I’ve made this thread once before but it was not thoroughly explained to me why AR starts appeal to so many.
I am not going to be flaming anyone in this thread and I do ask that people keep it civil. When searching solo or in a small team we run the risk of not only getting sub-par randoms on our team, but by extension, we run the risk of said randoms voting for a less-than-desired gametype.
I understand the difference in opinions. I do. I get that some people like certain things while others do not. But what I am confused about is what is appealing about starting with a weapon that has an effective range of 10 meters (being generous), has a limited magazine size, and more times than not it ends up being a close stalemate where the victor must seek a health pack or face the consequences.
This new Squad DLC playlist shipped with AR starts. Not entirely a problem on a map like Anchor 9 but is laughable when placed on a map like Highlands. For those of you without the Defiant Map Pack, Highlands is one of the biggest maps in the game with very open space. We’re not talking moving from building to building with swift and close engagements; no, we’re talking open fields and open bases. The buildings that are on this map are also fit for a DMR as they are typically 40-60 meters across. Therefore, if I see my opponent at the end of the building and she sees me, we must mock a Western shootout and walk towards each other before our weapons will be of any use.
This is what confuses me. WHY is this appealing to so many players? I am not trying to come off as condescending as I am genuinely interested in hearing why people vote for a game where your weapon is an utter joke. It is. When we got AR starts on Highlands I was literally laughing. I couldn’t believe it.
Fans of the gametype, please enlighten my ignorance on the issue.
Thank you for your time and have a wonderful rest of your Saturday,
Lesser skilled players do not necessarily like the assault rifle, I think most actually understand how weak it truly is. What they definitely do understand is the DMR. It can easily kill them, while in their hands, it is poorly used. They try to work around this by voting for AR starts, but what they are really doing is putting them selves at a disadvantage. Good players will hunt a DMR down and use it, while a lesser skilled player will be stuck with the AR, not being able to counter react properly.
Whenever I got this game(Mid-November) I was terrible, ex. couldn’t aim, didn’t know what strafe meant, etc. I used the AR, because the DMR required aim which I was immensely lacking of. I believe it’s the same for the average Reach community(no hate), but they don’t want to accept it.
For me, I used to avoid DMR starts for the simple reason that I was atrocious with the DMR. I very seriously didn’t understand the weapon, and didn’t have the patience to pace my shots - so I’d lose pretty much all my DMR battles. Eventually, I swore I’d never use the DMR again and for a long time, I didn’t.
I also used to vote by map because in both DMR and AR starts, I’d spawn with an AR, so I didn’t care.
I don’t mean to attack anyone who is worse than me, but this attitude of mine changed after I studied the DMR and got better overall as a player. The DMR does take more skill to use, and I’d imagine some people don’t want to (or can’t) put time into a weapon’s mastery - so they use what they think they are best with.
P.S. After I got a little better, I would pick AR starts because I knew I could find a DMR and I would have an advantage over everyone else, but after a while, I graduated Halo kindergarden.
> Whenever I got this game(Mid-November) I was terrible, ex. couldn’t aim, didn’t know what strafe meant, etc. I used the AR, because the DMR required aim which I was immensely lacking of. I believe it’s the same for the average Reach community(no hate), but they don’t want to accept it.
I understand what you mean. In the summer I was playing Final Fantasy non stop. When I put in Reach, my aim was absolutely terrible. I couldn’t even work the camera right. When I got into MM after getting my camera skills back, the only gun that I could use was the AR. My aim was too off to kill with the DMR, but even with my swing the AR rewarded me.
Newer and lesser skilled players cannot use the DMR as it requires too much patience.
I’m trying not to approach this as a matter of skill or lack thereof. I appreciate your guys’ input, though.
I guess I’m just looking for someone who votes for it game after game. Kind of like how we vote for DMR’s every game regardless of the map. Then I want them to explain to me why outside of “Because I enjoy it.”
> I’m trying not to approach this as a matter of skill or lack thereof. I appreciate your guys’ input, though.
>
> I guess I’m just looking for someone who votes for it game after game. Kind of like how we vote for DMR’s every game regardless of the map. Then I want them to explain to me why outside of “Because I enjoy it.”
>
> WHY do you enjoy it?
The age old response is weapon variety. I can see their stand, but smarter players will the DMR down along with a power weapon as a sidekick. I believe this is a question that simply cannot be answered in text.
> > I’m trying not to approach this as a matter of skill or lack thereof. I appreciate your guys’ input, though.
> >
> > I guess I’m just looking for someone who votes for it game after game. Kind of like how we vote for DMR’s every game regardless of the map. Then I want them to explain to me why outside of “Because I enjoy it.”
> >
> > WHY do you enjoy it?
>
> The age old response is weapon variety. I can see their stand, but smarter players will the DMR down along with a power weapon as a sidekick. I believe this is a question that simply cannot be answered in text.
True variety is seen in gametypes like Invasion, though, where there is variety and not limitation. AR starts is a clear example of limitation in the sense that you start out with one of the weakest weapons in the game and must scavenge the map for more.
Invasion is variety. We have loadouts and each loadout is good for a certain scenario. If you want to hold up in the base on Boneyard on tier 3 then pick the shotgun/armor lock combo and have at it. If you want to snipe then pick camo or sprint. That is variety.
