Why are the weapons so unbalanced?

Games Halo 5: Guardians
1

What happened?

Halo used to be a game that eased in new players with easy to use auto weapons and then as players progressed they would become more proficient with precision weaponry. This lead to the game having a skill curve. As a player you could feel personal growth as you evolved and mastered the more difficult, powerful weaponry.

But now the automatics are the best weapons in the game. Why would I ever invest the time in mastering the pistol or BR when I can just crouch around with a storm rifle or an SMG and dominate every game?

This becomes incredibly boring when the meta of a game revolves around weapons who have incredibly shallow gameplay. A giant reticule auto weapon with massive aim assist and damage is not the kind of weapon you want to center a game around.

2

Having a small subset of weapons be the only viable ones in competition is not “balanced.”

Precision weapons still rule the game at medium and long ranges, so autos are hardly omnipotent. As a general rule, autos are more user-friendly in close quarters but very -Yoink!- outside of close quarters. The only auto with actually good range is the SAW, and that’s a power weapon.

PS: The Magnum, BR, and DMR actually deal higher damage than some autos if you are able to land consistent headshots. So, if you actually do invest the time to “master” those precision guns, you can still take on autos in close combat.

3

> 2533274835072493;2:
> Having a small subset of weapons be the only viable ones in competition is not “balanced.”
>
> Precision weapons still rule the game at medium and long ranges, so autos are hardly omnipotent. As a general rule, autos are more user-friendly in close quarters but very -Yoink!- outside of close quarters. The only auto with actually good range is the SAW, and that’s a power weapon.
>
> PS: The Magnum, BR, and DMR actually deal higher damage than some autos if you are able to land consistent headshots. So, if you actually do invest the time to “master” those precision guns, you can still take on autos in close combat.

The way they are currently designed autos should not be equal in power to precision weapons. They’re just too easy to use.

There’s no logic to making medium and long range weapons significantly more difficult to use in their niches than close range weapons. Why does a close range weapons HAVE to be easy to use?

If you’re going to make a weapon that is just straight up easier to use than other weapons than it either has to be a power weapon or have less killing potential. That is balance. A weapon that is easier to use and is more powerful is not balanced.

Ps- No, they do not. The storm rifle and SMR have SIGNIFICANTLY faster kill times than every precision weapon. Even a scoped LR 3sk.

4

This is the most balanced halo game to date. I want to see you dominate a game with an SMG or storm rife since you think its so easy. The storm rifle does kill fast from close range but it also over heats just as fast. The SMG is only good from close range.
The radar detects movement only up to 18m out which helps against the people crouching around as you say. This radar requires map awareness unlike the radar in older halo games.
The only way to lose to an AR with a pistol or BR is if you miss a shot from close range. From further out the AR is useless against BR,Pistol,Carbine.

5

> 2533274805919869;4:
> This is the most balanced halo game to date. I want to see you dominate a game with an SMG or storm rife since you think its so easy.

I do. All the time. So does everyone else.

Go watch twitch. It’s embarrassing how much the meta of this game revolves around controlling storm rifles.

6

> 2535425355871277;1:
> What happened?
>
> Halo used to be a game that eased in new players with easy to use auto weapons and then as players progressed they would become more proficient with precision weaponry. This lead to the game having a skill curve. As a player you could feel personal growth as you evolved and mastered the more difficult, powerful weaponry.
>
> But now the automatics are the best weapons in the game. Why would I ever invest the time in mastering the pistol or BR when I can just crouch around with a storm rifle or an SMG and dominate every game?
>
> This becomes incredibly boring when the meta of a game revolves around weapons who have incredibly shallow gameplay. A giant reticule auto weapon with massive aim assist and damage is not the kind of weapon you want to center a game around.

I agree; it’s dumb.

If I could have it my way, and I know I’m basically alone on this, I’d have BR starts (with weak AR as backup), Sniper, Rockets/grenade launcher from Reach, Shotty, Plasma Pistol, Splaser on map.
Nothing else. The rest is fluff. I may be forgetting a gun or 2, but whatever.

