Implementation of "Spartan Abilities"

Games Halo 5: Guardians
#1

Hey everyone, vVvDARK WOLFvVv here! Ok, So I have seen a lot of speculation around what these “Spartan Abilities” are, and it has been on record that they are NOT Armor abilities and are NOT loadout based. But then there are people arguing that Spartan Abilities (Lets just call them SA’s shall we?) are just a replacement for AA’s. So I figured, I would make my theory known. So without further stalling, here we go.

Ok. So. Spartan Abilities. Where do I begin…? Ok so for starters I do not think that they are a simple AA replacement. And I have been thinking not so much about the fact that they are being implemented, but more HOW they are implemented.

So, as we all know, in the MP trailer for Halo 5: Guardians, they are straight up telling us that this is an Arena style of play. Which means, There is equal starting grounds, or at least equal opportunity before jumping into the game. So if customizable loadouts are out of the question, here is my theory:

We are able to switch between these spartan abilities on the fly. Now, stay with me here. I have noticed that until Halo 4, there has never really been a use for the D-Pad beyond maybe a flash light. So what if, all these abilities are available on the D-pad. So as it stands now, grenades are left and right on the D-pad (with default controls). So. what if, assuming the same default controls are kept in-tact, these new SA’s were able to be scrolled between by way of up and down on the D-Pad?

EDIT and theory from another user (shout out to hal0 m4n):

OR

> Frankie said they’re not AAs, and that they’re mechanics similar to Boarding from Halo 2 (meaning they’re a button you can press to do, and everyone can do them).
>
> So I’ve been thinking they’re going to work like this:
>
> So the AA button (Left Bumper [LB] for default, sorry don’t know what it is for the other controls) is now the Spartan Ability button. Now, imagine Sprinting, then pressing LB, so you slide. Imagine, while in the air, you press LB and you do the ground pound.
>
> That’s how I believe they’ll work.
> I think this would be a good way to not only create an equal playing ground for each player, but also make one feel more like a spartan, considering all of a spartans natural abilities and what not.

So tell me what you guys think? As usual any and all feedback is deeply appreciated.
And this time around I want to hear your guy’s theories. I love seeing how different minds think.

But this is just a theory, a GAME THEORY (Shout out to MatPat!!).

DISCUSS!!!

SEE YALL STARSIDE!!!

#2

It’s more intuitive to just make them button combos. For example, to do a ground pound you would jump and double tap B, or to thrust you would double tap the sprint button. This would be more fluid than switching from one ability to another using the D-Pad (i.e. switching from pound to thrust to sprint by constantly pressing up or down).

I"m pretty much 100% sure that’s how they will tackle it.

#3

> It’s more intuitive to just make them button combos. For example, to do a ground pound you would jump and double tap B. This would be more fluid than switching from one ability to the groundpound ability using the D-Pad.

I see where you are coming from on that, fluidity is important. but having button combos can become confusing for some and become unbalanced when it comes to the people that have the best combo orders. I think switching with the D-pad allows for more simplicity and makes it more user friendly. (I’m thinking about all gamers here not just pro’s)

#4

> > It’s more intuitive to just make them button combos. For example, to do a ground pound you would jump and double tap B. This would be more fluid than switching from one ability to the groundpound ability using the D-Pad.
>
> I see where you are coming from on that, fluidity is important. but having button combos can become confusing for some and become unbalanced when it comes to the people that have the best combo orders. I think switching with the D-pad allows for more simplicity and makes it more user friendly. (I’m thinking about all gamers here not just pro’s)

“User friendly” is not how I would describe the D-pad, at least as far as shooters are concerned. The D-pad is something that should be avoided in shooters at all costs because it necessitates that the player stops moving completely, or requires their right thumb to take a really awkward leap, which means they have to stop aiming for an extended period of time (much longer than if they just used AXYB).

Moreover, there really isn’t anything fundamentally complex about button combos. Want to slide? Crouch while sprinting is pretty intuitive. Ground pound? Double tap melee while falling isn’t too bad, crouch melee could also work. Trust me, it’s as simple as D-pad, and definitely more user friendly.

#5

> It’s more intuitive to just make them button combos. For example, to do a ground pound you would jump and double tap B, or to thrust you would double tap the sprint button. This would be more fluid than switching from one ability to another using the D-Pad (i.e. switching from pound to thrust to sprint by constantly pressing up or down).
>
> I"m pretty much 100% sure that’s how they will tackle it.

