Future Halo - Armor and Weapon Skins

Games Halo 5: Guardians
1

So you beautiful -Yoinks!-, its another week, and I want to talk about the so called “Skins” from Halo 4, I want to discuss it because after collecting all the things people don’t like from the game, this was yet again a very hot topic.

Also, I don’t really care about the Armor Skins, but I want to hear what you guys have to say about Weapon Skins, that’s the interesting thing we have to discuss, I just included the armor because they both have this word “skin” with them so they are relative to each other. But again, let’s talk about the weapon skins.

Ideas from the community

> As for the Armor Skins, I’m happy with them by a large extent, the only thing that can be changed about them is the name “skin” and just have it be called Armor Designs…I don’t like the name “skin” too akin to another game, but here is a quote from B.net when we were discussing the Specializations and how they could also be fixed and stay in the game, so this idea will make the armor skins more valuable and meaningful to the player.
> -------------------------------------------------------
> > The Contract
> Players sign up, and bet on the system to beat a Specialization in a certain amount of time, instead of being unlimited, which normally it is, the full Armor set for the Specialization will be given to player after the time has been surpassed, but get this, players that beat the time challenge (which is hard) players will receive a modified version of the Armor for the reward…the modification to the armor is a secondary Armor Skin design, in conjunction with having small equipment attached to the armor similar to Reach.
>
> If players fail to beat the time, all commendations are reset.
> -------------------------------------------------------
> My idea for this, is first off, get rid of the word “skin” and replace it with “Design” second, and this is the most exciting, but after players have enough experience with a favorite gun and kill the most with it, through either the time spent with it, or through separate commendation challenges, the player is rewarded a “Premium” version of the original, and has a unique, and special design on the gun, the frame of the gun is slightly modified, and also has a piece of hardware connected to it that has its own animation, but with no purpose (just aesthetics)

> Also being able to put your emblem on your weapons

> The weapons you have at disposal at first have default designs (skins) on them, and basically as you play the game more and more with the same gun, you get sets of ‘basic’ designs (skins) with a combination of set ‘basic’ colors that are neutral and don’t POP to go with them, but after a LOT of hours playing with the same gun, the player will eventually unlock ‘advanced’ weapon designs (skins) for that gun, and ‘advanced’ colors to go along with it, and after countless hours, the player will be able to unlock an alternative frame for the same gun. And the best thing, is once once that frame is unlocked, there can be special modular connectors that be secured onto the gun that are just for aesthetics.

2

I rather see a mix of armors and weapons skins. However, with armors, i would like them to be a mix of Halo 4 and Halo Reach (ex. Recon, I want it to appear in Halo 5/XB1 the way it is in H4. The reason is certain armors should have a sleeky look, instead of a compact look). Weapons, there could be returning skins, but i like to see new skins.

3

here are my ideas pulled from a different thread and I will add onto my ideas in relation to skins which I don’t find as a bad thing as it is there to make your spartan unique and customization is a big thing for me.

> Like I said I’m ok with unique armor sets but personally I would much rather have Halo Reaches set up I liked that and didn’t really like having to do commendations to unlock armor call me whatever you like but I don’t view armor as a status symbol I like wearing the armor I like and if I get bored with it then I’ll change it but having to play x amount of oddball or Y amount of KOTH didn’t suit me and that is why I still don’t have that armor. just let me unlock all the armor through progression of the mp and the campaign always hated MP achievements in any game takes the fun out of it for me but they are there I play to relax for a bit not worry about having to kill 16 people then hope to god you don’t get killed for the rest of the round. and visors too I understand the Gold legendary visor being locked until you complete legendary but the others should just be unlocked through progression like the armors. Just my .02$

and

> nah keep it the way it is but also add special armors for completing it on legendary or whatnot. at current we have three special armors that require you do something. those are Mark VI, Raider, and Raider DSTT I think they should maybe add a few more into the mix maybe for completing the campaign on all difficulties Finishing Spartan ops Season 2 (or equivalent) on legendary and more waypoint unlocks.
>
> Speaking of armor let me change the color of my armor lights (if im wearing black armor I don’t want white lights all over but red or blue now that would look cool.
>
> and I think we should return the emblems back to the original format with having them all unlocked at the start and bring back the emblems from H2, H3, H;reach, and H4. Add a few new ones as well.

