The Appeal Of Equipment

Games Halo 5: Guardians
1

I want to talk about why equipment appeals to me and why I think Armor Abilities should become equipment in Halo 5.
Equipment was close to perfect in my opinion. I never really found it to be overpowered, and it respected the gameplay principles that Halo had established.

If you are a fan of AA’s and don’t quite understand the appeal of equipment, then please read on…

The Adrenaline Rush
I still remember running for the Bubble shield on Valhalla and getting that horrible (but awesome) feeling that I was going to be sniped or lasered before I could reach it. Then I would get it and it would be such an adrenaline rush and such a relief to know I was safe.
You just don’t get that with AA’s. If only they could be on the map and you had an adventure and a bit of risk to get to them.
You would also appreciate them more as they would be limited and only a one time use.

Imagine, for example, that autosentry was on top of the hill in Ragnarok as a pickup. You could run to it, deploy it quickly and then run to cover, getting ready to shoot the enemies as they approached.
It would be an adrenaline rush to know that someone was possibly running to do the same thing.

Balance and Competitiveness
From a competitive point of view, equipment is more balanced and created opportunity for more skill to be used.
When equipment is placed on the maps, only one player can have each individual equipment at a time, whereas with AA’s, everyone will have something at all times.
In this sense, the benefit of equipment is that players will have to fight for it, which creates more room for competitiveness.

Give Me That! That’s My Equipment!

Another cool thing about equipment is that you can chase a player that has taken something that you wanted to get. It’s that lighthearted competitiveness that I love. GRR GIVE ME BACK MY TRIP MINE!
Just another thing that AA’s don’t allow for, there’s a sense of vulnerability and protectiveness that is lost when you know you will always have it.

Value vs Variety
With equipment, there will be less people using it throughout the game, meaning less chaos. I hate to use this example over and over, but think Team Rockets vs Team Slayer on a map that has Rockets on it.
How much more do you value the Rockets when you have picked them up in a normal Slayer game, than you do in Team Rockets? Well, compare that with Armor Abilities, and is it any wonder that they are so unappreciated as they are? Think of the potential.

I know that one of the reasons people have for liking AA’s as loadouts, is that there is more variety in the gameplay when everyone is using different AA’s all the time.
I think of the gameplay as more colourful in this way, just as Fiesta is naturally more colourful than Slayer, or slightly more colourful than Infinity.
But on the other hand, we have the higher value that we give to equipment due to it not making an appearance during almost every encounter. As people in favour of equipment over AA’s, we appreciate this ‘value’ aspect far more than any variety that AA’s create for the game.

Map Movement
Another positive gameplay element which equipment encourages, is map movement. In order to get to the equipment, we have to safely make our way there. It’s like a little adventure filled with possible risks along the way (as I mentioned earlier). Going for the equipment moves people around the maps in ways that are not encouraged as much with AA’s. You don’t have to plan a journey somewhere if you have it by default.

Customize Your Game Plan
This is something that isn’t often talked about, but is something that happens in my head which made Halo more fun for me.
With weapons, powerups and equipment placed on the maps, you get to plan your game as you are waiting to get started. You can say to yourself (or your team), “right, first I’m going to follow this route and do these jumps to quickly get to ability x, then I’m going to run to the base and get in position to defend…”
It’s fun to have a little plan and to see how it works out, and you can always come up with new plans in your head to see how well they work.
Map pickups only work to enhance that side of Halo. You could almost say they they create more “customization” options for your game plan.

Creativity
The final advantage I believe that equipment has over AA’s is that, due to appearing more rarely during encounters and having to be fought for, it would give 343 the opportunity to be far more creative with the equipment.
They wouldn’t have to be worrying about balance in exactly the same way as with AA’s. They wouldn’t be as restricted with what they can do with equipment.
In the future, I would like to see abilities/equipment be taken to new levels that we haven’t seen before. I want new toys to play with and I don’t want them to be limited to what will work as loadouts.
As much as people like to think that keeping AA’s as loadouts will be more new and fresh for Halo, I really think that in order to move forward and go to new places, they need to first be put back on the maps.

I hope this gives a good idea of why I believe equipment/map pickups are a better option for the future Halo games.

2

I always thought equipment should be implemented in a similar way to grenades. Allowing you to pick up 2 or more of an item at a time. I can see no problem with having for example 2 regen fields equipped if they worked similar to the AA in H4. The hardlight shield could be integrated in a similar way to deployable cover in H3 just you could maybe carry 2 or so…

Items like the Jetpack, Promethean vision and Invisibility as well would work much better as power up pick ups with limited usage.

3

There could be both one-use and multi-use equipment. That’d still be balanced.

