Firefight Limited is dead, long live Firefight Survival!
Firefight Survival is a direct attempt at an updated FF Limited style gametype. Trying to fix the problems that I perceive with the current gametype as discussed in my post in the feedback thread for that playlist.
The gametype isn’t the only issue though and even if implemented the credit payouts for the various Firefight playlists need to be adjusted for this to work. Bottom line: the hardest playlist (FF Survival) should have the highest payouts. This has kind of been a problem with the whole of Reach from the get-go but if nothing else I think 343 should try to correct that in some small way.
The video is an attempt to represent the type of gameplay that I’m trying to achieve, with honest deaths, and honest mistakes. The only difference between the gametype I posted and the gametype I played is that I upped the time limit to 45 minutes to account for the fact that I’m on my own. I recorded the gameplay on my first attempt, completely unpracticed and unrehersed. I am fairly good at Firefight in general but I thought if I can get through it on my own on with over 10 spare lives, 4 players with ‘Hero’ respawns as well should be able to do it in 30 minutes.
I’m not a -Yoink- though and I understand that there is a wide skill gap, so if this gametype is still too hard for you in 4p co-op, then let me know where you’re having issue: that’s still valuable feedback.
What is the gametype like?
The gametype is intended to be a slightly easier that FF Limited from a wave and skull perspective, you get much more powerful loadouts and more lives. However, there are no infinite ammo crates and no weapon drops - meaning you have to (and can!) move around the map and use what you can find much more.
What Loadouts do you get?
ALL loadouts get DMR primary and 2 Frags, as well as:
- Marksman: Sprint - Sniper Rifle,
- Demolitions: Armour Lock - Spartan Laser,
- Stalker: Active Camo - Shotgun,
- Corpsman: Drop Shield - Grenade Launcher,
- Deceiver: Hologram - Plasma Pistol.
Jetpack is out as per FF Limited and the issue with easily reachable hiding spots, and I personally feel Evade is a little overpowered so thats out as well. Plus Evade does not feature in campaign at all so theres more consistency there.
Since we have space, Hologram is back in (which can actually be very useful). Each loadout is customised with a complementary secondary weapon. Since there are no infinite ammo crates, and no weapon drops, you can justify getting some power weapons as well.
I tried to get a range of styles and utilities in there without overpowering anything (Rocket is overpowered in FF!). The ‘Deceiver’ loadout is a sort of a back-up loadout when you are pressed up against your spawn point by General Elites or Brute Chieftains: you can spawn, launch the hologram and distract them for a few seconds, while you charge up your PP and then follow up with your DMR.
You need to preserve enough lives for the harder waves, but you also get some nice weapons and a reasonable amount of ammo with each spawn - so there is a sort of risk/reward element to dying.
What is the Wave Set-up?
One set of 3 rounds.
Main enemies per round:
- Grunts,
- Jackals,
- Skirmishers.
Enemies within each round are ‘round enemy’ and:
- Grunts,
- Jackals,
- Brutes,
- Skirmishers,
- BOSS.
Exceptions: Round 2, Wave 4 is Jackals Snipers. Round 3, Wave 2 is all Skirmishers and Wave 4 is Hunters and Skirmishers
What are the Boss Waves?
- Round 1: Hunter Kill Team (2 Hunters, some Jetpack Elites and some grunts,
- Round 2: Elite Strike Team (Elite Generals, a few other Elites and some Grunts),
- Round 3: Brute Kill Team (Brute Chieftains, other Brutes and some Grunts).
Hunters didn’t ordinarily fit into the structure I devised, and you don’t see Elites in round 1, so the boss wave there gives you a bit of both. The Brutes in Round 3 give you access to gravity hammers for the bonus round
What are the skulls?
- Round 1: Tough Luck,
- Round 2: Catch,
- Round 3: Famine.
I figured that it’s not much fun to just pump more bullets into your enemies to kill them, and many enemies can be killed with headshots fairly simply still anyway, so I went with famine.
I found Cloud pretty obnoxious as a Skull and if you’re in the right place it doesn’t make the actual fighting any harder.
So what is this ‘Crazy Bonus Round’?
Brutes! All day along!
To compensate for their toughness, you get 150% speed and jump height, 2x overshields, 200% damage resistance, 200% damage. Except your shields only recharge thought melees (Black Eye).
To make it seem like they’re putting up a fight, they have enhanced sight, hearing, luck and trigger happy shootiness!
Grab a Hammer and go to town!
Hey, where’s that 3-set FF Survival experience!?
The gametype I have provided is already set up with increasingly difficult waves for sets 2 and 3. Simply change the time limit to 60 minutes (if you’re really good) or unlimited, raise the set limit to 3, and increase your starting lives to 25 (unless you’re hardcore!).
Fair warning though: I have not tested the 3 set experience. The waves do increase a lot in difficulty so you may struggle (ie, waves that were the 3rd wave in a round in the first set, become the first wave in a round in the 3rd set!). This is something I will spend more time on later, if I or others have interest.
So let me know Waypoint. Am I on the right lines?
