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This topic has moved here: Poll [14 votes]: More Variety in Scarab Battles
  • Poll [14 votes]: More Variety in Scarab Battles
Subject: More Variety in Scarab Battles

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Poll: More Variety in Scarab Battles  [closed]
I like all of these ideas:  50%
(7 Votes)
I like most of these ideas:  43%
(6 Votes)
I dislike these ideas (I will tell why in a post):  7%
(1 Votes)
Total Votes: 14

Scarabs battles are one of the most epic elements to ever hit Halo's campaign. To make the engagements with them even more versatile I came up with three main factors that could drastically change the way Scarab battles are fought.
1. The Scarab's Weapons
2. Who is Onboard the Scarab
3. What you use to fight the Scarab

The Scarab's Weapons
Scarabs have their primary gun, secondary gun, and then also turrets on the back and sides.
I recommend that the primary gun always tries to shoot at you, but then the secondary gun mainly just tries to attack you when you are in a flying vehicle and whenever you aren't on the ground below the scarab. The turrets shoot you once you come close and are within range.

Interchangeable Secondary Guns
The Scarab could keep the secondary gun it already has in Halo 3, but then other variants you could fight would have a triple wraith mortar launcher, or a rapid firing fuelrod cannon. There could even be a type of Scarab that doesn't have a secondary gun, but it moves extra quickly and has a slightly higher tendency to step on you.

Interchangeable Turrets
The current Halo 3 scarab uses plasma cannon turrets, but some other turrets it could have would be the turret from the Shadow vehicle in Halo 2, or power drain beam turrets that can't kill you but they quickly lower your shields and can stun your vehicle for a little bit. Another variant of scarab might not even have turrets but then it carries a couple on board vehicles, like a couple ghosts or a banshee that come out at unexpected times.

Who is Onboard the Scarab
Different types of enemies could be on a Scarab. Elites, Grunts, Jackals, and Brutes would be the main types of enemies you fight on a Scarab. However drones, a hunter, or Elites with Jet Packs or Camo would also make a tough Scarab crew.

What you use to fight the Scarab
I've noticed that you never really fight a Scarab with a Spartan Laser, or what I think would be really cool is if you fight a Scarab with a bunch of marines and an Elephant.
A few other cool ways to encounter a Scarab that where seen in Halo 3 are with...
Missle Pods
Mongooses with Rocket Launcher Passengers
Gauss Warthogs
Scorpion Tanks
Hornets
and in ODST a Banshee

So do you guys like my ideas for a lot more possibilities for Scarab battles in Halo Reach? Do you have any ideas to make Scarab battles even more epic and have more variety?

[Edited on 10.11.2009 9:01 PM PDT]

  • 10.11.2009 8:58 PM PDT

Were it so easy.

The elephant vs. scarab idea is good, I also think that there can be many different and more major scarabs for Reach.

Since Reach was probably one of the biggest battles in the war, they could have huge giant scarabs that could basically be walking covenant bases that you would need to infiltrate and destroy.
The whole thing itself could be a mini level with hallways and corridors and a control room. The scarab could be about twice as big or three times as big as a normal scarab and would tower over UNSC vehicles and forces making it look very cool and scary. The explosion would be massive and amazing.

[Edited on 10.11.2009 9:16 PM PDT]

  • 10.11.2009 9:09 PM PDT

I'm sorry but the Scarab battles were only epic for about the first time, they were basically Bungie's answer to "a huge epic battle" when it was really only one that could last five minutes and the fact it's EASY AS HELL TO TAKE DOWN (Seriously, I've seen a video where a guy melee'd one to death without firing a single round). One way they could make them more epic maybe if they weren't the main target, what if you were caught up in a huge firefight with a small army of Covenant forces, you're holed in some trenches with many other marines and your objective is to hold the area until back-up arrives.

Then imagine you gun down the last elite....the battle's over....you're low on health, several marines died in the firefight along with several vehicles destroyed and you're running low on ammo. All of a sudden you hear "What's that?! We got something coming down from orbit!!!!" then a freaking scarab drops down a mile away and starts advancing to your location. That would be a great "Oh crap" moment where it would either come in that you could:

A. Fight the Scarab with your low ammo and marine count

or

B. Retreat back to base and see if could hold out better from there

  • 10.11.2009 9:09 PM PDT

The less than a second latency of online play is a better system to play off of than more health.

You realize this system is just as host based, right? because if you're fighting host, or someone with a better connection to host, and you each start firing at the same time, his BULLETS will register first, giving him slightly more health if the melees happen at the same time.

So would you rather have the BS of both, or just one?

