So I had this idea earlier about how to solve the load out problem in Halo 4 and future Halo titles (Loadouts have a high chance of returning). My solution:
Every player starts with the SAME weapon as a default (BR, AR, Carbine etc.)
The loadouts will be for AA, Sidearm, and grenade type.
Get rid of Ordnance drops and bring back the weapon placements around the map.
So when everyone starts with the same weapon there isn’t this randomness of two opponents are squaring off with a DMR and a BR. It solves the weapon inbalance and stabalizes gameplay.
When I say equipment I mean the Halo 3 days when you could pick up an overshield or deploy a shield bubble. This worked great for 3 and Bungie tried to do it in REACH but there was problems with the DMR and ARMOR LOCK (May you never return in a HALO). I think if they kept the jumping height and walking speeds I think it will be fine.
Now we turn to sprint. I personally have enjoyed using sprint in multiplayer. As someone who has played all the Halo multiplayer versions; I have to say that I find sprint along side an AA is quite natural and speeds up the time for me to reach a point in battle (It has also save my life many times).
So what does the community think? Discuss your ideas and recommendations to save Loadouts!
I actually quite like this idea. If we can’t go back to the classic Halo, in which every player had the exact same loadout at the start, then this is probably the next best thing. I think armor abilities should be done away with though, but if they return they ought to be map pickups to reduce the “randomness” even further.
I simply like having the option to spawn with a rifle and sidearm of my choice. I think it’s a step forward for the series. I don’t see any issue with it.
As for ordnance drops, I abhor them. Away with them.
I disagree with the second point, mainly. “Sidearms” should not exist in Halo and are a disregarded remnant of duel-wielding, AAs are too unpredictable to spawn with, and no-one should be able to start with plasma grenades. Instead, balance out spray weapons, give them a skill gap (somehow) and allow players to choose which one they want as a secondary.
As well as that, being able to choose your primary weapon is honestly more balanced than being able to choose grenades, sidearms or AAs. Just keep it between Light-rifle, BR and DMR. (The Carbine’s kind of useless.)
But the optimal system would be the removal of customisable loadouts entirely, and instead having players spawn by default with a single diverse utility weapon - hard to master and good at all ranges. The optional secondary weapon would of course be the Assault Rifle, except more specialised to work in certain situations and with a greater skill gap. I.e., less terrible, but not able to stand on its own without a precision primary.
For the most part, I agree with your ideas. I fear that, in trying to balance the starting weapons, 343i has to to tread to close to having the weapons lose the very things that made them sought after or valuable on the battlefield. However, I’m actually ok with keeping ordinance drops - with starting weapons spread across the map of course.
While we’re discussing MP improvements, what do you guys think about this idea for the flood gametype; when a human player is “infected,” they don’t just die and spawn, but rather they actually transform into a flood right on the spot. It would be a quick 2-second animation (assassination-style) of having your spartan model converting into a flood model. The player witnesses this in first-person and helplessly watches the yellowish flood HUD tint creep across the screen.
I think that this could really help players feel the “mood” of becoming a flood :). It could also build suspense. You’re fighting alongside a fellow human only to see him transform into your enemy right before your eyes. Of course, it would still count as a regular kill statistically. What do you guys think?
I think you’ve got it the wrong way around. More effort has been put into balancing the primary weapons than the secondaries and the primaries are more similar to each other than the secondaries.
Think about it this way: You have 3 Automatics and 4 Precisions. The Precisions are Burst (BR), Semi (CC), Semi w/ Delay (DMR), and Both (LR). Now compare this to the secondaries: There is a Semi (Magnum), Charged EMP (PP), and a Semi/Charged Shotgun (Boltshot). There is a huge difference between those three weapons, which creates more unpredictability than the primaries. The same goes for the amount of variety between the armor abilities.
The best solution in my opinion would be to use the Loadout system for class oriented game modes, such as Invasion, but leave it out of anything competitive like Slayer, CTF, KoTH, etc.
> The best solution in my opinion would be to use the Loadout system for class oriented game modes, such as Invasion, but leave it out of anything competitive like Slayer, CTF, KoTH, etc.
I think the loadouts are fine. The primary weapons are well balanced. They should just weaken the automatics a bit and put them into the secondary group and take away the one shot kill ability of the bolt shot. Variety is okay as long as its not unfair.
So I’m hearing two sides. We balance primaries and keep loadouts. The other is we get rid of loadouts entirely. This has to scare the developers…I mean the communities divided!
> I disagree with the second point, mainly. “Sidearms” should not exist in Halo and are a disregarded remnant of duel-wielding, AAs are too unpredictable to spawn with, and no-one should be able to start with plasma grenades. Instead, balance out spray weapons, give them a skill gap (somehow) and allow players to choose which one they want as a secondary.
>
> As well as that, being able to choose your primary weapon is honestly more balanced than being able to choose grenades, sidearms or AAs. Just keep it between Light-rifle, BR and DMR. (The Carbine’s kind of useless.)
>
> But the optimal system would be the removal of customisable loadouts entirely, and instead having players spawn by default with a single diverse utility weapon - hard to master and good at all ranges. The optional secondary weapon would of course be the Assault Rifle, except more specialised to work in certain situations and with a greater skill gap. I.e., less terrible, but not able to stand on its own without a precision primary.
What if they allow you to choose a duel wield combo? And they change the way it works so that when you switch weapons you don’t drop the second sidearm?
> 1. Every player starts with the SAME weapon as a default (BR, AR, Carbine etc.)
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> 2. The loadouts will be for AA, Sidearm, and grenade type.
To be honest, I don’t think that’s good enough. I want Halo to return to its full arena-like glory, with no remnants of any sort of custom class system.
> 3. Get rid of Ordnance drops and bring back the weapon placements around the map.
I definitely agree with this though. Ordnance drops, more organized/static and less random, is a great addition for a custom Slayer gametype option, but ultimately I want map pickups to return like it’s been for every other Halo game.