(PSN)thar9683

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Having logged roughly a thousand hours into Warframe, I often contemplate the potential for expanding both its narrative and content. Currently, my concern lies in the tendency for new content additions to mimic the gameplay of existing modes. While The New War brought a compelling story to the universe, it seems that the overall system has yet to fully incorporate the impact of the sentient invasion on the future narrative. To draw an analogy, it's like a mile long but only an inch deep. Whenever new content is introduced, it frequently adheres to one of the ten standard mission types. For instance, the Archon Hunt, while intriguing, essentially rehashes the sortie system that was implemented years ago, with only a few additional rewards. For veteran players, aside from collecting new space-themed rewards, there isn't much to pique their interest until the annual story quest release. Even the new Warframes, which are periodically introduced, fail to add depth as they lack a narrative aspect. In the endgame, frames like Wisp and Revenant dominate with their abilities and synergies, discouraging player diversity. I believe there are ways in which DE (Digital Extremes) could address these issues and bring stability to the game for a while. Reduce the Pace of New Warframe Releases and Focus on Updating Older Frames With the imminent release of Dagath and her abilities, it appears that DE may be arbitrarily assigning powers to new Warframes, offering them as fresh content without real substance (though the lore is fascinating). Beyond leveling her up to 30, I struggle to envision her utility in any endgame content. Instead, DE should direct their efforts towards modernizing and reworking older Warframes, akin to the ongoing changes to Hydroid. Additionally, they can revamp world bosses, bringing them up to par with modern boss expectations, similar to what they did with Ambulas Reborn and the Jackal. Modernize World Bosses and Introduce Cosmetic Rewards for Veteran Players As DE continues to expand the game with new planets and areas, they introduce innovative ways to engage with bosses, causing older world bosses to feel outdated and little more than damage sponges. For new players who start with Duviri or the Orokin worm boss, encountering the main story world bosses in their current state can be a letdown. All world bosses should reflect the uniqueness of encounters like the Ropalyst and the Duviri Worm, rather than being reminiscent of simple Corpus mobs with names, as in the case of The Sergeant. Furthermore, DE can engage veteran players by offering boss-specific cosmetic rewards that can adorn their Orbiter or Warframe, such as collecting the heads of world bosses or other intriguing curiosities. Expand Content through Unique Missions – Dungeons DE can take inspiration from games like Destiny and World of Warcraft and introduce standalone dungeons into Warframe. These dungeons, a more accessible version of Trials, could be available in the late game, contributing to the overarching story and offering unique repeatable encounters with exclusive rewards gated by defeating the boss. Citrine could serve as an excellent example of how a dungeon could have enriched the game's experience, replacing dull defense missions with a compelling, story-driven mission ending with a formidable boss. Cosmetic Town – Kahl's Garrison Another concern raised by some veterans is the accumulation of resources without meaningful uses after thousands of missions. With the introduction of Kahl's Garrison, where players can place their Orbiters, DE has an opportunity to create an "end game" experience. Players can contribute resources to build and upgrade huts and shops, transforming the Garrison into a thriving town. This account-centric area could unlock valuable mods, items, and cosmetic rewards for the town and its inhabitants—individuals rescued during your time in the game through story quests and missions could reside here showing story progression and the choices that the player made during their playtime can reflect here. These rescued NPCs could reside in the Garrison, reminiscent of Stardew Valley. Furthermore, DE could expand on the farming mechanic from Duviri to cultivate crops for use in apothics and other purposes. Imagine having your customizable Ostron right outside your Orbiter, offering a peaceful respite from the constant turmoil within the system. Integrating Old Content with New Systems As previously mentioned, the aging systems and missions within Warframe are struggling to keep up with the influx of new content, causing a dilution of the game's overall theme. Notably, invasions, sorties, nightmare missions, and corrupted mod missions are prime candidates for a significant overhaul, leveraging the technical gameplay enhancements introduced over the years.For instance, invasions could be revamped to dynamically impact which factions control specific areas, mirroring the way Sisters and Liches' control is visually represented on the screen. The outcome of an invasion could influence planetary alignments, altering loot, enemy types, and system dynamics for a designated period. With the introduction of The New War and the continued presence of Narmer enemies, these factions could be seamlessly integrated into the invasion system, enriching the storytelling experience. Syndicates, with their inherent conflicts, could also factor into this new system, adding depth to the ongoing narrative. Nightmare missions and corrupted mod missions have lost some of their edge due to the game's power creep. Some players even exploit corrupted keys to further enhance their power, which deviates from the intended experience. 