Forma: The Lingering Problem

[TheSphynx]

As most of us know, Update 10 went live just a few days ago. Many people complained about it, many people were completely satisfied with it. "Nekros is too hard to farm!", "I'll never see the new Golem boss, it's such a grind.", "Change Warframe to Warfarm!". It turns out, getting to the new Golem is actually incredibly easy. Farming for Nekros will only take you 5-6 hours of play. That (in most cases) is faster that it would take to farm many of the other frames in the game.

Alerts are put out for higher end items (Catalyst, Reactor, Forma Blueprints) maybe once every two to three weeks. For catalyst and reactors, that is completely fair. For a Forma (An item that you have to use in large quantities for so many different things) I think it is a bit on the ridiculous side. Sure, before Update 10, I could go run 10-20 Tower II Raids and pray for a Forma Blueprint, but actually think about how much time it takes to farm that amount of keys.

Since Update 10, nobody knows where anything drops. Hell, a Forma Blueprint might not even drop in the void anymore. So where are we supposed to farm them? Buy them with Platinum you say? Okay, If I farm up a new prime or clan weapon, I need to spend 20 Platinum to double its Mod Capacity with a catalyst. That's cool and a great deal. But now I have to put in 5 (near impossible to farm) Formas costing a total of 100 platinum AND level it 6 times?  Call me crazy, but it would be easier to farm a complete Nekros 20 times than to farm 5 formas and level that weapon 6 times.
 

Here are some purposed changes that can help fix the current Forma system:

- Make blueprints purchasable from the market. I have asked many people and a majority of those people said they would gladly pay 100k-250k credits for a blueprint.
- Make them a clan research item. Seeing that almost 90% of the Clan items need a forma to craft, this would be a great idea. Currently the oracle is just a structure. Maybe you could put the Forma research there.
- Certain Survival time. As in, reach 45m-60m and get a HIGH chance for a forma blueprint.
- Adjust RNG for Formas from Void.

TL;DR: Formas are a high demand item in Warframe. Farming for them is an unrealistic way to obtain them. Since the market seems like the only stable way to obtain them, lower the price. You need 3-5 formas per weapon, and only one catalyst/reactor, why are they the same price?

 

EDIT: Here is an updated list of the 40 Void runs and rewards (Still no Forma):

Capture I:
Orthos Prime Handle
Orthos Prime Handle
Orthos Prime Handle

Capture II:
Bronco Prime Barrel

Capture III:
Paris Prime Lower Limb
Paris Prime Lower Limb
Bronco Prime Barrel
Bronco Prime Barrel
Bronco Prime Barrel


Survival I:
Mag Prime Helmet       25m
Mag Prime Helmet       25m
Latron Prime Stock     15m
Latron Prime Stock     15m
Mag Prime Helmet       10m
Mag Prime Helmet       10m
Mag Prime Helmet       20m

Survival II:
Mag Prime Helmet       25m - Power Throw
Latron Prime Stock     15m
Mag Prime Helmet       10m
Latron Prime Stock     15m
Latron Prime Stock     15m

Survival III:
Mag Prime Chassis      15m


Exterminate I:
Paris Prime Blueprint
Paris Prime Grip
Frost Prime Helmet

Exterminate II:
Paris Prime String
Dakka Prime Handle
Dakka Prime Handle

Exterminate III:
Paris Prime Upper Limb
Paris Prime Upper Limb
Orthos Prime Blueprint
Frost Prime Chassis
Paris Prime Upper Limb


Defense I:
Fang Prime Handle

Braton Prime Stock
Braton Prime Stock
Fang Prime Handle
Fang Prime Handle
Fang Prime Handle

Defense II:
Braton Prime Stock

Out of Capture, Survival, and Exterminate keys. Onto Defense. Will keep you guys posted.

Edited September 17, 2013 by TheSphynx

[WhiteNekophus]

Sorry that i've got a forma BP in first run of capture after U10 update...

I feel, really, really sorry for you...

 

 

 

Here are some purposed changes that can help fix the current Forma system:

- Make blueprints purchasable from the market. I have asked many people and a majority of those people said they would gladly pay 100k-250k credits for a blueprint.
- Make them a clan research item. Seeing that almost 90% of the Clan items need a forma to craft, this would be a great idea. Currently the oracle is just a structure. Maybe you could put the Forma research there.
- Certain Survival time. As in, reach 45m-60m and get a HIGH chance for a forma blueprint.
- Adjust RNG for Formas from Void.
 

