Old player considering coming back. Should I though?

[ItsDaKoolaidDude]

Someone with 2.3k in-mission hours and having started back in 2017 before dropping after TNW came about and mostly dropped due to burnout on Deimos' unrelenting (and slightly unforgivable) grinding, my interest is slowly coming back into Warframe. However since I've been hearing a lot of new things being dropped in to grind more for, I'm a bit wary on joining back and getting back into the groove. Another thing thats somewhat keeping on the fence is the need to reinvent my builds across almost all of the warframes, pets and weapons I've got built up and the memories of the sheer horribly done powercreep that's happened since 2017.  Sank quite a good large amount of money in, put in a few small hours into trading, learned fashionframe...

So should I rly be dropping back in or is this just someone better off not doing so and just watching others?

[Circle_of_Psi]

No, better of elsewhere

[(PSN)slightconfuzzled]

Really depends on what you find attractive and enjoyable about the game, and what you dislike and find irritating, and whether the game will give you more of the former or latter, or at the least, give you ways to navigate through it so you can encounter the good (for yourself personally), without the bad (again for you) interfering in that. 

For example, I personally wasn't a big fan of Deimos relatively speaking. However that was just because the landscape was "too red", for me. I actually do like the token system they used, and that update also brought me some of my favourite weapons and Warframe, but eh. However I really liked Angels of the Zariman update, which introduced new tilesets, new modes, new Incarnon system, new mid boss enemies in Void Angels, and some decent new weapons and Arcanes. However... many people didn't like that update so much, didn't care for what I just mentioned, and also found it too grindy. Since a way you progress is via a syndicate which requires finding Medallions/Plumes scattered through out the tile set and fighting Void Angels and... if you don't enjoy the new modes, the new tile sets and exploring... You might find the grinding laborious and unforgivable.

I don't know you well enough to know if you will like Zariman's new visual aesthetics, the new modes, the new tile sets, the new weapons, the new mini boss fights (which also require you to use your spoiler mode), like, you might have done a lot of Eidolons, and your spoiler mode is fun to you, but you might also hate that part of the game. 

I take breaks here and there, but not as long as your break. Personally, I am always drawn back because new Warframes and new weapons are interesting to me. So maybe they are interesting to you? Maybe Gauss Prime (next), Grendel Prime, Wisp Prime, the new Warframes like Dagath, Kullervo, Citrine are interesting enough to return? The game also finally gave us Duviri... which you might remember was a thing. Maybe your curiosity is interested and thats enough incentive? Or maybe you just don't care about that sort of thing and its just more clutter to ignore. 

I can say there has been a lot of QOL improvements throughout the years, but for many, the game has still gone in directions they aren't happy with either. There are also a few cinematic quests since you left, so if you are interested in the story and lore of Warframe, at least a few hours content for you, and more to come in a few weeks with the next update. Maybe thats not your interest either. Power creep can be a tricky topic to address, because I also don't know what your specific issues were. Game has definitely kept giving us power power though, but depending on who you are... Recently there was a thread about what your favourite weapons in the game were, and a lot of people mentioned Incarnon weapons, which are new powerful additions to the game (well new additions to old weapons), so you might love that some old weapons were brought up to date, or you might have we have so many "OP" weapons. 

Maybe just jump in, find out what you did enjoy (lots more fashion frame potential now), and try and do that content and decide from there?

[(XBOX)C11H22O11]

Game is free so you could see for yourself.

People could say something positive here but you might not end up liking it or something negative that you might like, it's better to find out for yourself 

[chaotea]

1 hour ago, ItsDaKoolaidDude said:

dropped due to burnout on Deimos' unrelenting (and slightly unforgivable) grinding,

1 hour ago, ItsDaKoolaidDude said:

I've been hearing a lot of new things being dropped in to grind more for

So lets face it, Warframe is Grind. Its been part of the game from the beginning. Now the open world grinds tend to feel more intense as they are denser experiences, but generally theres not too much new grind to do on a case by case basis. In fact alot of new grind has seen a change. Often rather than just relying on RNG, new content also comes with secondary currency for buying what your missing from vendors.

New faction / open world style areas exist. The Zariman has a traditional faction experience, but all its bounties are done like regular missions, with ingame pickups, like syndicate medallions, used for ranking. Then theres Duviri, which is a very different experience, and while certainly grindy, its a very different form of gameplay which helps.

 

The best thing you can do is just get in, find stuff you like doing, then do that. And if that earns you fun stuff, consider it a bonus. And if not, play something else. Theres no shame in that. Ive all but dropped Warframe in recent months to play other games, but ill be back for updates.

[AntifreezeUnder0]

Overall its the same game with same basic princips. 

You grind in the new update area, and once done getting you want or completing everything ... its same void all over again.

Yet you dont know if simply dont try yourself. 

[0_The_F00l]

The grinds get more lenient over time, so whatever burnt you out may be less grindy but there may be other things much grindier to replace it.

Doesn't hurt to try though , the only thing you will lose is some bandwidth, storage space and some time.

[(NSW)Greybones]

I wouldn’t recommend chasing efficiency to detriment of gameplay if you were going to jump back in, otherwise you’ll potentially be piling on the stress of redundantly optimising otherwise perfectly fine builds.

Game’s still designed from the modless baseline and whatever build/loadout/whatever combination you could want, with more options added to play around with and earn, so… that’s a thing

[kamisama85]

4 hours ago, ItsDaKoolaidDude said:

So should I rly be dropping back in or is this just someone better off not doing so and just watching others?