4

> I always thought equipment should be implemented in a similar way to grenades. Allowing you to pick up 2 or more of an item at a time. I can see no problem with having for example 2 regen fields equipped if they worked similar to the AA in H4. The hardlight shield could be integrated in a similar way to deployable cover in H3 just you could maybe carry 2 or so…
>
> Items like the Jetpack, Promethean vision and Invisibility as well would work much better as power up pick ups with limited usage.

I guess this would be your way of adding to the variety of gameplay without people starting with AA’s?
It sounds a lot more appealing to me than what we have now, but not quite as appealing as the system in Halo 3.

5

> There could be both one-use and multi-use equipment. That’d still be balanced.

Yeah definitely, that’s what I would like to see.

Things like Bubble Shield (if it is to return) could be a one time use, while something like a Jetpack pickup could have maybe 3 or 4 uses?

6

“Please don’t snipe me please don’t snipe me please don’t…”

picks up bubble shield

“Ha! Now what!? I am temporarily un-snipable!”

I love the bubble shield.

> Things like Bubble Shield (if it is to return) could be a one time use, while something like a Jetpack pickup could have maybe 3 or 4 uses?

I definitely agree on the bubble shield being one time use.

However, things like the Jetpack I see having a set amount of fuel rather than a specific number of uses. I think if we took the amount of fuel in the Jetpack in Halo 4 and reduced it by about 25%, that would be a reasonably good length of time that one could use it until it is depleted.

In this way, if you second-guessed yourself a couple times after starting to use the Jetpack, you would still have a decent amount fuel left as opposed to using up a charge by simply activating it.

7

> “Please don’t snipe me please don’t snipe me please don’t…”
>
> picks up bubble shield
>
> “Ha! Now what!? I am temporarily un-snipable!”
>
> I love the bubble shield.

Haha that’s how it works!

> I definitely agree on the bubble shield being one time use.
>
> However, things like the Jetpack I see having a set amount of fuel rather than a specific number of uses. I think if we took the amount of fuel in the Jetpack in Halo 4 and reduced it by about 25%, that would be a reasonably good length of time that one could use it until it is depleted.
>
> In this way, if you second-guessed yourself a couple times after starting to use the Jetpack, you would still have a decent amount fuel left as opposed to using up a charge by simply activating it.

Yeah I mean exactly the same thing! I just didn’t word it specifically enough.

When I say Jetpack could have a number of uses, I mean that it should have enough fuel to allow for a number of uses, and I use “3 or 4” just as an example of how many it might allow for on average.

8

> > I always thought equipment should be implemented in a similar way to grenades. Allowing you to pick up 2 or more of an item at a time. I can see no problem with having for example 2 regen fields equipped if they worked similar to the AA in H4. The hardlight shield could be integrated in a similar way to deployable cover in H3 just you could maybe carry 2 or so…
> >
> > Items like the Jetpack, Promethean vision and Invisibility as well would work much better as power up pick ups with limited usage.
>
> I guess this would be your way of adding to the variety of gameplay without people starting with AA’s?
> It sounds a lot more appealing to me than what we have now, but not quite as appealing as the system in Halo 3.

Bungie implemented AAs because Equipment items were being underuse in their eyes. People would hold on to them until the perfect moment, and ultimately would often never find them selves in that perfect situation and would never use them. So they went to the complete opposite side of the spectrum and implemented AAs. Equipment you can spam all you want, all the time, off spawn. A bad move in my eyes. All they really needed to do is allow you to carry a couple more at once.

9

> Bungie implemented AAs because Equipment items were being underuse in their eyes. People would hold on to them until the perfect moment, and ultimately would often never find them selves in that perfect situation and would never use them. So they went to the complete opposite side of the spectrum and implemented AAs. Equipment you can spam all you want, all the time, off spawn. A bad move in my eyes. All they really needed to do is allow you to carry a couple more at once.

I don’t fully agree that equipment wasn’t being used enough, but I agree 100% that if its use in game is going to be increased, it should be done in the way that you have suggested.

I can’t see much harm in your suggestion to be honest, and it would add that “variety” to the gameplay which AA fans say they love.
Of course, there might need to be a little more equipment on the maps than there were in Halo 3, for this to fully work.

10

> > > I always thought equipment should be implemented in a similar way to grenades. Allowing you to pick up 2 or more of an item at a time. I can see no problem with having for example 2 regen fields equipped if they worked similar to the AA in H4. The hardlight shield could be integrated in a similar way to deployable cover in H3 just you could maybe carry 2 or so…
> > >
> > > Items like the Jetpack, Promethean vision and Invisibility as well would work much better as power up pick ups with limited usage.
> >
> > I guess this would be your way of adding to the variety of gameplay without people starting with AA’s?
> > It sounds a lot more appealing to me than what we have now, but not quite as appealing as the system in Halo 3.
>
> Bungie implemented AAs because Equipment items were being underuse in their eyes. People would hold on to them until the perfect moment, and ultimately would often never find them selves in that perfect situation and would never use them. So they went to the complete opposite side of the spectrum and implemented AAs. Equipment you can spam all you want, all the time, off spawn. A bad move in my eyes. All they really needed to do is allow you to carry a couple more at once.

