Musings on basic character development issues

(Whydmer) #1

I am trying to make sure that I have an accurate understanding of the character customization process in Brink, so I am going to lay out what I know and what I think and ask a few questions along the way and maybe make some editorial comments as well.

Edit: Thank you Exedore and everyone else who have cleared up some of my misconceptions as well as reminded me of things I have forgotten. I will edit those things into this post.

May 17th, approximately 0030 I fire up Brink for the first time and I get to make my first character. I choose a “racial archetype and voice, and these [sic] are permanent” (Exedore post #15), the archetype is my starting point and from the available clothing options I can customize the look of that archetype in many many ways. The level one clothing options will be comparatively limited, but everytime I level up I will have new customization options. (Exedore, p.#15)
Questions:

  • [li]Are the customizations available at the beginning just the elements of other archetypes, or are there further elements that can be combined to make an ultimate look?
    [/li]Edit: answer is that this is a bad question. There are look and clothing choices that are available from the beginning and further ones that open up aas I advance.
    [li]Are further archetypes unlocked at later levels?
    [/li]Edit: Answer seems to be that the Racial archetypes are available at the beginning and the clothing is what is unlocked as you level.
    [li]Once you choose an Archetype or base look for your character, what part of that look is tied in or unchangeable on that character?
    [/li]Edit: Answer is Race, Voice, and as Herander pointed out in post #8 Tattoos are permanent.

Body types, at 1st level on my first character only the Medium body type is available. As I level up I will be able to choose from the Heavy body type at level 5 and the Light body type at level 7(Exedore, p.#15). Body type per character is not a permanent attachment if my understanding is correct. I will be able to change my body type in between matches as I like.
Question:

[ul]
[li]Is there a cost associated with changing body types?
[/li][/ul]
It seems to me that having only one body type per character would be more realistic, and since I can have multiple characters it wouldn’t really be a major hindrance on my customization ability, but it is also not a huge issue the way it is.

Ok so I have made my character look the way I want, I can then take the guns that are available to me and customize them the way I want. I’ll leave details of that for another time, another thread.

Finally I can choose skills for my character. I assume at level 1 my choices are pretty limited. As I level up more choices will be unlocked per level. I will have one credit per level to choose my skill. There are 50 choices available over 20 levels. Some choices can only be used by specific classes, while others are “universal” and can be used by any class. [Strike]I have a 24 hour trial period when I choose a skill, if I want to exchange the skill within those 24 hours it costs a discounted price, and if I want to change it later I can but it costs more.[/Strike] There is no 24 hour trial period (Yea!) if you want to respec you can at any point for the cost of one level of experience. (Exedore)
Questions:

  • [li]What is the “currency” used to pay for this respeccing? XP?
    [/li]Edit: answer is a whole level of experience.
    [li]If for example I unlock three skills when I turn 4th level, and I choose skill A, and I like that skill so I keep it, then when I turn level 5, let’s say I don’t like any of the skills can I go back and choose one of the two level 4 skills (B or C) that I did not originally pick?
    [/li][li]Does respeccing a character have to be done wholesale (all skills) or can I just choose to sell a skill or two and purchase only one or two skill back?
    [/li]Edit: Answer is it is done wholesale.

From the way I understand it now, there is little to nothing I cannot change about my character outside of matches if I choose to, and if I am willing/able to pay for the change. Race/Country of Origin, Voice, and tattoos are permanent. During the match I can only change out my class and what weapons I am armed with. If this is the case it seems to me that the long range importance of decisions is diminished as I can conceivably change just about anything about my character in between matches.

Thank you for any corrections you make to any misconceptions that I have and thank you for your feedback on any of this.

(15% or more) #2

I could be wrong, but I was told all archetypes are available at the same times; you just have to pick which ones you want to buy.

(Jess Alon) #3

If this is true then it’s a newer development because Paul talks about “when you get certain clothing pieces people will know you earned them” and so forth. But maybe this is in reference to additional stuff and the mix and matching between archetypes.

Guns supposedly are you get what you want as you go along.

Nonetheless welcome to the forum 1234567.

