One of the most contentious changes that came with the test flight of Halo Infinite were the changes to how the radar—or “Combat Sensor” as it’s known in-game—functions.
In the technical test flight of Halo Infinite, the radar didn’t show enemies that were running normally, just enemies that were sprinting. Firing your weapon also shows up on the radar, but by that time someone has already likely snuck up on your flank. Additionally, this change is a massive buff to the already-strong Active Camo.
In the most recent iteration of “Inside Infinite,” Andrew Witts, the lead multiplayer designer of Halo Infinite, said there will be changes to the Combat Sensor in the future.
“We’ve heard all the feedback and we have a new iteration [of the Combat Sensor] that will be in the next preview which will be more in-line with players’ expectations,” Witts said.
What this means is unclear but could mean that regular running will now show up on the Combat Sensor and the only way to get around showing up on the radar function will be to crouch-walk. This change would place the Combat Sensor in an incredibly similar place to older iterations of Halo.
“We knew that the implementation [of the Combat Sensor] we had for the Tech Preview was going to feel different, maybe even a little contentious, which is why we wanted to get feedback on it as soon as possible,” Witts said.
Whether the new implementation pleases the notoriously stubborn Halo fans is yet to be revealed. Every change to a core mechanic, no matter how inconsequential or healthy for the game, is frequently met with animosity from some corner of the Halo community, whether competitive or casual. For now, with many previously controversial changes like sprint, 343 seems to have found the sweet spot in Infinite.