7

> 2535425355871277;3:
> > 2533274835072493;2:
> > Having a small subset of weapons be the only viable ones in competition is not “balanced.”
> >
> > Precision weapons still rule the game at medium and long ranges, so autos are hardly omnipotent. As a general rule, autos are more user-friendly in close quarters but very -Yoink!- outside of close quarters. The only auto with actually good range is the SAW, and that’s a power weapon.
> >
> > PS: The Magnum, BR, and DMR actually deal higher damage than some autos if you are able to land consistent headshots. So, if you actually do invest the time to “master” those precision guns, you can still take on autos in close combat.
>
>
> The way they are currently designed autos should not be equal in power to precision weapons. They’re just too easy to use.
>
> There’s no logic to making medium and long range weapons significantly more difficult to use in their niches than close range weapons. Why does a close range weapons HAVE to be easy to use?
>
> If you’re going to make a weapon that is just straight up easier to use than other weapons than it either has to be a power weapon or have less killing potential. That is balance. A weapon that is easier to use and is more powerful is not balanced.
>
> Ps- No, they do not. The storm rifle and SMR have SIGNIFICANTLY faster kill times than every precision weapon. Even a scoped LR 3sk.

There are more variables in weapon balance to consider than just aiming. If we use the one-dimensional outlook and balance weapons by ONLY their so-called “skill” requirements, that would have implications such as making the Sniper Rifle (high-skill) be more powerful in close combat than an Energy Sword (relatively low-skill). Do we really want to go down that road?

There are other important factors like range (very very important one), DPS, raw burst damage, splash damage, anti-vehicle properties, tracking, special effects (e.g. EMP), ammo capacity, reload time, projectile speed, charge-up, revealing the user (e.g. Spartan Laser and Binary Rifle), etc.

In terms of “too easy,” I find that the precision weapons can only be “hard” to use in CQC. Any further out than that, it’s not really that hard.

Also, the majority of autos ARE power weapons, as in you have to pick them up from the ground instead of spawning with them. The only starting weapon auto is the AR. The SMG is only a loadout gun in Warzone, in which case you also have loadout BRs and DMRs.

Here’s a hypothetical question for you to ponder for this situation. Let’s pretend that we found two full teams of players, each with approximately the same skill level. Let’s put them in Arena. One team can use ONLY the Assault Rifle for the entire match and nothing else, and the other team can ONLY use the Magnum and nothing else. Which team would you expect to have the advantage in the current game state?

As the game is now, I would always choose to be on the precision-only team instead of the auto-only team, because the former would almost always win unless something like a skill gap were involved.

8

> 2533274835072493;7:
> > 2535425355871277;3:
> > > 2533274835072493;2:
> > > Having a small subset of weapons be the only viable ones in competition is not “balanced.”
> > >
> > > Precision weapons still rule the game at medium and long ranges, so autos are hardly omnipotent. As a general rule, autos are more user-friendly in close quarters but very -Yoink!- outside of close quarters. The only auto with actually good range is the SAW, and that’s a power weapon.
> > >
> > > PS: The Magnum, BR, and DMR actually deal higher damage than some autos if you are able to land consistent headshots. So, if you actually do invest the time to “master” those precision guns, you can still take on autos in close combat.
> >
> >
> > The way they are currently designed autos should not be equal in power to precision weapons. They’re just too easy to use.
> >
> > There’s no logic to making medium and long range weapons significantly more difficult to use in their niches than close range weapons. Why does a close range weapons HAVE to be easy to use?
> >
> > If you’re going to make a weapon that is just straight up easier to use than other weapons than it either has to be a power weapon or have less killing potential. That is balance. A weapon that is easier to use and is more powerful is not balanced.
> >
> > Ps- No, they do not. The storm rifle and SMR have SIGNIFICANTLY faster kill times than every precision weapon. Even a scoped LR 3sk.
>
>
> There are more variables in weapon balance to consider than just aiming. If we use the one-dimensional outlook and balance weapons by ONLY their so-called “skill” requirements, that would have implications such as making the Sniper Rifle (high-skill) be more powerful in close combat than an Energy Sword (relatively low-skill). Do we really want to go down that road?
>
> There are other important factors like range (very very important one), DPS, raw burst damage, splash damage, anti-vehicle properties, tracking, special effects (e.g. EMP), ammo capacity, reload time, projectile speed, charge-up, revealing the user (e.g. Spartan Laser and Binary Rifle), etc.
>
> In terms of “too easy,” I find that the precision weapons can only be “hard” to use in CQC. Any further out than that, it’s not really that hard.
>
> Also, the majority of autos ARE power weapons, as in you have to pick them up from the ground instead of spawning with them. The only starting weapon auto is the AR. The SMG is only a loadout gun in Warzone, in which case you also have loadout BRs and DMRs.
>
> -----
>
> Here’s a hypothetical question for you to ponder for this situation. Let’s pretend that we found two full teams of players, each with approximately the same skill level. Let’s put them in Arena. One team can use ONLY the Assault Rifle for the entire match and nothing else, and the other team can ONLY use the Magnum and nothing else. Which team would you expect to have the advantage in the current game state?
>
> As the game is now, I would always choose to be on the precision-only team instead of the auto-only team, because the former would almost always win unless something like a skill gap were involved.

