So, we’ve all seen that Sprint isn’t favorable to the Halo experience in its present form. This is due to exchanging increased speed for impaired use of weapons, players running rather than fighting, and of course “swollen” map design. There have been demands for the ability’s removal, but I’ve got an alternate solution. One that remedies the aforementioned issues with Sprint’s current iteration as a movement option.
Imagine an organic transition into sprinting speed. No manual activation or limit to how long the player can sprint, but a seamless and gradual increase in movement speed, determined by how the player traverses the map. As you move in a generally straight line, you gain “momentum” and so increase your movement speed. You are still fully capable of all other functions, such as firing your weapon, throwing grenades, reloading, and using your Armor Ability (or whatever form may be present in their place). However, when turning, shooting, throwing grenades, reloading, and/or being shot at, you lose momentum and therefore speed. This allows for players to still get caught in a firefight, accurately navigate without over-compensating for turns, and still get from place to place more quickly. It quickens gameplay without hampering combat!
Not only that, but it also makes it where map design would require that players can get to a point/area in a reasonable amount of time at the base player speed/with reasonable ease, as the sprinting formula would be dependent on too many variables to account for in every situation. There would be no wide gaps or stretches of cover-less territory to be traversed at a required speed (so as to prevent falling/death) No more over-sized maps, only relevant map space!!
If you’re intrigued, please ask questions/give feedback.
Also, with sprinting becoming a truly integral part of the movement mechanics, we could also have Evade return as a manual movement option, rather than an Armor Ability (like Sprint in Halo 4). That’s just a thought though…
I don’t understand why you would want to implement this type of mechanic.
The whole argument for sprint is that it lets you get into the action quickly (which is negated by low base movement and larger maps… and was a point of complaint in Halo 4 any way) and that it is fun to be able to control it. Making it something you “manage” instead of use doesn’t strike as being an actively fun mechanic and i don’t see as to where it is necessary for map flow.
If you don’t like sprint as a usable ability, then just scrap it as it is no longer serving its function.
And good god no. Last thing we need is more pin ball spartans to go with flying, invisibility, and x-ray vision.
Ever since Halo 2 moving forward has always been faster than moving sideways or backwards. The difference is only 10% but it made a big difference to melee combat and shotguns. Potentially this speed difference could be emphasized to simulate sprint without the weapon lowering… But I don’t know. I would quite like a option to recreate classic movement in customs, with sprint you only need an on/off switch.
It’s kind of why I was never a big fan of 110 movement in Halo 4 because its buffs sprint more than strafing.
In Halo 5 I would like to see it look like this:
Base 110, Sprint: 165, Stopping Power: 125, Crouch 50
Kill times need to stay around the 1.4 mark and I believe the raise gun delay should be halved if not removed pretty much entirely. Sprint in this format I think would work much better. But like I said I want to be able to remove it in customs.
I like that you’re thinking outside of the box, but at the same time I am not keen on the idea.
Ravens put it right and I think there really is no compromise as far as sprint is concerned.
What one side loves about sprint, the other side hates and there is really no way to balance that.
> I don’t understand why you would want to implement this type of mechanic.
>
> The whole argument for sprint is that it lets you get into the action quickly (which is negated by low base movement and larger maps… and was a point of complaint in Halo 4 any way) and that it is fun to be able to control it. Making it something you “manage” instead of use doesn’t strike as being an actively fun mechanic and i don’t see as to where it is necessary for map flow.
>
> If you don’t like sprint as a usable ability, then just scrap it as it is no longer serving its function.
>
> And good god no. Last thing we need is more pin ball spartans to go with flying, invisibility, and x-ray vision.
Can you please explain and elaborate on why Sprint must be manually activated to be a “fun” part of how we approach movement? I seem to be having trouble deciphering what you mean by “fun to be able to control it” and “an actively fun mechanic”. I consider fun to be relative, and Sprinting as it currently is doesn’t constitute as “fun” per-say, only as an added convenience, in my opinion. Why does making it manual rather than gradual make it more intuitive?
Speed is easily fixed by increasing base movement speed.
Feeling of being slow is easily fixed by increasing FoV.
Having a slow acceleration to top speed could potentially be annoying. It’s a good idea that’s outside the box, but I still don’t see the use for sprint at all.
I can kind of see the point of sprint in BTB because maps have to be stretched out to accommodate vehicles and Sprint arguably improves infantry vs vehicle interaction. But then increased movement speed would have the same effect.
I have heard the argument that sprint allows for fast map movement without making gun fights too unwieldy, making aiming too hard. But I mean if you average out the sprint speed combined with all the pauses you need to catch your breath it probably works out as something like 130% movement speed. With speed boost you run at 150% and shooting someone with Speed boost isn’t particularly that hard.
I don’t know, it just seems like 120% movement would have been a much better alternative to sprint. And it doesn’t waste a button. No new movement mechanics needed.
