[Suggestion] Mini-Boss And Elite Enemy Encounters

[DSMK2]

The game needs more than just it's basic mooks and bosses, there needs to be mini-bosses and elite units that sport unique AI and gameplay mechanics that break up the monotony of each mission. They'll also add more depth to each faction.

 

Most of the ideas discussed in this thread involve random chance encounters with them in online multiplayer missions; such that everyone in the squad will have to work together to defeat them. In addition, the AIs of these enemies shouldn't be purely made to kill the nearest Tenno, but should tailor themselves to specific players based on their current mission stats; one guy taking the most damage? Prioritize him as a target. Or even to the point where they will use items and pick ups to their advantage

 

When they do appear, they will either persist throughout the level until they are killed, or doors will be locked one way, letting Tenno in by not out until they defeat the elites. Unlike bosses, they do not have cutscenes, and will either be already in the room or appear in it much like the Stalker.

 

During defense missions these elites and mini-bosses should appear in a bonus round between waves where the Tenno squad will have to survive and defeat them to continue the mission. 3/4ths Fighting for survival and 1/4th defending the objective.

 

IDEAS---

 

Grineer

 

Grineer Anti Tenno Squad (DSMK2)

A Grineer Anti-Tenno Squad is a squad of at least four elite Grineer marines each equipped with a single(?) piece of Orokin technology; our warframe abilities. Each member of the squad has a role to play and will support each other based on player actions and their current status. Based on their role, they are equipped with different Grineer themed weaponry.

They should act as a single mini-boss; a hive mind with multiple bodies. But each body should not be a massive damage sponge; difficulty fighting them should come from their tactics, aggressiveness, and equipment.

A Grineer AT Squad should usually appear in online or private multiplayer sessions as a way to bring a squad to Tenno to work together. They can appear at any time during a Grineer themed mission.

Basic Squad Setup:

• 1x Supporter: Can have support based abilities, equipped with balanced weapons.
• 1x Tank: Can have tanking based abilities, equipped with high power weapons.
• 2x Attacker(s): Can have offensive based abilities, equipped with high DPS weapons.

Difficulty:

• Shield and Health should be near or double the average amount of a basic unmodded warframe; they shouldn’t feel and be too much like an artificial damage sponge.
• They have a possible chance of calling in a limited amount of basic Grineer reinforcements.

AI Goals:

• Identify and prioritize players based on mission stats: Who has the most kills? Who dealt the most damage? Who supported the most? Who took the least amount of damage? Who used the most abilities? Etc.
• Divide squad based on player priority list.
• Supporter picks a squad member to support or a player to debuff.
• If a squad member is in trouble, react accordingly.
• Avoid being too far from each other, being too far means being in trouble, react!

Special:

• They can carry a limited amount of inventory items to heal or protect themselves. Think of Pokemon, just when you’re about to KO your opponent… “SUPER POTION”!
• Possible chance of their weapon being modded; look out for that freeze mod.
• Rooms they are in have a one way lock down, Tenno can enter but they can't come out until they defeat the Grineer AT squad.

---

I find it amusing how the Grineer are really just a disorganized group of soldiers that aim at the first enemy they see. They become tough in a group due to their sustained fire, but spread out, they’re fodder for us. What happens if we bring in a ‘smart’ Grineer squad that actually has a meaningful “COMBAT FORMATION BRAVO!”

I expect them to appear during an online Grineer mission as a challenge for a squad of Tenno; they’ll be more than just the stun balls, they’ll be trying to kill the most dangerous player to them, they’re out for Tenno blood!

 

Grineer Assassins (Yawyna124)

 

A cloak-enabled melee Grineer soldier, utilizing ambush techniques as opposed to zerg-rushing. 

 

Grineer Laser Marine (Jiufengbao) Original Post

 

A Grineer marine armed with stolen and retrofitted Orokin laser cannon. Before firing the target's position is painted with a target designator. Unless the target utilizes non-mundane means of movement, such as wall-walking, the Marine will easily be able to track the target.

