Customization is the key!!!

Games Other Halo
#1

Most people on these forums are talking about game mechanics, which don’t get me wrong are very important to the success of Halo 4. But due to the over abundance of these topics I decided to talk about how the customization we were offered in Reach could be put to even greater effect in Halo 4.Overall Halo Reach did not have the longitivity of Halo 3, but the big incentive for a lot of people to continue playing was the idea of improving the looks of their spartans. Below is a list of ideas I think would be awesome for customization in Halo 4.

  • A more “deep” armory experience : Tons of new armor variants, small " touch-ups" for peoples armor such as for example some blinking lights we can attach to armor anywhere we want ( this will help make everyone unique in their own way ) , Better color options ( instead of only being able to pick out 2 colors for our spartans, we should be able to color every section of our armor what ever color we like, and be able to combine colors to create new and exciting colors), etc.

  • A new and improved " emblem" or “tag” system : The Halo emblem system has always been very limited. I know people hate when a Call of Duty is mentioned, but the Call of Duty : Black Ops emblem system is a great example. It was extremely fun to play around with and try to create new emblems. To further the customization we should be able to place our emblems wherever we want on our spartans and make them whatever size. This would lead to some extremely awesome and unique spartans.

  • The ability to customize our “assassinations” and " knife" : There should be many different assassinations for different situations (like having many different assassinations for different guns, etc ), and we should be able to pick which ones we want. Then we should be able to pick knife size, length, shape, color, etc. We should also be able to customize where the knife is on our spartan, and the device connecting it to our body.

  • Customizable weapons ( I know it sounds crazy, but it would work ) : So in every match we start out with a weapon, right? So why not make it so the weapon you start with is unique to you? Make it so we can color the weapon, and add cool patterns to it. We should also be able to add our emblem to it. What would make this work is that when we are killed, the weapon will turn back into what the original model is. Like for example we should be able to make the needles on the needler red, make the weapon skin black with white stripes, and add a skull onto the side " emblem".

  • A more unique character portrait : Since our spartans are so unique, we might as well make the way we display them on the multiplayer screen unique too. It would be awesome to be able to choose their stance, what gun they are holding ( you could choose your customized weapon), and the background. This is a little over the top but maybe we should even be able to add music to our character portrait for when people look at it.

To keep people interested in Halo 4, 343 Industries could make it so that you unlock a lot of the customization features as you level up. Like for example you get new things to use in the advanced emblem system as you level up, and the ability to place them in certain places, and maybe how many emblems you can make. A lot of people would make fun of the Halo Reach armory and say stuff like " I don’t play halo to dress up my spartan like a Barbie", but lets be honest not everyone shares your views, and why should we anger a portion of the fan-base? Hopefully the game mechanics are amazing in Halo 4, and make the hardcore players happy, and hopefully the customization is amazing too so the casuals are entertained.

These are some of my ideas for customization in Halo 4 ( because I think the two biggest thing for Halo 4 multiplayer wise are : Game Mechanics / Customization ). I have many other ideas but I am getting kind of tired of typing. So…

Do you guys have any cool ideas for customization? Why do you think customization is important? And if you think we don’t need customization, why? Thanks! :3

#2

I don’t find customization key to halo 4’s success. I’d rather have all that replaced by new gameplay mechanics and features that would enhance the game in a direct way, instead of something that would drag people away from actually playing the game itself. I mean this isn’t spartan dress-up. No doubt customisation should be a step up, but not too overdone. Customization should be minimally related to competitive progression as well. What I meant by “customization”, is player aesthetics. Gameplay customization is more than welcome.

#3

Hey, thanks for replying and voicing your opinion. I would most certainly agree with you on the fact that new gameplay additions is the most important thing relating to Halo 4. I am just saying that having a strong customizable foundation can really help satisfy everyone in the community.
Harcore : gameplay mechanics , Casual : Still mechanics, but also customization

#4

I just want the MK.V helmet to make a return…to the next 3 games.

But yes, I would love more customization.

#5

> I don’t find customization key to halo 4’s success. I’d rather have all that replaced by new gameplay mechanics and features that would enhance the game in a direct way, instead of something that would drag people away from actually playing the game itself. I mean this isn’t spartan dress-up. No doubt customisation should be a step up, but not too overdone. Customization should be minimally related to competitive progression as well. What I meant by “customization”, is player aesthetics. Gameplay customization is more than welcome.

#6

I find myself at a crossroads here, I’m a pretty competitive person on Halo, but you seem to think customization is just for the casuals. I enjoy it. I enjoy having my EOD helmet, and the new armory in Reach was amazing. Maybe it has to do with my graphic design background, or the fact I’m an artist, but I enjoy dressing up my Spartan. A lot of the things you bring up scream CoD to me though (weapon customization and emblem customization) and another thing it looks like you went through to every thread about customization and just took everyone’s ideas and put them in one place (not necessarily bad).

