EDIT: This is a direct quote from the new weekly update. [quote]The differences between the two species character models and unique health, shield, and speed attributes are significant enough to call into question whether or not the mixture could ever be considered fair. [/quote] This is pulled from a discussion of Arena, the new highly competative playlist for Halo Reach. This playlist is designed such that all possible random factors that can affect a game are removed so that it is all about individual's skills. What I want to focus on is the fact that the Spartans and Elites have different health, shields, and speed attributes. I was on to something when I started this thread. Not only are the Elites taller, but they have different health levels, shields, and speed than the Spartans. Who is better? No idea. I imagine they are balanced such that neither will dominate every situation. That is what I want to discuss. Who do you think will be faster, have better shields, or more health? The rest of my original post with the few edits I made is below. Please read it. EDIT: I am NOT trying to complain about Elites being taller then Spartans. I think it is awesome. I just thought it might be interesting if there was some kind of balancing effect that made playing an Elite, who is now a bigger target, worth while. Read the rest of the post and comment. As I am sure most of you have already heard, Spartans and Elites will be in Multiplayer. This raises a rather interesting question. Unlike in previous Halo games, the Elites in Halo Reach are going to be as they were ment to be from the beginning. They are taller and more bulky then humans. Just look at this picture... Lone Wolf is like 1-2 feet off the ground, and the Elites knees are bent slightly. Lone Wolf's head is barely above the Elite. If they stood side by side, the Elite would be at least 1 foot taller... [url]http://www.bungie.net/projects/reach/images.aspx?c=59&i=24488[/url] EDIT: Bungie has already said that the Elites will not be shrunk or resized for multiplayer. The Elites are going to be bigger then the Spartans. That was said by BUNGIE and not me. I would have a link to the podcast but it is broken. What does this mean? Should you play as an Elite in MP, you will be taller and have a larger proflie then those who play as Spartans... This is rather interesting... No one would play as an Elite because of their size unless there were to be some kind of benefit... Ahhh. Now we are on to something. EDIT PART 1: Below is my original idea about the SIIIs in Reach. Now that we know they are in Mark V armor, we know the SIIIs are at least as tall as SIIs and at most they are as strong as SIIs, although I hold onto the fact that an SII would win in a fight against an SIII every time even if they had the same armor. Don't forget, SIIIs are a cheaper SII program. Yes, they had more advanced augmentations and training, but they were not trained as long and did not recieve as much augmentation as SIIs did. They originaly had cheaper armor, but Noble team is cool so they got Mark V. EDIT PART 2:Remember back when the SIIs were augmented. Halsey said that they were much stronger and faster than anyone had thought they would be. They were soo strong that they would never have a problem witht the Mark V suite or stronger ones in the future. Their augmentations were more then sufficient to allow them to use the Mark V armor. People claim that since SIIIs can use Mark V armor that they are as strong as SIIs. This is not true. SIIs were stronger then they needed to be. SIIIs are strong enough to use Mark V armor, but they are not as strong as SIIs. Recap: SIIIs are as tall as SIIs when they are in Mark V armor, and SIIIs are almost as strong as SIIs but not quite. Elites are 8 foot 6 inches tall. Spartan IIs are 7 feet tall. Spartan IIIs are shorter then Spartan IIs by at least 6 inches. So Elites are 1 foot taller then Spartan IIIs and they are bigger around as well. They have more mass. Elites are equally matched in strength with Spartan IIs. Spartan IIIs are not as strong as Spartan IIs. Elites are Stronger then Spartan IIIs. With that being said... Will being an Elite give you some kind of advantage over being a Spartan III? Will Elites have some kind of melee bonus, or will they run a little faster or slower? All this is rather interesting to think about. In Halo 2 and Halo 3, Bungie made the Elites the same general size as Spartan IIs so that they would be balanced for MP, but in Reach they specificaly said that the Elites were going to be bigger then the Spartan IIIs like they are supposed to be. As we can all see from the new ViDoc, Bungie has delivered on that promise. This could add yet another dimention to online MP... If the Elites are a little stronger and get a bonus to their melee damage, then what bonus do you get as a Spartan III? Maybe Spartan IIIs can jump higher or run a little faster... EDIT: Another possibility that a lot of people have been throwing around is a new game mode where it is Elites vs Spartan IIIs. This could be really fun. If it is taken one step further and made into Covenant vs UNSC where both sides spawn only with weapons and vehicles from their own race. That would be cool. I only know 2 things: the Elites are bigger then the Spartan IIIs, and the Elites are playable in MP. The rest is sperculation. Ask yourslef this one question. Would you pick the Elites just for their looks and in turn make yourself a bigger target? MY answer is no. If they had some kind of bonus that could negate the downside of being a bigger target then I would probly not even have a second thought about being an Elite. Want more evidence? I got it now! [url]http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=news&cid=25011[/url] Pause the video at exactly 1:08. A Spartan and an Elite are standing right next to eachother. The Elite is taller... [Edited on 03.24.2010 10:57 AM PDT]