Editing Infinity (mode)

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{{disambig header|the game mode|articles of the same name|Infinity|l3=Infinity (disambiguation)}}
[[File:H4-InfinityMode-CareerWelcome.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Spartan career introduction in ''Infinity''.]]
'''''Infinity''''' is the multiplayer component of ''[[Halo 4]]''. It consists of ''[[War Games]]'', the competitive multiplayer mode, ''[[Forge]]'' mode, as well as the episodic cooperative campaign ''[[Spartan Ops]]''. The mode is named after the prototype warship {{UNSCShip|Infinity}}, which forms the in-universe background for the mode as the base of operations for the [[SPARTAN-IV Program|SPARTAN-IV supersoldiers]], the players' avatars for ''Infinity'' multiplayer. In contrast to previous ''Halo'' titles, ''Infinity'' is designed to "blur the lines" between fiction and multiplayer gameplay, with the various multiplayer modes being tied into [[Halo universe|''Halo'' universe]] canon.<ref>'''Game Informer''' (''May 2012''), ''pages 46-47''</ref><ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsNWkjP65Cg&feature=g-all-u ''Halo 4 Infinity Multiplayer'']</ref><ref name="mp1">[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/interviews/a369211/halo-4-interview-343-industries-on-multiplayer-new-forms-of-story.html '''Digitalspy.co.uk''': ''Halo 4 interview: 343 Industries on multiplayer, new forms of story'']</ref>

==Background and development==
Prior to the beginning of development on ''Halo 4'', 343i General Manager [[Bonnie Ross]] and Franchise Development Director [[Frank O'Connor]] set the framework of the new studio's mission which entailed that all pieces of existing and future fiction from the games, novels, comics, etc. would be interwoven and share content from each other.<ref name="Guardian 632012">[http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/gamesblog/2012/jun/04/e3-2012-halo-4-interview '''The Guardian:''' ''E3 2012: Frank O'Connor on Halo 4 – Spartan Ops could run for years'']</ref> Among this would be the multiplayer component for ''Halo 4'', which would later include the introduction of ''Spartan Ops''; "'' Wrapping the whole thing together allowed us to make sure that all the fiction in all of those pieces actually mattered – in this case, it connects directly to your career as well as the narrative experience.''"<ref name="Guardian 632012"/>

==War Games==
[[File:H4-Ordnance Overshield.jpg|thumb|An Overshield power-up drop.]]
{{Main|War Games}}
Competitive multiplayer, known as "''War Games''," pits players against one another in adversarial combat training in simulated environments in the advanced combat deck of the ''Infinity''.<ref name="mp1"/> However, due to the emphasis on the SPARTAN-IV supersoldiers, players do not have the option to use [[Sangheili]] for their multiplayer character.<ref name="IGN 4/7/2012">[http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/122/1222537p1.html?utm_campaign=ign+main+twitter&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social '''IGN.com''': ''Spartan Ops and Infinity Change Halo 4 Multiplayer'']</ref>

