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[Rickenslacker]

I thought we chalked that up to a lack of playtesting/poor programming about ten years ago. There's zero logic in a mere sidearm being that powerful.

Does it matter? It's what solidified Halo as a precision heavy game by those who liked the competitive aspect of it from the start.

I get your point, but I'm talking more about the role of the weapon in relation to everything else in the sandbox. I see people here lobbying for one utilitarian weapon that would kill any desire to use the majority of all the others. That just seems boring to me.

Utilitarian yes, overpowered not necessarily. What I appreciated about Halo from the start was that you didn't leave spawn useless. You could still tackle any situation because of the versatility of the pistol, but that didn't mean that other weapons didn't serve their purpose and were unwise to pick up. In fact, I think CE might end up being one of the strongest sandboxes because there's no redundancy or mechanics like dual wielding to throw a wrench into weapon balance.

 

[FyreWulff]

Go back and listen to the Jaime Griesemer Sparkast. Not a bug. A unilateral decision by someone who was apparently more intelligent about game design than most

Spoiler

(all)

.

Griesemer worked on campaign, not multiplayer. Once again:

A decision was made (by Griesemer?) to power up the pistol. This was intended, for campaign.

The two man team that worked on Halo 1 multiplayer, Hardy LeBel and Michael Evans, did not have time to correct the bug. The multiplayer pistol inheriting the campaign buff was NOT intended.

 

[Captain Blood]

Griesemer worked on campaign, not multiplayer. Once again:

A decision was made (by Griesemer?) to power up the pistol. This was intended, for campaign.

The two man team that worked on Halo 1 multiplayer, Hardy LeBel and Michael Evans, did not have time to correct the bug. The multiplayer pistol inheriting the campaign buff was NOT intended.

Not to beat a dead horse but I feel like a need sources when you make bold claims after the .map debacle. I don't remember Griesemer saying the tweak was only intended for the campaign but it was a while ago that I listened to it.

 

[The Librarian]

I am holding a prototype of the packaging in my hand right now. It doesn't look like that. And it may not be a steelbook, but it's actually a very cool and unique treatment.

Hype levels rise a little higher.

 

[senador]

Griesemer worked on campaign, not multiplayer. Once again:

A decision was made (by Griesemer?) to power up the pistol. This was intended, for campaign.

The two man team that worked on Halo 1 multiplayer, Hardy LeBel and Michael Evans, did not have time to correct the bug. The multiplayer pistol inheriting the campaign buff was NOT intended.

They also said that the attributes for multiplayer were set through an XML like file and loaded into cache. Someone hardcoded the pistols damage elsewhere so that it overrode this attribute file and ensured that it'd stay the same.

Surely you read/heard this bit too being FyreWulff and having so many details. Why omit this one?

 

[Devin Olsen]

Griesemer worked on campaign, not multiplayer. Once again:

A decision was made (by Griesemer?) to power up the pistol. This was intended, for campaign.

The two man team that worked on Halo 1 multiplayer, Hardy LeBel and Michael Evans, did not have time to correct the bug. The multiplayer pistol inheriting the campaign buff was NOT intended.

Sources would be nice.

See how Syracuse022 backed up his claim with a solid source, I suggest you do the same.

 

[J10]

Does it matter? It's what solidified Halo as a precision heavy game by those who liked the competitive aspect of it from the start.

Utilitarian yes, overpowered not necessarily. What I appreciated about Halo from the start was that you didn't leave spawn useless. You could still tackle any situation because of the versatility of the pistol, but that didn't mean that other weapons didn't serve their purpose and were unwise to pick up. In fact, I think CE might end up being one of the strongest sandboxes because there's no redundancy or mechanics like dual wielding to throw a wrench into weapon balance.

I'm gonna backpeddle here a little bit. The DMR is a my favorite weapon. Magnum second. Needle Rifle third. I obviously like playing the precision game myself. What I think is pretty cool about Reach is that despite my own proficiency with those weapons, I can still lose a firefight to someone with a Needler or AR in some situations and not everybody is pigeonholed into using the same two or three weapons for the majority of a match. I think the weapon balance in Reach is already really good and pining for a 3sk magnum just seems retarded.

 

[FyreWulff]

They also said that the attributes for multiplayer were set through an XML like file and loaded into cache. Someone hardcoded the pistols damage elsewhere so that it overrode this attribute file and ensured that it'd stay the same.

Surely you read/heard this bit too being FyreWulff and having so many details. Why omit this one?

