Recently I’ve been thinking about switching my button layout to Bumper Jumper, but every time I try it, I end up switching back to default. I’ve played with default since I got Reach, so I’m pretty comfortable with it, but I always wonder if I’m missing anything by not switching. So my question is whether or not I should switch button layouts after going this far with default.
I can’t think of anything you’d be missing. Control layouts are to make the user more comfortable, so if you’re comfortable with Default, you should stick with it.
The main advantages of Bumper Jumper are that you can melee and jump without losing the ability to turn. In Halo 3, these mattered a lot because strafing was important in battles. Reach’s strafe inertia makes strafing less useful and less important, however, so the benefits of Bumper Jumper are lessened. It looks like Halo 4 won’t have strafe inertia.
So if you’re looking to the distant future (Halo 4), then I’d recommend switching. If you only care about Reach, then you’re fine as you are.
Agreed. Stick what’s comfortable for you. Unless you can think of a pretty good reason to switch, I’d go with what you have. I’ve used Bumper Jumper for a few years now myself, grifball player, so it fits my style of play. Makes it hard to flower but that’s the only downside for me.
On the other hand, I REALLY wish they would allow us to customize our own button set ups, I don’t and never have liked where the scope is on any button set up.
The one thing I’m worried about in Halo 4 is that default is B to crouch and left thumbstick to sprint. Crouching is the most prominent part of my strafe, (because I play default obviously) and if that sticks, then I won’t have a good strafe. 
As previously stated, the main advantage of bumper jumper is being able to jump & aim/turn at the same time. One thing that always bugged me was having to move my thumb off the right stick to jump and in that split second, I need to move and aim to kill someone but miss because of the delay.
I switched to bumper jumper a few months ago, because it never occurred to me before to change anything, since I’m usually pretty set in my ways about most things. I will never go back to default now; it’s just far better this way. It takes some adjustment period, and I still occasionally tap “B” to melee someone on accident, but much less often than when I first switched lol.
Moving your thumb off the left stick to pick up a weapon or reload isn’t a big deal to me, since you’re pretty much vulnerable when you’re doing either of those two actions anyway (i.e. you can’t fire). So it just makes more sense to me.
After having switched to bumper jumper in Halo 3 I never looked back. Using AAs is a bit awkward so I use the Walshy Claw to make it viable. Worth trying out for a while in campaign or customs to get used to it.
> The one thing I’m worried about in Halo 4 is that default is B to crouch and left thumbstick to sprint. Crouching is the most prominent part of my strafe, (because I play default obviously) and if that sticks, then I won’t have a good strafe.
I think they’re changing that, aren’t they?
I think Bumper Jumper should be this:
LS: Move (Click to crouch)
RS: Turn (Click to zoom)
LT: Grenade
RT: Fire Weapon
LB: Jump
RB: Melee
A: Armor Ability
B: Reload/Action
X: Sprint
Y: Switch Weapon
DPad Up: Cycle through grenades
DPad Left, Right, Down: Ordinance Drop Selection
Or at least, make ALL the buttons customizable, except the DPad Left, Right, and Down (because that’ll pretty much always be Ordinance selection).
> After having switched to bumper jumper in Halo 3 I never looked back. Using AAs is a bit awkward so I use the Walshy Claw to make it viable. Worth trying out for a while in campaign or customs to get used to it.
I only find Jetpack awkward with Bumper Jumper. And thankfully, I almost never use Jetpack.
Yes it is worth it. Once i made the conversion to Bumper Jumper, i never turned back. It just feels so much smoother to me. If you are having trouble converting, try playing through campaign once or twice to get good at it. Then go to SWAT, you basically only need your joysticks and a few buttons to play that game.
The only downside is that never again will you succesfully use a jetpack or jump in Call of Duty. You will be amazed at how many times you flash yourslef in the face.
> The only downside is that never again will you succesfully use a jetpack
The Walshy Claw says hello
I started using Bumper Jumper in Halo 3 and never looked back. In no way did it hurt me in reach from playing well.
I’ve always used Recon, so I wouldn’t know how good Bumper Jumper is firsthand.
I find it to be a lot easier to use when moving around the map, but that’s just personal preference. Play with it for several days, rather than a few games. It takes a bit to adjust to, but I personally think it’s worth it!
I usually curl my right index finger (without balling up a fist with the other fingers) and use the sides of it to hit A,B,X and Y. During that time, I keep my middle finger on RB and my ring finger on RT.
Thats how I play with default with little worries. Usually, I switch to that finger position if the other team gets close to me. After awhile of using it, it becomes almost instant. I even find myself using it on other games, as well lol
Bumper Jumper allows you to jump and correct and shoot at once and is really easy to get used to that’s why I use it. AA is on X and that’s not problem for me because I only use sprint. But the most important when it comes to button layout is that you find one that suits you best, ignore what others are saying and use what you like 
> I usually curl my right index finger (without balling up a fist with the other fingers) and use the sides of it to hit A,B,X and Y. During that time, I keep my middle finger on RB and my ring finger on RT.
There is a name for that technique you know…the Walshy Claw. Though personally I just rest my middle finger right between the bumper and the trigger though that part isn’t highly important.
Okay, thanks guys. I’ve recently been playing Halo CEA, and I used Bumper Jumper a little, so I’m half used to it. I’m gonna go into the Reach campaign until I get used to AA and such, but if it ends up being TOO hard, I’ll switch back. I’ll probably stick with it, though. Thanks for your opinions!
yes it’s really good.
> Agreed. Stick what’s comfortable for you. Unless you can think of a pretty good reason to switch, I’d go with what you have. I’ve used Bumper Jumper for a few years now myself, grifball player, so it fits my style of play. Makes it hard to flower but that’s the only downside for me.
>
> On the other hand, I REALLY wish they would allow us to customize our own button set ups, I don’t and never have liked where the scope is on any button set up.
If CE4 (No longer using Halo), or other games after CE 2, was continued to be on PC then this feature would be possible. Damn, consoles…
-RIP