Unfortunately, that “perfect moment” doesn’t come around very often. If the player didn’t use the equipment, it was his/her own fault and that was the risk that one took while carrying it. Not every situation is the ideal situation.

Equipment offered a game plan for a variety of offensive and defensive strategies, and these strategies were only available to those who were skilled enough to obtain the equipment.

I share the opinion that the introduction of armor abilities was a bad move. However I think that one equipment is enough. I wouldn’t be terribly opposed to having an extra, but I think it’s unnecessary. It eliminates the choice that you must make when deciding which equipment is the best option for your current circumstance.

I think, allowing a player to carry two equipment would lead players to believe that they are at a disadvantage when carrying one or none at all. Players would then seek out to almost “hoard” the equipment to carry two at all times, just in case, and also to keep them away from the other players/team. In order to allow more players to have access to equipment, more would be placed on the map. Instead of the typical 2-4 that were on a typical map in Halo 3, we may end up seeing closer to 4-8 per map. This could lead to an oversaturation of equipment almost reminiscent of armor abilities to a lesser degree.

This is of course just speculation, and playtesting this idea would really determine if it affects gameplay for the better or worse.

11

> I share the opinion that the introduction of armor abilities was a bad move. However I think that one equipment is enough. <mark>I wouldn’t be terribly opposed to having an extra, but I think it’s unnecessary.</mark> It eliminates the choice that you must make when deciding which equipment is the best option for your current circumstance.

Exactly the way I feel about it.

12

> I share the opinion that the introduction of armor abilities was a bad move. However I think that one equipment is enough. I wouldn’t be terribly opposed to having an extra, but I think it’s unnecessary. It eliminates the choice that you must make when deciding which equipment is the best option for your current circumstance.
>
> I think, allowing a player to carry two equipment would lead players to believe that they are at a disadvantage when carrying one or none at all. Players would then seek out to almost “hoard” the equipment to carry two at all times, just in case, and also to keep them away from the other players/team. In order to allow more players to have access to equipment, more would be placed on the map. Instead of the typical 2-4 that were on a typical map in Halo 3, we may end up seeing closer to 4-8 per map. This could lead to an oversaturation of equipment almost reminiscent of armor abilities to a lesser degree.
>
> This is of course just speculation, and playtesting this idea would really determine if it affects gameplay for the better or worse.

I think it should be one slot just as before but maybe you could carry 2 or more of the same equipment at the same time. You could still have 2-4 equipment spawns on the map, but similar to grenades you may find a couple in the same spot. That way people may not be so inclined to hold on to them.

I do kind of agree though, if you hold on to them it’s your own fault, but from an accessibility point of view it makes sense. That’s all I was saying.

13

I think going back to equipment from armor abilities would be bar set too low. It’s going from bad to less bad, but not something that benefits gameplay. That’s not to say equipment has no gameplay benefits, but I consider them rather minor.

The issues of equipment are part the concept, part the individual pieces of equipment. The major issue of equipment that sets a fundamental limit on their depth and versatility is that you throw them away and then they are out of your control. That’s a fundamental limit, you can only drop the equipment in one location and that’s it.

That’s not to say they can’t be useful. A single grenade can be useful. But a single grenade, doesn’t usually have a major strategic impact. The only exception to that I can think of would be to get yourself a power weapon in Halo CE, but that’s the only strategically singificant thing a single grenade can do. Nonetheless, you can’t use equipment to 'nade yourself power weapons. In that sense, a single piece of equipment is as strategically meaningful as a single grenade.

What separates equipment from grenades is of course that there are more equipment types, but also that most of the time equipment is easier to make good use of. All you usually end up doing with a single grenade is to take away some of the opponent’s shields, possibly even kill them. Either way, it requires some timing even at close range and can be easily wasted.

When it comes to equipment, you can take the opponent’s shields out with a power drain, you can prevent your death with a Bubble Shield or a Regenerator, you can stop a speeding Warthog with a Trip Mine. The second point is important because it’s a way of saving yourself by defensive means instead of offensive, which is something you could never do with a grenade. The other two points are something that you could arguably do with a grenade, but equipment may make it easier in some scenarios.

And that’s really the problem of equipment: all it does is it makes things easier. Anyone who understands something about how games work should, at this point, realize that making saving yourself or killing an opponent in a though situation easier isn’t a way to improve gameplay.

