- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
Alright, let me take a deep breath and I will voice my very humble opinion on this matter.
I am an AR fan, I have long despised using a BR, but have been forced to use it for the entirety of my Halo playing career. It has become so often used that it has (unfortunately) garnered the third spot on my tool of destruction list. (Second only to AR and melee!) I had a short fling with Halo 2, and most of my time was spent with the bastard children of the game; The nerfed pistol and the needler. While these guns worked well, they were no match for the new uber weapon, the dreaded BR. Alas, my shiny needles and single shot pistol were no match for a closed burst shot in the head from one of these evil contraptions. When Halo 3 was released, I jumped on and learned that the AR had returned from CE and the BR had been toned down, to my glee, (I also learned that the needler had been jacked up, people would once again fear the pink mist!).
Alas, it was too good to be true.
Turns out, Bungie toned down the BR from a 3 shot kill with a tight burst, and made it 4 shot while loosening the burst a millionth of a quarter of a half of an inch. I was also around when the 'Pros' at MLG declared the BR the starting weapon, which is basically the same as starting the players out with a sniper rifle with only a 2X scope. Frustrated with Bungie's decisions, I decided to grab my AR in one of my first few games and go old school on these kids. Unfortunately, it had been decided by the higher ups that BRs should be the starting weapon for damn near every game type, so far as going 50/50 on Team Slayer and Lone Wolves. So, after getting my ass whooped by kids 3 times my junior with a weapon that had been my worst enemy in the second game, there was no doubt I was frustrated. When actual slayer finally came around, I was thrilled to have my beloved AR back, like a lost love reunited. Alas, my fair AR was defeated in battle by 4 shots of a BR in close range, where AR is supposed to win most battles. I make contact on every single shot I make with the AR, my accuracy is superb, not to brag of course. I couldn't believe that this weapon had defeated my precious AR. Upon being destroyed yet again in slayer and being told I suck for not using a BR, I promptly went to theater to try and locate my mistake.
There wasn't one.
I made direct contact on my enemy, pumping round after round into his chest and upper torso for 4 seconds, if not more. I run up to melee my enemy, deliver the final blow, but it was not to be. He had shot me twice in the head with his 'Pro' weapon, missing 3/5 shots, and pushing his elbow into my chest, knocking me to the ground after which I would not rise again. After a year of this frustrating endeavor, being forced to use BRs for game types, I was reminded much of the years of president Andrew Jackson. He made attempts to Americanize the native Americans, however they would have none of it and threw off these shackles off oppression. I was not so fortunate to have this option, the BR was attached to me as though an arm or leg (Which were shortly thereafter blown off by opposing BR users). I eventually had enough, and signed off of Halo for what I hoped would be the last time.
I returned from my hiatus 4 months later, jumping back into the game after playing games like Call of Duty, where there was no definitive best weapon, only the skill and trigger finger of the player would save him. I looked at my Bungie stats at the time, my K/D was at a .78, a minuscule number only good to see on your team's bullpen ERA. I learned soon that Halo was not fair, and to remember the cardinal rule; Bungie hates you. Bungie does not care about your opinion, your complaints or what you think is fair. I am not here to bash Bungie however, but to tell my story if you're still interested.
Four months after my return I had played heavily with all weapons, my COD expertise assisting in developing my prowess with the BR, the weapon I despise so. I became better, and over time, my spread improved. I am still below average with a BR, but my sniping ability is well above the norm. At this day I am at a .99 K/D and only 200 kills from that precious 1.00. While this may seem bad to those so used to BRs, I find it a miracle. The BR can be defeated, but the secret is inside of you. We all have our specialties. I am a long distance gunner, give me a sniper and needler and I'll give you 10 straight. I have enjoyed my Halo time more now, but with no thanks to the BR.
Let me sum this up for you.
I would love to see the BR disappear in Reach, but I fear, though paradoxical, it will not happen. What will 89% of Halo and MLG do without their weapon of choice? I'll tell you what they'll do; Continue playing Halo 3, refusing to buy Reach for fear of being a victim to the AR. Bungie knows this, and their sales will plummet for this new game. That accompanied with the cardinal rule; Bungie hates you, they will go so far as to eat their own fiction and bastardize it to keep their cash flow going. Not bashing Bungie, that's business as usual. I would not suggest removing the BR, unless... Well, there are two options we have here;
1. Remove the BR, Create a new weapon and give it a cliche 'Cut from the book' style entry
This way, you're taking out a weapon that was 'According to all official sources' barely used, if used at all, in the prequel, and introducing a gun to multiplayer that would even the playing field a bit.
2. Nerf away.
A lot of people forget this option, you can just nerf the BR. Not like from Halo 2 to 3 nerf, I'm talking overhaul. Since it was a prototype at the time, it should still be in development to keep with fiction, meaning it wouldn't be as strong as the future ones, it's spread would be wider, thus making it less like a 2X sniper and more like a prototypical mid range weapon. However, this would leave a small problem; The carbine. If it was even used in Reach(?) (Get on it geeks) It would overpower the BR as the primary mid range weapon. My solution is thus; Turn down the fire rate. If the carbine is made more semi automatic than trigger strung, it would result in a slower fire rate and thus would match well with the BR, as it would require you to aim more precisely with both weapons, and in my experience, precision is the name of the game.
Once again, these are all my opinions, if you don't like them, too bad, we have our differences, but I hope we can still be friends.