A system which has changed in every halo game. Halo ce had very strange trajectory of grenades, and a very long plasma grenade detonation (it also made it so all grenades in an area detonated after an explosion). The shield system had health, which only regenerated with a health pack.
Halo 2 and 3 had similar shield systems, with no health. The grenades in halo 2 were weaker (you could have 4 of each), and in halo 3 (even though there were spikers) you could only have 4.
Halo reach brought the return of health, although it returned to the neraest third upon shield recharges, health packs and very powerful grenades. The elites had recharging health. The shield was unique in reach in that only when shields were popped could damage to your health be done. Also it should be noted when shields were up, damage to the head wasn’t more than the body unlike previous halo games.
I would like to know which systems they preffered from each game, and what they would like to see in halo 4. Other ideas for these systems are also welcome, and views on my version below also would be appreciated.
For grenades, they were definately too powerful in reach. I don’t mind about trajectory, but for me the halo 3 grenades were awesome. A well placed grenade would take down the shields (and just the shields) of an enemy, rather than reach, where having half shields and full health would still kill you. Grenades were also in alot more supply than reach, meaning they were more a fundamental part of gameplay, which should be the case seeing as they are part of the combat triangle. I like the idea of having 3/4 of each grenade type though, or/and a return of the spike grenade (with some tweaks) or another new and interesting grenade (probably not flame grenades though), even if these are limited in terms of use (i imagine a spike grenade that you could hold to determine detonation time, and i liked the fact it is good at doing damage to vehicles and can stick to enemies/walls and the floor) note if there are more grenade types on a map may need to limit total number to be 2. Note i do like the idea of explosions having a decreasing damage radius, the grenades doing damage when you hit an opponent, and being able to shoot grenades thrown or on the floor (maybe not allow explosions to trigger all grenades in an area though).
For the health system. I disliked the halo reach model. It was reasonable for some gametypes, and maybe if it could be customised i could accept it, but for things like swat it spoiled it in my opinion. However I like the idea from reach/ce that health is visible, unlike 2 and 3, and that people should be a bit weaker if they survive a battle. I therefore propose that the health system should work like elites in reach. Once shileds are down you start losing health, but once your shields recharge, so does your health. It would take longer than halo 3, so you will be disadvantaged, but after say 30 seconds all health will be recovered. Possibly health packs could return to help with this. This would mean at first you are disadvantaged, but overall you are not punished for surviving for a long time, unlike swat in reach.
The shield system. I personally dislike the shield system in reach. I particularly dislike the headshots being worth the same damage as body shots, as the skill and risk of trying to get headshots should reap a larger reward. I think that the shield system should work kind of like both reach and halo 3. When your shields pop (say if you had 10 points of shield left, and did 30 points of damage), only half the remaining points of damage should transfer to the shields (so rather than 20 points of damage to health like halo 3, or 0 like reach, it would be 10). This would mean that beating down would require precise timing to ensure the kill, but if you were half a second out you wouldnt be completely punished, as some of the oppponents health would suffer.
Also I do like the idea of fall damage, and being stunned, but maybe as master chief is stronger, maybe not as significant.
Again would love to hear people’s views on this, as it is an area of halo that has changed significantly, and i feel will again.
Ahhh but not matchmaking…