I agree with those anyways. +1

Edited September 15, 2013 by WhiteNekophus

[Hayden11121]

It's funny, people say Warframe is "Pay For Convenience" yet to effectively level your guns to being great, you need forma and potatoes.

 

+1, some way to reliably somehow *even if difficult* to earn forma would be great.

 

Hell, even Derelict keys with a 13% for Forma wouldn't be terrible.

[shut]

I like the Marketplace idea, but make it expensive and difficult to farm (kinda like how long it takes to farm them pre-U10, but less affected by the Random Number Genies), so that people would still gladly pay 20 Plat for the convenience should they grow impatient.

[ScopeWraith]

+1

[TheSphynx]

Sorry that i've got a forma BP in first run of capture after U10 update...

I feel, really, really sorry for you...

I ran three Tower I Captures today. Orthos Prime Handle was my reward on every run.

[Jelan]

I agree, I just need a lot of Forma and I'd rather not spend more on them, I already did quite a lot.

[MasterZalm]

Agreed. I have only three formas, and I'm reluctant to use them because I'm afraid of not getting one for a few weeks. I want to forma my new mag, and when I get it(if I get it) the nekros but I'm saving one for Boltor, so that leaves me with none, and I'm not even sure I should Forma boltor, since they might prime/wraith/etc it sometime in the future.

[General_Krull]

Correct me if I'm wrong but all clan "buildings" require at least 1 to 10 formas. All clan weapons require 1 forma to build. So I really don't feel like paying 20 plat every time I want to build a weapon. and with the current pricing single moon size clan corridor is either 100 or 200 plat in formas. Not pay to win my &#!.

[ScopeWraith]

I feel the 100k - 250k from the Market (Or even that amount of credits to duplicate the blueprint from the clan) would be one of the best option.

[TheSphynx]

Correct me if I'm wrong but all clan "buildings" require at least 1 to 10 formas. All clan weapons require 1 forma to build. So I really don't feel like paying 20 plat every time I want to build a weapon. and with the current pricing single moon size clan corridor is either 100 or 200 plat in formas. Not pay to win my &#!.

I wouldn't go as far to say the game is pay to win. I'm just saying there needs to be a reasonable adjustment in the methods it takes to obtain Formas. You're right, with clan buildings, weapons, possibly clan sentinels, and polarizing, the demand for formas are incredibly high. That is why I am saying it is incredibly hard to obtain them without using platinum.

[shadowkinz]

I dunno forma and reactors is like the one tging de is banking on to make money. every change revolves around trying to get us to use them. Even good changes like shared mods. Now that i can actually use my max ranked mods on more items, i ended up seeing how little room i had for them without forma.

Thing is i'll still never forma bc of the fact it resets my frame and removes all my mods. The new abc loadouts, do they save mod configs? I dunno now i have 70 pages of warframe mods. Having to click thru them page at a time is hell. Some of the pages don't even show up on mu screen bc they get pushed off. Anyway if forma didn't reset my item i'd have used some of the like 15-20 formas i have lol. They are still hsrd to get i know.. the reason i have so many is 350 hours of play and have only used them for clan weapons lol (making them, not polarizing them)

I refuse to forma and have to relevel a weapon i already leveled :(

[TheSphynx]

Thing is i'll still never forma bc of the fact it resets my frame and removes all my mods.

Replacing mods on a forma'd item isn't the problem. That is incredibly easy to do. The issues is obtaining them (Other than platinum). Then, when you do finally obtain one, you have only fought half the battle. Now you have to go through the entire leveling process again.

[KingTaro]

So the drop rate for forma's is drastically reduced?

According to wiki it's 12% on T2/3 exterminate. I guess that's no longer viable? Not that wiki ever felt to contain the right numbers in the first place anyway.

[Silvershadow66]

Since Update 10, nobody knows where anything drops. Hell, a Forma Blueprint might not even drop in the void anymore. So where are we supposed to farm them? Buy them with Platinum you say? Okay, If I farm up a new prime or clan weapon, I need to spend 20 Platinum to double its Mod Capacity with a catalyst. That's cool and a great deal. But now I have to put in 5 (near impossible to farm) Formas costing a total of 100 platinum AND level it 6 times? 

