ODST Xbox One

Following up on Halo Xbox One posted here http://pastebin.com/qW6LVdFx, I will speak briefly about ODST sequel on Xbox One. It's at least a year behind Halo Xbox One so there is only art and gameplay white papers going around right now. The artists and designers free from Halo Xbox One duties are brainstorming, and they really want to differentiate ODST as a franchise, meaning that there will be heavy art and gameplay differences between Halo and ODST.

Art:
ODSTs are redesigned to look more like lone-wolf special forces operatives. Players would be able to customize capes, helmets, visors, and face masks in both SP and MP. The world of ODST as a whole will be more grounded and gritty in comparison to the epic nature of Halo. Think Game of Thrones compared to LOTR as an example in a different genre.

Tech:
It will use a refined next generation Halo engine customized to fit the gameplay for ODST. Priority one is to maximize the sandbox space. Number of AI combatants are toned down, (you'll be only engaging a few squad of enemies at most), but AI intelligence is super charged. They want AI that is aware of the entire sandbox and isn't tied to a single scripted section of the map. Jury is still out on 30 fps or 60fps since 30 fps means the ability to have day-night cycles.

Cloud:
Cloud tech will be more ambitious than Halo Xbox One. Not much details here yet.

Gameplay:
The biggest difference is the concept of a persistent arsenal/inventory that the player can access at any time. This is a radical departure from the two weapon limit from the past. You still can only fast switch from two weapons at a time, but 343 want you to be have the flexibility of you planning an encounter to go the way you want. The weapons that can be placed into your arsenal are modifiable and upgradeable. So far examples are pistol, smg, shotgun, battle rifle, sniper rifle, and a new anti-vehicle weapon with rechargeable but infinite ammo. You can upgrade these with a variety of sights / scopes, grips, some with silencers etc.

Equipments make their return and they are combination of consumables and infinite-use equipments. Players carry all types of equipments, but like weapons, only two is available for fast switching. Examples of equipments are shield (with overshield ability), jackal shield, repair tool, active cammo, stationary shield, auto turret, motion sensor, emp generator, etc. Like weapons they can be upgraded. Players have the ability to create more "charges" of consumable equipments in-game with the games new in-game resource (not yet named).

Types of grenades have also expanded. Trip mines, emp grenades, and remote detonation charges are on the drawing table. Players can "make" more grenades at any time using the un-named in-game resource.

Vehicles:
The amount of vehicles will be reduced from Halo Xbox One. But each will be more fleshed out. All vehicles in a class will not be the same, there will be minor cosmetic and functional differences due to a permutation system.

Drops:
On some missions you'll be able to chose exactly the spot where you want to drop on the map.

To summarize the single player experience, ODST will be more a slower game where the player will have to strategize each encounter instead of rushing in head on like a super soldier. You will not be able to fight an elite one on one even on normal! They really want the player to feel out-numbered and out-gunned in a hostile territory where only the scrappy, the resourceful, the stealthy and the adaptable can achieve mission success. Below is an example of a typical encounter in the game.

You use your binoculars to scout your mission objective destination. There is a squad of covenant patrolling your objective, and they're immediately tagged by the battle interface. You decide that fighting this squad on head on is suicidal. You fortify your immediate defensible perimeter with trip mines, remote charges, auto turrets, using the resources you saved up to create more equipments when necessary. You equip the two weapons and equipments that you think will best suite you in the upcoming firefight. You take a shot at the distant enemy, alerting them of your general location. Half of the enemy squad heads in your direction to investigate. You wait behind crouched behind some bushes, ready to engage when they inevitably falls into the trap you've set...

Co-op:
Same mechanics as SP. Missions will alternate between objective based and survival based. Up to 16 players can drop-in and out of a missions. Players earn their weapons arsenal, upgrades and equipments inside a single game ala MOBAs. Instead of respawning, players drop into the mission map in drop pods.

Skirmish:
Traditional 8-16 player PVP. No perks, no arsenal/inventory. Select equipments are available for pickup on maps. Halo Reach loadout vs Halo 4 loadout vs no loadout is being debated.

Battlefield:
32-64 players. It is what it sounds like. Classes differentiate based on weapon, equipment, grenade, and specialization availability. Players can drop into captured territories. Designers want the battles to be more low key but dirtier, stealthier, and grittier than in Halo's mode.