True "Modular": A Comprehensive Rework

[Voltage]

Cross-post on Reddit

Overview

Warframe's "modular" equipment has never truly been modular, and the ability to experiment with various combinations has never been possible. However, with the addition of nemesis (Kuva/Tenet) weapons, Railjack components/armaments, and Incarnon Evolutions, I believe this idea could be revisited. Currently a player can end up throwing away countless Forma in an unnecessary way or having several configurations that collect dust in their inventory as the game has changed over time. Reworking the foundation of modular equipment would greatly benefit players of all levels of progression, give this corner of equipment a better gameplay loop, and the concept of modular Archwing gear would be a much brighter prospect going forward (should those release).

The anti-experimentation currently within modular equipment in Warframe creates an investment sink that pushes players into looking for the best setup and ignoring all other combinations. Once a combination is created and Forma is applied, the player is locked into this configuration. The only option for recuperating some of the time and resources spent is selling the item for Credits in the inventory or providing the item to the associated vendor for a measly amount of standing. Modular equipment across the board would greatly benefit from the ability to "hot-swap" configurations similar to the mechanic present for Incarnon Evolutions within the arsenal. I want to dive into each category of modulars to ensure their unique differences are accounted for. This process would still consume earned/crafted components for their respective slots to ensure that experimentation is not future-proofing equipment, but preserving gear investments (to an extent) for players who realize they do not like their current configuration should updates alter their builds (such as changes in Riven Dispositions, Focus Lenses, Exilus Adapters, Arcane Adapters, new Arcanes, etc.). These changes would also reinforce and further encourage players to earn the Mastery for each archetype of modular.

The general idea is to lock a modular item to the "base" that grants Mastery experience, but allow for the player to swap the other components in a modular fashion. That "base" would be the Amp prism, Hound and Moa model, K-Drive board, Kitgun chamber, and Zaw strike. Predasite and Vulpaphyla companions function differently as the modular mechanics associated with them are separate from their "base". The specific differences for those two companions will be explained further in their respective section of this topic.

Amps

UI Mockup:

Once gilded, players would have the ability to swap between any scaffolds and/or brace. This feature could be locked until the player has Mastered the prism in question. The stats would show as gilded (with a note/warning) with the associated diorama as if it were configured through Onkko in Cetus or Little Duck in Fortuna to see a preview of the appearance. The prism would be locked as shown above.

Hound and Moa Companions

UI Mockup:

Similar to the Amp concept, a diorama would open as if it were configured through Legs in Fortuna so the player could preview the stats and appearance with the Moa/Hound model locked.

Polarities would remain the same when swapping configurations. With this in mind, Moa and Hound Brackets would no longer give the player a free polarity. Instead, players would be given the ability to add two polarities when Gilding as opposed to one. This would detach polarities from cosmetic choices.

K-Drives

UI Mockup:

Like the previous concepts, a diorama would open as if it were configured through the Ventkids in Fortuna so the player could preview the stats and appearance with the K-Drive board locked.

Polarities would remain the same when swapping configurations. Scrawls would be removed.

Kitguns

UI Mockup:

Like the previous concepts, a diorama would open as if it were configured through Rude Zuud in Fortuna or Father in Necralisk so the player could preview the stats and appearance with the Kitgun chamber locked.

Polarities would remain the same when swapping configurations. However, swapping the grip from secondary to primary or vice versa would remove all Mods and Arcanes. This is to prevent players from having a secondary Kitgun with primary Mods and/or Arcanes and vice versa. Skins would also be removed.

Predasite and Vulpaphyla Companions

UI Mockup:

Like the previous concepts, a diorama would open as if it were configured through Son in Necralisk so the player could preview the stats and appearance.

Polarities would remain the same when swapping configurations. With this in mind, Antigens would no longer give the player a free polarity. Instead, players would be given the ability to add two polarities when Gilding as opposed to one. This would detach polarities from cosmetic choices.

Mutagen Innate Resistances Rework:

The innate resistances earned from Mutagen could definitely use an overhaul to be more predictable and easier to understand.

