Put Empyrean 100 hours deep into the game, DE.

[NaoEthelia]

This thread is a response to the recent interview here. There's already so much to do in early game, yet not much at the late game. New players should be focusing on learning the game's basics and itineraries, and adding Railjack into the fray would add more complexity creep to the new player experience. It's better if you put Empyrean on the later part of the game, DE.

Just my two cents.

[DrivaMain]

Locking it at MR 10 or above would be a good requirement, because that's when most players have started to touch endgame content (eidolons, sorties, arbitrations, etc) or at least finish all main story line quest to allow the Railjack to be usable or replicated (if the clan finished the research).

[Genitive]

It would be nice to summarize the article if you link it, especially when it is in a language most of us don't speak.

From what Steve said railjack is supposed to be a system tying the game together, it won't be several nodes that we unlock on the star chart. If it is going to be as integrated as they want it to be, it is going to be one of the basics.

Instead asking to put it deep in the game, ask what it has to offer deep in the game.

[(XBOX)Zweimander]

I would be down for them locking it behind doing all the current quests and killing the Ropadopalist. Give veterans something that new players just cant pile on instantly and they at  the very least have to earn the right to obtain it and or use it.

[Azvalk]

I spend my time helping new players on twitch, so I have a rather good idea of what the beginning of the game offers to newcomers.
- Simple old mission type
- Cetus ( Gara quest )
- Fortuna ( Vox solaris Quest ) 40% fail by lack of power.
- A little farming for the essential mods on excavation mission
- New attempt on Fortuna ^^
- Progression through the junctions.
- Archwing quest
- Questions about clan ..
- Slow down, on the way to Saturn, because of an objective of the junction that requires crafting. Same towards Uranus.
- Little exploration of the Void, to find rare mods.
- Natah Quest

That, is what I call, the beginning of the game..
It's.. 3-4-5 days I think..for a player who seriously jump into the game universe.

Then, the player encounter Second dream, and this quest, is essential to show what Warframe really is.

At this time, the player may be rank 5-6.

We could introduce the railjack at this moment, with the condition of be member of a clan.. but I think at this time, it's a little to early. Maybe we could just visit the railjack of a clan, but not using it.

In War within, there is a mission in archwing mode.
If the tenno were in possession of a Railjack at this moment of his adventure, why would he came in archwing ? '-'
Hm.. I know, the very secured "corridor"..
But, to take no risk, piloting the railjack should be just after War within.

If we should wait until the tenno obtain more independence, then Railjack should logically be put after "prologue apostasie".

But that is very far from the beginning..
I mean Railjack will massively attract people, but  if it's this far, they will need to be satisfied, all along the journey to railjack, without be hurted by the idea "oh this is a grindy game, why I do no damage, I don't understand this mod system"

I hope the remastering of the beginning will be glorious, cause it will be necessary for that.

il y a 9 minutes, Genitive a dit :

If it is going to be as integrated as they want it to be, it is going to be one of the basics. 

Well.. So I hope it will be gloriously integrated into the remaster of the beginning.

Personally, I have no problem if Railjack is accessible from the beginning. I don't see how it could hurt "endgame content" of it.
The minimum is just after Archwing quest, and acces to a clan.

And if it's tied in someway with the two openworlds ( because of the atmospheric transition ), maybe the intro quest of each would be requiered.

[Birdframe_Prime]

Somehow, I don't think it's going to be possible to limit this beyond the way DE already does limit access to some things (having completed a set quest).

The reason is that Empyrean is a Clan function, building the ship and customising it happens in the Dojo room. So anyone that joins an existing clan will be able to go see this room and see what's going on.

But, the missions themselves? That's the key here, you can prevent players from starting content that they haven't completed the right Quests for. Meaning... all that DE have to do is make there be a short Quest for Empyrean and schedule it appropriately behind things like The Sacrifice.

[NaoEthelia]

2 hours ago, Genitive said:

It would be nice to summarize the article if you link it, especially when it is in a language most of us don't speak.

From what Steve said railjack is supposed to be a system tying the game together, it won't be several nodes that we unlock on the star chart. If it is going to be as integrated as they want it to be, it is going to be one of the basics.

Instead asking to put it deep in the game, ask what it has to offer deep in the game.

From a reddit post: 

During E3 2019, the editorial department had an opportunity to interview Rebecca Ford, a developer Digital Extremes. This time, I asked about new content, such as the next expansion and a new frame.

First of all, please introduce yourself briefly.
Rebecca Ford: I'm Rebecca Ford. I'm a Live Operations & Community Director at Digital Extremes. I'm in charge of "Warframe" and I have been working on it for nine years. I'll be working on Warframe for a long time to come.

How many active players are there currently?
Rebecca: The number we can reveal is that there are 50 million "Warframe" accounts. That's 50 million people around the world playing this game.

