While the approach to armor abilities is pretty well established, I’ve been wondering what this new modernized Halo might be like if we took a different approach, not to get rid of armor abilities all together, but to embrace them and make them work within the established Halo dynamic. For better or worse, the current armor abilities have evolved the Halo formula into something entirely new. As someone put it in Reach, it’s no longer a “Golden Tripod” anymore. It’s a table.
But what if armor abilities were more like activateable modifications that, instead of introducing new dynamics to gameplay, complemented established mechanics and traits? How could armor abilities complement Halo gameplay without adding a new leg to the formula? Armor abilities would have to augment gameplay by enabling players to temporarily change established base characteristics and mechanics.
For example, here are some of my ideas:
Ping - Similar to Promethean Vision in function, Ping would emit a high-frequency Sonar signal. When activated, the motion sensor would display an additional pulse, detecting even unmoving enemies in the established 25 meter radius. In keeping with the idea of using established base player traits, it effectively enables players to briefly make use of the enhanced radar setting. The audible Ping sound creates risk as enemies would hear your signal and know their position has been compromised. It would require a reasonably lengthy cool-down to prevent spamming, and it would complement players’ natural developed abilities to guess the position of enemies by confirming their suspicions.
TacPad - Established in Reach as a piece of armor, we never got to use it. TacPad would streamline communications and open the air for chatter. Spartans could make various forms of commands in HUD, such as attacking a certain objective or creating a rally point for your team to gather around and defend. The TacPad could enable players to mark enemy targets, as seen in other popular shooters. It also could offer some unique UI elements, such as teammates’ shield levels, in addition to when they are firing and being fired upon.
VISR - Established in ODST, a new Halo VISR could not only help identify enemies and weapons in dark locations and at great distances, it could offer additional HUD information to aid the player. This tool would be informational, and there’s a ton of information it could offer that even experienced gamers may find useful. For example, if 343 were to change grenade toss to work on trigger release, VISR could display a grenade’s expected trajectory.
Stealth Recon - Stealth Recon would cool the Spartan’s heat signature to be untraceable by VISR’s visual threat detectors and tracking functions. The coating on your armor would change to make Spartans undetectable to Ping. It would surface your boots with a soft rubber, making your footsteps quieter, and it would amplify enemy sounds. Potential for the ability to make the Spartan invisible to the motion tracker at normal walking speed but visible during sprint. Stealth Recon would make the Spartan all but invisible to advanced technologies, but the Spartan would still be visible to the naked eye.
Shield Focuser - According to fiction, Spartans can focus their shields in a direction to better handle damage. The trade-off is they are more vulnerable to attack from other directions (this is how the Master Chief survives his fall between Halo 2 and 3). Sounds like the Hardlight Shield, doesn’t it? In function, it would be similar (and may be similarly frustrating), but it would make sense with UNSC technology. The main difference, however, is instead of putting up a completely different shield, it is your shield. If you focus your shield and an enemy takes it down, you don’t have another. Players would not be allowed to shoot when activated, but movement would be unhindered.
Armor Lock - No, this isn’t what you think. Another established function of the MJOLNIR armor as seen in the beginning of Halo 3 (the other armor ability that helps the Master Chief survive his fall), Armor Lock would allow a Spartan to lock up his or her armor to survive falls without taking damage. Further, armor lock could make the armor much heavier, so it could be used to suddenly make a descent from a mancannon or lift. It also could serve the function of protecting the wearer from a vehicle impact or other impact-related attack. Getting hit by a Warthog or even a gravity hammer, for example, would drop the Spartan’s shield but prevent instantaneous death. The vehicle would also sustain minor damage. Due to the nature of this technology, Spartans would be immobile while activated.
Pneumatic Leg Joints - The jetpack has been controversial because of its ability to circumnavigate map design. Unfortunately, the wide use and quick charge make the jetpack go above and beyond (pun!) that function. Nerfing it to the point where it only serves as a double jump doesn’t make sense, as it’s a jetpack. Instead, how about a mechanical addition to the leg pieces of a suit that enables players to, occasionally, jump higher? It would allow players to reach areas of intended egress (e.g., the tower entrance on High Ground in Halo 3) while limiting players to using only those areas and not accessing unintended areas.
Gravity Displacement Field - In line with the Pneumatic Leg Joints, it would affect a Spartan’s jump ability. However, since Halo has traditionally treated gravity and player jump height as separate mechanics, it wouldn’t affect how high you can jump but how far. Activating the Gravity Displacement Field would reduce the pull of gravity on the Spartan, granting the player hang time. Other uses for this ability could include avoiding fall damage by slowing the rate of descent. It could extend the throw of a mancannon. Other neat things could be done, too, such as, perhaps, timing a jump over a vehicle that’s charging you and catching the vehicle in the field, lifting it into the air and potentially making it wipe out.
Stabilizers - Spartans with Stabilizers installed will notice a reduced weapon recoil when engaged. It will be most beneficial when used with automatic weapons. However, the mechanisms in the upper torso and arms require a moment to loosen. Unfortunately, the Spartan that uses this armor ability will find diminished motor functions when trying to accomplish such tasks as throwing grenades and entering into hand-to-hand combat. It should only be used to improve mid- to long-range capabilities of weapons designed for closer ranges. Use in CQC at your own risk.
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The point to this approach to armor abilities is they mostly affect base player traits and/or work within established fictional technology. They don’t introduce new abilities but, instead, enhance established abilities. They don’t replace players’ natural skills and abilities. They enhance them, and in large part, many of them have risks to their use, trade-offs that allow players to give up some kind of base functionality to advance in another.
What do you think? Would you like this kind of complementary approach? Would these concepts require adjustment? Are there any other concepts for armor abilities that complement gameplay rather than ratify it?
