- Sliding Ghost
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Posted by: InvasionImminent
Posted by: Sliding Ghost
-enemy AI have so many advantages over the player that it's not a battle of survival. It's a battle of frustration
I'm going to disagree with you. The AI do appear in position already, eliminating the survival aspect of the game for most of the entirety, but I wouldn't see how they have an advantage over the player that much. Maybe you're just exaggerating, which in that case, I agree. The encounters are still a pain in the ass. Besides, I'm mostly talking about LNoS. Those infinite dropships are very annoying. I hate how Ultras spawn with minors or majors. I want every Elite to be Ultra but noooo, M$ are too cheap to include skulls or save option in the Demo.
Yesterday, I had such a hard time isolating Ultra Elites on Legendary without that kill stealing Pelican interfering (to do this, I have to block the troopers so they don't die).
I had to resort to fighting that Ultra Elite that drops off in that 4th drop pod (the one before the kamikaze Seraph). I lowered the difficulty to Heroic and I had the best time in Reach, picking up the Needle Rifle and plasma rifle and getting assassinations, grenade sticks, and dodging plasma rifle shots.
Posted by: chickenlittle
Posted by: InvasionImminent
Posted by: Sliding Ghost
-enemy AI have so many advantages over the player that it's not a battle of survival. It's a battle of frustration
I'm going to disagree with you. The AI do appear in position already, eliminating the survival aspect of the game for most of the entirety, but I wouldn't see how they have an advantage over the player that much. Maybe you're just exaggerating, which in that case, I agree. Here's a list:
-instant "saving throw" - avoiding grenades, rockets, plasma pistol overcharge, etc. regardless if they're aware they're being shot at
-perfect grenade throw every time
-grenade throws are almost instantaneous, much faster than the player
-EMPs are seeker missiles, virtually impossible to dodge
-Fuel Rods are always perfect aim, and almost as fast as a sniper round
-Wraith rounds & sniper rounds are always directly on target, regardless if line of site is broken for several minutes
-enemies move in a jerky way - impossible to predict and as far from fluid movement as possible
-enemies always know exactly where you are regardless if they've lost line of site or even if they haven't even seen you
-difficulties add numbers, health and damage, not aggressiveness or skill, since it's already at peak
-enemies stay in their defensive area, instead of attacking and allowing you to set up a defensive position
Generally, when I played Reach, I would die because of something incredibly cheap. An undodgable plasma grenade, fuel rod cannon, plasma pistol overcharge, instant melee, etc. Not because I made a legitimate mistake. Those aren't the markings of a good game. I agree with everything!
First point is true. Jackals and Grunts are so damn fast. It contradicts CE and realism (sure Jackals can run fast but they can't dive that fast... maybe the snipers but that's about it). Badcyborg.net notes this to be first existent in Halo 3.
It's mostly from the double handed weapon wielders IIRC. It was very noticeable in Halo 3 (the heavy Grunts that had fuel rod guns). They don't do any fancy animation. They just throw it like players. Since the player can only use 2 grenades and has a heck lot of waiting time after meleeing or throwing a grenade, it's unfair.
Enemy plasma pistol overcharges are absurd. But when the player uses it, it sucks ass.
I don't know about the fifth point but I agree about the 6th point.
7th point is definitely true. I can tolerate Ultras but the other Elites just aren't fun to fight. Getting a kill on them doesn't even have that feeling of accomplishment. It's more like being relieved of something picking at your back.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed that. It may be kinda exaggerated, but yeah, AI have near omniscience (this is easily seen on LNoS, if you go on the rock cliff). At the same time, they aren't very intelligent.
Numbers was in CE but they weren't this bad. On CE Heroic, in certain areas, there were less AI then there were on Legendary. Health and damage on the other hand are extreme and unreasonable.
I have to disagree. This isn't always the case. At the beach battle on LNoS, the Covies venture into the area and they only stay back if a friendly AI is manning the Wraith or if there's scenery placed between the gaps of the sandbags. I've only managed a few times to keep the Covies from charging (as a result, I was able to arm like 5 troopers with rocket launchers and I was able to fight them by myself). But that doesn't stop troopers from climbing up crates and charging to their doom. Worst of all, the Elite shields have absurd recharge rate. After about 5 seconds, an Elite's shield will recharge.
Indeed, Reach stacks the odds heavily against the player. CE may be easier but that's only because one fights 1 or 2 encounters at a time. A CE megabattle is intense and Two Betrayals without Bandanna or Foreign but all the other skulls on would be a pain in the ass. But there is one thing that CE allows: AI manipulation, setting them up for an assassination. I've found ways to assassinate Elites on AotCR, Silent Cartographer, Two Betrayals, etc. This was limited in H3 (inside of 3rd and 1st tower on The Covenant) but is non-existent in Reach.