 

Hits from this weapon deal high damage to the target's shields, to outright killing on hit.

 

 

Corpus

 

Puppet Skeleton Proxy (DSMK2)

 

A skeletal proxy that uses a captured Tenno as it's base. The proxy will utilize the captured Tenno's abilities and weapons to defeat their targets. They can appear in a full squad of four at any point during a mission; once defeated they will release their prisoners who will need to be escorted to the extraction point.

 

Heavy Osprey (GTG3000)

 

A modified cargo osprey, outfitted with pair turret-mounted pulse rifles and a frontal shield, stopping non-penetrating bullets. Utilities it's mobility to stay out of reach of Tenno melee/close-range powers, serving as fire support/distraction for the corpus troops, always trying to face the player with highest damage with it's shield. 

 

Appears on the open-air map bits randomly.

 

Corpus Assassin (Yawyna124)

 

A proxy with cloaking abilities. It can scale walls and ceilings and will attempt to attack unsuspecting tenno.

 

Corpus Beam Laser MOA (Jiufengbao) Original Post

 

A buffed MOA carrying a supercharged Fusion Laser. Before firing the target's position is painted with a target designator. Unless the target utilizes non-mundane means of movement, such as wall-walking, the Marine will easily be able to track the target.

 

Hits from this weapon deal high damage to the target's shields, to outright killing on hit.

 

 

Infested

 

Doppleganger Pod (DSMK2)

 

Immobile barnacle-style enemy, patiently waiting for any Tenno to get caught in it's tongue... Upon what it will actively try to devour him, capturing for a very limited amount of time before releasing, along with a number of infestation copies, utilizing same abilities as the devoured.

 

Devourer (LunarWind)

 

Enemy, using Tenno abilities against them. Starting off with a simple non-damage pull, it attempts to get a hold of the player with the highest damage in vicinity, upon which it will copy one of it's abilities to use against you.

 

Puppet Parasite (GTG3000)

 

Similar to skeleton proxy, the puppet parasite is only able to attack the cell with abilities of Tenno it controls... The twist is that it first gains control of one of the Tenno, taking control away from the player until either it runs out of it's energy pool and crushes you into bleed out, or is destroyed by your squad mates.

 

Infested Assassin (Yawyna124)

 

Wall climbing infested, utilizing a surprise disruptor attack.

 

---

 

Credits to GTG3000 for compiling these ideas!

 

 

Edited May 10, 2013 by DSMK2

[The_Shang]

Considering hoe you described your idea, this would probably work better as a boss than a mini-boss, unless they are not that durable. Could you please elaborate on difficult you would want them to be and what levels they could start appearing at?

This sounds like a great idea, Grineer are fairly easy to beat.

[DSMK2]

Considering hoe you described your idea, this would probably work better as a boss than a mini-boss, unless they are not that durable. Could you please elaborate on difficult you would want them to be and what levels they could start appearing at?

This sounds like a great idea, Grineer are fairly easy to beat.

Alright, gonna elaborate the first post.

[EDIT:]

The idea is based around them being difficult because of better AI. But I guess to support it, they need to have higher shields and health as to avoid individually too easy to kill (and the limited ability to heal themselves); as well they should be able to call in Grineer reinforcements to distract a squad of Tenno. Like the Stalker, but I'm seeing them as this trope:

http://tvtropes.org/...hePsychoRangers

Edited March 30, 2013 by DSMK2

[LunarWind]

This is an excellent idea.

Based on Stalker implementation, this should be possible.

Have the squad target the highest performing player first, going for the Tenno with the most kills or greatest %damage dealt.

Also, this idea doesn't have to stop at the Grineer.

Why not have a Corpus proxy built specifically to stop the Tenno?

Maybe some sort of trap based enemy, one who can initiate a door lock at will.

