>
First off, I am glad that I could help you in some way to come up with this idea (I still remember the nice discussion you, Ghost and me had on this topic months ago).
However, even though Halo 3 has been my overall favorite Halo multiplayer experience for many many reason, equipment wasn’t one of those.
So, I still prefer the concept of AAs/Equipment at spawn over the concept of AAs/Equipment on map because if done right that can add more to the game and its gameplay than map pick ups in my opinion.
Why I think so I will explain in the following post.
I think an issue that has plaqued equipment was insignificance in two forms.
Firstly, it’s impact on the game was simply too minor as that you could use it to change the game significantly to your favor and hence it was almost ignored most of the time in Halo 3.
The impact of AAs on the game has been without doubt too big and out of control. They are constantly present advantages.
The middle ground that you are suggesting would solve that. It would give AAs/equipment more of an impact on the game while still keeping it under control.
Secondly, and I think that is more deciding, fundamentally AAs/equipment on map brought and bring absolutely nothing new to the table and therefore don’t really improve the game.
It is just an advantage placed on the map and we already have that in the several forms of power weapons, vehicles and, to my own displeasure, power ups.
> With these changes, if you encounter someone with the JP and you fired rockets at them, and the used the JP to escape and survive, and even if the then won the encounter. You wouldn’t feel cheated like you do in REACH and H4. <mark>You would go, well played. He used the JP wisely.</mark>
Would you say when someone killed you with a rocket launcher “well played, you killed me because you used the rocket launcher wisely”?
Likely not. Your opponent had an (limited) advantage that you did not have and he/she used it effectively against you and you simply accepted it and bear it.
Same applies to every map pick up. Even when some weapons or AAs/Equipment require more skill, thought and experience to get used effectively than others they are still advantages that other players do not have what makes it generally easier for you to get a kill or prevent your own death.
The player who actually played well and wisely is the one who outplays his/her opponent on an equal ground or can counter the player with the additional advantage and manages it to beat him/her or at least prevents his/her own death even though he/she is at a disadvantage.
> And the best thing, there would most likely only be the one JP available on the map. Not everyone would have it, like you see now. Gameplay would return to there greatness of H3. Map control would be meaningful again.
That not everyone has an additional advantage is something I sometimes find quite controversial. As long as a single player can only obtain one of said advantages I am fine with it, but things get heavily out of balance once one player has two advantages which he/she can use independed of each other (i.e: power weapon and equipment/AA) while others have nothing.
Map control or item control?
Map control should exist and be meaningful without any items placed on the map. Items should flow into map control and support it (when necessary) but shouldn’t be necessary for an incentive. For example a shotgun placed to hold an important pathway or room or a sniper placed to hold an important “outlook”.
On a side note because the “midship maps” are often praised as great arena maps, remove all the items from such maps and you will have a big shunned zone right in the middle of said maps during the entire game.
Really great arena maps…
> And who collects the JP and use it wisely can benefit greatly. This is what made Equipment so good. It awards those who uses it wisely and punish those who uses it poorly. If you waste, you lost it.
There isn’t much thought, experience or skill required to use something like a bubbleshield to achieve the desired effect though. I push the button and I get my advantage instantly. Unfortunately that applies to many equipments and AAs. So placing them on the map with limited uses doesn’t make them more skillful to use in any way. They will only get less used.
> IMO, at this current stage, i think this is the best approach. And most importantly, it returns Halo to an Arena Shooter by having “UTILITIES” placed on maps.
Though that is subjective of course, what is the “better” or more “interesting” arena shooter?
When we have people fighting over a super power like Jetpack to gain an advantage or when we have people who all start with the same super power and they have to gain an advantage by making the best out of it?
Personally I prefer the latter.
And that’s why I would suggest to incorporate certain AAs as default abilities into the design of certain maps or gametypes.
The certain AAs that I am primarily aiming for are the ones that focus around movement (Jetpack, Thruster Pack, Evade) because other than the “class-abilities” (i.e: Hardlight shield or regenfield) which give you a specific and direct advantage when pushing the button, the movement abilities can get used more freely and creatively what means it depends on the player’s input if and in which way and area the ability gives you an advantage.
For example you can use an ability like Jetpack in offensive ways as well as defensive ways plus you can even use it outside of combat and that all can only get achieved by the players thought, experience and skill and not by simply pushing the button.
Then to solve the “advantage issue” at spawn, that Reach’s and H4’s AAs have created, that some AAs are more useful in certain scenarios than others or are giving you generally a bigger advantage than others,
you could give every player the same default AA, plus to take it a step further to remove the inherent advantage aspect of AA entirely, you could incorporate them into the design of maps and turn them to inherent gameplay elements.
I.e:
On a map that incorporated a default ability like Jetpack (or alternatively TP) into its design, Jetpack would now function as a inherent movement mechanic on that map that is required to get from A to B, to traverse the map, plus it will only give you a significant advantage over your opponents when you mastered it, similar to strafing and shooting.
In the end you could have unique maps that play without AAs and you could have unique maps that play with AAs.
Personally, I think such an approach on AAs would offer more potential to improve “arena Halo” in several fields, especially in regards to map design and therefore gameplay, than simply placing more (different) advantages on the maps.