Stalker & Future Mini-Boss Reworks

[Demon_Mask]

So we all know the stalker, right?

HE IS A PUSHOVER AND FULL OF BUGS!!!! seriously. here i propose a really fun and functional fix to this:

Impliment a new reward for insane high LVL void defence, im talking like the insane high LVL. only the really skilled players will be getting this (also give it a low drop %). 
Anyway, this reward is a single use key, usable by only 1 person, not a squad, that allows a player to become the stalker (and future mini-bosses). when the key is used, the player gets the load out of the stalker and is randonly entered into a mission to kill a Tenno who has killed a sector boss, just like the current stalker but as a PVP within the level.
The player controlled stalker/mini-boss will still be its own faction, thus taking damage from the AI enemies.

BALANCE:

The player controlled stalker/mini-boss will do noticably reduced damage to other Tenno in the target's cell or have a time limit to kill the target or take minor reflected damage it deals to the others in the target's cell. No mod shanges allowed before mission starts AKA fixed gear. (obviously still giving the player controlled stalker a chance!!!!!). there should also be a lock on the target Tenno's cell/squad that stops the target from aborting the mission to make it much more intense (and so the player doesnt aste a stalker key) THERE WILL BE SOME SORT OF PENELTY FOR GAME FORCE QUITS). Also the player controlled stalker is balanced to within a fair LVL range of the target player or a LVL adverage of the target's cell. Obviously the player controloled stalker/mini-boss enters the level within a set time of the mission being started and at random spot in the map (not right at the start with the target cell but within a doable range for the timer).

 

BUFFS:
The stalkers current gear.....MEH. The stalker's gear should be some of the best in the game if not the best. With the above suggestion there should also be a buff to the stalkers gear (when using it as the player controlled stalker and the blueprint once built)

 

REWARDS:
Speaking of blueprints.... Reward for the player controlled stalker, i'm open for suggestions but some ideas are, special bluprints, mods, even warframe appearance rewards such as badges or some smokey presence around your frames?

 

For the cell (or just targeted player) if the player controlled stalker/mini-boss is killed: Again open for ideas but how about. just the buffed versions of the stalkers gear and some of the suggestions I mentioned as rewards for the stalker player.

 

TIMER RUNS OUT/CELL EXTRACTS: no reward either way. (maybey a good sum of credits for the stalkers efforts).

 

Please let me know your thoughts either good or bad =]

 

[W4RM4CHIN3]

It's not gonna happen.

[Demon_Mask]

i know it probably wont happen. but as it is a forum its a place to post such ideas for feedback. did you have any feedback on the idea itself?

[W4RM4CHIN3]

I agree with the whole super high level Stalker and the key drop, but with the key should unlock maybe a secret vault with treasures. Inside that vault you have to defeat maybe 4 stalkers at once. If victorious you get a special Weapon BP one of a kind and powerful.

[Demon_Mask]

interesting idea, however. multi stalkers is kind of an immersion breaker.... it is 'THE' stalker after all. and i just dont see it beoing as much fun.

[NinjaSylvy]

Well while this could be an interesting addition, I still think the price should be something expectionally high (exclusive gear, etc). But this leads to a lot of grinding and uproar in the fandom, since now everyone wants to be the stalker.

I still think that his UI should just be fixed. Keep him as an separate mini boss, not as an player controlled one.

[Demon_Mask]

i agree that it would be super grindy, imagine how high a lvl you would need to be to even consider t3 void defence i'm talking wave 30+ haha... but the key could be lvl or even % of missions complete locked (even locked to the best performer of a tenno cell doing the void defence in the first place.)
and as i hear that there should be more mini bosses such as the stalker, my original idea would apply to them as well, thus not everyone would be the stalker. in fact i don't think that a special WF should be a reward unless it was really well balanced and just keep it as a locked frame for the duration of the mission.

Edited September 24, 2013 by ANTI_fkn_CHRIST

[NixeonLow]

Meh, I don't like the idea of controlling the Stalker. I will make a compromise however, why not control the mobs a la L4D Director style? You'll get different icons for the different types of mobs, and you tell them where to go and what attack pattern (charge, take cover, etc) to take, and after a cool down phase you can even take control of one of them. I know that if I were to go up against SMART(er) AI, then I'd have fun because they'd be formulating a strategy to counter my Link.

