First off, I love this game! And no matter what happens I will continue to enjoy it.
However that being said, anyone else think a 4 shot BR is a bad idea? Seems to me the majority of people who want a 4 shot BR just want their halo 2/3 experience back.
This raises the Want vs. Need question. Is a 4 shot BR what Veteran players want, or is the 4 shot BR what the game currently needs?
I too loved Halo 2/3 Multiplayer but I don’t think this change will balance the current starter weapons. A 4 shot BR will just convert everyone’s new favorite primary weapon from DMR to BR. In my experience most battle are fought mid-close range (excluding big team), thus making a 4 shot BR will overpower the weapon.
That’s the reason for this post. I fear the BR will become overpowered. What do you think?
Balancing Theory crafting
(Not claiming to be a game designer, just thinking out loud.)
Since weapon, tuning is still in a testing phase I Propose leaving the BR alone. Perhaps a more simple change like adding more bloom to the DMR will allow the BR to be more dominant in a BR vs. DMR duel. The BR would have consistent head shot potential against a reach version of the DMR. Reach players know when shooting a DMR you have to either slow your shots down or run the risk of missing headshots. In Halo 4 I never even pay attention to the bloom of the DMR, just 5 shots back to back. The BR in theory would win due to its non-spreading reticule bloom. Adding bloom to the DMR would also make the Light rifle more dominant in long-range battles.
The DMR would remain the most versatile rifle but not always most dominant rifle against other rifles in their proficient ranges, which I believe is the ultimate goal 343 is pushing for in weapon balancing.
343i is doing the right the right thing with these updates and the rifles are going to be much better balanced.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxfXkJ8Y8ng
We’ve been down the bloom road before. 4sk was the way it was and the way it should always be. The community made this concern known back when weapons were being tweaked and it was ignored. Now that the BR has been neutered and almost totally inferior it’s being tweaked.
Well cudos for doing something about it. Too bad they didn’t consider the community may actually be right. Our maybe they just stuck us in the “vocal minority” group. Lovely
I started out on Halo Reach so, I’m not one of those you might be referring too. Also, up until a handful of weeks ago, I used the DMR a lot; no more do I use it.
I don’t think it will be a problem, having read the Bulletin. The difference is huge between Halo 3 and Halo 4. Back then, everyone started out with the BR. On the other hand, people playing Halo 4 have the freedom of choice of a large range of weapons to use and start off with.
Sure, there will be a decrease in DMR users and an upswing in BR users but,if what has been stated by 343i is correct and, I have no doubt it is, then all is well. The assault weapons will out perform at close range the BR/DMR/LR. The BR will perform best at close to midrange. The LR will out perform the BR and DMR at long range. The DMR will now only have a narrow window in which it out performs the others, and that is at long range.
Why on Earth would anyone use the DMR after June 3rd? Oh, wait, they would for the same reasons the BR users opined for the Halo 3 version to return; they like it! Fair enough! Not me, though. BTW, LR has become the all-round versatile weapon. It will outperform the DMR and can also be used as a hip fired weapon at closer ranges.
OT: I don’t think the BR is a problem. I’m confident that LR and DMR users will still reign supreme on Ragnarok and other large maps; we will not see the BR being dominant, accept that is, on smaller maps.
> 343i is doing the right the right thing with these updates and the rifles are going to be much better balanced.
>
> www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxfXkJ8Y8ng
the video is now out of date in some parts and has some omissions/errors as a result, due to the new information in the latest Bulletin.
For example:
In the video it states that the RRR for the LR will be increased to match the DMR which at that time, was getting no changes.
Now, the DMRs RRR is being reduced slightly and the LRs RRR is being increased to match that.
In the video it was stated that the Covi Carbine will have one change, that being, a 7sk instead of 8sk.
Now, the Carbines accuracy in terms of the projection of the bullets will be more tighter, thus more accurate.
The Pistol/Magnum is getting a slight damage buff.
> > 343i is doing the right the right thing with these updates and the rifles are going to be much better balanced.
> >
> > www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxfXkJ8Y8ng
>
> the video is now out of date in some parts and has some omissions/errors as a result, due to the new information in the latest Bulletin.
>
> For example:
>
> In the video it states that the RRR for the LR will be increased to match the DMR which at that time, was getting no changes.
>
> Now, the DMRs RRR is being reduced slightly and the LRs RRR is being increased to match that.
>
> In the video it was stated that the Covi Carbine will have one change, that being, a 7sk instead of 8sk.