I don’t think that Sprint should return as it is, but don’t think the concept of moving more quickly when not in combat is by any means flawed. If players simply become faster after a time of linear movement, they wouldn’t be able to run away from a gunfight any more than in “classic” Halo games and wouldn’t be detrimental to map design (since all pathways, areas, jumps, etc. would have to be possible with the standard speed to ensure that players could do so properly). These have been the primary points in arguments for Sprint to be discarded.
It has the purpose that the current/previous iterations of Sprint had in mind, but executes it seamlessly and without requiring manual input via button/bumper. Keep in mind that players would be able to fire, melee, reload, throw grenades, etc. at will (unlike with current Sprint), but does progressively decrease the momentum of the player while performing these actions. It’s honestly not “Sprint” at all, but a more “meta-stable” and unique base player speed formula.
Perhaps when you activate it, there should be a build up, so you move a little bit faster and it gradually increases in speed over time, so if someone goes to run away you still have a chance to kill them
> Perhaps when you activate it, there should be a build up, so you move a little bit faster and it gradually increases in speed over time, so if someone goes to run away you still have a chance to kill them
> Ever since Halo 2 moving forward has always been faster than moving sideways or backwards. The difference is only 10% but it made a big difference to melee combat and shotguns. Potentially this speed difference could be emphasized to simulate sprint without the weapon lowering… But I don’t know. <mark>I would quite like a option to recreate classic movement in customs, with sprint you only need an on/off switch.</mark>
>
> The current movement setting in Halo 4 are:
>
> Base: 100, Sprint: 165, stopping power: 125, Crouch 40
>
> Since the Turbo update it’s:
>
> 110, 182, 138, 44
>
> It’s kind of why I was never a big fan of 110 movement in Halo 4 because its buffs sprint more than strafing.
>
> In Halo 5 I would like to see it look like this:
>
> Base 110, Sprint: 165, Stopping Power: 125, Crouch 50
>
> Kill times need to stay around the 1.4 mark and I believe the raise gun delay should be halved if not removed pretty much entirely. Sprint in this format I think would work much better. But like I said I want to be able to remove it in customs.
Just as you could potentially select Sprint on/off, you could likewise make this optional for custom games to allow for more “traditional” gameplay variants. Simply select whether you would like movement to be “Traditional” or “Progressive”.
> > Perhaps when you activate it, there should be a build up, so you move a little bit faster and it gradually increases in speed over time, so if someone goes to run away you still have a chance to kill them
>
> I like the idea.
But why make it an activated ability, rather than an integral part of movement that is constant? Why make players “activate” the innate ability to increase movement speed gradually, rather than just having it happen in the course of a player’s linear movement?
> > > Perhaps when you activate it, there should be a build up, so you move a little bit faster and it gradually increases in speed over time, so if someone goes to run away you still have a chance to kill them
> >
> > I like the idea.
>
> But why make it an activated ability, rather than an integral part of movement that is constant? Why make players “activate” the innate ability to increase movement speed gradually, rather than just having it happen in the course of a player’s linear movement?
Because players are known to hold the movement stick down. So if they increase the base player speed, you might move a bit too fast. But sprint being an activated ability, then it can be just right.
Sprint also brings another factor into gameplay. “When is the best time to sprint?” “Should I sprint? Sprint will make it easier for others to see me on their radar.” “How much longer can I sprint?”
It’s also realistic and helps show the capabilities of our Spartans. Another thing is people move at different speeds at different times when you’ve got Sprint in the game. It totally changes the game. Some people may like that in gameplay. Others won’t. The last group will go flow with the flow and not care.
I see our conversation from the previous night seems to have spurred this topic! (btw I was hoping to create a reply but for some inexplicable reason the topic got shutdown; not sure if 343 corruption or some rule break)
Nevertheless, my original stance still stands. While this idea is intriguing and would certainly (with testing) seem a suitable replacement for current sprint mechanics, I would much rather have higher, Halo 2-esque movement speed across-the-board rather than having sprint at all. Sprint is simply too taxing on map creators as well as game mechanics in general.
The fact still stands that Halo lacks the fast pace necessary to make sprint fit seamlessly into the game, and I think we should finally accept that sprint simply doesn’t have a place in competitive multiplayer. As for the uncompetitive scene, they can ruin the game all they want with POD, weapon indicators, and sprint, granted we finally revert to the split playlist system of Halo 3, so that we can have balanced gameplay when we want, and chaos whenever we can tolerate it.
> > > > Perhaps when you activate it, there should be a build up, so you move a little bit faster and it gradually increases in speed over time, so if someone goes to run away you still have a chance to kill them
> > >
> > > I like the idea.
> >
> > But why make it an activated ability, rather than an integral part of movement that is constant? Why make players “activate” the innate ability to increase movement speed gradually, rather than just having it happen in the course of a player’s linear movement?
>
> Because players are known to hold the movement stick down. So if they increase the base player speed, you might move a bit too fast. But sprint being an activated ability, then it can be just right.
>
> Sprint also brings another factor into gameplay. “When is the best time to sprint?” “Should I sprint? Sprint will make it easier for others to see me on their radar.” “How much longer can I sprint?”
