NationStates Jolt Archive


Elites on Legendary are just ridiculous

Klonor
06-04-2005, 07:42
I have beaten every single level in Halo on every single difficulty, know dozens of the secrets in the game, have perfected a method reloading without losing ammo (Gotta love the minor glitches), and am just damn good at the game. But Elites on Legendary are just ridiculous.

The Rocket Launcher, a personal favorite do to the big 'boom' that it makes, is an exquisite weapon. In multiplayer it almost guarantees you a kill, in single player it allows you to clear out masses of enemies with a single shot, and I've even figured a way to use to it jump very far without dying. It is the most powerful infantry weapon in the game, second only to the Cannon on the M808V Scorpion Main Battle Tank if you throw vehicles into the mix. On Legendary, an Elite can take a direct hit to the head with a Rocket and not die. A minimum of two Rockets is required to kill an Elite, and that is only if you manage to hit it twice very quickly. If you give it time its shields will recharge and that second rocket just wont do it, and if you just managed to explode a rocket near the Elite instead of hitting it head on you will need three, maybe even four rockets.

Now, merely the ability to take a Rocket and not die is not what makes them amazing. Even on Easy the Hunters can take a Rocket and be fine (it actually depends on where you hit them, but I trust that you get my point). But that's not where the shockness ends. On Legendary, the strength of the enemy weapons is greatly increased. Actually, it could just be that your own defences are decreased, I'm not really sure. But that isn't really important. What is important is that the Plasma Rifle, standard weapon of the Elites, is an exquisite weapon against shielded targets (Which you are). It takes three shots (if perfectly aimed) to completely eliminate your shields (provided an over shield isn't in effect). But people point to the Hunters Fuel Rod Cannon, almost equal to the Rocket launcher in power and capable of penetrating your shields and even inflicting damage to the body with a single shot, and point out how it is obviously superior to the Plasm Rifle. Unfortunately for the Hunters, the Fuel Rod Cannon shots move even slower than the Rockets, are easily dodged even by the human Marines, and have an extremely low rate of fire (In fact, Hunters usually only get two shots off before the enemy has already closed to Melee Combat range). The Plasma Rifle is rapid fire, three shots can be fired in less than one second. So, not only can their weapons effortlessly defeat your defences, it can be done so fast you don't even have time to react and return fire.

So, they can take insane amounts of damage and can kill you easily. Big deal you say, the Hunters have that even on Easy. But we're not done yet.The Hunters, though actually capable of great speeds in short bursts, are horrible starters, stoppers, and turners. It is quite easy to, literally, run circles around them. In fact, I often take pleasure in killing Hunters simply by hitting them over and over again. It takes a really long time on Legendary but as long as nobody else is there you have that time, since it you can just side-step their attacks and toy with them for hours on end. The Elites, however, seem built like Cheetahs, bursting into motion at an instant and easily twisting, dodging, and even jumping out of the way. I have seen Elites move fast enough that two Rockets launched at the same time (Co-op with both players having Rocket Luanchers), launched at very close range where even their slow velocity and obvious visibility are negated, are both dodged.

Let's recap. They can take insane amounts of damage, where even the weapon described as being cheap and godmoddy can't kill them easily. They can dish out intense damage rapidly so that your shield is gone within two seconds. They are startlingly fast, able to dodge shots and easily maneuver out of the way of your physical blows and even moving vehicles. I, personally, would rather face two Hunters (they always come in pairs) than even a single Elite. Like I said at the very beginning, the Elites on Legendary are just ridiculous.
New Sancrosanctia
06-04-2005, 07:58
it's legendary. there are only so many ways a game maker can increase difficulty. perhaps we should list a few.
1.decrease your health.
2. increase enemies health.
3.decrease your ammo.
4. increase their accuracy/ reaction.
5. increase their overall ai. that one's rare. the only game i've actually seen that happen is Brothers in Arms.
Komani
06-04-2005, 10:00
I feel your pain. I completed the original Halo on Legendary, but without an bonus video or something there is no incentive to complete Halo 2 on Legendary, especially being as hard as it is.
Gartref
06-04-2005, 10:06
I hate how that Donkey Kong motherfricker keeps throwing barrels at me.
Legless Pirates
06-04-2005, 10:18
I hate how that Donkey Kong motherfricker keeps throwing barrels at me.
Dude, you gotta pick up the hammer
Urantia II
06-04-2005, 10:22
5. increase their overall ai. that one's rare. the only game i've actually seen that happen is Brothers in Arms.
Not as rare as you might think...

There are different ways to increase their AI... You can increase their field of vision and or the distances they can "see". You can also increase the variables they have to react to any given situation, higher level AI's were able to do things the lower level could not.

Now, granted these are things we did in Need for Speed to make our AI better at the differing levels, but they can also apply to First Person Shooters.

Regards,
Gaar