Imagine, a proxy that targets a single lone player, possibly the highest threat Tenno, and then locks the doors if they get seperated from their group.

Not sure on what form it should take or what sorts of abilities it should have.

As for Infested? Easy, a Tenno Devourer. It's a beast of Technocytes that has gained consciousness by consuming a Tenno agent, and it knows only two things. Eating Tenno equals strength. Strength equals purpose.

Have it start out with 1 random Warframe ability, and then use a non-damaging version of Golem's pull attack, which if executed successfully, grants it one of the abilities of whichever frame it pulled.

For example, it pulls a Rhino. Oh god, kite like crazy until Ironskin wears off, be glad it didn't get the stomp.

Nyx? It used Chaos, all of you now appear as red dots, all have models changed to look like the devourer, friendly fire is on.

Since it will specifically target the best performing player, this would be a good way to counter "OP" warframes (If you beleive in such a thing) because the devourer would steal one of that Tenno's abilities first.

And if ability theft is infeasable due to coding constraints, just give it a mashup of cool warframe abilities that would be fun for us to fight against, rather than with. (Snow Globe, for example, forcing us to enter it, get slowed, and then attempt melee.)

Some epic potential in this thread, keep it going.

[kiwicanfly]

+1, its seems currently that the grennier are either really stupid, or has no ability in team work...

[NoeleVeerod]

I'm liking this thread, ideas have lots of potential. Hopefully we'll see some of them implemented. +1

[DigitalMaster]

you know, last time developers gave mobs actually smart AI, people got mad...

so dont get mad when they make AI too 'dumb', its for a reason.

[shoudra]

Even if the squads / mini-bosses had the same AI it would add some flavor to the gameplay which I like.

[DSMK2]

you know, last time developers gave mobs actually smart AI, people got mad...

so dont get mad when they make AI too 'dumb', its for a reason.

It'll be a smart AI squad thrown into the mix of the usual dumb AIs.

[HadronVictorioso]

Yes, please. This would be amazing. How about having at least 1 of these squads per system, about halfway through the system? Besides Mercury, of course.

[Xenotor]

yes please this is sp mutch needed. there is no chalange in the game at the moment.

[DSMK2]

Yes, please. This would be amazing. How about having at least 1 of these squads per system, about halfway through the system? Besides Mercury, of course.

 

*BUMP*

 

I'm split between that; either it'll just be a random chance to happen in an mission based on difficulty; or each system has x amount of elites that represent the faction's control over the system.

 

---

 

Bumping this because I think this is still needed, I notice too much that squads that I participate in burn through missions like a hot knife through butter. Instead of a total AI change, throw in a bunch of elite troops that have different AI than the rest; adjusting themselves to player performance and actions, such that each squad member will have a different experience fighting them.

 

While I do enjoy berserker killing mooks, there needs to be events/enemies that make me more conscious of what I need to do to stay alive along with my squad.

[Mystrunner]

This idea is fantastic. I love the idea of more "Oh S#&$, it's X! Scramble" moments in Warframe.

[Calayne]

Awesome. A reason for guys to stick together rather than rush it, unless they have the skills to survive, I think! Also, it ups the ante by quite a bit!

Thinking about it, I think it'll be good if they were present in every mission, albeit only after a certain amount of time has passed, and in varying squad load-outs, squad-count and varieties. It'd be pretty sweet to finally see some challenge outside of the Bullet-Wall threat.

[GTG3000]

*BUMP*

 

I'm split between that; either it'll just be a random chance to happen in an mission based on difficulty; or each system has x amount of elites that represent the faction's control over the system.

 

---

 

Bumping this because I think this is still needed, I notice too much that squads that I participate in burn through missions like a hot knife through butter. Instead of a total AI change, throw in a bunch of elite troops that have different AI than the rest; adjusting themselves to player performance and actions, such that each squad member will have a different experience fighting them.

 

While I do enjoy berserker killing mooks, there needs to be events/enemies that make me more conscious of what I need to do to stay alive along with my squad.

