"
Pulse lasers differ from traditional laser weaponry, in that instead of firing one powerful beam, they maintain several laser beams fired off in quick succession. While offering an overall increased rate of fire, the heat output also increases accordingly. Pulse lasers increase damage because they allow vaporized armor to dissipate from the location of damage. This allows subsequent pulses to reach the target area without being diffused by the vapor."
Pulse lasers are described as firing several beams in very quick succession, with there being time between firings to allow the cloud of vaporized armor to dissipate.
Some of the pulse lasers used in
real-life light propulsion experiments fire as many as 20-30 pulses per second.
(Note that the opening footage of the lightcraft in operation is in slow motion...)
A number of the BT/MW books (
CBT Field Manual: Updates,
Imminent Crisis (a novel by BT Product Line Developer
Randall Bills),
Binding Force and
Storms of Fate and
Patriots and Tyrants and
The Killing Fields by
Loren Coleman, and several others) describe pulse laser fire as streams or flurries of "emerald darts".
So, the visual effect of pulse lasers is actually one of the things MW4 got "right"!

By contrast,
their depiction in MWLL (demonstrated at 1:00 to 1:20) - a series of beams fired in an on-and-off strobing effect - is closer to what pulse lasers would look like in reality.
As far as "normal" continuous-beam lasers go, I think the depiction in the MWO gameplay video and their being damage-over-time weapons (as opposed to having all of their damage "front-loaded") are the best way to go.
Your thoughts?