A Question to the Community: Are Warframes and Weapons 'Content'?

[Scruffel]

For some reason recently, I've been noticing a certain phrase that I've been seeing inside of threads that ask for new content, and it's one that I don't necessarily agree with but would like to understand more. "New Warframes/weapons are not content." Now if you need some more specific context, I recall reading a thread within General Discussion (I forgot the name of it), which was basically complaining about the lack of updates/new stuff in the game. When someone decided to mention within a long comment about upcoming content that would be in the new Mainline (current now, but new then), another person decided to rebuttal a specific mention of how Gauss and his weapons weren't new content. Now I am not sure if that phrase was paired with something that explained why, but for some reason, it didn't sit well with me.

For me, content was always something within a game that was obtainable and substantial to the point of being long-term or having long-term effects. Now, obviously Gauss on an objective level, is in fact obtainable; you have to farm for his parts, get his required resources for his parts, and then you have a new Warframe to use with it's own range of functions and utility. But I am guessing where it gets subjective and where it seems to divide people is whether or not this new Warframe, or any for that matter, would be substantial enough. Obviously when we get a new frame, the game doesn't play itself, so we have to determine on our own if this frame is worth continue playing or not. Same could be said for weapons. They are not what we play, but rather how we play.

So, I am interested in seeing what the community's multitude of answers would be to the question: Are new Warframes and weapons, new content?

In my opinion, and my answer for the question, is that I do think that new Warframes and weapons are indeed content, but that could be from my background of playing fighting games. You see, in a fighting game, the gameplay is not going to switch up too much from it's usual PvP style, no matter how much you try to change it. Of course, there are different modes and ways you can play, but for the most part, it's going to be the same gameplay; it's not like you pick a different mode and all of a sudden it's a racing game. So technically, what's left is how those PvP situations turn out based on the characters that are used, which is probably why a new character not only can open up new ways to play and options to use, but also more different outcomes within a fight. It's why a big selling point sometimes for a fighting game is the roster, and whether or not certain play styles are present within it. I know this can't really be said the same about Warframe, since not only it's mainly PvE, but it also has more variety of content and game modes to choose from and focus on. This is why I am interested in knowing the community's perspective, cause maybe it is a thing of how Warframe is structured to the point where a new Warframe, is just another way to play the game, rather than being the game itself (although, Fashion Frame may detest that, but that's probably opening up a whole other can of worms to talk about).

[Kerberos-3]

Honestly, it mainly just depends on each person's view of "content". For instance, a Collector with more plat than days lived would indeed see such things as a kind of content, but others may not.

[(PSN)thecoolman575]

New warframes and weapons give you new ways to play the game but the playable content itself doesn’t change it’s still the same content

I atleast would not call warframes and weapons sustainable content

[AdunSaveMe]

7 minutes ago, Scruffel said:

So, I am interested in seeing what the community's multitude of answers would be to the question: Are new Warframes and weapons, new content?

Yes. They might not expand the core gameplay loop, but they still add things to it. There are different kinds of content.

[Goodwill]

Content: Yes

Good content: Debatable

Edited September 6, 2019 by Goodwill

[HugintheCrow]

Yes*, if they are viable and fun. A weak or annoying to use gun will get dropped after levelling. A good, satisfying one can motivate to just faff around with it for fun. See: Acceltra, easily the best weapon released in a while. Not because it's game-breakingly op, but because it's good enough AND extremely fun. I spent quite a lot of time just running rando missions with it, something I wouldn't do with, let's say, Komorex.

*Going by a less literal definition of content, of course, where content isn't just more data in the game, but actually something that motivates the player to, well, play.

[NightmareT12]

Not only the answer is Yes, but it's been the main sustain of the game for half of its current lifespan.

[KnossosTNC]

*Shrugs* Semantics. All I know is I'm having a load of fun with my Acceltra, and that's all I care about.

*Heads to Adaro and starts shooting some Grineer with my Acceltra*

For the Emperor, b****!

Edited September 6, 2019 by KnossosTNC

[Teljaxx]

I would say yes, new weapons, and especially Warframes are content. Going back and playing the same old parts of the game again can be made much more fun if you do it with new gear. I have been enjoying trying out Gauss in all kinds of different missions to see how he preforms compared to my usual mains. And trying new weapon and Warframe combos to see what new synergies may have come about is nice.

But, this enjoyment doesn't usually last too long. Because, in the end you are still just playing the same missions yet again. So getting new missions to do, and new areas to play in is usually much more long term content. But, it also takes longer to make, so the gaps in between are greater.

Overall, both are important, and each is improved by the other. New weapons and Warframes provide smaller packets of stuff to do in between the releases of larger gameplay updates. This is why the old weekly Tenno Reinforcement updates were nice. They provided a steady stream of new weapons to keep things interesting while waiting for the next big update.

