So I finally got into the Beta today, along with everyone else and their grand mother, and I have to say I was quite enthusiastic about what this prospective title might bing to the Halo franchise. I've always like the rhytm of Halo's combat, its a very loud and quick flow somewhat akin to games like UT or even Quake but brought up to today's standards with better networking and social features. 
 
Also the gameplay is good. 
 
I've never really been able to stick with Halo though, there just wasn't enough varity to the base frame of it for me to get really excited about extended play sessions. However with Reach it seemed like Bungie had finally stepped up to the bandwagon and was about to jump on into the Class-Based party with the rest of the cool kids while still retaining their unique vision. 
 
Now, don't get me wrong. I like what Reach is doing, and overall the gameplay feels a lot more balanced and exciting, but god damn are those Armor Abilities disappointing. The two interesting ones, Armor Lock and Active Camo, turn out to be pretty much useless against anyone who knows what they're doing while Sprint is pretty much just a more useless version of the Elite's Evade. 
 
So what does that leave? That's right, Jet Packs. They took out the max jump height from Halo 3 so they could implement it in a clunkier fashion in the guise of individuality. Height advantage is everything thing in a game like Halo, and if I have the option of being able to get to places other players cannot reach you bet your fucking ass I'm going to take it. This wouldn't be so much of a problem if the other abilities weren't as friggin' useless as they are, but all I'm seeing in games is a group of Spartans all with Jetpacks and it's getting boring as hell.
 
Yes, it is a Beta. Yes, some of these things will probably get  changed. But still, God damn. 
 
First off, explain to me the point of having an Active Camo if it alerts the enemy to my presence. You're better off moving slowly, staying off the radar, and using Sprint or Evade to move in for the kill. Radar Jamming was stupid in Halo 3 and it's still stupid now. Sure it's a bit bewilding at first (All those flashing light and the like.), but I'm not going to mistake the red dot running right fucking at me for a decoy.  And then there is Armor Lock which seems completely useless outside of defending points, and even then you are going to die anyway. Everyone knows to back off when they see a lock at this point, and if you are actually defending a crucial point then chances are you are facing more than one attacker, and even if you get one down the other is still right behind you. Maybe you are serving as inefficent cover for your buddy, but if that isn't the case then chances are you are dead as soon as the effect has run its course. Sprint is pretty much as generic as it gets, and since you can't actually carry an objective while using it it ends up being little more than a cut of several seconds off from point A to B. 
 
Utlimately, I'm sure Halo: Reach is going to be a far different game from the Beta. There is really no point in even making this thread because no one from Bungie is going to read it, and in the end I don't really give a rats ass. 
 
The point is that Armor Lock doesn't matter when you are on top of a building. 
 
Active Camo doesn't matter when you are on top of a building. 
 
And Sprint, I have to say, doesn't matter when you are on top of a building. 
 
Really, a lot doesn't matter when you are on top of a building. In a shooter, when you have access to areas of height advantage that other players do not (and you can use it properly) you are pretty much going go win everytime. Now obvilously situations in which leaving the top of a building are certainly called for in Halo: Reach, but when I pretty much have the top of a building on the go it really doesn't matter. Really, the level is your top of a building because the ability to rise high into the air and drop down upon unsuspecting players is ominpresent. 
 
When mobile the top of a building is better for getting assasination kills than Active Camo something is wrong. 
 
That being said, I am hence forth refusing to use mobile the top of a building because if I wanted to jump high I'd play Halo 3. 
 
Ok. 
 
I'm Done. 
 
EDIT: 
Now, I'm certainly no game designer, but I've been tossing some ideas around all day about possible fixes for the Armor Abilites, and this is what I've come up with. 
 
Active Camo 
-Remove the fucking radar jam. Instead, completely turn off the user's radar. The user's sound is still muted.
-Take the user off the enemy radar completely. There is really no point in moving slowly to stay invisible when you are already silent without the Camo except in a few rare occasions. This creates a choice for the player, move quickly and give away your position thorugh visual cue or move slowly and remain completely invisible. Choice is good in games as it leads to more tactical thought going into decisions. Currently, the only choice one has when using Active Camo is too die.
-Maybe lower the max time of invisibilty to make up for radar silence, though in my opnion I think the current max would work just fine. 
 
Armor Lock 
- This one was really hard to do, but I think I might have a work around. Lessen the radius and shield damage of an EMP and in exchange give the user invicility for several seconds when coming out of a full Armor Lock manuever. This gives them a little wiggle room to actually work with instead of offering themselves up on a platter whenever it is activated. 
- Allow the enemy to do regenerable damage to the Armor Lock. Basically, shooting the Armor "Lockie" has the potential to kill them if enough is done, though if it does not kill them the damage means nothing. Obviously this would have a really high threshold. Several big hits would be required, but i think it is a good trade off for the invicibility effect. I think there is a nice play off there, though of course there is no way to test this in a game so I could be completely fucking wrong. 
 
Sprint 
- Let them run with the fucking objective. Come on guys. Maybe lower the speed when running with an objective, or the time it takes for the ability to recharge. But seriously, come on. 
 
Mobile the Top of a Building 
- Lower the maximum height. 
- Lower the maximum height. 
- Lower the maximum height. 
- Give less coverage on top of buildings. Height should be a trade off for protection, not an out and out advantage.