The problems of individual pieces of equipment arise here. Bubble Shield is completely detrimental to gameplay. The only reason I consider it less bad than Armor Lock or Hardlight Shield is that it’s limited to one user only. Aside from that, it serves to exact same purpose and does the exact same thing as Armor Lock did, which is to either save the player at the push of a button or delay their death. Either way, as discussed in the numerous Armor Lock debates: pausing an encounter at the push of a button, regardless of positioning, is detrimental to gameplay with no exceptions.

Regenerator is a slightly less bad version of it as it allows damage to be done at the player. However, it can be said that the way the equipment function – that the player can activate them whenever they want to – is what makes them unsuitable to be something that protects the player from damage.

Aside from that, Halo 3 also had equipment that was more or less pointless, namely Grav Lift, Flare, Radar Jammer, and Trip Mine. Flare is essentially a flash grenade that blinds everyone in the vicinity. However, the way it functions – that the flash lasts for a period of time instead of being immediate – makes it more of a burden rather than something actually useful.

Radar Jammer is completely pointless for reasons I believe are self-explanatory. Grav Lift and Trip Mine are somewhat less useless actually. The primary problem with Trip Mine is that there are only a few occasions when it actually does something. A much more reliable way to destroy a vehicle would be to get a couple of Plasma Grenades and do it by yourself.

Grav Lift I could maybe see being used in a match of CTF to deliver the flag. That’s actually something that I have to congratulate it for because that’s the first use I have mentioned that I would consider strategically significant. Even then, when it’s either that, or using teamwork and clever positioning, I can only question is it actually good or something that ultimately makes something easier that doesn’t need to be easier.

Nonetheless, equipment aren’t a saving grace. There is a reason they were disliked when Halo 3 originally released, there is a reason why MLG never adopted them for competitive play. As fun as they may have been, as much as they are less detrimental than armor abilities off-spawn, they aren’t something that adds anything meaningful to gameplay.

I’m not saying they are worse than the current system, but as I said, they are bar set too low. We can do better.

14

Always a pleasure to see your long, well written posts. I have some things to say.

> And that’s really the problem of equipment: all it does is it makes things easier. Anyone who understands something about how games work should, at this point, realize that making saving yourself or killing an opponent in a though situation easier isn’t a way to improve gameplay.

This is the paragraph I felt most drawn to when it comes to wanting to reply.

While you aren’t wrong that equipment basically just makes the game temporarily easier for those that come across it, I don’t see that as a flaw.

I would argue that power weapons do exactly the same thing, but are a defining part of Halo’s gameplay.
When a player manages to acquire Rockets, the game will be much easier for them for a limited period of time. But they have earned that, as opposed to having it by default.
I don’t see this as a problem because everyone in the game has the same opportunity to get to the power weapon. But skill and good decision making sets players apart in these scenarios.

I think that any temporary advantage such as power weapons, actually work to add something wonderful to the gameplay.
If I fight for Rockets, but someone else gets them, it adds tension to the experience.
I now have to adjust my approach in order to kill that person. I also love the way in which it encourages teamwork and brings people together.
These are reasons why I don’t see temporary, earned advantages as a problem and I think equipment is no different in that sense.

> The problems of individual pieces of equipment arise here. Bubble Shield is completely detrimental to gameplay. The only reason I consider it less bad than Armor Lock or Hardlight Shield is that it’s limited to one user only. Aside from that, it serves to exact same purpose and does the exact same thing as Armor Lock did, which is to either save the player at the push of a button or delay their death.

Well there are other things that make it less detrimental than Armor Lock, such as the fact that you aren’t completely invulnerable with the Bubble Shield.

> Either way, as discussed in the numerous Armor Lock debates: pausing an encounter at the push of a button, regardless of positioning, is detrimental to gameplay with no exceptions.

I would argue that Bubble Shield is not detrimental in the same way when it comes to pausing an encounter.

With Armor Lock, there is nothing you can do to kill the player that is using it. You literally just have to wait a few seconds, which is pointless.

While with Bubble Shield, instead of having no choice but to stand and wait, you can adjust your approach to the situation and enter the Bubble Shield, throw a grenade and leave.
It doesn’t necessarily have to prolong the encounter pointlessly.

> Regenerator is a slightly less bad version of it as it allows damage to be done at the player. However, it can be said that the way the equipment function – that the player can activate them whenever they want to – is what makes them unsuitable to be something that protects the player from damage.

The same could be said for the advantage that power weapons give. Players earn that advantage and it seems to me that Halo has always been that way.

I can’t see that type of gameplay as a flaw.

