Really cool. Looks a bit like the Katana from Shadowrun.

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currently playing: Halo 3, Shadowrun, Call of Duty 4 MP beta
currently supporting: Ron Paul - issues

I couldn't remember where I'd seen it before, but now that you mention it, that's what I was thinking of. It's a ways off for me, though. Getting achievements in the Lone Wolves playlist is like pulling teeth.

lol Midnight. I need to get all the gamerscore so I can get the katana.

Lone Wolves is a mess. With only 5 players, AR spawns, and on these big maps, it's not fun for me. I feel like I'm losing to gamers that I shouldn't lose to. I guess that playlist is balanced.

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currently playing: Halo 3, Shadowrun, Call of Duty 4 MP beta
currently supporting: Ron Paul - rЗ/\O¯|ution

It appears that is indeed the new definition of balance: anyone can kill you with anything from anywhere.

I guess that's why Bungie's going to make smaller, symmetrical maps as downloadable content.

rap, could you expand on what you mean when you say that it feels like you're losing to gamers that you shouldn't be losing to? Is that frustration at the way the playlist is set up, or more a feeling that given a different gametype, say MLG, you'd have no problem winning? I'm genuinely curious here.

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There are 10 kinds of people in the world. Those who understand binary and those who don't.

@Doughgeek:

A lot of what's happening in Lone Wolves is AR starts. If the enemies are alive, they've had more opportunity to pick up a BR, Carbine, Human or Covy Snipe, Gravity Hammer, Energy Sword, and technology. Chances are, they will have at least one of those as soon as I come back to life. My first objective after spawning into an AR-start game is to go get a BR or Carbine so that I can fight them. I have to go hunting for a weapon, while they get to use their weapon while go to weapon spawns on the map. I think because of this, I die more often and so does everyone else. I think this causes the K/D ratio to be closer for everyone in the game.

Yes, MLG gametypes would probably start me with a BR. And I feel that I'm about a 50% accurate shot with a BR which means I put more damage on an enemy that most other gamers in the room.

I can't really blame Bungie, though. If Lone Wolves was all BR starts, then a lot of gamers wouldn't even go in there. Only the BR-whores would.

Another thing that prevents me from winning in Lone Wolves is the number of enemies I have in the game with me. Right now, it's a max of 5 enemies.

If there were more enemies, once I found my BR/Cabine/Snipe, I wouldn't have to go hunting for an enemy. I'd be able to patrol my space and look for prey entering my space. I would have a higher K/D ratio if there were more enemies in the map with me. I wouldn't have to walk 30 seconds at a time before I find contact.

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currently playing: Halo 3, Shadowrun, Call of Duty 4 MP beta
currently supporting: Ron Paul - r3/\O¯|ution

I think knocking on the AR is a little unjustified. It's not as horrible as the SMG is/was in Halo 2. I feel on a level like the Lockout remake I can put up a decent fight with nades + AR. However, on larger maps, it's much more difficult, and even a bit unfair.

@rap:

Thanks for expanding on that for me. I do have to agree with Mintz here that the AR is definitely better than the SMG starts were. I find it to be a good weapon at close to mid range, especially combined with grenades and melees. With AR starts I don't feel the need to go grab a BR the instant I spawn because I know that as long as someone isn't far off I've got a decent chance of defending myself. That said, I haven't had much time for matchmaking yet and haven't a wide range of experience with Lone Wolves. Hopefully I'll be able to remedy that soon, and it'll be interesting to see how that affects my views.

Doughgeek and Mintz, I agree the AR is not nearly the POS that the SMG was. However, as DG alluded to in his previous post, I only feel as if I can "defend myself" with it. I don't feel like it's a great offensive weapon, unless I sneak up on someone and can use the melee. I need a more precise and more powerful weapon for offense. When two people meet AR vs AR and they start shooting at the same time, it's really a crap shoot who will win.

