Improving loadouts would go a long way to getting me to experiment/customize more with mods

[3mptylord]

I would like to preface this by saying that it took me years to even notice that there was a Loadout button on the Navigation screen. I did use Loadouts, but I was running to my Arsenal to swap them for a long time. However, from the Navigation screen there is no way to change your vehicle loadout (which I used to think was because it was invisibly tied to the Warframe loadout). That said - neither Loadouts nor the Arsenal communicates which config a warframe or weapon is using, and there's no quick way to swap between them. This all adds-up to create a system that I've always felt was clunky and necessitates me creating multiple loadouts for a single frame just to quickly swap between different configs.

I think it would go a long way to encourage experimentation with mods if players could more easily adjust their configs from the loadout. I would certainly purchase and setup more configs for my favourite frames and weapons if swapping between an anti-Infested or an anti-Corpus config could be done from the navigation screen. 

The suggestion: a complete overhaul to the existing Loadout system that would perhaps necessitate a refund of current Loadout Slot purchases. I will henceforth use the term "Build" to refer to a specific loadout, with "Build" referring to a specific combination of weapons and companions.  All Warframes now come with one Build by default and the interface would be Warframe-centric. Warframes still require Warframe Slots and Warframe Slots could replace Loadout Slots as Mastery rewards. Setting up an additional build on a Warframe would now utilize "Loadout Slots", which could be renamed for conveyance purposes.

As depicted, you can Favourite specific frames to appear at the top of an otherwise alphabetical list. I did not include a sort filter next to the search bar, but you could add the option to sort them by Forma Count or Play Time.

On this screen, you can readily and conveniently change which config is being used; or use the top-right dropdown to change to a different Wisp build (as well as Rename, Duplicate or Share the build). The Duplicate UI should have the option to select what frame you want to give the build too - i.e. you can either create a second Wisp build with the current build as a seed, or you can copy it to another frame. Config preference would be persistent - i.e. the Build will remember that last Config you used.

Here's an example of how exalted weapons might appear:

There's no precedence for how a Vehicle and Operator loadout might look, but I created the following mockups in the same style:

I'm aware that School is currently tied to the Warframe loadout, and perhaps this would be preferred by the playerbase at large. In such case, it should be moved to the Warframe screen. 

EDIT: Oh, and I thought to add: "BUILD VIEW" for people who would prefer to see them ordered by name as a sort of legacy-mode-but-actually-a-legit-way-to-play-as-well. (don't judge my examples). Below this would be all the warframes I don't currently have a build setup for greyed out and in alphabetical order.

Although after making this mockup I thought - perhaps you could just merge Warframe Slots and Loadout Slots into a single currency, and just give players the choice of sorting by Warframe name or by Loadout Name. (Then also do the part of my original idea about improving customization options ability on the loadout screen.) You still need to use the forge to update the appearance or change the modifications - but now you can swap between premade configs on the fly!

[LillyRaccune]

Your layout almost looks like an interactive character sheet. Good work!

[Uhkretor]

Personally, I only use the current Loadout system to simply make thematics between Warframes and weapons... But an extension of this nature, excluding the entire Warframe/weapon/companion/sentinel/vehicle list, regardless of ownership status, would massively improve its use.

[3mptylord]

On 2022-03-05 at 9:47 PM, LillyRaccune said:

Your layout almost looks like an interactive character sheet. Good work!

Thanks!

On 2022-03-05 at 11:25 PM, Uhkretor said:

Personally, I only use the current Loadout system to simply make thematics between Warframes and weapons... But an extension of this nature, excluding the entire Warframe/weapon/companion/sentinel/vehicle list, regardless of ownership status, would massively improve its use.

It is my ultimate goal to have a unique loadout per frame where they're living their best life, The difficulty alternating between power fantasy builds and needing something specific is where my biggest momentum-loss in Warframe gameplay is. 

Suggestion update: I thought to add: "BUILD VIEW" for people who would prefer to see them ordered by name as a sort of legacy-mode-but-actually-a-legit-way-to-play-as-well.(don't judge my examples). Below this would be all the warframes I don't currently have a build setup for greyed out and in alphabetical order.

