy version of firefight with matchmaking so you can enjoy crap with strangers OR enjoy a very quality firefight with your freinds?

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 Florida 2 LEGIT wrote:

Modern Warfare 2 sucks they ruined this game stick to BC2

 MattKohl101 wrote:

Eh... The Halo 1 thing seems like a bunch of crap.

I would've gladly accepted they just didn't have the time and money to dedicate to it.

I don't like dumb excuses like that.

The main problems were technical issues (apparently).

 StoneySmile wrote:

 Gazzy Jack wrote:

 xDPM410 wrote:

those friends an family things are just terrible excuses. bungie is filled w/ a bunch of cheapos. they didnt want to spend the money to add in the features. all of that about friends and Halo 1 experience is PURE B.S.!

Of course. The technical limitations of the games architecture and time line for development have nothing to do with it. These are just stories made up to cover up the fact that the studio is "cheap"...

edit: Granted, you never can believe everything you're told, but I'd buy their excuse before your accusations.

I agree, that is the most BS response I have ever heard. He is acting like its better this way, when in reality, its better for them.

it would of been a much better game if it had campaign co-op matchmaking like CoD WaW. and maybe a ranking system for competitive co-op (separate than Versus rank).

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Only Chuck Norris can believe it is not butter.....

PlayStation Network username: DPM410

Yeah, I don't buy this either. I hope Bungie sees how frustrated people are about no MM and they figure out a patch.

In the meantime, FR me if you want to play firefight!

 Gazzy Jack wrote:

 MattKohl101 wrote:

Eh... The Halo 1 thing seems like a bunch of crap.

I would've gladly accepted they just didn't have the time and money to dedicate to it.

I don't like dumb excuses like that.

The main problems were technical issues (apparently).

i think time was important too they had to finish this game in 1 and a half year

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Spartans never die Jorge, they're just missing in action

 Gazzy Jack wrote:

 MattKohl101 wrote:

Eh... The Halo 1 thing seems like a bunch of crap.

I would've gladly accepted they just didn't have the time and money to dedicate to it.

I don't like dumb excuses like that.

The main problems were technical issues (apparently).

I understand that, and hey it's totally cool that they don't have a matchmaking system.

I wouldn't have cared if they said they didn't give a crap about people who play Halo or something like that.

But using the Halo CE excuse... it's just stupid.

 MattKohl101 wrote:

 Gazzy Jack wrote:

 MattKohl101 wrote:

Eh... The Halo 1 thing seems like a bunch of crap.

I would've gladly accepted they just didn't have the time and money to dedicate to it.

I don't like dumb excuses like that.

The main problems were technical issues (apparently).

I understand that, and hey it's totally cool that they don't have a matchmaking system.

I wouldn't have cared if they said they didn't give a crap about people who play Halo or something like that.

But using the Halo CE excuse... it's just stupid.

All of you guys are retarded. They stated it would be a amss rewrite of code which would have been a big investment for a game that is intended for close freinds(im guessing sort of like how army of 2 was) Learn to connect the dots and use your head.

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 Florida 2 LEGIT wrote:

Modern Warfare 2 sucks they ruined this game stick to BC2

 MattKohl101 wrote:

 Gazzy Jack wrote:

 MattKohl101 wrote:

Eh... The Halo 1 thing seems like a bunch of crap.

I would've gladly accepted they just didn't have the time and money to dedicate to it.

I don't like dumb excuses like that.

The main problems were technical issues (apparently).

I understand that, and hey it's totally cool that they don't have a matchmaking system.

I wouldn't have cared if they said they didn't give a crap about people who play Halo or something like that.

But using the Halo CE excuse... it's just stupid.

If it was their only excuse, I'd agree with you 100%. I think in this case though it was a poorly worded/timed justification. But the technical side of things are the root of the issue, and I can accept that since the game had a limited time of development and they worked with what they had.

 Purplehaze50 wrote:

 MattKohl101 wrote:

 Gazzy Jack wrote:

 MattKohl101 wrote:

Eh... The Halo 1 thing seems like a bunch of crap.

I would've gladly accepted they just didn't have the time and money to dedicate to it.

I don't like dumb excuses like that.

The main problems were technical issues (apparently).

I understand that, and hey it's totally cool that they don't have a matchmaking system.

I wouldn't have cared if they said they didn't give a crap about people who play Halo or something like that.

But using the Halo CE excuse... it's just stupid.

All of you guys are retarded. They stated it would be a amss rewrite of code which would have been a big investment for a game that is intended for close freinds(im guessing sort of like how army of 2 was) Learn to connect the dots and use your head.

Yeah, and they didn't say that in that article.

They used the excuse it was supposed to be like Halo CE without Xbox Live. Where you'd only be able to play with your friends.

I wouldn't have cared about any of this seeing as I'm probably not getting the game due to it only consisting of Firefight and a short Campaign, but it's the whole thing about Halo CE that bugs me.

To me, it just sounds like, they tried to build a new mode(Firefight) onto something that couldn't fully support everything associated with it(Halo 3's single player engine), and just decided to go with it, rather then modify there engine to work with it, which would be more work to fix afterward....

