How equal do you want H5’s gameplay to be? There are varying levels and definitions of that word within the Halo collective. It can mean everyone having the exact same equipment, everyone choosing the starting weapon for a certain niche, or everyone having access to the same gear but not having to use it.
Obviously, equal as we like to know it is the first option. But does it explicitly have to be that way? I think there should be a little headway here. H4 certainly got it all wrong, and Reach over jumped the mark by a little bit.
In my personal belief, a small choice of weaponry off spawn can be a good thing. At the absolute least, if the choice of weapon will be the Battle Rifle, why not be able to spawn with the Covenant Carbine? Same niche, different style. If balanced right it can be just fine.
Or, so long as they’re balanced right, the player can choose what niche they want to spawn into. CQC? Assault Rifle, Plasma/Storm Rifle. Mid range? Battle Rifle or Covenant Carbine? Long range? Designated Marksman Rifle or Needle Rifle.
I’m weary to include long range, as the populace has never been too fond of a mini sniper. I don’t think a spawning weapon in that niche would be bad, the DMR was just never balanced as it should have been. With this system, all the niche weapons would need to be balanced right. Which means no weapon would be utilitarian. However, considering the size and layout of most maps in 4v4 arena gameplay, the BR/CC would still most likely be the go-to gun.
What does the community think?
I think both systems are equal but are for different styles of game. A single off spawn utilitarian weapon lends itself more to individual gameplay and skill, while a three niche system lends itself more to team work due to the fact that no one player can play to all three niches when they can only hold two weapons. The question to be asked here is, will H5 empower the individual or empower the team?
I don’t mind being able to pick starting weapons, in fact I prefer it. I also didn’t mind armor abilities as an idea, but I’m fine to see them go because they’re not balanced.
But I don’t want perks and stuff like that. Too much customization and it’s not an arena game. Just a little is OK. Just letting us pick between BR/AR/DMR etc. is fine in most gametypes, IMO.
Of course. Absolutely no perks or armor abilities or any of that. ONLY a choice of primary weapon. Not even a choice of secondary, because PPs off spawn kill BTB and Boltshots…ugh, do I really have to explain?
No grenade choice, either. -Yoink- those kids that stick you literally after their death animation plays, that ruined CQC.
I agree with loadout primaries entirely, my friends and I use a custom game setting which forces base player traits for halo 4 that allows you:
free choice of primary weapon based on your loadouts (Also allows choice of weapon skin which is nice)
magnum secondary (again, allows choice of weapon skin provided you set the loadout up right)
2x frag nades
no AA, no perks (I would of included picking up nades again, but not in H4, they were buffed quite a bit IMO because of the no pickup by default, i’d be fine with picking up nades again if they weren’t as powerful as they are in H4)
This is the ideal loadout system for me if i had any say in the vote of Halo 5’s system. It allows people who may not like the BR to avoid it, and therefore offers a more equal start IMO, as there is a difference between ‘equal’ and ‘identical’
Nope. I want fully equal starts. If I spawn with a BR, I want everyone else to have a BR. If I spawn with two grenades I want everyone to spawn with two grenades. etc. etc.
I would rather not. It sounds nice to include all these weapons in theory, but all it really does is weigh down the sandbox with functional clones.
If the option is BR or Covenant BR than there is no point in even offering a choice, it becomes an entirely superficial choice that still requires balancing concerns.
I would much rather have a tighter and more diverse sandbox than a bloated one filled with clones. Just go with BR/AR spawns, ditch the carbine for the N’ifle as a map pickup, give the Storm rifle CE plasma rifle mechanics and get rid of the DMR(even though I functionally and aesthetically prefer it to the DMR.
As far as utility weapons go there is nothing wrong with a strong utility weapon, the problem is with weak niche weapons.
For me, I would say default load outs or more limited custom load outs (Primary with skin, secondary (maybe just a skin), grenade (if selectable), and a spartan ability (if that has to be chosen) would probably be the way to go.
I would be fine with “all equal” if they went back to AR/equivalent as starting weapons. Spawning players with precision weapons, in my experience, tends to kill half the sandbox and the game devolves into BR duels until a power weapon spawns. Some people might find that fun, but I would like to be able to change things up occasionally and not feel like I’m shooting myself in the foot, like i do when i select the AR in 4.
