Arbitrations / Endless Missions 2.0 - A continued passion Project for Veteran Content

[Xzorn]

This is a Revision of a concept I've had working for a while now and although it's not 100% complete I thought this would be a good time to
present my template to the community for feedback, review and interests. This works with all Endless Missions, Arbitrations or as it's own mission.
Many aspects added to the game over the years are being implemented for a completely new and dynamic experience.

Contents:

•  Alert System
•  Dynamic Objectives
•  Environmental Consequences
•  Dynamic Environmental Encounters
•  Improved Enemy Scaling
•  Improved Enemy Abilities
•  Scaling Rewards
•  The Hunters
•  What DE Wants

 

Alert System:

 

• We all know this thing by now right? Well lets bring it to other missions but with it's own twist and for Endless missions the Alert system will be entirely elective. Even more so than the Vallis system.
• When the Alert System begins the player(s) will be presented with a random Objective to perform. This works similar to the randomly occurring bounty system in Plains of Eidolon. When an Objective is completed the Alert system will go up one level. These Objective will continue to surface long as the previous was completed.
• After the Alert level has increased a corresponding counter Objective occurs to lower the Alert level. Only one of these will be available at any given time and they will become more difficult as they become "Fortified".

 

 

 

	Alert System	Modifier Scaling
Tier 1	Enemies have additional abilities	+25%
Tier 2	Enemies have additional skills / Hazards	+25% Rewards
Tier 3	Hunters	+25% Hunter Rewards
Tier 4	Elite Hunters	+25% Hunter Rewards

Each Alert Tier will result in faster scaling enemies by 25% and more dangerous enemies with new abilities. Players may continue to complete Objectives after Alert Tier 4 as each Objective completion holds rewards based on that mission and faction type but with each completion the "Fortified" counter Objective grows in strength making it further difficult to lower the Alert level. This is intended to create a spiral that players can potentially fall into if they bite off more than they can chew. In fact this system is designed in a way that Tier 4 is only intended for groups similar to a mini Raid setting. Players will need to present teamwork at Tier 4 and actively cover for one another.

 

Dynamic Objectives:

Each tilset has a few unique Objectives based on their faction and mission type. Some are universal. All occur randomly every 15 +/- 5minutes.

This is an example of a Kuva Fortress based Objective. The players must infiltrate the Vault and collect a bit of Kuva but doing so will raise Alert levels as the Lotus warns. In addition to raising the Alert level there is a chance of incurring an Environmental Consequence as a result of your actions. Environmental Consequences are dynamic with some being tileset based and others being universal similar to the environmental hazards we have now. Corpus based maps for instance may suffer system overloads creating electrified consoles that shock players when they get too close. Toxic Gas may spew from pipes on Ceres or in case of the Kuva Fortress Defense systems may remain active instead of being triggered. These effects linger for a period of time and can occasionally layer with multiple objective completions but will eventually subside over time. Ideally no more than 2-3 will be active at one time.

* Unfinished Environmental Consequence work to be added.

As mentioned. The only way a player may reduce the Alert levels is to complete a Counter Objective. This is again an example of the Kuva Fortress where players must destroy a communications relay held within a fortified bunker. The unit types and fortification of this objective increases with each Alert Objective that is completed. This is an example of Tier 1 or 2. At higher Tiers you will see ready to fire Turrets and Grineer hidden behind cover with more dangerous enemies. The Dropship itself will even get in on the fight. Counter Objective can also be dynamic in their type and how player's approach them based on the tileset and mission type.

 

Dynamic Environmental Encounters:

After Tier 2 the player(s) will occasional get a transmission from the Lotus warning them of an incoming Hazard. These are not generally constant like the ones triggered by a player completing Objectives though they may have minor lasting effects. These hazards are one time situations that are quite deadly if no action is taken.

This is an example of a Grineer Galleon tileset Environmental Encounter. Player(s) will be warned in advance of an incoming attack then a final warning is called moments before the hazard occurs. In this case a fellow Grineer ship has decided a ship is a small price to pay for the death of a Tenno. The results are deadly explosions occurring within this specific tile with an after effect of that tile being exposed to the vacuum of space. Environmental Encounters will generally occur less often than Objectives. They're intended to cause an "Oh $%^&" moment but not nag the player(s) so they will be uncommon by comparison.

 

Improved Enemy Scaling & Abilities:

For this example I'm going to use Void enemies because I think most are pretty familiar with them. Esp long term players.