Since you have updated it. I can better see what you are talking about. but for all we know the controls could be the same or similar to halo 4’s (I’m talking about default controls here) and if that is the case, sprint would remain on clicking left stick if it stays as a natural ability. I do honestly think that using the D-pad to switch and using left bumper (The default AA button in halo 4) would provide more simplicity and ease of use for all players… because double clicking the stick would honestly be a hassle when you are trying to move, and double tapping the melee button usually happens in a beat-down scenario, so that would not work as well.

#6

“Spartan Abilities” are just meant to be new features, or new things that every player is able to do. Things like Dual Wielding, Vehicle Boarding, Assassinations, and Sprint were all new features at some point. The new “Spartan Abilities” will simply be things like that.

#7

> > > It’s more intuitive to just make them button combos. For example, to do a ground pound you would jump and double tap B. This would be more fluid than switching from one ability to the groundpound ability using the D-Pad.
> >
> > I see where you are coming from on that, fluidity is important. but having button combos can become confusing for some and become unbalanced when it comes to the people that have the best combo orders. I think switching with the D-pad allows for more simplicity and makes it more user friendly. (I’m thinking about all gamers here not just pro’s)
>
> “User friendly” is not how I would describe the D-pad, at least as far as shooters are concerned. The D-pad is something that should be avoided in shooters at all costs because it necessitates that the player stops moving completely, or requires their right thumb to take a really awkward leap, which means they have to stop aiming for an extended period of time (much longer than if they just used AXYB).
>
> Moreover, there really isn’t anything fundamentally complex about button combos. Want to slide? Crouch while sprinting is pretty intuitive. Ground pound? Double tap melee while falling isn’t too bad, crouch melee could also work. Trust me, it’s as simple as D-pad, and definitely more user friendly.

I’ve never had problems using the D-pad in any game, fps or otherwise. halo 4’s default grenade switch is on the D-pad and due to the fact that the D-pad on the XBox One is much more precise than that of the 360, I feel that the D-pad would be a good hot key area for switching abilities. it doesn’t even take a second to quickly hit the d-pad.

But I do see how combo’s CAN be beneficial. But I don’t see them functioning practically in halo… I feel like it would be more of a quick time event than a use of an ability. and that is something I think should be avoided in FPS’s

#8

> “Spartan Abilities” are just meant to be new features, or new things that every player is able to do. Things like Dual Wielding, Vehicle Boarding, Assassinations, and Sprint were all new features at some point. The new “Spartan Abilities” will simply be things like that.

I am aware of this, but the question is how will they be implemented into the game and how will the player be able to control these abilities.

#9

> But I do see how combo’s CAN be beneficial. But I don’t see them functioning practically in halo… I feel like it would be more of a quick time event than a use of an ability. and that is something I think should be avoided in FPS’s

That’s pretty much like saying crouch-jumping is a quick time event, it’s not.

I assume you know at least a little bit about 3D Sonic games. It would be like, instead of double tapping the jump button to jump and then do a spin attack, you would jump, hit the d-pad multiple times to select the jump attack, then execute the jump attack.

It just wouldn’t make sense.

#10

My thought was that alot of them would implement a built in thruster pack and slight button combos.

Slide = sprint + crouch

Ground pound = peak jump + crouch + TP

Other things could be like a quick dash out of sprint (in any direction) using TP, dive rolling using TP while crouched, etc.

#11

Frankie differentiated Spartan Abilities from Armor Abilities by comparing them to dual-wielding and boarding. Those are not things that you have to “switch to” to use; you can use them any time and at all times. More likely, they would be things like double-jumping, charging forward, additional melee attacks, etc.

#12

> > “Spartan Abilities” are just meant to be new features, or new things that every player is able to do. Things like Dual Wielding, Vehicle Boarding, Assassinations, and Sprint were all new features at some point. The new “Spartan Abilities” will simply be things like that.
>
> I am aware of this, but the question is how will they be implemented into the game and how will the player be able to control these abilities.

Well, it’s really pretty obvious. They’ll be implemented in the same way that new abilities in the past were implemented. You press a button. It won’t be anything complicated.