> Aside from that, Halo 3 also had equipment that was more or less pointless, namely Grav Lift, Flare, Radar Jammer, and Trip Mine. Flare is essentially a flash grenade that blinds everyone in the vicinity. However, the way it functions – that the flash lasts for a period of time instead of being immediate – makes it more of a burden rather than something actually useful.

I really can’t see it the same way to be honest.

With Gravity Lift for example, I love that once it has been earned, you can use it to maneuver the map in unique ways.
With the Trip Mine, all I can say is that I think it’s hilarious to throw one down in front of an approaching vehicle. I think that kind of hilarity only improves the amount of fun and variety in the gameplay.

> Nonetheless, equipment aren’t a saving grace. There is a reason they were disliked when Halo 3 originally released, there is a reason why MLG never adopted them for competitive play. As fun as they may have been, as much as they are less detrimental than armor abilities off-spawn, they aren’t something that adds anything meaningful to gameplay.

I really have to disagree in a big way. While they may not be tailored to 100% competitive play, they add a layer of fun to Halo for me, which I find to be meaningful.

> I’m not saying they are worse than the current system, but as I said, they are bar set too low. We can do better.

Are you suggesting that we get rid of Armor Abilities AND equipment? I’d like to hear your thoughts on how the bar could be set.

15

> I think going back to equipment from armor abilities would be bar set too low. It’s going from bad to less bad, but not something that benefits gameplay. That’s not to say equipment has no gameplay benefits, but I consider them rather minor.
>
> The issues of equipment are part the concept, part the individual pieces of equipment. The major issue of equipment that sets a fundamental limit on their depth and versatility is that you throw them away and then they are out of your control. That’s a fundamental limit, you can only drop the equipment in one location and that’s it.

That’s partly the appeal of equipment. Once dropped, they are out of your control. At that point, they affect how the map plays instead of how the player plays. Anyone can take advantage of your bubble shield, regen, etc. if you incorrectly place it or are killed. For some equipment such as the grav lift, being able to pick them up and move them might be a nice addition.

> That’s not to say they can’t be useful. A single grenade can be useful. But a single grenade, doesn’t usually have a major strategic impact. The only exception to that I can think of would be to get yourself a power weapon in Halo CE, but that’s the only strategically singificant thing a single grenade can do. Nonetheless, you can’t use equipment to 'nade yourself power weapons. In that sense, a single piece of equipment is as strategically meaningful as a single grenade.
>
> What separates equipment from grenades is of course that there are more equipment types, but also that most of the time equipment is easier to make good use of. All you usually end up doing with a single grenade is to take away some of the opponent’s shields, possibly even kill them. Either way, it requires some timing even at close range and can be easily wasted.
>
> When it comes to equipment, you can take the opponent’s shields out with a power drain, you can prevent your death with a Bubble Shield or a Regenerator, you can stop a speeding Warthog with a Trip Mine. The second point is important because it’s a way of saving yourself by defensive means instead of offensive, which is something you could never do with a grenade. The other two points are something that you could arguably do with a grenade, but equipment may make it easier in some scenarios.

Grenades can be used defensively also, not just offensively. They can be used to keep players at bay while fleeing, or to provide cover and safer passage while you advance your position or retreat on the map. Grenades are also much more plentiful than equipment, so wasting a grenade isn’t quite as much of a problem.

Equipment was obviously not designed to do what grenades do. The comparison between grenades and equipment is a little obscure to me.

> And that’s really the problem of equipment: all it does is it makes things easier. Anyone who understands something about how games work should, at this point, realize that making saving yourself or killing an opponent in a though situation easier isn’t a way to improve gameplay.

Equipment provides additional ways of attacking or defending in a way that can be beneficial or detrimental to yourself depending on how it is used. It does not always make things easier.

> The problems of individual pieces of equipment arise here. Bubble Shield is completely detrimental to gameplay. The only reason I consider it less bad than Armor Lock or Hardlight Shield is that it’s limited to one user only. Aside from that, it serves to exact same purpose and does the exact same thing as Armor Lock did, which is to either save the player at the push of a button or delay their death. Either way, as discussed in the numerous Armor Lock debates: pausing an encounter at the push of a button, regardless of positioning, is detrimental to gameplay with no exceptions.
>
> Regenerator is a slightly less bad version of it as it allows damage to be done at the player. However, it can be said that the way the equipment function – that the player can activate them whenever they want to – is what makes them unsuitable to be something that protects the player from damage.

Bubble shield could sometimes provide a temporary wall to provide cover from fire allowing a previously unsafe route to become more viable. Armor lock could never do that. The bubble shield was not always used for the same thing, every time.

The Halo 3 regen was slightly overpowered, but that comes down to specifics such as the shield recharge rate modifier on that particular piece of equipment. It is much improved in Halo 4.

