BOLT SHOT

[Silent Arbiter1]

still got the threads though

[THExSPIDERMAN]

Lol you banned from chat box.

[Lil Nawty Lucia]

Personally I love people who use the boltshot I just get out my trusty ol Assualt class. (Pvision, Grenadier, Explosives,) I normally get them with the first grenade. I have played a lot of games and I would like to think I started developing a sixth sense when it comes to traps.

[Toast78901]

I feel that the real problem with the boltshot, as many have brought up, is balance. It's the fact that a person is starting out with a one-shot in their loadout. If that seems fine to you, then I guess you would also support scattershots being made loadout weapons as well, right? The point is, Halo has always had a multiplayer founded on balance. I feel that 343 dropped the ball here by first including the weapon as a loadout option in the first place, and secondly by not having nerfed it yet. However, seeing as how we run our own games, I don't see why we shouldn't take it upon ourselves to correct 343's mistake.

This does not necessarily mean preset loadouts. Although it is a solution, many people have expressed their distaste for such an action. The balance that would be provided by that is another conversation entirely.

The simple solution to enforcing a boltshot ban would be to do what we do with teabagging. If someone uses one, the opposing team can save the video, and report it like any other infraction. Thus, the argument of it being too difficult to track and take care of doesn't really hold up.

As for the anecdote of a person feeling bad for getting banned their first game for using a weapon they enjoy; to be completely honest that is a weak-ass argument. If that were the case, why not apply that same argument to a newbie who brought in non-FC combattants, or teabagged, or anything else against FC policy.

And yes, I understand the argument of having the players just adapt. However, the point is they shouldn't have to. Under normal circumstances, I would agree with this statement. However, considering that this weapon's loadout status may be seen as a mistake on 343's part, I feel that this issue deserves special consideration. Why not just allow rocket launchers, or snipers, or shotguns as loadout wepons, and just have the players adapt? I'll tell you why; because it doesn't make sense to include a power or one-shot weapon as an option for one's loadout simply on the basis of it disrupting balance.

I'm not bad with the boltshot, and yeah, I could use it in retaliation and turn the tables if I really wanted to, but I don't. Why? Because integrity. I refuse to use a weapon that I am ideologically opposed to. If I wanted to play a game that lacked player integrity, I'd just go and buy CoD (unfortunately, I'd then be stuck with an gaming engine from '09). Point being, I hate the weapon in the abstract, and thus refuse to use it.

As of now, it seems that there are more people who would like to see the weapon banned than kept. In the end, I hope whatever decision is made about the boltshot accurately reflects the majority opinion of active FC members. I'll also keep an eye on this thread, as well as respond when able, due to my interest in the opposing side's viewpoint.

Toast out.

[Mythonian]

At first, when I unlocked the Boltshot, I was 100% agreeing that it was overpowered.

However, two months later, I disagree with that claim.

Especially these last few weeks, I've adapted to it and have been killed much less by boltshots, able to take advantage of their limited range to get kills that otherwise they would have gotten if they stuck with their primary weapon, or even had a Magnum.

When going up against boltshots, instead of complaining about it, adapt your playstyle. Now, when I get killed by a boltshot, I don't think "broken, overpowered weapon" I think "I made a mistake in that engagement."

Seriously, go try playing as if everyone started with a shotgun except you. Quit walking blindly around corners, use prenades, listen to the charging sounds for boltshots, recognize the names of enemies that commonly use boltshots, and turn that against them.

Honestly, they aren't that overpowered at all in my opinion. They have a very specific niche in this game, but you guys are unintentionally expanding that niche by your gameplay mistakes.

The niche of the boltshot is an anti-melee, anti-shotgun soft-counter. Play games with that in mind and you'll notice that the gun is much less effective than you guys allow it to be. For example, during a testing game of Unbound earlier, KazuhLLL killed me like 5-7 times with the boltshot, because I was recklessly charging for no reason. Once I stopped charging him, I wasn't killed by a boltshot anymore.

And, honestly, plasma grenades are a fantastic counter to the boltshot, by the way. 90% of the time, they will charge at you while preparing to shoot, making an easy sticky target. The other 10%, you are close enough for them to strafe, which was another gameplay mistake.


The boltshot changes the battlefield, but it doesn't break it. Adapt instead of complaining about it. >.>

[Coda]

Is it a bit overpowered? Yeah. Does it break the game? No.

I completely agree with myth

[Toast78901]

I don't feel it's a game breaker at all, and to be honest, I'll support whatever becomes the majority opinion. I do however feel that we should try to balance gameplay as much as possible.

Normally I would agree with Mythonian and the others who suggested that we just adapt, and if the majority feels that we should keep it, that's what all of us will have to do. However, I do feel that the boltshot becomes a problem with camping on objective game types on the sole ground that it doesn't matter how many times you clear out the campers, they will be back in 5 seconds, 1 shot kills in hand.

Again, I do feel it's something that can be worked around if kept. Definitely not a game breaker by any means, but I think it does throw off the kind of balanced gameplay that Halo has always prided itself upon.

[PhoenixPrime(GEN)]

Unless you have a plan put forth to ensure that the boltshot cannot be used (More than just a rule change. I want to see a fool-proof plan), this will not change FC policy, no matter how annoying the bloody thing is.


I voted to keep it on the basis that's it's impractical to ban something we can't enforce.

[xXReiBearXx]

So I guess the fact that there is a vote going on goes ignored? More so since the majority say get rid of it. Just saying lol

[mad bagger12]

I voted to get rid of it because I thought you meant take it out of the game altogether. If it's in the game it should stay in battles, if you don't like it learn to counter it. It's part of the game, deal with it.