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Help Sean

 MattKohl101 wrote:

 Purplehaze50 wrote:

 MattKohl101 wrote:

 Gazzy Jack wrote:

 MattKohl101 wrote:

Eh... The Halo 1 thing seems like a bunch of crap.

I would've gladly accepted they just didn't have the time and money to dedicate to it.

I don't like dumb excuses like that.

The main problems were technical issues (apparently).

I understand that, and hey it's totally cool that they don't have a matchmaking system.

I wouldn't have cared if they said they didn't give a crap about people who play Halo or something like that.

But using the Halo CE excuse... it's just stupid.

All of you guys are retarded. They stated it would be a amss rewrite of code which would have been a big investment for a game that is intended for close freinds(im guessing sort of like how army of 2 was) Learn to connect the dots and use your head.

Yeah, and they didn't say that in that article.

Sure they did... right at the top :\

"Firefight is based on the cooperative campaign mode from Halo 3. It uses that as a base technology with all the same gameplay mechanics, including AI. Matchmaking was simply not part of that Halo 3 campaign."

Yay, I just spent $60 on a mostly single player game, considering I bought all the map packs already and none of my friends have/ will buy it.

Maybe they should of bought you a beer first, $60 for an add-on...what a joke

 Gazzy Jack wrote:

 MattKohl101 wrote:

 Purplehaze50 wrote:

 MattKohl101 wrote:

 Gazzy Jack wrote:

 MattKohl101 wrote:

Eh... The Halo 1 thing seems like a bunch of crap.

I would've gladly accepted they just didn't have the time and money to dedicate to it.

I don't like dumb excuses like that.

The main problems were technical issues (apparently).

I understand that, and hey it's totally cool that they don't have a matchmaking system.

I wouldn't have cared if they said they didn't give a crap about people who play Halo or something like that.

But using the Halo CE excuse... it's just stupid.

All of you guys are retarded. They stated it would be a amss rewrite of code which would have been a big investment for a game that is intended for close freinds(im guessing sort of like how army of 2 was) Learn to connect the dots and use your head.

Yeah, and they didn't say that in that article.

Sure they did... right at the top :\

"Firefight is based on the cooperative campaign mode from Halo 3. It uses that as a base technology with all the same gameplay mechanics, including AI. Matchmaking was simply not part of that Halo 3 campaign."

I meant to say that they didn't say JUST that.

They used the Halo 1 crap.

 n00binator2014 wrote:

Yay, I just spent $60 on a mostly single player game, considering I bought all the map packs already and none of my friends have/ will buy it.

Man I got so lucky.

I was all ready to go out and get the Collector's Edition with the controller and everything. About a hundred bucks.

I was under the assumption it was Halo:ODST all the way through. I thought it used the same maps as Halo 3, but you played as the sweet looking Shock Troopers in Multiplayer.

But all the game is is a Survival mode and a really short Multiplayer. I love Halo just as much as the next guy, but I wouldn't buy the game only for the single player.

 MattKohl101 wrote:

 Gazzy Jack wrote:

 MattKohl101 wrote:

 Purplehaze50 wrote:

 MattKohl101 wrote:

 Gazzy Jack wrote:

 MattKohl101 wrote:

Eh... The Halo 1 thing seems like a bunch of crap.

I would've gladly accepted they just didn't have the time and money to dedicate to it.

I don't like dumb excuses like that.

The main problems were technical issues (apparently).

I understand that, and hey it's totally cool that they don't have a matchmaking system.

I wouldn't have cared if they said they didn't give a crap about people who play Halo or something like that.

But using the Halo CE excuse... it's just stupid.

All of you guys are retarded. They stated it would be a amss rewrite of code which would have been a big investment for a game that is intended for close freinds(im guessing sort of like how army of 2 was) Learn to connect the dots and use your head.

Yeah, and they didn't say that in that article.

Sure they did... right at the top :\

"Firefight is based on the cooperative campaign mode from Halo 3. It uses that as a base technology with all the same gameplay mechanics, including AI. Matchmaking was simply not part of that Halo 3 campaign."

I meant to say that they didn't say JUST that.

They used the Halo 1 crap.

But how does that take away from the core problem? Does it just make you mad?

I'm not trying to flame, argue with malicious intent, or force you to agree with me... I'm just legitimately having a difficult time understanding why you're letting yourself get upset over something to the point that the real facts become clouded by it. Would you view the article differently had I only quoted the top half?

It funny how he think everyone is going to buy the game, like no one it going run into the problem that some people will have next to no one who will buy the game lol. Even if you have friends that get the game what happens when your not on at the same time oh *** screwed again.

Bungie just say it your lazy and your not making an already overprice Expansion even worse.

 Gazzy Jack wrote:

 MattKohl101 wrote:

 Gazzy Jack wrote:

 MattKohl101 wrote:

 Purplehaze50 wrote:

 MattKohl101 wrote:

 Gazzy Jack wrote:

 MattKohl101 wrote:

Eh... The Halo 1 thing seems like a bunch of crap.

I would've gladly accepted they just didn't have the time and money to dedicate to it.

I don't like dumb excuses like that.

