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ChickenDrawsDogs

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    Improving WARFRAME Gameplay Loop

    in Missions & Levels

    Posted

    Improving WARFRAME Gameplay Loop

    Forewords

    I wouldn’t be where I am without WARFRAME and its community. However, as much as I enjoy the game and making fan art of it, I have to say: WARFRAME has become extremely bloated and disjointed with so many things going into it – and frankly, with so little thought as to how those things are supposed to make WARFRAME a whole, complete and enjoyable package.

    The goal of this document is to pitch a system that fully takes advantage of the game’s already-existing mechanics, encourages players’ conscious participation/consideration, as well as putting them in control of their rewards – and potential penalties – instead of relying on RNG. The document also aims to address certain aspects, namely Riven, Railjack, and Sortie Rewards.

    You may have seen the phrase “WARFRAME is dying” being tossed around a lot, but I cannot deny there are grains of truth to it. I have little experience as video game designer, so I’ll stick to simple language, leave the numbers to the experts, but know that these thoughts came from the place of utmost care and sincerity. Here’s to you, Digital Extremes and the WARFRAME community.

    ChickenDrawsDogs

    The Current Loop

    I’ve seen veteran WARFRAME players feel bored and new players become frustrated because the game has no sustainable gameplay loop. Therefore, I asked the question:

    Why do players have to grind for resources in a space-ninja game like a normal RPG (say, World of Warcraft) - while the act of BEING the space-ninja, DOING ninja stuff can contribute directly to earning resources, rewards – and in effect: make the game actually fun and not frustrating?

    POINTS System

    This system’s goal is to supplant the current resource system and create a fun, sustainable gameplay loop.

    Lore-nuts may call it the “Tenno Evaluation Council”. The Council monitors players’ performance, and rewards them POINTS for performing in-game actions, which most frequently are killing enemies – and acrobatics (parkour). Performing these in combos, in quick succession and in spectacular fashions (stylish) earn extra POINTS. Example: the base is killing an enemy while walking gains 50 POINTS, but doing so while wall-latching/aim-gliding or after bullet jumping/back-flipping/rolling earns 100, and scoring a headshot earns 200. Bonus is fixed for each kill and does not stack. However, scoring multiple headshots can stack, up to a limit (say, x10).

    Actions that score POINTS:

    -          Killing enemies – more POINTS for doing so with style, like in Devil May Cry.

    -          Performing stylish melee moves: using Stance combos, or slamming from great heights/with great precision, scoring shots on suspended enemies…

    -          Performing acrobatic chain, even for maintaining consistent movement speed for certain duration(s).

    -          Assisting teammates, which include reviving, healing, applying buffs, removing negative status effects.

    -          Synergizing abilities (example: detonating target frozen by Frost with Ember’s abilities).

    -          Completing mission objectives, with extra POINTS rewarded for fulfilling bonus objectives (a system similar to what’s already in place for PoE and Orb Vallis bounties).

    -          Executions: whether it’s using abilities (Excalibur, Ash, Loki…), stealth, or mercy.

    -          Assassination: killing bosses in open combat is one thing – but for them to never see you striking, that’s deserving of a large POINTS reward.

    Of course, warframes such as Saryn, Equinox, Ember, Mesa and weapons such as Bramma, Lenz, Ogris – called warframe/weapon of mass destruction (WMDs) may raise concern for how POINTS are rewarded. Perhaps this calls for employing a sharing system: rewards everyone (including the players controlling the WMD), but only at base-value.

    By employing this system:

    -          Players are encouraged to actively participate in combat

    -          Players are also put in control of how much POINTS they earn

    -          Take full advantage of the game’s already robust parkour mechanic instead of leaving it as just a gimmick.

    There are, of course, penalties as well:

    -          Triggering alarm on a main console in Spy subtracts (25%) POINTS from the player’s gain, both previously and afterwards. Teammates also suffer a (15%) loss. This encourages stealth, players’ coordination and more conscious use of warframes’ abilities.

    -          Letting a rescued VIP reach bleed-out state.

    -          Letting defense objective take more than (%) damage.

    Usage for POINTS

    POINTS earned during combat can then be used to purchase many kinds of resources. Basic resources are always available, but rare resources (perhaps) are locked behind certain Mastery Rank, in effect giving players incentive to advance further, while giving satisfaction to level-ups.

    Overall, the Evaluation Council system allows players to be in control of their play and certain freedom to choose.

    Resources Usage and Management

    WARFRAME has a large number of resource types, but the crafting system is not robust enough to justify that number.

    Instead, resources should be earned by players’ participation, not RNG, and used frequently. This completes the gameplay loop, and can be accomplished in a few possible ways:

    -          Damage bonus modules: instead of having Impact/Slash/Puncture damage system for all weapons: resources can be used to craft perishable modules (ammo for guns, coating for melee weapons), which can be made and equipped before a mission. Special ammos deal extra damage to specific defenses (Armor/Shield/Flesh). This is heavily inspired by Mass Effect 3’s multiplayer and The Witcher 3 blade oils.