As much as I can deal with Equal Starts…I want Custom Loadouts in Halo 5. Yet, indeed, even as a heavy AC user, i noticed the “AA” abuse so might as well kiss my favorite AA good-bye in a way, but if Custom Loadouts were in, they would need to be seriously balanced. However, the only time I would like to see equal starts is “if” there’s a Classic Playlist.
> As much as I can deal with Equal Starts…I want Custom Loadouts in Halo 5. Yet, indeed, even as a heavy AC user, i noticed the “AA” abuse so might as well kiss my favorite AA good-bye in a way, but if Custom Loadouts were in, they would need to be seriously balanced. However, the only time I would like to see equal starts is “if” there’s a Classic Playlist.
I second, third and fourth this.
I could try to put my input, but this basically wraps it up nicely for me, with the replacement of Thruster pack instead of Active Camo, of course.
I’m glad they actually went forward to keep the gameplay dynamic without regressing the game’s mechanics.
As for evens, so long as the weapons are better balanced (IE: No OP DMR/BR or one shot kill weapons as a starter) I’m good.I’m not saying that the BR and DMR shouldn’t be starters, just saying they shouldn’t dominate every weapon in the game.
> For me, I would say default load outs or more limited custom load outs (Primary with skin, secondary (maybe just a skin), grenade (if selectable), and a spartan ability (if that has to be chosen) would probably be the way to go.
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> I would be fine with “all equal” if they went back to AR/equivalent as starting weapons. Spawning players with precision weapons, in my experience, tends to kill half the sandbox and the game devolves into BR duels until a power weapon spawns. Some people might find that fun, but I would like to be able to change things up occasionally and not feel like I’m shooting myself in the foot, like i do when i select the AR in 4.
I personally think I had no issues with the AR in H4 it actually did the job at the right range for once…
I do agree about the whole BR duel though, I tend to not enjoy BR/DMR started games because of this. it just doesn’t seem as excited.
Considering that we have these “Spartan Abilities” available to everyone from the start I wonder if that means they will be equipment you can pick up on the map, or if they will be something you can do by pressing a combination of buttons?
Sorry to burst your bubble but ‘equal starts’ doesn’t necessarily mean what you think, let me explain. When we hear equal starts we immediately assume it means equal players however it could mean equal teams. By this I mean there could be a class based mode that still qualifies as having ‘equal starts.’ In 4v4 both Red and Blue teams could start with 1 sniper, 1 grenadier, 1 medic, and 1 general combat player. This would still technically qualify as having ‘equal starts.’
I’m not saying 343 went this route but given the limited amount of information it is a possibility. They also said that the Beta would allow players to test this ‘equal starts’ mode and that it would be a “small segment of the multiplayer experience. Arena, balanced, equal starts. In some ways old school Halo but you’re gonna see some new features as well.” Okay so that statement very much points toward equal players as opposed to equal teams, but we’ll see. Only time will truly tell.
> Of course. Absolutely no perks or armor abilities or any of that. ONLY a choice of primary weapon. Not even a choice of secondary, because PPs off spawn kill BTB and Boltshots…ugh, do I really have to explain?
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> No grenade choice, either. -Yoink!- those kids that stick you literally after their death animation plays, that ruined CQC.
Could work, if the Plasma Pistol was modified to work like a Boltshot (minus the reloads), although I wouldn’t say no to an alternate Covie handgun altogether. Or, alternatively, bring back the ODST pistol as an alternative, but make it quieter, weaker, and give it a bigger clip. And as for grenades, again, I wouldn’t mind a new model, though I wouldn’t expect it, either.
I’m all for Personal Loadouts, but I just want them to be reasonable. UNSC weapons are pretty standard, but a Covenant arsenal shouldn’t be superior or inferior, if that’s what a player wants to use. And dump Promethean starters entirely.
I want 100% equal starts in half of the playlists, not even preset Loadouts. In the second half, casuals and Halo 4 fans can get their Custom Loadouts with CC and all. Me? I’d bounce around both these modes.
> I want 100% equal starts in half of the playlists, not even preset Loadouts. In the second half, casuals and Halo 4 fans can get their Custom Loadouts with CC and all. Me? I’d bounce around both these modes.
Just because I like to spawn with a CC does not make me a “casual” nor a H4 fan. (I do like H4 though.)
Make the CC 100% = to the BR and keep both as starting weps.