This seems fairly straight forward. Enemies gain new abilities but it layers further into the Hunter encounters which are the big kick in legitimate difficulty. This is mostly intended to change enemy AI slightly and make their actions less predictable as Alert Tiers increase. Corrupted Lancer will be able to slide quickly in and out of cover at Tier 2. Likewise Corrupted Crewman will gain the ability to rapidly fire their shotgun from cover emptying the magazine then taking cover again. Fusion Moa will deploy their Drone on death if they have not already deployed.

 

Scaling Rewards:

Simple and straight forward here. Each Tier will increase rewards gained through Rotations, Enemy drops (Including Hunters) and completed objectives. All of these are modified by the Alert Tier the player(s) are currently at however the rewards do not continue to scale past Alert 4 modifiers. You simply get more rewards for more effort.

 

-=The Hunters=-

At Tier 3 and Tier 4 a random Hunter of the Origin system may show up. Hunter's have no allegiance to any faction.

• Hunters are a mini-boss system designed to challenge players with legitimate mechanics and strategies.
• Hunter are not completely immune to any game mechanic at all times but might punish certain effects being used against them.
• Each one has a different specialty, method of attack and weakness. At Tier 3 a hunter will Soft Counter one or more tactics.
• This is intended to make them very difficult for a frame using that specific tactic but not impossible. They will stress the performance of a player at this stage.
• At Tier 4 a Hunter will Hard Counter specific tactics making them theoretically impossible to Solo for a frame they're specialized against.
• Hunters at Tier 4 will required group effort to both kill and save a fellow player they are specialized against.
• Hunters have no interest in other enemies or Defense objectives. They simply want the Tenno dead as such they will only see Tenno as targets.
• Hunters will drop special Rewards based on the Hunter and the mission type to recover time spent fighting them. Hunters always come prepared.
• Hunters react differently to some CC effects. As example they will not float from Lantern but other enemies will react normally and be attracted to them.
• Hunters have Diminishing Returns on the same CC used against them but do not become immune. Results under 1 second are treated as staggers.
• Each Hunter will have a Unique announcement of their impending arrival to allow player(s) to react and prepare accordingly.

 

Kah'Dra, Master of Hounds - (Stealth Counter) Kah'dra has a dual fighting technique based on if she's located her prey or not. She will use her Quartack when she has a target in sight and stand her ground with a Marelok / Shield when she has yet to find her prey. Her hounds will respond to attacks made against her while seeking out prey.

 

• Tier 3: (Soft Counter) Kah'dra's hounds will quickly charge the location of incoming ranged attacks made against her. The hounds deal AoE damage in a small radius when they strike a target or terrain. The hounds will return to Kah'dra's side if they cannot find a target. Upon returning they can attempt to charge again.
• Tier 3: (Soft Counter) Kah'dra will equip her trusty Marelok and Reinforced Lancer Shield when she cannot find a target. She will attempt to face the direction of any attacks made against her. Her shield is not subject to Punch-Through and she's able to use a Shield Slam against melee attackers.
• Tier 4: (Hard Counter) Kah'dra's hounds can now mark players within 20m of them. Up to two players can be marked at a time and Kah'dra gains visibility on those targets.
• Tier 4: (Hard Counter) Kah'dra gains a portion of health when her hounds deal damage to a marked player.
• Tier 4: (Hard Counter) Kah'dra will use her Quartack on marked enemies with improved effect.

 

 

 

Rayne - (Camping Counter) Rayne is a deadly assassin able to easily dispatch any target foolish enough to stand in her path. Armed with a Glaive and Nikana she has the ability to turn invisible, dispel effects in an area and strike a foe with deadly force from range or melee combat.

 

 

Tier 3: (Soft Counter) Rayne will disappear in a haze of grey mist. While invisible wisps of grey will linger from her movements as she attacks with her Nikana. If she is dealt enough damage she will become visible again.
Tier 3: (Soft Counter) When visible Rayne keeps her distance, attacks with her Glaive and will dispell an area of one Warframe created Object within the area.
Tier 4: (Hard Counter) When visible Rayne will channel for a short time covered in red mist afterwards she will teleport to a location and perform a melee finisher attack on a target within 5m of her location this ability cannot be interrupted.
Tier 4: (Hard Counter) Rayne can now Dispell all instance of Warframe created Objects in an area.

 

 

 

Prox - (Ability Counter) Nicknamed Prox, this Ex-Corpus Elite has managed to leave his fellow Credit mongers behind but not before taking his rightfully owed Ambulas. After heavy modification Prox's Ambulas serves as a mechanized transport in addition to the assault class robot it was created as. Prox is capable of acting as one unit or splitting into two separate attack forces to overcome foes. Prox himself handles a Convectrix with ease while his mechanized counter part hoist a mighty Velocitus.