As for skins I believe they should be like Emblems in the other game let the be put on armors and customizable with all skins unlocked when you unlock said armor now there could be special skins but for completing certain achievements and the SP on a certain difficulty. As I mentioned in the other thread and above I don’t believe in unlocking aesthetic things by forcing me to play a way I don’t like to play So a Hybrid between Reach and Halo 3 (without the luck based stuff) and a tad bit of Halo 4 in the respects to skins on armors I don’t agree with skins on weapons though I don’t know its just not for me.

Although come to think of it they could make skins and stuff that come unlocked through multiple ways that way a commendation or an achievement for example that way if your not into playing x games of KOtH then you can get that Skin by getting the achievement for it.

4

The skins were a great concept that I’d like to see return. However, I think there were significant shortcomings with the way they were implemented in Halo 4, though. So i’d like to see something mostly new.

My thoughts on skins and how to improve them for Halo XB1:

Armor skins:
-One skin per suit of armor; no mixing or matching skins across pieces. Aesthetically it’s discordant and practically it’s overwhelming…

  • Skins should be more like camouflage, not racing stripes or tattoos. Too much of Halo’s armor skins play out like decoration. That’s a cool idea, but it’s over the top. Give us a camouflage and then maybe add some very subtle piping for the decoration.

Weapon skins:
-The more the merrier! And I don’t care if they get a little silly, like wood or super soaker colors. I like a little bit of irreverent humor in my Halo multiplayer, and I hope it returns. This would be a fun and simple way to do it.

  • But the skins should once again apply across whatever weapon you want. Like the armor, 1:1 is the wrong ration. It needs to be 1 skin to all weapons/armors.

Either way, i can’t wait to see what they do. I’ve finally seen the XB1 in action and it is gorgeous. If nothing else, Halo 5 is going to be eye-boggling in the graphics department.

5

> I rather see a mix of armors and weapons skins. However, with armors, i would like them to be a mix of Halo 4 and Halo Reach (ex. <mark>Recon</mark>, I want it to <mark>appear in Halo 5/XB1 the way it is in H4.</mark> The reason is certain armors should have a sleeky look, instead of a compact look). Weapons, there could be returning skins, but i like to see new skins.

Not really.

While I admit that others do like how Recon looks in H4, but I prefer Reach’s over H4 (For some odd reason)

Back to the topic, I believe that the armor & weapon skins/whatever you want to call them, allow further customization to your own personal spartan, giving it, it’s own unique (that is if no one copies looks) look.

6

I really don’t get all of the hate for weapon skins. Either people hate them solely because they were in CoD before they were in Halo, or it’s because people don’t like further customization.

However, I don’t like how limited they are in Halo 4. Instead attaching skins to individual weapons and giving them a static appearance, I think that skins should be appliable to all weapons and the player should be able to change the colors of each skin. Further more, instead of having one skin be applied to the entire weapon, different skins can be applied to different parts of the weapon. (i.e. having the “Salvage” skin on the scope of your BR and the “Arctic” on the stock)

Weapon and Armor skins allow more customization. I don’t give two -Yoink- if they’re from Call of Duty.

7

I don’t hate them per say I just never use them as plain gun metal looks good to me, and I rarely if ever use gun Camos in other games like battlefield but soldier/spartan customization is a big thing for me and I firmly believe the more customization the better even if I don’t utilize some aspects of it.

8

> > I rather see a mix of armors and weapons skins. However, with armors, i would like them to be a mix of Halo 4 and Halo Reach (ex. <mark>Recon</mark>, I want it to <mark>appear in Halo 5/XB1 the way it is in H4.</mark> The reason is certain armors should have a sleeky look, instead of a compact look). Weapons, there could be returning skins, but i like to see new skins.
>
> Not really.
>
> <mark>While I admit that others do like how Recon looks in H4, but I prefer Reach’s over H4</mark> (For some odd reason)
>
>
> Back to the topic, I believe that the armor & weapon skins/whatever you want to call them, allow further customization to your own personal spartan, giving it, it’s own unique (that is if no one copies looks) look.

Im guessing you want Recon UA/HUL helmet attachment? If so, we could use that with the H4 Recon armor. It does somewhat need a touch up, other than the skin. Like I mentioned before, that, along with a few others, should have a sleeky look to it, b/c of its classification.

