Things I'd like to see in "Halo 3" ...

The Halo 3 beta has come and gone, and it was a blast.

There are a lot of folks complaining the graphics and gameplay weren't "revolutionary", but keep in mind, this was a "beta".

The purpose of a software beta is to kick the tires and shake out the bugs, usually on a scale and load that internal QA is able to approximate, but not replicate.

Bungie, I'm sure, is making good use of the multiplayer data they received. Network (packet, lag, etc.) and other technical data, to be sure, but I'm guessing they also listen to folks' feedback on gametypes (seriously, "shotty snipers" sucks; and it wasn't just me saying it each night).

Also, it's a beta -- and this is Halo 3. I'm thinking there's a bunch more for us to get excited about come September. Some of this has already been revealed, like the Brute Chopper, flyable Pelican, and customizable armor.

All that said, for me the beta was a ton of fun. If that was the sum of the multiplayer component for the game, plus the reveals above, plus the additional "X button equipment" that's been promised, plus more maps? I'd be happy. But I expect there will be more.

Not that there aren't other things I want in the game. Here's my short list (I haven't checked online to see if any of these have been confirmed / nixed as of yet):

Multiplayer:

First and foremost, give me 4 player split screen same box. This is a staple for Monday nights on Halo 2, and I'm a bit concerned at the trend among 360 games to -- by design -- nix the in-room social appeal of gaming. I like to get four folks together and play in the same room on a projector. Good times. I will be angry if you take my good times away.

As far as co-op, I want online (not removed and badly stubbed, a la Halo 2), offline (same box), System Link (LAN), and drop-in / drop-out (the new hotness). The rumored 4-way co-op through campaign mode is appealing, and would be above and beyond. But give me two player co-op in all of the above flavors, por favor.

Movie replay:

This is a cool feature. For those not familiar with it, it saves a data file of what happened from the host machine's perspective, so you can replay the greatness (or embarrassment). The beta version was bare bones (yet solid), but we're promised more feature richness in September.

And since this is a data file, and given some of the ways the Xbox 360 works (in theory, for all games), I think there ways to expand the functionality in cool directions.

For example, how about an option to view the film from a "My Kills", "My Deaths", "My Medals", etc. perspective? I think this would be a great way to meet the sadists, masochists, and egomaniacs where they're at. (And let's not forget the sado-masochist egomaniacs.)

Also, given the 360's custom soundtrack option, it seems like you could play a "My Kills" montage with your track of choice, with auto fade in/out (not customizable audio, as that's probably too onerous and not really needed).

Licensing aside, it seems like a chance for some Bungie staff fun, too (say, Vivian Green's "Just One Of Those Days" or Limp Bizkit's "Break Stuff", or other Bungie-selected tracks).

Or licensing not aside: What if the Microsoft "Xbox Live Artist of the Month" is the auto track for recorded films? There's a cross-promotional opportunity some portfolio manager should be investigating (or did that go away?).

Regardless, it's a great feature as-is, and I'm grateful for it.

Gametypes:

Shotty Snipers -- I hate it. It needs to be said again. And again.

Gameplay mechanics:

Crouching should be toggle-able. That would be nice. A lot of games let you set whether it's toggle-able or not. They have for a long time.

I'd like to be able to hand weapons and objects to teammates (the flag, the skull, "X button equipment", etc.). In the beta, one screenshot seemed to indicate you can pass the oddball to each other in Team Oddball. That would rock. I want to play team rocketball and try handing off the ball. Or I want someone else to ("Double Kill" + "Carrier Kill" + "Stick-It" = hilarity.)

These are all wish list kinds of items. But I think all doable in the remaining time frame, or already done. We'll check back on these things in September, and expect a rant if my four-way splitscreen needs aren't met.