Grenade Behavior
One of the many problems I have with the game which I already have shown in previous posts relates to the basic design physics of Halo 2. I've been playing a little bit online lately and it reminded me of one of the things I hate most about Halo 2: grenade explosions. I'm not quite sure if this is a problem that is encountered only on Xbox Live or whether it happens while LANing H2 as well. The only actual LAN time of any duration I have played in H2 was at MLG Houston and I can't remember if i encountered the same grenade problems I associate with Xbox Live.
Regardless, for what reason do the grenades have the ability to blow up in my hand? or in the air? Let's break down the scenario of what happens and how it effects gameplay. Player A sees playber B first, and throws a grenade. His ability to throw a grenade at his opponenent first is justified by the fact that he saw him first so thus far there is no problem. Player B does what is most likely his only option for survival upon seeing the incoming grenade, he throws a grenade back immediately. We'll assume player A's grenade was well placed and unavoidable by player B. Player B's chances of surviving this encounter are very small due to the fact that it only takes 1 BR shot before the explosion of the grenade to kill him. However as he throws his grenade at player A it explodes in hiw own hand, killing him. What.....the......hell. While player A's advantage at having thrown the first grenade is justified it is in no way justifiable that by making his only defense player B is killed. If you haven't had this happen to you, or seen it happen you either haven't played much Halo 2, or you aren't very observant. While this may only occur on Xbox Live that is still affecting 71 thousand players as I write this. Xbox Live is the area where the majority of Halo 2 gaming takes place, and therefore an unintentional gameplay occurence such as this is unacceptable.
I in no way am saying that I have only been on the losing end of this scenario. I remember one battle in Ivory Tower I was back wall on the OS side by the plasma rifle and was fighting an opponent at the top of OS ramp by the plasma pistol. We both fired a few shots, danced a little bit, then we both made a similar maneuver stepping behind the wall we were each standing next to. When we both stepped back out he threw a grenade, he was above me and I didn't feel throwing a grenade would help me much. As he released his grenade from his hand I was shooting my battle rifle at his head. His grenade exploded immediately in his face and killed him. This situation made me laugh out loud and literally say "wow, that is embarassing." I in no way earned that kill, perhaps I could have ended up BR-ed him, but I without a doubt hadn't earned the kill yet. It is these random occurences with the grenades that is a detrimental problem to the gaming environment.
Another fundamental question on the grenades is Bungie's choice to make them explode in the air off of an angled ramp. What is the design characteristic that causes the grenades to explode in this fasion? I'm sure we can logically sort this situation out, let's try. OK, perhaps the grenades explode in the air due to an initial impact timer. Upon throwing the grenades upon a slope such as the ramp leading up to sniper at Lockout results in a grenade exploding in the air, roughly just under a second after initial impact. Yes, this must be how they work, that makes sense. Actually, what if you were to throw the grenade off of a wall very high in the air, does the grenade explode after the initial impact? No, it's doesn't, it falls to the ground, bounces once, then when it lands from the second bounce it explodes. Well, this makes very little sense, does the grenade have a sensor which tells it "horizontal wall - Don't explode" or "slope - Do explode?" Well the slope isn't necessary because if you are to throw a grenade directly downwards it will fly back up, arching slightly away from you, and explode. Now what is the relevant difference between the grenade contacting the flat ground thrown directly downwards, and contacting a horizontal wall when thrown perpendicular against the wall?
This variance in the fundamental grenade behavior is quite perplexing and makes very little sense. This behavior introduces another layer of random variety which deteriorates gameplay, often reducing the predictibility of successful gaming. In a gaming environment the rule-set needs to apply equally all the time to combatants. In street fighter if Back->Forward+Punch creates a Sonic Boom with Guile it should create a Sonic Boom every time it is correctly executed. If at some point it for some reason creates a blade kick, or a spinning roundhouse then the game design is flawed. This never happens in Street Fighter, however the "grenade + ground = ?" equation is programmed into Halo 2. Once again I beg the question to Bungie: why?
