Poll: Class-Based Load Out or Weapons On The Map?

[51gunner]

Either is good for me. Each has its high and low points.

- Preset weapon load-outs play better for realistic gaming, and when somebody's dominating the map as class A, chances are there's a class B that can prey upon them pretty well too. Downside is that you never get to be the one who's on the massive killing spree due to having three times the gun of anyone else.

- Scavenging weapons is great for games with a free-for-all option, and it's very rewarding to be the one carrying the big stick. It also lets you do fun things like lay a bigass trip mine/claymore/etc on the weapon spawn and prey on people suicidally charging for it. It's also hilarious fun to do things like stick the rocket-carrier or assassinate the sniper.

Also, weapon scavenging protects idiots from themselves in that you won't have four players on one team all pick sniper. There'll be about two sniper rifles per map, and it works just fine.

 

[shatnershaman]

But, it is impossible to balance picked up weapons because as soon as someone figures out the shortest distance from the SPNKR to the energy sword, he will dominate.

Those people usually find a way to defeat themselves (also shooting them in the head with a Sniper helps). Besides I find the best weapon is never the sword of Rocket but the M6D Pistol (Halo:CE) or the BR (Halo 2(!)/Halo 3)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGa4Nat2R00

I prefer a custom-loadout system (CS/COD4) unless I am playing with friends because then only one of us can be a sniper, a COD4 team where 5/6 players are snipers does not work.

EDIT:Ninja'd

 

[Groovewood]

I like how Killzone 2 does it. Class based, but most classes have access to at least 2 different starting weapons. But, every class can use every weapon, provided you find one left by a dead player. So an engineer starts with a shotgun, but can take a fallen player's sniper rifle or grenade launcher or what have you.

 

[Unknower]

Weapon buying like in Crysis (2 weapons + rocket launcher + special equipment + grenades) would be my first choice. It allows more flexibility than classes.

Of those two though, weapons on the map.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

Both are fine, if well balanced. You can either get to the weapon first or have everyone start with a better gun. Both systems have flaws.

 

[Aunel]

You have the SWAT game in Halo, where you have no weapons on the map only a battle rifle and a pistol, and no shields.

that is true fun.

 

[SquirrelPants]

I personally prefer class systems/weapon select. Rather than running for the sword *Glares at Halo*, I can just find which sort of loadout is my favorite and work with it. Also, I like it when there are no classes, but you can choose which weapons you want to use before spawning. I've not seen much of that lately, the closest I've got to that is the Create-a-Class in CoD4.

 

[MrSnugglesworth]

I like both ways, but mostly I prefer finding the weapons.
In particular, like in L4D, where the weapon spawns change places and weapons

Yeah, but L4D is so linear based, that there's like 2 places on a map that you actually have to "Look" for them. Most other times you just walk into them.

 

[IamQ]

I like class based weapons more, but I don't mind finding weapons in CoD 4 for instance so I'm on both sides.

 

[DazZ.]

Defiantly depends on the style of the game.

If its trying to be realistic with real world scenarios then defiantly class based (Battlefield/Call of Duty).

However if its not taking itself as a realistic shooter and has power-ups etc, (ala Quake 3, Unreal Tourny, Timesplitters) then I'm going for power ups.

I can't imagine playing Quake with set weapon system, just because the weapons aren't balanced in the way that your supposed to have just one/two. There would one kit that would dominate. (Off topic: I'm imagining a railgun/shotgun combo. Anyone got a counter for that? maybe LG instead of SG...)

Just as in Call of Duty if you found all the weapons in the game, it wouldn't completely ruin the gameplay, but it would be dramatically different, in a way that would lose immersion, which isn't what the game is about.

Depends on the style of game, it works for some but not for others. not sure which I prefer, I love games that use both methods.