An open letter to Digital Extremes; Why should I play your game?

[Halisi]

I have been playing, supporting, and observing Warframes development for 5 years. I can't believe in this game anymore. I'm tired of waiting for you to finally get it. That I don't care about content anymore. It hurts to say this, but I hate playing your game. As a veteran there is only one thing I care about, the one thing that has been neglected for the entire lifecycle of Warframe. I want a core experience that makes me excited to play the game whenever new content comes out!

Why should I play this game over any other AAA experience like Dark Souls, Bloodborne, Nioh, God of War, or Darksiders? They have only a fraction of the content, but still feel more complete and engaging to play. Compared to those games, Warframe's;

- Core gameplay mechanics and animations are unpolished. Movement and combat is clunky and unresponsive.

- I don't feel excited to get a new warframes because they all play the same. They need more than four powers and a passive. Much much more. Because as of now, they feel like glorified skins.

- Enemies are boring. They take no skill to fight against. Why should I have to fight enemies with broken scaling to feel like I'm being "challenged" even though they still take no skill to fight. Why do we have to rely on broken mechanics like armor stripping, invulnerability, and hard cc that essentially makes enemies into inanimate targets.

- Why hasn't the mod system had a look since mods 2.0? This system sucks! I have to choose between doing damage and surviving, or actually customizing my playstyle. Why are there mods like damage and health increasing mods in a customization system?! This should be a part of the natural power progression.

You need to think about what the core experience of this game should be. How should we move, how should warframes play, how much damage should we do, how should our enemies fight us, what types of player skill should be require to fight back, focused balanced content or well designed endless scaling content. I and many other Vet’s have been asking these core questions for 5 years. Are you going to come up with real answers that get to the root of the issue? Or are you going to keep backing down from actual gameplay improvements like damage 3.0 and melee 3.0 in favor of content like Archwing/PoE/Fortuna that have good content but feel horrible to play because the entire game is broken?

I am not going to bang my head against this brick wall anymore, this is my sledgehammer. I want you to listen to me. 

Warframe is a bad game with too much content. There is no engaging content, and the level/power scaling is atrocious. Warframes and weapons don't feel interesting and unique to use. Your latest dev workshop was the nail in the coffin for me. It misses the entire point of why people don't like playing nyx. Her powers aren't interesting to use, they don't change how you play the game, making her static to play. That's the case for 90% of warframe powers.

If you really care about Warframe, your community, and your vets, then address these issues in your Dec 7th Devstream. Because I'm not the only Vet tired of how things are going. I don't need information, I need promises. I need you to say that you see the issues I've brought up here and that you are going to make fixing them your priority in 2019. I don't want Railjack, I don't want the new/old war. I want core. gameplay. polishes. If you go another Devstream without addressing any of this then I quit! Say goodbye to one of your dedicated master, supporter, and fan's.

All I ask is that you talk about this and recognize that it needs to move to the top of your priority list. It's not much. If this isn't addressed on the devstream in question I will uninstall warframe, and I have had the game installed on every pc I've owned since I started playing. It's the only game on my pc that I play. My hard drive will feel 'empty' without Warframe on it, but I will uninstall. Because I won't come back if you can't even respond to one little request. It will just prove that I wasted all the money and good will I invested in this game. 

I became a master founder to be a part of the design council, where I thought we would actually have a direct line to the devs to provide feedback and engage about important topics. 

[Tricky5hift]

If the game isn't doing it for you then just don't play...

[WhiteMarker]

3 minutes ago, Halisi said:

Why should I play your game?

The title is enough to not read the thread.
If you have to ask someone why you should do something, then you shouldn't do it. You, yourself, have to want it. If you need to be ordered, then something is off.

And always remember: DE doesn't have to please you, so that you can enjoy their game. It's you who has to like the game, so you can enjoy it.
Just play something else that fits your taste better.

6 minutes ago, Halisi said:

If this isn't addressed on the devstream in question I will uninstall warframe

Oh no... if you go, DE will shut down. You are the most important customer to DE. You stand above all of us. Without you, we don't know what we will do.
Btw. who are you again? And why do you sound so entitled?

[Elyndr]

I would be interested in hearing how you think they should fix Nyx. I get your complaints, and I don't agree with most of them. But if you have an idea how to fix something, lets hear your idea and not just the problems.

You say all warframes feel the same. Please tell me, using Nyx specifically, how they could change that for you.

[AdunSaveMe]

Play the game or don't play it, but this isn't feedback.

[DeMonkey]

Smells like... entitlement. 

[Asphyxiants]

Don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out.

[Tricky5hift]

I felt the exact same way towards Destiny back in the day but I'll tell you one thing, it sure as hell didn't take me 5 whole years to figure out the game wasn't satisfying for me.

I stopped playing, supporting and observing the game altogether without giving a dramatic ultimatum to the devs.

If the game really isn't what you want it to be, then why are you still playing it?

DE clearly has their own vision on what they want the game to be and if it isn't what you want out of the game then why in the hell do you think the devs will bend your way?