Regardless, for what reason do the grenades have the ability to blow up in my hand? or in the air? Let's break down the scenario of what happens and how it effects gameplay. Player A sees playber B first, and throws a grenade. His ability to throw a grenade at his opponenent first is justified by the fact that he saw him first so thus far there is no problem. Player B does what is most likely his only option for survival upon seeing the incoming grenade, he throws a grenade back immediately. We'll assume player A's grenade was well placed and unavoidable by player B. Player B's chances of surviving this encounter are very small due to the fact that it only takes 1 BR shot before the explosion of the grenade to kill him. However as he throws his grenade at player A it explodes in hiw own hand, killing him. What.....the......hell. While player A's advantage at having thrown the first grenade is justified it is in no way justifiable that by making his only defense player B is killed. If you haven't had this happen to you, or seen it happen you either haven't played much Halo 2, or you aren't very observant. While this may only occur on Xbox Live that is still affecting 71 thousand players as I write this. Xbox Live is the area where the majority of Halo 2 gaming takes place, and therefore an unintentional gameplay occurence such as this is unacceptable.
I in no way am saying that I have only been on the losing end of this scenario. I remember one battle in Ivory Tower I was back wall on the OS side by the plasma rifle and was fighting an opponent at the top of OS ramp by the plasma pistol. We both fired a few shots, danced a little bit, then we both made a similar maneuver stepping behind the wall we were each standing next to. When we both stepped back out he threw a grenade, he was above me and I didn't feel throwing a grenade would help me much. As he released his grenade from his hand I was shooting my battle rifle at his head. His grenade exploded immediately in his face and killed him. This situation made me laugh out loud and literally say "wow, that is embarassing." I in no way earned that kill, perhaps I could have ended up BR-ed him, but I without a doubt hadn't earned the kill yet. It is these random occurences with the grenades that is a detrimental problem to the gaming environment.
Another fundamental question on the grenades is Bungie's choice to make them explode in the air off of an angled ramp. What is the design characteristic that causes the grenades to explode in this fasion? I'm sure we can logically sort this situation out, let's try. OK, perhaps the grenades explode in the air due to an initial impact timer. Upon throwing the grenades upon a slope such as the ramp leading up to sniper at Lockout results in a grenade exploding in the air, roughly just under a second after initial impact. Yes, this must be how they work, that makes sense. Actually, what if you were to throw the grenade off of a wall very high in the air, does the grenade explode after the initial impact? No, it's doesn't, it falls to the ground, bounces once, then when it lands from the second bounce it explodes. Well, this makes very little sense, does the grenade have a sensor which tells it "horizontal wall - Don't explode" or "slope - Do explode?" Well the slope isn't necessary because if you are to throw a grenade directly downwards it will fly back up, arching slightly away from you, and explode. Now what is the relevant difference between the grenade contacting the flat ground thrown directly downwards, and contacting a horizontal wall when thrown perpendicular against the wall?
This variance in the fundamental grenade behavior is quite perplexing and makes very little sense. This behavior introduces another layer of random variety which deteriorates gameplay, often reducing the predictibility of successful gaming. In a gaming environment the rule-set needs to apply equally all the time to combatants. In street fighter if Back->Forward+Punch creates a Sonic Boom with Guile it should create a Sonic Boom every time it is correctly executed. If at some point it for some reason creates a blade kick, or a spinning roundhouse then the game design is flawed. This never happens in Street Fighter, however the "grenade + ground = ?" equation is programmed into Halo 2. Once again I beg the question to Bungie: why?
posted by Annihil8or at 6:53 PM
2 Comments:
In response to the first part of your post, when two frag grenades are in close proximity to each other or impact in mid-air, they explode. This has happened to me an amazing amount of times. Its a very frustrating mechanic and I question its existence. Also, like you mentioned, you can shoot grenades in mid-air which sometimes happens right when it comes out of an opposing player's hand thus killing the opposing player.
As for the grenade explosion behavior, good points. Its something I've never seen observed or questioned.
-Total Sacrifice
I completely agree. This is a clear flaw in H2. The "grenade exploding in the hand" is so common I often find myself questioning whether or not it is even worth the risk. If multiple enemies are shooting at me the logical option would seem to be, throw a grenade and wound them both, allowing a teammate to finish the job. Halo 2 makes this task remarkably difficult. Half the time the grenade explodes in my hand killing me instantly.
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