Multiplayer Layout Proposal (v1.1)

Key: red text represents a canceled idea, while blue text represents a modified idea.

Playlists: Gametypes are categorized into three, organized groups.

Ranked: Classic competitive Halo: No sprint, no loadouts, no ordnance.
Infinity: The complete casual, social package: All features are toggled on and Armor Abilities recharge.
Community: Specialized, unique gametypes find their home here, along with Community made maps and games.

Loadout: Allows the player to customize their weapons, equipment, and other features before entering a game. Only available for usage in the Infinity playlist.

Primary:
• Precision: Semi-Automatic/Burst, high power with smaller magazine capacities.
• Automatic: Fully-Automatic, medium power with medium sized magazine capacities.
• Compact: Fully-Automatic, low power with larger magazine capacities.
Secondary: A range of smaller arms that vary in performance.
Grenades: Small explosives that vary in performance.
Armor Abilities: Specialized equipment that recharge after usage.
Armor Modifications: Tactical Packages and Support Upgrades will allow players to improve certain aspects of their player traits.
Vehicular Modification: Upgrades whatever vehicle the player is in with one mod.

Ordnance Drops: Since all weapons and equipment will be provided on the map, Ordnance Drops will provide alternative assistance on both a personal and a team level.

Personal Ordnance: Points earned by the player will pool into a personal meter, which when filled will result in one of three boosts that can be chosen by the player.
• Damage Boost: Temporarily increases the damage of weapons and equipment.
• Speed Boost: Increased the players overall speed.
• Shield Boost: Provides an additional layer of shielding that deteriorates over time.
Team Ordnance: Depending on the map and gametype, points claimed by the player will also pool into a team meter, which when filled will provide team support with either an ammunition refill, a powerful vehicle, or temporarily improved traits in objective gametypes.

Player Species: Allows player to choose their preferred specie and provides player trait variety in some gametypes.

Human:
• Spartan-II: Bigger and faster than the Spartan-IV and equal to the Elites.
• Spartan-IV: Smaller and more agile, this species type will be available in gametypes that require species to vary in performance, such as Invasion. They could also be provided for Spartan Ops (if it is in the next Halo) as well.
Elite: Bigger and faster, this specie is on parallel with the abilities of the Spartan-II and will be available in all gametypes.

Pickups: Weapons and equipment that can be found on the map.

Weapons: Standard and power weapons, along with grenades will be provided in non-randomized positions on the map.
Equipment: Like Halo 3, these will be deployable equipment that when the player uses it, they lose it. Some armor abilities will be converted into equipment for all Ranked and some Community gametypes.
Armor Abilities: When not in the Infinity playlist, armor abilities will be found on the map. Their function, however, will differ. When picking up an armor ability, it will contain a charge. This charge, unlike Infinity armor abilities, will not recharge when it runs out. Like Infinity armor abilities, though, the player can delay the drain of its charge, pausing its depletion for later use. Some armor abilities that would normally be borderline useless if only used once, will have one use take up part of a charge. For example, a player could use Hologram three times before the charge has completely depleted. This will be available in all Ranked and some Community gametypes.

Thanks for all the feedback; I tried modifying Infinity gametypes to bring them closer to Ranked and also reevaluated the species.

Area reserved if extra space is needed.

This is a bad idea, all it does is split up the community even more. There needs to be a happy medium that most people will like, of course there will be some people who will still complain. Here, i will copy and paste someones idea:

Personal ordinance gone
Loadouts stay but tweaked majorly
AA’s as map pickups except sprint
Mobility and all those gone
WELL DESIGNED MAPS, LOTS OF THEM

Honestly disagree with the vast majority of that list.

A quick run down
-Splitting the game between two basic styles isn’t good.
-Perks aren’t good.
-Different ‘races’ are difficult to balance.
-We shouldn’t expand upon loadouts before we even fix existing balance issues.
-Ordnance is bad, even with just powerups. Every other person I fight in Infinity Slayer has an overshield, it’s annoying. Tends to make a massive snowball effect.
-Halo 3 had a mediocre lineup of equipment. I’d rather see better designed equipment if it has to return.
-Armor Abilities would be better off filling an equipment-like role instead.