[--DSP--Jetstream]

Theyre content but dont last long, still better than floofs or cosmetics because theyre just for waw shiny but no function

[(PSN)IndianChiefJeff]

1 minute ago, Teljaxx said:

Overall, both are important, and each is improved by the other. New weapons and Warframes provide smaller packets of stuff to do in between the releases of larger gameplay updates. This is why the old weekly Tenno Reinforcement updates were nice. They provided a steady stream of new weapons to keep things interesting while waiting for the next big update.

Now that's something I can get behind; more Tenno reinforcements in general. I've had quite a lot of fun experimenting with Quatz, more weapons in general is something I can't argue against if they're fun & unique to an extent.

[Loza03]

Yes in theory, only somewhat in practice.

In theory, new things to play with should be able to redefine how one can interact with the whole game. Weapons admittedly less so, but you catch my drift. However, given the fact we're stuck in a situation where if it's not A: helping to semi-automate gameplay or B: massive power creep, it's considered mastery fodder out the gate... not so much.

 

Simply put, every weapon has to compare to weapons like the Ignis Wraith and the Amprex - easy weapons that regardless hit like trucks. Every frame will get compared to every other - does this frame replace this frame in this niche? Does it replace any frame for this niche farming? And, yes, that's inevitable. Problem is - a well balanced game has that answer be a lot more hazy, because such games will present things in such a way that there's a few different choices - some which might be more powerful, but have a bit less consistency, or a bit harder to use. If you're lucky you might get a game like Monster Hunter where every (or at least the majority of) weapon type really are viable. But MH functionally only has 14 weapon types, so that's obviously a bit easier to handle. 

Simply put, injecting a bit more engagement into how Warframe is played, frankly, would help this. And DE do seem to want to do this. At a speed that makes Valves TF2 team look like a sports car sometimes, yes (at least that's how it feels), but the Wukong rework did get rid of such a power in Defy, and Wisp and Gauss require a reasonable amount of effort to draw out their potential.

I ain't asking for Dark Souls, but I am asking for us not to be less cookie clicker.

[S.Dust]

I will say what is and isn't content is subjective.

No for me because more often than not a new frame comes out and you just level it like anything else and then you are done. Frames are more like a tool used to do content, if you have a frame and nothing to do with it the frame doesn't matter. Weapons aren't content because they just don't matter everything is MR fodder because kitguns and zaws exist, if it doesn't have a gimmick for people to mess around with then it's either good stat wise or worse than something else you have. Frames would count as content if frames came with things to do.

I don't have every weapon in the game but at the same time I have no reason to because what would that add for me, I would just be building and leveling things, I wouldn't be doing anything different than I have already been doing. Also I know there are gonna be the annoying people who say "switch up your build try new combinations", to those people NO because at the end of the say if it kills the enemy quickly it's doing its job and on top of that modding in warframe kinda just has a default feel to it at this point, you look at the weapon stats if crit or status is high enough you build for one of them and add an elemental combo and you're done; There are enough "required" mods in the game that half your build should honestly just be in the weapon when you open the modding screen.

 

TLDR: It doesn't matter if you have a new frame or gun if you have no reason to use it or nothing to use it on.

Edited September 6, 2019 by S.Dust

[(PSN)Kakurine2]

Weapons and frames are content to me.  We have to spend time farming leveling and formaing them if we want to maximize them.

Now realistically its not long term content that will last months.  Like say orb valia or cetus.  Or hopefully railjack or the new war once its live.

But still content.  And really i don't want things to be rushed out the door if its not complete.  Releasing railjack before its ready would be worse.

Personally i am not a hardcore gamer.  I play games to destress.  Not for a challenge.  So i am happy popping into some random missions and just cracking skulls for fun.

If I'm not in the mood for wf i have a plethora of other things to enjoy my free time.

Edited September 6, 2019 by (PS4)Kakurine2

[trst]

Considering the game's core loop is "kill things to get stuff to better kill things for more better stuff" yes, frames and weapons very much are content.

Although the value of an individual piece of equipment is entirely subjective outside the realm of min-maxing. If someone doesn't like the way a new frame or weapons functions then it only exists to them for mastery, if they don't care for mastery then it might as well not exist to them at all. And when approached from a min-maxing perspective then you greatly narrow down what one can consider valuable as it usually comes down to objective rather than subjective value.

But whether or not one likes or wants something new, whatever it may be, it's still content regardless. And, when not looked at solely for min-maxing, new frames and weapons are some of the most important content additions as they offer some of the greatest potential for mixing up the mission to mission gameplay. And sure people can prefer to get additions outside of frames and weapons but it still doesn't mean they don't exist or serve their purpose.

