Since the lauch I´ve wanted to buy a better looking helmet to my VS Infiltrator, which could give my character more unique look, but the team who desings these things just keeps dissapointing me over and over again. I dont see much reason to spent 5€ to a helmets, which are just different versions of one model or some simple masks, that looks like they´re ripped from some comic book. Sci-fi genre on Planetside 2 gives unlimited possibilities to create a way more unique-looking helmets than what can be found in the depot, but still the desing team keeps releasing these slightly different variations of same models or simple masks. I dont know if its just their poor imagination, laziness, unwillingnes, or maybe a decision from higher administration, but I know they are losing potential buyers by doing that. Im not saying that no one likes their creations, but there could be a way much more if a little more effort are put into those desings. I know that using same models over and over again is an effective way to try to create more profit with minimal effort and expense, but that kind of business model will not reach customers like me who value their money a bit more. If I´m going to spent 5€ to digital helmet, then I dont want it to be slightly different from the others, I want it clearly stand out from the mass by simply making it look more unique. With unique I dont mean a simple mask, spike and mohawk addons or anything alike. Im talking about full helmets with new desing that covers to whole head and not only the face or half of the head. Here is a little example for the desing team of what I am talking about and what kind of possibilities sci-fi genre offers:
so? you want people to see that you spent 5 bucks on a helmet when you killed them, or when they sneak up to you to knife you... i do agree the new helmets are just similair to the defaults
I always find it funny that fans that make models as a hobby can make better art assets for Planteside than the SOE devs can. I've seen some fan-made stuff that blows the SOE models away. Not just by a little bit but by a monumental landslide. This goes for guns too. SOE's idea of a arsenal is 3 guns which are mix-n-matched to make 30. I've seen fans whip up very good gun models during their spare time on weekends. Why can't paid devs do this?
It's probably not the design's team fault. SOE probably limits the amount of time and resources they can use to design cosmetics. I would bet you most of their time is spent designing new weapons, the new continent, and in the last FNO they mentioned a rehash of Indar. Realistically vanity items probably don't take priority over designing the game. The gear does look really bad, but I bet it's not for lack of skill, imagination, or dedication.
I'm guessing the production of a weapon, model or anything includes like: Time spent in %: 40% planning, drawing concept art. 10% Finding people to do it. 30% Getting someone high-up to accept the project. 20% Actually making and implementing the damn thing.
Completely agree with the OP, helmet designs that have been released so far have, in my opinion, have been poor. I dont think for one minute that this is due to lack of talent at SOE, Im sure that the designers there have bags of talent so it does leave me quite miffed why we are getting hockey/skeleton masks. If they released helmets like the images in the OP I would pretty much buy all of them compared to the only helmet Ive bought so far was the one present at release. I havent even thought for a second of buying the skull or hockey mask ones. I would also like some new armours for my character as well.
Still waiting for infantry armor and helmets that allow more of the camo to cover you up. XD Maybe a ghillie suit.
