ARs Could Use Some Designer Love

Games Other Halo
1

If we can stop talking about how the DMR rules the precision weapons, I’d like to call your attention over to the automatic rifles for a moment. It’s OK, just leave your things where they are. Someone will stick around to watch over them, so they’ll be right where you left them when you return.

With me? Good.

I’m here to tell you the assault rifle, storm rifle, and suppressor could really use some designer love. As they are, they’re really uninteresting weapons that have a very low performance ceiling. As a result, they’re not fun to use and, at the point that players figure out the precision weapons are by far better choices, they become relatively useless and undesirable.

Wait, what’s the problem now?
The automatic rifles are really niche weapons, and they have several limiting factors placed on them that really ensure their effective use is relegated to short ranges and that they are comparably not clearly the best weapons to choose for those situations. In fact, the boltshot and magnum are arguably better than any of the automatic rifles, and those are secondary weapons. As a result, you could consider the automatic rifles as tertiary weapons because they don’t even reliably excel in their intended ranges and environments of function.

So to recap, they’re very limited to their intended ranges and environments, and they don’t excel in those ranges and environments.

But, automatic rifles have always worked this way!
True story, but Halo has never had customizable loadouts that placed precision and automatic weapons on the same tier. In the past, automatic rifles were designed to be inferior to the precision rifles. It was part of the point of starting you off with one and giving you superior weapons to pick up around the map. Halo no longer operates on this principle in the core sandbox.

I’m a pro, and automatic, “spray-and-pray” guns are for noobs
The problem is, although he has a bad attitude, this guy is right.

We joke about it. These jokes even make their way to the Master Chief’s mouth in Forward Unto Dawn when he tells the students to fire their assault rifles in short, controlled bursts and not to spray and pray. In-game tips have iterated the same message. The problem is, effectively, assault rifles actually perform better in this game (and all games before it) when fired at full auto. We’ve allowed this attitude toward these weapons to flourish because it’s the truth. There’s little dynamic depth to the assault rifles, and as a result, not only are these guns’ ranges limited, there’s little players can do to excel with them.

Highly skilled players don’t shy away from these weapons because they have some kind of unwritten honor code. In fact, competitive players will do whatever it takes to win, and that includes making use of the most powerful weaponry. The truth is higher-skilled players don’t care much for the assault rifles because they simply are relatively ineffective.

OK, ok, assuming you have a point, and I’m not saying you do, what do you suggest?
Here’s the thing: I want to love the automatic rifles. I really do. But I also don’t want to be continually at a disadvantage against all the players flocking to the precision weapons as primaries. I said at the beginning of this post that the automatic rifles need designer love, and what I mean is there is a lot we could do to the ARs that would make them more dynamic and flexible, meaning they could not only be more appealing to players of higher skill, but they could offer more utility functions. Here’s how:

1. More dynamic spread
We’re all familiar with bloom by this point, but bloom is simply a visual representation of spread. Spread is the degradation of accuracy (in the ARs’ case) due to continuous fire. A more dynamic spread would simply mean the reticle would open faster and close faster after a pause. What would this do? In close quarters, it wouldn’t change much, but at medium ranges, it would mean the AR would be more reliable when burst fired, as we understand it should be. To be clear, this isn’t at all a buff. If anything it’s a nerf, but we’re going to fix that elsewhere…

2. Longer aim assist range
Currently, one of the ARs’ biggest limiting factors is its incredibly short aim-assist range. Where as a BR user could at least ping DMR users at long range, BR users just laugh at AR users at mid-range because it’s just so -Yoink!- cute. A longer aim-assist range would ensure AR users get a comparable amount of help at mid-range to the BR’s help at long range and the DMR’s help at really long range. But that’s not all because I’m going to…

3. Put an integrated 2x scope on it
Why not? The magnum has one, and all the weapons in this game seem to have come equipped with an integrated scope that runs directly to your Spartan’s visor. That was the explanation given in ODST, and wouldn’t it make sense that the UNSC would do the same to its assault rifles? Combined with the more dynamic spread and longer aim assist, with a scope, the ARs become more of a utility weapon at mid-ranges.