The main problems were technical issues (apparently).

I understand that, and hey it's totally cool that they don't have a matchmaking system.

I wouldn't have cared if they said they didn't give a crap about people who play Halo or something like that.

But using the Halo CE excuse... it's just stupid.

All of you guys are retarded. They stated it would be a amss rewrite of code which would have been a big investment for a game that is intended for close freinds(im guessing sort of like how army of 2 was) Learn to connect the dots and use your head.

Yeah, and they didn't say that in that article.

Sure they did... right at the top :\

"Firefight is based on the cooperative campaign mode from Halo 3. It uses that as a base technology with all the same gameplay mechanics, including AI. Matchmaking was simply not part of that Halo 3 campaign."

I meant to say that they didn't say JUST that.

They used the Halo 1 crap.

But how does that take away from the core problem? Does it just make you mad?

I'm not trying to flame, argue with malicious intent, or force you to agree with me... I'm just legitimately having a difficult time understanding why you're letting yourself get upset over something to the point that the real facts become clouded by it. Would you view the article differently had I only quoted the top half?

Basically yes. I can accept limitations due to financing, time, manpower, etc.

But to try and glorify a weakness of the game is asbolute stupidity to me.

It lacks a Matchmaking. No one is saying how happy they are it doesn't have it.

The main word in that is lacks.

ive heard that Bungie said it technically wasnt feasible but i really dont believe them.   What I do believe is that Microsoft wanted SOME big name game (either Halo or Gears) to be out this holiday season so they dont have a lull in first party sales.    Bungie probably could have done this but it would have pushed ODST back  a few months possibly until 2010 and thats also when Halo Reach is supposed to come out so they didnt want 2 halo games too close to each other.   This also subtly points out that ODST should have been an expansion not Microsoft trying to patch together a bunch of things to try to make a full game out of it.  

I certainly hope and I'm very willing to bet Reach will have matchmaking in its Firefight mode and Bungie will conveniently forget that "friends only" excuse when Reach is released.  

Lack of matchmaking Firefight is still a major disappointment to me for this game.  Firefight was what I was looking forward too most and now I gotta load up my friends list with people i dont know just so I can have the rare chance that 3 other people will be on and willing to team up for firefight.   I guess there is matchmaking in Firefight its just the "do it yourself" kind...

weak.

 ajefferism wrote:

I'm very willing to bet Reach will have matchmaking in its Firefight mode and Bungie will conveniently forget that "friends only" excuse when Reach is released.  

Well, seeing as reach is a new game altogether they likely wont face the same limitations that "supposedly" kept firefight the way it is.

 ajefferism wrote:

Bungie probably could have done this but it would have pushed ODST back  a few months possibly until 2010 and thats also when Halo Reach is supposed to come out so they didnt want 2 halo games too close to each other.

Not really, ODST was finished months ago...

Horrible, horrible read. You know when politicians lie through their teeth for more time or money, or to get sympathy from the public? That's all I felt as I read that.

Anyone ever wonder why a game is delayed? Reasons like this. The developer came across an issue, problem or like Hideo Kojima, simply felt it wasnt up to par so its delayed for improvement. Unfortunately, the holiday season is coming, need to get a game out, make money.. etc. I dont doubt the whole campaign coding issue, but the game should have been delayed. I checked out the metacritic rating for this game (its an average of all major gaming review sites/magazines).. and its sad, should have been another A game for Bungie this  holiday season. I'm not going to say it was rushed, but needed more time to handle an important part, or the glue, of online gaming.

Its like you throw a bunch of people in a restaurant to eat but all the lights are off, its pitch black. How do we find our table, how do we order, how can we see? oh, you need to go down the street to the hardware store and buy a flash light then come back to eat.

(And the forumers saying "matchmaking wasnt going to be in the game was common knowledge" are the waiters telling you, "didnt you know you needed a flashlight to eat here" then laughing like you did something wrong because you were expecting the lights would be on.)

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Machinima Director
HALO 3 UNCENSORED

 Purplehaze50 wrote:

 xDPM410 wrote:

those friends an family things are just terrible excuses. bungie is filled w/ a bunch of cheapos. they didnt want to spend the money to add in the features. all of that about friends and Halo 1 experience is PURE B.S.!

so what would you rather have, a crappy version of firefight with matchmaking so you can enjoy crap with strangers OR enjoy a very quality firefight with your freinds?

How bought both?

...........Um..nevermind.
I forgot what I was going to say.

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Check out my Airsoft videos at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ashthecat3

 Purplehaze50 wrote:

 xDPM410 wrote:

those friends an family things are just terrible excuses. bungie is filled w/ a bunch of cheapos. they didnt want to spend the money to add in the features. all of that about friends and Halo 1 experience is PURE B.S.!

so what would you rather have, a crappy version of firefight with matchmaking so you can enjoy crap with strangers OR enjoy a very quality firefight with your freinds?

Both... Nazi Zombies my friend. Works fine with both. Of course it may not be as fun or may get annoying playing with random people but it is there for those who want to

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11.6.07-Lets Do Dis.
11.10.09-Lets Do Dis.-MW 2