Halo: Reach Forum
This topic has moved here: Subject: Evidence Leading to a Personalized Weapon Class system
  • Subject: Evidence Leading to a Personalized Weapon Class system
Subject: Evidence Leading to a Personalized Weapon Class system

part one

My theory is that Halo Reach has a personalized weapon class system.

It will probably like one seen in the Call of Duty series in terms of how it's set up, two weapon slots available and you pick the guns,grenades,possibly equipment etc. but with another trait that would balance play. I think that they would use a mechanic,feature similar to one seen in forge to limit ones choices. In forge the thing that limits what you can put on the map is a money system, I think they would transfer this over to the class system by giving each gun a cost and each player a set amount of capital. An example to clarify how this would balance is that more power weapons like the sniper rifle or spartan laser would cost more, and leave less money for the players purchasing these weapons to spend on other things.

It might work like this...

Ex. every player has say 100 points to spend on a primary weapon,secondary weapon,grenades,possibly equipment etc.

The sniper rifle costs 50 points because it is extremely powerful, and if the player chooses this they will have to purchase less powerful weapons for other things therefore making all the players equal in the sense that they all have equipment that totals to 100 points

Here is why I think this...

  • 06.07.2009 11:47 AM PDT

part two

1. Bungie is taking and pushing the Halo franchise in new directions
This fact can be seen with Halo Wars, the real time strategy game based on the Halo universe which was a complete departure from traditional halo gameplay. Another reason this is true is Halo 3 ODST, which is a first person shooter but has an open world environment and focuses more on things like exploration and stealth. Both of these titles generated or are generating a lot of hype and keep the Halo name in peoples heads for marketing purposes. Halo Wars is an incredible game, is also a great success, and I think it's safe to say ODST will be too. Why should Bungie stop renewing their IP, It is no secret that Bungie is looking to apply Halo to new things, and new things to halo. A personalized weapon class system is definitely not beyond belief, Armor is now customizable, and it is an extremely popular feature.

2. Call of duty 4 and 5 have had success with their class systems and Bungie Is too smart not to apply a great feature to their great game.

I know this sounds like Im saying Bungie is copying their franchise but they are not, they are simply broadening their franchise to include excellent ideas from other products or taking new ideas and applying them to their game. Look at the new Firefight cooperative mode in Halo 3 ODST, a concept that is quite similar to Gears of War 2s Horde mode, however when compared together they seem to be quite different due to different gameplay mechanics like cover and environment. It is these gameplay mechanics that make a game and a concept itself can be applied to many games with different gameplay resulting in new experiences every time. Customizable classes are proven to make an enjoyable playing experience, which is what developers want to give gamers, and it would be great to see this great feature applied to Halo.

3. Theme picture
Shown at the top of the page, it shows different figures all wielding different weapons, sniper rifle and assault rifle seem to be identifiable but the fact that every figure in the picture isn't holding the same weapon only helps this theory.

4. The Halo Novels really, really support this theory, if you read the books; especially Fall of Reach and First Strike then you know about Dr Halsey and the other Spartans on the planet Reach.
The page 140 in First Strike really helps hold up this theory. The specific passage I am talking about I will put below

  • 06.07.2009 11:54 AM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Sounds like Counter-Stirke..

The part where you "Buy" your weapons.

  • 06.07.2009 11:56 AM PDT

part three

She ,Dr. Halsey, had also installed the new MJOLNIR parts in their existing armor. These upgrades were in field-testing and not certified, she had explained, but she gauged their need sufficient to justify the risk of using the new equipment.
Kelly received an improvement to her neural induction circuits, giving her twitch response time a speed boost. Vinh had a new linear accelerator added to her shield system, effectively doubling its strength. Isaac had a new image-enhancing computer installed. Will received a better tracking system on his heads-up display, which improved his accuracy at distances up to a thousand meters.
Fred flexed his bare right hand. Dr. Halsey was installing his upgrade now-new sensors that would boost the sensitivity of his motion tracker. Without the single gauntlet, Fred felt vulnerable. The Master Chief would have told him not to rely on his armor or weapons-rely instead on his head. It would protect him better.


It sounds almost as perks are being given to these lucky Spartans but I don't feel as though Bungie would add these to the game. There are other passages in the halo novels which provide evidence but i already have an extremly long post, and it'd be kind of silly to rehash and rehash the same argument again.

I don't think It is a coincidence that; the Call of Duty franchise having success with personalized classes, Bungie wanting to expand their game in new directions and all the novels that deal with Reach actually talking about spartans personalizing their weapon selection all point to this theory being true.


Please check my quotes for validity and tell me what you think of this theory.

  • 06.07.2009 11:56 AM PDT

This actually makes sense.

  • 06.07.2009 12:00 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

...i like reading...

  • 06.07.2009 12:01 PM PDT

I really hope this doesn't happen.

  • 06.07.2009 12:02 PM PDT

I think this would be a very bad idea, and this would take the halo series in the wrong direction. In fact, i believe bungie is smarter than this.

