Armor Unlocks Done Right

Games Halo Infinite
1

Armor Unlocks have been an ever-changing experience across Halo games.

Halo 3 tied all armor unlocks to Achievements, so you could earn armor through a combination of Campaign and Multiplayer gameplay.

Halo 3: ODST tied armor unlocks to campaign progress, you would get Firefight characters by beating the mission they starred in in the campaign.

Halo Reach had the ever-popular experience/credit system.

Halo 4 tied armor unlocks mainly to commendations, with a few unlocking from post level-cap experience.

Halo 5 had… Req packs… And I just vomitted in my mouth a little.

And Halo MCC recently introduced it’s Battle Pass style unlock system and is shifting it over to a daily/weekly challenge system for the H2A update.

Instead of deciding which of these would be best for Halo Infinite, I say let’s change everything again!.. Sort of.

So what I have in mind is a system that takes Reach’s credit system, and adds a flare of commendation like challenges to the mix for alternate armor skins. As well as cleaning up the UI. So for starters, credits will be used to purchase armor once you have unlocked that armor from the shop. There will be several armors that are unlocked from the start, making credits the only requirement to get them. But special sets such as those worn by characters in the game or iconic throwback armor sets, that will require a challenge be completed before you unlock them. Something like beating the Campaign on Legendary to unlock Master Chief’s armor, then all you have to do is buy it with your credits. Each piece of armor can be purchased individually for a price that varies based on the set, OR as a full set for an amount that is a fair price cheaper than each individual piece would be combined. Other challenges might include things like reaching a certain CSR rank, obtaining your first Perfection medal, or something related to that character like getting 30 energy sword kills while cloaked by active camouflage for Helioskrill.

Once you have a piece of armor, the fun begins. Each piece has skins and attachments that you can purchase, but these must all be unlocked via challenges. It would be really nice if 343 went the extra distance, and made those challenges suit the armor. For instance skins for the Scout armor should require challenges involving Snipers, while skins for the CQB armor would be based around Shotgun challenges. Once you have completed the challenge for a skin or attachment, you can then purchase it for credits.

And finally, because monetization… It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if you could fast-track any unlocks you want to get for a fair price. But IF that’s the case, don’t make the credit requirement to purchase gear ridiculous like Battlefront 2 did on-release. Don’t make the purchase options loot box or limited time offers, allow players to directly purchase exactly what they want to buy at any time. And don’t include challenges you know large amounts of people will never accomplish, like completing LASO. IF this system is monetized, it must be realistic and fair for players who don’t want to spend money to get the armor they want to wear.

Now for the UI. It’s pretty simple. Do a Reach style UI where you select the base armor piece, then another menu opens where you can select attachments and skins. Simple, easy. Clear that clutter. Halo 4 and 5 having the skins clutter the armor selection screen is awful. NEVER do that again.

Anyway, I just think it would be really cool if we combined Reach’s credit system with a gameplay-based unlock system to make unlocking armor both fun, and a bit of a grind at the same time. I think basing challenges around weapons or playstyles would let players visually communicate what kind of player they are by showcasing just how much they love that Sniper Rifle, Energy Sword, Scorpion, Campaign or whatever. Imagine having the final skin for Gungnir because you are a boss with the Spartan Laser, a Stalker skin proving you are deadlier with a Mauler than any chump with a Shotgun, or an EOD skin proving you’re a little !@#$% and grab Rockets every single time they spawn. I think it would give a little bit of meaning to the armor we choose to wear.

Oh yeah, and bring back Elites, with the same unlock system based around Covenant weapons and vehicles and I’ll love you forever 343. Peace out!

2

I just want my Gungnir armor again and my Security Armor in Reach again but it’s gonna take forever to grind.

3

I like your suggestion and think it seems alright. Basically you have to unlock an armor before you can buy it with credits earned from playing games. Not bad.