>
> It’s also realistic and helps show the capabilities of our Spartans. Another thing is people move at different speeds at different times when you’ve got Sprint in the game. It totally changes the game. Some people may like that in gameplay. Others won’t. The last group will go flow with the flow and not care.
By “holding down the movement stick”, I assume you mean either pushing the analog stick in or forward, but in either case is no valid point. Players will move the stick in the direction they wish to go regardless (as for clicking it in, doing so wouldn’t hamper my suggested iteration of “sprinting”). The concept is that you don’t constantly move at the higher speed, but only when not engaged in combat or making turns. The enhanced speed obviously has a limit/cap to how fast the player can go, and so is only a more organic form of quickening player speed.
The idea that I’ve proposed doesn’t require any such choice, as it reacts directly to what the player is doing. The player can react freely to stimuli around them, from jumps and turns to enemy engagements. These actions slow the player back down to the base player speed, and so allows for maps to be designed with combat in mind, rather than trying to overcompensate for a fixed ability that makes movement come in only two primary gears (standard and sprinting). This concept does, however, make use of choice in that you must choose between increased mobility or more maneuverability.
“Realistic”… Where to begin with this one? Halo is a sci-fi shooter with super-soldiers. What is realistic about it? Not to mention the fact that gameplay is the deciding factor in whether or not they are given the ability to “sprint”. Going from one speed to another almost instantaneously is likewise unrealistic, but that’s an irrelevant factor. The problem is that players in Halo 4 can activate an ability to escape from what would otherwise be a losing battle. My idea allows for players to build up their momentum, gradually transitioning into a “sprinting” speed, only when not engaged in combat.
From what I’m seeing, this concept of what Sprint could become offers all of the beneficial factors of its current form, but lessening/negating the problems in gameplay that stem from it.
Just balancing sprint isn’t the solution. We, as in people who are not in favor of sprint, find that it just doesn’t add to the game at all. An ability can be balanced, but it doesn’t change the fact that its redundant. Take auto sentry for example. It’s not bad for gameplay at all, but it adds absolutely no depth to the game.
You can try to balance sprint all you want, but at the end of the day, how does it deepen the game and make it skill full? It doesn’t, and that’s why it should go.(from mp)
> I see our conversation from the previous night seems to have spurred this topic! (btw I was hoping to create a reply but for some inexplicable reason the topic got shutdown; not sure if 343 corruption or some rule break)
>
> Nevertheless, my original stance still stands. While this idea is intriguing and would certainly (with testing) seem a suitable replacement for current sprint mechanics, I would much rather have higher, Halo 2-esque movement speed across-the-board rather than having sprint at all. Sprint is simply too taxing on map creators as well as game mechanics in general.
>
> The fact still stands that Halo lacks the fast pace necessary to make sprint fit seamlessly into the game, and I think we should finally accept that sprint simply doesn’t have a place in competitive multiplayer. As for the uncompetitive scene, they can ruin the game all they want with POD, weapon indicators, and sprint, granted we finally revert to the split playlist system of Halo 3, so that we can have balanced gameplay when we want, and chaos whenever we can tolerate it.
How is it “too taxing on map creators”? Map designers should make the maps work for the base player speed, no questions asked. Forcing players to use sprint to make certain jumps, etc. didn’t help map flow in Halo 4, so why cater to something that you can’t predict the circumstances of when at such locations on a map?
It currently compromises the ability to fight for speed; that much is true. However, that’s not the case with this concept, as you are still able to fight while moving (with the player losing momentum accordingly dependent on his/her actions, like firing weapons). H4’s “Sprint problem” is that its made easier to escape a fight that you don’t have the best chances of winning, rather than standing your ground and letting the game progress. My idea doesn’t allow players to cheat death in such ways.
The big issue is that people think of sprint as an ability, rather than part of the Spartan’s movement. This stems from its introduction as an ability in Reach, but remains evident in H4 due to not properly integrating it into what players are able to do/balancing it in such a way as to still encourage players to stand their ground.
On a side note, I don’t believe a split in the community is the answer, but rather a better cohesion of some of the new gameplay elements to respect more traditional gameplay. People need to stop seeing things in black and white.
> Just balancing sprint isn’t the solution. We, as in people who are not in favor of sprint, find that it just doesn’t add to the game at all. An ability can be balanced, but it doesn’t change the fact that its redundant. Take auto sentry for example. It’s not bad for gameplay at all, but it adds absolutely no depth to the game.
>
> You can try to balance sprint all you want, but at the end of the day, how does it deepen the game and make it skill full? It doesn’t, and that’s why it should go.(from mp)
Its not only a matter of balancing abilities. Some “abilities” may need to become truly integrated factors in how the fans play. The mentality of sprint as an ability is flawed because it simply shouldn’t be an ability per-say. That said, what makes sprinting interfere with gameplay is that people USE it to escape from undesired circumstances, whereas it should be made to allow players to move more quickly (similarly to increasing base player speed), but at a gradual rate in which players can respond to unforeseen encounters/situations.