343 Industries is aiming to provide a "brand new experience" in ''Halo 4'' multiplayer. This includes a reworking of the series' traditional balance system. For example, the player progression system is more extensive, allowing players to choose between various modifications which have an effect on gameplay, in addition to aesthetic [[armor permutations]] similar to the prior games.<ref name="Official Site">[http://halo.xbox.com/halo4#!halo-evolved/gameplay/31afe32b-0e07-45c0-9424-3adc6e1eadca '''Halo 4 Official Site:''' ''GAMEPLAY'']</ref><ref name="venture">[http://venturebeat.com/2012/03/05/11-things-learned-about-halo-4/ '''Venturebeat.com''': ''11 new things we’ve learned about Halo 4 (with video)'']</ref><ref name="cod">[http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/gamesblog/2012/mar/05/halo-4-multiplayer-details-revealed '''Guardian.co.uk''': ''Halo 4 multiplayer revealed: Master Chief meets Call of Duty?'']</ref> Players are also able to customize their [[loadout]]s,<ref>[http://www.gamefront.com/halo-4-demo-report/2/ '''Gamefront.com''': ''Halo 4 Demo Report'']</ref> being able to choose between various [[armor abilities]] as well as new customizable features, known as [[Support Upgrades]] and [[Tactical Packages]]. Tactical Packages offer a small performance boost to a chosen gameplay feature, such as the player's shield or weapon carrying capacity. Support Upgrades function similarly, and feature such improvements as [[motion tracker]] upgrade and an increase in the player's maximum ammunition.<ref name="Official Site"/> ''Halo 4'' also introduces a new gameplay enhancement feature referred to as "[[Specializations]]". Specializations unlock different armor sets, emblems, visor colors, weapon and armor skins, and armor mods, which work similar to tactical packages and support upgrades.<ref name="The Halo Bulletin: 8.15.12">[http://halo.xbox.com/blogs/Headlines/post/2012/08/15/The-Halo-Bulletin-81512.aspx '''Halo Waypoint''' ''The Halo Bulletin 8.15.12]</ref>

The multiplayer gameplay of ''Halo 4'' has been described as being "much more fast-paced, more intense and visceral" than in the prior games.<ref name="cod"/> Weapon pickups on maps are marked on the player's [[heads-up display]],<ref name="venture"/> and players are able to call in ordnance drops, containing power-ups or weapons, during War Games matches.<ref name="Official Site"/> Some multiplayer gametypes include [[Slayer]], Infinity Slayer, and [[Regicide]]. Power-ups available in Infinity Slayer include [[Overshield]], [[Damage Boost]], and [[Speed Boost]].<ref>[http://halo.xbox.com/blogs/Headlines/post/2012/07/06/The-Halo-Bulletin-7612.aspx '''Halo Waypoint''': ''The Halo Bulletin: 7.6.12'']</ref>

===Maps===
Unlike ''[[Halo: Reach]]'', where the original multiplayer maps were shared in the campaign as gameplay spaces, all multiplayer maps in ''Halo 4'' are purpose-built for multiplayer alone much like in the first three ''Halo'' games.<ref name="cod"/> 343 Industries cooperated with [[Certain Affinity]] in the production of the multiplayer maps for ''Halo 4''.<ref name="Certain Affinity">[http://www.oxmonline.com/343-industries-halo-4-will-re-inject-some-new-life-halo-multiplayer '''Official Xbox Magazine online.com''' ''343 Industries: Halo 4 will "re-inject some new life" into Halo multiplayer]''</ref><ref name="gsforge">[http://www.gamespot.com/halo-4/videos/exclusive-halo-4-forge-mode-details-6397629/ '''GameSpot''': ''Exclusive Halo 4 Forge Mode Details'']</ref>