 

 

 

 

Tier 3: (Soft Counter) While together Prox can only face one direction at a time. Cycling Convectrix in waves while charging shots from Velocitus with a warning beam on it's target. He can keep two separate targets.
Tier 3: (Soft Counter) Warframe abilities that strike Prox will decrease the charge time on his Velocitus.
Tier 3: (Soft Counter) Warframe abilities that CC Prox will be greatly reduced in duration each time they're affected This reduction does not apply to his modified Ambulas.
Tier 4: (Hard Counter) Warframe abilities that effect Prox will now also increase the damage output of his Convectrix.
Tier 4: (Hard Counter) When Prox is affected by CC he will separate from his staggered Ambulas harnessing collected and nearby Warframe energy while taking flight. Prox himself is surrounded by a shield making him Immune to CC effects only. Ambulas can act independently from Prox when able.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phalga, The Lost - (eHP Counter) A monstrous rogue creation from early stage Helminth strain experiments. This early attempt did not fully protect his mind from the Infestation yet did not create the desired result of a Warframe either. Phalga is lost somewhere between. As a hybrid he retains abilities from the base strain of the Virus and Warframe-like abilities. Phalga can manifest fiery bile in his wake and hurl it at foes. Spewing Technocyte swarms and manifesting pyres of bile as he quakes his surroundings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tier 3: (Soft Counter) Fiery Bile lingering from Phalga's movement deals % of the player's combine Max Shields/Health as True damage per second and slows players by 50% for 5 seconds.
Tier 3: (Soft Counter) Continuously creates Infested Swarms that will quickly latch onto nearby players. These Swarms prevent healing from any sources.
Tier 3: (Soft Counter) Bile Eruption deals 25% True damage to player(s) caught in the blast. Bile throw attacks deal 15% at moderate flight speed. Eruption channeling can be Interrupted.
Tier 4: Gains % Max health from every % of damage dealt to player(s).
Tier 4: Lingering Bile Slows players by 75% and will bypass immunity if the player is affected by swarm.
Tier 4: Bile Eruption now deals 50% True damage to players caught in the blast. Bile Throw deals 25%.
Tier 4: Infested Swarms drain % of player's Max Shields/Health as True Damage per second.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hunter Weak Point Examples:

Spoiler

 

Some Hunters have abnormal weak points but these weak points are subject to lower mitigation values in addition to increased damage modifiers.

This is intended to reward good aim and discourage AoE spam tactics.

As example Prox has two vents on each side front and back as weak points while Phalga's weak points are his exposed Infested boils.

Concept Hunter Drop Tables:

• Hunters have three different drop tables.
• One table is Hunter specific. This Hunter will always drop the listed item when defeated.
• One table is shared among all Hunters. Any Hunter has a chance to drop the listed items.
• The last is Mission specific. Hunters will only drop these items when they appear in specific missions.

*Sanctuary Module is for Defense missions. This will shield the Objectives from damage. The amount is based on the level of Hunter defeated.
*Hunter Sigil / Emblems change and glow brighter based on Tier and the level range player(s) attained them adding Prestige value to higher Challenge.
*Ephemra are Hunter specific. Prismatic Circuit footprints, Kuva Fluid footprints, Infested Spore body.
*Ephemra are only attainable once per player. If the player currently owns said Ephemra the hunter will instead drop double value from Hunter specific table.

 

Challenge Vs Difficulty

*Green represents our current state for the most part. Yellow / Orange / Red represent compounding Difficulty and Challenge per Tier.

 

What DE Wants:

DE Explaining what they are looking for in scaling / endless missions / end-game and addressing rewards.

Check List:

• Adds more "letters" ie additional B / C drops
• Does not Scale forever
• Reads the players mind through mission type and objective type
• Bite Size Warframe still intact
• Reduces a players interest in specific rotation rewards

 

TO-DO Stuff / Wish List:

• Add more Hunters
• Add more Hazard examples.
• Linear or Exponential scaling?
• Scaling Speed?
• "Difficulty Slider" influence starting level of missions?
• Add Account server Sync every 20 minutes?
• Add Checkpoint system for Invite only game Sessions?
• Seasonal Leaderboard System with Display?

If you made it this far then thanks for reading. I really think this is the kinda challenge, dynamic missions and group cooperation this game needs. Best part is I'm at least attempting to do it without any cheese perma immune. Just using the mechanics we have with punishing consequences which I think Veterans will appreciate by pulling all their game knowledge together.

