Specifics of How Specializations Work

Games Other Halo
1

I know this will be coming in the bulletin tomorrow, but I just wanted to lay out how I think specializations work and where I am slightly confused.

  1. You choose (enlist) in a specialization once, globally, and earn XP to rank up within this specialization.

  2. Once you reach level 10 of your specialization you unlock an “armor mod” that can be applied to any of your laodouts, at which point you can re-enlist in another specialization.

This is the point where I become confused, we already know about how loadouts work in Halo 4:

Primary Weapons
Secondary Weapon
Grenades
Armor Ability
Tactical Package
Support Upgrade

So will the “armor mod” we unlock with our specialization be group into either tactical packages or support upgrades? Or will it be a completely separate mod that is applied to our load outs in addition to tactical packages and support upgrades?

I am starting to lean towards the later, as it has been said that only ONE armor mod can be used at a time. So logic follows that if you had a mod that was grouped into the tactical packages, and another that was grouped with the support upgrades, you would not be able to use both. Yes, they could technically have some kind message pop up if you tried to apply both saying you could not, but to me that seems like very sloppy UX design.

So if that holds true it means that we are going to have three separate mod areas for our Spartan IV’s:

Tactical Packages
Support Upgrades
Armor Mods

Which is surprising to me, as it seems like a lot of mods to have for one player.

A third possibility also exists, wherein all of the “armor mods” earned from specializations only go into one category, either tactical packages or support upgrades. This way you would still only be able to apply one “armor mod” at a time, and it would make for a little less craziness when it comes to configuring loadouts.

However, I could be completely wrong and 343 might be going another way with it, either way I will be very interested to read the bulletin tomorrow. If anything I hope it clarifies wether armor mods from specializations are going to be sorted into Tactical Packages, Support Upgrades, or their own separate category.

tl;dr
do the armor mods you earn from specializations go into the Tactical Packages or Support Upgrades in loadouts, or are they their own separate category?

2

Its like when you are smuthered with gifts you dont need. Keep aa’s and specializations, I wouldnt care if they got rid of them

3

Minolta you should make more RUL videos :slight_smile:

4

> Minolta you should make more RUL videos :slight_smile:

thanks, I actually have one coming up but the release of this specialization info means I have to revise it haha.

5

they are they’re own thing not either package

6

> they are they’re own thing not either package

Has this been confirmed somewheres? I ran through David Ellis’s twitter along with some other sources, I havent checked GAF yet, can you provide a link?

7

You know, strangely enough, I just got seriously reminded of Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Specifically their 3 soul system. One purely offensive soul, one support soul, and one passive soul.

Halo 4 will probably be like this. Weapons/Grenades for offense, Armor Abilities/Ordnance Drop for support, and Specializations for passive.

Woah, wait a tick. I think I know what they’re doing here. They might be trying to create another triangle to supplement the Weapons/Grenades/Melee triangle that has always been present in Halo. Triangles within triangles… OMG, if they built on this some more with Halo 5, they might have really struck gold here. But who knows for sure besides 343, eh?

8

> You know, strangely enough, I just got seriously reminded of Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Specifically their 3 soul system. One purely offensive soul, one support soul, and one passive soul.
>
> Halo 4 will probably be like this. Weapons/Grenades for offense, Armor Abilities/Ordnance Drop for support, and Specializations for passive.
>
> Woah, wait a tick. I think I know what they’re doing here. They might be trying to create another triangle to supplement the Weapons/Grenades/Melee triangle that has always been present in Halo. Triangles within triangles… OMG, if they built on this some more with Halo 5, they might have really struck gold here. But who knows for sure besides 343, eh?

TRIANGLECEPTION

9

> > they are they’re own thing not either package
>
> Has this been confirmed somewheres? I ran through David Ellis’s twitter along with some other sources, I havent checked GAF yet, can you provide a link?

I’m just assuming, i don’t think they would take over one, though it could happen.

10

> > > they are they’re own thing not either package
> >
> > Has this been confirmed somewheres? I ran through David Ellis’s twitter along with some other sources, I havent checked GAF yet, can you provide a link?
>
> I’m just assuming, i don’t think they would take over one, though it could happen.

Yes that is possible, although I still think that would be a little too many mods/packages/perks/whatever.

11

The “mod” is going to be a tactical package or a support package(don’t know which one will be.).

It will take up one of those 2, limiting them further. Your loadout is still:

PRIMARY
SECONDARY
GRENADE
ARMOR ABILITY
TAC.PACK
SUP.PACK

You do not need to use the armor set and skin the spec gives to use them. Feel free to mix and match your armor like normal.

I found the info on a site, littleenglishhalo, or something similar. With quotes on neogaf backing up the info.

12

> The “mod” is going to be a tactical package or a support package(don’t know which one will be.).
>
> It will take up one of those 2, limiting them further. Your loadout is still:
>
> PRIMARY
> SECONDARY
> GRENADE
> ARMOR ABILITY
> TAC.PACK
> SUP.PACK
>
> You do not need to use the armor set and skin the spec gives to use them. Feel free to mix and match your armor like normal.
>
> I found the info on a site, littleenglishhalo, or something similar. With quotes on neogaf backing up the info.

Yeah I have seen that on GAF, the thing that confuses me is that Ellis said you could only use one of the specialization armor mods at a time, if they were in both tac and sup you could technically use two.

13

> > they are they’re own thing not either package
>
> Has this been confirmed somewheres? I ran through David Ellis’s twitter along with some other sources, I havent checked GAF yet, can you provide a link?