9

> Im guessing you want Recon UA/HUL helmet attachment? [/color]

Excuse my jumping in on the side convo, but it reminded me just how neat the up armor stuff was. Compared to skins, I think UA were a better “extra.” The up-armor added another layer of realism to the character… a little more GI Joe, a little less Power Ranger, you know? That’s a good thing, for me, anyway.

Though I see no reason why both cannot live side by side. Bring 'em both back for Halo 5!

10

> <mark>As for skins I believe they should be like Emblems</mark> in the other game let the be put on armors and customizable with all skins unlocked when you unlock said armor now there could be special skins but for completing certain achievements and the SP on a certain difficulty. As I mentioned in the other thread and above I don’t believe in unlocking aesthetic things by forcing me to play a way I don’t like to play <mark>So a Hybrid between Reach and Halo 3 (without the luck based stuff) and a tad bit of Halo 4</mark> in the respects to skins on armors I don’t agree with skins on weapons though I don’t know its just not for me.
>
> Although come to think of it they could make skins and stuff that come unlocked through multiple ways that way a commendation or an achievement for example that way if your not into playing x games of KOtH then you can get that Skin by getting the achievement for it.

Thank god you mentioned that, I would actually really like the have my emblem on my weapons, that’s something from CoD that I would like in Halo as well, I would be more than happy to have something like that.

And what do you mean about this ‘hybrid’ thing when you say to combine H3, Reach and H4?

> I really don’t get all of the hate for weapon skins. Either people hate them solely because they were in CoD before they were in Halo, or it’s because people don’t like further customization.
>
> However, I don’t like how limited they are in Halo 4. Instead attaching skins to individual weapons and giving them a static appearance, I think that skins should be appliable to all weapons and the player should be able to change the colors of each skin. Further more, instead of having one skin be applied to the entire weapon, different skins can be applied to different parts of the weapon. (i.e. having the “Salvage” skin on the scope of your BR and the “Arctic” on the stock)
>
> Weapon and Armor skins allow more customization. I don’t give two Yoink! if they’re from Call of Duty.

Actually, you gave me an idea, I think it would be a neat if you were to get the game, unwrap it and put it in the Xbox, the weapons you have at disposal have default designs (skins) on them, and basically as you play the game more and more with the same gun, you get sets of ‘basic’ designs (skins) with a combination of set ‘basic’ colors that are neutral and don’t POP to go with them, but after a LOT of hours playing with the same gun, the player will eventually unlock ‘advanced’ weapon designs (skins) for that gun, and ‘advanced’ colors to go along with it, and after countless hours, the player will be able to unlock an alternative frame for the same gun. And the best thing, is once once that frame is unlocked, there can be special modular connectors that be secured onto the gun that are just for aesthetics.

11

So basically what I mean is to use bits and pieces of each of the past three Halo’s unlock systems. In H3 and H;Reach all emblems were unlocked I believe Halo X1 should do the same no emblems locked behind commendations, pre-orders, or live incentives. Armor should be more like H;4 where its not unlocked by commendation or achievements but by progression and you can purchase armor choices you want. Now you can have special armors that are unlocked through waypoint, achievements, and completing SP on normal, heroic, and legendary. As for skins I think it should also use a system that is a mix between H3’s achievement based unlocks and the emblem system so the majority of skins are unlocked when you unlock the armor but some skins are unlocked through multiple ways either by the completion of commendations or by unlocking achievements.

12

I think skins should apply to all weapons, and each individual armor set contains one skin.

However for each and every skin, it would require you to complete some sort of challenge or achievement to unlock for bragging rights.

-Person 1:“Hey man! How’d you do that to your Mark V?”

-Me: “I assassinated a guy from a lethal fall.”

13

> I think skins should apply to all weapons, and each individual armor set contains one skin.
>
> However for each and every skin, it would require you to complete some sort of challenge or achievement to unlock for bragging rights.
>
> -Person 1:“Hey man! How’d you do that to your Mark V?”
>
> -Me: “I assassinated a guy from a lethal fall.”

Yeah, see the aesthetics for what whatever you get in Halo has to be more meaningful than just play and “progress” and get them…I think I’m going to change my thoughts for the weapon skin (guns in general) and have all that junk be unlocked through separate commendations, so its not just how much time you’ve spent with it.

14

So you guys, I still need ideas, so I need people that really don’t like Skins, especially weapon skins to talk about designing them better.

On B.net, most people didn’t like them, and its weird to see that its cool on this site, dunno