 

Random chance would be better, me thinks... Minibosses, that appear unexpected would be awesome, with different mechanics for grineer/corpus/infested, maybe?

Say... Grineer are more likely to send an elite orokin-imbued squad at you, if you kill more of their soldiers (so if you're slowly progressing, sweeping each room, you're likely to run into them, or get jumped at by them, and if you're stealthy/rushing through without killing much, you're likely to go away not meeting them). Corpus would be based around the room youre in (make, say, a modification of those huge cargo ospreys we see in the background sometimes, that would require enough space to fly untouched, and would have a shield aimed at the player it attacks?). And infested... Um... Infested... I don't know, really, what could be done for infested?

[DSMK2]

Random chance would be better, me thinks... Minibosses, that appear unexpected would be awesome, with different mechanics for grineer/corpus/infested, maybe?

Say... Grineer are more likely to send an elite orokin-imbued squad at you, if you kill more of their soldiers (so if you're slowly progressing, sweeping each room, you're likely to run into them, or get jumped at by them, and if you're stealthy/rushing through without killing much, you're likely to go away not meeting them). Corpus would be based around the room youre in (make, say, a modification of those huge cargo ospreys we see in the background sometimes, that would require enough space to fly untouched, and would have a shield aimed at the player it attacks?). And infested... Um... Infested... I don't know, really, what could be done for infested?

I'd say they would randomly appear in a room on the way to an objective regardless of how fast/slow a squad is moving through the level. You can't run from them as doors are sealed one way and the squad will have to beat them to progress.

 

---

 

I didn't want to say these otherwise it'll go off topic, but whatever!

 

Adding to LunarWind's idea for the infested; let's use the technocyte growths as a base for this idea.

 

Hidden in a technocyte growth is an organism like the Barnacles from Half Life. It catches (via waiting tentacle) and spits out unwary Tenno for some damage. Afterwards it creates a number of aggressive weak copies of said Tenno which will attack the group.

 

As for Corpus:

 

Fight Tenno with Tenno: Captured Tenno are wrapped in Corpus puppet skeleton proxy robots. These skeletons use the captured Tenno's Warframe abilities and will have different AI styles based on the Warframe's designed role. Destroying these skeletons frees the Captured Tenno who must be escorted to the extraction point.

 

[EDIT:]

@GTG3000

I've seen those huge cargo ospreys, why haven't they given ospreys guns I wonder?

 

Though it would be really cool to walk into an open area (in an outpost map) only to see an armed cargo osprey descend on top of crewmen and MOAs. "All doors are locked..."

Edited April 12, 2013 by DSMK2

[Ditsydoo]

This thread is full of good ideas, plus it sounds easier to implement then bosses or a whole new map.

[Mystrunner]

I'd say they would randomly appear in a room on the way to an objective regardless of how fast/slow a squad is moving through the level. You can't run from them as doors are sealed one way and the squad will have to beat them to progress.

 

---

 

I didn't want to say these otherwise it'll go off topic, but whatever!

 

Adding to LunarWind's idea for the infested; let's use the technocyte growths as a base for this idea.

 

Hidden in a technocyte growth is an organism like the Barnacles from Half Life. It catches (via waiting tentacle) and spits out unwary Tenno for some damage. Afterwards it creates a number of aggressive weak copies of said Tenno which will attack the group.

 

As for Corpus:

 

Fight Tenno with Tenno: Captured Tenno are wrapped in Corpus puppet skeleton proxy robots. These skeletons use the captured Tenno's Warframe abilities and will have different AI styles based on the Warframe's designed role. Destroying these skeletons frees the Captured Tenno who must be escorted to the extraction point.

Loving this.

[XxCromatxX]

I must say that I love this idea.