Nope, never heard that part of it.

 

[Booshka]

I get your point, but I'm talking more about the role of the weapon in relation to everything else in the sandbox. I see people here lobbying for one utilitarian weapon that would kill any desire to use the majority of all the others. That just seems boring to me.

The Pistol didn't do that to Halo CE, you still wanted to fight over Rockets and Sniper, it made fighting over Powerups skill based instead of just luck or having the good fortune to spawn near it and pick it up. Along with weapons like the Plasma Rifle, Shotgun and even AR all having their place. Of course the Pistol was the best weapon for most situations, but everyone had one, it was fun to use, took skill, and offset the Power weapons/powerups enough to make their acquisition a challenging and balanced aspect of the game. It also added to teamwork and map control.

Halo has since still tried to keep a utility precision weapon as the go-to weapon (BR/DMR), but it hasn't really worked. So Halo needs to either go all the way and truly give guns a niche, like what Shadowrun does, or go back to what Halo CE did and have a Pistol type weapon with Power weapons and power ups being the reasons to move around the map, and fight over them, along with some close-range specialty weapons like the Plasma Rifle/AR and Shotgun. Most of the guns that have been added to the Halo franchise are only fun to use for a few mins in a Campaign environment. They have no real use or purpose in the MP.

Only being able to hold two weapons in Halo games emphasizes having a utility weapon at spawn like Pistol/BR/DMR, and then you fight over specialty and power weapons/powerups. If it was Quake style with tons of weapons at your disposal all the time, the utility weapon role would be marginalized and you would be able to actually switch between distinct weapons for any given situation. Halo isn't that game, so we need a go-to weapon that is based around precision and good range. The Pistol was the best version of that theory.

Nope, never heard that part of it.

Listen from 38:00 on, and hear that part of it. http://halo.xbox.com/Content/assets/en-us/Podcast/343Sparkast_006.mp3

 

[J10]

That's my favorite part about CE pistol discussions. Nobody ever sees the irony in listing it right next to the Rockets and Sniper Rifles. Everybody spawns with a power weapon and all you're doing is fighting over a couple other power weapons.

 

[Booshka]

That's my favorite part about CE pistol discussions. Nobody ever sees the irony in listing it right next to the Rockets and Sniper Rifles. Everybody spawns with a power weapon and all you're doing is fighting over a couple other power weapons.

Not at all.

 

[GhaleonEB]

I like the black

It's stylish, but also diametrically opposed to Halo's visual style. Better than the original art, though, which I think is pretty ugly.

 

[The Librarian]

MC also looks like a toy. Kind of.

 

[Delta 15t]

Never hesitate to use that pistol. Very handy when all else fails.

~Delta

That's my favorite part about CE pistol discussions. Nobody ever sees the irony in listing it right next to the Rockets and Sniper Rifles. Everybody spawns with a power weapon and all you're doing is fighting over a couple other power weapons.

 

[Tunavi]

That's my favorite part about CE pistol discussions. Nobody ever sees the irony in listing it right next to the Rockets and Sniper Rifles. Everybody spawns with a power weapon and all you're doing is fighting over a couple other power weapons.

Or you can spawn with nothing to defend yourself with against players who have power weapons.

See: AR starts in Reach.

 

[Tawpgun]

When did Halo become a game of precision? Like 85% of the weapons are either full auto or area of effect. Give everybody a death star and that shit gets boring quick.

wat.

I get your point, but I'm talking more about the role of the weapon in relation to everything else in the sandbox. I see people here lobbying for one utilitarian weapon that would kill any desire to use the majority of all the others. That just seems boring to me.

When making a GOOD FPS you need to take player skill and weapon effectiveness into account. The weapons that take the most skill to use, i.e. Precision Weapons (and I guess Pro Pipe) should be very lethal assuming players don't miss a shot.

Automatic weapons, i.e. easy weapons, should be able to kill, but they shouldn't be that lethal. Personally, I think the balance between the Automatics and the Precisions is pretty good in Reach. Needler is a bit OP. AR's can get annoying but they are pretty balanced.

But hell, if it was up to me I'd remove the AR from the sandbox. It feels so useless... something players who are too scared to use the DMR use. If anything its sometimes "fun" to fire an automatic weapon.

But to do it all the time... bleh, boring and bland. The finesse of precision combat, the ebb and flow of weapon and map control, is far more exciting, at least to me.

Or you can spawn with nothing to defend yourself with against players who have power weapons.