As far as your comments about monetization go, I’ve never really liked the whole monetization of video games thing. I get it, it helps the companies and it helps the employees (maybe), but then some companies just get out of hand and out of control with it, like Activision, EA, (insert other companies here). I think I would prefer if video games were more limited on the monetization aspect, but that’s highly unlikely as we move into the future. We will probably be seeing more of the opposite. It is what it is I guess. Even the video game industry is slave to the almighty dollar.

4

> 2533274815821646;3:
> I like your suggestion and think it seems alright. Basically you have to unlock an armor before you can buy it with credits earned from playing games. Not bad.
>
> As far as your comments about monetization go, I’ve never really liked the whole monetization of video games thing. I get it, it helps the companies and it helps the employees (maybe), but then some companies just get out of hand and out of control with it, like Activision, EA, (insert other companies here). I think I would prefer if video games were more limited on the monetization aspect, but that’s highly unlikely as we move into the future. We will probably be seeing more of the opposite. It is what it is I guess. Even the video game industry is slave to the almighty dollar.

I only really included a section about monetization because realistically, it’s something that needed to be discussed. I would also prefer not to have any form of post-purchase monetization outside of DLC expansions. And even then, I honestly believe that multiplayer content including maps and game modes needs to be free. If they want to sell us DLC make Campaign add ons that tell more stories in the Halo universe like the original plans for ODST before they decided to release it as a full game. It can even come bundled with additional cosmetic content for multiplayer to sweeten the pot.

Other content I wouldn’t mind being sold as DLC exclusives would include things like the armor effects, firefight voices, and announcer voices. Though we can extend firefight voices to multiplayer voices and dub over the callout system with them. Honestly callouts would have been better with the ability to change your voice, the default ones in Halo 5 were so annoying that it was the reason I shut them off, I didn’t hate the concept in the first place.

5

> 2533274810177460;1:
> Armor Unlocks have been an ever-changing experience across Halo games.
>
> Halo 3 tied all armor unlocks to Achievements, so you could earn armor through a combination of Campaign and Multiplayer gameplay.
>
> Halo 3: ODST tied armor unlocks to campaign progress, you would get Firefight characters by beating the mission they starred in in the campaign.
>
> Halo Reach had the ever-popular experience/credit system.
>
> Halo 4 tied armor unlocks mainly to commendations, with a few unlocking from post level-cap experience.
>
> Halo 5 had… Req packs… And I just vomitted in my mouth a little.
>
> And Halo MCC recently introduced it’s Battle Pass style unlock system and is shifting it over to a daily/weekly challenge system for the H2A update.
>
> Instead of deciding which of these would be best for Halo Infinite, I say let’s change everything again!.. Sort of.
>
> So what I have in mind is a system that takes Reach’s credit system, and adds a flare of commendation like challenges to the mix for alternate armor skins. As well as cleaning up the UI. So for starters, credits will be used to purchase armor once you have unlocked that armor from the shop. There will be several armors that are unlocked from the start, making credits the only requirement to get them. But special sets such as those worn by characters in the game or iconic throwback armor sets, that will require a challenge be completed before you unlock them. Something like beating the Campaign on Legendary to unlock Master Chief’s armor, then all you have to do is buy it with your credits. Each piece of armor can be purchased individually for a price that varies based on the set, OR as a full set for an amount that is a fair price cheaper than each individual piece would be combined. Other challenges might include things like reaching a certain CSR rank, obtaining your first Perfection medal, or something related to that character like getting 30 energy sword kills while cloaked by active camouflage for Helioskrill.
>
> Once you have a piece of armor, the fun begins. Each piece has skins and attachments that you can purchase, but these must all be unlocked via challenges. It would be really nice if 343 went the extra distance, and made those challenges suit the armor. For instance skins for the Scout armor should require challenges involving Snipers, while skins for the CQB armor would be based around Shotgun challenges. Once you have completed the challenge for a skin or attachment, you can then purchase it for credits.
>
> And finally, because monetization… It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if you could fast-track any unlocks you want to get for a fair price. But IF that’s the case, don’t make the credit requirement to purchase gear ridiculous like Battlefront 2 did on-release. Don’t make the purchase options loot box or limited time offers, allow players to directly purchase exactly what they want to buy at any time. And don’t include challenges you know large amounts of people will never accomplish, like completing LASO. IF this system is monetized, it must be realistic and fair for players who don’t want to spend money to get the armor they want to wear.
>
> Now for the UI. It’s pretty simple. Do a Reach style UI where you select the base armor piece, then another menu opens where you can select attachments and skins. Simple, easy. Clear that clutter. Halo 4 and 5 having the skins clutter the armor selection screen is awful. NEVER do that again.
>
> Anyway, I just think it would be really cool if we combined Reach’s credit system with a gameplay-based unlock system to make unlocking armor both fun, and a bit of a grind at the same time. I think basing challenges around weapons or playstyles would let players visually communicate what kind of player they are by showcasing just how much they love that Sniper Rifle, Energy Sword, Scorpion, Campaign or whatever. Imagine having the final skin for Gungnir because you are a boss with the Spartan Laser, a Stalker skin proving you are deadlier with a Mauler than any chump with a Shotgun, or an EOD skin proving you’re a little !@#$% and grab Rockets every single time they spawn. I think it would give a little bit of meaning to the armor we choose to wear.
>
> Oh yeah, and bring back Elites, with the same unlock system based around Covenant weapons and vehicles and I’ll love you forever 343. Peace out!