[Toonv5]

Awesome. A reason for guys to stick together rather than rush it, unless they have the skills to survive, I think! Also, it ups the ante by quite a bit! Thinking about it, I think it'll be good if they were present in every mission, albeit only after a certain amount of time has passed, and in varying squad load-outs, squad-count and varieties. It'd be pretty sweet to finally see some challenge outside of the Bullet-Wall threat.

 

"Only after a certain amount of time" would encourage rushing more, wich is already a discussion of "It makes the game too easy"

[GTG3000]

I'd say they would randomly appear in a room on the way to an objective regardless of how fast/slow a squad is moving through the level. You can't run from them as doors are sealed one way and the squad will have to beat them to progress.

 

---

 

I didn't want to say these otherwise it'll go off topic, but whatever!

 

Adding to LunarWind's idea for the infested; let's use the technocyte growths as a base for this idea.

 

Hidden in a technocyte growth is an organism like the Barnacles from Half Life. It catches (via waiting tentacle) and spits out unwary Tenno for some damage. Afterwards it creates a number of aggressive weak copies of said Tenno which will attack the group.

 

As for Corpus:

 

Fight Tenno with Tenno: Captured Tenno are wrapped in Corpus puppet skeleton proxy robots. These skeletons use the captured Tenno's Warframe abilities and will have different AI styles based on the Warframe's designed role. Destroying these skeletons frees the Captured Tenno who must be escorted to the extraction point.

 

[EDIT:]

@GTG3000

I've seen those huge cargo ospreys, why haven't they given ospreys guns I wonder?

 

Though it would be really cool to walk into an open area (in an outpost map) only to see an armed cargo osprey descend on top of crewmen and MOAs. "All doors are locked..."

No topic like offtopic, heh. 

 

The sceleton proxy sounds good, and fitting with "exploit orokin tech" lore.

 

Locked doors are a nice touch indeed, but maybe there should stiill be left an ability to run away? (and mis out on good loot) 

Since, if they would spawn randomly and block the doors, it would be entirely possible for a rusher to get caught with them (and block the way for everyone else). Or did you mean more like the usual lockdowns, but with the grineer commandos, ready to snipe down whoever comes to the console in the room?

 

I imagine the big ospreys might not have a hitbox, and implementing a point-defence shield and the turret-mounted guns would take some work (especially the shield, but on the other hand - another hitbox and meh). I think that these should be positively unbeatable singlehandedly (unless you have a big difference in levels), not because of bulletsponginess, but of ai/abilities. Well, sort of like grineer squad - surrounds you and gets you into a melee stunlock (or use some special ability, maybe like a tuned-down, short-range mags' crush, that would hold a player in the air, but leave the enemy near him and defenceless for the whole duration and be interruptable instead of time-limited) if you don't have anyone to distract them, same for corpus megaproxies... The 'heavy osprey' could be not that menacing in abilities and firepower, but have a constant shield infront of them, that they would aim at the player with highest dealt damage around, preventing him from dealing them any harm (without sufficient puncture, of course... The Infestation miniboss could be a latcher, that would be a bulletsponge with not that much attacking power normally... But an ability to grab on one of the group and use them against the others, unless knocked off?

[DSMK2]

I meant you can go in but you can't get out, the same goes for your squadmates, you could try to unlock the doors to escape but they'll focus on you if you do: "IT'S TRYING TO UNLOCK THE DOORS! GET IT!"

 

It'll also explain their ability to call for reinforcements if needed.

[Yawyna124]

I do have to agree that at times squads in this game, public or private, will cut through a mission easily. The only thing that is dangerous for most squards is to be swarmed by medium class elite troops (machine gunners, grineer commanders), swarmed by infected ancients, or being swarmed by the big Corpus A.I.'s. If they could implement a chance to have to face down against a boss such as a corpus Jackal or a randomly created Grineer or Infected boss during a level it would be cool, along with the chance to run into special elite troops.