Have you ever noticed something different from call of duty- a lot less communication than in halo. When people have the ability to choose which weapon they want to use there is less to fight for in the game, everybody is satisfied. Nobody is scrambling to gather the best weapons and communicating with one another to take over key parts of the map.

In call of duty, if everybody wants a sniper- they can select it. On some of the larger and more open maps this happens a lot. It turns into a sniper match- which can be repetitive and boring.

I think one of the key reasons halo has such long lasting appeal is BECAUSE they don't use that system- it would completely change the dynamic that makes halo such a good, arcade style shooter.

  • 06.07.2009 12:17 PM PDT

7 People you'll always see in matchmaking.
How to get on bungie favorites.

No, I am not interested in your group. Don't send me any messages regarding so or you'll be blocked.

Combine classes with armor based on what classes used, and bam, some fun.

  • 06.07.2009 12:19 PM PDT

3\/@/\/ #@+3$ Y0()! $+@y @\/\/@y Fr0/\/\ /\/\3!

http://www.centsports.com/?opcode=439040

I think this will not happen, one of the main reasons I like Bungie is because they are so original.

  • 06.07.2009 12:19 PM PDT

Join this awesome group!!!

i think you might have the option to have dffrent armour in the game take a look at the first charicter. he looks a lot beefier than the spartans on the right.

  • 06.07.2009 12:22 PM PDT

I think the call of duty series is successful for reasons other than the personalized class system.

The environments are very well developed and realistic looking- it's a very solid shooter, easy to pick up and play. Very fluid controls.

But think about how simple it is compared to halo, and the reasons why.

YOU choose the weapon you want to use and you're thrown into an environment which is almost the same in every place. Most levels don't have hot spots where you're team would benefit greatly for controling that particular part of the map.

  • 06.07.2009 12:30 PM PDT
  • gamertag: [none]
  • user homepage:

I do not appreciate B.Net Group solicitation. If you ignore this and send me an invitation anyway, I will block communications with you.

Halo Wars was an Ensemble Studios game, not a Bungie Studios game. Additionally, Halo is not Bungie's IP anymore. Since Bungie broke from Microsoft's grasp, the franchise has been left in Microsoft's care, 100%.

Lastly, just because the Spartans from the novel had different niches doesn't mean that a silhouette picture with differing models means we're getting the same thing. I wouldn't really call that evidence.

  • 06.07.2009 12:41 PM PDT

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't they say that Reach wasn't going to be class based in the recent weekly update?

  • 06.07.2009 1:09 PM PDT

I think thats a little too far off from halo, but a class based FPS could be a possibility, due to the variation in spartans.

  • 06.07.2009 1:28 PM PDT

Underwater Eagle.

bungie didn't make Halo Wars, Ensemble did.

  • 06.07.2009 1:33 PM PDT

Posted by: Duardo
Not really. Your mom is over quite enough to make my fears mute.
Posted by: colbyrules8
Posted by: Duardo
Being alone.
You're a mod, you should be used to that.

before you type those long messages please use your brain.....


BUNGIE Did nOt WRITE THE BOOKS, THEY DID NOT CHOOSE WHAT WAS IN THEM, THEY MAKE GAMES AND THE AUTHOR WRITES BOOKS, this means, bungie endorsed the book but they dont have to listen to an author on how Online gaming will be, those books were published way before COD's ass -blam!- system came out, so dont dare say they will use cod gaming system....

that is a disgrace to all bungie employees, they made a game that beat every other game in sells on epic proportions other than GTA, and you think they are going to change the game type to a game that sold probably half the amount of games as halo has sold,

yeah use your brain......

[Edited on 06.07.2009 1:41 PM PDT]

  • 06.07.2009 1:40 PM PDT

Posted by: Duardo
Not really. Your mom is over quite enough to make my fears mute.
Posted by: colbyrules8
Posted by: Duardo
Being alone.
You're a mod, you should be used to that.

Posted by: Vigilnt sniper
i think you might have the option to have dffrent armour in the game take a look at the first charicter. he looks a lot beefier than the spartans on the right.

damn, read the books, that would probably be sam, the biggest spartan ever, a head taller than chief,
quit making assumptions about stuff in the book that clearly states they had one type of spartan armour........

  • 06.07.2009 1:45 PM PDT
  • gamertag: [none]
  • user homepage:

I do not appreciate B.Net Group solicitation. If you ignore this and send me an invitation anyway, I will block communications with you.

Posted by: colbyrules8
Posted by: Vigilnt sniper
i think you might have the option to have dffrent armour in the game take a look at the first charicter. he looks a lot beefier than the spartans on the right.

damn, read the books, that would probably be sam, the biggest spartan ever, a head taller than chief,
quit making assumptions about stuff in the book that clearly states they had one type of spartan armour........

Sam is not the biggest Spartan ever, and he died in 2525. Maybe you should re-read the novels rather than pointing fingers at others.

[Edited on 06.07.2009 1:55 PM PDT]

  • 06.07.2009 1:55 PM PDT

i play halo because i like the way the game works.
if i wanted to have weapon classes like cod, i would go and play cod

  • 06.07.2009 2:03 PM PDT