Power weapons are a whole different subject and don’t really apply to this discussion so using them as examples makes your example irrelevant.

Just because you pick a weapon up does not make it a power weapon. My god.

To answer your question it would depend what map we are playing on. Which is ridiculous.

9

Exactly. I don’t understand why everyone claims this game has the biggest skill gap of all Halos. Uhh, what? The full autos are brain-dead easy to use and are extremely effective, even at mid range. Meanwhile, even the precision weapons have extreme amounts of aim assist, resulting in a metric yoink-ton of perfect kills. According to my stats, 9.8% of all my BR kills are perfect kills, while 14.5% of all my DMR kills are perfect kills. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but consider that I play warzone almost exclusively. A lot of those kills are at very long distances, shooting vehicles (impossible to get perfect kills), or assisted (also impossible to get perfect kills). That’s a LOT when you consider that. Think of how many times you see a player and face him 1 on 1 compared to teamshotting him in a warzone game. And I am by no means an amazing player. My K/D is only 1.7 in warzone. I have decent aim in Halo 5, but the aim assist gives me perfect kills out the wazoo. They really need to tone it down.

10

> 2535425355871277;5:
> > 2533274805919869;4:
> > This is the most balanced halo game to date. I want to see you dominate a game with an SMG or storm rife since you think its so easy.
>
>
> I do. All the time. So does everyone else.
>
> Go watch twitch. It’s embarrassing how much the meta of this game revolves around controlling storm rifles.

your profile shows zero games played

11

> 2535425355871277;5:
> > 2533274805919869;4:
> > This is the most balanced halo game to date. I want to see you dominate a game with an SMG or storm rife since you think its so easy.
>
>
> I do. All the time. So does everyone else.
>
> Go watch twitch. It’s embarrassing how much the meta of this game revolves around controlling storm rifles.

the autos are only proficient in close ranges, i dont see ppl getting kills with them from across the map. plus i have also seen and been apart of the precision weapons beating the autos. eash weapon has a time and place. if im kinda looking out in to the open i have precision and if im running around in a hall or a short room i have an auto. but im not running around with and auto guns a blazing, those ppl are generally the ones that cant use precision as well as they should be.

12

> 2717573882290994;6:
> > 2535425355871277;1:
> > What happened?
> >
> > Halo used to be a game that eased in new players with easy to use auto weapons and then as players progressed they would become more proficient with precision weaponry. This lead to the game having a skill curve. As a player you could feel personal growth as you evolved and mastered the more difficult, powerful weaponry.
> >
> > But now the automatics are the best weapons in the game. Why would I ever invest the time in mastering the pistol or BR when I can just crouch around with a storm rifle or an SMG and dominate every game?
> >
> > This becomes incredibly boring when the meta of a game revolves around weapons who have incredibly shallow gameplay. A giant reticule auto weapon with massive aim assist and damage is not the kind of weapon you want to center a game around.
>
>
> I agree; it’s dumb.
>
> If I could have it my way, and I know I’m basically alone on this, I’d have BR starts (with weak AR as backup), Sniper, Rockets/grenade launcher from Reach, Shotty, Plasma Pistol, Splaser on map.
> Nothing else. The rest is fluff. I may be forgetting a gun or 2, but whatever.

I agree, but the I love the brute shot and I’d also want it in the game. I always kept one in my back pocket in Halo 3 when I came across one. Very underrated utility weapon.

13

This is one of the dumbest posts on here, if you truly believe the weapons are unbalanced then you have no clue what you’re talking about, sorry. This is the most balanced halo game to date, fact. Sorry that you’re running in with your magnum and die from an assault rifle, SMG, storm rifle, ect close range. Next you’re gonna tell us how the shotgun is over powered because you cant run in and no scope them with your sniper rifle. Give me a -Yoinking!- break.