No, it has not. Intact the opposite was actually confirmed.

All the “Specializations” does for you is unlock more armor and either a new Tactical Pacage or Support Package… Ellis tweeted it.

14

> > The “mod” is going to be a tactical package or a support package(don’t know which one will be.).
> >
> > It will take up one of those 2, limiting them further. Your loadout is still:
> >
> > PRIMARY
> > SECONDARY
> > GRENADE
> > ARMOR ABILITY
> > TAC.PACK
> > SUP.PACK
> >
> > You do not need to use the armor set and skin the spec gives to use them. Feel free to mix and match your armor like normal.
> >
> > I found the info on a site, littleenglishhalo, or something similar. With quotes on neogaf backing up the info.
>
> Yeah I have seen that on GAF, the thing that confuses me is that Ellis said you could only use one of the specialization armor mods at a time, if they were in both tac and sup you could technically use two.

True… So maybe, they’re only going to be in one they just aren’t saying which one yet…

15

> > The “mod” is going to be a tactical package or a support package(don’t know which one will be.).
> >
> > It will take up one of those 2, limiting them further. Your loadout is still:
> >
> > PRIMARY
> > SECONDARY
> > GRENADE
> > ARMOR ABILITY
> > TAC.PACK
> > SUP.PACK
> >
> > You do not need to use the armor set and skin the spec gives to use them. Feel free to mix and match your armor like normal.
> >
> > I found the info on a site, littleenglishhalo, or something similar. With quotes on neogaf backing up the info.
>
> Yeah I have seen that on GAF, the thing that confuses me is that Ellis said you could only use one of the specialization armor mods at a time, if they were in both tac and sup you could technically use two.

I think he meant you can only work on them one at a time. I didn’t see anything that you can’t use certain combinations.

The only thing restricted I know is that you can’t work on 2 different specs at 1 time.

16

> > they are they’re own thing not either package
>
> Has this been confirmed somewheres? I ran through David Ellis’s twitter along with some other sources, I havent checked GAF yet, can you provide a link?

i asked him on there my self before seeing this because i havent seen any proof of it being said and im really hoping its not true

17

> > > The “mod” is going to be a tactical package or a support package(don’t know which one will be.).
> > >
> > > It will take up one of those 2, limiting them further. Your loadout is still:
> > >
> > > PRIMARY
> > > SECONDARY
> > > GRENADE
> > > ARMOR ABILITY
> > > TAC.PACK
> > > SUP.PACK
> > >
> > > You do not need to use the armor set and skin the spec gives to use them. Feel free to mix and match your armor like normal.
> > >
> > > I found the info on a site, littleenglishhalo, or something similar. With quotes on neogaf backing up the info.
> >
> > Yeah I have seen that on GAF, the thing that confuses me is that Ellis said you could only use one of the specialization armor mods at a time, if they were in both tac and sup you could technically use two.
>
> I think he meant you can only work on them one at a time. I didn’t see anything that you can’t use certain combinations.
>
> The only thing restricted I know is that you can’t work on 2 different specs at 1 time.

That could be true, I assumed he meant the specialization armor mod, it would just seem really powerful to combine some of these mods.

18

> > > > The “mod” is going to be a tactical package or a support package(don’t know which one will be.).
> > > >
> > > > It will take up one of those 2, limiting them further. Your loadout is still:
> > > >
> > > > PRIMARY
> > > > SECONDARY
> > > > GRENADE
> > > > ARMOR ABILITY
> > > > TAC.PACK
> > > > SUP.PACK
> > > >
> > > > You do not need to use the armor set and skin the spec gives to use them. Feel free to mix and match your armor like normal.
> > > >
> > > > I found the info on a site, littleenglishhalo, or something similar. With quotes on neogaf backing up the info.
> > >
> > > Yeah I have seen that on GAF, the thing that confuses me is that Ellis said you could only use one of the specialization armor mods at a time, if they were in both tac and sup you could technically use two.
> >
> > I think he meant you can only work on them one at a time. I didn’t see anything that you can’t use certain combinations.
> >
> > The only thing restricted I know is that you can’t work on 2 different specs at 1 time.
>
> That could be true, I assumed he meant the specialization armor mod, it would just seem really powerful to combine some of these mods.

if he did mean it like that it would be stupid because they know everyone would use them instead of the packages it replaced

19

Look at watch each of the specialization’s armor mods DO. They easily fall into the Tac/Support categories based on their actual function. Tactical packs are more offensively oriented, allowing you to customize your setup to be offensively effective in the way you want to be. Support packs are defensively oriented, in order to complement your positioning choices and how you interface with the battlefield. So then the armor mod that the specialization gives you would go into the particular category based on what its purpose is.

A little common sense would go miles around here…

20

> Look at watch each of the specialization’s armor mods DO. They easily fall into the Tac/Support categories based on their actual function. Tactical packs are more offensively oriented, allowing you to customize your setup to be offensively effective in the way you want to be. Support packs are defensively oriented, in order to complement your positioning choices and how you interface with the battlefield. So then the armor mod that the specialization gives you would go into the particular category based on what its purpose is.
>
> A little common sense would go miles around here…

Come on now, that isn’t fair, if you only offer two categories then of course these things will either fall into one or the other. This would be like you telling me that a color is either red, or yellow, and that orange could not possibly exist between the two. You can’t ignore the fact that there could be a third category for the armor mods, or that it may be different to some other varying degree.

I mean I understand Occam’s Razor could apply here but this is a discussion and I dont think you are making any less assumptions than we are.