Before Halo Reach's Title Update (TU) I was pretty good for a average player. The game felt pretty well balanced even with Armor Lock and Jet Pack. After TU it was horribly unbalanced for anyone other then MLG and consistent players. Meaning they played all the time and used long range precision weapons a LOT. My KD would drop a LOT in MM and TU Custom games. I stopped playing Reach MM because of it and focused on FireFight and Campaign. Fun but repetitive.

From the get-go, Halo4 was worse then Halo Reach's TU. I tried and tried and tired to make it work. As has many fans. But it dues wasn't fun even without Armor Lock. DRM, Pistol, and BR would take out most players from across maps. Even Large Maps. Even with all players having Sprint, it was a pain to traverse a large map. In great part to being slowed a great deal shot. But that's needed for balance against Sprint and I'm okay with that. But not when you're being shot from across map by a Pistol.

Now on Halo4's Title Update (TU) Wall of text included.

So far I'm...

The tiny boost in speed is not noticeable to me. Properly because I'm use to using Sprint so much in H4 that I've not taken the time to traverse without it to see the change. I'll have to try it. The DMR is still the beast of the game and can still easily kill from across all maps. However, I don't find myself being killed so easily with it. Even from across maps. Maybe the small speed boost has a factor in that. But more often then not, I'm being taken out at close to mid range now. My AR feels good in my hands now and I have a chance at those ranges to get a kill. Even against DMR and BR players! The Magnum seems more powerful now. I don't like that. It already felt like a cannon before and now more so. I avoided the DMR and Pistol before because they were power weapons against other weapons and I don't like unbalanced firefights when there shouldn't be. I fear I may continue to stay away from the Magnum out side of CTF. It's just not fair to other players if I use it.

The LR and Carbine have not been used by me in the H4 TU yet. But I've noticed other players using it against me while I have the BR or AR and they seem balanced/powerful now. I still avoid the DMR on count of it being over-powering. But may start using it if it feels balanced against the other precision weapons.

My definition of a power weapon is simple. If it can greatly damage/kill you from across a large map or kill you in seconds, then it's a power weapon. Granted that may mean that the Plasma pistol and both grenade types fall in that category but I still stand by it. The Saw was very powerful from the start and would shred players pretty easily. But whenever I tried to use it, I'd be taken out by others simply because they had a DRM or Magnum. So I ended up avoid the Saw as much as I could. I rarely picked it from my PODs unless I was on Adrift and would choose the Needler instead. But yesterday I found myself rushing for the Saw as my secondary when others avoided it. I can get kills with it now. And I don't feel like I'm cheating anyone because it doesn't kill from across maps and players can clearly see what I'm carrying. So they know to run from it. The Saw feel like a power weapon in my hands now. Where before it felt like a bullseye for me.

I realize it wasn't updated but the UNSC Sniper Rifle is useful again. Even with the 10% speed boost in player movement. Before I was having a very hard time getting kills with it where in (pre TU) Reach I was pretty good, I sucked with it in H4. Now I find it easier a little easier to get head shots. It may be because players are trying out the re-balancing of the updated weapons, but I'm not being Flinched across map as often as I once was. Flinching replaced De-zooming in Halo4 and I don't have a big problem with that when players can shoot you from across maps. It balances it for the sniper. But before it was consistent Flinching for me. Now no where as much. Death Cam allows allows players to see where you shot them from and thus makes you a target again, but with less players using the DMR, it's become fun to use the Sniper again. I hope this trend stays.

I do believe they should have simply increased the amount of damage vehicles could withstand by 5-10% but so far I'm fine with them. The upgrade to the Chaingun helps protect the Warthog and Mantis more. Just with that the Ghost and Mongoose was upgraded as well. I slammed into a guy standing next to a wall (while sniping) twice with the Ghost and caused no damage at all. Neither of us were lagging and he was trying to avoid me the 2nd time. But I still couldn't splatter him. My third attempt missed and he took me out with a pistol. And yet I was ran over TWICE in different games with the Mongoose. What?! Why is it so hard to destroy a enemy occupied Mongoose? I've not been able to do it once since the game came out. :(

Someone complained above that the precision weapons all felt the same now. They don't There are clear advantages and disadvantages to them all. But there's a balance to them now that was greatly missing before. There are also complaints about player speed and "blue" effects. Not saying you are, but it sounds like you hate that it's more difficult to kill players from across maps now. That's called balance, my friends. You can still get those kills easy enough. But those being shot at now have a chance of getting away. Where before they rarely did.

If all you play are small maps where cover is aplenty then I understand your frustration with the speed. But there are no blur effects. My guess is that you are playing on a Standard Tube Television. Then yes, the lower quality will cause a blur effect. And I feel your pain. I don't own a HDTV at all. But if you have money then you can easily get one. They are VERY cheap nowadays. If you don't have much money then save what you can to get one. Look on Craig's list and Ebay for a used one that works. heck, look for a HD computer monitor at yard sales. I got one for $3 and use it. Just had to order a adapter online for my Xbox to play on it and that was only $10 with shipping. There really is no excuse unless you have no money at all. Believe me, I feel your pain about that as well.

Basically what I'm saying is that I had my doubts about the TU. In large part to Reach's terrible TU. But H4's weapon balancing TU does feel MUCH better then before. Still not perfect but it is getting there. I like it so far. Only once players get use to it will we know for sure how balanced it is.