[Nitro747]

Him: "Why should I play your game?"

DE: "Idk lol"

[Gunslinger]

Unfortunate you won't stir up a discussion. Most likely the fanboys will come and tell you to "pLaY oThEr gAmEs iF yOu dOn'T LiKe wArFrAmE! iT's f2P, mAn"
You have enumerated some of the reasons I play so little this days. 99% that you won't see anything addressed in the devstream. Sad days.

[AndouRaiton]

Well, one of the things about your complaints is that you compare Warframe to very different games;

9 minutes ago, Halisi said:

Dark Souls, Bloodborne, Nioh, God of War, or Darksiders

These games focus on intricate combat involving timing your attacks, dodging, etc with low enemy numbers upwards to at most 10 at a time. Whilst Warframe is a horde shooter/slayer, similar to the dynasty warriors and other similar games with enemy counts over 25; The goal isn't to have some intricate fighting system, but rather to feel powerful by deleting armies and swarms of enemies with ease with amazing powers.

Despite this i do agree there is work that needs to be done about the core gameplay such as; the modding system needs a rework, enemy and player scaling need changes, and some movement such as wall hopping needs to be looked at.

However, as the others have stated, if you truly don't like the game, then maybe it's time to leave and look for something else.

[Prime-Ares]

21 minutes ago, Halisi said:

You need to think about what the core experience of this game should be.

 

21 minutes ago, Halisi said:

I want you to listen to me. 

There's more toxicity than a Toxic Ancient's Aura in your post along with overwhelming arrogance.

If you're just going to sit on the ground whining like a small child without offering any constructive criticism and simply pouting how everything isn't the way you feel so entitled for it to be for yourself alone - you don't deserve to be listened to.

Edited November 28, 2018 by Prime-Ares

[Sajochi]

So long OP. You will be forgotten quickly. 

[(XBOX)Sioks E7]

18 minutes ago, Halisi said:

and

 

23 minutes ago, Tricky5hift said:

If the game isn't doing it for you then just don't play...

Or acknowledge that he is clearly in the right and quit being a sheep, we need this game reworked asap. There is NO core gameplay, if this wasn’t a free game most people like you would guaranteed stop playing, why? Because there is no core game.

[CoreXCZ]

Frankly, your question should be why you shouldn't play it, not why you should but okay.

I play since U7, I've seen evolution of Warframe over the years and unfortunately, even devs becoming more ignorant of community. When I think years back when I began to play, DE was more opened to feedback, to ideas and wasn't worried to experiment with crazy ideas which community had. It's different now, no longer listening to community and following dream which could have been achieved even if DE listened, and maybe in much better way than it was, we can only theorize. Fact is that DE has major problems with game development, ending with dozens of bugs and issues with each big update, the culprint being people who can't just sit back and wait, must demand update to be released ASAP, ignoring fact that it could impact experience for entire community.

This isn't just Warframe and DE's problem, but of every game developer you could find. Few examples: EA (selfish and greedy company which cares only about money), DICE (lazy asses and dogs of EA, can't even study history properly to provide players with historically accurate campaing, ruining the experience in process), Telltale (already dead, because it didn't listened to people when they said that the format in which they made games is booring, unable to adapt to trends of playerbase), and I could continue with many more. Problem is that the more game developer is successful, the more ego is growing, resulting in what we have here now, developers which think their ideas and desires can make game better while most of creative community are ants with bad ideas - a lie which they believe in and don't even realize it).

Sorry, I don't mean to be toxic or arrogant but as free-time game developer myself (not professional), I know what success can lead to and it's much easier to avoid these outcomes when projects are smaller. This isn't meant to offend DE but make it stop and think for a bit and consider the possibility that things went wrong without them realizing it. Everything's possible, just saying.

Edited November 28, 2018 by CoreXCZ

[Tricky5hift]

1 minute ago, (XB1)Sioks E7 said:

 

Or acknowledge that he is clearly in the right and quit being a sheep, we need this game reworked asap. There is NO core gameplay, if this wasn’t a free game most people like you would guaranteed stop playing, why? Because there is no core game.

When have I denied him the right to voice his opinion?

He can but I probably won't take it seriously with that level of entitlement.

Pretty funny considering the Destiny community called the people pointing out the game's obvious flaws sheep.

This game has problems, I'm sure everyone can agree on it. But what exactly makes you think you can come in here with that attitude and demand change?

Edited November 28, 2018 by Tricky5hift

[(PSN)guzmantt1977]

27 minutes ago, Halisi said:

An open letter to Digital Extremes; Why should I play your game?

Because you enjoy it. 

 

That's the only real answer when you get down to the nitty-gritty, isn't it? 

[xcenic]

OP the first lesson of being in this forum is never going against the company, D.E. regrettably it has without wanting or asking for, a cult of followers who even idolize a character that they call up space mom.
If you want to vent it is better to throw what you want go to reddit or make a video, easily here will come hundreds of white knights to sabotage, derail and even insult you.

