To avoid a dead thread… I just start by saying what do you think of Dual Wielding? Be as specific or brief as possible.
its possible but it need some balance so some things have to be altered like:
-recoil
-bloom
-magnetisme
-Aim assist
Nah.
Difficult to balance properly, doesn’t really add much that unique weapons couldn’t already accomplish. For example, why have Dual Wield SMG’s as a powerful but inaccurate weapon when you could simply create an LMG that is powerful and inaccurate while still having access to grenades?
It’s more of a cosmetic thing than an actual gameplay mechanic.
We have had some unbalanced mechanics… first we had dual wielding… which stayed for three games… then we had Equipment/Armor Abilities which stayed for three games…
We have tried to repair AAs, without any viable solution for spawning and have come to the conclusion that to be included they need to return to a equipment-esque additon. The thing about dual wielding is we haven’t actually discussed… alot about it… I know it is unbalanced at times… either too strong (dual needlers) or too weak (magnum). But I believe that their is a solution to it… quite simple really… new weapons, in theory, or rather the stats that the duals hold.
Say you had a SMG single handed… stats are like Halo 3: ODSTs silenced version… this is a balanced single handed weapon… but it can be dual wielded. When dual wielding it has the stats of the primary hand weapon, while the secondary hand only gives a slight boost… so perhaps slightly faster kill times… due to number of bullets fired is doubled over time. Yet it has the disadvantages of no grenades or melee. Also if a weapon is zoomable it can be zoomed in single handed but not when holding another weapon.
The idea is too separate the single handed version of dual-weldable weapons and dual wielded version. So essentially Halo 5 could have a SMG, a Dual SMGs… as two different weapons similar in stats but not too overpowered or underpowered… giving moderate additions, and subtractions. You cannot just say double the weapons stats… etc. cause that means the damage output is doubled…
Dual Wieldable weaponry should be:
SMG
Plasma Rifle
Spiker
Mauler
Magnum
Plasma Pistol
Bishop Beam
Boltshot… if weakened alot! Otherwise make it a low-class power weapon like the needler.
Dual wielding takes away a skillset (throwing grenades) but doesn’t add any new skill set to replace it. You could attempt to justify this by saying “well dual wields are power weapons and don’t have to require skill”, except dual wields require you to simply pick up a second, common weapon instead of finding an actual power weapon.
So basically you have a mechanic that allows you to gain more power with more ease of use as well.
I’d like to see dual wielding return, but not in the way it was is Halo 2 and 3. Unlike the 2 and 3 versions that pretty much just muddied the sandbox, I’d like them to only work for starting sidearm weapons, similar to old arena shooters like Unreal and Marathon.
So for Halo, say loadouts are back but limited to UNSC weapons. You have the primary of your choice: DMR, BR, and AR; and then you have the sidearm of your choice: the Pistol, SMG, and maybe a close range gun. I’d personally be into a single shot, sawed-off shotgun similar to Marathon, because it is awesome. These sidearm weapons can only be paired with another of the same gun, no mix and match or “noob combo” stuff. This way it makes managing the balance of the weapons sandbox much easier.
Should also note, this idea pretty much functions as a way to slightly “upgrade” your sidearm. You can still melee, throw grenades, and switch to your other weapon without losing the second gun because it would still function like one gun. Only when you swap it for a completely new gun should you lose the dual guns, as when dropped it should fall as just a single gun on the ground.
Dual-Wieldiibg as a concept may be fun, but how it ruins the creativity and strength of its weapons isn’t. The overall quality of the sandbox decreased because of it.
Look at the Plasma Rifle, it was turned into blue SMG and lost all of its unique properties that it had in CE!
Look at the Magnum! Look at how absurdly and unnecessarily useless it was in Halo 3!
> Nah.
>
> Difficult to balance properly, doesn’t really add much that unique weapons couldn’t already accomplish. For example, why have Dual Wield SMG’s as a powerful but inaccurate weapon when you could simply create an LMG that is powerful and inaccurate while still having access to grenades?
Exactly. SAW is better than dual SMGs, IMO.
> > Nah.
> >
> > Difficult to balance properly, doesn’t really add much that unique weapons couldn’t already accomplish. For example, why have Dual Wield SMG’s as a powerful but inaccurate weapon when you could simply create an LMG that is powerful and inaccurate while still having access to grenades?
>
> Exactly. SAW is better than dual SMGs, IMO.
It’s also extremely overpowered and not even that unique.
Yay, definitely! I loved it in Halo 2 and 3! 
> > > Nah.
> > >
> > > Difficult to balance properly, doesn’t really add much that unique weapons couldn’t already accomplish. For example, why have Dual Wield SMG’s as a powerful but inaccurate weapon when you could simply create an LMG that is powerful and inaccurate while still having access to grenades?
> >
> > Exactly. SAW is better than dual SMGs, IMO.
>
> It’s also extremely overpowered and not even that unique.
For one, Dual SMG’s aren’t that unique either. It’s just an SMG with bonus firepower.
The SAW is overpowered in its current state, only because it has way too much range for its damage output.
Ugh no. Let’s not bring that awful, shallow, sandbox killing mechanic back. Dual Wielding killed the auto weapons and the pistol.
If you can’t tell I’m a little bitter.