14

I disagree, but I mean since you played 0 games of Halo 5 I don’t see how I expected anything but an assumption. Seriously, play the damn game before you criticize it! Maybe you played the Beta, well automatic weapons got nerfed since then, that is why it was a beta. Maybe you played it at a friends house, ok so maybe you played a total of 3 games ever. This game is the most balanced game I have ever played, automatic weapons are more of a spray and pray weapon, you can beat someone using a rifle, however if they are on point they can easily take you down. Many times I would either destroy or get destroyed when in both situations, Auto vs Rifle and Rifle vs Auto. Maybe in the lower skill ranks where people are less skilled with rifles it might seem like automatics are dominating, because rifle people are missing their shots. I assure you from Gold and up (last season I ranged from Gold to Onyx with 1 gold and 2 onyx, this season I just really only play forge :P) the game is very balanced. Learn to use rifles in close range so when you actually play your first game of Halo 5 you can do well, and see how balanced the game actually is, once you finally play it. Like seriously, it would be like me reviewing Star Wars 8, even though it doesn’t even have a release date yet, I know nothing, I’ve seen 7 though. You are worse than Fox News ATM.

15

i feel like so many ppl are upset at how autos now are more useful and balance the game out, and they arent able to just wreck noobs all day with a BR, knowing not everyone is as good at aiming with precision. all it does is make CQC different really. instead of running into a small hallway with your BR, you run in with an auto, like how it should be in reality.

and IMO this Halo still had the learning curve from auto to precision, i hadnt played in about three years and when i first started i only used the AR, now after getting comfortable i was what ever weapon best suits the situation im running into.

16

Well if you are running into a small close area with a BR and the other guy has n assault rifle obviously the assault rifle will have the advantage at that range.
I use to be a BR guy in halo 3 and dominated most of the time. I hated team doubles in halo 3 because thats where people would use AR’s and shottys the most crouching around.
In halo 5 you can jump and dash around a corner to catch the shotty guy with his back turned to you. My point is halo 5 is far more balanced than the older halo games by a long shot. I use to be like you and got mad when people killed me with an AR saying theres another Ar noob who sucks with the BR/Pistol. I lost more when all i used was the Pistol and BR i had to adapt to using other weapons.

17

> 2533274881086487;11:
> > 2535425355871277;5:
> > > 2533274805919869;4:
> > > This is the most balanced halo game to date. I want to see you dominate a game with an SMG or storm rife since you think its so easy.
> >
> >
> > I do. All the time. So does everyone else.
> >
> > Go watch twitch. It’s embarrassing how much the meta of this game revolves around controlling storm rifles.
>
>
> the autos are only proficient in close ranges, i dont see ppl getting kills with them from across the map. plus i have also seen and been apart of the precision weapons beating the autos. eash weapon has a time and place. if im kinda looking out in to the open i have precision and if im running around in a hall or a short room i have an auto. but im not running around with and auto guns a blazing, those ppl are generally the ones that cant use precision as well as they should be.

Yep that’s me im terrible with the pistol but i can do some damage with the BR and Light rifle

18

> 2535425355871277;1:
> What happened?
>
> Halo used to be a game that eased in new players with easy to use auto weapons and then as players progressed they would become more proficient with precision weaponry. This lead to the game having a skill curve. As a player you could feel personal growth as you evolved and mastered the more difficult, powerful weaponry.
>
> But now the automatics are the best weapons in the game. Why would I ever invest the time in mastering the pistol or BR when I can just crouch around with a storm rifle or an SMG and dominate every game?
>
> This becomes incredibly boring when the meta of a game revolves around weapons who have incredibly shallow gameplay. A giant reticule auto weapon with massive aim assist and damage is not the kind of weapon you want to center a game around.

Well unfortunately people who make games still care more about money than fans so made the game easier for the “newbies” to attract a bigger crowd to the game, sad isn’t it.

19

> 2535425355871277;1:
> What happened?
>
> Halo used to be a game that eased in new players with easy to use auto weapons and then as players progressed they would become more proficient with precision weaponry. This lead to the game having a skill curve. As a player you could feel personal growth as you evolved and mastered the more difficult, powerful weaponry.
>
> But now the automatics are the best weapons in the game. Why would I ever invest the time in mastering the pistol or BR when I can just crouch around with a storm rifle or an SMG and dominate every game?
>
> This becomes incredibly boring when the meta of a game revolves around weapons who have incredibly shallow gameplay. A giant reticule auto weapon with massive aim assist and damage is not the kind of weapon you want to center a game around.

Your profile shows you havnt even touched a game of halo 5 and played it? so how would you even know? are you just -Yoinking!- be cause you can?

20

Congratulations, you have learned that close range weapons are good at close range, mid range weapons are good at mid range, and long range weapons are good at long range. This is what balance is.

Contrary to what you think, “Battle Rifle always wins all the time” is not what good balance is.

Yawn.