(I will be updating this thread to include links to screenshots and videos for reference check back for updates)
I never thought I would compare a Halo game to the directionless design of EA’s Anthem, but when it comes to player customization and player expression, Halo: Infinite has taken 3 steps backwards.
Halo: Infinite’s customization feels like a huge regression of what we used to have as a foundation in previous titles. As early of Halo 2 we have been able, at a minimum, to change:
Armor:
Pirmary Color
Seconday Color
Emblem:
Foreground
Background
Now, let’s take a look at Anthem’s Javelin customization…
Similar to Halo you can change your Javelin’s:
Helmet
Torso
Arms
Legs
Emblem (Vinyls)
Things in Anthem that you cannot do in Halo: Infinite:
*Change the “Wear State” (Dirty, Old, or Standard displaying various wear to your armor)
*Paint and Materials
Anthem Allows users to change the color and material for 6 customizable regions, 3 designated Hard indicating outer armor, and 3 designated soft for the under suit at no additional cost to players:
Primary Hard
Secondary Hard
Tertiary Hard
Primary Soft
Secondary Soft
Tertiary Soft
Each of these areas allow you to select a variety of materials which are one of Anthem’s Monetization Cosmetics such as:
Paint Clean
Metallic
Rubber
Hardened Plastic
Fabric: Tactical
Fabric: Nylon
Diamond Plate
(MORE TO COME feel free to discuss the current points)
Nice Blobeye.
I think that Infinite’s coatings is both a hit and a miss. If 343 made and released more, they would be superior. However, since they haven’t the coatings end up being essentially repeats of previous coatings. That would be fine, if there weren’t so few coatings in the first place.
Anthem did an amazing job with customization. There were fewer parts to choose from admittedly, but the amount of time you could spend playing with the textures, colors, and dirtiness made up for it 100 times over. And their store ALWAYS had something new to to change up the customization even more. Such a wasted opportunity for EA with that title.
Am I the only one who’s curious to see what the written opinions of those currently (or who going to be) gushing over Anthem’s customization were when it was alive?
Just a reminder Anthem’s monetary cosmetic system was so bad it was used as a referential phrase to describe other titles:
To be fair it was one of the things they listed they mostly talked about the jetpack trying to get me to buy it after they didn’t convince me to get it they started talking about the customization as they know im a guy who likes customization in games
Glad i didn’t buy anthem as we all know what happened to it
I don’t actually care. The more people that learn about Anthem’s customization the better.
Infinite technically already has “Anthem’s” monetary cosmetic system as the article describes it, though it’s not the same genre:
“Both Anthem and Avengers are good at making armor sets…But I don’t think we’ve ever actually had a game in this genre supported by free content alone and relying only on cosmetic purchases after launch that went on to be a success.”
Us people “gushing” over Anthem’s customization just want control over how we look; without having to hope that a developer has the same taste we do and makes a coating we like. Preferably, without rampant overpricing, but I doubt that’ll happen looking at how they’re increasing prices each week, poking us to see if we’ll react.
343 has the arrogance to decide colour combinations for players which is why people hate Infinite customization first and foremost.
If they had just offered a basic palette of 7 colours and sell additional palettes with VASTLY more colours hues saturations and textures, the customization will be top notch.
It doesn’t. Except, when they have so many (ideally for free) that everyone has a favorite coating that they absolutely adore. The problem is is that 343 is trying to make ones that appeal to one person rather than a group (for example, a standard white coating with nothing special). That’s why I think more could equal better as there will be more people who get their ideal coating. To be honest, there are some vehicle/weapon coatings that should be added to armor.
The issue with attempting to replicate this is that D2 relies on “material” bases to determine which shaders interact with what pieces on which class, Infinite doesn’t really have this in the capacity that D2 does.
It’s why so many shaders can be mixed and matched on one class, but the same shaders wouldn’t work on another. The system would have to massively retooled to incorporate this.
The coating system has its place, but it’s definitely being stifled for some reason.
The more people that learn about Anthem’s customization the better.