Impressions from NZ Armageddon-BR is weak

Games Other Halo
1

Introduction:
Although I missed out on the opportunity to go to Armageddon Expo in NZ to play Halo 4, some of my friends did. The main feedback I was instantly told from my Halo fans was…

The BR is underpowered. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t another one of those “BR MUAST be 4sk!!@#@” threads. However, I will give you a good argument as to why it is too weak.

Experimental Evidence:
My friend’s opinions, and almost all of the game play I have seen, suggest that not only is the BR weak, but it is also going to become very underused. I was told that nobody used the BR if they had the chance to use the DMR, the BR was completely outclassed by the DMR. It confirmed my suspicions from game play seen on YouTube.This is experimental evidence, from experience.

Theory:
This statement is also backed up the final kill times:

BR Kill Time: 1.869 seconds
DMR Kill Time: 1.735 seconds

The difference is 0.134 seconds. That might not sound like much but it is very important for a number of reasons:

DMR Advantages:
-The DMR is able to kill the average BR user before he can even drop shields in most cases.
-The BR requires every single shot to hit the user to achieve maximum effect. Not everyone is going to be able to do this.

As you all know, in theory, the only advantages the BR holds over DMR, the other main primary weapon, are as follows:

BR Advantages:

-It is easier to get headshots with the BR, also more aim assist.
-It can bleed through shields, i.e a DMR can only take down shields, there is no bleedthrough damage, another shot is needed to kill. The BR does not have this trait.

Even at all ranges, the DMR outclasses the BR, I saw this in full effect on Haven gameplay. At the start of the game, some people were using the BR, but the DMR folk starting dominating, and they quickly switched. Haven is the smallest map in the game, and the DMR was the most used weapon.

http://m.neogaf.com/showpost.php?p=43384694&postcount=16727

Frankie’s post as well.

Summary:

This kill time difference leaves the BR completely outclassed, which is unfortunate, I find this weapon far, far more fun to use than the DMR. Come November 6th, it’ll be sad to see this weapon go down in infamy like the Storm Rifle and AR probably will as well.

My Suggestion:

Increase the rate of fire for the BR. That way, it can at least match or reduce the kill time difference between both weapons to insignificant amounts, allowing the DMR’s and BR’s unique advantages to come into play.

The DMR is going to dominate at all but the least skilled game play (newcomers to Halo who may struggle to get DMR headshots, putting the BR at advantage in that scenario).

Do you agree? Do you think this analysis is accurate? Is there any reason to be uncertain?

2

Good post.

I think they, at a minimum, should’ve increased the magazine size, even though they obviously wanted a 2-kill potential for the BR and DMR.

3

I honestly dont agree. Realistically a single shot rifle would be much more accurate than a burst shot rifle. I think this is a fair design and people that are butt hurt about the BR not being the “best” gun in the game are just being children… Why does the BR have to be the best rifle?

Also if you hit every bullet from your bursts the kill times are balanced. The fact that its a burst rifle makes such perfect kills hard to achieve. A skilled player with a BR can out shoot another with a DMR. Adapt to a new game !

***EDIT: This was not meant to attack ur original post. Ur post was very informative I just am expressive my personal opinion. Dont attack me for it haha

Also keep in mind the possibility of balancing fluctuations before the launch of the game. Im not sure if this is even possible just an idea. They are certainly testing and polishing the game in these final weeks and could easily update the BR in some way

4

> I honestly dont agree. Realistically a single shot rifle would be much more accurate than a burst shot rifle. I think this is a fair design and people that are butt hurt about the BR not being the “best” gun in the game are just being children… Why does the BR have to be the best rifle?

This post isn’t asking for the BR to be the best gun. I still want to see a small kill time difference between them, but not too large, as it is now.

I want to use this weapon come November 6th.

> Also if you hit every bullet from your bursts the kill times are balanced. The fact that its a burst rifle makes such perfect kills hard to achieve. A skilled player with a BR can out shoot another with a DMR. Adapt to a new game !

Not really, the kill time figures are if the BR manages to hit the enemy with every single bullet. In any real scenario, that very rarely happens.

Even then, it still loses. The DMR is also going to be used by better players (from experience and the fact that they are more likely to unlock it early since they play more), thus having that advantage as well.

5

That’s it I’m putting this to rest be looking out for a thread on this

6

i’m okay with this. it sounds about right.

The br will still destroy the dmr at close range unless the dmr user is really skilled or lucky.

7

I don’t know about buffing the BR since it is easier to use than the DMR. If we had to however I’d like to see a slight increase in the BR’s rate of fire while slightly toning down the aim assist.

8

Did they seriously nerf the DMR to 1.7? I’ve seen this new number used a few times but i’m not sure where it came from.

9

> That’s it I’m putting this to rest be looking out for a thread on this

What?

10

> Did they seriously nerf the DMR to 1.7? I’ve seen this new number used a few times but i’m not sure where it came from.

It was posted on another forum, I believe. The figure is accurate last time I checked.