For Assassinations, you melee someone in the back. Sprint, tap the sprint button. Board a vehicle, press the button you would to get into a vehicle normally. Simple stuff. What buttons will we be pressing to activate these new abilities? I really don’t see the point in speculating on this. It’s like asking which button we will use to jump or crouch.

#13

> I’ve never had problems using the D-pad in any game, fps or otherwise. halo 4’s default grenade switch is on the D-pad and due to the fact that the D-pad on the XBox One is much more precise than that of the 360, I feel that the D-pad would be a good hot key area for switching abilities. it doesn’t even take a second to quickly hit the d-pad.

It still takes longer than to use AXYB, which is already a problem and the reason I switched to bumper jumper. A better layout for shooters would be one where these buttons are at the bottom of the controller because any time you use any of these buttons, you have to stop aiming.

D-pad is an even worse solution because the ergonomics of the controller aren’t designed with switching between right analogue and the D-pad in mind. The alternate option is of course to use your left hand for the D-pad, but what’s the point when there is no real need to use the D-pad? It’s not that the D-pad needs to bother you, if it doesn’t, good for you. However, it’s inherently the worst button on the controller as far as fast-paced shooters are concerned. The travel time from right stick to D-pad is more than it is to AXYB. Using your left thumb does mean you have to stop moving for a short period of time, which is not optimal in combat, especially in Halo where strafing is a huge factor. The D-pad is not an option as long as other solutions exist.

> But I do see how combo’s CAN be beneficial. But I don’t see them functioning practically in halo… I feel like it would be more of a quick time event than a use of an ability. and that is something I think should be avoided in FPS’s

Not really. What buttons you push doesn’t make a move a quick time event. That is defined by completely other factors.

#14

> My thought was that alot of them would implement a built in thruster pack and slight button combos.
>
> Slide = sprint + crouch
>
> Ground pound = peak jump + crouch + TP
>
>
> Other things could be like a quick dash out of sprint (in any direction) using TP, dive rolling using TP while crouched, etc.

ok i see what you are saying. I misread it before.

#15

D-pad should be left to grenades and other utilities (VISR please?). That is, traditionally, what it is used for anyways. It’s a selector. Actions should be through the action buttons. The more you can do without taking your hands off of the controls… the better.

#16

> D-pad should be left to grenades and other utilities (VISR please?). That is, traditionally, what it is used for anyways. It’s a selector. Actions should be through the action buttons. The more you can do without taking your hands off of the controls… the better.

agreed. I am just rattling my brain though about what would be appropriate to activate said abilities as a player. button combo would definitely provide fluidness… but depending on a players preferred controller lay out it could prove difficult.

#17

Well, so far I can say that the new ‘Spartan Abilities’ look quite interesting. I wanted to add in… Maybe when we see the spartan skidding up to a wall Gears of War style, that is some sort of new engine product so to speak. Giving players aka Spartans and/or Sangheili the ability to make a quick dash toward a wall, being able to actually aim blindly, or peek your head out from the top or side to try getting a shot on the enemy. Note: This would be in the first person perspective.

#18

> Well, so far I can say that the new ‘Spartan Abilities’ look quite interesting. I wanted to add in… Maybe when we see the spartan skidding up to a wall Gears of War style, that is some sort of new engine product so to speak. Giving players aka Spartans and/or Sangheili the ability to make a quick dash toward a wall, being able to actually aim blindly, or peek your head out from the top or side to try getting a shot on the enemy. Note: This would be in the first person perspective.

what like warface style sliding?

#19

Well, yes. Essentially when in battle, you can’t just crouch simply behind a wall. And if you are in deep trouble, you can simply just sprint and at the click of a button near cover - Slide right in to the wall. You can give suppressing fire, stay behind the wall, etc, etc. This can really help in competitive game modes as it will add variety and more skill and timing to get around with a little more safety.

#20

> Well, yes. Essentially when in battle, you can’t just crouch simply behind a wall. <mark>And if you are in deep trouble, you can simply just sprint and at the click of a button near cover - Slide right in to the wall.</mark> You can give suppressing fire, stay behind the wall, etc, etc. This can really help in competitive game modes as it will add variety and more skill and timing to get around with a little more safety.

as long as i dont have to hit a button to breakaway from the wall and as long as i stay crouched after the slide is complete AND as long as the object in question is tall enough to qualify as cover, i am ok with this