Anthem dev Brendon Holmes is often found responding to questions and suggestions by fans on the game’s sub-Reddit page, and it often proves to be a source of some interesting information on the game. Once again, Holmes’ words have given us some insight into the game’s weapons progression system, as well as an update on the PC version.
In one particular thread, a user posed the question of what the PC support for Anthem would be like, asking whether it would just be a poor port with keyboard and mouse support and bad optimization. Holmes, however, responded by saying that the game’s PC version is constantly being worked on over at BioWare, implying that it’s not just going to be a throwaway port of the game’s console version. “Let me put it another way then…everyone is constantly developing on the PC platform,” he stated.
In another thread, a user asked what kind of a weapons progression system Anthem would have, and whether it would be one that is more focused on stats like you see in MMOs, or one that sees weapons and armour progressively getter better with more usage. In his response, Holmes went into the advantages of both kinds of systems, before saying that Anthem is currently mixing up both of them.
“One advantage to having a more static model is that it’s a lot easier to entice players into different styles of gameplay,” Holmes said. “You find something new, it’s more powerful than what you have… you’re likely to give it a go! Alternatively, with things that grow in power over time/usage… you tend to get a lot more attached to the items you have. They start to form part of the identity of your character. A lot of it depends on what the progression goals are with a given system. Currently we’re doing both styles (for different areas of progression).”
That… sounds a little confusing, to say the least. I wouldn’t expect Anthem to go for a middle ground between both systems- how would it even work? Here’s hoping BioWare will give more concrete details on this sooner rather than later. Anthem is slated for launch in 2018 for the PS4, Xbox One and PC. Stay tuned to GamingBolt for continued coverage on the game.