[Demon_Mask]

I do fully agree that the AI needs to have a bit more of the "I" component haha however for me, for a fun and immersion perspective i really like the idea of my OP (obviously a little bias)

[Grascen]

I sort of like this idea. I don't really like the way the key is received, but the idea of a player controlled Stalker hunting you is quite interesting. Instead of abusing the AI, you'd have to outplay another player.

 

There would obviously have to be restrictions on it, though. Things like allowing a free revive, if you're killed by the Stalker would be a must. Good Stalker's shouldn't be allowed to just wreck people's experience. He'd also have to be limited to only killing the target Tenno, receiving a penalty for killing Tenno who weren't his target.

 

On a different note, perhaps they could host weekend events where a DE staff member randomly visits your game as a Stalker Prime. His objective would be to kill your entire team, while offering decent rewards for killing him(most likely being cosmetic). 

Edited September 24, 2013 by Grascen

[Archistopheles]

It's not gonna happen.

 

We said the same thing about conclaive style PvP.

 

 

I... I just don't know what to believe anymore.

[XandoCalrissian]

To add to potential Stalker buffs, he really shouldn't be fooled by cloaking abilities. It's him WAY too easy to kill as Ash or Loki (and with Shade you can let him get mobbed if infested are about).

[Demon_Mask]

I sort of like this idea. I don't really like the way the key is received, but the idea of a player controlled Stalker hunting you is quite interesting. Instead of abusing the AI, you'd have to outplay another player.

 

There would obviously have to be restrictions on it, though. Things like allowing a free revive, if you're killed by the Stalker would be a must. Good Stalker's shouldn't be allowed to just wreck people's experience. He'd also have to be limited to only killing the target Tenno, receiving a penalty for killing Tenno who weren't his target.

 

On a different note, perhaps they could host weekend events where a DE staff member randomly visits your game as a Stalker Prime. His objective would be to kill your entire team, while offering decent rewards for killing him(most likely being cosmetic). 

 

another nice idea! and your suggestions to my O.P. are also quite balanced and do fit well. however your notion of 'good stalkers' is mitigated by the part where i stated that the stalker would be of equal lvl of the target or the average lvl of target's cell - there is a power scale of some description.

 

XandoCalrissian - i think that if my idea is implemented, your post is inherently part of this. when you are in a cell with a loki - you can still see the faint light bending and the distortion of view when you look at the invisible player, this same cloaking effect would be able to be seen by the player controlled stalker 

[WondahBoah]

https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/103650-making-the-stalker-great-again/

 

check my thread that I made a while back

[Dracosaber]

I'm not too sure that being able to control the Stalker is the way to go.

 

Although it is a fun idea, I think it might have some balance issues, gameplay issues, and connectivity issues that can make the whole experience horrible and not fun. It could be interesting, mind you, but it is extremely unlikely that anything like this will get implemented. Still, it would be nice for the AI of the Stalker and any other mini-boss could get an upgrade at the very least. A person controlling him is a nice idea, but the implementation of such an idea would probably be too far out of reach for DE any time soon, and the complaints that are inevitable would also detract from them wanting to do this.

 

I have an idea as well, which is slightly more doable considering their work on Lephantis, I made a topic on it here: https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/116321-to-stalk-the-stalker-a-new-mission/

 

Hopefully some people from here might see it and keep the Stalker discussion going, DE needs to see that the Stalker situation has become an issue. 

[Demon_Mask]

Yeah, if.enough people want to fix it, then something has to be done!

[MattHarrigan]

I dont like the idea. I love it! Fixed gear would be a must of course. However I think he should not have hitscan weapons. The abuse/camping/sniping potential for that is just too high. More like something along the lines of Dread Despair, his current loadout.

 

Player controlled stalker should drop a unique mod/bp reward on death.

 

One more thing, the spawn should be changed from "oh look after a period of continual warning I'll kneel right next to my assassination target, slowly stand up so everybody can see me and then attack" to "it's flickering - we have a stalker inbound in 5 seconds!!! Where is he? OMG I can't stand it! I just heard a smoke bomb. I'm so afraid! I hope he kills me quick so I don't have to suffer anymore."

[Demon_Mask]

absolutly, a faster spawning time is essential for the fear factor!