What is YOUR idea for Ordnance Drops?

Games Other Halo
1

I understand that many don’t like personal ordnance(i don’t like it very much either) and if you’d like to comment to that effect, that’s fine but it would be nice if we could keep this thread constructive, so I’d rather this didn’t become a thread about the merits of PO in general but rather what to do about it if it is indeed going to be an element of the game whether we want it or not.

Feel free to pick multiple solutions in the pool or lack there of and give your own ideas.

Please just present your ideas, and don’t attack others.

LET’S DO THIS!

2

Quoting myself from another thread, this one way I could see Personal Ordnance working in competitive gametypes…

> Personal Ordnance in its current form doesn’t belong in competitive playlists. Having randomly selected weapons should only occur in social gametypes; this would be great for crazy stupid fun in Fiesta Slayer.
>
> Ordnance Tiers on the other hand doesn’t sound like a bad idea to me, I could definitely see it working much better. Although, perhaps it would be best to exclude the highest tiers, with snipers & heavy weapons from small arena-style gametypes, and have them available only in BTB/Dominion.
>
> These weapons should be placed on the map as Initial Ordnance with resupply timers which players must work for.
>
> With tier 1 ordnance, this should correspond to the weapons & grenades in your chosen loadout, and in stead of being separate choices, it should drop them all in one package, making it act as a quick refill for your loadout weapons. As for the other tiers, they will remain as is, and you will have to decide which item will drop. They will also be available for all players to choose.
>
> These are the categories I would feel most comfortable with:
>
> Tier 1 - Loadout weapons + grenades (in one package)
>
> Tier 2 - Close-range/melee weapons:
> Shotgun, Scattershot, Energy Sword, Gravity Hammer
>
> Tier 3 - Automatic & explosive weapons:
> Needler, SAW, Sticky Detonator, Concussion Rifle, Railgun
>
> Tier 4 (unavailable in arena gametypes) - Snipers:
> Sniper Rifle, Beam Rifle, Binary Rifle
>
> Tier 5 (unavailable in arena gametypes) - Heavy weapons:
> Rocket Launcher, Spartan Laser, Fuel Rod Cannon, Incineration Cannon

3

@ Pfoiffee
I am a fan of the tiered option and you present a good version of it. However I’d almost prefer if in an arena slayer setting there would only be the first tier and the second would be replaced with powerups. Or perhaps there would still be a third tier but it would combine your second and third tier for the sake of variety. because of how segregated your tiers are in may become a shotty/sword fest, considering many would make it to the second tier. That’s my biggest criticism.

I dunno though, it would be nice to have wider preset tiers(maybe 2 or 3) with options that you customize in the lobby like custom loadouts, because I think, while still being predictable, it would lead to a more varied experience, because people wouldn’t all pick the same thing, but that would also make weapon balancing a big pain for the dev team.

Another problem is weapon despawn. That definitely has to be a consideration in a conversation like this.

I think the simplest solution though, that could be implemented without a TU is map specific PO that would always exclude rocket and sniper type weapons, leaving those for map pick up. I think it would still be random for variety, but excluding those high powered weapons and limiting the list further to weapons suited for maps would increase predictability, and would be much more balanced, than at least the complete gamble that we have now.

Overall I think it would be interesting to implement something like this, because I’m a fan of the halo arena style, but still want these new features to function in a halo environment, but probably won’t be possible until halo 5(also copy/pasta):

What if instead of a precision weapons and AA in custom loadouts, and instead of the bolt shot and plasma pistol or grenades, players customized their ordinance and had more limited loadout selections.

Custom loadouts would include the automatic weapon of your choice. All Loadouts would have magnums and frags, and a choice of a first tier(of two tiers) of armor abilities. The AA choices would be those featured in throwdown perhaps.

Then you could customize your ordnance pregame with any of the second tier AA, any of the precision weapons, any grenade type, or any automatic or secondary guns, in the three slots that we are used to.

That way ordnance would be limited and controlled, still be a reward, and not affect power weapons or powerups. Plus it would be customizable!

I doubt my solution would be popular, but I think it would help balance custom loadouts and PO, while still leaving room for an arena halo experience.

4

Hmmm… I suppose you could also have it this way, to add a little more variety:

Tier 1 - Loadout weapons + grenades (in one package)

Tier 2 - Close-range/automatic/melee weapons:
Shotgun, Scattershot, Needler, SAW, Energy Sword, Gravity Hammer

Tier 3 - Explosive weapons/powerups:
Sticky Detonator, Concussion Rifle, Railgun, Overshield, Speed Boost, Damage Boost

Tier 4 (unavailable in arena gametypes) - Snipers:
Sniper Rifle, Beam Rifle, Binary Rifle

Tier 5 (unavailable in arena gametypes) - Heavy weapons:
Rocket Launcher, Spartan Laser, Fuel Rod Cannon, Incineration Cannon

(Perhaps Tiers 4 & 5 could be merged, but I’m still a little uncertain about that)

Although I’d much rather have Powerups placed on arena-style maps (like they used to be in the good old days), so perhaps they should be disabled in arena gametypes, along with PO Tiers 4 & 5. I came up with an idea that uses multiple Random Ordnance drops in one location, which spawns different Powerups (and Armour Abilities) just for a little variety.