1. Removed from Mutagen and breeding. Through Son in Necralisk, infuse a new consumable (concept name: Parrigen [pronounced Parry-gen]) to grant Shields, Health, Armor, and Overguard bonuses to a Predasite or Vulpaphyla. All four bonuses can be stacked. Each Parrigen would cost various resources to craft and a sum of Son Tokens to infuse. This creates a meaningful path of progression that will give Predasites and Vulpaphylas unique resistance modifiers that are not an annoyance to understand and offer a straight upgrade to the companion without the appearance affected.
2. Remove weaknesses and rename the bonuses for standardization.
   1. Proto-Shields -> Shields Resistance (affecting Shields)
      • Puncture 50%
      • Heat 50%
      • Corrosive 50%
   2. Alloy Armor -> Armor Resistance (affecting Armor)
      • Slash 50%
      • Electricity 50%
      • Magnetic 50%
   3. Cloned Flesh -> Health Resistance (affecting Health)
      • Impact 25%
      • Gas 50%
      • Void 50%
   4. Robotic -> Overguard from melee hits.
      • A functionally reduced version of Pack Leader (+50 Health per hit, 600 Overguard Max.)

Zaws

UI Mockup:

Like the previous concepts, a diorama would open as if it were configured through Hok in Cetus so the player could preview the stats and appearance with the Zaw strike locked.

Polarities would remain the same when swapping configurations. However, swapping the grip from one-handed to two-handed or vice versa would remove the Stance Mod. This is to prevent players from having a Zaw with the incorrect Stance archetype. Skins would also be removed.

Because players would have the ability to swap configurations and potentially create combinations where the Stance polarity no longer matches, Zaws would be installed with a universal polarity in the Stance slot when gilded at Hok. This is to streamline the player modding experience.

Conclusion:

The goal here is to make modulars as a mechanic feel more tuned for experimentation, rewarding players for grinding additional components and trying new combinations. Punishing users for making non-meta choices is what leads to most players using similar configurations and not wavering outside of that path outside of Mastery.

All the UI mockups can be found here.

Edited February 15 by Voltage
Grammar

[DrivaMain]

Great post, however, another elephant in the room of "anti-experimentation" is still not addressed. This elephant also applies to all types of the player's arsenal: the polarization system. With the static polarity of forma except in certain slots (Aura and Stance), players are essentially locked in a limited amount of build options. 

At best, this system you proposed will only open up weapon combination variety, not the builds associated with such combinations. 

One may say "But you can just build another copy of the same item!". That is true but the addition of The Circuit using "Forma Count" as the parameter of item priority renders this point moot, at least in that game mode. Not to mention you have to invest in another item slot that demands premium currency full stop, which turns away some players. This topic deserves its thread, so I will not derail the poster's topic further. 

 

Edited February 15 by DrivaMain

[Voltage]

54 minutes ago, DrivaMain said:

Great post, however, another elephant in the room of "anti-experimentation" is still not addressed. This elephant also applies to all types of the player's arsenal: the polarization system. With the static polarity of forma except in certain slots (Aura and Stance), players are essentially locked in a limited amount of build options. 

At best, this system you proposed will only open up weapon combination variety, not the builds associated with such combinations. 

One may say "But you can just build another copy of the same item!". That is true but the addition of The Circuit using "Forma Count" as the parameter of item priority renders this point moot, at least in that game mode. Not to mention you have to invest in another item slot that demands premium currency full stop, which turns away some players. This topic deserves its thread, so I will not derail the poster's topic further. 

Yeah ... that's ... an entirely separate subject and derailing this thread. Like sure it's sort of related (since modding is a core pillar of the game), but you seem to have issue with the entire modding system.

Warframe builds are "locked" if you lock them for yourself. General use builds are popular because laziness is also popular (see: Revenant Prime and Wukong Prime stats for 2023). You're under the false assumption that changing polarization in the direction of "build diversity" (having your cake and eating it too) makes a significant impact to how missions play. It's like when DE nerfed melee through geometry and then Pikachu Surprised when everyone just said "Who needs Scoliac when I have <insert another AoE flavor of the month that bypasses geometry>." All you'd change is opening Pandora's Box where someone could future-proof their arsenal from having to ever revisit configurations or consider opportunity cost when modding for the foreseeable future or worse, the lifetime of their account.

I wanted to keep this post as a comprehensive overhaul to modular systems in Warframe, especially if they plan to add more to the system later on.

I also want to note that the current way they work doesn't exactly bother me because I've gotten to the point in Warframe where I've overfarmed almost all content, so the costs to things are just trivial to me. I want the system to feel good for those who are just getting into it as well as those coming back from a long break or tweaking builds for the latest updates.

An inventory like this for Zaws where many of them are just old builds doesn't exactly feel like experimentation, just hoarding to not "waste" the Forma sunk.