 

You would have to level it 6 times even if formas were a common drop. Having to re-level the weapon makes using forma something the requires a bit of work.

 

And you don't really need 6 formas to do any of the current game content unless you are trying for a record on defence or survival. Just did the new Golem with a 3 forma's Boltor and acrid without any forma, quick and easy fight,

[Hayden11121]

quick and easy fight,

Acrid makes any fight easy, mind you.

[TheSphynx]

So the drop rate for forma's is drastically reduced?

According to wiki it's 12% on T2/3 exterminate. I guess that's no longer viable? Not that wiki ever felt to contain the right numbers in the first place anyway.

Since Update 10, all of those tables on the wiki are incorrect. Items that only used to drop in the old Raid and Exterminate are being rewarded in defense and capture. That whole table is obsolete with U10.

 

You would have to level it 6 times even if formas were a common drop. Having to re-level the weapon makes using forma something the requires a bit of work.

 

And you don't really need 6 formas to do any of the current game content unless you are trying for a record on defence or survival. Just did the new Golem with a 3 forma's Boltor and acrid without any forma, quick and easy fight,

I'm not complaining about the leveling process, that isn't an issue to me. I'm simply stating that since U10, formas are incredibly hard to obtain without spending platinum. So, obtaining (laborious) AND leveling (tedious) together is exorbitant.

[ScopeWraith]

Personally. I like to max out weapons that I like. Cata'd and polarized the stalker set, as well as every prime primary in the game. Now with the lack of forma, it seems like no matter how hard I want to grind to make a weapon as powerful as it possibly can be... It isn't happening.

 

DE is continuing to release more and more weapons. They will continue to make income from weapon slots/catas/reactors/color pallets/accesories, and I will continue to spend money on those items. But... I will not spend 100 platinum to put 5 forma in a weapon that comes with no polarities, and considering there are soooo many weapons that I want to froma, cata, and work on maxing out... Overall it would be better for DE to make getting forma much easier.

 

By DE making forma more accessible, it will make F2P players not want to sell a weapon they put so much dedication and work into, when they finish that weapon they will move onto the next... Eventually until their weapon slots are full. It is a win/win for DE. It keeps the grind fun for both F2P and P2P players.

 

As I stated earlier in this post, making forma acquireable from the dojo as a 100k - 250k duplicate cost would be great. For people that already have maxed mods, and highest mastery. It gives them something to continue working on. Any extra BPs/Formas that would drop from void missions would basically be a rewarding extra.

 

TL;DR: Making forma bps a 100k-250k (from clan dojo) allows players to dedicate themselves towards certain weapons, which over time will require players to NEED more weapons slots (Not hurting DE at all). It is beneficial for P2P and F2P players by causing them both to dedicate more time into DE's game.

[General_Krull]

Personally. I like to max out weapons that I like. Cata'd and polarized the stalker set, as well as every prime primary in the game. Now with the lack of forma, it seems like no matter how hard I want to grind to make a weapon as powerful as it possibly can be... It isn't happening.

 

DE is continuing to release more and more weapons. They will continue to make income from weapon slots/catas/reactors/color pallets/accesories, and I will continue to spend money on those items. But... I will not spend 100 platinum to put 5 forma in a weapon that comes with no polarities, and considering there are soooo many weapons that I want to froma, cata, and work on maxing out... Overall it would be better for DE to make getting forma much easier.

 

By DE making forma more accessible, it will make F2P players not want to sell a weapon they put so much dedication and work into, when they finish that weapon they will move onto the next... Eventually until their weapon slots are full. It is a win/win for DE. It keeps the grind fun for both F2P and P2P players.

 

As I stated earlier in this post, making forma acquireable from the dojo as a 100k - 250k duplicate cost would be great. For people that already have maxed mods, and highest mastery. It gives them something to continue working on. Any extra BPs/Formas that would drop from void missions would basically be a rewarding extra.

