Warning: long read. This feedback is
only for the Anniversary BTB (ABTB) playlist. Nothing else.
To make things simpler and easier to get my points across, each solution to the noted problems below will be recommended as if they will be implemented on their own and not in conjunction with any of my other recommendations.
Problem 1: Too many gametypes and map variants are crowding the playlist.
There are a lot of gametypes and map variants in the ABTB playlist. So much in fact that it's easy to get confused and keep in mind the weapon spawns and settings for every pairing. Furthermore, the more you crowd a playlist with different gametypes and maps, the less each one will be played by a majority of players. Here are the gametypes in the playlist:
- Big Team Slayer
- Anv. BTB Slayer
- BTB Snipers
- Elite Slayer
- 1 Flag CTF
- 1 Bomb Assault
- Territories
- Team Crazy King
- Assault
- Multiflag CTF
- Stockpile
- Neutral Bomb
And that's not even including the TU/Anniversary version of each gametype (if applicable), paired with Breakneck/Headlong, and Ridgeline/Timberland, respectively.
Furthermore, I think the idea of ABTB is fundamentally...skewed. If you accept the idea of "Anniversary" to mean Halo 1 settings, then ABTB can't fit comfortably under that category. Half of the playlist relies on a Halo 2 map; a map not designed for Halo 1's sandbox. Yet the playlist always features ABTB Slayer with Headlong, even though the pairing doesn't make sense.
Speaking of ABTB only, I think 343's efforts to provide a CE-like experience, while I'm sure is appreciated, is ultimately too limited for continued support. The defining aspect of CE's MP sandbox was the 3SK pistol, yes, but that wasn't the entire sandbox.
The presence of Breakneck and 343's limited ability to replicate the Halo 1 experience in the ABTB playlist will drive most of my recommendations.
Slayer is too heavily weighted.
: Remove the "Anniversary" aspect from ABTB. Take out all Anniversary gametypes and maps. This will greatly reduce the number of gametypes and lead to less confusion among the general population. People will play more of every gametype.
Solution 1B: Leave in the Anniversary gametypes but have them only paired with Anniversary Timberland. Anniversary Headlong can remain in the playlist so long as the map is only paired with TU settings. The drawbacks of this solution is that it does not reduce the number of gametypes and maps as much as 1A.
Solution 1C: Remove, or greatly reduce the weighting of, BTB Snipers and Team Crazy King. Neither fit too well as an ABTB gametype, and this can be paired with 1A or 1B to be make both solutions more effective. Why not Elite Slayer? That sticky achievement.
Solution 1D: Remove, or greatly reduce the weighting of, High Noon. The stars of this playlist are Ridgeline and Breakneck. We don't need a medium-large map crowding the playlist.
Solution 1E: Decrease the weight of Slayer gametypes.
Problem 2: Weapon placements and weapons spawns, vehicle placements, and vehicle spawns, are quite poor and are thus hampering the experience.
The majority of these problems have to deal with Ridgeline/Timberland, but Headlong/Breakneck has its (albeit relatively small) issues.
Let's begin with Timberland because the distinguishing feature of ABTB is its Anniversary aspect. Look, I've never played on Timberland nor know what the original weapon spawns were, but Anniversary Timberland has too many power weapons for Reach's gameplay. The map has two fuel-rod guns, two rockets, an overshield, two camouflages, four snipers, and four shotguns. It's not uncommon to see people running around with two power weapons. The placement of the weapons only serve to heighten and compound the frustration. Shotguns are placed next to the camouflage for both teams (I don't think I need to elaborate here). The snipers for both teams are placed on a hill and in the second floors of the bases; all four places are great sniping spots. You don't spawn a weapon in its most effective location; players should have to earn that. On the subject of vehicles, the rocket Warthog is a pointless and semi-ineffective addition. All the rocket Warthog does is make a lot of noise.
The weapon spawns for the power weapons,
and this is true for every map I think, are too short. They spawn way too fast. Because of the way the spawn system works, all you have to do is abandon the power weapon by time you're finished using it and it'll spawn immediately.
Ridgeline shares much of the same problems as Anniversary Timberland. The map has two snipers, two rockets, two shotguns, two pro-pipes, and a laser. I can't remember if a rocket Warthog spawns on the map, but if it does, same problems apply.