> Aside from that, Halo 3 also had equipment that was more or less pointless, namely Grav Lift, Flare, Radar Jammer, and Trip Mine. Flare is essentially a flash grenade that blinds everyone in the vicinity. However, the way it functions – that the flash lasts for a period of time instead of being immediate – makes it more of a burden rather than something actually useful.
>
> Radar Jammer is completely pointless for reasons I believe are self-explanatory. Grav Lift and Trip Mine are somewhat less useless actually. The primary problem with Trip Mine is that there are only a few occasions when it actually does something. A much more reliable way to destroy a vehicle would be to get a couple of Plasma Grenades and do it by yourself.

This once again comes down to equipment specifics. A lot of these were useful in certain situations. Grav lift can make tall walls scalable. Trip mines can be placed under vehicles to ambush a team. Some, like the flare, had a very small niche that they were useful in, but if we get a truly good batch of ideas for future equipment, this issue can be solved.

> Grav Lift I could maybe see being used in a match of CTF to deliver the flag. That’s actually something that I have to congratulate it for because that’s the first use I have mentioned that I would consider strategically significant. Even then, when it’s either that, or using teamwork and clever positioning, I can only question is it actually good or something that ultimately makes something easier that doesn’t need to be easier.

This is why your team would need to be in control of a grav lift instead of your opponents.

> There is a reason they were disliked when Halo 3 originally released, there is a reason why MLG never adopted them for competitive play. As fun as they may have been, as much as they are less detrimental than armor abilities off-spawn, they aren’t something that adds anything meaningful to gameplay.

The real reason is the same one that Team Throwdown does not use armor abilities. The game is simplified to measure skill based on raw talent. Teams in highly-competitive matches don’t want to feel like they’ve been stripped of a win by something that could be seen as a gimmick. The highest levels of competitive play often have different settings than your typical Team Slayer hopper. However, because equipment was placed on maps instead of loadouts, they could have had a place in MLG if they were placed evenly. Even if they ultimately weren’t a part of MLG, equipment could have been in that competitive environment.

Maybe we could do better than equipment, but unfortunately I don’t have a better idea.

16

> I would argue that power weapons do exactly the same thing, but are a defining part of Halo’s gameplay.

It’s good that you brought up power weapons because, to be perfectly honest, I didn’t really think about power weapons when writing. Why am I fine with power weapons, but not equipment then? Well, obviously, I have kind of learned to take them for granted having had them always be there. But I think it goes back to the multi-use ─ single-use differences. The number one criticism (at least in order) for equipment I had was that you throw them and that’s it. Power weapons, on the other hand, have multiple uses.

We can think about what it would be like if all power weapons only had one shot. Their purpose would be completely changed. Rocket Launcher would really be the only weapon that would be fairly useful for at least that single kill. With Sniper, you would really have to make that one shot count, and so on. If you think about these weapons, they’d really be one hit or nothing.

If you compare the impact they would have to the impact power weapons have now, the impact would be negligible. Sure, that rocket would still gain you kill, so would a well placed sniper shot and a shotgun blast. But what would be the strategic significance of those individual kills? Would the power weapons be as much worth controlling as they are now? Obviously if they were all you had, they’d be all you’d try to control. But a bulk of the strategic significance that power weapons have now is that they can actually seriously impact the game. A couple of well placed rockets can destroy a whole team, in theory anyway, but it will definitely make your life easier with those four shots. A good sniper can in a good position can cover a large portion of the map and really prevent the enemy from using some routes.

These are things that really make a difference on the state of the game, these are things that can change the balance of map control. Equipment don’t have this property because they are throw-and-forget. The most you can do with equipment is to get lucky enough to have more than one opponent close to each other, throw a Power Drain at them and kill them both. But no piece of equipment is something that can really make a difference.

> I would argue that Bubble Shield is not detrimental in the same way when it comes to pausing an encounter.

That’s the counter argument I’ve heard for Hardlight Shield, too. But unless you are close enough that you can actually walk to their shield, it makes the player practically invulnerable. If the player has a Shotgun, it’s essentially Armor Lock all over again: unnecessary waiting and hoping that the opponent’s teammate doesn’t come. The bottom line here is: a player shouldn’t be able to make themselves invulnerable for any period of time, regardless of how short, at the push of a button whenever they want to. If you are at no-shields or low shields, you just don’t deserve that barrier.

There is nothing to be gained here. It’s either a prolonged death or an undeserved survival with anything that puts a barrier between you and the opponent in a split-second.

> The same could be said for the advantage that power weapons give. Players earn that advantage and it seems to me that Halo has always been that way.
>
> I can’t see that type of gameplay as a flaw.

