Again, if Halo 2's physics "subsystem" is merely a 'refactored' version of the CE toolset - what is with the Havok logo? Bungiesoft licensed Havok purely for ragdoll?
Electricpirate:
"I'm curious, what exactly are your issues with the physics of latter Halo games?"
Second half of this is going to be a bit disjointed and ramble-like due to me working on this post at two different points during the day...
I find them relatively sober and generally not fun.
The dynamic nature of CE's simple but exaggerated physics allowed Jamie's "30 Seconds of Fun" mantra, which often seemed easily dismissed as ethereal PR speak, to have a modicum of relevance to something tangible. CE felt like a game where anything could happen from moment to moment and this manifested itself most profoundly in the multiplayer.
Let's look at a multiplayer scenario from Halo CE.
You're in the middle of Blood Gulch, alone, attempting to acquire a Rocket Launcher. Suddenly, a Warthog manned by two players from the opposing team appears at the apex of the small hill: one in the driver's seat, one in the gunner. You quickly toss a grenade that rests on the declination of the hill. The detonation hits the rear end of the vehicle as it's moving, which flips the Warthog forward through the air, it's projected trajectory is behind you. The gunner is sent flying into the air with no shields, and is firing at you mid-launch, but is dispatched easily with a well-placed Pistol shot and he falls like dead weight from the sky. Meanwhile, the Warthog and driver has landed somewhere nearby, and the driver has low shields. He knows a Pistol duel with you is a losing battle in an open field because of his lower shield. His ad hoc plan is to use the Warthog you just flipped over as cover to buy him precious time in hopes to regain even a small fraction of shield regen to increase his odds.
Little does he know, you were already a step ahead of him and your second grenade was placed where that Hog currently rests. You literally blow his cover. The Warthog flips again, and a Pistol duel ensues amidst a pillar of rising sand and dust from the resulting grenade explosion.
To compare the premise to subsequent Halos:
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but a similar scenario in Halo 2 and 3 would simply see the grenade blast nudging the Warthog, to which I would easily be gunned down.
Where's my "30 seconds of fun" there?
A direct Rocket Launcher blast destroys the Warthog and everyone in it. A bit satisfying, sure. Realistic, sure. More complexed, physically, maybe. But again, I'm robbed of the "30 seconds" of dynamic gameplay possibilities Halo CE's 'simpler' physics would have provided.
CE's physics may have been simpler and grossly exaggerated, but goddamn they were awesome. At the time, literally awe inspiring. The effects on bodies, fun, and weapons/vehicles dynamic, gameplay-wise (I mean, I could grenade weapons to myself). If you've managed to created something this sandbox-y and fun - then consciously dialed this back in the name of realism, I have serious issues with what drives your philosophies of game design.
Honestly, I find the "30 Seconds" mantra meaningless outside the CE physics toolset, personally.