6. Reducing Repetitive Gameplay: While the scope for infinite ideas in gameplay mechanics and missions is limited, there are certainly numerous avenues for introducing fresh approaches to mission engagement, rather than subjecting players to a recurring mission type across every expansion. Notably, Defection, Assault, Hijack, and Orphix serve as prime examples of innovative gameplay that breaks away from the conventional "eliminate everything" routine. This distinction is especially crucial for newer players who seek to avoid the monotony of replaying a similar mission on a different node every time they unlock a new planet, merely to experience the same content with minor variations repeated endlessly. Incorporating Diverse Side Objectives: Missions have the potential and should incorporate diverse side objectives that may spontaneously emerge during gameplay. These supplementary tasks permit players to temporarily shift their focus away from the primary mission in pursuit of added rewards. For instance, consider the scenario in Survival missions where the Lotus continuously informs us about a scavenger in distress. Here, players have the option to divert from their initial mission to rescue the scavenger in exchange for superior loot. However, this choice entails facing more formidable adversaries equipped with novel mechanics for the remainder of the mission. Revamping Assassins for Enhanced Challenge: As the power levels in the game continue to escalate with each update, formidable foes like the Stalker, Gustrag 3, and Zanuka Hunter have been relegated to mere ordinary adversaries. It's high time that Digital Extremes (DE) focuses on revitalizing these assassins, bringing them up to par with modern mechanics and instilling genuine fear when their presence is signaled by a screen flash. Introducing High-Stakes Consequences: Defeating these assassins should indeed be a daunting task, and failure should carry substantial negative consequences to emphasize their importance. This could include debuffs or penalties that affect the entire team if one of the assassins manages to eliminate a player. This would make it imperative for the team to prioritize taking down the assassins before they wreak havoc on the mission. Innovative Concepts for Zanuka: To elevate the Zanuka encounter to a new level, consider a unique approach: When facing the Zanuka, players are forced into a Drifter form, as the Zanuka was specifically designed to counter Warframes and their weaponry. This change would introduce a more intricate and strategic battle with genuine mechanics, encouraging players to adopt different tactics. Severe Consequences for Failure: Failing to defeat the Zanuka in its Drifter form should result in your Warframe being captured. To retrieve it, you'd embark on a challenging Corpus assault mission with a completely different Warframe from your arsenal, forming a new team. This mission's objective would be to rescue your stolen Warframe, which is currently undergoing experimentation by the Corpus. This would not only add stakes to the encounter but also introduce a captivating storyline element. Assassins and their associated enemies, like Stalker's "little children" during Steel Path missions, should indeed pose a unique challenge that cannot be dispatched with generic weapons alone. To achieve this, the following principles can be applied: Challenging Mechanics: Assassins and their minions should employ intricate and evolving mechanics that scale with the player's level. This would require players to think on their feet, adapt to changing situations, and collaborate effectively as a team. Each assassin could have a distinct set of abilities and tactics, ensuring that encounters remain engaging and demanding. Rewarding Victories: Successfully defeating these formidable foes should come with substantial rewards. These rewards could include rare and valuable items, unique weapon blueprints, or exclusive cosmetic items. This incentivizes players to take on these challenging encounters and enhances the sense of accomplishment. Unique Weaknesses: Assassins and their offspring could possess specific vulnerabilities or weaknesses that require players to use tactics, crowd control, or teamwork to exploit. This adds depth to the encounters and encourages players to strategize.