Finally, what’s a bit of utility without…

4. Headshot capability
Yeah, I went there. I personally don’t understand why automatic rifles can’t have headshot capability. I mean, at present, since they’re pretty reliant on luck to facilitate their performance, I get it, but if we make them more dynamic and more flexible where deliberate and careful firing is important to making them work at range, why not give them headshot capability to reward accuracy? Currently, the headshot capability of the precision rifles really adds to the disparity between these weapons. If we even the field, we not only establish more of a reason to use these weapons at mid-range, but we give them more of a chance at success at close range, which is an environment they’re simply not performing very well in right now.

They’ve been this way forever. Why change now?
While I acknowledge we’re talking about an overhaul that’s not feasible for Halo 4, I’m looking ahead for this series so that we don’t effectively waste any more sandbox entries, as that’s what the ARs sort of are: a waste. And if you’re suggesting that, because guns like the assault rifle are part of Halo’s legacy, we shouldn’t change them, have you played Halo 4? It’s clear 343’s interest is in modernizing Halo, and this is another area of the game that, with the right amount of gravitas, they could really improve and make more fun and functional.

In the end, what we’re talking about is simply adding greater depth to this portion of the sandbox, and in any light, I can’t imagine that’s a bad thing.

Also, this was awesome.

TL;DR: the automatic rifles could use some designer love to make them more flexible and appealing. They currently are limiting and not all that excellent for their intended uses. We can help them out by 1. making their spread more dynamic, 2. extending their aim assist ranges, 3. giving them integrated 2x scopes, and 4. giving them headshot capability. These changes emphasis controlled, deliberate firing and help implement depth in their function.

2

Very well written and thought out. I agree, the AR is not on the same level as the DMR/BR and it should not be, but it should/could be better.

Longer aim assist as you stated and headshop capable would be welcome additions. The range should also be increased.

Nice work (m).

Red Sector A1A

3

You and I have discussed this at length, and I whole heartedly agree with your presumptions and recommendations.

For some, the BR is iconic Halo. Others, the Magnum. To me, it’s te AR. Something about the ability to go full auto in the face of evil is satisfying. As it stands, I can only use my trusty AR as a CQC support hell raiser in Spartan Ops.

The recommended AR changes usually revolve around buffing damage and ROF. It makes the weapon more effective up close, but still limits its ceiling and does nothing to make the weapon more rewarded for skillful use. The proposed changes would make the AR no easier to use to the beginning user, but rewarded for skillful users. If used properly, the AR could be on par with the current “precision” weapons. Effective at its intended range, capable outside of that, like DMR and BR are now.

4

The AR is my favorite weapon haha

5

I am going to have to disagree with you on that one man. The AR can RAPE. I thought my KD was going to suffer terribly since I am doing UNSC loadout mastery… But I started to murk people more than I would with the DMR at times. It’s all about how you use it. IMO it’s fine now, unlike previous Halos were it was rendered useless.

6

> I am going to have to disagree with you on that one man. The AR can RAPE. I thought my KD was going to suffer terribly since I am doing UNSC loadout mastery… But I started to murk people more than I would with the DMR at times. It’s all about how you use it. IMO it’s fine now, unlike previous Halos were it was rendered useless.

It can perform adequately at short ranges, although I very frequently beat it with a magnum or a DMR.

The problem is outside of that range, it’s useless.

So let’s look just at the UNSC weaponry for a moment in a visual representation of how effective they can be.

AR: Short Range - Adequate → Mid-range - Poor performance → Long Range - Useless
BR: Short Range - Adequate → Mid-range - Effective → Long Range - Adequate
DMR: Short Range - Effective → Mid-range - Effective → Long Range - Very Effective

Even if the AR were very effective at short range (comparatively speaking, it isn’t), it still would be relatively ineffective at mid- and long-ranges. Even if we broke those ranges into thirds in terms of number of encounters that happen, the AR is relatively useless in two-thirds of your encounters. As a result, if you’re wielding this weapon, you are forced to pull out of these instances.