(crazyfoolish) #4

[QUOTE=Jess Alon;272793]
Nonetheless welcome to the forum 1234567.[/QUOTE]

^ Quoi? How do you know?

(harpy515) #5

I just reread the Twitter posts from a while ago, (looking for something else), and saw something about changing body types.

“Short answer: yes. You won’t be forever stuck with your body type choice if you don’t like it”

(elevator13) #6

The 10 base archetypes per side are all unlocked at level 1. However, there is much more additional clothing (and possibly archetypes) unlockable as you progress. For instance, there’s an unlockable Resistance jacket called The Boiler Suit.

(Jess Alon) #7

Thanks for that.

(Herandar) #8

Are you expecting a midnight launch for this or L.A. Noire, or are you planning on picking up the game from a 24 hour WalMart? Hope it’s the latter, or you’ll probably be disappointed.

As far as most of us know, you are correct, though many details are still hidden. What all of the previous replies said. The one thing that hasn’t been mentioned is that tattoos are permanent.

(Jess Alon) #9

[QUOTE=Herandar;272835]Are you expecting a midnight launch for this or L.A. Noire, or are you planning on picking up the game from a 24 hour WalMart? Hope it’s the latter, or you’ll probably be disappointed.

As far as most of us know, you are correct, though many details are still hidden. What all of the previous replies said. The one thing that hasn’t been mentioned is that tattoos are permanent.[/QUOTE]

I have a 24 hour walmart near my house. I didn’t even think of that.

(Herandar) #10

I have two, but they won’t accept pre-orders in-store.

(Wraith) #11

Way to lose a sale.:stroggbanana:

(15% or more) #12

…wondering how long someone would have to play to literally unlock everything…

(Whydmer) #13

[QUOTE=Herandar;272835]Are you expecting a midnight launch for this or L.A. Noire, or are you planning on picking up the game from a 24 hour WalMart? Hope it’s the latter, or you’ll probably be disappointed.

As far as most of us know, you are correct, though many details are still hidden. What all of the previous replies said. The one thing that hasn’t been mentioned is that tattoos are permanent.[/QUOTE]

I was wondering if anyone was going to pick up and question me on the time issue. I’ve pre-ordered from my local Game Stop, I talked to the guy who handles their midnight releases and pre-orders the other day, he expects that they will have an LA Noire midnight release, and that I will be able to pick up my copy of Brink then. We’ll see, and I also might be working that night and so be totally out of luck.

I was talking with my son this afternoon about this and we both remarked at the same time that tattoos will be permanent. Other than that though I can’t think of anything that definitely will be.

Does anyone know, will we be paying XP to Respec our characters?

(LyndonL) #14

[QUOTE=Whydmer;272851]I was wondering if anyone was going to pick up and question me on the time issue.
…
Does anyone know, will we be paying XP to Respec our characters?[/QUOTE]

Steam also should allow play at 12:00am.

Yes it costs to respec. After you buy an ability you can get rid of it for a refund within 24hrs, or else it’ll cost you.
EDIT: Apparently Not on the free return…

(Exedore) #15

There’s a few bits of incorrectness in this thread:

When you first create a character, you have to pick a racial archetype and voice, and those are permanent. Only a few clothing customization pieces are available at the start, and more unlock each time you level up. As soon as something is unlocked, it’s unlocked for any character created with that profile.

The Heavy bodytype is available at level 5 and Light is available at level 7, and those can be switched in the front end for no cost.

Credits for abilities are one per level, and there is no trial period. Abilities can be completely reset for the hefty price of subtracting one whole level.

(tokamak) #16

Does everyone start with the same clothing pieces or are these randomly divided?

(LyndonL) #17

Oooo pick wisely young padiwans.

(TiN TiN) #18

I thought these would be available more early on :eek:

Well at least we won’t see everybody at the beginning of the game running around as a light. But then again at level 7 I bet everyone will be a light.

(tokamak) #19

Opportunity cost is a fundamental aspect of proper game design.

(Exedore) #20

There’s a precise unlock schedule devised by our Art team. That’s why when you see certain things in a low level match, you’ll know that that person has another higher rank character.