-HaVOk1228

One thing I would like to see added to a scarab fight is some sense of urgency to a scarab fight. In every scarab battle we have yet played the big lug just sits in an enclosed space waiting for us to finish it (even the scarab fight in halo 2 ends at a rather odd dead end).
I would like to see a scarab fight that captures the spirit of the first half of the halo 2 scarab battle (that it rampages around the city blowing through your lines/ smashing things) but then tie that to a mission. Instead of having the scarab end up at a dead end, make it on a path to somewhere you would rather not have it be. So the level then becomes a race to stop that scarab from devastating some base or something.
-----------------
EDIT: Also making the destruction of scarabs not so important could help the experience. As of now we only get situations that pit us head on against scarabs. What if the scarabs acted more like the phantoms and only entered battle briefly before fleeting away. They could stop to drop off a wave of troops/ lay down a whole lot of support before exiting over some mountain or building.
-YOu wouldn't need to kill the scarab, it would simply remain as an option to stop a rather large laser from devastating your AI buddies.
EX: You are playing some vehicle oriented mission when all of a sudden a scarab pops over a hill to start devastating your tank column. You can take the beating, kill the troops that get dropped off and wait till it leaves on its own (it's a scarab it has better things to do then wait around as ground forces mop up some scrawny humans) or you can make a desperate rush onto the scarab to stop it from destroying the tanks/ troops you are counting on for the rest of the mission.
Alt EX: You pass through a city mission fighting the usual foes. Every now and then a scarab passes by to shoot up the bunkers/ buildings you are using for cover (making the mission just that much more difficult) though it doesn't stay long to fight (it is being called around the area to give fire support to ground teams) there are some opportunities for you to either board it and take it down or otherwise (maybe some special anti-ship grade gun positions). You can save yourself some hassle by going off the main path to take it down.

[Edited on 10.11.2009 9:46 PM PDT]

  • 10.11.2009 9:09 PM PDT

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Posted by: LinkLegend0
The elephant vs. scarab idea is good, I also think that there can be many different and more major scarabs for Reach.

Since Reach was probably one of the biggest battles in the war, they could have huge giant scarabs that could basically be walking covenant bases that you would need to infiltrate and destroy.
The whole thing itself could be a mini level will hallways and corridors and a control room. The scarab could be about twice as big or three times as big as a normal scarab and would tower over UNSC vehicles and forces making it look very cool and scary. The explosion would be massive and amazing.

That would be an awesome concept for a campaign or firefight level!

  • 10.11.2009 9:15 PM PDT

-blam!- Was that actually blammed out? Or did I just type it? You'll never know.

I think it should be a bit more like the Halo 2 Scarab as far as the crew goes and boarding it.

  • 10.11.2009 9:25 PM PDT

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Posted by: MrPinke7103
One thing I would like to see added to a scarab fight is some sense of urgency to a scarab fight. In every scarab battle we have yet played the big lug just sits in an enclosed space waiting for us to finish it (even the scarab fight in halo 2 ends at a rather odd dead end).
I would like to see a scarab fight that captures the spirit of the first half of the halo 2 scarab battle (that it rampages around the city blowing through your lines/ smashing things) but then tie that to a mission. Instead of having the scarab end up at a dead end, make it on a path to somewhere you would rather not have it be. So the level then becomes a race to stop that scarab from devastating some base or something.

That sounds cool, as long as they give you plenty of time and ways to board the Scarab before it gets to its destination. If it gets where it is going it should fire all of its weapons and destroy the base or whatever, thus you fail the mission.

  • 10.11.2009 9:38 PM PDT

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Posted by: VinIsAwesome55
Let's have like a Mega Scarab the size of 3 Scarab.

Let's have like 7 different weakpoints that you have to destroy too kill the Scarab. It would too easy if it's just one beefed up weak point. And those weak points will be hidden until you hit one of them that's already revealed. Should be at least 3 stories high. And the only ways to get in is by air (land a Hornet/Banshee), or shoot off 2 of it's legs to get in to the opening in the back (mini garage)

And it's weapons:

It's original Scarab gun, but increased damage up to 30%.
An AA Gun on the top of the Mega Scarab.
5 plasma Turrets; One on the back, Two on the First floor, two on the second floor.

It's crew can vary from Grunts, Jackels, Elites or Brutes. But let's mix it up:

Grunts with Fuel Rods for Vehicles like the Scorpion or Warthog.

Drones that fly out of a secret room specifically made for them.

A little garage with some Ghosts or Choppers, with your standard Brute/Elite squads guarding it (the only way to get on the Mega Scarab on foot).

Jackels with Beam Rifles.

JetPack Brutes/Elites that fly out with the Drones.


Other than that, everything in your ideas adds epicness.
*If I'm being too much with the ideas, just tell me; I have a tendency to over do things.....lol (really, I do).

I will just say that if there is a boss of the game in Reach then this should definitely be it! I don't think you are being too much with your ideas, I like to have people that put forth a lot of creative ideas into my threads :)

  • 10.11.2009 9:58 PM PDT

Here’s what Luke had to say about the differences in treatment between the Spartans and Elites in Reach:

“Instead of piece-by-piece customization like the Spartans, Elite customization is a full model swap with models selected from the various Elite classes appearing throughout the Campaign. There are all kinds of reasons for this, not the least of which is our continued emphasis on the Spartan as your identity in Reach.”

Wraith cannons on one would be neat.

Oh, one should be considered: As soon as the Scarab drops, the side doors drop open like the sides of a phantom drop ship and drone hordes fly out of the sides.

[Edited on 10.11.2009 10:05 PM PDT]

  • 10.11.2009 10:01 PM PDT