Acquiring Frames.

[Gavaudan]

As fun as this game has been and still is to me, I gotta say, I'm fairly let down by the way it feels like warframes are just churned out and thrown at us. It's too simple, I guess. We're already this far in to "Beta" and while the Lore itself is of a concern all it's own, something that goes in line with that, I feel is the process of how we acquire new frames. I propose this:

 

Instead of the current system where we farm up the Helm/Chassis/Systems of a Frame and cook them up in the foundry, replace those with Map/Key Fragments that go into the foundry (or a new type of "oven") that takes the same amount of time to "Decipher/Align" the pieces into a completed Map/Key that goes into the Void Key menu and allows access to "Special Missions" where we find the designated frame (ie. Instead of Rhino Parts, we find a Key/Map that leads to location rumored to house a Cryopod where a [Rhino] Frame is)

 

Basing this on the concept that we are not all 1 person but different people (ie. Excalibur Tenno is Excalibur, the Tenno who is Mag, is Mag, Nyx is Nyx etc.) it would allow missions to play out like they do in the PS4 Announcement Trailer, and we discover the Frame in their Stasis Pod, and Fight a Boss while trying to awaken the Frame, who will (once awakened) help us defeat the Boss, and then we have to then move together to Extraction. Which this portion will play like rescue missions with the exception of the "rescued" Frame will assist us in clearing the way to extraction.

 

Afterwards, when we Complete the Mission successfully, they "join up" with us, and we are able to use/play as them.

 

The concept feels potentially lore-friendly and is a much better setup than, "Finally got that systems I needed, to go with my 7 Helmets and 13 Chassis..." It would be less frustrating to have excess Map/key fragments that would lead into the Mission. The duration of "cooking" the frame can still remain, you just change it from the frame itself to a Secret Mission Key and add a Mission where the Frame we are acquiring acts as an NPC for that special mission while we rescue them (and fight with us to Extraction).

 

This doesn't have to be a solo mission either, though the Frame being acquired will be exclusive to the key/map provider, those who assisted could receive a different reward for their efforts, such as a random mod, or a bundle of resources. The idea is to add "flavor" to the process of acquiring a frame, while possibly also allowing you to see what that frame is capable of as you help it reach extraction.

 

What do you guys think?

[MoonZapdos]

I support this.

[jpvi1207]

nah, they can instead explain well our forging abilities, since we are a race created by a super tech society, we must have basic reverse-engineering knowledge, enough to copy weapons, and to understand how the elements in a warframe suit interact

[Cobra835]

I love the idea, but, I believe the frames should all have different missions that relate to theme or special abilities of the frame. Vauban and Frost would be acquired by defending a pod (RNG decides whether it's Mobile Def, or Def), Volt would be "rescued" (Not necesarily the game mode) from a corpus ship, Ember from an infested ship, etc. 

[Rapid99]

It would definitely remove a lot of the grind from the game, as well as introduce a new mission type. Which seems like an overall better change. I think the missions would have to be long/challenging however as, for me at least, there is a large element of satisfaction of finding that last piece of a frame you've wanted. Granted the current "take anywhere from 5 minutes too the rest of your life" system in place now is... rage inducing to say the least. (I'm looking at you 12 hour Kela farming session.) But anywho, yes. I like this idea, but the mission itself would have to be challenging and unique from the rest of the game, to try and offer the same satisfaction of finishing off a frame. 

[Gavaudan]

It would definitely remove a lot of the grind from the game, as well as introduce a new mission type. Which seems like an overall better change. I think the missions would have to be long/challenging however as, for me at least, there is a large element of satisfaction of finding that last piece of a frame you've wanted. Granted the current "take anywhere from 5 minutes too the rest of your life" system in place now is... rage inducing to say the least. (I'm looking at you 12 hour Kela farming session.) But anywho, yes. I like this idea, but the mission itself would have to be challenging and unique from the rest of the game, to try and offer the same satisfaction of finishing off a frame. 

 

Well you are still farming up the pieces the same way, in fact for the most part the process is the same as it is now, you are just adding in a mission, changing the completed frame from the Foundry into a Map/Key, and using that to enter the mission.

[Lady_Khaos]

This is an awesome concept. We need this...for the sake of the lore.

[Zext]

I like this idea, maybe even let us redo the mission if we want. It'd feel more like tangible progress when we see the Tenno being rescued.

 

 

nah, they can instead explain well our forging abilities, since we are a race created by a super tech society, we must have basic reverse-engineering knowledge, enough to copy weapons, and to understand how the elements in a warframe suit interact

 

We don't even know if warframes are suits. Especially with the latest lore from arid fear, which heavily implies there isn't any regular human body (if anything at all) in the inside. I'd find it odd if we are literally just building our friends directly from the foundry. 

