Thruster Replacing Sprint
Run, Jump, and Crouch are simple movement abilities that can combine to form more complex maneuvers.
Run + Jump = running jump
Run + Crouch = crouch strafe
Jump + Crouch = crouch jump
Crouch + Jump = low jump
Crouch + Run = crouch walk
Uncrouch + Jump = spring jump
Jump onto a downward incline + Jump on impact = slide jump
Run up to a steep upward incline + Jump = slide
Sprint adds Run + Run. A better way to accomplish Run + Run is a version of Thruster Pack.
Sprint only adds Run + Run in the forward direction. Thruster Pack adds Run + Run in every horizontal direction.
Jump + Run is not possible with Sprint. Thruster Pack can move players on the ground or in the air so it adds Jump + Run.
Jump + Jump could be possible if the Thruster Pack was also capable of performing an upward vertical thrust, like a double jump. This would take the two Armor Abilities that are movement abilities, Jetpack and Thruster Pack, and incorporate a version of them into base player traits. This allows for the removal of Armor Abilities, the return of Equipment, and for Camo to be restored to a Power Up.
There is nothing a player in free fall can do to drop any faster than gravity allows. A downward vertical thrust allows the user to travel towards the ground faster than gravity alone would allow. Crouch while airborne + Thrust = Ground Pound.
In comparison to Classic Halos movement abilities, run, jump, crouch, the addition of Thruster Pack does increase the unpredictability of player movement but, once it is used, possible player movement returns to the unpredictability level of Classic Halo. If possible player movement was represented by a sphere surrounding the player, Thruster Pack would make this sphere larger when fully charged but during the relatively long recharge delay, that sphere would shrink to Classic Halo size.
By giving all players a modified Thruster Pack the unpredictability of player movement is increased but, unlike Sprint which gradually drains and charges, Thruster is single use then it must fully recharge before it can be used again which only allows for one short burst of unpredictability at a time.
Thruster Packs ability to quickly move the player a short distance devalues Power Weapons. This allows Power Weapons to spawn on faster timers because the average number of kills per weapon drop will go down. It also requires more thinking when using a Power Weapon because knowing if your target has the ability to thrust can determine if you get a kill or not.
Thruster Pack devaluing the Utility Weapon allows it to have a faster potential killtime because the average killtime becomes longer.
By giving the player the choice to thrust horizontally or vertically but only once per recharge, maps can be designed to allow the player to choose which plane he wishes to expend his single thrust in. Paths that require either a vertical or horizontal thrust to traverse force players to think about how they would jlike to use their Thruster to navigate the map.
Custom or objective maps would be nice but adding paths that change up an Arena default map to benefit these players to pick off other players gives a larger disadvantage to the opposing players.
Thruster Pack could be improved by staying in first person view and allowing the user to attack during the thrust. Basically, just a short quick burst of speed. Shadowruns Wired Reflexes is a general approximation of how Thruster would function.
If it does than they'll just nerf it like H4 beta
A good movement ability can be used offensively, defensively, or for traversing a map. A good map has a synergy between its structure and the player's movement abilities. A good example of this synergy, between the map and Thruster, is shown by the four elbow structures around mid on Monolith that have a crouch height gap in the bottom of them.
Offensive:
An enemy is passing in front of the elbow so you crouch thrust forward, quickly traveling from behind to in front of the elbow, and engage your foe.
Defensive:
You are fighting an enemy but decide to retreat so you crouch and thrust backwards to quickly pass through the elbow into the safety of cover on the other side.
Yeah I pretty much thought this out Months ago
Map Movement:
A Power Weapon just spawned and being able to quickly crouch thrust, rather than slowly crouch walk, through the elbow allows you to reach your destination faster.
Traditionally, once a player enters a lift there is nothing he can do to modify his trajectory. With Thruster, the player retains some control over his movement while lifting. Rather than always landing at the enemy base, a player on Narrows could enter the lift, travel halfway to the enemy base, then thrust sideways to land at top mid instead.
A good relationship between movement abilities and map design turns the map from simply the space you play in to an ally that you can rely on for help if you know him well enough.
Thruster could also be integrated into vehicle mechanics. Hold the Thrust button for a second to thrust sideways out of the Warthog. Hold the Jump button for a second to thrust straight up out of the Warthog. Giving players the ability to dive and eject from vehicles allows for vehicle-to-vehicle boarding. Passing another Warthog? Have your passenger dive out and hijack it. Banshee coming in too close? Eject upwards and hijack it.
No. Just stahp
The one second delay between beginning to hold the button down and being able to exit the vehicle prevents players from being able to thrust out of the vehicle faster than exiting the vehicle normally.
In conclusion, Classic Halo allows the player to run in any horizontal direction, jump upward, and crouch downward. Adding Thruster allows the player to thrust in any horizontal direction, thrust upward, or thrust downward.
Vehicular Equipment and Thruster Integration
While Thruster is a single use before recharge base trait, Equipment are single use items that the player can carry and deploy at will.
Upon deployment, the Hardlight Hoverboard propels the user forward at high speed with no way to stop aside from unequipping the Hoverboard and forfeiting the rest of its charge. The user can only turn left or right while continually moving forward like a snowboarder carving down a slope. The user can thrust jump while riding to pop over a small obstacle. He can even crouch while airborne, causing his Hoverboard to be pulled up and giving him the ability to clear a higher hurdle. Thrusting left or right quickly moves the Hoverboard to the side like a single use strafe, thrusting backward temporarily reduces the Hoverboard's forward movement speed, and thrusting forward temporarily increases the Hoverboard's forward movement speed. Thrusting forward while traveling off an upward incline allows the player to catch some air before returning to the ground. The player retains his full attack capabilities like gun, grenade, and melee while riding the Hoverboard. Similar to the Scorpion tank's independent tracks and turret, the Hoverboard's movement and the rider's aiming are independent. The Hoverboard produces an audible whir while it is in use.
Nooooo..
Upon deployment, the Hardlight Glider drastically reduces the airborne user's downward descent speed while simultaneously increasing the speed of his continuous forward movement. The user slowly glides through the air, hanging horizontally while facing the ground. The Glider can be pointed straight, left, right, or down to travel in that direction. The user can thrust left, right, down, or even up for a burst of speed that quickly moves the player in that direction. The only way the player can gain altitude, without outside assistance, is by thrusting upward. Thrust jumping temporarily increases the Glider's forward movement speed. While gliding is silent, thrusting while gliding isn't.