This is poor design, as the weapon is so limiting, it’s limiting your engagement possibilities.

A well-designed AR would offer players the ability to at least do something in the majority of encounters. Currently, the AR, storm rifle, and suppressor have players more often running away than fighting.

7

> I am going to have to disagree with you on that one man. The AR can RAPE. I thought my KD was going to suffer terribly since I am doing UNSC loadout mastery… But I started to murk people more than I would with the DMR at times. It’s all about how you use it. IMO it’s fine now, unlike previous Halos were it was rendered useless.

The problem is the AR is useful in a very strict situation (you have to be close, and you more than likely need to shoot first of be going against an inferior shot). Even if you keep the weapon trained on your opponent, a solid DMR user can still take you out at the closest of ranges. But if you move beyond that effective range, its worthless. The DMR and BR are highly effective at their intended ranges, but don’t lose any of that effectiveness outside that range in the right hands. The AR lacks that versatility. Solely for the sake of ease of use? Greating tiers within weapon tiers is a sure fire way to get a weapon disregarded.

Edit: of course Madman says the same thing I do.

8

Well written… not sure if I agree, that coming from a heavy AR user.

Yeah… they seem to be outgunned, but when within range they are lethal… the DMR is about the only one that has no real range limits.

9

I agree.

10

I love the AR…I use AC so by the time players get within range to see me they are usually in range to die relatively quickly due to my AR. The only thing that beats my AR up close is usually a 1HK weapon…damn boltshot. But for me the appeal is for some reason it’s just fun to use. I’d agree it does lack versatility and I’d be all for a buff as long as it doesn’t doesn’t take the fun of using it away.

11

> So let’s look just at the UNSC weaponry for a moment in a visual representation of how effective they can be.
>
> AR: Short Range - Adequate → Mid-range - Poor performance → Long Range - Useless
> BR: Short Range - Adequate → Mid-range - Effective → Long Range - Adequate
> DMR: Short Range - Effective → Mid-range - Effective → Long Range - Very Effective
>
> Even if the AR were very effective at short range (comparatively speaking, it isn’t), it still would be relatively ineffective at mid- and long-ranges. Even if we broke those ranges into thirds in terms of number of encounters that happen, the AR is relatively useless in two-thirds of your encounters. As a result, if you’re wielding this weapon, you are forced to pull out of these instances.
>
> This is poor design, as the weapon is so limiting, it’s limiting your engagement possibilities.
>
> A well-designed AR would offer players the ability to at least do something in the majority of encounters. Currently, the AR, storm rifle, and suppressor have players more often running away than fighting.

I like where you’re going with this. If i could try my own hand at how I think the UNSC weapons should work:

  • Pistol: short range: effective → Mid range: - adequate → Long range: adequate (it is scoped, after all)
  • AR: short range: Very effective → Mid range: - effective → Long range: inadequate
  • BR: short range: effective → Mid range: very effective → adequate
  • DMR: short range: inadequate–> Mid range: effective → Long range: very effective.

While we’re at it, make the storm rifle actually useable :wink:

12

> I am going to have to disagree with you on that one man. The AR can RAPE. I thought my KD was going to suffer terribly since I am doing UNSC loadout mastery…

Hang tight, I just finished UNSC Loadout and while I don’t follow my K/D, the AR definitely didn’t hurt . The storm rifle, however, is going to really harm your K/D if you’re into that thing.

13

The automatic weapons are fine in this game.

14

> The automatic weapons are fine in this game.

Would a little bit of utility and depth really hurt?