A cool elite class that I think would be would be a assassin class of enemy. For Grineer it could be a lightly armored group of Grineer that have dual melee weapons and Loki's ability of cloaking and would wait for a Tenno team member to go running off before swarming him or wait till there were multiple squads of them together to be able to attack a formidable squad of Tenno. If they just lurked behind the squad, staying out of sight and waiting to ambush a tenno, they would give a whole new reason for a player to stay with the squad.

For the Corpus assassin class, it could be a type of security A.I. that climbs around on the ceilings and walls with a cloak ability activated and like the Grineer assassin, it would wait for a Tenno to break off from the squad or till there was enough of them to have a chance of taking out the squad.

For the infected assassin class, there wouldn't be a cloak, but it would have the ability to climb on walls and ceilings and would use an attack similar to disruptor Ancients and would shut down a Tenno's energy and spam him with rapid attacks that have a 10% chance to stun a Tenno. These would also lurk around the squad stealthily and target Tenno's that break off of the squad.

It's just another idea for an advanced A.I. enemy. I like the idea of enemies like this because it forces you to synergize with the other Tenno in your squad, and would take out the people who sprint out ahead of everyone else and finish the level ahead of the rest of the squad.

[GTG3000]

So, so far we have suggestions:

Grineer

 

Elite squad (DSMK2)

 

A squadron of four elite grineer, utilizing orokin technology to fight the tenno, along with locking the exits of the room they appear in and summoning reinforcements. Utilize advaned tactics with help of choosing players to take down/supporting each other.

 

Appear randomely/appear, based on kills and overall alertness/appear once a mission in known location as bosses.

 

Asassins (Yawyna124)

 

A cloak-enabled melee grineer soldier, utilizing ambush techniques as opposed to zergrushing. 

 

Appear as normal enemies?

 

Corpus

 

Skeleton proxy(DSMK2)

 

A proxy, utilizing tenno powers against them by means of inhumane direct body control. Has ablility to cause a lockdown (or maybejust activate the laser traps, so it would be different? nwm). Leaves a hostage to escort to the extraction point upon destruction.

 

Appear same as grineer commandos... Maybe could be used to make the hostage mission more spicy?

 

Heavy Osprey(GTG3000)

 

A modified cargo osprey, outfitted with pair turret-mounted pulse rifles and a frontal shield, stopping non-penetrating bullets. Utilises it's mobiity to stay out of reach of tenno melee/close-range powers, serving as fire support/distraction for the corpus troops, always trying to face the player with highest damage with it's shield. 

 

Appears on the open-air map bits randomly.

 

Asassin(Yawyna124)

 

Invisibiliity-enabled proxy, scaling walls and ceilings in attempt to get a jump on unsuspecting tenno, if going unnoticed.

 

Infestation

 

Doppleganger Pod(DSMK2) (sorry for cheezy name)

 

Immobile barnacle-style enemy, patiently waiting for any tenno to get caught in it's tongue... Upon what it will actively try to devor him, capturing for a very limited amount of time before releasing, along with a number of infestation copies, utilizing same abilities as the devoured. (correct me if I'm wrong)

 

Devourer(LunarWind)

 

Enemy, using tenno abilities against them. Starting off with a simple non-damage pull, it attempts to get a hold of the player with the highest damage in vicinity, upon which it will copy one of it's abilities to use against you. (limited to equipped abilities?)

 

Puppet Parasite(GTG3000)

 

Similar to skeleton proxy, the puppet parasite is only able to attack the cell with abilities of tenno it controls... The twis is that it first gains control of one of the tenno, taking control away from the player until either it runs out of it's energy pool and crushes you into bleedout, or is destroyed by your squadmates.

 

Asassin(Yawyna124)

 

Wallclimbing infested, utilizing a surprise disruptor attack.

 

THe op should be updated, me thinks. Any other ideas?

[Just_Matthew_9]

Fantastic idea, it would stop players from rushing ahead and leaving their team behind, this squad could also be based on the level of the players, the stronger the players the stronger the squad, if there is 4 players, 4 mini bosses would spawn?