 

Edited May 1, 2019 by Xzorn

[(PSN)jaggerwanderer]

I want to add random sorties effects somewhere. But they're not pernament. Always changing. Maybe during each reward or objective rotation? Or it could be some of the enviormental hazards? I don't think going the world of warcraft mythic+ dungeon is a good idea. You can only handicap the players so much until it becomes pointless.

[Kylo.]

This sounds amazing, but that is going to take forever for them to implement. 

[(XBOX)YoungGunn82]

Put a Umbral Forma bp in there somewhere and we are in business.

[justin0620]

From the video of devstream, if the only idea they have was the AABC reward system, how about change it to the relic system. Like players can actually choose the reward. I know this is completely against their whole RNG make the tenno grind concept, but this is something I would like to see.

[Xzorn]

15 minutes ago, (PS4)jaggerwanderer said:

I want to add random sorties effects somewhere. But they're not pernament. Always changing. Maybe during each reward or objective rotation? Or it could be some of the enviormental hazards? I don't think going the world of warcraft mythic+ dungeon is a good idea. You can only handicap the players so much until it becomes pointless.

 

Oh thanks. I missed that part of the revision. I intended for there to be around max 2-3 Environmental conditions going at once. It would get silly with 10 different things going on all over the place but I liked the idea of being able to have multiple at once if you push too hard thus having to deal with the consequences by compounding conditions. Quicker rewards through faster Objectives but more risk with possibly layering Environmental effects.

I also wanted it to be more terrain based. Not like "Fire" you have half health for some reason but fire, step in this and it hurts.

[(PSN)psycofang]

I like your idea, its well explained, concise and reasonable. 

Even if its chance of being noticed is a snowballs in hell.ill.back this up.

[Urlan]

Interesting concept at the least.

[Veridian]

1 hour ago, Xzorn said:

O

I somehow want to play that right now, maybe put it in some forum that will be seen?

Just one thing left me wondering. Does the 1 death modifier remain and if so, wouldn't Rayne's finisher be a bit too much, maybe have some slight visual queue on location.

P.S. someone's been playing early 2000 vampire games 😉

[Genesix6]

Okay, guys

THIS IS EPIC

[Xzorn]

2 hours ago, (PS4)psycofang said:

I like your idea, its well explained, concise and reasonable. 

Even if its chance of being noticed is a snowballs in hell.ill.back this up.

One can hope. 🙂

 

33 minutes ago, Ver1dian said:

I somehow want to play that right now, maybe put it in some forum that will be seen?

Just one thing left me wondering. Does the 1 death modifier remain and if so, wouldn't Rayne's finisher be a bit too much, maybe have some slight visual queue on location.

P.S. someone's been playing early 2000 vampire games 😉

I made it pretty open ended so a tweak here or there and it fits anywhere. Arbitrations / Endless missions seemed ideal but it could be it's own mission.

The limited life thing for Arbitrations is tricky. It tends to favor tanky frames and allowing players to use an Ancient Healer Specter to get x10 eHP kinda diminishes risk. I had a few ideas like preventing players from being able to revive each other outside the 4 revives from Vazarin Focus School and otherwise players have their set number of revives. That one seemed like it would be fair to all play types or maybe a less restrictive concept like just disable the use of Specters.

Bloodrayne =D  Yea, a little nod there from long ago. Her Teleport along with Phalga's Eruption is highly telegraphed. I kinda left some descriptions out for creative purposes in case the idea gets picked up. Even left some % values on Phalga blank cuz that just has to be play tested. I can't justify %Damage on a guesstimate.

Edited March 22, 2019 by Xzorn

[German]

Fantastic ideas! Game def needs this and more things like that.

[(XBOX)Sin of Ego]

Sounds like Warframe 2 for me...

[(PSN)jaggerwanderer]

Idea for more debuff came up... "disable mod polarity" In other words any mod with that polarity becomes useless for the duration. Be it on the warframe, primary, or melee, as long as it has that polarity, it's nullify. This is done during the mission not before so players can't prepare for it.

[HugintheCrow]

1 hour ago, (PS4)jaggerwanderer said:

Idea for more debuff came up... "disable mod polarity" In other words any mod with that polarity becomes useless for the duration. Be it on the warframe, primary, or melee, as long as it has that polarity, it's nullify. This is done during the mission not before so players can't prepare for it.

