Game Scaling Instead Of Enemy Scaling?

[DSMK2]

I don't like the idea of stat based enemy scaling, because it implies that DE doesn't plan to increase enemy content or look into additional ways to provide challenge (especially in non-void gameplay). The stat changes are an easy way out into creating difficulty and prevents enemies from being differentiated, especially at high levels: all of them are tough and they will kill you. The increased difficulty also does not suggest changes to gamemode gameplay and doesn't provide matching reward incentives.

 

I wish enemy stat difficulty got capped; enemies should generally die and hurt all the same. Appending to my wish, as Tenno advances though the Solar system, they will encounter new enemy types, level obstacles, mini-bosses, and alternate means of completing objectives. The increasingly powerful Warframes and weapons should increase survivability, killing enemies faster, but putting more focus with dealing with a situation (Indiana Jones Rolling Ball of Doom), the environment, and mission.

 

tl;dr: Starting players start out simply dealing with enemies, but as they progress they'll start having to worry about the environment, situation, and encounters.

 

TBH: It would still be unfair, but it would make so much more sense if level 100+ enemies were literally giant mechs with anti-personnel gatling cannons instead of super buffed basic mooks. I want lore to define why enemies are tough!

Edited September 27, 2013 by DSMK2

[Big_Ed]

I think they have all intentions of doing what your suggesting. Most of what is in the game are effectively place holders.

Edited September 27, 2013 by Big_Ed

[Zhoyzu]

The Elder Scrolls games have got game/environ scaling down to a science. me gusta

[theGreatZamboni]

The Elder Scrolls games have got game/environ scaling down to a science. me gusta

 

I refute your notion; but OP has some good ideas. It isn't perfect, but a good idea.

[Aure7]

I think they have all intentions of doing what your suggesting. Most of what is in the game are effectively place holders.

and for some reason they're very slow on replacing them. 90% of updates are consisted of new shiny content

[JerichoFayne]

Yep.  I pretty much agree with the OP up to a certain point.

 

I don't think that the latter half of Warframe should have such a tremendous emphasis on environmental challenges that it stops being a shooter and starts being Super Mario / Shadow of the Colossus.

 

However, I do agree that there should be a reason for difficulty increase, not simply a never-ending scaling of enemies as if we were playing a side-scrolling shooter with infinite levels.

[Lady_Khaos]

I think they have all intentions of doing what your suggesting. Most of what is in the game are effectively place holders.

 

Yup. Already being shown by the development of enemies with Phobos. Also with the melee enemies that get thrown at you as you progress (Sawmen>Scorpion>Powerfist>Flameblade). Granted, there should be more changing, but there will always be basic grunts.

[r3dzer0]

yeah, i agree, the problem however is without dedicated servers your pc and allothers connected to it will choke on their diodes and resistors trying to process the insane amount of information.  Don't believe me?  remember the defense missions with 5+ people?  yeah not a single enemy functioned and spawns were bugged, weapons didn't shoot.  there's an insane amount of information being handled by the host at any given time, being redistrubted among the other players that any more of a load on them, you'd require a super computer to be able to handle it. 

 

So basically, in order to make the game better, DE needs to spend money on servers.  otherwise i think we're just looking at what we'll get, (maybe new enemies but no harder ai to compensate for our above average reaction speeds.) which can be the demise of gameplay( its already stagnant as it is)

[Lord.Finster]

Instead of just numbers the key to a higher challenge should be increasingly competent, faster-reacting AI.

A newly trained Grineer trooper should be less accurate with his gun, move more sluggish and overall react slower.

As the level of the enemies increase, they react faster, shoot more accurately and get generally more agressive.

Also, they should get new equipment on higher levels. Different sorts of grenades (smoke, EMP, radiation), elemental ammo, suicide detonators...

They should also cooperate and coordinate better with other mobs and form a core tactic depending on a central mob and its role in battle (heavies, ancients and techs).

 

Numerical progression should only be available to enemy bosses or minibosses as they don't use standardized equipment.

It's insane that a Rhino can have slightly over 200 armour but is outclassed in this respect by every Grineer above level 60.

[DSMK2]

Yup. Already being shown by the development of enemies with Phobos. Also with the melee enemies that get thrown at you as you progress (Sawmen>Scorpion>Powerfist>Flameblade). Granted, there should be more changing, but there will always be basic grunts.

 

The Hellions and Regulator drones do show shades of this; but it'll be great if it applied to the rest of the Grineer/Corpus/Infested/Corrupted faction outside of Phobos too. Hellions in flight are bad news, because they'll be firing their powerful homing rockets; because of that, they really did become a real threat out of all the basic desert themed mooks running around.

 

The basic grunts should always exist, because they illustrate how powerful a Tenno is! It kind hurts how that feeling is lost when you're at high levels.

 

I don't think that the latter half of Warframe should have such a tremendous emphasis on environmental challenges that it stops being a shooter and starts being Super Mario / Shadow of the Colossus.

 

I'm probably not clear on it, when I think of environment in Warframe's context... It's Grineer manning gun emplacements, walking into a radioactive area of the ship and taking hits to your shields, advanced anti-intruder systems, walking into weaponized Grineer hygiene stations, etc. It also could involve being in the path of a mining drill.

 

I imagine what we have now, is perfect for just the new player levels, pure shooting without worrying about geo effects; but as the players progress the dimensions of play expands.

 

 

I see these around Phobos, they're obviously some kind of gun emplacement; why couldn't a single Grineer marine change the tide of battle just by using it? It'll make it 'there' and players will have to pay attention to if it's being used or not, beyond merely worrying about the enemies running around.

Edited September 27, 2013 by DSMK2