- fifthderelicte
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While I realize that all of these issues have been discussed before, I find that they must continue to be discussed over and over again, until one thread ends up becoming the "go to" thread for the topic. While my thread may not become that, I hope it can facilitate conversation and ideas until the community comes to a more agreed upon conclusion. It is with this in mind that I would like to address the three "R's" of Halo that I believe are hotly debated due to their need for being addressed. With that being said, I do not claim to come to any concrete solutions about the exact "how's," but rather show more clearly what the issue is, and what you need to address in order to find the proper solutions.
As I will describe in detail below, I think that there are three major, overarching issues Bungie should address for Halo Reach. These issues are 1) a fair ranking system that protects high and low levels, while providing fair matches with appropriate skill gaps, 2)Weaponsets and gameplay that create a large skill gap that is beneficial for everyone, 3) Weaponsets that provide options, but not at the cost of functionality.
Ranking
While most would disagree with me, I don't think the trueskill system was a bad system. The problem with the system was not the system at all, but the people who used the system. People quickly found that their mothers were right, and they were the best at everything. Even though their trueskill told them they were a 40, they knew they were better and started a new account. Having their sigma/mu essentially reset, and taking a relatively few amount of games to get to the top, allowed players to have a very flexible system where they could rank up more quickly.
If everyone would have stuck with trueskill, everything would have been great. You achieve your level because you deserve it, and it's going to take some consistency on your part to prove that you deserve the next level (once you're settled into the system anyway). But as legit 40s saw other people who weren't any better than them rise up the ranks, they realized that they too deserved a higher level. Thus the saga began. Some of these egotistical fellows also realized that while they were down in the lower ranks, it was rather enjoyable to bolster their egos by beating up on the lower levels, and another breed of perverter was born.
So as we look at the ranking system, I think there are two important factors to address: 1) We must ensure fair matches. When there is injustice in the system, such as was seen with the first wave of multiaccounters, this perceived injustice inspires rebellion in the masses. People will be unsatisfied. 2) The ranking system should not only provide for a fair rank, but should prevent the low levels from the malicious predatory egotists, as well as the high ranks from inflation. And how do we do this?
I propose that a system be created where the levels rise (and fall) extremely fast at first. Bungie can use the trueskill system already provided, but they should also incorporate a skill system that helps them determine how good a player is. This can look at kills, assists, captures, place on the team, or any number of things. Players who are anomalies in a game (they are level 1 and get 28 kills and 2 deaths in a slayer game) should be shot up in the ranks. Heck, move a player like that up to a 40 on their second game. HOWEVER, since it's so easy to move up and down, a high skill should not be assigned to a playlist/account for X number of games (X being the amount of games agreed upon as providing an accurate indication of skill). From this point on, the primary ranking system (trueskill) can take over on its own if desired. This gets multiaccounters out of the low levels fast, and it prevents boosting with a reset sigma/mu or any other means, protecting the high levels.
oRganized Gameplay (it's like the "Rithmetic of Halo)
One of the major issues many have with Halo 3 is the "catering to casual players." Before I go any further, let me express that I have no interest in supporting either MLG or casual players for any particular reason. I am very competitive when it comes to games, but I also realize that many people just want to play for fun. That being said, I don't understand why we can't have both.
If Bungie would actually implement my ranking idea (or one with similar interests in protection), and if Bungie would actually cater its multiplayer weapon and map functionality to the hardcore, it would actually be more beneficial to them and the community for several reasons:
1. Bungie would benefit because the hardcore keep the community running and would stick with Halo longer term.
2. The hardcore would benefit as they would have fair and non-randomized competition more than they do now.
3. The casual players would benefit because a larger skill gap would be produced, meaning they would play people in ranked more on their skill level.
The people who argue for the casual players on here do so out of ignorance and bias. They hate the MLG community (sometimes for legitimate reasons), but don't realize that this isn't a casual vs. MLG argument, but an issue that affects competitive players and weekend warriors alike, whether they are in one group, the other, or neither. But really, a larger skill gap provides not only a fair compromise, but the best of both worlds for both groups, and everyone in between. Seeing the issue in light of the truth, there are a few things I think Bungie should look at to bump up the skill gap:
1. Take autoaim down significantly in the game (but not out completely), at least for ranked multiplayer if nothing else. It's easy for players to bump down sensitivity to compensate, but it's hard to bump up sensitivity, as the reticule is still sticky, and can easily move to another target unless moving the reticule quickly. If they want to (and more options are always better), allow for it to be adjusted for customs.
2. Take out or significantly reduce melee lunge (other than for the sword, etc) and direction correction.
3. Make it necessary to lead moving targets with the sniper, like they made for the BR in H3.
4. Make less equipment on maps, and/or cause them to have long respawn times so they can be controlled like power weapons. Take out or significantly reduce cheap equipment like regens and bubbles, but bring back the great tactical equipment like radar jammers.
5. Bump the movement speed up to what is 110% in H3, or a bit faster than that.
6. [I'll leave this and subsequent numbers for the rest of the community to tell me what would cause a larger skill gap without throwing the game off too much]
A larger skill gap is beneficial for everyone.
Range
One of the biggest issues discussed right now in Halo deals with weapons. Some think the BR is too powerful, some think it is too weak. Whatever you conclude, the fact is that there are a lot of redundant weapons without enough varying functionalities, and there are really only a few "go to" weapons. This makes for stale gameplay and relatively thoughtless gameplay in terms of weapon strategy. However, how can Bungie put in too many different functionalities to give options, yet not so much that the game becomes "rock, paper, scissors?"
As it stands, the SMG and other weapons like it are really worthless. They are remnants of another game and don't really have any legitimate functionality. The shotgun beats them close, the sniper beats them long, the BR beats them mid, and the AR beats them short-mid. If you combine them with a PR the results may be a little better for you, but take away grenade throwing and melee (of course you can do it, but then you lose what little advantage you had with your duals), and you really have a worthless weapon. Add to this that the only real functionality of the SMG/AR category is spraying bullets, and you have a relatively skilless gun as well.
There are far too many things Bungie could do for me to address them, and the point of this thread is to address the issue and discuss, not necessarily come up with all the solutions. You can't come up with solutions to a problem you do not know the causes to. Bungie could incorporate differing shield/health damages for different weapons, they could bring back the stun effect of plasma, and they could do a lot of other things. However, one of the things I think would be most affective to make better gameplay is to add in varying functionality to all weapons. If you spray with the SMG, make it very inaccurate like it is now. But if you pump it, there should be considerably more accuracy than there is now. You have ZERO chance with an SMG against a BR at any range whatsoever. Yes, the BR should win, but it shouldn't be without taking any damage. Right now, Halo is largely rock, paper, scissors. There should be advantages to weapons, but it shouldn't be at zero cost to the one who has the right weapon.
As we take a look out at longer ranges, we come to the notorious BR. The BR is a great weapon largely because it's the only weapon for mid range. The carbine is on few maps in any significant quantity, and even if it was, the BR has a three round burst, taking little skill, ensuring you hit at least part of your shot, and making headshots the easiest type of shot in the game due to its burst. Beyond the range of the AR, there is really only the BR, Sniper, and laser class. Considering we have AR starts, the game doesn't become a careful selection for what weapon would give you an advantage, but still require you to do some thinking, the answer becomes a given.
Dversity must come along with functionality, and not move into a "rock, paper, scissors" realm of gameplay. Being hopeless is sometimes a lot different than being helpless.
[Edited on 11.15.2009 11:42 AM PST]