If you want to see how this works, I have created a custom Haven variant, which I’ve designed to use Classic-style gametypes, as well as a Hybrid Slayer variant I’m working on. Feel free to d/l them, and have a custom game with friends to try it out. I’ve yet to test it out with other people, so any feedback/criticism would be much appreciated.

Here are the links to my Fileshare:

Haven (Arena) map variant
Hybrid Slayer gametype variant

5

Anything that’s non-random and doesn’t include power weapons. Either that or just get rid of them imo.

6

Just make it so I don’t get to choose between a speed boost,needler and grenades while others have choices of a scattershot,SAW and damage boost.

7

One of the biggest problems, at least how I read the custom settings, is that it seems impossible to remove randomness altogether except by simply limiting ordnance to three specific drops.

That puts a lot of limitations on the solutions they can provide for 4 without a title update, if we want to completely remove randomness.

For that reason, a good quick fix might be to categorize all weapons that appear in ordnance in groups of three(we’ll call these groups: families). The intention being that these weapon families would be similar enough that if all three weapons were set at equal probability, no matter what the result of the dice roll, the weapon would be similar in function and power to its family members. Then three(maybe four) families would be hand picked to suit particular maps. If it were three, then the odds of people getting weapons on par with others would be extremely higher than they are now: each family would represent a slot in your ordnance choices.

Ideas for families(feel free to suggest different organizations):
Powerups
grenades
Scattershot, shotgun, sword
Sticky det., rail gun, concussion rifle
Needler, saw, gravity hammer
binary, sniper, beam
incineration, rocket, fuel rod

…something like that. Then go through the maps, and choose three of the families, for each of them. (Personally I would never pick the last two families unless is was some sort of alternative fiesta gametype, but that’s just me personally)

obviously this idea could use tweaking. Any other ideas?

8

I think an easy fix would be to separate ordnance into three “sets” all with equal roll-chance.

Set 1:
Binary Rifle
Beam Rifle
Sniper Rifle
Frag Grenades

Set 2:
Scattershot
Shotgun
Energy Sword
Gravity Hammer
Plasma Grenades

Set 3:
Incineration Cannon
Fuel Rod Gun
Rocket Launcher
SAW
Needler
Pulse Grenades

I think this would be good for Social. For competitive I would suggest (assuming the loadouts are BR-magnum only):

LightRifle-DMR-Carbine

I just think of it as not a simple ammo drop, but a slightly more power-drop.

9

I voted no changes. Not because i don’t find the PO perfect. But because i’m fine with it the way it is now.

But if i could make the change i wanted it would be about how you earn it. For example say i go on a killing spree that includes a tripple kill and headshots. The game will take that note and give me a better chance at earning the good stuff like damage boost rockets etc.

Where as lets say player B got his mostly through assists. The game would look at that and give him more of a chance to earn the lesser PO like stickies needler etc.

Now it would all still be random meaning a bad player could still get rockets and a good player could still end up with speed boost. The only difference is how you earn your PO slightly influences what you earn.

10

@V. Duck

Am I understand correctly that each of these set would be assigned a direction on the d-pad? If so, it’s a little power heavy for my liking and still presents the problem of people getting unlucky…

some one might get:
Binary
Sword
Rockets

and at the same time someone might get:
Frags
Scattershot
Needler

The fact that the probability of both those outcomes is the same frightens me a little bit. Even more the small chance that someone gets all grenades and no guns at all. I might be misunderstanding though…

@BWO

That idea sounds good in theory and might work in practice, but I personally hesitate to reward more those who are doing better because it only serves to widen the gap. The same goes for giving the better ordnance probability to those who do worse as it gives them a reward earned without merit.

I think your idea would only work if matchmaking assured even teams, so the probability of each team winning similar ordnance would be high, but I don’t see it working in the current halo matchmaking environment simply because I feel like I am only sometimes put into even matches where the teams are constantly gaining the lead over one another or finishing with close scores.

in general the idea of probability in Halo makes me frustrated, though.

11

Here’s the thing.

If you have map ordnance with power weapons, you can’t really have personal ordnance with power weapons.

Now if you want personal ordnance, you can’t really have map ordnance.

I’d say that Personal ordnance without map ordnance, and some tweaks, like tierd, would work great but then you’d have to remove map ordnance since map ordnance wouldn’t be worth it, and it’d throw off balance.

If you want map ordnance, again with some tweaks, you can’t have personal ordnance, since personal ordnance throws off balance and people wouldn’t go for the map weapons if they are promised power weapons.

Those are my two cents.

12

@Naqser

I think as long as what you get in PO is different from what’s found on the map it is a somewhat viable gameplay mechanic for halo, although I’d still love a gametype with absolutely no personal ordnance. This thread though is a way of trying to solve those very problems in a way that makes PO work with the way Halo has always been played. If you think it is as cut and dry as map spawn versus PO, I personally am going to pick keeping map spawns every time.

