Though i see your point, and im incline to agree with you there is still an obstacle, how shall we earn it. Though money wise it may be a good idea, Im sure players wouldnt like if they could only turn off their helmets if they buy it in the cash shop. Minor features like this are only charged in the worst f2p games where even breathing costs you money. We already know that we will have plenty of possibility to customize our looks. If we will have the option to remove the helmet, then we will have something under it. I mean probably we will create our character, not just a doll in the colors of the chosen chapter/clan/craftworld, and most likely we will have a face to make. There are people who always wearing helmets in any given game, and there are people who turning it off the first given chance. This is a thing where lore collides with gameplay. For the sake of the gameplay, I think this option should be optional, without any cash shop involvement. Even if you wish to see only high ranking characters without their helmets, then make a level restriction (or whatever will it be called in case we wont have a regular leveling system here like in a simple mmo) where this option will only become available when you hit a certain level or rank, or spent enough time playing, etc.. in your faction as an unlockable feature. Moving on this line, with advancement you could unlock more fancy adornements for your armor looks. So basically you start out like a blank paper, with only a few minor adornements, your chapter and company badge, and who know what else. The more powerful you are, the more options becoming available for you. What do you think about this?
It is important information but what you're suggesting isn't intuitive, it straight up broadcasts a person's loadout to everyone with eyes. The Lascannon is shoulder-mounted and a heavy bolter is underslung. People should be able to differentiate based on that alone. Knowing what weapons an opponent is using should come with a keen eye and game experience. The stealth option can be added in regardless of whether or not the lights are included in game.
One chapter throws a wrench into the helmet issue: Space Wolves. A lot of Wolves (from newly recruited to Chapter Master) choose not to wear their helmets, preferring to trust on their more advanced senses thanks to their gene seed mutation. Plus, Space Wolves (in both fluff and actual table top) are known as highly individualistic soldiers within their army. Not generically "rank and file." I would be severely disappointed if I was forced into wearing a helmet as a Wolf and not be able to show off my feral bearded face.
Your right about the posture but buying any weapon with any kind of stat increase is a really slippery slope.
Wow! You've given some really great thoughts all around. Being able to readily identify SM with CSM was not represented well in Space Marine. Setting different postures for the two factions is a thought I hope the Devs see and can take to heart. As for differentiating between the ammo being used by a soldier, I'd prefer that the ammo type is not flagged until a kind of shaped or colored tracer is fired from the weapon. Let that light armored vehicle feel secure until the Kraken Bolts start flying
Really good post by the OP, regardless or what I agree/disagree with. I agree with the natural stance differentiation. Its a good way to separate otherwise indistinguishable character models. As far as the weapon color coding, I don't like this idea. Plasma weapons glowing blue and purple makes sense, but for the other weapons, they should be distinguishable by the way they are carried, as mentioned by another poster. Heavy Bolters are like miniguns, being carried at waist level. Plasma Cannons are very large, and glow blue/purple. Missile Launchers and Lascannons are shoulder mounted. But the huge red laser gives the Lascannon away, as well as a possible charging effect that makes the tip of the barrel glow red when getting ready to fire. Think Halos Spartan Laser here. That should be enough. After all, not knowing is half the fun right? We don't need to know everything about the enemy force way before we ever get to them, it makes for hesitant confrontations. I think wearing a helmet or not should be dependent on rank within your faction. Being a higher ranked person allows you to choose to wear it or not. That being said, I think there could be some special faces that you can buy to 'wear'. Maybe different color eyes on a helmet, and scars, eyepatch, onyx skin, etc. (for Orks, I imagine camo stripes painted on the skin of Kommandos) I would like to say again that you bring up very good points, and I wish you good luck in your goals to become a video game designer.