Actually, I have found that the AR works well, especially in close quarters combat. It only takes a small burst from your AR to be able to finish someone off with a melee. While this by no means rivals a good old Shotty blast, I have been pretty successful in using it. It is infinitely better than the freaking SMG. You have to almost use an entire clip from an SMG to be able to beat someone down the rest of the way ...okay that was an exaggeration, but still it is a big improvement. I am pleased with its performance.

having said that, there is no question that a BR will screw you over at mid to long ranges. But at close range, unless you are extremely accurate, the AR will pwn the BR.

I think everyone agrees that the AR is better than the SMG. And because of the spray the AR fires, it's only good a close range.

Lone Wolves encourages close range combat which causes the K/D ratios to be closer to 1.

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currently playing: Halo 3, Shadowrun, Call of Duty 4 MP beta
currently supporting: Ron Paul - r3/\O¯|ution

Did you know that the AR fires more accurately if you shoot in bursts? Yeah, just like H1. It's not really a "crap-shoot" who wins. I realized in the beta that I usually wield the AR like a bullet hose, but that is incorrect; if you keep your reticle over the guy, you can kill him in less than a full clip.

And Slayer is right; it only takes a few shots from the AR + a melee to kill somebody. That's pretty deadly.

We know this. And we know the AR is a good weapon at close range.

Q: Is the AR good at midrange?
A: No.

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currently playing: Halo 3, Shadowrun, Call of Duty 4 MP beta
currently supporting: Ron Paul - r3/\O¯|ution

I no scope the AR all the time from close, mid, and longe range. It works very well in all different situations when used correctly and effectively.

You no-scope with the AR? That is 1337.

I've never done that before, I always scope with the AR.

...for some reason I always end up running into a wall. Maybe that is why i get assassinated so much!

Has anyone noticed lately how people are starting to ruin the whole experience though with "acheivement" matchs. Its kind of hard to get my feelings about them because sure their boring, take everyonces cooperation(which is impossible for matches with people without mikes), and it takes out the fun feel and adrenaline rush you get out from blasting people. Then again, you get to get all those acheivements youve been missing or just be a jerk and steal all the kills for yourself which will piss them off and send it back into the normal action. Is wasting time to line e veryone up and talk them into it really worth just a couple acheivements? Wheres the fun knowing you got your avhievements from skill alone?

The only Lone Wolves multiplayer achievements I earned legitimately were triple kill, 5 stickies, 5 beat downs, and kill frenzy. The rest I got through matches where we all wanted to get achievements. I did this for a couple reasons:

1. There are only a handful of games where I have 1000/1000 or 1250/1250 gamerscore. For me it is a mark that I really liked the game. I wanted to have 1000/1000 gamerscore in Halo 3 because of my affection for the Halo series.
2. I don't like Lone Wolves. I don't like the starting weapon, I think there should be more people per match, and I don't like many of the gametypes. Playing in Lone Wolves is a real chore for me since I started gaining rank.

So I have a desire for 1000/1000 points but I don't like the playlist. Collaboration with other Lone Wolves players was an easy choice for me. I would have likely done things legitimately if the achievements were available for any playlist, or even any ranked playlist.

As I mentioned, I worked for kill frenzy, and it was a real SOB since I stupidly saved it for last and was trying to kill 10 level 3x's in a row.

i found it soo easy to get the katana sword for halo 3 as every one wonted to get it and they helped each over lol

hey CAN SOME1 PLZ HELP ME!!!! i really am a pretty good halo 3 player. i am a level 46 brigadier. but i really want that katana sword. there is an achievement, i think it is called spartan graduate. it never unlocked it for me. its called like basic training and you have to like win 10 games or something like that. i have like 650 experience. y is it no UNLOCKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CMON

My highest skill is in Lone Wolfs (only 14), And i find it very hard to go up now because im not that great with lone wolfs, And i am tempted to get my highest skill up in Team Objective because i enjoy working in a team. But is it worth it?

I think the training missions are a separate game type...