> This is a bad idea, all it does is split up the community even more. There needs to be a happy medium that most people will like, of course there will be some people who will still complain. Here, i will copy and paste someones idea:
>
> Personal ordinance gone
> Loadouts stay but tweaked majorly
> AA’s as map pickups except sprint
> Mobility and all those gone
> WELL DESIGNED MAPS, LOTS OF THEM

I thought this in the beginning, but the Community who enjoy the Infinity gametypes are very small, just look at Halo 4’s population vs Reach or 3 a year later. Also, it’s not like there would be a bunch of gametypes in the Infinity playlist, just some basic alternatives like Slayer, Big Team, CTF, and a few other objective modes. Ranked would be available for competitive player and MLG, but would also include other non-loadout gametypes like SWAT, Team Snipers, and other alternate slayer gametypes. Community would contain gametypes like Grifball, Invasion, Flood, and more.

I too do not like the idea of splitting the community up. We are already pretty divided, no need to do it more. It is currently pretty annoying that things are so different from one playlist to the next. I really miss being able to hop into any playlist and it feels very familiar and fun. That is one of the main things I miss from h2 and h3.

I really think that a compromise between classic and infinity that falls a decent amount closer to classic would be best. If you have ever gotten the chance to play halo reach MLG v7 settings, I think something along that theme would work well. It involves:

  • high base movement speed
  • good base starts with a good consistent primary weapon that is not too easy to use
  • no sprint off start
  • armor abilities on maps that you can pick up and use tell you die
  • descope
  • ability to drop objective items, and not have a constant indicator on you
  • weapons on good timers

I think striving for a default version similar to this is a good compromise. It would fulfill much of the classic appeal while still leaving things like AAs in place for use.

Much of it would be changed. I don’t want a copy, just something as a base to work off. They could tighten up movement ALOT, make the sniper harder to use, and various other things like better theatre, spectator mode, better ranked playlists, etc…,

All things could be added in to custom games if they want. Like sprint start and whatever. I think leaving more to be added in in customs is the better approach than in the past where all the crap is thrown in to the default version then many playlists emerge that strip it down. This just creates much more of that split in communities I think.

> Honestly disagree with the vast majority of that list.
>
> A quick run down
> -Splitting the game between two basic styles isn’t good.
> -Perks aren’t good.
> -<mark>Different ‘races’ are difficult to balance.</mark>
> -We shouldn’t expand upon loadouts before we even fix existing balance issues.
> -Ordnance is bad, even with just powerups. Every other person I fight in Infinity Slayer has an overshield, it’s annoying. Tends to make a massive snowball effect.
> -Halo 3 had a mediocre lineup of equipment. I’d rather see better designed equipment if it has to return.
> -Armor Abilities would be better off filling an equipment-like role instead.

Why not have it like Halo 3’s elites and spartans? I use to love being a elite in MM but now im limited to Invasion and Custom Games :frowning:

> Why not have it like Halo 3’s elites and spartans? I use to love being a elite in MM but now im limited to Invasion and Custom Games :frowning:

Silhouette differences.

At least a Spartan IV and a Spartan II can be made to have the same size and hitbox.

But anyways, if you give specific races different traits, it’s the same problem we encounter with loadouts. You have to make sure all races are balanced with each other.

> I really think that a compromise between classic and infinity that falls a decent amount closer to classic would be best.

Doubles / 4v4
Sprint Disabled
Fast base speed.

Big Team / 6v6 Skirmish
Sprint Enabled
Fast base speed.

From what I’ve seen most Infinity fans prefer big team to begin with.