13

With the idea I presented in my previous posts, I believe this could allow both World (Initial) Ordnance & Personal Ordnance to co-exist. In arena gametypes, lesser power weapons should be available in personal ordnance, while greater power weapons should be limited to world ordnance with resupply timers.

In theory, this should give players incentive to fight for power weapons which spawn in key locations on the map, while still rewarding players who perform well.

14

I believe weapons like the Sniper Rifles, Rocket Launchers, and the Shotguns/Sword/Hammer should never be in the PO’s.

I believe weapons like the Rail Gun, Needler, Sticky Det, Concussion Rifle, and other minor power weapons should be in.

In Big Team, I could see the Shotguns/Sword/Hammer in the PO’s.

15

Just my two cents …

People rip on Ordnance Drops being a ‘rip off’ of Call of Duty’s kill streaks, yet of the options presented, the most Call of Duty Killstreak like ones got voted for.

16

Since so many have suggested “balanced customizable options” it would be great to hear some ideas in that way. My initial idea which is spoilered in my long winded comment near the top is my suggestion for that sort of thing, but it basically severely limits the current options of custom loadouts in order for them to be personal ordnance instead. I would love to hear some ideas since that seems like the most popular choice. And it also presents a significant if not the greatest problem, so that makes it doubly interesting. Customization has to be balanced, so if we include power weapons it would mean forcing current halo power weapons to act more similarly or adding more power weapons that are essentially reskins of current ones. I feel developers would be forced to make weapons more like how the scattershot and shotgun are now, and that would hurt the variety of the game. The battles about power weapon balance may just become as bad as the DMR and AA debates have been. Thoughts?

> I believe weapons like the Sniper Rifles, Rocket Launchers, and the Shotguns/Sword/Hammer should never be in the PO’s.
>
> I believe weapons like the Rail Gun, Needler, Sticky Det, Concussion Rifle, and other minor power weapons should be in.
>
> In Big Team, I could see the Shotguns/Sword/Hammer in the PO’s.

I have to agree with you. Having a bunch of shotguns on the majestic dlc maps seems to be hurting the gameplay just as much as having snipers on large ones. That’s why map specific PO has a certain appeal to me. For example Beam Rifles would be horrible on complex as there is already limited map movement and already plenty of DMR sniping, but close range weapons may actually encourage users to get closer to one another when they otherwise wouldn’t. On the flip side, shotguns turn skyline into a camp fest, and a sniper rifle would only be useful in certain situations and easier to counter. All of this is my opinion of course.

@Wulfwoods the spoiler is for you so this post isn’t a year long:

What people say about halo and cod isn’t really relevant to this thread’s purpose. On top of that though, I really don’t see how any of the options in my poll are related to killstreaks. Besides perhaps the general idea of customization or that you get better stuff as you continue to do better. Furthermore you have no evidence that the people you are talking about and the options you(and so far no one else) are subjectively associating with cod, are selected by those same people. Even furthermore, even if your associations are accurate, it follows logic that if PO is indeed based of killstreaks that ideas about them in the most general sense would be similar. Notice also that there is no “remove PO” choice so those “people” that you are speaking of may have not even voted, or may have voted for which ever choices you are referring to because they thought it was the best of many evils, and not because they are hypocrites as you seem to want to imply. No matter how you slice it this isn’t the place for the conversation you are looking to have, and I would really like it if you didn’t try to bait people on this thread. My original post asks for ideas and constructive thoughts about ideas to change or fix personal ordnance. But your “two cents” are not constructive or relevant, please post your ideas for PO, or your constructive thoughts on others. That is what this thread is for.

17

  1. No need to get anything in a twist, I was merely making an observation. No baiting intended.

  2. This forum is meant for open and honest discussion, if you have an issue with anything I (or anyone, for that matter) post, feel free to report it. As long as things are kept clean, and respectful, people are free to post what they wish. Leave the policing of the threads to us Monitors, that’s what we’re here for.

  3. Do have a nice day.

18

I feel that it’s fine the way it is.

19

> 1) No need to get anything in a twist, I was merely making an observation. No baiting intended.
>
> 2) This forum is meant for open and honest discussion, if you have an issue with anything I (or anyone, for that matter) post, feel free to report it. As long as things are kept clean, and respectful, people are free to post what they wish. Leave the policing of the threads to us Monitors, that’s what we’re here for.
>
> 3) Do have a nice day.

Sorry for the misinterpretation, but I’m sure you can understand how and why I read it as baiting, since, although people have brought up CoD in other threads, it was not a topic here, and also, it is obviously a touchy subject that quite frequently devolves from debate to bashing(and locked threads). I’m glad that isn’t your intention. Someone would inevitabley retort, though, and i’d rather that not become what this thread is about. Thanks. Just trying to stay on topic! You have a good one as well!

Feel free to post your ideas on PO, btw.

20

Tiers would make sense because seriously getting a killing frenzy then having a needler appear is a huge kick in the nuts.