Each and every one of your points was spot on. Reach-style credit system. No loot boxes or (shudders) REQ Packs. And please, PLEASE bring back the Elites.

6

I liked how Halo Reach did it by tying armor to both game progression with credits earned and achievements for some of them. Wouldn’t mind if they did something like that again. The req system in Halo 5 wasn’t a bad concept but I didn’t quite find it fitting for a Halo game (especially with the many skins that just took up most of it). Since they say you’ll love Infinite’s customizations if you liked Halo Reach’s, I wouldn’t mind something along the same lines. And maybe some exclusive armors that can only be found via limited editions or retailers would be cool too.

7

I personally always liked the Halo 3 style more, I like how there was this armor out in the world that if you saw someone wearing, they got instant respect because you knew they went through the mud for it. I liked Reach’s style with the credits and such but I hope it’s a mixture of the 2. Reach system for the basic sets but then a few of the armor sets tied to achievements or commendations.

8

> 2533274866094056;7:
> I personally always liked the Halo 3 style more, I like how there was this armor out in the world that if you saw someone wearing, they got instant respect because you knew they went through the mud for it. I liked Reach’s style with the credits and such but I hope it’s a mixture of the 2. Reach system for the basic sets but then a few of the armor sets tied to achievements or commendations.

Yeah, the idea for having challenges as a requirement before purchasing armor and skins was inspired by Halo 3 and 4’s achievement and commendations styles. But instead of tying it to a random achievement or making a ton of even more specialized commendations when there are already too many in Halo 5, I think letting each armor piece tell a story by having the player complete tasks that fit the prestige or canon “purpose” of that armor would serve it best.

9

> 2533274870308953;6:
> I liked how Halo Reach did it by tying armor to both game progression with credits earned and achievements for some of them. Wouldn’t mind if they did something like that again. The req system in Halo 5 wasn’t a bad concept but I didn’t quite find it fitting for a Halo game (especially with the many skins that just took up most of it). Since they say you’ll love Infinite’s customizations if you liked Halo Reach’s, I wouldn’t mind something along the same lines. And maybe some exclusive armors that can only be found via limited editions or retailers would be cool too.

One reason I wanted to base armor unlocks more on a challenge system than a progression one, was to give players a sense of choice. When people praise Reach for giving us the choice of what we want to buy and when, I always think to myself that we still unlocked that armor in a set order, and had no choice what order that was. If you can boot up the game on day one, say “I want Recon”, and go see that to unlock the set for purchase the first thing you need to do (aside from earn credits) is to beat the final mission of the campaign on 4 player Legendary, with Iron on and everyone in Forklifts you can make it your immediate goal to do that. Instead of waiting for “Rank 36” as you unlock countless other armor pieces you don’t want along the way.