Players Can’t Fight Back: Problem w/ bullet spread

Games Halo 5: Guardians
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Players Can’t Fight Back: The problem with bullet spread and reduced aim-assist.

First of all, thank you 343 for producing such an early beta. This sort of look into the game so far ahead of launch has been very interesting, as it has allowed in-depth analysis of the game (in its current form).

The changing bullet spread with/without Smart-Link produces an unwanted alteration in the emergent gameplay, especially when in combination with the reduced aim-assist.
At first, I loved the Halo 5 build, as things are. Playing was lots of fun, taking advantage of the new movement mechanics and other aspects of the sandbox. I’m happy with the AI callouts, the art design, the thrilling speed of gameplay, and the willingness the devs had in making changes compared to previous Halo titles. However, as you play more games and are matched against more skilled enemies that tease out the nuances of the game, a frustrating reality becomes apparent: changes to the aiming mechanics have significantly and detrimentally impacted the core Halo firefight style, which has had us hooked us for over a decade.

The reason has to do the nature of Smart-Link and auto-aim at the moment. Smart-Link is very cool, cosmetically. It’s in the extended universe, so it makes sense to introduce it to game. When we all first saw the mechanic, the community erupted with a negative reaction, which was quelled by a statement that there would be no penalty for aiming without Smart-Link. This would make Smart-Link a new, -Yoink!- zoom available with all weapons, which is actually not a bad idea at all. But, that is now clearly not the case. When aiming with Smart-Link, most weapons are significantly more accurate—a stark step away from the history of Halo mechanics (any changing spread was largely unnoticeable).

The issue with the Halo 5: Guardians build we played is that whoever gets the first shot has a disproportionate advantage. In a BR battle, the initial shot/s fired by the player instigating an encounter will be made using Smart-Link, during which they have better spread on these shots. This tightened spread causes better damage on the opposing player. This player under fire, however, cannot use Smart-Link because they’re being kicked out of it constantly by the impact of their opponent’s bullets. As such, their shots when fighting back will be more spread out and more will miss their target, causing reduced damage in comparison. So while the initial shooter is now being kicked out of Smart-Link too, the damage has already been done. They’ve landed one/two clean headshots thanks to the tightened spread, and the other player cannot fight back from the deficit faced due to weaker nature of return fire.

Even more worryingly, this problem has been exacerbated by the reduced aim-assist for normal firing. Console shooters have a slight aim-assist when you’re aiming near a player’s head. This aid is necessary due to the nature of playing with a controller providing a bit of a challenge in terms of maintaining marksman-like precision with every shot. Halo titles have always had aim-assist, but the H5 build we played has noticeably lower aim-assist compared to previous Halo titles. As such, keeping your crosshairs over the helmet of an enemy player has become even harder. My guess is that this was done because they’re expecting players to aim with Smart-Link/zoom more, in which your target will be larger. Because of this, to get headshots you really want to be aiming down the sights. However, you cannot aim with Smart-Link if you did not land the first shots in a fight. This double whammy causes a compounding issue for the aiming mechanic.

Worryingly, this compounding issue has largely simmered, or even erased in some encounters, the nuanced BR/pistol dances that have come with previous titles. If you meet an enemy in an open area, the encounter will largely consist of an exchange of gunfire as you and your enemy try beat the other player to getting more successful headshots before the other. The problem at the moment is that if you don’t get the first shots you can’t fight back. The original shooter has the upper hand, as they’ve already landed shots on you with Smart-Link. You however are stuck unzoomed with weak shots, and you may not even be able to land headshots due to the erratic bullet spread and miniscule aim-assist. This is the same issue that people rightly said was the issue with flinch, with the player who gets shot first being relegated to using a wincing Spartan who doesn’t allow you to land headshots in response. This fear is now a reality with the dynamic spread and low aim-assist. The only reason I can think why there hasn’t been a massive uproar over this issue is that, while serious, it is also complex, and it may be something that is most noticeable when fighting skilled combatants, in which close matches that are decided by split seconds tease out such a nuanced problem. I know it took me a few hours of playing to notice, since nothing seems off in encounters in which you have no incoming fire to bother you.