If you need to ask OTHER PEOPLE whether you should play a game or not, then I think the answer is resounding no.

The structure of Warframe as a game is clearly not your cup of tea, and you will find yourself back in the same pit of grief that caused you to leave before.
I would recommend looking elsewhere for ways to pass your free time. Enjoy what memories you had of the game when it was nice, but find your happy place elsewhere.

[Chewarette]

If power creep is your main problem with Warframe, then no

But if that's the case, maybe Warframe never was the type of game you were looking for

Edited December 4, 2023 by Chewarette

[DarkSkysz]

Yes.

No.

Maybe.

Now choose which answer you want.

[Aruquae]

Sounds like you got burned out from grinding too much

I’d say yes, but reduce the time you spend grinding, find more things to do. Don’t make a day by day to-do list, just a simple goal over time. 
Don’t treat it like a chore, I’m not sure I know anyone who enjoys chores. And once you don’t enjoy a game, it’s time to leave it.

[DarknessNightshade]

I've been around for a while and played through till LR 1 or 2 on PC, I've had to skip several big updates because I'd hoped to switch over to Nintendo Switch when cross save eventually launches. 

I don't think I would have the same experience on that platform now that I've learnt that Platinum I buy and trade on that platform can't be traded to any other platform. 

Maybe DE eventually update it to bring it in line with every other platform, but my initial reaction is that I won't be able to do things like save up for rivens or trade for ducats as easily compared to literally everyone else on the other platforms that have no restrictions. 

Which is pretty crippling for an endgame player. Rivens aren't essential but it's still a measurable disadvantage. 

And ducats grinding through relics or trading would take even longer than it already does. 

For a player missing years of content, I can imagine the prospect of coming back to the game would be a daunting one. 

I mean, mods have changed, some frames are just outright better than others in the meta, and a lot of things are locked behind reputation with certain factions which just becomes another chore. 

I'd say do it if you're willing to put in the time and effort to learn everything again, there's a lot of content for a free game and the story is worth a playthrough on its own. 

If you're returning and specifically using cross save to go to Nintendo Switch, I'd say do it only if you're willing to put up with the disadvantage you have versus everyone else. 

[(PSN)PanserKunst]

Having done Deimos twice from scratch, the grind is arguably a lot better than the original release. What is the game's draw for you? Why do you feel compelled to play? Combat loop? Fashion frame? Narrative? Modding research? (Whispers update will "likely" have good / great storyline) DE does seem to excel at story. Jump in, try it out. You'll know where you're at in a couple of days worth of play.

[ItsDaKoolaidDude]

18 hours ago, (XBOX)C11H22O11 said:

Game is free so you could see for yourself.

People could say something positive here but you might not end up liking it or something negative that you might like, it's better to find out for yourself 

As much as I'd like to go with the "just dive in" thing, its a preference to go that way and I'd prefer knowing the waters and be warned there's rocks about 5 inches below the surface or not. As for ppl saying something positive or negative, that's honestly just how conversations and recommendations go tho.

[CephalonCarnage]

There are no rocks in Warframe, except for the ones you tie around your own ankles.

Anyone can go out and play the excellent movement and combat system for half an hour a day and be entertained and energised by it. The problems come when you start to look at it as a "lets complete" game, it doesn;t have to be this. There should be no FOMO here, get what you like, grind (as much as you can be bothered with) for any new stuff that takes your fancy. You don't have to buy it with plat either, nobody *needs* a necramech or the latest gun (many of which are decidedly meh).

And I say this as someone who has almost everything (missing only the incarnons from SP circuit, no. I got several and figured I really did not need to run that awful mode ever again), and did the grind to the point where I suffered. But that was my own fault, those 32 consecutive runs for Nova (grrrr, RNG) really made me stop and think what i was doing - mainly when i was facing a ice wall and thinking "where am I, where do I go now", I had worn myself out that much. But a bit of reflection and time out brought me back with a renewed sense of playing for the fun of it.

The game gets easier as you progress, but there's no need to play for the sake of playing. I actually enjoy the update drops to grind for the relics. I got to enjoy the Deimos grind, getting that Necramech. However these show 2 aspects of the game - I play the relic grind with others as I find that enjoyable. I grind for the mech solo as that was more enjoyable.

So find what you like, and do that.

[ShogunGunshow]

Deimos is the easiest/simplest open-world grind, tho? 

[Hypernaut1]

It's the same game more or less. If you left because you didn't like it, your still not going to like it.

If you enjoyed it, but just took a break - it's the same game more or less.

[(XBOX)Brusilnik]

I take breaks pretty frequently, also due to burnout and just not having fun anymore. 

By the time I come back after a break, there's a ton more new stuff to do, so I'd say try the game again, and take another break if you get burnt out. 

Imo, the game feels like it's gotten easier. To me, this helps with burnout since I don't feel like I NEED to run the latest and greatest, and can have fun with older non meta weapons- and roll rivens for them.

As for your builds, I'm not actually sure what's changed since the new war, but with shield gating or umbra mods, pretty much anything can do steel path these days. I'm still using the same old mods I've always used. The new shard system can open up a mod slot or two, but I've pretty much ignored them and I've been fine. I can't stand more than an hour in survival anyways. 

Grinding factions hasn't gotten any better, that I can remember, but that's why I take breaks. You said you haven't played since the new war, so there's a lot of grinding to do... on the plus side though, if you get bored grinding one faction, switch to another. You've got a lot of new story content, missions and open worlds to explore. 

If you try the game again and don't end up liking it, then you haven't really lost anything aside from some time.

Just my opinion, hope that helps. Good luck!