The weapon customization doesn’t work, but because one big thing about Halo is the ability to pick up weapons. Say you start with the DMR/BR and you have it customized, fine but what happens when you pick up the Sniper and Shotgun? Do these weapons get your custom weapon paint too? Same goes for if you were to start with an AR and decide to pick up a Needler, does the Needler magically get your custom paint job? Emblem customization also doesn’t work because of what was stated in the other thread, too many people abuse it by making genitals. Thank the 12 year olds.

Still one thing nobody mentions, Emile. He has this skull carved into his helmet, while I find it incredibly useless to do that to your visor because it seems like it would ruin your vision, it would be interesting to have the same option, to carve say the bullseye emblem on the forehead area of your helmet, or something like that.

Customization isn’t key to Halo, never has been, and anyone who loves Halo 2 can tell you that, but it is fun, and it helps some people get into their Spartan more. I mean go to the General Discussion forum and look at all the fans with “back stories” for their Spartan, people enjoy putting themselves into their Spartan’s boots. So while I don’t find it as important as other things in Halo, I do ENJOY it, and that’s what it’s really about, enjoying the experience.

#7

My customization wish-list

Armor
-Mark IV, V and VI comebacks, but remake other ones.
-Unlocking armor by achievements not by rank.
-Attachments able for all helmets.
-Bigger selection of visors
Color
-COLOR WHEEL! (make color lighter and darker)
-Color any part of our armor instead of Primary and Secondary.
Emblem
-Don’t like COD but their emblem maker is pretty sick. (halo related, though)
-Put emblem anywhere.
Spartan Portrait
-Change background
-Change weapon
Species
-Spartan
-Elite
-Flood
-Other Friendlies/Enemies

#8

The weapon customization doesn’t work, but because one big thing about Halo is the ability to pick up weapons. Say you start with the DMR/BR and you have it customized, fine but what happens when you pick up the Sniper and Shotgun? Do these weapons get your custom weapon paint too? Same goes for if you were to start with an AR and decide to pick up a Needler, does the Needler magically get your custom paint job? Emblem customization also doesn’t work because of what was stated in the other thread, too many people abuse it by making genitals. Thank the 12 year olds.

It does work because the only weapon that gets your “customized look” is the weapon you start with for the match. Once you die the weapon turns back into an ordinary weapon. Only the weapon you start with at spawn will look customized. Do to the fact that some games have you start with rocket launchers, while others may have you start with needlers, I would say they give us the option to customize one of every weapon in the same so that when we happen to get a match where we start with it we can use it.
Thanks for replying to the thread!

#9

While customization is a great way to add variety to the player character, I would be more focused on 343 laying down the right gameplay mechanics first. Halo 4 needs to have the core gameplay from the first Halo, emphasizing skill-based gameplay, before anything else. Once that’s down, customization is more than welcome.

Weapon customization probably won’t pass though unless the player was the only one to see the customization.

#10

Everything sounds good except for the COD black ops emblem suggestion. I don’t know if you played black ops but that’s one of the things in that game they didn’t play test very well cause non of them went “you know some -Yoink!- 13 year old is ganna make -Yoink!- and -Yoink!- emblems”.who ever though that fully customizable emblems was a good idea is out of a job now.

#11

Nope, a lot of time/money would go into making these pointles things that no one will ever see since it’s red VS blue all the time. Only thing that would make sense would be skins for weapons and vehicles, since they’re visible.
Reach had a lot of customisation, I bet a majority has not even unlocked 10% of the items, but still no one loves it. Why?
Since more ain’t always better. Everyone will end up having the best looking or most exclusive/cool armor. Even if they don’t we wont see it but a lot of time/money that could have been spent elsewhere is lost in the process. This ain’t CoD, you know, let’s focus on what’s important. :wink:
Skins for vehicles and weapons would make sense and be quite easy to make, a few different armours/sets (5-10, 15?) but no more, since they’ll never be used anyhow.

#12

When I read the thread title, I thought it was about the ability to customize maps and game settings. Then I realized the OP is a person. Thank you for your attempt of distracting 343 and the community from important issues with this utter garbage.

#13

Remember Reach’s Firefight? They went for customization as opposed to improving and innovating gameplay mechanics, and look how that turned out. Whereas Halo 2 multiplayer is an example of what happens when the dev concentrates on setting up good base gameplay.

Customization is a nice additional feature. It’s nowhere near Halo’s core.

#14

Seriously, everyone is entitled to their opinion, and anything has to be better than the 400 threads all about the same thing.
This post has been edited by a moderator. Please do not flame or attack other members.

#15

I hated reach customization, bowling ball shoulder pads? Knives? Ew. Spartans are suppose to looks sleek. In reach they looked like Christmas trees, covered in pointless nick nacks.

#16

This post has been edited by a moderator. Please do not flame or attack other members.

#17

This post has been edited by a moderator. Please do not flame or attack other members.

Agreed, this is all true Halo should be Halo and now people are trying to make it COD and its not.

#18

If the guy wants more customization and a new coat of paint for his armor, who are you to tell him no? He’s spending $60 on the game just like you are, so his motives for wanting something in the game are just as valid as yours. If you want your Spartan to look bland and forgettable, then don’t pay attention to the customization system.

