- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
There are a lot of threads being made about how the controller will be used for Halo 2. From what we know of what is already going into the game, I've created a layout that will be close to what the actual game may or may not be; feel free to yell at me if I forgot anything :)
A button - This button likely will not change, and it will be used for jumping. Another possibility for this will be that if you tap it, you won't jump as high as if you held it for a full jump.
B button - Ah yes, the melee button. I can't wait to see what combos are going to be available for bludgeoning Covenant, but I'll try. My guess is that it will remain the melee button (naturally), but will be unique to different combinations of weapons. I'm still trying to figure out how a dual-plasma pistol swing is going to look like...
X button - Again, not much has changed here. It will still be used to open doors, activate switches, etc. Although, this might also be used to pick up the flag, which has both pro's and con's.
Y button - This, is the tough one. The Y button, when tapped, will bring up your two different weapons, but the new addition is going to be for the dual-weilding. Once I heard that dual-weilding was going to be in the game, I immediately knew how it was going to be put into the button layout; simple hold down Y for about a full second, and WAHBLAM!, two weapons are ready to go.
R trigger - Same as usual, this fires your right-handed weapons, and is dedicated exclusively to anything that is in the right hand. Also, look for this to be used somehow when piloting the vehicles in Halo's sequel.
L trigger - Use this for grenades, as well as your second weapon equipped while in 'Beserker' mode (a la Brute Force). I haven't read the GI article yet, but people are telling me that the L trigger is also going to be used as a 'overcharge' in both the Banshee's and Ghosts' engines; I think that works perfectly for what they are trying to do.
Right thumbstick - Same as before. Use this to move your sight around, etc etc. Click in for zooming if the weapon you have has the capabilities.
Left thumbstick - Same as before, again. Although, I would like to see an option in the game where you can click it in once, and have the crouch set, instead of holding it down until you're ready to come up. This should be a user setting, as some people like it the way that it is already. I also have come up with the perfect choice for how to sprint in Halo 2. When holding the thumbstick straight forward, click it in. This will drop your gun, send a signal to those MJLNOIR legs, and push MC into overdrive. I have heard that they want to have it so as when you run for a few seconds, it'll do it automatically. This, I think, is not a very good idea. I can already see the problems coming up about that one (Ah man! I didn't wanna run right there!!)
D-pad - You remember that shiny glob of plastic that sits in the bottom-left of your controller? Yea, that's called the D-pad, and it's definitely going to be used for Halo 2. Click it right, and you'll do a lean to the right, for looking around corners. Same thing with pushing it left. Now, I'm not so sure about the up and down buttons, but that can be discussed on it's own...for now.
Black and White buttons - Should be the same, although I feel that the white button could be held down to bring up a night vision feature for MC, but we'll see.
This list is a work in progress, but it should put a face on every new feature that has been confirmed by Bungie to be in the game. If you have anything to add to it, please respond, and I'll edit it if I left it out. Thank you, and good night...or good afternoon...or good morning, whatever the time may be as you are reading this :)