So they have changed it. I wonder if it's like spartan laser or can you charge it let's say on 25% to 100% and release it.
The focus rifle because they basically took out the beam rifle for being no different from the Sniper Rifle and sentinel beam and combined them.
Exactly. I don't know how many of you noticed this, and it could be coincidence, but I think Bungie intentionally was trying to get away from "cloned" weapons. What's the point in having two, three or even four weapons that do exactly the same thing? Why have two different kinds of sniper rifles that do the same thing, but are just used slightly different (as in four rounds with no cooldown vs. the cooldown of shooting too quickly with the beam rifle). They even do exactly the same damage. Thats another reason why they got rid of the dual-wield weapons. Dual-SMG's and Dual-Spiker's, they were both relatively close to the same damage per second as the AR, slightly stronger but you couldnt nade without dropping one first. Why have maulers when their effective range is just as small as the shotgun, and they are less powerful. The only weapon that I can think of that they really got rid of that was distincly different from all the others is the Brute Shot, but now we have the Grenade Launcher. They seem to have gotten rid of all brute weapons altogether with the exception of the hammer. The only two weapons that are somewhat of a clone of each other are the DMR and Needle Rifle. DMR's a little stronger, Needle Rifle's a little more accurate. IMO, I don't look at the Focus Rifle as a replacement to the Beam Rifle, because we didnt lose anything, we still have snipes. I just look at the Focus Rifle as a new addition to the Halo arsenal.
They have about the same amount of clone weapons as before, and spikers are in the game still but just in campaign, and the bruteshot clone is the concussion rifle. AR = Plasma Repeater DMR = NR Rockets = Plasma Launcher Grenade launcher = Concussion Rifle
Bungie's goal was to make each weapon serve a different purpose from the start. Weapons don't have "clones" anymore. It doesn't entirely matter how the weapon plays, so long as it's different from the rest. Don't fret, it's Bungie. Balance is the name of the game. The Focus Rifle is a range in-prejudice beam weapon that everyone/primarily it's wielder enjoys. It sets itself apart from it's evil(?) twin the Sniper Rifle because it's decent at closer range, but cannot score instant kills... so maybe the Battle Rifle managed to grotesquely mutate and slither into Reach after all. there's just less of them now... No wait, The BR and the Sentinel beam (currently retired) got married and raised a successful child who scored a pretty sweet job at the age of 0(-3). Totally.
I'm referring directly to competitive matchmaking, not campaign or firefight. I stated that the DMR and NR are very similar. The AR and Plasma Repeater are different in one does more damage to shields than the other and the other does more damage to health than the other. There is a very large distinction between the Rockets and the Plasma Launcher. Saying the Rockets and Plasma Launcher are clones of each other is like saying the Needler and the Spartan Laser are clones of each other. I haven't seen any vids or experienced anything about the Concussion Rifle to give an opinion about it.
Bungie even said that the Plasma Repeater and the Assault Rifle are SUPPOSED to be equals to give both races an equal starting gun. Both the Rocket and the Plasma Laucher both lock on to vehicles and both kill infantry with ease, the only difference is that the PL isnt as fast, and gives it more of a weight towards vehicles than infantry.
Being equals is not the same as being identical. If their reason to make them identical was just so the elites starting weapon would be on par with spartans, then the only place you would find them would be in the starting equipment of the elites. What would be the point in giving them a spawn point in the middle of the maps for you to pick up unless there was a property about the weapon that made it distinct? It is more than just giving the Elites a Covenant themed weapon identical to Spartans. I may be wrong, but I didnt notice this in beta, but I don't remember having lock on rockets since Halo 2. The Rockets are instant shot, straight trajectory, do not lock on to infantry targets and immediate damage upon impact. Plasma Launcher requires you to charge, time depending on how many you want to shoot, homing if you lock on a target (and 99% of the time, that is the plan), and a full second after the grenade makes contact before it explodes. Not sure about you, but the differences in those two weapons, combined with the various armor abilities will cause me to react in completely different ways when faces opponents who have that weapon. And when I am the one with the Rocks or PL, my strategy for using them will differ greatly from each other, and because of that fact, to me, they are nowhere close to being clones. The only similarities are that I hold them both on the shoulder, and they both have a possibility of one hit kills.
Being equal is an opinion, I see it as a purpose, and I can't say for sure what you see it as, because you say that the spikers, SMGs, and assault rifle are clones, but function also depends largely on the level you are on, and on Boneyard, they serve similar purposes. Anti-vehicle, with some anti infantry. And lock on was most definitely in the Beta YouTube - Halo Reach Multiplayer Beta Rundown - Halo Waypoint
i prefer the beam rifle.. i dont like how the covenant have no instant kil weapon in MM but the spartans have rockets and sniper that can kill long range in just one hit. The focus rifle is merely a support weapon and against a good player wouldnt do very good in a head to head encounter. At least with the sniper if i get approached while sniping i can just no scope them XD
The Plasma Launcher is a one hit kill weapon, the Hammer is a one hit kill weapon, the sword is a one hit kill weapon. That's three covenant one hit kill weapons. Four if you count Plasma Grenades being one hit kill since they can and frags cannot. Spartans have the snipes, rockets and laser. That's three. Four if you count point blank shotty.