Link Augment for Loot Items

[Guest]

I suggest creating an augment mod for Trinity's Link ability called Metal Detector. This would link to nearby loot items instead of linking to enemies. Equipping this mod would remove Link's damage reduction. Alternatively, make it so that long-pressing Ability C would activate the augment and tapping Ability C would activate the standard ability. Remember that Link cannot be recast while active. So, you would be locked into the selected mode for the duration of the cast.

The augment would be unique in that you would change the way it functions by changing your primary emission color like Chroma. This would mirror the discrimination ability of real-life metal detectors. Higher ranks unlock more discrimination settings. Since only one primary emission color can be selected at a time, the augment would only be sensitive to one type of loot in a given mission.

Rank 0    Allow discrimination for plants and feral kavats by selecting a green hue for your warframe's primary emission color.
Rank 1    Same as Rank 0 and add the ability to discriminate syndicate medallions with a red color.
Rank 2    Same as Rank 1 and add the ability to discriminate resource caches with a white color.
Rank 3    Same as Rank 2 and add the ability to discriminate Ayatan sculptures with a blue color.

I suggest making the mod an exilus mod. That would fit with mods like Thief's Wit and Escape Velocity.

All other aspects of Link would remain unchanged: the energy cost, the number of items linked to, duration, range; response to ability mods like Continuity.

[krc473]

My main question is ‘why?’ What purpose does this mod serve? I see no reason to take it over mods like Thief’s Wit.

[Hawk_of_the_Reborn]

https://warframe.fandom.com/wiki/Animal_Instinct

https://warframe.fandom.com/wiki/Loot_Detector

Or just use Ivara. Counting down until this thread is locked.

[Guest]

Instead of having to check every item, you only see the items you're interested in.

[Atsia]

First of all, why in god name would I EVER use this if it get rid of the DR? Second of all, this would be the most out place augment for a Medic frame. It make much more sense on Ivara, the Thief, or Mag, the frame that actually has ANYTHING to do with metal? And why would it have a color feature like Chroma, "realism" shouldn't impact design. Lastly, Instead of going through all that to set it up, Animal Instinct and Thief's Wit do this without any of the hassle, cause why would you ever NOT want to see Ayatan Sculptures, or Sydicate Medallions (which are half the point of sydicate mission in the first place, so why WOULDN'T you collect them?)

 

[Arkeresh]

This is definitely an interesting idea. It would make searching a lot easier, but I feel like it would be easier just to have DE update the icons on the minimap so we could use loot detector better. The idea of a toggle cast augment mod seems like a lot of coding for just one frame. It doesn't fit in with the idea of Trinity's play style either. 

[5H4DE]

Why would I want to be selective about the loot I pick up? If it's all on the ground why would I go out of my way to actively avoid a part of it and only get the other? And why in the void would I use this if it removes the DR on from the ability? Why would I nerf myself with this instead of using Animal Instict or Thief's Wit? I have no reason to be selective about the loot I pick up, Fetch will vacuum all of it anyway. Sorry but not only does this mod feel redundant, it's also misplaced to have it on Trinity.

[Guest]

This augment replicates no existing feature. Loot radar shows you everything. This would be the only mechanic that shows you the one specific thing you're looking for. It eliminates the noise of loot radar. Furthermore, using this augment in no way prevents you from using loot radar or picking up other objects of value or using fetch/vacuum. By the same token, you can also add enemy radar which would add more noise to your minimap. The whole point of this augment is to limit the heads-up to just what you're looking for.

This mod saves time. There is nothing stopping you from running around and picking up everything. You can check every ping on loot radar: medallions and crates and resources. Or, you can rush through a level for just the end-of-mission reward. Instead of spending five minutes rushing or half an hour rummaging, this mod provides a middle ground. Let's say you're looking for syndicate standing. So, complete the syndicate mission and collect the medallions. Never see the crates. Never see the resources. And save time. The same logic could be applied to crafting apothics, farming kavats, farming high voltage, or selling sculptures.

For defense, you still have Blessing, health mods, shield mods, adaptation, elemental resistances, melee blocking, rolling guard, roll, health conversion, equilibrium, pool of life, vampire leech, broken scepter, healing return, life strike, rejuvenation, huras, rush, maglev, aviator, bullet jump, offense, amprex; et cetera. If you're looking for a specific type of loot then you will be moving quickly. Link is a minor contribution to your defense in this situation. Every other warframe goes without Link. Banshee, Nyx, Volt, and Zephyr do it with fifteen armor and so would Trinity if you were using this mod. Furthermore, if you're linking to objects rather than enemies then there are no health pools to channel damage to. (It would be the same as when there are no enemies nearby.) So, the damage reduction must go. One exception might be kavats. But their value is in being alive. So, ideally, the augment would remove damage reduction. Also, the absence of enemy linking means that anytime you see a detector ribbon, there is an interesting item nearby. Linking to enemies would eliminate the usefulness of my mod.

It is logical that an energy ribbon which tells you exactly where enemies are located could be repurposed to tell you exactly where medallions or sculptures are located. Any arguments against this mod based on its iconoclasm will have to overcome the simplicity and value of a ribbon showing you exactly where a statue or medallion is located. If we can suspend our disbelief for pilfering swarm, pilfering strangledome, despoil, effigy, and ore gaze because of their utility then we can do so for my mod. I play as Trinity. So repurposing Link made sense to me. Arguments can be made for Hildryn, Nidus, or a general mod. What Link has going for it is that it naturally activates in the presence of its target and does not require line of sight. Both of these would work for a loot detecting mod.

The color feature allows you to select which objects will be linked to and to change that selection. Alternatively, augment mods have four ranks including rank zero. If there were no color feature, you might buy four copies of the mod and keep one at each rank so that you could link to any possible object. I thought reusing the Chroma logic made more sense than buying multiple mods or introducing the ability to lower the rank of mods. The color feature also keeps the selection process outside the mission instance. It would be frustrating to miscalibrate the detector during a mission. Keeping the selection process outside the mission has value.

I cannot tell you the amount of work involved to get this working. But, for example, Ivara already uses tap and hold on a warframe ability. And, more generally, the melee system can distinguish between tap and hold. It does not seem like a large leap to go from these examples to another instance of tapping and holding the same button to produce two different outcomes.