What is the population distribution by country?
Rebecca: There are a lot of users in the United States. Overall, the United States is the largest, but other regions are quite similar. If you can show the numbers I think it's amazing.

How about Japan?
Rebecca: Japan is in the top 15 countries. Japan is also a big market for us, and it seems that everyone in Japan likes what we release. It's a mix of anime and Canadian Sci-fi. As the director is a fan of "Guyver" and "Neon Genesis Evangelion", these two influence the direction of the game.

How many people are involved in the development of "Warframe"?
Rebecca: There are almost 300 people now. There were only 10 people when I joined, so it's a big leap (laughs). At the time there were about 150 people in the studio, but I was involved in another project. Now everyone is involved in Warframe.

What is the popular frame in the development team?
Rebecca: Maybe Excalibur.

The Nintendo switch version has been released. How has the community changed with this?
Rebecca: I love Nintendo because I grew up playing Nintendo hard. Nintendo users are creative and kind, and they value games as pure entertainment, so they are making the community more healthy.

Do you have a plan for cross-platform?
Rebecca: I do not know. If so, cross-platform will be the most difficult. I think cross-save is better than that.

So like a PS4 version at home and a Switch version outside?
Rebecca: That's right. I think it is difficult, but I would like to do it.

If there is a next-generation console, will you release the next-generation Warframe?
Rebecca: I think this game is already a seven-year-old game, so I think it is a choice to make a sequel or to continue updating it, but at the moment you can play Warframe on all platforms as much as possible so I want to continue updating.

Google announced Stadia, are you interested?
Rebecca: It's amazing! This game is a free-to-play game, so the more platforms you have, the better.

Please tell us about the next expansion, Empyrean. Will it have PvP?
Rebecca: No. Although the scale is different, imagine the space version of "Sea of Thieves". I have my own battleship and I have a gunner. While visiting familiar planets, you can do dogfights in space, board enemy spaceships, and blow up their mothership. It is completely different from the previous "Warframe".

Can I play with other random players?
Rebecca: Yes, we will use matchmaking, so it can be played by up to four people.

In the trailer, battleships were fighting each other, but what kind of battle is it actually?
Rebecca: The weapons they carry are important. First of all, battleships will shoot each other, but there are times when the enemy boards you, so you aren't using gunners all the time. It's quite troublesome when they get in.

Does the ability of a battleship change depending on the equipped frame, etc?
Rebecca: There is no such effect because battleships have inherent abilities.

What kind of reward can you get with Empyrean?
Rebecca: Good question! I haven't announced anything yet, but there is a battleship upgrade and it is possible to strengthen shields, speed, power and more. There is also a huge reward, but this will be announced in the future.

When can Empyrean be played?
Rebecca: You will need a clan, so you need to be in a clan. In fact, it is difficult to answer this question, and it has not yet been decided if we want people to play 100 hours first, or if they can join the game and immediately play. As we have to playtest first, we have not decided on it now.

Do you plan to add an archwing?
Rebecca: That is the plan. It will be an interesting module. (?)

The Runner Warframe and the Oni Frame are newly announced . What kind of frame are they?
Rebecca: The Runner Warframe is based on a speedometer concept. It's like a race car. Increase the engine speed with an accelerator and overheat the enemy, being careful not to overheat yourself. Oni Frame is a frame that swallows the enemy. As it is the first huge frame, it's brutal and uses the enemy's life.

Wukong will be reworked. Do you have plans for other frames?
Rebecca: The Wukong rework will take place in the next few weeks. It is probably Vauban after that. We'll go back to the old ones and make adjustments to make them more fun to play.

What is the next prime frame to be added?
Rebecca: The answers is hidden in the answers so far!

Sentient tiles have been announced. What is this map like?
Rebecca: It is a map of unprecedented scale and is automatically generated. Because the ultimate villain is at the root castle, it is vast, alien chic, flashy, in Gore .... Because the Sentient is an artificial race, it has a completely new look and is designed to be unprecedented in space. It's like a reward for veteran players.

So far, there are two open world zones, Earth and Venus, but is there any further development going on?
Rebecca: Yes, it will be announced at Tennocon. You may see something under development.

What will be the biggest feature announced at Tennocon?
Rebecca: Empyrean is big. It's made using what we have learned so far. Shooter element, space element ... Space segmetns have not been very popular so far, but I make this into a wonderful thing. The space battles have to be fun.

Are there any plans for events in Japan?
Rebecca: I wanted to do it last year! But the timing did not match. I wanted to go to the Tokyo Game Show, but there was an update. I would definitely like to go to Tokyo Game Show in the future. In fact, I have never been to Japan, so I think it would be fun to have a small event in Japan. You can come too!

