I would like to start off by saying that i feel for the first time eversince 2007 that this is the halo game that can put halo back on the map. That is because of 2 very important aspects that 343 has nailed in regards to halo. The art style and the gameplay. However with the recent drop in player numbers one is left to wonder why dont more people play this game given it’s the first official halo game that has been released on pc as well as console. Many people state that it is because of the lack of content and i would agree, but i think the issue with this game goes deeper than that. Most pc players play games with mnk. When they play a game that puts them in a severe dissadvantage before they even start playing leaves a very bad taste in their mouth.
Controller vs Mnk debate:
Halo has always had a high ttk. That means tracking is way more important than flicking given that the game has br starts in ranked. When you are using an mnk you are actively tracking enemy players and with that comes a human error factor when using a br. Getting optimal ttk with the br (4shot kill) consistently on mnk is impossible against good players. You will almost always miss one bullet (if you are good enough that is) that will make you lose the gunfights at high levels of play. Especially when your opponent strafes well given the increase of the player strafe speed in this game. If you are on the other hand a controller player and your opponent strafes , no matter how good the strafe is if you are a great player you can let aim assist counteract the human error factor and do the heavy lifting for you. In addition headshots do no extra damage unless shields are broken. I love this about halo as this is the way halo always was and makes me feel like shields are realistic from a lore standpoint but this completely neglects the advantages that come with mnk precision.
I would like to say that i really dont want controller nerfed to the point it affects casual players and make the game impossible to enjoy for them. If anything i would suggest a very small change for the controller. I also do not want mnk buffed to the point where skill gap is decreased between mnk players and noobs spam their shots and get rewarded. The changes i will suggest will ensure both inputs are competitive in all aspects because as of now mnk players can’t take halo seriously and if this game is to stand the test of time i would encourage controller players keep an open mind to this subject or else halo infinite will become an mcc 2.0 graveyard as far as player numbers go.
Suggestions:
I would start off by saying that all listed above only really matter in battle rifle duels. Given that the game has br starts in ranked i would say that the problem is significant. So here are my suggestions:
1) Increase bullet magnetism in mnk when using a br to bring the difficulty to get perfects on par with the controller or nerf the aim assist slightly on controller only when using the br. This way casuals wont get affected outside of using a br and both inputs will require the same brain activity to achieve perfect kills.
2) Introduce more ranked gametypes where mnk community can be competitive. The strongest modes for this are Ranked Tactical Slayer and FFA without battle rifle starts unless changes on it are implemented. If ranked FFA had Br starts then kill stealing would also be a very big problem.
3) This is very extreme and i would not suggest it but if none of the above can be implemented then completely remove the ability to play with crossinput in ranked matches so that none of the sides have complaints and so that we just staight up kill the issue. This way controller players wont complain that the game has “no aim assist whatsoever” and mnk players wont complain that " controller=aimbot".
For the controller players:
If you keep an open mind to this it will be benefitial to you as well. Not every mnk player is cracked and plays like a god. However all mnk players can enjoy a fun experience in social or in custom games. If this game manages to balance the two inputs then the playerbase will be healthy on both sides and this will increase the game’s longevity and will make halo a universally better game. This means when forge comes back and you make your own fun custom games ,mnk players will also be around to fill your lobbies years from now. Furthermore, many cheaters use the excuse “controller is op so i make mnk op” to cheat and ruin the game for everyone. I think balancing the two inputs will also benefit in reducing the amount of people who are thinking of paying for aimbots and wallhacks and have made ranked the clown show it is today. I m not saying it will solve the issue, just that it can lessen the temptation of these people but unless a decent anticheat is put in the game the issue will always be there.
Please keep an open mind in the comments on both sides so that we can have a good converstation on all of your oppinions.