> > This is a bad idea, all it does is split up the community even more. There needs to be a happy medium that most people will like, of course there will be some people who will still complain. Here, i will copy and paste someones idea:
> >
> > Personal ordinance gone
> > Loadouts stay but tweaked majorly
> > AA’s as map pickups except sprint
> > Mobility and all those gone
> > WELL DESIGNED MAPS, LOTS OF THEM
>
> I thought this in the beginning, but the Community who enjoy the Infinity gametypes are very small, just look at Halo 4’s population vs Reach or 3 a year later. Also, it’s not like there would be a bunch of gametypes in the Infinity playlist, just some basic alternatives like Slayer, Big Team, CTF, and a few other objective modes. Ranked would be available for competitive player and MLG, but would also include other non-loadout gametypes like SWAT, Team Snipers, and other alternate slayer gametypes. Community would contain gametypes like Grifball, Invasion, Flood, and more.

No, what they should do is have Ranked and Social playlists just like Halo 3. All the non-competitive playlists such as Infection and Griffball go into the Social playlist and the competitive playlists like Team Slayer and Lone Wolfs go into Ranked playlists. In ranked playlists you get XP and a skill level of 1-50, which shows how much of a skilled player you are and in social playlists you only get XP just like in Halo Reach. Oh and have Community for Custom Games searching.

> > Why not have it like Halo 3’s elites and spartans? I use to love being a elite in MM but now im limited to Invasion and Custom Games :frowning:
>
> Silhouette differences.
>
> At least a Spartan IV and a Spartan II can be made to have the same size and hitbox.
>
> But anyways, if you give specific races different traits, it’s the same problem we encounter with loadouts. You have to make sure all races are balanced with each other.
>
>
>
> > I really think that a compromise between classic and infinity that falls a decent amount closer to classic would be best.
>
> Doubles / 4v4
> Sprint Disabled
> Fast base speed.
>
> Big Team / 6v6 Skirmish
> Sprint Enabled
> Fast base speed.
>
> From what I’ve seen most Infinity fans prefer big team to begin with.

I really hope they have elites playable in all MM playlists while being balanced. Also for the second thing you said, read my other comments in this thread.

> > Why not have it like Halo 3’s elites and spartans? I use to love being a elite in MM but now im limited to Invasion and Custom Games :frowning:
>
> Silhouette differences.
>
> At least a Spartan IV and a Spartan II can be made to have the same size and hitbox.
>
> But anyways, if you give specific races different traits, it’s the same problem we encounter with loadouts. You have to make sure all races are balanced with each other.
>
>
>
> > I really think that a compromise between classic and infinity that falls a decent amount closer to classic would be best.
>
> Doubles / 4v4
> Sprint Disabled
> Fast base speed.
>
> Big Team / 6v6 Skirmish
> Sprint Enabled
> Fast base speed.
>
> From what I’ve seen most Infinity fans prefer big team to begin with.

100% fine with that setup. I understand why btb wants sprint. It makes much more sense for them to have it than 4v4 and smaller. As long as the two are presented evenly. Neither should have any indication that one is default and the other is different. This always creates problems because many get the mentality that one is not “the correct” way to play. Present them maybe like how they did minor and major clan match in h2. Both were different and yet neither were viewed as “not correct”.

> Why not have it like Halo 3’s elites and spartans? I use to love being a elite in MM but now im limited to Invasion and Custom Games :frowning:

That’s what I was proposing in the OP. The Spartan-II’s and the Elites would function the same way, like Halo 3, but Spartan-IV’s would work well in Invasion to make it like how it was in Reach where the two species varied. I also implemented them into Infinity to provide variety, since the playlists are already like that with the loadouts and whatnot.

> > Why not have it like Halo 3’s elites and spartans? I use to love being a elite in MM but now im limited to Invasion and Custom Games :frowning:
>
> That’s what I was proposing in the OP. The Spartan-II’s and the Elites would function the same way, like Halo 3, but Spartan-IV’s would work well in Invasion to make it like how it was in Reach where the two species varied. I also implemented them into Infinity to provide variety, since the playlists are already like that with the loadouts and whatnot.