Gore is regulated in the PS4 version of Japan, but are you planning to loosen the regulation?
Rebecca: I'll see what we can do! More blood! Please put up with green blood if it is impossible. The German version is green (laughs).

People say that beginners do not know what to do without a wiki, but what do you think?
Rebecca: I understand the situation and I think it is a problem. People without friends already playing don't know what to do without a wiki. We're planning to improve the intro, and I'm going to announce something at Tennocon.

Some people say that long-range melee attacks are too strong compared to short-range melee attacks, what do you think?
Rebecca: I think that's right. We're trying to make melee attacks better and we're planning to balance them. It's going to be as powerful and pleasant as a ranged attack.

You often post photos of cosplay, do you like cosplay?
Rebecca: Yes, I love it! If you are a game creator, it's the best. The character of the game is digital, but I think it's great that cosplay makes it a reality.

Lastly, please give a message to Japanese fans.
Rebecca: I love you all. Thank you for making Warframe a success in Japan. I'm really happy to have a fan in Japan.

Thank you very much.

[Tiltskillet]

Just now, NaoEthelia said:

What is the next prime frame to be added?
Rebecca: The answers is hidden in the answers so far!

OT, but this makes it sound like Wukong is next rather than Atlas.

[Althaline]

It would probably be best if Empyrean were locked until a player had access to all the planets, at least. Especially so if it's going to function as an alternative to the starchart.

[Birdframe_Prime]

4 hours ago, Tiltskillet said:

OT, but this makes it sound like Wukong is next rather than Atlas.

Agreed, because that's the only frame mentioned besides Vauban...

[(PSN)AyinDygra]

Depending on how in-grained they want Empyrean's railjack system to be with starchart travel, they might need to make it gradually unlocked:

* For some story reason, you get access to a railjack to fly between planets/railjack the solar rails upon reaching your oribter.
At this point, you cannot go on any railjack "mission nodes" (if there are said nodes) alone if archwing objectives are required in those nodes. At this point, you cannot leave the railjack because you do not have an archwing. You can assist with onboard operations of the railjack: manning a weapon turret, defense of the ship when boarded, piloting, ship-hacking, repairs

Optionally: To attempt a railjack node that requires archwing objectives, at least one member must be able to leave the railjack. (this may be troublesome/game-breaking with people disconnecting/host migrations, so perhaps you can only go on mission nodes that do not require anyone to perform archwing objectives... until...)

* You pass the archwing quest
Now, you can officially take part in railjack "mission nodes" on your own, that require leaving the ship via archwing. This is all well and good for a while, but if you were stuck with an MK-weapon loadout for long, you wouldn't get far... so...

* You start/join a clan with a railjack dock.
Now, you can modify/upgrade your personal railjack.

 

[Tiltskillet]

43 minutes ago, Birdframe_Prime said:

Agreed, because that's the only frame mentioned besides Vauban...

Well, Excalibur... 😜

[Xzorn]

Ya know. In spite of DE always talking improving "The new Player Experience" I find early parts of the game are all they pay attention to.

Put your best foot forward, sure. Yet It's a little more then that. You can even take the tilesets by comparisons. Earth Remastered, Plains remastered, Fortuna, Jupiter. Even Ceres a newer tileset was move from high level to lower level. Meanwhile Pluto and Sedna are the highest yet oldest tilsets. There's of course two exceptions. Kuva and Lua. Both 7 missions. Point being DE has been doing this for a long time and not strictly content but also graphically.

There is no long term player development interest in the game and there certainly isn't any veteran prestige. The recent Nightwave rewards show that. Gamma Color set and Rift Sigil. Given away. Most content put in place at late game are bordering on gambling systems to keep players occupied with no content to fulfill that interest. I don't think that's going to change either.

They want new players to be Wow'd by all the stuff the game has to offer but what a new player sees in that first month really is all the game has to offer because they keep their interest on the new player experience. What efforts they do make for late game are low interest. Arbitration, Sorties, Kuva Survival. All recycled content we already had.

[Birdframe_Prime]

54 minutes ago, Tiltskillet said:

Well, Excalibur... 😜

We. Do not talk. About. Excal Prime. Where the General comments can find him.

[Xzorn]

57 minutes ago, Birdframe_Prime said:

We. Do not talk. About. Excal Prime. Where the General comments can find him.

 

Hey, just think. 1 or 2 more seasons and Excal Prime will be strong as Umbra then Founders can justify using him again.

Only a lil over a year to revert that Veteran love.

Personally I think the moment they made Umbra Forma they should have given 3 to all founders to avoid that problem.

Edited June 26, 2019 by Xzorn

[Neuerwinter]

On 2019-06-26 at 12:47 PM, NaoEthelia said:

How many active players are there currently?
Rebecca: The number we can reveal is that there are 50 million "Warframe" accounts. That's 50 million people around the world playing this game

Top kek, the interviewer asks how many active players are there, and she replies with 50 million registered accounts= we have 50 million people playing, yet we can’t pay for servers and still rely on the old as the internet p2p.