*Locks V*

*The mission is now impossible as every single Lancer is now effectively immortal*

[Xzorn]

19 hours ago, (PS4)jaggerwanderer said:

Idea for more debuff came up... "disable mod polarity" In other words any mod with that polarity becomes useless for the duration. Be it on the warframe, primary, or melee, as long as it has that polarity, it's nullify. This is done during the mission not before so players can't prepare for it.

 

Debuff? Do you mean the Environmental Consequences?

I'm attempting to avoid from limiting abilities and mechanics of the game. I created a sub-set of rules for Hunter's on how they react to certain effects but the abilities still have function. They're not Immune unless it's specific to the Hunter's specialty and counter attacks. It's less about crippling the players and more about punishing wrong actions.

The idea of dynamic objectives is there to help prevent players from being able to fully prepare for the mission ahead like we can now with Sorties and such. It should disperse meta team comps or tactics a bit but not to where player's don't know which weapons to bring or elements to use. If you're doing a Grineer Defense mission then you have a core concept to work with still but can't fully prepare from all angles because of the random nature of Objectives, Consequences and Hunters.

[(PSN)jaggerwanderer]

Oh yeah I get where you're going with it. Impead the players progress rather than halt it entirely. GIve players a mean to struggle then let them overcome it with effort and ingenuity. I call it debuff because well... what else is it called? Not really a hazard more of a over arcing handicap place within the mission.

[LarryOtter]

Am 22.3.2019 um 06:41 schrieb Xzorn:

Add more Hunters

There are already some characters that would make cool hunters (stalker gang,the wolf after the Nightwave is over (would be a way to get the rewards), zanuka or the grustag three) of course diffrent versions with new mechanics.

[LarryOtter]

Also I think having a limited number of keys for this game mode (maybe one BP per week like ayatan(which you can share of course)) would be really cool because:

• It Would give incentive to go as long as possible to get the most out of one key (just like t4 keys)
• It Let DE give greater rewards because players can’t just restart the mission endlessly 
• It Would Make it feel more special

[Xzorn]

On 2019-04-23 at 10:21 AM, LarryOtter said:

There are already some characters that would make cool hunters (stalker gang,the wolf after the Nightwave is over (would be a way to get the rewards), zanuka or the grustag three) of course diffrent versions with new mechanics.

 

Plenty of Hunter concepts from existing mini-bosses could be added. They just need to be designed in a manner that's fair but punishing. The ones I posted were more or less foundation concepts to show how we can get Solo players to pay attention to mechanics and get groups to aid or rely on each other as a team.

A key based system would be great for incentivizing player's interest in making the mission "An Event" of sorts. Maybe long as they were given out in a timed manner but you were not limited to the number you could keep so players could just go 4 in a row on a day off or something. That would be a breath of fresh air compared to endless Relics where you're confined to a rotation time or Raids where you could only do one a day.

The player has limited intake on keys but can use them when they want like the old Void days. Playing on our time; not DE's.

[Metal_Sign]

sounds like fun. 

The thought of some random guy showing up and deciding to be outright immune to cc sounded annoying at first, but if the guy isn't outright immune to game mechanics in general, it doesn't seem that bad for those that rely on cc, since as long as they're not Vauban they can probably use other CC'd enemies to wall his shots while they do whatever offense they have. Weird enough to force a variation in playstyle, but not "X showed up; you have to go home now."

Limited keys sounds somewhat unfun, unless you can do something to earn more.
I'd hate for the only gamemode with an idea of difficulty that isn't "you can't play the game" to be limited by "you can't play this game anymore."

[Xzorn]

On 2019-05-22 at 11:20 AM, Metal_Sign said:

sounds like fun. 

The thought of some random guy showing up and deciding to be outright immune to cc sounded annoying at first, but if the guy isn't outright immune to game mechanics in general, it doesn't seem that bad for those that rely on cc, since as long as they're not Vauban they can probably use other CC'd enemies to wall his shots while they do whatever offense they have. Weird enough to force a variation in playstyle, but not "X showed up; you have to go home now."

 

This is exactly the kinda innovating playstyles I was hoping for by not making enemies immune but instead punish certain actions.

The idea of using other enemies to body block is exactly the kinda change in thinking I enjoy when you don't simply remove options from the player but instead make them second guess how that option could and should be used. Obviously you don't wana CC the hunter that punishes it but it hardly makes CC pointless in the fight.

[Ikyr0]

this is really cool. just thought I'd bump it. I've sort of lost hopes of DE implementing properly scaling content. The recent Arbie changes were a step in the right direction, but good scaling doesn't really exist anywhere else.

Edited June 18, 2019 by Ikyr0