I see a lot of posts on these forums asking whether equipment or armor abilities should return. My question is: why not both? I’ve proposed a system where there are both one-use and multi-use equipment items as map pickups. This would allow for the more dynamic equipment like the flare, power drainer, and radar jammer (one-use) while also allowing for equipment like the thruster pack and hardlight shield (multi-use). However, even the multi-use equipment would run out of power eventually, so players will still need to be smart about when and how they use them. LB would be used for both types of equipment, and you could only carry one equipment item at a time. For Infinity, the multi-use equipment could be selectable under the “armor ability” section of the loadout, and the single-use equipment could be a part of the ordnance.
As much as that has potential, most of the people who like AAs over equipment prefer AAs the way there are and not just turned into Equipment/AA hybrids. If equipment and AAs were to return in the same game, I’d much rather they be usable by toggling between either on the D-Pad or Equipment being in Classic game types and AAs in Infinity ones (the latter being more preferred).
> As much as that has potential, most of the people who like AAs over equipment prefer AAs the way there are and not just turned into Equipment/AA hybrids. If equipment and AAs were to return in the same game, I’d much rather they be usable by toggling between either on the D-Pad or Equipment being in Classic game types and AAs in Infinity ones (the latter being more preferred).
I think being able to simply switch between AAs and Equipment on the D-Pad would allow for some OP combinations.
> > As much as that has potential, most of the people who like AAs over equipment prefer AAs the way there are and not just turned into Equipment/AA hybrids. If equipment and AAs were to return in the same game, I’d much rather they be usable by toggling between either on the D-Pad or Equipment being in Classic game types and AAs in Infinity ones (the latter being more preferred).
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> I think being able to simply switch between AAs and Equipment on the D-Pad would allow for some OP combinations.
Exactly why I mentioned “the latter being more preferred”. It could work for customs/campaign, however
I have a solution. Have both AA’s and equipment. Make equipment slow handling and a bit nerfed. Also equipment is a one time use. Make it so that you can’t pick up equipment unless you have the resupply tactical package. This makes the mod more useful while also solving the problem of over-saturation of equipment.
If you want to check out my vision for Halo 5 click this- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VypABIb5_t0&list=PLmUizYwtgFWYolF_MVKR-nmaf0LKY_tAY - it’ll take you to the part where i talk about AA’s and equipment. But if you want to know the rest of how i would make halo 5 then go on my channel and watch all of the wishlist vids.
AAs: spawn with, recharging
Equipment: map pick ups, more team oriented, single use, more powerful than AAs in some cases.
The whole point of preferring pickups over armor abilities is not because pickups in Halo 3 were cooler and more powerful. The point is that in order to have a balanced game, everyone should start with the same base abilities and nobody starts with anything OP. Weapons are fine imo, but armor abilities were designed to be overpowered in certain situations.
That’s why they can, for Halo 5, place armor abilities and equipment on the map by default, and because it will be the default experience, they can put more juice in the AA’s. Because they have to be earned like powerups. The thruster would allow you to shoot mid thrust for example, and the hardlight shield could be merged with the regeneration field but with very limited fuel. Just throwing out some suggestions here. All would have limited fuel.
There’s so much creative things that can be done that way.
EDIT: I’m basically saying, “yes, we can have both, as long as they are all picked up from the map and the lines are blurred between equipment and armor abilities by using a fuel system.”
Because a huge part of the core gameplay that Halo is originally known for is the equal starts, and Armor Abilities do not adhere to that.
They take away from the balance that is created when players have to fight to acquire advantages such as equipment/powerups.
If a player obtains camo due to fighting for it and picking it up from the map, then the other team can work together to kill that player, so they are no longer such a threat.
With Armor Abilities, that player has camo all the time, they don’t have to work for it and they don’t have to be clever in order to keep it for as long as possible.
That is quite simply not Halo. Whether or not players like AA’s is purely incidental.
Can’t have both. We want on-map weapons pickups, how are 343i gonna cram the majority of the weapon sandbox, overshield, AC, equipment AND AAs on the map?
AAs are rubbish and equipment would mean that not everyone starts with stupid unnecessary abilities, they have to be earned if they’re on the map. Equipment/AA as equipment makes so much more sense.
Seriously, does everyone expect 343i to build 2 MP games? They have to make design choices, and AAs are one of the reasons Halo isn’t satisfying players seeking traditional gameplay, it turns the game into a class-based shooter when the majority want an arena shooter.
I think it’s so stupid when people suggest we have 2 of everything, because it means less polished content. If you want a GOOD Halo MP, build it competitively, and that doesn’t necessarily mean strip it down to the very basics, but it does mean getting rid of the random dice roll elements in the game, like ordnance, AAs and random weapon spawns.
Who says you can’t have both (aside from the three people above me, who probably didn’t read the OP carefully enough anyway)? As map pick-ups, some armor abilities should be fine. Of course some would have to be removed completely, just like some equipment, but it’s not a matter of “are armor abilities good as map pick-ups” but “which armor abilities would be good map pick-ups and how”.
> Because a huge part of the core gameplay that Halo is originally known for is the equal starts, and Armor Abilities do not adhere to that.
>
> They take away from the balance that is created when players have to fight to acquire advantages such as equipment/powerups.
> If a player obtains camo due to fighting for it and picking it up from the map, then the other team can work together to kill that player, so they are no longer such a threat.
>
> With Armor Abilities, that player has camo all the time, they don’t have to work for it and they don’t have to be clever in order to keep it for as long as possible.