Crucially, this isn’t some hasty plea for a sip at the cup of nostalgia. Rather, it is a discussion on how these changes simply create a different sort of gameplay—one that is more dependent on who lands the first shot, rather than who can outplay during the extent of an exchange of shots. That sort of gameplay at times feels oddly reminiscent of a game of tag, and it will ultimately fall stale overtime, as it lacks the depth and nuance of the BR, DMR, or pistol dances of past games—battles that feel as though they can end with either combatant on top. That thought of “if I would have been just a little more precise with my second shot, I would have had him” is what pulls us back even after a loss. The gameplay at the moment produces more of a “Ah, he got the jump on me, so I didn’t get to use Smart-Link and fight back” sensation, which is definitely not what the devs intended. It’s more frustrating than fun, because it makes the player feel like each death wasn’t as much in their own control.

Other than this, Halo 5 currently is a beautiful game. The art direction is impeccable. 343’s interest in fostering competitive Halo is fantastic to see. The fast-paced movement mechanics are inspired. The audio throughout absolutely blows me away. As such, if spread is made equal between normal firing and Smart-Link and normal firing aim-assist is returned to normal levels, the gameplay will be phenomenal, and the game will have the potential of rising beyond any feasible expectations—all with just some minor changes.

TL;DR: Bullet spread is significantly worse when not using Smart-Link, preventing players from being able to fight back if they don’t land the first shots. Furthermore, this disadvantage is amplified due to the reduced aim-assist. This produces a significant detriment to gameplay.

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Extraneous notes:

As an aside, I would argue that any other change sited as some reason why the beta doesn’t “feel like Halo” is a red herring. These changes discussed here altered what Halo is at its most distilled form: the shooting. Everything else (i.e. changes to Spartan mobility) is packaging around that core. With that in mind, I really hope we can place a worthy amount of focus on this issue (while not ignoring other good, important points that have been made).

Also, I chose to ignore the issue with the disadvantage of using the classic controls, in which trigger zoom automatically engages Smart-Link as soon as possible (tightening shots before a stick-zoom user can). This is because this issue would be diminished significantly if spread and aim-assist are fixed. Also, this basic button layout issue has been brought up elsewhere, but this does provide a course of action to reduce the issue.

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The aim assist is technically lower, but the bullet magnetism has been increased to account for all the new mechanisms. Halo was not built from the ground up as a twitch-aim and spray shooter. All the mechanisms in Halo 5 come from twitch-aim and spray shooters. If you had a chance to look at your head shot stats, it seems like everyone is at an astronomical percentage. That is another reason why its harder to fight back if you are hit first.

Another issue that makes honest combat engagements a little more shallow is the fact that strafing effectiveness has been reduced. I didn’t say useless, I said the effectiveness has been reduced. This is due to the slower base movement speed and bullet magnetism to account for some of the new mechanisms in place. This also contributes to it being more difficult to fight back.

You alluded to Halo’s core being focused on shooting. And while you are partially right, it goes beyond just the unique type of gunplay. Halo has always been a game that is mainly based on steady aim and shot-making consistency. Traditionally in Halo, there were also principles that governed gameplay to make sure everything felt natural and balanced.

There was no ADS that encourages people at a casual level to consistently pop in and out of zoom. Traditional zoom allowed you to zoom in, but it didn’t encourage someone to zoom in at close range because it felt slightly uncomfortable. Most of the weapons in Halo 5 encourage you to ADS. Besides the functionality of the weapon, I oppose the idea of including ADS and iron-sights in a game like Halo for philosophical reasons. Philosophically its only being added to make gamers have a sense of familiarity to other FPS games. That isn’t the way to go. Why not innovate on top of a mechanic that was unique amongst console shooters? Why take that which is unique and homogenize it into something that looks like every other game?

Halo always had potential as an arena shooter depending on the map (1-3). The mechanics allowed for it. Halo provided the ability to shoot while moving at all times. Running With Guns Down breaks the fluidity of gameplay as well. This is a no-no in arena shooters. In Halo 5, no one is going to challenge you to a 1v1 after raging following a defeat. It would feel awkward, forced and unnatural. In past Halo games there was always that classic arena element where 1v1, 2v2 were possible. There is a reason why in games like TF, COD, etc…you don’t challenge someone to a duel. Its just silly. I am not talking about an elimination style match where the game starts with a bunch of people and ends 1v1, I am talking about 1v1 period.

