- bansheeownz
- |
- Exalted Mythic Member
I'm not screwing around for this thread. What I wish to discuss with you is for the edition (not additon) of Reach's weapon library to create a more varied weapon selection for different purposes, and different strengths and weaknesses.
We have a LOT of weapons in Halo 3. Really, we do. It's hard to tell by taking a glimpse at the matchmaking system though. Most of what you see is BR's AR's, and Melees, but why is it that players wish to use only a select few of them? The answer is quite obvious. Most weapons fall under a similar class of weapon. Close range. It's all most of them are good for and even then, the Assault Rifle does its job better then many of them do, making them obsolete. Even if you had the chance to pick it up, would you do it, or would you drop it the instant a BR or Sniper is within reach?
What I wish to discuss with you is something you've probably heard a lot around here. Making more mid-range weapons, add variety to Halo's already existing library, and attempt to avoid obsoleteness we see with the current Magnum and Plasma Rifle. Doing these things WILL solve many of the complaints you see around here.
Firstly before I begin, I will attempt to sell you the same list of ideas that I've been trying to sell since before H3 came out. The ability to hold onto and melee with your duel-wield combo and NOT weaken them when duel-wielded. Sure, it'll break canon to hold onto more then 2 weapons in reserve, but support weapons already did that.
Why wouldn't you want to add it? It'll cut down significantly on grenade spamming to keep a complete combo with duel-wield and make it more accessible to use. Sure, this would make quadruple-wielding possible, but that won't be too much of an advantage. I mean, how many times have you DW'ed, went into melee finish, then after the fight lost your left hand weapon in the scattering of your enemy's weapons? If there was nothing happening, you wouldn't care, but you're in the middle of a freeken battle. So... you take a two handed weapon instead. It doesn't make sense to keep searching for the weapon because it's not much of an advantage. To drop your duel-wield weapons, you'd press D-pad left and right for the different weapons.
Moving right along. There will now be 3 default weapon sets including the accompanying default starting weapons, the Human Primary. These sets are known as grade 1, 2, and 3 weapon sets. Each individual weapon falls under a certain category. They are Human Primary, Elite Primary, Brute Primary, Human Snipe, Covenant Snipe, Human Close, Elite Close, and Brute Close. That's 8 weapons per map; roughly. If the map is very large, it can have multiple of the the same class weapon and some from a lower grade for filler. On small maps, there can be higher grade weapons as power weapons. I won't be covering grenades, equipment, vehicles, or support weapons. I'm only covering the basic fundamental weapon sets. While I go down the list, I will explain each weapons new functionality to help support these new defaults.
Grade 1: Duel-Wields
Human Primary: SMG
That's right, the SMG will be a starting weapon again, for this set at least. My quarrel is not with this weapon specifically, but with other weapons competing with it.
Elite Primary: Plasma Rifle
I just don't get why Plasma weapons in general were so nerfed in the first place. They're supposed to be more powerful and effective, but in Halo's engine, they move slower, do less damage, and are just plain more difficult to use. The ONLY thing they're good for is a very rapid dousing of damage and a melee finish. Heck, even the Scarab's main cannon seems very weak. Shouldn't it be the other way around? Shouldn't the Human weapons only advantages be a faster moving projectile and more rapid fire?
The new Plasma Rifle will be slightly more powerful but easier to use as well. It will track to its target the same way Halo 2's Plasma Pistol charge did, and regain the stunning effect it had the original Halo. As for how powerful it will actually be is not only hard to say in words, but is really not up to me to say in the first place. The power of weapons is all based on a rigorous testing process. Sure their direction might have been a little off because of an over-saturation of close range weapons, but it was well minded. If they built Halo: Reach from the ground up to have a balance of close, mid, and long range weapons, the power of weapons will be well balanced.
Brute Primary: Spiker
In all honestly, I think the reason why Brutes and their tech seems so inferior is BECAUSE they tried too hard to be like Elites, and not have a personality of their own. I mean, plasma was already nerfed and Brute weaponry was simply and reskinning of these nerfed weapons. Why not try to do something a little different instead?
How about this? It doesn't get a power increase. It becomes instead a headshot killer, like a BR and a Magnum. It will become an extremely effective clean upper at close range and will support pretty much any duel-wielded weapon you pick up VERY well.
Would it be too powerful? Likely so in Halo 3. But pretty much everything is being powered up to rival weapons like the Battle Rifle.
Human Snipe: Magnum
The snipe and close range classes are treated more as power weapons and are less common then the primary weapons. In the duel-wield set, they are still power weapons though, just not enourmously overpowering.
The new magnum is not going to replace the BR as many suggest here. It will get it's firing speed and round per mag from Halo 2 back. It will also be as accurate as it was in the original Halo. The only thing strength it won't have is power. It'll take about a full mag to kill a fully shielded enemy by itself. What this means is this weapon will be feared and absolutely terrifying duel-wielded with another Magnum, but they won't spawn together. And since this weapon is in the place of a power weapon, it will be treated as such.
Covenant Snipe: Plasma Pistol
Again, remember, this is to be treated as a power weapon. Keep this in mind when reading what I'm about to tell you because it might sound a tad extremist. The new PP may not be able to track to its target the way the H2 PP did, but the new Plasma Pistol will be one of the most versatile weapons in the game. Its rapid fire shots will be as fast as they were in the original Halo and overheat at about the same rate but will not be as powerful as they were but it will be able to give headshots the same as the new Brute Shot. On top of this, the new charge shot will not only kill the shields of a shielded opponent but will completely kill a non shielded opponent, making a 2 PPs in a single persons hands the ultimate BFG combo.
What on earth am I trying to do to Halo? Yes, I know it might sound very overpowered and I can only imagine what it will do to the Campaign, but think about it this way? Do these strengths compete with the Battle Rifle yet? It is only when these advantages are taken into account does it even compare to the BR's power and range. Combined with a BR to make the "what what" combo? Under my system, these weapons are segregated to different sets, but I'm sure that won't stop people from forging the combo or using it on everything in Campaign. On the other hand, almost everything is getting more effective.
Human Close: SMG
This is one of the weaker points of the DW set, but more ammo will definitely be appreciated. There are less power weapons in the DW set but that is good because the DW set is meant for maps like Epitaph where the map is designed for free for all.
Elite Close: Plasma Rifle
See above... with the exception of the ammo part.
Brute Close: Mauler
Granted the Mauler might be the weakest of the power weapons here, but it will be plain more effective then an SMG or a PR.
Continued on the next post below.