>
> Now, the Carbines accuracy in terms of the projection of the bullets will be more tighter, thus more accurate.
>
> The Pistol/Magnum is getting a slight damage buff.
I know its out of date but it gives a general sense of what is going on. Also how it explains the kill times is what is most important.
> We’ve been down the bloom road before. 4sk was the way it was and the way it should always be. The community made this concern known back when weapons were being tweaked and it was ignored. Now that the BR has been neutered and almost totally inferior it’s being tweaked.
>
> Well cudos for doing something about it. Too bad they didn’t consider the community may actually be right. Our maybe they just stuck us in the <mark>“vocal minority” group</mark>. Lovely
Wrong!
I and other have always said that Halo 3 types are the vocal majority on these forums. However, when it comes to what people actually play as factually proven by the ranking of the sixteen play lists, those who like the old Halo 3 style are the playing minority in Halo 4.
As to whether or not it is right that a vocal majority on a forum which are the playing minority, should have such an effect over a playing majority, is another debate.
> > > 343i is doing the right the right thing with these updates and the rifles are going to be much better balanced.
> > >
> > > www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxfXkJ8Y8ng
> >
> > the video is now out of date in some parts and has some omissions/errors as a result, due to the new information in the latest Bulletin.
> >
> > For example:
> >
> > In the video it states that the RRR for the LR will be increased to match the DMR which at that time, was getting no changes.
> >
> > Now, the DMRs RRR is being reduced slightly and the LRs RRR is being increased to match that.
> >
> > In the video it was stated that the Covi Carbine will have one change, that being, a 7sk instead of 8sk.
> >
> > Now, the Carbines accuracy in terms of the projection of the bullets will be more tighter, thus more accurate.
> >
> > The Pistol/Magnum is getting a slight damage buff.
>
> I know its out of date but it gives a general sense of what is going on. Also how it explains the kill times is what is most important.
BTW, thanks for posting it. I found it useful to see a visual presentation.
> > > 343i is doing the right the right thing with these updates and the rifles are going to be much better balanced.
> > >
> > > www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxfXkJ8Y8ng
> >
> > the video is now out of date in some parts and has some omissions/errors as a result, due to the new information in the latest Bulletin.
> >
> > For example:
> >
> > In the video it states that the RRR for the LR will be increased to match the DMR which at that time, was getting no changes.
> >
> > Now, the DMRs RRR is being reduced slightly and the LRs RRR is being increased to match that.
> >
> > In the video it was stated that the Covi Carbine will have one change, that being, a 7sk instead of 8sk.
> >
> > Now, the Carbines accuracy in terms of the projection of the bullets will be more tighter, thus more accurate.
> >
> > The Pistol/Magnum is getting a slight damage buff.
>
> I know its out of date but it gives a general sense of what is going on. Also how it explains the kill times is what is most important.
BTW, thanks for posting it. I found it useful to see a visual presentation.
I’m confused about the kill times, though!
If the DMR is remaining unchanged at sk 1.4 seconds. On the other hand, the BR while becoming 4sk, its rate of fire is being decreased, that is, made slower. So, in the video it gave a range of 1.4 to 1.6 seconds to kill. Had the rate of fire not be reduced, it would have been a 4sk 1.4 second BR. However, won’t it be more like a 4sk 1.6 seconds to kill BR. The point being, the DMR will be 1.4 and the BR 1.6 how has this really changed anything?
> > > > 343i is doing the right the right thing with these updates and the rifles are going to be much better balanced.
> > > >
> > > > www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxfXkJ8Y8ng
> > >
> > > the video is now out of date in some parts and has some omissions/errors as a result, due to the new information in the latest Bulletin.
> > >
> > > For example:
> > >
> > > In the video it states that the RRR for the LR will be increased to match the DMR which at that time, was getting no changes.
> > >
> > > Now, the DMRs RRR is being reduced slightly and the LRs RRR is being increased to match that.
> > >
> > > In the video it was stated that the Covi Carbine will have one change, that being, a 7sk instead of 8sk.
> > >
> > > Now, the Carbines accuracy in terms of the projection of the bullets will be more tighter, thus more accurate.
> > >
> > > The Pistol/Magnum is getting a slight damage buff.
> >
> > I know its out of date but it gives a general sense of what is going on. Also how it explains the kill times is what is most important.
>
> BTW, thanks for posting it. I found it useful to see a visual presentation.
>
> I’m confused about the kill times, though!