I don’t see power weapons as such a problem in this case because they don’t prolong the encounter in such a way. Power weapons are based on having that advantage, shooting it straight at the opponent’s face, and moving on to the next encounter. Regenerator, Bubble Shield, Drop Shield, et cetera; all these player-activated shields only work by prolonging the encounter.

It’s a valid point that as pick-ups they are kinda different from their off-spawn equivalents. But it’s not only that they give an advantage. As you said, power weapons give an advantage, too. But aside from being different, not prolonging gameplay and, overall, being less frustrating power weapon advantage actually has a deeper, strategic purpose in gameplay.

When it comes to power weapons, you aren’t just protecting yourself. Most importantly, you are eliminating opponents easier than normally. Killing opponents progresses gameplay, keeping yourself alive doesn’t.

I could probably tolerate Regenerator. As I said, it isn’t like the others. However, as far as I can see, it provides nothing else to gameplay than slightly prolonged encounters.

> With Gravity Lift for example, I love that once it has been earned, you can use it to maneuver the map in unique ways.
> With the Trip Mine, all I can say is that I think it’s hilarious to throw one down in front of an approaching vehicle. I think that kind of hilarity only improves the amount of fun and variety in the gameplay.

I don’t really see a ton of uses to Grav Lift, to be honest. As for Trip Mine, I do understand the hilarity factor. I don’t really have anything against it and I do have good memories from using it. But just from that gameplay depth standpoint, it’s not really something that improves gameplay.

> I really have to disagree in a big way. While they may not be tailored to 100% competitive play, they add a layer of fun to Halo for me, which I find to be meaningful.

Sure, I can agree that they can, some of them, be fun. But then again, so can armor abilities. Sure, I get enjoyment from that occasional Trip Mine kill or when I get an opponent to stick themselves by deploying a Bubble Shield when they are throwing a Plasma Grenade at me. But then again, I find at least as much enjoyment from tricking around with Evade. If I didn’t despise Armor Lock so much, I’d probably find enjoyment from using it, too.

Anything can be fun, I don’t deny that. But when judging the more objective effects on gameplay – which I naturally do when discussing the viability of implementing different features – I think better can be done than equipment.

17

> Are you suggesting that we get rid of Armor Abilities AND equipment? I’d like to hear your thoughts on how the bar could be set.

I’m suggesting that we have just “pick-ups” that can function differently depending on their purpose. This would include anything from the traditional styled power-ups, to abilities that were essentially armor abilities that are map pick-ups.

Obviously, there is no reason this couldn’t include equipment-like pick-ups. Now, I’m just going to throw something totally whacky out there, but for example an ability that would function like a gun which would propel you to the opposite direction from where you are aiming. That’s really a bad example, because I think a modified Jetpack would work better, but just for example.

You know, maybe Trip Mine could be brought back, but maybe it could come in pairs. That could turn out to let people block tight paths too easily, so maybe not, but just for example.

The problem with letting me come up with alternatives for equipment and armor abilities is that I will find a potential fault in every design. I can’t really provide concrete examples of things that would function in a meaningful way. My Trip Mine fix obviously wouldn’t make it a lot more strategically meaningful. But just as a concept, I think “pick-ups” should just be generalized.

But I have to point out that we shouldn’t necessarily have a plethora of different pick-ups. Too much can be too much because only few can be put on a map before it gets saturated. There could probably be ones for normal gameplay, and then others for vehicular gameplay, and then maybe just some really whacky ones for custom games and Action Sack.

Pick-ups are definitely the way for Halo to go, but that doesn’t have to mean completely ditching armor abilities.

18

> I’m suggesting that we have just “pick-ups” that can function differently depending on their purpose.

I think that is basically what everyone in here is advocating when they express support for equipment.

AA = unlimited spawn
Equipment = on map pickup

You can give it charges, fuel, etc if you wish, but in terms of semantics that is the distinction I make when I advocate equipment.

19

I love this type of discussion.

> It’s good that you brought up power weapons because, to be perfectly honest, I didn’t really think about power weapons when writing. Why am I fine with power weapons, but not equipment then? Well, obviously, I have kind of learned to take them for granted having had them always be there. <mark>But I think it goes back to the multi-use ─ single-use differences. The number one criticism (at least in order) for equipment I had was that you throw them and that’s it. Power weapons, on the other hand, have multiple uses.</mark>

I honestly wouldn’t mind map pickup AA’s/equipment having several uses, or even unlimited use while the player is alive.

> We can think about what it would be like if all power weapons only had one shot. Their purpose would be completely changed. Rocket Launcher would really be the only weapon that would be fairly useful for at least that single kill. With Sniper, you would really have to make that one shot count, and so on. If you think about these weapons, they’d really be one hit or nothing.

I get the comparison, but I personally think there’s a big enough difference in power between power weapons such as Sniper, and equipment, to warrant a one time use.