Just because he wants it doesn’t mean he forcing it down your throat. You still have the freedom to not be creative, if that’s your prerogative.

At least the OP wants to CREATE something, and put his energy into something that’s POSITIVE.

Jeez.

> Agreed, this is all true Halo should be Halo and now people are trying to make it COD and its not.

CoD has never had Custom Armor. The only thing the OP is drawing inspiration from is the Emblem, something that CoD actually borrowed from Halo, then fleshed out. It isn’t a perfect idea, but at lest it’s an idea that isn’t based around being afraid of Call of Duty.

I may not be a fan of CoD, but people on this board fear it like a Caveman fears fire, for pete’s sake.

This post has been edited by a moderator. Please do not flame or attack other members.

#19

OP, I like your idea, and agree with you. The Armory should be built on.

After all, 343i has had 3+ years to work on the gameplay, and they probably have a separate team to focus on that even now. They may as well take a few months to make it all look badass.

#20

> Most people on these forums are talking about game mechanics, which don’t get me wrong are very important to the success of Halo 4. But due to the over abundance of these topics I decided to talk about how the customization we were offered in Reach could be put to even greater effect in Halo 4.Overall Halo Reach did not have the longitivity of Halo 3, but the big incentive for a lot of people to continue playing was the idea of improving the looks of their spartans. Below is a list of ideas I think would be awesome for customization in Halo 4.
>
> - A more “deep” armory experience : Tons of new armor variants, small " touch-ups" for peoples armor such as for example some blinking lights we can attach to armor anywhere we want ( this will help make everyone unique in their own way ) , Better color options ( instead of only being able to pick out 2 colors for our spartans, we should be able to color every section of our armor what ever color we like, and be able to combine colors to create new and exciting colors), etc.
>
> Why, Lord God, why?! Any updates to customization should be strictly to improving the armor system that Halo 3 had. Everybody could look unique, but they still looked sleek and uniformed.
>
> - A new and improved " emblem" or “tag” system : The Halo emblem system has always been very limited. I know people hate when a Call of Duty is mentioned, but the Call of Duty : Black Ops emblem system is a great example. It was extremely fun to play around with and try to create new emblems. To further the customization we should be able to place our emblems wherever we want on our spartans and make them whatever size. This would lead to some extremely awesome and unique spartans.
>
> Nope, no thanks.
>
> - The ability to customize our “assassinations” and " knife" : There should be many different assassinations for different situations (like having many different assassinations for different guns, etc ), and we should be able to pick which ones we want. Then we should be able to pick knife size, length, shape, color, etc. We should also be able to customize where the knife is on our spartan, and the device connecting it to our body.
>
> I believe in assassinations. Spartans are trained killers. But I do not believe in customizable assassinations.
>
> - Customizable weapons ( I know it sounds crazy, but it would work ) : So in every match we start out with a weapon, right? So why not make it so the weapon you start with is unique to you? Make it so we can color the weapon, and add cool patterns to it. We should also be able to add our emblem to it. What would make this work is that when we are killed, the weapon will turn back into what the original model is. Like for example we should be able to make the needles on the needler red, make the weapon skin black with white stripes, and add a skull onto the side " emblem".
>
> ABSOLUTELY NOT.
>
> - A more unique character portrait : Since our spartans are so unique, we might as well make the way we display them on the multiplayer screen unique too. It would be awesome to be able to choose their stance, what gun they are holding ( you could choose your customized weapon), and the background. This is a little over the top but maybe we should even be able to add music to our character portrait for when people look at it.
>
> Nope, simpler is better. Sorry.
>
> To keep people interested in Halo 4, 343 Industries could make it so that you unlock a lot of the customization features as you level up. Like for example you get new things to use in the advanced emblem system as you level up, and the ability to place them in certain places, and maybe how many emblems you can make. A lot of people would make fun of the Halo Reach armory and say stuff like " I don’t play halo to dress up my spartan like a Barbie", but lets be honest not everyone shares your views, and why should we anger a portion of the fan-base? Hopefully the game mechanics are amazing in Halo 4, and make the hardcore players happy, and hopefully the customization is amazing too so the casuals are entertained.
>
> ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, NO, NO, NO.
>
> These are some of my ideas for customization in Halo 4 ( because I think the two biggest thing for Halo 4 multiplayer wise are : Game Mechanics / Customization ). I have many other ideas but I am getting kind of tired of typing. So…
>
> Do you guys have any cool ideas for customization? Why do you think customization is important? And if you think we don’t need customization, why? Thanks! :3

Emblems littered all over people’s bodies would be an eyesore.

Custom assasinations? No, Assassinations can stay, maybe a kin to Gears of War 3’s system, but NO user-customized assassinations plox.

My biggest want is an extension of the armor customization system from Halo 3. You could look individual and still not look like “christmas trees” that run around in Reach as another user so eloquently pointed out. Thus everybody looked sleek and -Yoink!-, but unique in their own way. Take the permutations in this video for instance - Halo 3 Hybrid Permutations

^That is really all I want from the new customization system.