[Sajochi]

2 minutes ago, (XB1)Sioks E7 said:

 

Or acknowledge that he is clearly in the right and quit being a sheep, we need this game reworked asap. There is NO core gameplay, if this wasn’t a free game most people like you would guaranteed stop playing, why? Because there is no core game.

Calm down. OP is in the right to voice whatever they want. Everyone here does. It's just that's a strong level of entitlement they have is kind of hilarious and sad.

2 minutes ago, xcenic said:

OP the first lesson of being in this forum is never going against the company, D.E. regrettably it has without wanting or asking for, a cult of followers who even idolize a character that they call up space mom.
If you want to vent it is better to throw what you want go to reddit or make a video, easily here will come hundreds of white knights to sabotage, derail and even insult you.

Ah, the old "white knight" argument. Such a classic. I'm gonna save your post so when the same thing happens on Reddit and youtube, I can make a meme collage. 

[LarryYourWaiter]

Mate, we all hit that wall in games eventually.  Take a break.  This isn’t your job.  It’s your leisure time.  Spend it doing something you enjoy.

[(XBOX)zThulsaDoomz]

This can only end well

[(PSN)robotwars7]

8 minutes ago, Halisi said:

I want you to listen to me. 

DE don't read general discussion, so you're wasting your time if you want a direct response. this forum is members of the community to discuss the game amongst ourselves, nothing more.

10 minutes ago, Halisi said:

Why should I play this game over any other AAA experience

that can be said about any game. in fact, why play games at all? why even get up in the morning? we can all ask "why?" about anything and everything, even existence itself.

11 minutes ago, Halisi said:

Movement and combat is clunky and unresponsive.

really? I've never seen clunkiness anywhere, and unresponsive? are you sure you have a good layout on your mouse and keyboard/Controller? I've played for 3 years and never had issues with the controls or the movement.

13 minutes ago, Halisi said:

I don't feel excited to get a new warframes because they all play the same.

not sure how a glass cannon like Banshee plays anything remotely like the god-tank that is Inaros, but ok..

14 minutes ago, Halisi said:

Enemies are boring. They take no skill to fight against.

warframe is a power fantasy, those who come seeking challenge will likely not find it here. DE have tried many times to produce challenging content, to no aval. they've decided it's easier to keep pushing out easier content to maintain the rest of the audience: casuals, power fantasy lovers and those who game to relax, rather than to stimulate themselves.

16 minutes ago, Halisi said:

Why hasn't the mod system had a look since mods 2.0?

probably because there are literally hundreds of mods in the game and reworking each one to make them all useful is an almost impossible task? damage mods date back to the games inception, and in a way they are still progression: new players can't get a maxed serration off the bat, they have to either trade for the plat to buy one or go the long way and keep making enough endo each time to upgrade another rank until it maxes out. vets with tens and hundreds of thousands of Endo can level any mod at any time, but it wasn't always that easy (and it was worse in the old days of Fusion Cores, figuring out which Cores were better than others, and the pain of getting non-maxed cores that were less powerful).

21 minutes ago, Halisi said:

Warframe is a bad game with too much content. There is no engaging content, and the level/power scaling is atrocious. Warframes and weapons don't feel interesting and unique to use. Your latest dev workshop was the nail in the coffin for me. It misses the entire point of why people don't like playing nyx. Her powers aren't interesting to use, they don't change how you play the game, making her static to play. That's the case for 90% of warframe powers.

this is all your opinion. this is not to be taken as fact. plenty warframes feel interesting to me, and you also failed to explain why you find Nyx so boring. people have been doing this a lot lately: stating a problem without offering an inkling of a solution on how to fix it. giving feedback is more than just saying "this is a problem", it's saying "this is a Problem, but maybe if we try X it'll be solved" there's no harm in trying. at absolute worst you'll get shot down by people who disagree with you, but it doesn't matter, at least you're TRYING to help. this paragraph I quoted here, this is not helping.

25 minutes ago, Halisi said:

I need promises. I

gotta be careful with promises. for example, say DE comes out with "we Promise to make the melee system better". the system comes out and it's worse. now you feel as though DE broke their promise, so what's the point? making Promises on things that have yet to be determined is downright foolish. you only promise when you have absolute certainty: I.E. I promise that DE will not respond directly to this thread.

27 minutes ago, Halisi said:

I don't want Railjack, I don't want the new/old war. I want core. gameplay. polishes.

then you should probably get out of dodge, because that's what's coming in 2019, whether you want it to or not. the hype has already been built up, we've had demos and everything, it's already coming. I think DE might have even promised it at one point.

31 minutes ago, Halisi said:

I won't come back if you can't even respond to one little request.

yes, reworking the entire game definitely qualifies as a "little request"... same as how I'm sure building Rome was just a "little construction project".

32 minutes ago, Halisi said:

I thought we would actually have a direct line to the devs to provide feedback and engage about important topics. 

so did I admittedly. turns out DC don't get to do much. but the chat's a lot less toxic than region, I can actually talk to people there.

29 minutes ago, Halisi said:

Say goodbye to one of your dedicated master, supporter, and fan's.