I don’t see any more variety in AR starts. I see Needle Rifles being used more but that’s out of sheer desperation from the player. I can’t stand that weapon and its slow kill time but I’ll pick it up in AR starts because it beats an AR.
> > I’m trying not to approach this as a matter of skill or lack thereof. I appreciate your guys’ input, though.
> >
> > I guess I’m just looking for someone who votes for it game after game. Kind of like how we vote for DMR’s every game regardless of the map. Then I want them to explain to me why outside of “Because I enjoy it.”
> >
> > WHY do you enjoy it?
>
> The age old response is weapon variety. I can see their stand, but smarter players will the DMR down along with a power weapon as a sidekick. I believe this is a question that simply cannot be answered in text.
Exactly. The first thing I do when playing Countdown AR Starts is hop down to grab a DMR, then run up to pick up the Concussion Gun as a secondary. 10 seconds into the game I’m more heavily armed than most of the kids who just picked AR Starts in an attempt to limit precision weapon usage.
If kids are picking AR Starts in hopes of crippling the opposition they’re only hurting themselves. Learning how to use the DMR, and where they’re located (Needle Rifles also) is their best bet in the end.
That’s why I like reach so much more than h3. You spawn with a DMR at least 80% of the time. AR starts are just not suited for halo at all, the maps are too big, it is a weak weapon in the sandbox etc. I understand that new players that don’t feel comfortable using the DMR like AR starts though
> > > I’m trying not to approach this as a matter of skill or lack thereof. I appreciate your guys’ input, though.
> > >
> > > I guess I’m just looking for someone who votes for it game after game. Kind of like how we vote for DMR’s every game regardless of the map. Then I want them to explain to me why outside of “Because I enjoy it.”
> > >
> > > WHY do you enjoy it?
> >
> > The age old response is weapon variety. I can see their stand, but smarter players will the DMR down along with a power weapon as a sidekick. I believe this is a question that simply cannot be answered in text.
>
> Exactly. The first thing I do when playing Countdown AR Starts is hop down to grab a DMR, then run up to pick up the Concussion Gun as a secondary. 10 seconds into the game I’m more heavily armed than most of the kids who just picked AR Starts in an attempt to limit precision weapon usage.
>
> If kids are picking AR Starts in hopes of crippling the opposition they’re only hurting themselves. Learning how to use the DMR, and where they’re located (Needle Rifles also) is their best bet in the end.
Well, exactly. But instead of being better than the other team, and being better equipped than them in AR starts, can’t you do the same thing and be better than the other team in DMR starts and be better equipped?
Why limit yourself off spawn? I do completely understand your thought process - especially on Countdown. If you get the Shotgun or Sword, you’re basically the juggernaut because they have to get close to kill you.
But by limiting the other team, you limit yourself as well.
I dislike the DMR. That is why. Oh I can use it well enough and all that, I chose to grab other weapons though. That and I hate the idea of spawning into cross map wars. I always ditch the thing in favor of a needle rifle when I can. I find it far more accurate to my style of play. But I will use the DMR against vehicles. But that is about it. I usually beat people with my needle rifle against DMR or another needle rifle anyway so yeah. As for the AR and my preference to that, well I am a CQC player personally so that would be why. Those fights are always much more enjoyable to me.
> I dislike the DMR. That is why. Oh I can use it well enough and all that, I chose to grab other weapons though. That and I hate the idea of spawning into cross map wars. I always ditch the thing in favor of a needle rifle when I can. I find it far more accurate to my style of play. But I will use the DMR against vehicles. But that is about it. I usually beat people with my needle rifle against DMR or another needle rifle anyway so yeah. As for the AR and my preference to that, well I am a CQC player personally so that would be why. Those fights are always much more enjoyable to me.
Disliking the DMR is fair and I can’t hate you for that. I will, however, challenge your notion that the DMR turns games into “cross map wars”. Without aim assist it is very rare a player will land a 5-shot kill.
Take Hemorrhage, for example. Hamburger Hill (that hill next to the teleporter) and the rocks that surround the opposite portal. DMR fights are common from those distances but rarely will people get killed. It’s more of a suppression tool than anything.
Cross-maps just don’t happen very often with the DMR. If they do, it means you were either sitting still or you were completely lost out in the open with no idea where to go for cover.
What I’m saying is that it says a lot more about the person being shot at than the rifle and the shooter.
> I dislike the DMR. That is why. Oh I can use it well enough and all that, I chose to grab other weapons though. That and I hate the idea of spawning into cross map wars. I always ditch the thing in favor of a needle rifle when I can. I find it far more accurate to my style of play. But I will use the DMR against vehicles. But that is about it. I usually beat people with my needle rifle against DMR or another needle rifle anyway so yeah. As for the AR and my preference to that, well I am a CQC player personally so that would be why. Those fights are always much more enjoyable to me.
I dislike the DMR too. However, not using it puts yourself at a disadvantage. The NR is a good weapon for certain fights, such as when you get the first few shots. The DMR is much more versatile and can be used to be the NR while allowing its own play.
Its hard to explain the use of the NR and DMR in comparison but I tried.