> The idea is too separate the single handed version of dual-weldable weapons and dual wielded version. So essentially Halo 5 could have a SMG, a Dual SMGs… as two different weapons similar in stats…
I like this idea, if simply for the cosmetic of it. Dual Wielding weapons could be introduced as a weapon of their own, behaving just like regular weapons in every way other than animation. I suppose it’s not adding anything meaningful to the game, but it’s not taking away anything either.
> Exactly. SAW is better than dual SMGs, IMO.
Maybe it’s my borderline irrational hatred for LMG’s regardless of what game they’re in talking, but I personally can’t stand the SAW.
A while ago I ended up doing some tests with the weapons because I was bored, and what I learned was that the saw has a faster kill time than the MG turret. Personally I find that problematic given the ammo count on the SAW, the easy acquisition on some maps, and the fact that it has no movement penalties. Another thing is that it’s labeled a Squad Automatic Weapon, indicating that it ought to be used in squad play, but that’s evidently not the case. In fact most people tend to rambo with it because they can.
Now, unlike most LMG’s in other games, the SAW also isn’t really limited by reload time. So we’ve got a fast firing, high capacity, insane kill time LMG that’s accurate and effective within regular rifle range, that has very little in the form of drawbacks and has ridiculous power on small maps.
I don’t like that… at all.
Now on the other hand the Dual SMGs were basically useless, so they weren’t much better. I’d take borderline useless SMG’s (personally I found them pretty useful in Halo 3, but very situational) over OP LMG’s though.
> > > > Nah.
> > > >
> > > > Difficult to balance properly, doesn’t really add much that unique weapons couldn’t already accomplish. For example, why have Dual Wield SMG’s as a powerful but inaccurate weapon when you could simply create an LMG that is powerful and inaccurate while still having access to grenades?
> > >
> > > Exactly. SAW is better than dual SMGs, IMO.
> >
> > It’s also extremely overpowered and not even that unique.
>
> For one, Dual SMG’s aren’t that unique either. It’s just an SMG with bonus firepower.
Did I say that dual SMG’s were unique?
Neither of those weapons are necessary when we already have a unique LMG weapon: the Needler
> The SAW is overpowered in its current state, only because it has way too much range for its damage output.
It also has way too much ammo in its magazine and its reload time doesn’t give enough drawbacks.
Duel wielding was always fun. I felt it added a bit more strategy to the multiplayer sandbox when it came to weapon combos. I would love to see it return.
> Duel wielding was always fun. I felt it added a bit more strategy to the multiplayer sandbox when it came to weapon combos. I would love to see it return.
Strategy? What strategy? You’ll get destroyed by BRs in Halo 2 or Halo 3 at range. IF you’re lucky and can ambush players you might have a chance but your overall performance all game will be severely limited.
While Dual Wielding may fun, it’s overpowered and unbalanced (both with single and dual weapons) at short range and outclassed by all other weapons at medium-long range.
> > > > > Nah.
> > > > >
> > > > > Difficult to balance properly, doesn’t really add much that unique weapons couldn’t already accomplish. For example, why have Dual Wield SMG’s as a powerful but inaccurate weapon when you could simply create an LMG that is powerful and inaccurate while still having access to grenades?
> > > >
> > > > Exactly. SAW is better than dual SMGs, IMO.
> > >
> > > It’s also extremely overpowered and not even that unique.
> >
> > For one, Dual SMG’s aren’t that unique either. It’s just an SMG with bonus firepower.
>
> Did I say that dual SMG’s were unique?
>
> Neither of those weapons are necessary when we already have a unique LMG weapon: the Needler
>
>
>
> > The SAW is overpowered in its current state, only because it has way too much range for its damage output.
>
> It also has way too much ammo in its magazine and its reload time doesn’t give enough drawbacks.
The needler is an LMG? I always thought of it as an automatic pistol, seeing as how that essentially was/is how it is used.
Didn’t really care for it. I just want the ODST SMG back… I miss that thing.
I never really found dual wielding in general to be overpowered. Honestly, in H3 I thought it was just as viable a choice as a BR in some situations. SMG Plasma Rifle was just fun to use.
> > > > > > Nah.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Difficult to balance properly, doesn’t really add much that unique weapons couldn’t already accomplish. For example, why have Dual Wield SMG’s as a powerful but inaccurate weapon when you could simply create an LMG that is powerful and inaccurate while still having access to grenades?
> > > > >
> > > > > Exactly. SAW is better than dual SMGs, IMO.
> > > >
> > > > It’s also extremely overpowered and not even that unique.
> > >
> > > For one, Dual SMG’s aren’t that unique either. It’s just an SMG with bonus firepower.
> >
> > Did I say that dual SMG’s were unique?
> >
> > Neither of those weapons are necessary when we already have a unique LMG weapon: the Needler
> >
> >
> >
> > > The SAW is overpowered in its current state, only because it has way too much range for its damage output.
> >
> > It also has way too much ammo in its magazine and its reload time doesn’t give enough drawbacks.
>
> The needler is an LMG? I always thought of it as an automatic pistol, seeing as how that essentially was/is how it is used.
If by “automatic pistol”, you’re referring to it being used as a back-up weapon and not for direct engagement, I can see what you mean. However, at least in Halo 4 and CE, direct engagements with the Needler will generally result in the Needler always winning, which, combined with how it’s an automatic weapon, overall makes it an LMG.