{{Halo 4 War Games Main}}

==Spartan Ops==
[[File:Spartan Ops - GG 1.jpg|thumb|250px|A group of SPARTAN-IVs preparing to suit up in one of ''Spartan Ops''' pre-rendered cinematics.]]
{{Main|Spartan Ops}}
''Spartan Ops'' is a secondary campaign and a successor to the [[Firefight]] mode featured in ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'' and ''[[Halo: Reach]]''.<ref name="IGN 4/7/2012"/> Much like traditional campaign cooperative play, ''Spartan Ops'' allows up to four players to participate in weekly objective-based episodic missions;<ref name="IGN 4/7/2012"/><ref name="GI podcast">[http://media1.gameinformer.com/media/audio/theshow/halo4/halo4special.mp3 '''Game Informer:''' ''Halo 4 Special Podcast'']</ref> this new mode is being likened to a second full-scale campaign for the game.<ref name="Guardian 632012"/> Set six months after the end of the ''Halo 4'' campaign, ''Spartan Ops'' continues the story of the UNSC ''Infinity'' and her crew, putting players in the role of SPARTAN-IV [[Fireteam Crimson]] as they embark on missions across Requiem. Compared to a season of a television program, each "episode" of ''Spartan Ops'' features a pre-rendered cinematic and five playable missions complete with new events, characters, locations, and gameplay challenges, totaling up to 12 hours of new gameplay.<ref name="Game Informer May 2012">'''Game Informer''': ''May 2012''</ref><ref name="LEHB 6272012">[http://www.littleenglishhaloblog.com/2012/06/new-halo-4-info-blowout-via-expertzone.html '''Little English Halo Blog:''' ''New Halo 4 Info Blowout via ExpertZone!'']</ref> The development of ''Spartan Ops'' has seen the largest influx of new characters, along with corresponding facial and voice talent, and gameplay/sandbox elements into any property of the ''Halo'' franchise since 2001.<ref name="RTX Halo 4 panel">[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnHPPsQFovY&hd=1 '''Rooster Teeth Expo:''' ''Halo 4 presentation'']</ref> 343 Industries will be supporting additional ''Spartan Ops'' missions for months after launch of the game and unlike ''Reach'' challenges, players have the opportunity to play from the beginning of the episodic campaign regardless of when they started playing. The first "season" is included with the price of the game, though 343i has not ruled out charging players for additional ''Spartan Ops'' seasons.<ref name="NYDN 4302012">[http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/system-update-halo-4-preview-glimpse-return-master-chief-article-1.1068510?pgno=1 '''NYDailyNews.com:''' ''SYSTEM UPDATE: Halo 4 preview, with our first glimpse into return of Master Chief'']</ref> Frank O'Connor has stated that ''Spartan Ops'' will "bridge the gap" between the events of ''Halo 4'' and the future release of its sequel ''Halo 5''.<ref name="NYDN 4302012"/>

The development of ''Spartan Ops'' came to fruition under the ideals of persistent, fresh replayability and small additions to the fiction surrounding the ''Reclaimer Trilogy'' and ancillary content. <ref name="Guardian 632012"/> Each episode of the series, gameplay-wise, is set up with meaning to enhance the significance of the events you are playing through, and as such, simplistic single-objective missions will not be a focus of ''Spartan Ops''. Frank O'Connor in an interview with The Guardian states that the stories and events have been loosely laid out for "a few years"<ref name="Guardian 632012"/>; the success or failure of ''Spartan Ops'' may lead to a continuation of the series past 2012-2013 with a "''known beginning, a middle, and an end.''" <ref name="Guardian 632012"/> The first season of ''Spartan Ops'' as of June 2012 has been noted as being "''very rigid''" with the direction of the story having already been mapped out from beginning to end.

Season One will consist of ten episodes and a total of fifty missions (five missions per episode) released following the launch of ''Halo 4''.<ref name="LEHB 6272012"/> ''Spartan Ops Season One'' will run from its premiere alongside ''Halo 4''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> worldwide release on November 6th, 2012 to early 2013, with the first five episodes being released on a weekly basis following the launch and the second half (episodes 6-10) following in early 2013, beginning with the release of Episode 6 on January 21.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztq2amQMlUQ '''YOuTube''': ''Spartan Ops Episodes 6-10 Trailer'']</ref>

==Forge==
{{Main|Forge}}
Forge, the multiplayer map editing feature first included in ''Halo 3'', returns for ''Halo 4''. <ref name="GI podcast"/><ref name="RTX Halo 4 panel"/> It was first shown to public audiences at the Rooster Teeth Expo on July 7th, 2012 in a presentation highlighting various new features included with this newest iteration of Forge mode.<ref name="RTX Halo 4 panel"/> Co-developed with [[Certain Affinity]], the ''Halo 4'' Forge mode has three dedicated maps with unique object palettes and a number of improvements over its predecessors, including the ability to use "magnets" to snap objects to one another or duplicate any object at will.<ref name="gsforge"/>

==Sources==
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[[Category:Halo 4|{{PAGENAME}}]]