Let me put it this way. What if there was a specialization that gave players stronger shields? Then that five shot BR you're using is a five shot on some guys, and a six shot on others. It means getting into a BR fight with someone without realizing it's not a fair fight. It means the understanding you have about the rules of the game and your own capabilities versus your opponents goes out the window, and you never know when you engage someone if that's a good idea or not.
That's not too far off from faster recharging shields. It's one of those foundational rules of the game: I know how high this guy jumps, I know how many shots I need to put on him to drop him, and I know how long I have until his shields return. Only, some guys will recharge faster than others now, and the only way to find out who is who is to get an unhappy surprise.
Now as I said, to a degree this has always been in Halo (surprise! I has rockets). But I'm finding that there's a line I'm uncomfortable with crossing, and things like the faster shield recharge is a ways across it. It's exactly the kind of thing I got nervous about when specializations were announced. Different people draw the line at different points; I think I'm pretty far down the line to being readily accepting of the changing nature of Halo. But there's definitely a line at which I get uncomfortable, and we're up against it in some ways with what Halo 4 is doing (on just a few elements; I like a lot of what 343 is up to).
I'm still not sure yet how to fully articulate exactly where that line is. It has to do with knowing that everyone on the battlefield is playing by the same set of rules. They can get some different toys, but they are bound to the same set of base rules we all follow. But some of the specializations feel like they are shifting into letting players tinker with the base rules they have to follow.
How about a perk to let you jump go higher? Or carry a 3rd weapon? Or dual wield rocket launchers? These are all over that line, but to varying degrees. It's the same feeling I had when I saw Armor Lock in action for the first time, understanding what it meant for gameplay. Giving some players faster recharging shields - or some the ability to pick up grenades - crosses it as well. That base set of rules isn't just changing, we're to the point where players are starting to be able to pick their own. Obviously I'm going to play it - a lot - to see how it goes. But I am really very nervous about how it will play out.
I can see where you're coming from - and I can see why it makes you nervous. But for me, it's ALWAYS been like this - even with stock vanilla Halo (is there such a thing?).
Say I'm fighting someone, and I have help. I get two shots put on me, and because of the help, the other guy dies. I turn to round a corner, and there's a guy in front of me. I have NO IDEA how much health he has - if he's been in a battle recently, if he's fresh, any of that - but I know that
I'm down two shots. But he's facing away from me. Do I take the chance and start shooting him, hoping that I get enough shots into him before he turns that I have a chance of winning the battle (even if he's fresh)... or do I fade away and wait until my shields are back up?
The answer to this question has ALWAYS been variable for me. Do I feel 'on' in this game? Do I have host? Am I running low on ammo anyway? There are a million variables, and I process them in every encounter, mostly by instinct.
To me, a faster recharge (it's not hugely faster), a larger ammo clip (it's not hugely larger), the ability to pick up grenades (there probably aren't even grenades to pick up in the area we're fighting, statistically) - all of these things are just more uncertainties in a sea of uncertainties. LIFE is uncertain. I just play.
(I totally understand that I might be in a minority with these opinions - that most (thinking) players might want a bit more concreteness in their Haloverse. I'm okay with that, too.
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