The D-Pad: A Game Changer

Games Other Halo
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The D-Pad: A Game Changer

Halo has never exploited the D-Pad’s true potential. The correct type of function to map to the D-Pad’s Directionals is specific: Toggles. Things that do not immediately affect gameplay, like choosing the grenade type you have equipped, are good D-Pad functions. What other toggles could Halo employ to enrich gameplay?

We saw Chief fire a grenade from, what I perceive to be, a Magnum. This suggests that each weapon will have multiple firing modes. Since shooting a grenade from a Magnum cannot be accomplished by flipping a switch on the weapon, like changing from fully automatic to semi automatic, I propose that each weapon has an “Alternate Ammo”. The Magnum has Standard Ammo, bullets, and Alternate Ammo, grenades. One D-Pad Directional would be dedicated to switching your current weapon’s ammo from Standard Ammo to Alternate Ammo and back.

Halo 3 had Equipment that could be deployed into the environment. I believe Halo 4 will have Equipment as well. The difference between Halo 3 and Halo 4 Equipment, besides their functions, is the fact that Halo 4 will allow Chief to carry two Equipment items at one time. Similar to how the Ammo Toggle switches from Standard to Alternate Ammo, the Equipment toggle would switch from your Primary to Secondary Equipment and back.

We saw Chief using a Flashlight in the trailer. What does the Flashlight do? It augments Chiefs vision by illuminating dark areas. If we continue using this theme of vision modification we could also suggest that the VISR system, from ODST, be another toggleable vision modifier. The last vision modifier is the Laser Beam. The Laser Beam does not illuminate dark areas like the Flashlight but causes enemies in dark areas to glow when the Laser Beam contacts them. Pointing the Laser Beam at an enemy’s face will momentarily obscure their vision.

The vision toggle is the only toggle that causes an immediate effect (turn on Flashlight, turn on VISR, turn on Laser Beam). All other toggles are merely selectors that do nothing until being deployed with another button (grenades, gun, equipment).

To summarize:

D-Pad Toggles

Up - Grenade Toggle - Frag, Plasma, Gravity, Disc

Right - Ammo Toggle - Standard, Alternate

Down - Equipment Toggle - Primary, Secondary

Left - Vision Toggle - Normal, Flashlight, VISR, Laser Beam

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I do agree that the D-Pad is rarely used in the games, although toggling between grenades should not be put on the D-Pad. Too cumbersome in my opinion.

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All good ideas except for the nades. When your in the heat of the moment you can’t take your finger off the aiming stick. (I guess it could still work if you use the claw set up though, I dunno. I only use claw on Assassin’s Creed.)

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I agree, but that is not the Magnum, its a new weapon. I don’t want alternate firing modes, too. But you’re right- The D-Pad should be used for Equipment (including flashlight) and Grenades, leaving buttons open for Sprint for Spartans and Evade for Elites. Also, it should be used for lowering weapons, which should be possible in all gametypes and be easier.

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The toggle should hold true for vehicles too, in the event that, say warthogs can have some sort of changing feature like traction or speed boost or floodlights. Even a falcon too. It would be cool if we had a night map and one could enable the flood lights to come out to flush out enemies.

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I think the D-pad should be used to switch between 3rd and 1st person mode in vehicles.
Also I noticed that the DMR has the capability to go full auto, it would be nice to use that somehow.
Also switching between Night Vision, VISR, and flashlight would be nice. A multiplayer map where you have to use nightvision would be nice.

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Yes. This would be a perfect way to switch to shredder rounds on the AR!

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> I do agree that the D-Pad is rarely used in the games, although toggling between grenades should not be put on the D-Pad. Too cumbersome in my opinion.

yeah. you’d have to take your left thumb off the analogue stick and top moving to use the d-pad. it could be used for other things, just not for that.

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I was thinking maybe the d-pad could be used for different assassinations, that is if they are in the game.

10

Sounds great.

I’d like to be able to carry a third weapon in storage so I can switch my current weapon for it. Perhaps that could replace the grenade toggle.

11

I would like to see simple friendly AI commands on the D-pad, if only on one direction.
Get in/use/stay/attack all in one direction.

And to be greedy, yes, grenade toggle, equipment/ability toggle and NV toggle.

And while we’re at it… Why did Carter’s NV-enhanced natural eyes need to NV in Winter Contingency? It should have been dark with no light, not the concession for game-play dim-light that didn’t even need the NV.
Playing through CEA showed more oppourtunity for the NV than Reach had. Very disappointing. But funny enough, CEA didn’t require NV on the T&R, very bright. Nightfall wasn’t dark enough either. Too much moonlight made NV a gimmick. ODST’s VISR so far is the best I’ve seen for Halo, and it’s a dumbed down version of what the Spartans get… GRRRRR.

Halo4 having actual dark areas would be great. Areas similar to the PoA’s few dark corridors.