I haven't noticed any huge problems with weapon placements on Headlong, but Havok has noticed some:
Havok said:
Things like there being two snipers that are both in practice more easily accessible to blue team - one spawns in the window near the mancannon landing, the other in the old invis hall. Previously the two teams had their own, a beam rifle on one side and a human sniper on the other. Sword spawn was changed to being on the girder, which means nobody really goes after it. Red team rockets now spawn at the top of the rear hallway lift behind Red Base, so you never have to go into the open to have rockets camp the flag. I'm not even sure why the Plasma Launcher exists on that map. It doesn't really serve a purpose. Some of the changes are okay, but there's kind of an encouragement to camp at the mancannon landing and in the red base.
Everyone, however, knows Headlong and Breakneck's biggest problems are in the vehicles. The Banshee, specifically. It is too overpowered and many times a deciding factor in the outcome of a game. The Gauss Hog can become dominating, but nowhere near the extent of the Banshee.
: I know the point of Anniversary Timberland is to replicate the original experience as closely as possible with identical weapon placements, but it's not working as is, and so it needs changing. You know those two structures on either side in the middle where the rockets spawn on Ridgeline? Timberland only has one of these structures. Put a duplicate structure on the other side and place the shotgun spawns in there. Remove the two rockets and one of the fuel-rod guns and place a single fuel-rod gun in the center. Place a sniper, with reduced extra ammunition down to four bullets, on either the first floor of each base or back where the fuel-rod guns spawn on the map in the current matchmaking version. Eliminate the other two snipers. Alternatively, you can place the a sniper in each structure in the middle and put the shotguns back where the fuel-rod guns currently spawn. Remove the overshield in the middle and instead give one base an invisibility and one base an overshield; place either one in one of the current invisibility power-up spawns.
Solution 2B: Tweak the weapon placements of Ridgeline. IIRC, Ridgeline has two pro-pipes and no overshield/invisibility power-up. I'm fine with how fast the pro-pipes spawn and the amount of ammo they have, but I think I'm letting my own bias get in the way of providing objective feedback here. Shotguns (or snipers) spawn in the middle bases, snipers (or shotguns) either in the first floor of the base or down where the fuel-rod guns currently spawn, and rockets in the center.
Solution 2C: Remove the Banshee from Anniversary Headlong and Breackneck. I'm hesitant to recommend the removal of the Gauss Hog because while it can become a problem, it never gets too bad.
Solution 2D: Remove the rocket Warthog on whatever maps it appears on and replace it with a turret Warthog.
Solution 2E: Increase spawn times for all power weapons on every map.
Solution 2F: Remove snipers from Anniversary Timberland and Ridgeline completely. I think the DMR's 3x zoom is more than enough for the maps.
Solution 2G: Replace Breakneck's weapon placements with Headlong's with the exception of the pro-pipe – keep the spare ammunition at 7 grenades.
Problem 3: Certain armor abilities and spawns are detrimental to gametypes and maps.
I'll be honest at the start here. I do not like armor abilities. Save for hologram, I cannot name a single armor ability I like. However, given the unlikelihood of their complete removal, I'll limit criticism to two in particular: evade and jetpack.
Evade, as has been discussed so many times before, isn't suited for objective gametypes and is annoying to fight against because of its range of maneuverability (you can evade in any direction).
Jetpack is a problem on both maps because it can bypass otherwise impassable areas, but it is most annoying on Headlong/Breakneck. Often times I have trouble getting my footing or figuring out where I'm being shot from because of people in jetpacks.
Camouflage has been known to cause some problems, mainly with the mancannon.
I only have trouble with spawns for one specific map and gametype, and that's BTB Slayer on Ridgeline. For whatever reason this doesn't apply to ABTB Slayer on Anniversary Timberland. In BTB Slayer on Ridgeline, players from both teams can spawn at either base beyond the initial spawn, eliminating the red base and the blue base and creating, in effect, two purple bases. This allows either team to spawn behind the other. I don't think I need to explain why that's a problem. The same situation exists on Highlands and that has yet to be fixed (same with Tempest too, I believe).
Solution 3A: Remove all armor abilities from every gametype. Increase base player speed and jump height.
Solution 3B: Remove jetpack, camo, and evade from every gametype.
Solution 3C: Remove evade from every gametype, but only remove jetpack and camo from gametypes paired with Headlong/Ridgeline.
Solution 3D: Adjust the spawns so the teams spawn only at their respective bases.
Those are my ideas. Hope everyone finds them somewhat reasonable. I hope I wasn't confusing.
Edit: If anyone has more suggestions for this list, feel free to say so! Or if you disagree, tell me why.