[brokenOculus]

I support this idea. I endorse any idea that feels less like grind and more like a treasure hunt.

[Cobra835]

 

 

We don't even know if warframes are suits. Especially with the latest lore from arid fear, which heavily implies there isn't any regular human body (if anything at all) in the inside. I'd find it odd if we are literally just building our friends directly from the foundry. 

It has been stated that each character you play as is the "Champion" of his "Suit" I don't recall if it has been confirmed that the "suits" are technocyte infections. But, yeah, you make people the same way you make weapons. (Also, I don't think the same guy who fits in rhino is going to fit in mag)

[LordMidnightX]

I like this idea +1

[Tierria]

Okay, as long as we don't need specific key fragments for each warframe. I mean, we don't need a "Alpha, Beta and Gamma" map/key fragments, just 3 fragments from that specific planet. Otherwise, it would be just as frustrating as before, but at least the payoff would be a little better, as having a really cool and cinematic(Like we get a little demonstration of the frames powers before we get to play with it. Cutscenes, man, cutscenes, they can be used well, especially if they're short.) mission on top of the frame itself would be awesome.

[Crond]

Brilliant idea.

[Gavaudan]

Okay, as long as we don't need specific key fragments for each warframe. I mean, we don't need a "Alpha, Beta and Gamma" map/key fragments, just 3 fragments from that specific planet. Otherwise, it would be just as frustrating as before, but at least the payoff would be a little better, as having a really cool and cinematic(Like we get a little demonstration of the frames powers before we get to play with it. Cutscenes, man, cutscenes, they can be used well, especially if they're short.) mission on top of the frame itself would be awesome.

 

Well I imagine it operates exactly how it does now: You farm up the Map/Key parts up from the same planet that the Frame pieces (chassis/helm/systems) drop from, and that Map/key only works for that frame. So while you can still end up with 6 "Alpha" Fragments, 3 "Beta" fragments, and are waiting on your 1 "Gamma" fragment to drop, it isn't as aggravating as having 2/3rds the parts of the Frame to cook because even though you would think you'd get that "so close" feeling, you still have to Rescue the frame. It adds a layer, and as some have said, has made the process less grindy, and more of a Treasure Hunt, which I feel adequately describes it.

 

Perhaps they could implement short cutscenes as well. To elaborate some possibilities:

 

You enter the mission searching for the Room where the stasis pod is held, upon arriving to it, the "Boss" (which doesn't necessarily have to be the Planetary Boss, but could be an Exclusive boss for that unique Frame Rescue Mission) attacks you, intent on killing you and taking the frame in the pod as his prize. He could be unkillable, and the objective is to free the Frame from the pod, so that he can assist in dispatching that Boss.

 

Perhaps even mix it up some, and add a timer like there is in Mobile Defense missions; a duration of time you have to keep the boss "busy" while the rescued Frame fully "awakens" to be able to deal the killing blows - which would take place as short cutscenes which feature the Unique abilities of that Frame.

 

Then once that boss is cleared, you must escort them to Extraction, killing anything in your path, with that Frames help, as they would be an active NPC instead of just idly following you like the Hostage NPC's tend to do now. Thus allowing the player soon to receive the Frame, the opportunity to witness it in action, so to speak.

 

Once at Extract, Lotus can inform you of your good deeds, dispense the rewards to the group, make some mention about how she will brief that Frame on it's primary objective and leave it in your charge, etc. etc. And then once back to the Starmap, you will now be able to select and use the Frame.

[Tyranthius]

I like this. Reminds me of the "The Call" trailer. It must be said though, that the devs aren't sure whether each Warframe is a unique character or a template for several copies of that 'Frame.

 

While we're at it, why don't I play devil's advocate? I can agree that there might not be a human in a Warframe, or at least not a human body as we see it. It might be, however, that a Tenno, instead of being a living creature as we know it, is actually a unit of consciousness uploaded into a Warframe. The Warframe itself would be a bio-mechanical construct and stored in a pod in a comatose state when not in use. 

[Khainegom]

I wholeheartedly support this idea from both a gameplay and lore standpoint. The game needs more mission variety besides farming and it certainly needs more depth to its lore. I hate the way it is currently as it doesn't really make any sense for corpus/Grineer/Infested bosses to drop parts of a Warframe. It would make far more sense for them to drop clues/maps/co-ordinates of the location of unique Cryo pods. They could be in the void or already removes from the void and in the hands of the Corpus or Grineer or perhaps the infested have overrun the area where the pod is. Each Warframe could have its own slightly different mission with a different location, they could even reuse the room from the new tutorial for some of the other frames.

[Ariarch]

LORE! Cool.

[InfamousJim]

Sound pretty baller. Would be a huge improvement o the current system.