I'd like to talk about the aim down sights debate. In Halo 5 scope applies to all weapons. Traditionally Halo 5 has fire from the hip. In deciding on adding that element to the game for all weapons, were you concerned that the core Halo fanbase would reject it?
Tim Longo: It's our version of precision aim, for sure, but again, it's Halo. We wanted it to feel like Halo. We wanted to feel like that helmet and weapon connection that nobody else really does, or can do that. We wanted to embrace that.
And then similar to the Spartan Abilities, we wanted to add another layer of depth within the shooting, just like the Spartan Abilities are with mobility. Hip-fire has its role to play in the run and gun. And Smart Scope does now, too. But they both have their own important checks and balances, so you know when to use one and when to use the other. It's not like one is better than the other, or anything like that.
Do you modify damage damage based on whether you're firing from the hip or using Smart Scope?
Tim Longo: It depends on the weapon. Sometimes spread of the bullets, or the behaviour of the damage. But the damage itself, we're trying to keep both hip-fire and Smart Scope the same.
So broadly the damage is the same. Can you give me an example of a behavioural change between hip-fire and Smart Scope?
Tim Longo: Spread. Spread of bullets.
Josh Holmes: For example, the SMG, which you might have used, when you free-fire it, it has a very wide spread. When you go into Smart Scope there's a slight narrowing of the spread.