Gameplay

Armor customization (Halo 3: ODST)

From Halopedia, the Halo wiki

This article is about the armor customization in Halo 3: ODST. For other games, see armor customizations.
The customization menu in Halo 3: ODST.

Armor customization in Halo 3: ODST allows players to customize the member of the Alpha-Nine that they choose to play as, with each having their own unique aesthetic in the game's Firefight mode.

Overview[edit]

On Halo 3: ODST's launch, players could choose one of the members of Alpha-Nine, and their primary and secondary armor colors, with the armor's main color remaining the same. Players could also choose whether or not to wear a helmet, unless they were playing as the Rookie or Sergeant Johnson, who cannot remove his helmet and cannot put one on, respectively. Choosing not to wear a helmet does not affect gameplay. Without a helmet, the player still has the same health and stamina, and they can still use VISR mode. Each character has their own unique lines of dialogue which play during gameplay, similar to the Firefight voices that would later be implemented in Halo: Reach as an unlockable item.

With the launch of Halo 3: ODST on PC and the start of Series 3: Recon in Halo: The Master Chief Collection, the ODST characters were added to the game's customization system alongside Firefight as part of the collection. The various characters were added to the season progression path and can be purchased for Spartan Point Spartan Points. The Master Chief Collection additionally features two skins not available in the base game; the injured Romeo model as portrayed following the level NMPD HQ, and a "bug-splattered" Buck, as seen in Data Hive and Coastal Highway. The game also features Sergeant Johnson as purchasable for all players, previously restricted to a pre-order exclusive in the original game. Additionally, The Master Chief Collection features the helmet-less edition of each character as a separate unlock to their helmeted incarnation, unlike the original release which only had the helmet-on option as a toggle that was available at any time.

List of permutations[edit]

Rookie
Halo 3: ODST: This Trooper recently transferred from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Force, part of a Rapid Offensive Picket that suffered near-annihilation at New Jerusalem, Cygnus. Like most ODSTs, his actions speak louder than words.
MCC: The strong, silent type.
Mickey
Halo 3: ODST: Despite limited formal education, Mickey scored high enough on his conscription exams to qualify for flight school. But heavy air-unit losses (Pelicans especially) left Mickey without a bird to fly. His current operational speciality is bomb disposal.
MCC (helmetless): I know, I have beautiful eyes.
MCC (helmeted): Killing the Covenant in the face is my favorite pastime.
Dutch
Halo 3: ODST: A man of strong convictions, Dutch volunteered in time to participate in the failed defense of Tribute. The fleet covering the colony's evacuation suffered losses exceeding 90%, a sacrifice that gave Dutch abiding respect for his Navy brothers.
MCC (helmetless): I didn't train to be a pilot.
MCC (helmeted): Relax, what could go wrong?
Romeo
Halo 3: ODST: In his old unit Romeo racked-up multiple code of conduct violations, any one of which should have resulted in demotion -- or worse. But this late in the war, the UNSC needs all the battle-tested snipers it can get. And Romeo is one of the best.
MCC (helmetless): If you have something to say, you can say it to my face.
MCC (helmeted): Wake up, buttercup.
Buck
Halo 3: ODST: Counting time spent in cryo-sleep, Buck is a 25 year veteran of the war. He participated in the liberation of Harvest but also the fall of Reach. Watching so many Marines die has left Buck thick-skinned and short-fused. But this wasn't always so.
MCC (helmetless): 188 centimeters of smoldering handsomeness.
MCC (helmeted): When the helmet is on, the party is on.
Johnson
Halo 3: ODST: Avery Johnson was born on Earth in the late 25th century. Since then, he's kicked all kinds of ass from one end of the galaxy to the next. He enjoys sniping, smoking Sweet William cigars and obliterating ancient, ring-shaped artifacts.
MCC: I know what the ladies like.
Dare
Halo 3: ODST: Most of her dossier is classified, but Dare is a known Naval Academy Graduate amd former Intel Officer on the heavy frigate[sic] 'Say My Name', one of two ships from the Harvest campaign still in service. Dare is now assigned to ONI Section One.
MCC (helmetless): We have a mission to accomplish, let's get to it.
MCC (helmeted): Working with ONI demands a certain level of anonimity.

Unlock requirements[edit]

Firefight character unlock requirements
Character Unlock (Halo 3: ODST) Unlock (Halo: The Master Chief Collection) Character (no helmet) Unlock (Halo: The Master Chief Collection)
H3ODST Rookie Helmet Icon.png
The Rookie
Unlocked by default Unlocked by default N/A
H3ODST Romeo Helmet Icon.png
Romeo
Unlock the NMPD HQ achievement. Series 3, Tier 6 (Spartan Point 2) H3ODST Romeo NoHelmet Icon.png
Romeo (no helmet)
Series 3, Tier 10 (Spartan Point 2)
H3ODST Romeo Injured Helmet Icon.png
Injured Romeo
N/A Series 3 Challenge: Hurty Thirty

The Exchange (Spartan Point 2)

H3ODST Romeo Injured NoHelmet Icon.png
Injured Romeo (no helmet)
Series 3 Challenge: Endure

The Exchange (Spartan Point 5)

H3ODST Dutch Helmet Icon.png
Dutch
Unlock the Uplift Reserve achievement. Series 3, Tier 15 (Spartan Point 2) H3ODST Dutch NoHelmet Icon.png
Dutch (no helmet)
Series 3, Tier 20 (Spartan Point 2)
H3ODST Mickey Helmet Icon.png
Mickey
Unlock the Kizingo Boulevard achievement. Series 3, Tier 25 (Spartan Point 2) H3ODST Mickey NoHelmet Icon.png
Mickey (no helmet)
Series 3, Tier 15 (Spartan Point 2)
H3ODST Buck Helmet Icon.png
Buck
Unlock the Tayari Plaza achievement. Series 3, Tier 37 (Spartan Point 2) H3ODST Buck NoHelmet Icon.png
Buck (no helmet)
Series 3, Tier 40 (Spartan Point 2)
H3ODST Buck Splatter Helmet Icon.png
Bug Splattered Buck
N/A Series 3 Challenge: Bug Bomb

The Exchange (Spartan Point 2)

H3ODST Buck Splatter NoHelmet Icon.png
Bug Splattered Buck (no helmet)
Series 3 Challenge: Endure

The Exchange (Spartan Point 5)

H3ODST Dare Helmet Icon.png
Dare
Unlock the Campaign Complete: Legendary achievement. Series 3, Tier 42 (Spartan Point 2) H3ODST Dare NoHelmet Icon.png
Dare (no helmet)
Series 3, Tier 46 (Spartan Point 2)
H3ODST Johnson Icon.png
Avery Johnson (no helmet)
Pre-order Halo 3: ODST. Series 3, Tier 50 (Spartan Point 2) N/A

Production notes[edit]

  • The option of tertiary colors are not present. This is because the ODST character models make use of the tertiary color slot for the character's skin color.
  • Dare's character model is built off of the female marines, resulting in her playable character variant being an entirely seperate entity/biped (in engine terms) from the male ODSTs. Additionally, a strange oversight also makes Dare the only playable character in ODST who does not ragdoll upon death.

Gallery[edit]

Gameplay[edit]