I agree.
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.
> 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 
> 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.
The automatic weapons are fine in this game.
> The automatic weapons are fine in this game.
Would a little bit of utility and depth really hurt?
> > 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.
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.
> 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”.
A little more damage? Maybe…
But you’re realy making them more like COD assault rifles. The X2 zoom is essentialy ironsights
> 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.
> > 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.
Now usually in this situation I’d give a flat out <mark>NO</mark>. I’d tell you that the precision weapons take more skill and therefore players should be encouraged to use them by making them more effective. I’d also say as Halo is competitive game at its core the precision weapons need to stay better than full-auto guns to keep Halo on top of the rest of the competitive market.
However:
Seeing as competitive Halo is dead, loadouts are in the game and 343 has become set on making this game a CoD clone I think it is time that the AR earned its rightful pace among the precision weapons - why should I care anyway, I won’t be playing the next Halo game and I’m certainly not playing this one!
-Make the AR have high precision but quick expanding/retracting bloom forcing the user to burst fire over long ranges.
-Make the AR be more powerful when targeted at the head
-Lower the aim assist to the level of other precision weapons
-No zoom
-No extra damage to encourage players to aim for opponent’s heads
-Get rid of a two beat down melee system and bring back a three beat down kill melee system. (aka less melee damage to encourage more shooting and less shoot>beat down)
So go nuts, 343 certainly has.
> Now usually in this situation I’d give a flat out <mark>NO</mark>. I’d tell you that the precision weapons take more skill and therefore players should be encouraged to use them by making them more effective. I’d also say as Halo is competitive game at its core the precision weapons need to stay better than full-auto guns to keep Halo on top of the rest of the competitive market.
The whole point of these changes would be to make the automatic rifles respond better to player skill. In essence, using them effectively would require controlled, deliberate fire, meaning they could excel in a skilled player’s hands.
The whole point would be to make them attractive to a skilled player because they would require more skill to be effective. These changes would make the experience of using an automatic rifle richer and deeper and more rewarding.
Seeing how the automatic weapons are supposed to be on the same tier as the precision weapons, I would think these design changes would not only be appropriate but necessary to ensure the balance of the core weapon sandbox.
> 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.
Halo has always had this tier separating weaponry, but it shouldn’t. The fact that it has been this way for the longest time goes, I suppose, to the difficulty in finding the proper balance between automatics and precision. The fact that we have loadouts shouldn’t make this valid now and not then.
This was my only nitpick in a thread full of what I support.
I usually use the ar, but I have to say it could certainly do with a tune up. Halo is set in the future, but in real terms an ak47 would run rings around the ar.
MADMAN, why aren’t you working for 343i? Why do you have to point these things out to them? Why do you have to give them a history lesson on Halo?
Geeze…
The assault rifle is as iconic as master chief himself. Fun Fact: The Assault Rifle is Johns preferred weapon of choice 
Didn’t they already do the dynamic spread? I mean compared to Reach where the bloom was slow in Halo 4 the bloom on the automatics are pretty much on par with what you want or do you want to make it even faster?
I absolutely hate the Assault Rifle. My K/D spread with it is -146 in Slayer and -93 in Regicide. Until the last Title Update I could use the Boltshot to defend myself. Now. . . not so much.
I remember 2 games of Regicide I had on Haven. In the first one I used the standard loadout: DMR/Boltshot and it completely failed. Of course, the first came those who used the Assault Rifle. I looked at the game report. 3 with AR, one with StormRifle and another with Boltshot like me. I said to myself “When you deal with n00bs, do what the n00bs do”. So I changed my weapon loadout to Assault Rifle. I managed to steal the win at the very end. That was my ONLY good game whan I used the AR, I usually can’t do well with it. I’m so used to precision that holding the trigger and spraying is something that I am not good at, even though it requires less accurate aiming. I do not want to say that everybody who uses an automatic weapon is a n00b, but I hate them so much that I can’t resist not raging and wanting revenge every time I am killed by such players.