The biggest problem is that its all these mechanisms are being thrown in at once. 343 is trying their best to balance it, but its just unnatural. There are some underlying gameplay issues that aren’t noticed with the naked eye at first, but over time become exposed. There is a reason why its harder to fight back in a game like Halo 5. There is a reason why strafe is less effective. Its because the new mechanisms in Halo 5 do not naturally flow with Halo gameplay as we know it. Its a fundamental issue, not just personal preference. The unnaturalness of it will also turn off non-Halo casual gamers. In casual games matches will be a hot-mess. You might put the controller down and say, “that was intense”…but its a lot more shallow of an experience compared to the tactical gameplay of past Halo games on a casual level. But all the specific mechanisms being used also feel smoother and more natural in the twitch-aim and spray style of shooter.

I wish 343 tried to be inspired through games like Counter-Strike or other traditional arena shooters on PC, rather than looking towards the console scene with COD, Titanfall, etc. Maybe then the mechanisms would work on a fundamental level. Even though early Halo was a different kind of arena shooter than the traditional ones, at least there were similar principles at the foundation of gameplay. Similarities can be drawn to CS due to it also being a non-ADS shooter. But others on the forum have mentioned that many of the developers working on Halo once coded for COD. So maybe that is one of the issues why they are going down that route.

343’s direction with Halo seems to be targeting an over-saturated market on consoles. Its beginning to feel like just another shooter. It hurts me to say.

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@Eighncient:

That is a very intelligent look into the issue with the gameplay. It’s still very hard to get headshots without aiming down the sights/smart-link, though. It seems very easy to get headshots aiming down the sights though, due to that bullet magnetism. This would exacerbate the issues I mentioned.

Aiming down the sights all the time definitely does feel off for the reasons you mentioned. Running around with my Smart-Link on, so that I can get the first shot, feels awkward. It also doesn’t make for fast, fluid gameplay, either. So yeah, I definitely like what you’re saying. I have a feeling 343 may not be open to completely reverting Halo 5: Guardians back to classic halo shooting mechanics, but I am hoping they’ll be open to fixing the bullet spread disparity between normal firing and Smart-Link.

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Thats why I am saying the modern Halo is going to have to cull the 3 shot burst precision rifle. If they want to keep the Battle Rifle they will need to make it function just like the Reach DMR. I say just scratch them both and make something generic like that other thread suggested single shot RECON RIFLE.

People claim its mostly magnetism but id like to believe this Br thing wont work anymore. Both Brs in halo 4/5 are EZMODE to 4 shot.

The accuracy a single shot gun gives when you shoot at an enemy without sticky aim(red reticle/crosshair) is the most balanced. I mean you can even test this in halo 5, DMR battles were noticeably more competitive than BR battles

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I’ve been able to get plenty of “reversals” using the mobility options Halo 5 provides (often for mid-range encounters). On that note: please increase base speed. Making strafing more effective would help the “who shoots first” scenario. As for smart-scope increasing accuracy, zooming in past Halos shared that same function - although to a lesser extent. I’d say this problem is more apparent for the automatic weapons, since range and accuracy increases drastically when using their smart scope, and they are just generally easier to use. See, when I think of random… I think of the Halo 3 BR. The spread on that thing was cringe worthy. It would be cool to see a video comparing each of the games’ aim assist and bullet magnetism when scoped/unscoped. Honestly, in a perfect world, I could see this as a major problem. However, during a match, dozens of mistakes are made. People choke, miss shots, get angry. To me, this is a case of letting human nature balance these things out. That’s not to say changes shouldn’t be made, though. I’d love to see base speed increased for a start.

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> 2533274794648158;6:
> As for smart-scope increasing accuracy, zooming in past Halos shared that same function - although to a lesser extent.

What? Not even close. The difference between the zoom and no zoom was minor, in terms of bullet spread. Like, you had to get some people to stand still and do slight changes to figure it out. In Halo 5 is debilitating. Also, Halo 3 had reasonable aim-assist, so you could still land headshots when kicked out of zoom. You can’t now. It needs to be fixed.

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Since it was mentioned, I uploaded the quick clip I made of the BR spread in the beta. It was done at very close range, but it’s still significant. From further distances, the disparity is even more noticeable, but it was kind of hard to do in a matchmaking game.

The video’s on OneDrive at: http://1drv.ms/1yPRjwk