    -          Imbuing: Resources can be used to imbue a weapon with specific stats. Example: fusing (amout) nanospore and (amount) plastid into a weapon DURING crafting results in a specific bonus (faster fire-rate, higher critical chance/damage, expanded magazine…). This encourages players’ experimentation, as well as crafting a weapon multiple times with different resource combination to find a bonus that suits their play-style. Dismantling weapons returns a portion of the resources spent. This is partly similar to the crafting system in Dead Space 3, and the Kuva Lich weapons already in the game.

    -          Combination: combining certain resources produces another, in case the player is stocked with two types of resources but lacks another.

    Of course, such a system would require a limit, such maximum storage capacity and schematics. Common resources have higher capacity than rare. Schematic can be purchased and kept permanently using Points.

    Riven Stats Implementation

    Riven Restriction aims to improve player’s agency and conscious decision making and downplay RNG.

    Players are allowed to choose and modify specific riven stats, up to three or four on a single riven mod. However, there are a few catches:

    -          Choosing one stat may lock out another entirely. Example: choosing (+DMG) on a melee riven mod locks out (+RANGE) completely.

    -          Stats that are allowed to function together, however, may impede one another. Example: increasing (+CRIT_CHANCE) reduces either (DMG) or (CRIT_MULTIPLIER) or (MAGAZINE).

    -          Disposition: riven with higher disposition may accept more bonuses. However, overloading a riven stat may cause the weapon it’s installed on to malfunction and be rendered unusable for the mission’s duration until repaired, while the riven itself is destroyed.

    Railjack

    As of this moment, Railjack is like an entirely separate game. It does not affect the rest of the game in any meaningful way, at all.

    One way to rectify this is to give players large POINTS bonuses for playing Railjack. Piloting, dodging enemy fire, assisting in kills, destroying crewships and main objectives…all provide potentially enormous POINTS gain.

    Railjack Assist:

    -          In normal (or specifically-designed) missions, players on the ground may encounter powerful enemies, or fall under fire from an out-of-reach opponent in orbit. The players on the ground can have the option to call in railjack support, controlled by another crew. These two crews of four can then coordinate in certain ways: players on the ground paint a target for the railjack crew to fire artillery, or the railjack crew can battle enemy fighters and capital ship(s) while groundside players activate an orbital defense weapons.

    -          Of course, if no railjack crew is available at the time, the ground team can have the option to split up (2-2) and tackle the mission on their own.

    -          Can you imagine the sight of a railjack swooping down, providing fire support on the Plains and Orb Vallis?

    Sortie Rewards

                    Why should players be rewarded differently for putting similar effort into completing sortie?

    From personal experience: being rewarded with an Ayatan Sculpture at the end of a difficult sortie is not a pleasant feeling, especially when other players, who went through the same ordeal, receive rare rewards. At the very least, three random rewards from each rarity (Common (bronze), Uncommon (silver), Rare (gold)) should be presented, and let the player choose what they want most.

    Also, perhaps implement the Evaluation Council system, monitor players’ performance in all three sortie missions to determine if they qualify for a bonus at the end (perhaps, a second reward). This way, players will be less likely to break up squads and more encouraged to communicate/coordinate with their teammates for the best result.

    • Like 5

    [Warframe Idea] "Thraex" the Gladiator (WITH PICTURES)

    in Fan Concepts

    Posted · Edited by ChickenDrawsDogs

    I'm just spitballing here, for fun. Inspired by Roman murmillones, this warframe in my mind is meant for direct, no-gimmick melee combat. Built by Alad V from the body of an abducted citizen, as Thraex, you are there - on the front line, tanking hits, scoring kills, taking names and kicking ass. Her abilities are meant for a close-circuit use, meaning all 4 abilities rely on and benefit from each other. I guess I'll leave the numbers to those who are more mathematically-inclined than I am. 🙂 Enjoy the illustrations. If you want to see more clearly, visit my ArtStation: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/zAGPKm

    SUMMARY:

    - Melee-heavy warframe.

    - Inspired by Roman gladiator.

    - Built by Alad V, designed specifically to counter Tennos in the Index, which explains her ability kit.

    - Signature weapon: Dual Gladius.

    chicken-draws-dogs-thraex-body.jpg?15748

    chicken-draws-dogs-thraex-abilities.jpg?

     

    And if the Corpus-built design conflicts with DE's planned lore, here's a rough sketch of the Tenno-tamed design for regular farming:

    chicken-draws-dogs-thraex-tenno-tamed.jp

     

    • Like 1

    [Illustrated] Encouraging Co-Op Play in Lich and Thralls hunting

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by ChickenDrawsDogs

    EKG6_cSUYAABwHa?format=jpg&name=large

    Thrall and Lich hunting is lonely, tedious work - and I'm not too keen on seeing my and my allies' warframes getting their backs broken again and again, it's very discouraging. So how about when a requiem fails, instead of dying instantly - why not give them 15 seconds (provided E is tapped, like Dead Space) to await assistance from allies? Not only is it fair, it also takes care of the "Why are you not killing your lich??" - "I don't have the right requiem" problem. If a rescue is successful, the attacked player gets the normal requiem progress (or a bit more wouldn't hurt), since they had to put themselves in danger, all teammates get 50% of that. 

    • Like 8
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