Edited September 6, 2019 by trst

[AdunSaveMe]

content²

/ˈkɒntɛnt/

noun

noun: content; plural noun: contents

1. the things that are held or included in something.

Yeah, it's content. It's not subjective.

[Kontrollo]

Of course they are content, and have been since the beginning.

 

That's not even up for debate, at least not a serious one.

[5H4DE]

They are, it's just that when people ask for more content, they're talking about new game modes, new activities, new challenges. Personally I'd like to see all of our older boss fights get updated, given some reward that's worth farming even when you already have their frame. Alongside this could work a Starchart difficulty slider, let me fight level 100 enemies on earth if I want so I don't fall asleep when doing lith relics.

[(XBOX)Phantom Clip]

Npcs are content, the rain is content, loading screen is content. Referred to as "Viewable" content. Then you have "playable" content or "usable" content or "interactive" content. Every item the makes the game is content. So just saying "content" is vague. Weapons and frames are "usable" content. Missions and quests are "playable" content. Pets in mission are "usable" content but while in your orbiter become "interactive" content.

[kuciol]

Any addition to the game is content. It is what it is and not what you feel about it.

[Threa]

To me, absolutely not. Content is more of where and what you do with your Warframes and weapons, not just the Warframes themselves. People are using the definition of content and I disagree because in a game context, I don't feel the literal definition matches. 

[Chicken-Biryani]

HELL NO! But it's better than nothing. 

[IceColdHawk]

1 minute ago, --C--Nehra said:

HELL NO! But it's better than nothing. 

Floofs and skins are true content amirite

[Chicken-Biryani]

5 minutes ago, IceColdHawk said:

Floofs and skins are true content amirite

Nopes! In my opinion, you are wrong, they are even worse than new frames and weapons.

[(PSN)Silverback73]

3 hours ago, Scruffel said:

For some reason recently, I've been noticing a certain phrase that I've been seeing inside of threads that ask for new content, and it's one that I don't necessarily agree with but would like to understand more. "New Warframes/weapons are not content." Now if you need some more specific context, I recall reading a thread within General Discussion (I forgot the name of it), which was basically complaining about the lack of updates/new stuff in the game. When someone decided to mention within a long comment about upcoming content that would be in the new Mainline (current now, but new then), another person decided to rebuttal a specific mention of how Gauss and his weapons weren't new content. Now I am not sure if that phrase was paired with something that explained why, but for some reason, it didn't sit well with me.

For me, content was always something within a game that was obtainable and substantial to the point of being long-term or having long-term effects. Now, obviously Gauss on an objective level, is in fact obtainable; you have to farm for his parts, get his required resources for his parts, and then you have a new Warframe to use with it's own range of functions and utility. But I am guessing where it gets subjective and where it seems to divide people is whether or not this new Warframe, or any for that matter, would be substantial enough. Obviously when we get a new frame, the game doesn't play itself, so we have to determine on our own if this frame is worth continue playing or not. Same could be said for weapons. They are not what we play, but rather how we play.

So, I am interested in seeing what the community's multitude of answers would be to the question: Are new Warframes and weapons, new content?

In my opinion, and my answer for the question, is that I do think that new Warframes and weapons are indeed content, but that could be from my background of playing fighting games. You see, in a fighting game, the gameplay is not going to switch up too much from it's usual PvP style, no matter how much you try to change it. Of course, there are different modes and ways you can play, but for the most part, it's going to be the same gameplay; it's not like you pick a different mode and all of a sudden it's a racing game. So technically, what's left is how those PvP situations turn out based on the characters that are used, which is probably why a new character not only can open up new ways to play and options to use, but also more different outcomes within a fight. It's why a big selling point sometimes for a fighting game is the roster, and whether or not certain play styles are present within it. I know this can't really be said the same about Warframe, since not only it's mainly PvE, but it also has more variety of content and game modes to choose from and focus on. This is why I am interested in knowing the community's perspective, cause maybe it is a thing of how Warframe is structured to the point where a new Warframe, is just another way to play the game, rather than being the game itself (although, Fashion Frame may detest that, but that's probably opening up a whole other can of worms to talk about).

The short answer is yes.  Absolutely.  Warframes and Weapons are the two most important aspects of content.

They are however, only 1/2 of the equation that fully equals “new gameplay”.

New Warframes need setting and story to place them in and Warframe powers and weapons need new enemies to use them on.

Ultimately, however, your answer rests in the most pivotal of scenes from Gladiator (The Movie):

”Are you not entertained!?”

 

 

Edited September 6, 2019 by (PS4)Silverback73