Armor customization (Halo 4)

Armor customization  in Halo 4 allows players to customize their SPARTAN-IV player model. New armor sets can only be unlocked by reaching certain ranks and completing specific in-game commendations, Challenges, or Halo Waypoint goals.

Overview
Halo 4 provides armor customization akin to previous Halo titles, featuring the ability to swap specific armor pieces on the player's Spartan-IV. The armor is based upon the MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor [GEN2] model, with some variants being upgrades of previous generational incarnations. Customization slots remain mostly the same as the game's predecessor, Halo: Reach, however, wrist and leg utilities are replaced with full wrist and leg armor customization, and armor effects don't make a return. The player can also customize their armor with specific skins, including camouflage patterns and other, more ostentatious designs.

As stated above, common armor sets can be unlocked by reaching certain a Spartan Rank (SR), while rarer and more elaborate designs require the specific completion of commendations, Challenges, or Halo Waypoint goals. The release of the Champions Bundle brought an additional four armor sets and one skin to use for players who purchased the DLC, though said armor will display as default Recruit armor in the game's Spartan Ops mode due to technical reasons.

In a first since Halo 2 in 2004, Halo 4 removes the player's option to use Elites in multiplayer, as an emphasis was placed on "Infinity mode" which focuses on SPARTAN-IVs.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection
On launch, Halo 4's port on Halo: The Master Chief Collection only allowed for limited armor customization, and the player was limited to choosing a full set of armor and colors, with no ability to swap specific armor pieces, armor skins, or visor colors, while the player was also locked to a red visor. Likewise, the Champions Bundle armor did not return, and wasn't available to use. This system was employed at launch due to the difficulty of having to run several game engines for customization in the menus.

Starting with the release of Halo: Reach in the collection, it and the games leading into Halo 4 began to receive, or were updated to have full armor customization with the implementation of the menu's Unreal Engine 4 component, with Halo 4 receiving its own customization update upon the game's launch on PC and debut of Series 4: Reclaimer in November, 2020. This update was first alluded to in Series 3: Recon, as a placeholder Unreal Engine 4 render was added to the game's menu. With Halo 4's flight and update, full customization was restored to the player, including armor skins, and visor colors. Champions Bundle armor wasn't included on Halo 4's launch, but was later included alongside Armor effects with the release of Series 7: Elite in 2021. Season 7 also included the introduction of the Keystone helmet, inspired by the design of the Mark VII design included in Halo Infinite.

Production notes
Pre-release builds of Halo 4 featured some slight differences in armor texturing, with the neutral white lights present on armor being red. In addition, base armor texturing was also altered for the game's final build. A number of armor sets and skin variants were additionally considered for inclusion in the game, recieving concept and model passes, including a redesigned HAYABUSA and Mark IV.

Trivia
Xbox Live Guest accounts in the original Xbox 360 release of Halo 4 are able to customize their appearance with any and all armor pieces unlocked by their host. This differs from previous titles, in which guests could change their emblem, colors, service tag and gender, but could not customize their armor.