I believe that players should have some freedom in choosing their loadouts, but free reign is too much.
Players should be able to choose their primary weapon, AA, Support and tactical packages. However if the Secondary is locked to a Magnum and grenades are set to default 1 frag, 1 plasma, this would balance the game out more.
The absence of PP’s and stickies in BTB would give vehicles a more prominent role, because atm, they die to easily. The end.
Locking the secondaries and grenades also bring a bit more uniformity to games, something the Reach loadouts did, everyone was on the same foot. Halo 4 is different, but free reign on the loadouts means, some poeple simply outclass other because of their loadouts…
That said, PP’s and stickies should be placed on the maps in BTB, etc, etc, its just atm vehciles die way to easily because evryone’s BTb loadout seems to be DMR, PP, and stickies… Vehicles don’t stand a chance…
Well for the Halo 3 generation it’s a little too late right now. I say this not to degrade them but in reality XBL has conditioned players to look for self sustainability in digital combat. Perks, traits, AAs, Weapon Customization all lend its self to perceived safety. And really nothing like fear can sell a product.
It’s too good of a model especially when coupled with the wall of time needed to be spent on the game while visibly sectioned into XP for the coming micro transactions. This will soon replace in game content that is there for everyone to unlock by meeting easter egg criteria due to simple economics factors and the inherit loopholes developers and distributers face in large retail supply chain between you and them.
I saw something in another game that might actually work for Halo. Of all thing a Race car game. Forza 4 allows players to completely trick out stock cars into almost land based spaceships. But… in order to race in certain courses or circuits you must meet a rating. So F classed cars, which are stock must race other F cars. No RT class which is a fully loaded race car can join in. The game gives the player the choice to strip their vehicle down in order to participate.
This would work for Halo. It would allow the developer to exceed in abundant gimmicks, while allowing for straight up stock starts on the maps.