See: AR starts in Reach.

The Reach Pistol is actually decent. I'd like it to have at least 12 or so shots in the mag, but whatever. Reach AR starts is tolerable. Halo 3 AR starts was.... wtf.

 

[GhaleonEB]

~Delta

GAF does not have a sig feaure for a reason.

 

[The Librarian]

GAF does not have a sig feaure for a reason.

B.B.

 

[Rickenslacker]

I'm gonna backpeddle here a little bit. The DMR is a my favorite weapon. Magnum second. Needle Rifle third. I obviously like playing the precision game myself. What I think is pretty cool about Reach is that despite my own proficiency with those weapons, I can still lose a firefight to someone with a Needler or AR in some situations and not everybody is pigeonholed into using the same two or three weapons for the majority of a match. I think the weapon balance in Reach is already really good and pining for a 3sk magnum just seems retarded.

That's cool, but pining for a 3sk magnum in Reach is another discussion altogether. I'm merely saying that Halo was always a precision shooter kind of game, intentional or not.

That's my favorite part about CE pistol discussions. Nobody ever sees the irony in listing it right next to the Rockets and Sniper Rifles. Everybody spawns with a power weapon and all you're doing is fighting over a couple other power weapons.

It's because pretty much everything you picked up was a power weapon in CE. What else is there? Plasma rifle, plasma pistol, needler, AR. Maybe to some having mindlessly powerful automatics makes for more diverse encounters, but I found them having ulterior benefits (PR with stunning, AR with quick camo) to be preferential.

 

[Tunavi]

The Reach Pistol is actually decent. I'd like it to have at least 12 or so shots in the mag, but whatever. Reach AR starts is tolerable. Halo 3 AR starts was.... wtf.

The bloom on the Reach Magnum is insane. Still can't believe they nerfed it so hard since the beta.

 

[Tawpgun]

The bloom on the Reach Magnum is insane. Still can't believe they nerfed it so hard since the beta.

Yeah, the nerf was unfortunate... but at least it gives us a viable precision weapon to defend ourselves with.

 

[Karl2177]

wat.



When making a GOOD FPS you need to take player skill and weapon effectiveness into account. The weapons that take the most skill to use, i.e. Precision Weapons (and I guess Pro Pipe) should be very lethal assuming players don't miss a shot.

Automatic weapons, i.e. easy weapons, should be able to kill, but they shouldn't be that lethal. Personally, I think the balance between the Automatics and the Precisions is pretty good in Reach. Needler is a bit OP. AR's can get annoying but they are pretty balanced.

But hell, if it was up to me I'd remove the AR from the sandbox. It feels so useless... something players who are too scared to use the DMR use. If anything its sometimes "fun" to fire an automatic weapon.

But to do it all the time... bleh, boring and bland. The finesse of precision combat, the ebb and flow of weapon and map control, is far more exciting, at least to me.

That's actually a pretty good way of putting it. The problem I think comes when the game (d)evolves into only precision play. The gameplay can get tiresome if it becomes too much of one over and over. I'll be honest in saying that I don't mind an AR gametype after 10 or so DMR gametypes.

 

[J10]

Or you can spawn with nothing to defend yourself with against players who have power weapons.

See: AR starts in Reach.

See Armor Lock, Drop Shield, Evade, Hologram, Active Camo...

 

[Havok]

See Armor Lock, Drop Shield, Evade, Hologram, Active Camo...

Yes, four of those five things are awful just like AR starts. And none of them will do you that much good when you spawn without a way to defend yourself on a big map like launch-Objective-era Hemo which had AR starts. Being deadly on spawn is essential for a game like this.

 

[Tunavi]

See Armor Lock, Drop Shield, Evade, Hologram, Active Camo...

Bad gameplay mechanisms counteracting other bad gameplay mechanisms is not good balance. This is where Reach fails

 

[Plywood]

~Delta

 

[feel]

^ hey that's the dev guy from the pillar of autumn tgs demo lol




I adore the original Halo CE cover. I find it so beautiful. Am I the only one? I never see anything but hate for it. I dislike the Halo2 and Halo3 covers.

 

[Hitmonchan107]

GAF does not have a sig feaure for a reason.

Really? I didn't know that.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Currently listening to: "Feel It All Around" by Washed Out

Zac and Vanessa 4eva! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

 

[Plywood]

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Currently listening to: "Feel It All Around" by Washed Out

Zac and Vanessa 4eva! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

 

[Delta 15t]

Although I prefer the DMR, I won't hesitate to use any weapon. I just use whatever is necessary in that moment.