Although after making this mockup I thought - perhaps the easiest route would be to merge Warframe Slots and Loadout Slots into a single slot type/counter, and just give players the choice of sorting by Warframe name or by Loadout Name. (Then also do the part of my original idea about improving customization options ability on the loadout screen.) You still need to use the Arsenal to update the appearance, change the weapons and update the configs!

[Lutesque]

I would like this....

I find it funny that your Plexus is part of your Loadout but your Operator's Gear and Your Vehicles Are Not.....

Edit:

Also Gear Items.... Remind me why those don't have Loadouts ? 

If you're going to make me buy 5 Different Fishing Spears then at the very least give me the ability to Create Loadouts and Configs for them.... 😭

[3mptylord]

For some reason, you saying "Plexus" made me think "Parazon" and you reminded me how much I hate having to teleport to my Arsenal to change my Requiem mods, and then when I close the screen it doesn't even take me back to Navigation. 

5 hours ago, Lutesque said:

If you're going to make me buy 5 Different Fishing Spears then at the very least give me the ability to Create Loadouts and Configs for them.... 😭

Just in case (because I don't think it was always true), but you can swap between any spear you own in-game and only need 1 on the gear wheel. You don't need any of the baits, dyes or lures on your wheel either. Once you get out the spear, the HUD changes and you can hold [1] to swap between any spear. 

Having loadouts for gear would be useful, although I have a habit of just leaving everything on my wheel and so would probably only have a loadout for quickly equipping and unequipping the 4 Dragon Keys (which I suspect I'll never need to do again, but you never know). Although I know some builds use Dragon Keys, so I can only imagine how annoying it is having to remember to put the key on and take it off whenever you swap frame!

[Lutesque]

13 hours ago, 3mptylord said:

Just in case (because I don't think it was always true), but you can swap between any spear you own in-game and only need 1 on the gear wheel. You don't need any of the baits, dyes or lures on your wheel either. Once you get out the spear, the HUD changes and you can hold [1] to swap between any spear. 

You're Right..... I tried this Last Night.... I could use all 7 Spears in One Slot.... 👀

 

[3mptylord]

21 hours ago, Lutesque said:

You're Right..... I tried this Last Night.... I could use all 7 Spears in One Slot.... 👀

 

Glad I could help with that! :)

[(XBOX)Hunter Drakos]

this is a very well done mockup, and i would LOVE to see a rework like this implemented.... especially with how many warframes we have and how few loadouts we're actually allowed... why cant we have a loadout for each warframe in some manner

[3mptylord]

15 hours ago, (XBOX)Hunter Drakos said:

this is a very well done mockup, and i would LOVE to see a rework like this implemented.... especially with how many warframes we have and how few loadouts we're actually allowed... why cant we have a loadout for each warframe in some manner

Thank you for the kind words!

However - there's a limit? I confess I haven't reached that stage yet as I haven't yet created a build for every Warframe. I'm hoping to have at least one per Warframe eventually - is that not actually possible?! :(

[3mptylord]

You know - I might try to add Air Support to the interface. It's a feature of the game I genuinely forget exists, but having the ability to swap to the better suited support for the missions might make me engage with this feature. I was only reminded it exists today because someone turned off the alarms with it. 

Sometimes I wonder how much content there is in this game that I've never touched just because it's hidden somewhere obscure. :P

[3mptylord]

I was feeling creative so I created a mock-up of how the Arsenal Screen might look with my proposed rework to Loadouts. (I didn't have the icons for the Arsenal tabs so I used words). Remember that in my rework - every Warframe Slot comes with one free Build. So pictured would be my "default" Harrow Build. I have buttons to create new builds for Harrow. These additional builds would use the existing Loadout Slots. 

Heavy Weapon and Companion would now be part of the Warframe screen, since they are tied to your Warframe Loadout. Parazon is now in the Gear tab - although a quick interface to modify your Parazon from the Navigation>Loadout screen would also be amazing (I hate how many transitions there are for changing your Requiem Combination between missions, and it doesn't even take you back to Navigation after all of them).