> If you compare the impact they would have to the impact power weapons have now, the impact would be negligible. Sure, that rocket would still gain you kill, so would a well placed sniper shot and a shotgun blast. But what would be the strategic significance of those individual kills?

I would just like to add that, while power weapons with one bullet would give us one kill most of the time, I think a distinction can be made with equipment in certain cases because equipment is more diverse in its usage than just giving us a kill.

> Would the power weapons be as much worth controlling as they are now? Obviously if they were all you had, they’d be all you’d try to control. But a bulk of the strategic significance that power weapons have now is that they can actually seriously impact the game.

That certainly would be the case with power weapons have one use. But as I said above, I think there is quite a significant difference between a one time kill, and some of the advantages that equipment offers.

Just as an example, we all know how difficult it can be to take down people in a Warthog when we do not have vehicles available to us. Power Drainer offers a solution which does not kill the enemy, but stops their vehicle temporarily, giving us a window to kill them.
Timing the Power Drainer right in this situation takes a certain amount of skill in itself, even though it is not a huge amount.

I appreciate that you might not get as much enjoyment out of those situations as I do.

> That’s the counter argument I’ve heard for Hardlight Shield, too. But unless you are close enough that you can actually walk to their shield, it makes the player practically invulnerable. If the player has a Shotgun, it’s essentially Armor Lock all over again: unnecessary waiting and hoping that the opponent’s teammate doesn’t come. The bottom line here is: a player shouldn’t be able to make themselves invulnerable for any period of time, regardless of how short, at the push of a button whenever they want to. If you are at no-shields or low shields, you just don’t deserve that barrier.

This is where I would say that since the equipment is placed on the maps, and both teams have an equal opportunity to collect it, that would mean that is has been earned. Which is partly why I dislike AA’s in their current state.

> There is nothing to be gained here. It’s either a prolonged death or an undeserved survival with anything that puts a barrier between you and the opponent in a split-second.

We differ in that you dislike any experience that prolongs an encounter, whereas I do not personally mind that “pause” if there are other ways around the situation, and if it does not happen constantly (Armor Lock).

> I don’t see power weapons as such a problem in this case because they don’t prolong the encounter in such a way. Power weapons are based on having that advantage, shooting it straight at the opponent’s face, and moving on to the next encounter. Regenerator, Bubble Shield, Drop Shield, et cetera; all these player-activated shields only work by prolonging the encounter.

Out of curiosity, and nothing more, do you also dislike powerups such as Overshield? As Overshield serves to prolong encounters in a similar way.
Or perhaps the fact that it isn’t player activated is what makes the difference?

> When it comes to power weapons, you aren’t just protecting yourself. Most importantly, you are eliminating opponents easier than normally. Killing opponents progresses gameplay, keeping yourself alive doesn’t.

This leads me to wonder, if you are against equipment which prolongs encounters by preserving life, are you also against equipment which does the opposite, such as the Power Drainer?

> Sure, I can agree that they can, some of them, be fun. But then again, so can armor abilities. Sure, I get enjoyment from that occasional Trip Mine kill or when I get an opponent to stick themselves by deploying a Bubble Shield when they are throwing a Plasma Grenade at me. But then again, I find at least as much enjoyment from tricking around with Evade. If I didn’t despise Armor Lock so much, I’d probably find enjoyment from using it, too.

I don’t personally get that same fun from Armor Abilities. I didn’t even use them when playing Halo 4.
For me, part of the fun of the equipment was not just the use, but also the fact that it was limited, didn’t appear that often and was available to all players.

The fact that AA’s don’t follow the same plan, actually takes away from their fun for me.
So I wouldn’t use the “fun” argument in favour of AA’s to begin with.

20

> > Are you suggesting that we get rid of Armor Abilities AND equipment? I’d like to hear your thoughts on how the bar could be set.
>
> I’m suggesting that we have just “pick-ups” that can function differently depending on their purpose. This would include anything from the traditional styled power-ups, to abilities that were essentially armor abilities that are map pick-ups.

Cool cool.

> Now, I’m just going to throw something totally whacky out there, but for example an ability that would function like a gun which would propel you to the opposite direction from where you are aiming. That’s really a bad example, because I think a modified Jetpack would work better, but just for example.

No I get where you’re going with that, it would be cool to get some whacky new stuff like that, some of which could work in slightly more complicated ways than what we’ve had before.

> You know, maybe Trip Mine could be brought back, but maybe it could come in pairs. That could turn out to let people block tight paths too easily, so maybe not, but just for example.

Maybe that could be balanced by making them easy enough to see/hear?

> Pick-ups are definitely the way for Halo to go, but that doesn’t have to mean completely ditching armor abilities.

I would agree. I just want AA’s to become map pickups.