Getting the Elites’ and Spartans’ hitboxes to be perfectly even isn’t really easy.

In Halo 3 Elites had their heads hunched forward, something Elite fans didn’t really like, and this resulted in their neck having a gap in it where bullets and grenades could pass through. However, were the hitbox to include the neck, then the Elite hitbox would be larger than the Spartans’.

Essentially to make everyone happy, you must create an Elite model without a hunched neck, perfectly equal area for both Spartan and Elite hitboxes, and not make the Elites look scaled down smaller than Spartans to equalize the hitboxes. It’s possible, but tricky. Let’s just hope 343i pulls it off without having some nasty catch along with it.

> > > Why not have it like Halo 3’s elites and spartans? I use to love being a elite in MM but now im limited to Invasion and Custom Games :frowning:
> >
> > That’s what I was proposing in the OP. The Spartan-II’s and the Elites would function the same way, like Halo 3, but Spartan-IV’s would work well in Invasion to make it like how it was in Reach where the two species varied. I also implemented them into Infinity to provide variety, since the playlists are already like that with the loadouts and whatnot.
>
> Getting the Elites’ and Spartans’ hitboxes to be perfectly even isn’t really easy.
>
> In Halo 3 Elites had their heads hunched forward, something Elite fans didn’t really like, and this resulted in their neck having a gap in it where bullets and grenades could pass through. However, were the hitbox to include the neck, then the Elite hitbox would be larger than the Spartans’.
>
> Essentially to make everyone happy, you must create an Elite model without a hunched neck, perfectly equal area for both Spartan and Elite hitboxes, and not make the Elites look scaled down smaller than Spartans to equalize the hitboxes. It’s possible, but tricky. Let’s just hope 343i pulls it off without having some nasty catch along with it.

That was an issue all the way back in Halo 3. Halo Xbox One will be coming out 7 years after 3’s release on a next-generation platform, meaning that Halo’s engine has evolved a lot since then. I’m sure that they’ll be able to do it properly. Also, wasn’t this issue assessed and fixed in Halo: Reach?

> > > > Why not have it like Halo 3’s elites and spartans? I use to love being a elite in MM but now im limited to Invasion and Custom Games :frowning:
> > >
> > > That’s what I was proposing in the OP. The Spartan-II’s and the Elites would function the same way, like Halo 3, but Spartan-IV’s would work well in Invasion to make it like how it was in Reach where the two species varied. I also implemented them into Infinity to provide variety, since the playlists are already like that with the loadouts and whatnot.
> >
> > Getting the Elites’ and Spartans’ hitboxes to be perfectly even isn’t really easy.
> >
> > In Halo 3 Elites had their heads hunched forward, something Elite fans didn’t really like, and this resulted in their neck having a gap in it where bullets and grenades could pass through. However, were the hitbox to include the neck, then the Elite hitbox would be larger than the Spartans’.
> >
> > Essentially to make everyone happy, you must create an Elite model without a hunched neck, perfectly equal area for both Spartan and Elite hitboxes, and not make the Elites look scaled down smaller than Spartans to equalize the hitboxes. It’s possible, but tricky. Let’s just hope 343i pulls it off without having some nasty catch along with it.
>
> That was an issue all the way back in Halo 3. Halo Xbox One will be coming out 7 years after 3’s release on a next-generation platform, meaning that Halo’s engine has evolved a lot since then. I’m sure that they’ll be able to do it properly. Also, wasn’t this issue assessed and fixed in Halo: Reach?

The engine has absolutely nothing to do with this issue, that’s irrelevant.

No, this issue was never fixed. Halo Reach made Elites larger than Spartans, and also gave them many gameplay differences, the Hitboxes weren’t equal at all. Shrinking down the Reach Elite model has been proposed as an idea to fix this, but it’s unsure how that would actually look and work ingame.