 

TL;DR: Making forma bps a 100k-250k (from clan dojo) allows players to dedicate themselves towards certain weapons, which over time will require players to NEED more weapons slots (Not hurting DE at all). It is beneficial for P2P and F2P players by causing them both to dedicate more time into DE's game.

clantech forma bp and still have ready formas for 20 platinum? or remove market formas entirely? I'm really liking this idea btw

[BleuNoir]

I don't think you can even get them from ext's, that, or it's like update 8 drop rates (itt nightmare).

 

14 runs, 12 were ext and 2 were survivals.

[Hazmatzone]

It's funny, people say Warframe is "Pay For Convenience" yet to effectively level your guns to being great, you need forma and potatoes.

 

+1, some way to reliably somehow *even if difficult* to earn forma would be great.

 

Hell, even Derelict keys with a 13% for Forma wouldn't be terrible.

I've yet to spend a cent on the game yet I've got over 16 forma bps just laying around from playing the game itself. Might say "RNG" but it still gives everything to you without having to spend a dime. Only thing I complain about is the slot problem which has me stuck at a paywall because I'm getting to the point where I don't want to sell my warframes just to level up others.

 

P.S. Forma alert going on right now.

[TheSphynx]

I don't think you can even get them from ext's, that, or it's like update 8 drop rates (itt nightmare).

 

14 runs, 12 were ext and 2 were survivals.

I feel your pain. Today my goal is to use every one of my void keys in search of a forma blueprint. Aside from the one from the alert going on now, I am still going to need a lot more formas. Clan weapon crafting, possibly the clan sentinel, and polarities on the clan weapons. I have run Captures today. 3 Tower I, 1 Tower II, and 3 Tower III (7 runs total). 3 Orthos Prime Handles, 3 Bronco Prime Barrels, and 1 Paris Prime Lower Limb. I will keep you guys informed if I find a Forma in the Void.

Edited September 15, 2013 by TheSphynx

[TheSphynx]

I've yet to spend a cent on the game yet I've got over 16 forma bps just laying around from playing the game itself. Might say "RNG" but it still gives everything to you without having to spend a dime. Only thing I complain about is the slot problem which has me stuck at a paywall because I'm getting to the point where I don't want to sell my warframes just to level up others.

 

P.S. Forma alert going on right now.

16 Forma Blueprints laying around? How many hours do you have played? Also, Have you ever built a dojo, crafted a clan weapon, polarized a weapon or warframe? I'm nearing 700hrs played. I have never had anymore than 2-3 formas waiting to be crafted (back when you could run 5-10 Raids and get a Blueprint). I have easily run over 200 Tower II Raid and Exterminates. Sure, you can stock up on them, if you don't use them.

Yes, the alert is a bit ironic. As I stated in my original post though, one alert every 2 to 3 weeks isn't really going to be enough considering everything in the game that requires a Forma. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I want them to be given out like candy. I'm saying the rate at which they are obtained has gone down drastically. With more items releases requiring formas to build and warframes needing to be polarized (ie. Nekros Aura) the formas will be demanded more and more. In Update 9, the forma hunt was tolerable. In update 10, the forma hunt is near impossible.

Edited September 15, 2013 by TheSphynx

[ScopeWraith]

I've yet to spend a cent on the game yet I've got over 16 forma bps just laying around from playing the game itself. Might say "RNG" but it still gives everything to you without having to spend a dime. Only thing I complain about is the slot problem which has me stuck at a paywall because I'm getting to the point where I don't want to sell my warframes just to level up others.

 

P.S. Forma alert going on right now.

First one in about 2 weeks? Still doesn't quite make up for the lack of them in voids. Sorry. =/

 

Saying you have 16 forma blueprints laying around means you probably aren't doing something right. Why not create the formas? You have every guild weapon leveled to 30 for the mastery rating? You have a good cata'd/forma'd weapon for each of the 2 or 3 warframes you primarily play (seeing as how you don't have warframe slots)? I have personally used around 20-30 formas.

[Hayden11121]

I've yet to spend a cent on the game yet I've got over 16 forma bps just laying around from playing the game itself. Might say "RNG" but it still gives everything to you without having to spend a dime. Only thing I complain about is the slot problem which has me stuck at a paywall because I'm getting to the point where I don't want to sell my warframes just to level up others.

 

P.S. Forma alert going on right now.

How long have you played?