>
> That is quite simply not Halo. Whether or not players like AA’s is purely incidental.
That’s why I proposed that armor abilities become map pickups. It’d be like reusable equipment, and a player loses it when he/she dies.
Not enough buttons on the controller and we shouldn’t seek to make the gameplay as confusing as possible for newcomers or returning fans.
> Who says you can’t have both (aside from the three people above me, who probably didn’t read the OP carefully enough anyway)? As map pick-ups, some armor abilities should be fine. Of course some would have to be removed completely, just like some equipment, but it’s not a matter of “are armor abilities good as map pick-ups” but “which armor abilities would be good map pick-ups and how”.
I don’t even think the 3 above you read my actual post; I think they just read the question.
> Not enough buttons on the controller and we shouldn’t seek to make the gameplay as confusing as possible for newcomers or returning fans.
I said that they would both be used by LB, and you’d only be able to have one at a time. I don’t think having one-use and multi-use equipment would be that confusing.
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*Original post. Click at your own discretion.
> I see a lot of posts on these forums asking whether equipment or armor abilities should return. My question is: why not both? I’ve proposed a system where there are both one-use and multi-use equipment items as map pickups. This would allow for the more dynamic equipment like the flare, power drainer, and radar jammer (one-use) while also allowing for equipment like the thruster pack and hardlight shield (multi-use). However, even the multi-use equipment would run out of power eventually, so players will still need to be smart about when and how they use them. LB would be used for both types of equipment, and you could only carry one equipment item at a time. For Infinity, the multi-use equipment could be selectable under the “armor ability” section of the loadout.
Hmmmm… how about neither? 
Oh boy, how exciting it is to believe Halo might crawl away from this bullshiit but sadly it won’t. Not to worry, you’ll see both in the next game. Bet you’re excited.
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Neither? I guess you want a Combat Evolved type multiplayer mode. I think it would be kind of boring now, but I’m up for a “Classic” game mode.
> > Not enough buttons on the controller and we shouldn’t seek to make the gameplay as confusing as possible for newcomers or returning fans.
>
> I said that they would both be used by LB, and you’d only be able to have one at a time. I don’t think having one-use and multi-use equipment would be that confusing.
Oh cool, a somewhat sensible idea that could potentially work in gameplay and it wasn’t presented in a completely uneducated manor. That’s a lot rarer than you might think, sorry for skimming your OP then.
The idea is solid in that it will merge Equipment(devices that effect how the map interacts with the player) and Armor Abilities(devices that effect how the player interacts with the map) into a single major category. This makes sure that the single player cannot abuse both devices by pairing up ridiculous combinations. I don’t even want to think about the stupidity and easy access to out of reach places on a map that would result from Grav Lift + Jetpack.
Now, implementation is key for this idea to actually work. Normally I’d discuss where/how/why each device should be placed on the maps in a specific way to ensure flow of combat and balance; or what the criteria should be for Equipment and Armor Abilities to make the cut, which ones should be expanded upon(like multiple variants of Deployable Cover), and which ones should be massively revised or cut(cough jetpack, camo, and PV).
However, without 343i really showing any care, curiosity, or acknowledgement to the community’s ideas I feel getting into the nitty-gritty is about as productive as talking to a brick wall about what its color and texture should be like.
> That’s why I proposed that armor abilities become map pickups. It’d be like reusable equipment, and a player loses it when he/she dies.
My apologies halojunky! I only skimmed over your post, having been in a rush at the time. Quite hypocritical of me as I have been angry at people for doing the same thing in my threads in the past.
After a proper reading, I actually agree with your idea and it is what I have supported for a while now.
> > That’s why I proposed that armor abilities become map pickups. It’d be like reusable equipment, and a player loses it when he/she dies.
>
> My apologies halojunky! I only skimmed over your post, having been in a rush at the time. Quite hypocritical of me as I have been angry at people for doing the same thing in my threads in the past.
>
> After a proper reading, I actually agree with your idea and it is what I have supported for a while now.
It’s cool bro. Thanks for the support.
> > > Not enough buttons on the controller and we shouldn’t seek to make the gameplay as confusing as possible for newcomers or returning fans.
> >
> > I said that they would both be used by LB, and you’d only be able to have one at a time. I don’t think having one-use and multi-use equipment would be that confusing.
>
> Oh cool, a somewhat sensible idea that could potentially work in gameplay and it wasn’t presented in a completely uneducated manor. That’s a lot rarer than you might think, sorry for skimming your OP then.
>
> The idea is solid in that it will merge Equipment(devices that effect how the map interacts with the player) and Armor Abilities(devices that effect how the player interacts with the map) into a single major category. This makes sure that the single player cannot abuse both devices by pairing up ridiculous combinations. I don’t even want to think about the stupidity and easy access to out of reach places on a map that would result from Grav Lift + Jetpack.
>
> Now, implementation is key for this idea to actually work. Normally I’d discuss where/how/why each device should be placed on the maps in a specific way to ensure flow of combat and balance; or what the criteria should be for Equipment and Armor Abilities to make the cut, which ones should be expanded upon(like multiple variants of Deployable Cover), and which ones should be massively revised or cut(cough jetpack, camo, and PV).
>
> However, without 343i really showing any care, curiosity, or acknowledgement to the community’s ideas I feel getting into the nitty-gritty is about as productive as talking to a brick wall about what its color and texture should be like.
Yeah, if this system is implemented, 343 should take great care in which equipment items are on the map. Every single piece of equipment can’t be on every single map.