It took a while, but it seems that we finally have an update on what’s been happening with Anthem. Last week, BioWare released an update on what’s been happening with Anthem's big reboot. According to Studio Director Christian Dailey in a post, the Design Team is testing out Javelin gameplay, builds, and skill trees.
Dailey said that the team is both testing and exploring ideas and that they are sharing these to get feedback. He did, however, remind everyone that “the ideas, mockups, and direction are all works in progress.”
When it came to the Javelin Gameplay and Builds, the common theme on this particular issue is that Anthem didn’t offer satisfying options for players. Dailey sad that they too want this to improve and are working on these changes:
- Choice and Experimentation in your Loadout
- All items are categorized to one of the 11 available equipment slots.
- Weapons are either Primary or Secondary, allowing distinctiveness in their role.
- Mods and Artifact slots replace Components.
- Manage Equipment and Abilities in your Loadout Screen.
- Provide Choice and Progression through Skill Trees
- Each Javelin can level up, awarding Skill Points.
- Skill points can be spent to unlock Abilities, Passives, and Stat Boosts.
- Each Specialization has its own Advanced Skill Tree.
- Expand on the Fantasy and Playstyles of Each Javelin
- Javelins have access to multiple specializations that cater to different styles of gameplay.
- Each Javelin now wields a powerful Artifact that can be customized.
The Team is also looking into Skill Trees. Considering how players become more powerful in Anthem, Dailey admitted that they “observed that Pilot Level isn’t a satisfying measure of your progress, so we set out to answer the question, 'What would it look like for Freelancers to become more skillful at piloting each Javelin?'"
The team at BioWare is looking into the idea that Javelin experience and levels can allow players to permanently unlock Abilities for their Javelin which they can also customize using further Mods. Dailey went on to say that they are also looking into “testing these ideas via a new skill tree system.” Under this system, each Javelin is going to offer “a 'basic' skill tree where all the baseline Abilities, Passives, Triggered Abilities, and Stat Boost for your Javelin can be unlocked.”
However, the team also wants players to be able to focus on a specific type of gameplay. Thus, once the basic tree is finished, Dailey said that they’re “also testing the concept of Specializations.” Each Specialization is going to offer an Advanced Skill Tree where players can unlock Specialization-specific Abilities and Upgrades.
Finally, there is a new Artifacts system which is set to replace Components. According to Dailey, Artifacts “are pieces of super powered tech that set your Javelin and Freelancer apart.”
Dailey ended the update by saying that BioWare thanks the community for their input and patience and “can’t respond to everything, but we do see you and we appreciate all the feedback you provide.”
You can read more about this update here.
So what do you think? Are you willing to give Anthem another chance once it gets “re-released”?
