Combining missions

[PhiThagRaid]

Currently when running missions on the starchart, missions such as fissures, syndicate missions, kuva missions and lich missions are completely separate.

This separates all these missions making them so that you can only do one objective at a time. If we were able to combine these it can increase how interesting a mission is. 

This suggestion will most likely be quite a bit of work to implement:

There will only be 2 missions to select from, normal or steel path. If a fissure, syndicate, kuva, invasion or lich happens to occur on this node will just have all the events occur at once.

If a fissure occurs you will still have the ability to select a relic that can be opened (These do not need much of an adjustment, since it will be similar to Nightwave spawns).
If a syndicate mission occurs on the node a side mission could spawn which will reward the standing (This will require a bit of a change since at least 2 objectives will have to spawn, and voice lines will have to indicate that there is an extra objective).
If a kuva mission occurs the mission will have to become a crossfire mission if on a non-grineer mission (This would not be much different, as it should be similar to a kuva mission, but with the original enemies still spawning).
If an invasion occurs the mission will have 2 main objectives, one for each side of the invasion (Infested will stay relatively the same. When running in a team the edgecase will be when players try to do both objectives. The first one completed should prevent the second objective. This might cause a bit of tension between players who want different rewards, current preselection could be kept if completely needed, otherwise it could be a reason to communicate with your team more. ).
If a lich missions occur on the node, a crossfire will also be started if on a non-grineer mission(This could have a nice combo with the invasions where it would force a lich to spawn with an attempt to conquer a planet).

The worst case scenario is when all these events occur at once. Fissures should not clash with anything. Syndicates should not clash when multiple objectives can be well implemented. Kuva should not have a big effect, since all it would need is the spawning location. Invasion should also not clash when multiple objectives are implemented. Lich will mostly determine the level of the mission.
This is a max of 8 objectives per mission(2 for invasion and insanely low chance that all 6 syndicates) , with 2 factions, a kuva siphon, fissures and the lich showing up.

Steel path will only apply the effects stated for normal steel path effects.

[Miser_able]

the problem is, this would create issues when you have players who can't access some of these missions. for example, Pre-TSD players cant access kuva siphons or liches. they would only be able to play with other pre-TSD players now, effectively ruining a majority of the star chart for them

[YUNoJump]

I like the idea of being able to run multiple objectives in one mission, but I think a better option would be to use a selection menu to choose which objectives are present in the mission before you depart. You get a pop-up box with each type, tick the ones you want, and maybe it boosts enemy level or completion requirements for each new objective. That way missions aren’t massive fusterclucks with 5 different enemy variations running around unless you want them to be, and if you want to take it easy you can run less objectives for weaker enemies.

[PhiThagRaid]

Yes, that is indeed a concern, but I think that should not be as difficult to solve. Currently only 3 planets at max are affected by kuva siphons at a time. When a player tries to access a node that currently has content that could be restricted the matchmaking would group them with people who have the same progress with the main quests. 

You might say this would decrease the amount of players they would see for those planets, sure. One key feature of combining missions would be that silt would in turn increase the amount of players on a node due to them not being split between 2 or 3 missions. 

I'm thinking that if a squad enters a mission, the minimum level is a applied, so if a squad has a player that is pre-TSD, it will make the mission a pre-TSD mission. So playing with friends will still be possible, but limited to lowest player.

When doing random squads on the other hand, yes players will match with players on similar progress. This could be seen as a positive with respect to quest spoilers. 

Currently only mainline quests affects missions you can access, so they seem like a good way to split the matchmaking.

Although I can see how this will limit the pool of players they will find. And, yeah given that quests are quite late game this effect will linger a bit for new players.

The thing is that as it currently stands kuva missions would most likely be the thing that affects it the most, and given how the fortress constantly moves these areas will have their quest  matchmaking restrictions adjusted only for the time at which the nodes are covered.

[PhiThagRaid]

1 minute ago, YUNoJump said:

I like the idea of being able to run multiple objectives in one mission, but I think a better option would be to use a selection menu to choose which objectives are present in the mission before you depart. You get a pop-up box with each type, tick the ones you want, and maybe it boosts enemy level or completion requirements for each new objective. That way missions aren’t massive fusterclucks with 5 different enemy variations running around unless you want them to be, and if you want to take it easy you can run less objectives for weaker enemies.

Yeah, that does sound like it could be a bit of a middle ground. My only concern would be how matchmaking would work given that you are now increasing the amount off mission combos that will exist on one node, splitting the amount of people that play the node even more. In comparison combining everything forces players together perhaps with the exception Miser_able brought up about quest progress.

[PhiThagRaid]

The lich matchmaking split I think can be split either similar to how it is currently that certain nodes are hotspots, or it can be adjusted to be planet based instead.(The way lich nodes disappear might have to work a bit different to do that, though.)

[YUNoJump]

20 minutes ago, PhiThagRaid said:

Yeah, that does sound like it could be a bit of a middle ground. My only concern would be how matchmaking would work given that you are now increasing the amount off mission combos that will exist on one node, splitting the amount of people that play the node even more. In comparison combining everything forces players together perhaps with the exception Miser_able brought up about quest progress.

I think that could easily be fixed by unbinding syndicate missions from specific syndicates. Instead of the whole mission being a specific syndicate’s mission so that everyone only gets standing for that syndicate, make them universal syndicate missions where anyone who runs it gets standing for whatever syndicate’s sigil they have equipped. That way syndicate missions have much higher applicable player counts. If we assume that players would prefer to run multiple objectives in one mission, it means that if a syndicate mission is also on a Kuva/fissure/lich mission, there’s a high chance that people will be running them together. 
 

This is a different topic that’s only partially related, but I’d also suggest that some of warframe’s special missions could adopt the modifier system that Path of Exile uses with its maps: you choose the mission, then add a special objective modifier to it to make it a special mission. Have syndicates and liches give daily modifier tokens, maybe give them random planet/gamemode restrictions each day to keep variety going, but every single player gets the same restrictions each day. That way everyone gravitates towards one or two tiles that are the best for that day, instead of spreading out.