Alright, this could actually be quite interesting...
If you were in charge of the team developing Halo 4 - what would you change and how would the game play? If you wouldn' t change the formula as we know it, how would you have the story play out? Personally, i think the series needs to be taken in a completely different direction. I would move the focus away from the Chief and onto a squad of " Helljumper"
Orbital Drop Shock Troopers who' s mottoe is " Feet First Into Hell" ...
They' re regarded as the most effective fighting unit after the Spartans and partake in only the most dangerous missions. They consider themselves to be above the marines and there' s a rivalry between the ODST and Spartan commanders which could make for an interesting story - especially since most Spartans are dead or MIA.
They' ve been used to test experimental and modified weapons which i' d use to introduce several new additions to the arsenal, and since they work in small squads, i' d change the gameplay mechanics to something akin to Brothers in Arms or GRAW.
The ODST are featured in Neill Blomkamps ' Combat' trailers for Halo 3 - See Part 1
HERE and Part 2
HERE :)
I' d change the art direction, making the game more realistic and gritty, much like Blomkamps trailers and more like... uh... Killzone... actually...
I think the Colonial Marines in james Cameron' s Aliens have great dynamics and screen presence. I' d be looking to impliment something similar with the ODST squad - distinct personalities and bad attitudes towards each other and the normal marines.
They' re a spec-ops unit so you could change the missions pace around quite a bit with huge fast moving firefights and slower stealth missions back to back.
The Chief would have to be involved somehow, but i wouldn' t have him as a playable character. I' d probably set the game up so your squad is sent to recover him from wherever...
...in fact, i probably wouldn' t call it Halo 4. It' d have to be a spin-off title of sorts set before and leading up to the events in Halo 4. It' d be a cool way to pick up a lot of the backstory to the series too. Shit... Microsoft should just hire me... my game would do 10 mil on day one easy!