>
> If the DMR is remaining unchanged at sk 1.4 seconds. On the other hand, the BR while becoming 4sk, its rate of fire is being decreased, that is, made slower. So, in the video it gave a range of 1.4 to 1.6 seconds to kill. Had the rate of fire not be reduced, it would have been a 4sk 1.4 second BR. However, won’t it be more like a 4sk 1.6 seconds to kill BR. The point being, the DMR will be 1.4 and the BR 1.6 how has this really changed anything?
They gave a general range but more than likely it will be around the H2 BR which was 1.43 in kill time. Also H4’s BR shoots faster than H2’s or H3’s did.
It’s a tough call, OP. Because until 343i release the weapons update for everyone’s hairy little hands, just how a 4-shot BR will affect MM is pure speculation.
Having adopted the BR as my new primary, I am very keen to see how it plays out.
OGhostayame did research into weapon kill times (for a proposed MLG playlist) and found that the Magnum has the fastest kill-time of loadout weapons.
Nice buffing 343.
And I don’t know why people complain about other precision rifles being inferior to the DMR when we still have a OSK loadout gun (hnnnggggggg Boltshot). Maybe if you wanted weapon balancing you’d remove the ability to instantly kill right off the bat, at any point of the match?
What should have been done is to make all weapons effective up to a medium range so as to not stifle gameplay. All you see is people cross-mapping with DMRs, then hiding behind a pillar for 10 minutes. Obviously the weapon is going to have some advantage in CQC over other weapons if it can already consistently score accurate hits across Ragnarok. If the DMR (and to a lesser extent the LR) was built for medium range play, it would come down to personal preference.
Either way, the Magnum reigns supreme.
> OGhostayame did research into weapon kill times (for a proposed MLG playlist) and found that the Magnum has the fastest kill-time of loadout weapons.
>
> Nice buffing 343.
>
> And I don’t know why people complain about other precision rifles being inferior to the DMR when we still have a OSK loadout gun (hnnnggggggg Boltshot). Maybe if you wanted weapon balancing you’d remove the ability to instantly kill right off the bat, at any point of the match?
>
> What should have been done is to make all weapons effective up to a medium range so as to not stifle gameplay. All you see is people cross-mapping with DMRs, then hiding behind a pillar for 10 minutes. Obviously the weapon is going to have some advantage in CQC over other weapons if it can already consistently score accurate hits across Ragnarok. If the DMR (and to a lesser extent the LR) was built for medium range play, it would come down to personal preference.
>
> Either way, the Magnum reigns supreme.
And,it is getting a damage buff 
I like using it on Settler when all the lemmings come running up the Hill. I hang back behind my team and let rip with the Magnum…you can wrack up a few kills!
> I like using it on Settler when all the lemmings come running up the Hill. I hang back behind my team and let rip with the Magnum…you can wrack up a few kills!
oh Nice tip hadnt thought about that
I changed to the BR ever since I mastered the DMR & have found it so much more of a fun weapon to use.
> > I like using it on Settler when all the lemmings come running up the Hill. I hang back behind my team and let rip with the Magnum…you can wrack up a few kills!
>
> oh Nice tip hadnt thought about that
>
> I changed to the BR ever since I mastered the DMR & have found it so much more of a fun weapon to use.
I was a DMR basket case addict!
I no longer use it; the BR is nice to use but,I currently rock with the Storm Rifle/Carbine combo so I can max them out. Then I’ll finish off the remaining LR kills needed. Ultimately, after the Weapon Mastery is done, I’ll probably rock with the LR/Carbine combo on Ragnarok and Longbow. And, for small maps, the AR/BR combo and/or Storm Rifle/BR combo, as the mode gets me. The Magnum is part of my Driver and CQC load-outs.
The DMR is confined to the virtual digital bin of history.
I think it will work. It seems at times the battle rifle can be a bit weak. It needs this.
I think 343 is going down a great path with weapon tuning.
I think choosing a rifle to use should be like choosing a starting pokemon back in the day, it’s all about balance.
Even if the BR becomes a 4-shot weapon, it still wont be a match against the DMR. Its the “precision” part that players have to worry about.
If it becomes OP (unlikely) it’s bad, but otherwise it’s good I guess, but 'll use the light rifle because that’s the best gun IMO
All the pro players they have got into the lab to check it out lately seem happy with it. I think they mainly are interested in what they have to say about it for tournaments and stuff. Most casual players will just adapt regardless.