15

> > I am going to have to disagree with you on that one man. The AR can RAPE. I thought my KD was going to suffer terribly since I am doing UNSC loadout mastery… But I started to murk people more than I would with the DMR at times. It’s all about how you use it. IMO it’s fine now, unlike previous Halos were it was rendered useless.
>
> It can perform adequately at short ranges, although I very frequently beat it with a magnum or a DMR.
>
> The problem is outside of that range, it’s useless.
>
> So let’s look just at the UNSC weaponry for a moment in a visual representation of how effective they can be.
>
> AR: Short Range - Adequate → Mid-range - Poor performance → Long Range - Useless
> BR: Short Range - Adequate → Mid-range - Effective → Long Range - Adequate
> DMR: Short Range - Effective → Mid-range - Effective → Long Range - Very Effective
>
> Even if the AR were very effective at short range (comparatively speaking, it isn’t), it still would be relatively ineffective at mid- and long-ranges. Even if we broke those ranges into thirds in terms of number of encounters that happen, the AR is relatively useless in two-thirds of your encounters. As a result, if you’re wielding this weapon, you are forced to pull out of these instances.
>
> This is poor design, as the weapon is so limiting, it’s limiting your engagement possibilities.
>
> A well-designed AR would offer players the ability to at least do something in the majority of encounters. Currently, the AR, storm rifle, and suppressor have players more often running away than fighting.

I agree with the points you both made. I’m glad you two are not flaming trolls and can actually hold a civil conversation.

The AR could use a small buff at short and mid range. Granted, it is a good gun at those ranges BUT I have also been beaten by an efficient DMR player at those ranges as well. And of course I need to get the drop on the enemy to come out alive. If he shoots first I might as well start tossing grenades and falling back. Which is exactly why I have resupply in my AR loadout. : /

> > I am going to have to disagree with you on that one man. The AR can RAPE. I thought my KD was going to suffer terribly since I am doing UNSC loadout mastery… But I started to murk people more than I would with the DMR at times. It’s all about how you use it. IMO it’s fine now, unlike previous Halos were it was rendered useless.
>
> The problem is the AR is useful in a very strict situation (you have to be close, and you more than likely need to shoot first of be going against an inferior shot). Even if you keep the weapon trained on your opponent, a solid DMR user can still take you out at the closest of ranges. But if you move beyond that effective range, its worthless. The DMR and BR are highly effective at their intended ranges, but don’t lose any of that effectiveness outside that range in the right hands. The AR lacks that versatility. Solely for the sake of ease of use? Greating tiers within weapon tiers is a sure fire way to get a weapon disregarded.
>
> Edit: of course Madman says the same thing I do.

16

Are you kidding? It can actually kill now. It works perfectly in close range area’s as intended. I almost always use it. All the primary weapons are perfectly balanced as they are. Just nerf the DMR and all will be fine. There’s no need to make the automatic weapons overpowered.

17

> Are you kidding? It can actually kill now. It works perfectly in close range area’s as intended. I almost always use it. All the primary weapons are perfectly balanced as they are. Just nerf the DMR and all will be fine. There’s no need to make the automatic weapons overpowered.

Did you read the OP’s point, or do you automatically assume changes mean making it overpowered? None of the proposed changes would make the AR more powerful in its current useful range, but would make it usable beyond its intended range, like every other weapon in its “tier”.

18

A little more damage? Maybe…

But you’re realy making them more like COD assault rifles. The X2 zoom is essentialy ironsights

19

> A little more damage? Maybe…
>
> But you’re realy making them more like COD assault rifles. The X2 zoom is essentialy ironsights

I agree with the small buffs but definitely not the zoom. That would then make the AR too over-powered.

20

> > A little more damage? Maybe…
> >
> > But you’re realy making them more like COD assault rifles. The X2 zoom is essentialy ironsights
>
> I agree with the small buffs but definitely not the zoom. That would then make the AR too over-powered.

Combined with it’s inaccuracy at range and the more dynamic spread, I really don’t think so. A 2x zoom would really just make burst-firing support at medium range feasible. Right now, it’s very, very unreliable and really not even worth it.

Everyone, understand the point here isn’t to make the ARs more powerful, but more flexible and give them more utility purpose.

Currently, sure the ARs perform all right in close range, but past that, they are relatively ineffective. This means you have a gun that, comparably, works OK at its intended range but can’t do anything else. The precision rifles work well in their intended ranges AND work reasonably well outside of their ranges.

Their flexibility and depth means choosing between an automatic and a precision rifle is really a no-brainer…if you want to give yourself the best chance to succeed.