ONYX
Competition For Everyone
In the last few days I have set out to make a definitive competitive game mode that both classic Halo fans and modern Halo fans can enjoy. ONYX blends beloved classic settings with revolutionary new settings into a skillful game mode that cuts down randomness while keeping it fun.
Below are the settings for ONYX 1.3. The settings are meant for FFA AND 4v4.
GT to download from: Viral Elegy. FFA, 4v4, and various maps for ONYX are on my fileshare now.
SCORING
Score to win: FFA, unlimited. 4v4, 50.
Time limit: FFA, 10 minutes. 4v4, 15 minutes.
Scoring is based off K/D spread in FFA.
Ever got frustrated at FFA winners who don’t have best spread? So do I. That doesn’t happen here.
LOADOUTS
1: Carbine(7sk), BR(4sk), 1x frag, thruster pack, resupply, explosives. No sprint.
2: Same as above but secondary is light rifle(4sk zoomed/unzoomed).
3: Same as above but secondary is DMR(5sk).
In order to prevent lack of ammo, the carbine is in all loadouts. I choose this as the primary over the DMR because it’s a good weapon with less magnetism but the reticle size offsets the bullet size, making it harder to aim and a use of secondary more viable. The DMR is now more balanced in relation to other weapons as well because it remains 5sk while the other weapons are buffed.
Also, while in normal settings the thruster pack is virtually useless, in this game mode it is quite handy. Many more jumps can be made and with more ease, and evasion attempts are more successful. A good way to escape grenades as well.
ORDNANCE
Map ordnance is map specific, but typically follows trend of rocket variants, snipers, scattershots, and maybe concussion rifles.
Personal ordnance: Pulse grenades, boltshot, hardlight shield.
Point requirement is 100, no point increase multiplier.
Ordnance is a great new feature in Halo 4, but many people feel as if it is too random for competitive gameplay in normal settings. So in ONYX personal ordnance is still in, but it’s always the same things. Pulses to take down a high value target, boltshot as a power weapon but needing some skill to use, or swap your thruster pack out for a hard light shield to deflect some fire.
SPAWN SETTINGS (yes, instant respawn is OFF)
Spawn time: 5 seconds
Suicide penalty: 3 seconds
Betrayel penalty: 3 seconds
One of the main complaints with Team Slayer Pro in matchmaking is that instant respawns cause player X to kill player O, but player O spawns and kills X because X’s shields aren’t up. So instant spawn has been removed.
TRAITS
Shield recharge rate: 125%
Shield recharge wait: 4 seconds
(Close as possible to Halo 2/3 shield settings in order to speed up gameplay)
Damage modifier: 110% (Responsible for certain weapon buffs)
Melee modifier: 75% (still two hit kill, but needs more bullets before punching to kill)
120% movement and 110% jump, no fall damage. No sprint.
Radar: 40m nomal mode for FFA. No radar for 4v4.
With these settings, player shields recharge much quicker and lets them get back into the fight quicker. Sprint has been disabled because 120% natural movement speed with thruster lets you get where you need to go just about as quick. Players can jump a little higher as well for better strafe and some ONYX map variant jumps.
ATTENTION: Sprint and instant respawn has NOT been disabled by a mod. These are freak fluke settings that happened in a very laggy lobby, and I got lucky by saving it.
With these settings I hope to revitalize the competitive Halo scene and make it enjoyable for anyone, old fans, new fans, inbetween fans, MLG fans, and casual fans.
ONYX is still in testing. If you like what you see here, send a message to the gamertag ‘Viral Elegy’ stating that you want to playtest.
Lastly, I know the forum will have feedback. Tell me what you’d like to see.