It seems to me that there’s a clashing of oppinion in the community about how they think Halo is supposed to be balanced. In my observations, it seems like many of us don’t see eye to eye about what it means for a Halo game to be properly balanced. Some seem to think of Halo as a fight over the power weapons and vehicles. Whoever controls the power weapons/vehicles dominate. While others, like myself, think of Halo as an equally balanced game. The less powerful weapons still have some ability that gives you a decent chance against more powerful weapons. Thoughts?
> It seems to me that there’s a clashing of oppinion in the community about how they think Halo is supposed to be balanced. In my observations, it seems like many of us don’t see eye to eye about what it means for a Halo game to be properly balanced. Some seem to think of Halo as a fight over the power weapons and vehicles. Whoever controls the power weapons/vehicles dominate. While others, like myself, think of Halo as an equally balanced game. The less powerful weapons still have some ability that gives you a decent chance against more powerful weapons. Thoughts?
First, play Unreal Tournament. The fact that you can state that you believe Halo to be fair and balanced tells me that you’re in dire need of a little perspective on the quality in question, here.
As for my own thoughts, having played many, many shooters I can say that Halo ranks near the bottom as far as balance is concerned. The fact that the Sniper can find it’s way to my top 3 TOD despite how rare it is on any given map makes that plain, as if all things were indeed equal saving for strategy, prefernece, and on-map fequency it should be close around the grenade launcher or concussion rifle. But, it isn’t, and so Halo’s multiplayer is crap.
But then again, it always was. I mean, I never played Halo 1 system link because it was the most effective way at ranking my friend’s and my skill levels. I played it to wreck -Yoink- with crazy shenanigans which was so crazy, and so fun, because it presented us with -Yoink- situations that if the world was fair and the gods of multiplayer just would have never happened. Ghosts out of nowhere, a flag beating an assault rifle, more grenades up the -Yoink- than you can count, that sort of thing.
And that’s great if you want entertainment between friends, but against random online jerks who have some pretty wierd priorities about their game time you can’t take away the same glee from getting blasted in the face by an unforseen rocket or from picking off some poor sod with an unstoppable sniper rifle bullet. But rather admit limitation and change the game to something more appropriate, people warp their perceptions and call the kettle golden because it’s easier to idolize it that way. Ergo, those who call Halo “balanced” because they want their super-duper smash time to be taken as something more meaningful, in full spite of what Halo actually is and that’s -Yoink-. Fun -Yoink-, but -Yoink- none-the-less
Uh, I never said anything about how good a job Bungie did making the game balanced. I was talking about people’s views on how they think the game is supposed to be balanced. Whichever view you take has a profound effect on how well balanced you think it is. I play Halo: Reach as if it is fair and balanced, and yes, I have had issues due to that. But, in the end, I have found ways to have a fair shot even when I seem to be at a disadvantage. And I have done fairly well. Most of the time anyway, and without resorting to cheap tactics. I know the community widely disagrees on how well Halo is balanced, I don’t need to be told that. I’m trying to understand why both sides disagree so extremely. I want 343 to improve the balance of the game. But what does that mean? Do they need to, say for example, make default weapons stronger against power weapons? Or do they need to do a better job of designing the game around overpowered power weapons and vehicles? What is your opinion on that? That is what I’m asking. I don’t think the community agrees on what it means for Halo to be balanced, or whether it’s supposed to be unbalanced.
I see 3 types.
Those that want a broad form of play.
Those that want a narrow form of play.
And those that want a narrow form of play for everyone.
This is where the Optimatch-like section would be handy. It’s not like Heavy Variant maps can’t be or aren’t already created. It’s showcasing them more openly, that’s the prob.
When that section comes live on the forums, perhaps a weekly or bi-monthly community test night should get arranged. Throughout the week(s), players, clans and groups can submit maps to be played and tried. Then after some feedback, changes can be made for a resubmission, if necessary.
I know how things work with the community maps as now. I’m more less suggestion a more open and consistent Waypoint involvement into things. Try to get the feeling of involvement for those that feel “others” have the power in say. When the time comes (heck… now?)
it really is dependant on the map, a map like blood gultch for instance IS based upon map control, however a smaller map such as guardian is fair and balanced, both maps are historically halo in definition, it just depends on what the map is…both gameplay styles are HALO it just depends on player taste.