~Delta

 

[wwm0nkey]

~Delta

Stop that

 

[Tawpgun]

See Armor Lock, Drop Shield, Evade, Hologram, Active Camo...

I want you to keep posting because of your avatar...

but on the other hand you have some terrible ideas.

Spoiler

imo

 

[senador]

That's actually a pretty good way of putting it. The problem I think comes when the game (d)evolves into only precision play. The gameplay can get tiresome if it becomes too much of one over and over. I'll be honest in saying that I don't mind an AR gametype after 10 or so DMR gametypes.

I agree with this and your last sentence. I just wish the AR wasn't as effective as it is at range, and the pistol had several more shots and less bloom. The pistol stuff especially for when someone gets a DMR or NR.

 

[Plywood]

~Delta

 

[Tashi]

B.B.

 

[Karl2177]

Delta 15t
~Banned
(Today, 09:24 PM)
Reply | Quote

 

[senador]

Nope, never heard that part of it.

Listen from 38:00 on, and hear that part of it. http://halo.xbox.com/Content/assets/en-us/Podcast/343Sparkast_006.mp3

Sounds like FyreWulff was part right and it sounds like at least Jaime would deem it as a bug when he stated they weren't wanting to mess with cache files at that point in fear of messing things up. I wonder what the person who did it thought though.

 

[Plywood]

Delta 15t
~Banned
(Today, 09:24 PM)
Reply | Quote

 

[Slightly Live]

My first time playing Halo 2 I complained about the lack of an AR. =/

Although I prefer the DMR, I won't hesitate to use any weapon. I just use whatever is necessary in that moment.

~Delta

Don't be one of those guys that deliberately ignores a significant amount of folks trying to point out a problem to you. Not cool. Signatures are frowned upon here dude.

 

[Plywood]

Don't be one of those guys that deliberately ignores a significant amount of folks trying to point out a problem to you. Not cool. Signatures are frowned upon here dude.

This is where he assures us all that he has done this on other forums and that no one ever made a fuss then and he cannot stop now because he has made it a habit. Even though his name is displayed to the left of his post everytime he makes a post.

 

[The Librarian]

Don't be one of those guys that deliberately ignores a significant amount of folks trying to point out a problem to you. Not cool. Signatures are frowned upon here dude.

I can...say the same...about you...I think.

Spoiler

Let me know your secrets!

 

[Merguson]

I just remembered the HaloGAF Montage.

HaloGAF Montage Part 1

HaloGAF Montage Part 2

 

[GhaleonEB]

This is where he assures us all that he has done this on other forums and that no one ever made a fuss then and he cannot stop now because he has made it a habit. Even though his name is displayed to the left of his post everytime he makes a post.

I'll also point out that the reason sigs (and huge avatars and animated avatars and emoticons...) are disabled is because they detract and distract from the content of your posts. GAF doesn't roll that way. Not trying to backseat moderate, just offering some friendly advice.

 

[ElRenoRaven]

Go back and listen to the Jaime Griesemer Sparkast. Not a bug. A unilateral decision by someone who was apparently more intelligent about game design than most

Spoiler

(all)

.

Yup. And it's been mentioned before in other interviews that said person was Jason Jones. He made it so that whatever they set it at it was automatically increased in power by a certain amount. So yea it wasn't a bug one bit.

 

[kylej]

Although I prefer the DMR, I won't hesitate to use any weapon. I just use whatever is necessary in that moment.

~Delta

lol. like a boss

 

[feel]

After the regret you all must've felt for constantly harassing Berserker for something meaningless like that you guys do it again?

 

[Delta 15t]

I'll agree with that.

I agree with this and your last sentence. I just wish the AR wasn't as effective as it is at range, and the pistol had several more shots and less bloom. The pistol stuff especially for when someone gets a DMR or NR.

 

[Tashi]

I just remembered the HaloGAF Montage.

HaloGAF Montage Part 1

HaloGAF Montage Part 2

Wow, flashback. Now I'm remembering BladedExpert. Where is that sexy mofo?

 

[Devin Olsen]

Although I prefer the DMR, I won't hesitate to use any weapon. I just use whatever is necessary in that moment.

~Delta

 

[Slightly Live]

Wow, flashback. Now I'm remembering BladedExpert. Where is that sexy mofo?

BladedExpert
Last seen 15 hours ago playing Halo: Reach