You can now "lock" other loadouts to your Build - for example, you can lock a specific Amp and School to your Volt Eidolon Hunter build. I've always felt there should be Gear Loadouts (e.g. one with Dragon Keys, one with Formorian Cypher and your every-day one) - so in my mock-up I included a preset lock for your Gear Loadout (e.g. if you have a specific Anti-Formorian Build, you can lock a specific Gear Wheel and Archwing to a specific Warframe). If unlocked - it will preserve your last choice.

While creating this mockup, it occurred to me that it might be valuable to keep Companions separate - perhaps treating them more similar to Vehicles with their own loadouts. For example, lets say you have an Botany Oxylus, Energy Generator Dethcube, a Good Luck Kavat and an Anti-Eximus Hound companion loadouts that you may wish to lock to specific Build (e.g. I always want Botany Oxylus on my Rush Wukong Build, but I might want to be able to quickly swap to Good Luck Kavat for boss tile). 

For example, you can lock a reduced/shortlist Gear Wheel, Loot-Vacuum Ixtal Archwing, Voidrig, Madurai School and Swhaak Amp (and a specific Companion?) to your Volt Eidiolon Hunter. If you change to the Madurai Farm build (pictured above), it would swap to my locked School and Amp on the Harrow build (e.g. Zenurik and Klamora) - but since I haven't locked any Gear Wheel, Archwing or Necramech to my Madurai Farm build, it would just preserve the ones I was using when I played Volt.

EDIT: Following on from above, add Air Support to the Gear Tab too!

[Sensacion]

I will review this once again later, but i am glad someone else also has an issue and solution to the Loadouts and Configs. I'll review it more concisely after I post my suggestions since I do not want to encroach on your ideas, and properly do my ideas, which I've had for over a year. the overview looks good so far. Cheers.

[3mptylord]

Arsenal version 2

Feedback I'm addressing (from Reddit/personal reflection):

• "Builds" now cover all components of the arsenal by default - forgoing the "locks" I previously proposed.
  • There's a divide between players who like "modular" loadouts and players who want loadouts to be "one button swaps for missions". I think it's possible to create a UX that caters for both types of player.
• "Builds" can be selected from Navigation, similar to the existing Loadouts. "Loadout" now refers to build "modules". 
  • Existing 'Warframe Slots' are converted into 'Build Slots'. Each new Warframe requires an empty Build Slot. You can have an excess of Build Slots - you can still have multiple Builds per Warframe if you want. If there is a maximum number, it should be considerably higher than the current Loadout Slot limit.
  • 'Loadout Slots' are now used to limit build modules. Weapon, Companion, Equipment, Archwing, Necramech and Operator Loadouts share the same 'Loadout Slots'. The maximum number that a player can own is significantly increased from the current cap of 50. I suspect I am not the only player who will want a sufficient number to have 1 Weapon Loadout per Warframe, as well as at least one Companion Loadout per Companion, one Archwing Loadout per Archwing, one Necramech Loadout per Necramech, and one Operator Loadout per piece of Operate-dependant/useful content.
• Companions now have their own Loadouts (e.g. you can setup a Botany Oxylus, a Lucky Kavat, an Energy Genercube, Dispensary Carrier or Anti-Eximus Hound presets).
• Air Support, Atmospheric Archwing, K-Drive and Heavy Weapon are now in the Gear Loadout. I presume Voidsteeds will go here when Duvari is released,
  • Air Support shouldn't be such a forgettable feature!
• Vehicles split into separate Archwing and Necramech sections.
  • Atmosphere Archwing and Archwing are now separate parts of the loadout. The Archwing you deploy in Landscapes is controlled via the Gear Loadout, while the Archwing you use during 'Archwing Missions' is controlled by the Archwing Loadout. I would personally want to have Ixtal in my Gear Loadout and Amesha in their Mission loadout.

P.S. I learned how to take a printscreen without the UI.

[3mptylord]

(i) Use this page to quickly set-up a new Build using your loadout modules. This Build will persist between missions until Cleared. Save this Build to gain the ability to quickly modify Item Configs from Navigation. 

Updated arsenal screen in light of the modular loadout system: