Before anyone says “No it isn’t!” --hear me out on this, ok?
Secondly, if you think my scenarios are implausible, my post on Page 4, five posts up from the bottom, is for you. Remember that these scenarios are an attempt to find a way in which Sprint alters the tactical situation–nothing else.
- Let’s first consider a hypothetical scenario–a 1v1 match with, where players start off with only infinite sprint, and melee. No weapons. No other Spartan abilites. Just the ability–or option–to sprint for an infinite period of time, and melee, in addition to the standard movement mechanics. I should also note that the map they are playing on has no cover, and that you are unable to use ranged weapons whilst sprinting. One more thing, until stated otherwise, Sprint does not affect shields.
- The battle can either be delayed indefinitely [scenario 4] or both players can go on the offensive. Sprint is useless in this scenario–the outcome of the battle is decided by who can get their two accurate melee strikes in first. Both players need to be within melee range for there to be a battle.2) Now, let’s alter the scenario so we have temporary sprint. Everything else is the same as scenario #1.
- Player A sprints away from Player B. Player B chases. The distance between Player A and B increases initially, but then Player A’s sprint runs out. Player B closes in on Player A, but then their sprint runs out. No change in tactical situation. Sprint is useless in this scenario.3) Now, let’s alter the scenario further. Both players are now also equipped with a ranged weapon–let’s say a BR. In this scenario, sprint is still temporary.
- Player B shoots at Player A. Player A refuses to fight, and sprints away, with their shields damaged. Player B laughs, continues shooting Player A, and Player A dies.- Or–Player A turns around and sprints towards Player B, hoping to get into melee range. Player B flees using sprint. Both players’ sprint runs out eventually. At this point, any number of things can happen. Player A can decide to stop sprinting towards Player B and start shooting, or Player B can stop, turn around, and risk Player A getting into melee range. The situation has reverted back to square one. Nothing changed as a result of using sprint.4) Now, if sprint was infinite in the above scenario, we could have something completely ridiculous happen.
- Once both players start sprinting, they may decide never to stop. The match would end with zero kills on either side. Otherwise the results would be exactly the same as scenario 3.5) Now we have the scenario where sprint is tied into shields, like it is in Halo 5.
- Player A shoots at Player B, then charges at them with sprint. Regardless of whether or not Player B sprints away or fights, Player A’s shields will not recover whilst sprinting. Player A dies faster than in scenario 3.6) What about being able to shoot whilst sprinting? Maybe the accuracy of the weapon could just be reduced?
- Nope. If the weapon accuracy is reduced too much, then its not effective to fire the weapon. If the weapon accuracy is affected too little, then Player B’s only choice is to charge towards Player A and bash in Player A’s skull–Player A sprinting would completely nerf Player B’s ranged weapon [the BR, remember?].7) Okay, so one other thing to change. Add in cover to the map. What happens if sprint is or isn’t available?
- Well, if Player A decides that they need cover, they would use sprint to get behind cover.- If sprint was not available, they would simply move towards the nearest cover, and get there a little later. But player B would also get to Player A’s location a little later, too.- If sprint was tied into shields and Player A and B had the option of using sprint or not, then at best Player A resets the battle to square one, and at worst Player A is at a disadvantage as soon as they start Sprinting. [See page 6, post 8 for the full scenario]So, what does Sprint actually do? Remember, in all of the above scenarios the players were on equal footing. There were no teammates and no other Spartan abilities they could use to alter the situation. If Sprint requires one Player to make a strategic mistake for it to alter the tactical situation, then the mistake altered the situation, not Sprint. In order for Sprint to be useful, it needs to be able to improve a Player’s situation. If it can’t do that when players are on equal footing, then it isn’t useful in combat at all.
- I’d just like to reiterate my point with scenario #6. If a short burst of speed is used by Player B to close the gap and melee Player A, then all other starting conditions being equal, Player A would also melee Player B. Both players would receive an equal amount of damage, and the situation is not altered at all.Alright, let’s now think of a non-offensive and non-defensive situation in which Sprint could be useful.
- Sprint is helpful for traversing large maps.
- So are vehicles. Vehicles have guns. Big ones. Vehicles are better than sprint. *Vehicles splatter sprinters.*2) Sprint is helpful for rushing in to save a teammate.
- No it isn’t. Observation skills and teamwork are helpful for saving teammates. If you let your teammate get too far away from you, it doesn’t matter if you have Sprint or not. You won’t be able to save them. All that changes if Sprint is present in the game is that you can allow teammates to get further away from you. Map sizes tend to increase as a result.As far as I can tell, there is no gameplay scenario [aside from SWAT] where any form of Sprint is useful, when all other factors are equal. Sprint is only useful if one player has it and another player does not.
A couple of other points: Thruster pack is another form of Sprint. So is Lunge [with an energy sword or when meleeing]. So is Slide. So is the Spartan Charge. These specialized Sprint varieties have far more uses than Sprint. The definition of Sprint is to move at top speed over a short distance. Infinite Sprint does not fit this definition.
- Thruster pack is more useful than Sprint. It is used for evasion in combat–dodging a lunge, for instance.- Slide is more useful than Sprint. It is used for dodging a bullet and getting into cover quickly.- Charge isn’t that useful. I’d like to see it tied in with being stuck with a grenade, or dropping all weapons and going beserk like a Suicide Grunt or Brute.- Lunge is actually a quick gap closer, to make melee more useful when against ranged weapons.Finally, for those who complain that Spartans are slow and never run. Spartans are moving very fast all the time. Marines–normal humans–are a lot slower than you. Play Sierra 117 on Halo 3 for the best example–but any Halo game with Marines will do–also note Thomas Lasky’s walking pace on the Mammoth.
Edit: FYI, Bungie made Marathon before Halo. Marathon is an FPS with a Sprint mechanic. Obviously, Bungie decided that sprint was not required for Halo CE.
As far as I’m concerned, Sprint in Halo is a little less useful than a Traffic cone or a Forklift. It doesn’t need to be there. But at least getting a kill with a Forklift or Traffic Cone is funny. Sprint isn’t. It’s just sort of…there, not doing anything. Whatever. I’ve said my piece. Ideas? Opinions? Other facts I missed? Discuss.