I d bet my kidney they can’t even reach one million of individual players in the span of two months, across all platforms

Edited June 27, 2019 by Neuerwinter

[(PSN)RenovaKunumaru]

On 2019-06-26 at 2:31 AM, NaoEthelia said:

This thread is a response to the recent interview here. There's already so much to do in early game, yet not much at the late game. New players should be focusing on learning the game's basics and itineraries, and adding Railjack into the fray would add more complexity creep to the new player experience. It's better if you put Empyrean on the later part of the game, DE.

Just my two cents.

Not gonna happen. Here's why:

If new players can't participate in what they see in a trailer or commercial, they're less likely to stay engaged. That's the DE philosophy.

[(PSN)reddragonhrcro]

Ok sounds like we have another open-world incoming.

[CuChulainnWD]

I have no problem with new players being able to hop aboard a ship with or with out a clan, just make the Tau system or new star map accessible to Vets, or those MR 15 and above.

[NaoEthelia]

5 hours ago, Neuerwinter said:

I d bet my kidney they can’t even reach one million of individual players in the span of two months, across all platforms

That's a dangerously low number you're throwing there for your kidney.

[NaoEthelia]

2 hours ago, (PS4)reddragonhrcro said:

Ok sounds like we have another open-world incoming.

Nah, Steve specifically stated no open world this TennoCon. Probably content expansion for open-world.

[NaoEthelia]

2 hours ago, CuChulainnWD said:

I have no problem with new players being able to hop aboard a ship with or with out a clan, just make the Tau system or new star map accessible to Vets, or those MR 15 and above.

Make that MR10. MR10 is realistically where all players had began to touch the lategame. MR15 is a big slog -- bigger than neccessary.

[NaoEthelia]

3 hours ago, (PS4)RenovaKunumaru said:

Not gonna happen. Here's why:

If new players can't participate in what they see in a trailer or commercial, they're less likely to stay engaged. That's the DE philosophy.

That is such an archaic and unproven design philosophy to begin with and should be left behind. There is nothing wrong with new players not being able to participate in new content. Countless MMOs and online games already proved this wrong with expansion packs and DLCs and takes off with great success regardless. Take a look at Destiny 2's DLCs. How about the upcoming Monster Hunter: World Iceborne expansion?

Edited June 28, 2019 by NaoEthelia

[(PSN)RenovaKunumaru]

On 2019-06-25 at 12:34 AM, NaoEthelia said:

This is such an archaic design philosophy to begin with and should be left behind. Nobody likes being disadvantageous towards a certain faction for no real reason. There's no reason Wukong should remain disadvantageous in a game where the vast majority of well-designed frames (like Rhino) are faction agnostic.

 

8 minutes ago, NaoEthelia said:

That is such an archaic and unproven design philosophy to begin with and should be left behind. There is nothing wrong with new players not being able to participate in new content. Countless MMOs and online games already proved this wrong with expansion packs and DLCs and takes off with great success regardless. Take a look at Destiny 2's DLCs. How about the upcoming Monster Hunter: World Iceborne expansion?

What are you a robot? Please complete this before I start responding.

[(PSN)GEN-Son_17]

On 2019-06-26 at 11:53 AM, Xzorn said:

Ya know. In spite of DE always talking improving "The new Player Experience" I find early parts of the game are all they pay attention to.

Put your best foot forward, sure. Yet It's a little more then that. You can even take the tilesets by comparisons. Earth Remastered, Plains remastered, Fortuna, Jupiter. Even Ceres a newer tileset was move from high level to lower level. Meanwhile Pluto and Sedna are the highest yet oldest tilsets. There's of course two exceptions. Kuva and Lua. Both 7 missions. Point being DE has been doing this for a long time and not strictly content but also graphically.

There is no long term player development interest in the game and there certainly isn't any veteran prestige. The recent Nightwave rewards show that. Gamma Color set and Rift Sigil. Given away. Most content put in place at late game are bordering on gambling systems to keep players occupied with no content to fulfill that interest. I don't think that's going to change either.

They want new players to be Wow'd by all the stuff the game has to offer but what a new player sees in that first month really is all the game has to offer because they keep their interest on the new player experience. What efforts they do make for late game are low interest. Arbitration, Sorties, Kuva Survival. All recycled content we already had.

I disagree here. I think DE focuses on what the largest requests are while building new content at a slower pace. The community barked very loudly about the new player experience and they are correct. Whenever they attempt to please vets, it's met with, honestly, such a wide mixture of input, complaints, whines and addiction based comments that it just wouldn't be smart to allocate more resources to them (especially end game) until the next massive, lore involved update happens.