11

> Introduction:
> Although I missed out on the opportunity to go to Armageddon Expo in NZ to play Halo 4, some of my friends did. The main feedback I was instantly told from my Halo fans was…
>
> The BR is underpowered. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t another one of those “BR MUAST be 4sk!!@#@” threads. However, I will give you a good argument as to why it is too weak.
>
> Experimental Evidence:
> My friend’s opinions, and almost all of the game play I have seen, suggest that not only is the BR weak, but it is also going to become very underused. I was told that nobody used the BR if they had the chance to use the DMR, the BR was completely outclassed by the DMR. It confirmed my suspicions from game play seen on YouTube.This is experimental evidence, from experience.
>
> Theory:
> This statement is also backed up the final kill times:
>
> BR Kill Time: 1.869 seconds
> DMR Kill Time: 1.735 seconds
>
> The difference is 0.134 seconds. That might not sound like much but it is very important for a number of reasons:
>
> DMR Advantages:
> -The DMR is able to kill the average BR user before he can even drop shields in most cases.
> -The BR requires every single shot to hit the user to achieve maximum effect. Not everyone is going to be able to do this.
>
> As you all know, in theory, the only advantages the BR holds over DMR, the other main primary weapon, are as follows:
>
> BR Advantages:
>
> -It is easier to get headshots with the BR, also more aim assist.
> -It can bleed through shields, i.e a DMR can only take down shields, there is no bleedthrough damage, another shot is needed to kill. The BR does not have this trait.
>
> Even at all ranges, the DMR outclasses the BR, I saw this in full effect on Haven gameplay. At the start of the game, some people were using the BR, but the DMR folk starting dominating, and they quickly switched. Haven is the smallest map in the game, and the DMR was the most used weapon.
>
> http://m.neogaf.com/showpost.php?p=43384694&postcount=16727
>
> Frankie’s post as well.
>
> Summary:
>
> This kill time difference leaves the BR completely outclassed, which is unfortunate, I find this weapon far, far more fun to use than the DMR. Come November 6th, it’ll be sad to see this weapon go down in infamy like the Storm Rifle and AR probably will as well.
>
> My Suggestion:
>
> Increase the rate of fire for the BR. That way, it can at least match or reduce the kill time difference between both weapons to insignificant amounts, allowing the DMR’s and BR’s unique advantages to come into play.
>
> The DMR is going to dominate at all but the least skilled game play (newcomers to Halo who may struggle to get DMR headshots, putting the BR at advantage in that scenario).
>
> Do you agree? Do you think this analysis is accurate? Is there any reason to be uncertain?

The Br is still 1.8 that extra bit is just the amount to finish th burst I believe

12

> The Br is still 1.8 that extra bit is just the amount to finish th burst I believe

I remember reading a NeoGaf post saying that the final round in the BR burst is the killing one, either way, it still requires a trigger pull, the BR user would be dead by that time.

13

Lul, everyone I play with never always get in the insta 5 shot in the DMR in Halo: Reach. People miss sometimes. With the BR having alot more Aim Assist and bullet mag, it wields alot better in CQC. Sure users will use DMR it they want to have a quicker 5 shot kill by .1 seconds, but they will get destroyed in CQC, if the DMR guys missed at least one shot, and if the BR guys is shoots first.

14

4sk, nuff said

15

> > The Br is still 1.8 that extra bit is just the amount to finish th burst I believe
>
> I remember reading a NeoGaf post saying that the final round in the BR burst is the killing one, either way, it still requires a trigger pull, the BR user would be dead by that time.

It’s actually the first bullet in te last burst allowing for slight error making it get a more consistent killtime where the dmr’s killtime will fluctuate based on the situation

16

> I honestly dont agree. Realistically a single shot rifle would be much more accurate than a burst shot rifle. I think this is a fair design and people that are butt hurt about the BR not being the “best” gun in the game are just being children… Why does the BR have to be the best rifle?
>
> Also if you hit every bullet from your bursts the kill times are balanced. The fact that its a burst rifle makes such perfect kills hard to achieve. A skilled player with a BR can out shoot another with a DMR. Adapt to a new game !
>
> ***EDIT: This was not meant to attack ur original post. Ur post was very informative I just am expressive my personal opinion. Dont attack me for it haha
>
> Also keep in mind the possibility of balancing fluctuations before the launch of the game. Im not sure if this is even possible just an idea. They are certainly testing and polishing the game in these final weeks and could easily update the BR in some way

The problem with the statement above is that this isn’t a realistic game, to put the BR on fair terms either fire rate should be increased or it should become a four shot weapon like in the past halo titles. DMR works well at mid range to long range but BR is superior at short range to mid range (Sometimes), never the less the DMR will out-class the BR at mid range.

17

Sorry about that some how I double posted.

18

> 4sk, nuff said

I don’t think you understand the issues of balance.

If 343i make the BR 4sk, it will outclass and outpower every other rifle in the game. 5SK is somewhat weak, but it’s manageable. Unless you can make the BR a 4.5SK, you shouldn’t be talking.

19

Are we to assume that every single DMR user will land every shot with perfect accuracy as well? Gotta say… In Reach, that rarely ever happens. In all honesty, my friend, I think they’re probably fairly balanced. Though, I do wonder why we have two weapons that fill the same role of mid/long range fighting.

In any case, I’ll have loadouts with those in them… But I think I’ll prefer my DMR/AR combination if it lets me. If it doesn’t… Well, maybe I’ll just rock the AR. I like close-range fights. Leave the long range fights to the cowards :smiley: Plus, I really like to deliver witty one-liners when I blow someone’s face off at point-blank range.

YOU JUST GOT SARGED!

20

> > 4sk, nuff said
>
> I don’t think you understand the issues of balance.
>
> If 343i make the BR 4sk, it will outclass and outpower every other rifle in the game. 5SK is somewhat weak, but it’s manageable. Unless you can make the BR a 4.5SK, you shouldn’t be talking.

It’d be perfectly balancing with a RoF alteration to tweak the time between bursts, putting it in line with something like the carbine in terms of killtimes. Autoaim/magnetism could also be tweaked to make it harder to use.

This notion that the BR cannot be buffed to a 4sk without making it OP is simply absurd.