A player should see an update like Melee Arcanes and go "Man, I'm going to swap my Balla staff to a Balla dagger! Oh maybe I will just try another link first", not "Damn, I need to reapply another 3, 4, or even 5 Forma on another Zaw just to try out a different Balla configuration."

Edited February 15 by Voltage

[CrownOfShadows]

I agree with this in principle but not in all of its details. I've never like how hard it is to experiment with them that's for sure.

I'd suggest that instead of unlocking hot-swap with any crafted component after guilding I believe you should be able to hot-swap with any component before guilding (whether using your suggested base system or not). The reason for this is because the guilding process should consume the parts - they shouldn't be consumed by the initial choices when you've had no chance to even test them (and they shouldn't NOT be consumed at some point either).

If you unlocked hot-swap after guilding, the parts would not be consumed (only the base would be, if I followed your ideas correctly). While that's nice for users, it's not ideal because the modular part of the kit become infinite - they become like mods, you only need one or maybe two at most - unless you implement a sort of system that keeps track of what copy of a thing is in which weapon and it must be pulled out of that weapon to be freed up to be used in another, which would be a legitimate alternative method, a sort of socket system. If that's what you had in mind I'd be on board for that.

But anyways I'm suggesting that we could also let players experiment as they please with any parts they've built, and then boost the stats and consume the parts when guilding. This forces the player to build more parts to replace the used ones, but also incentivizes commitment to a build by providing the boost in stats. Also, since they wouldn't reach their full potential until guilding, some of the min-maxing that would naturally occur during the free experimentation phase is obviated.

Yet one other (somewhat lazy but still helpful) possible way of fixing the modular systems to be more experiment-friendly is to make them dirt cheap both to buy and build. They take some dedicated farm as it currently stands and sometimes some dedicated rep farm - and instead of requiring specialty materials switch it to generic materials as well. If it was a mere pittance to get them and build them that would remove a lot of the barriers, although leveling and guilding are also big gating factors too.

It's a very long and arduous process as it currently stands.

[Gamer_Auto]

On 2024-02-14 at 5:34 PM, Voltage said:

Cross-post on Reddit

Overview

Warframe's "modular" equipment has never truly been modular, and the ability to experiment with various combinations has never been possible. However, with the addition of nemesis (Kuva/Tenet) weapons, Railjack components/armaments, and Incarnon Evolutions, I believe this idea could be revisited. Currently a player can end up throwing away countless Forma in an unnecessary way or having several configurations that collect dust in their inventory as the game has changed over time. Reworking the foundation of modular equipment would greatly benefit players of all levels of progression, give this corner of equipment a better gameplay loop, and the concept of modular Archwing gear would be a much brighter prospect going forward (should those release).

The anti-experimentation currently within modular equipment in Warframe creates an investment sink that pushes players into looking for the best setup and ignoring all other combinations. Once a combination is created and Forma is applied, the player is locked into this configuration. The only option for recuperating some of the time and resources spent is selling the item for Credits in the inventory or providing the item to the associated vendor for a measly amount of standing. Modular equipment across the board would greatly benefit from the ability to "hot-swap" configurations similar to the mechanic present for Incarnon Evolutions within the arsenal. I want to dive into each category of modulars to ensure their unique differences are accounted for. This process would still consume earned/crafted components for their respective slots to ensure that experimentation is not future-proofing equipment, but preserving gear investments (to an extent) for players who realize they do not like their current configuration should updates alter their builds (such as changes in Riven Dispositions, Focus Lenses, Exilus Adapters, Arcane Adapters, new Arcanes, etc.). These changes would also reinforce and further encourage players to earn the Mastery for each archetype of modular.

The general idea is to lock a modular item to the "base" that grants Mastery experience, but allow for the player to swap the other components in a modular fashion. That "base" would be the Amp prism, Hound and Moa model, K-Drive board, Kitgun chamber, and Zaw strike. Predasite and Vulpaphyla companions function differently as the modular mechanics associated with them are separate from their "base". The specific differences for those two companions will be explained further in their respective section of this topic.

Amps

UI Mockup:

Once gilded, players would have the ability to swap between any scaffolds and/or brace. This feature could be locked until the player has Mastered the prism in question. The stats would show as gilded (with a note/warning) with the associated diorama as if it were configured through Onkko in Cetus or Little Duck in Fortuna to see a preview of the appearance. The prism would be locked as shown above.

Hound and Moa Companions

UI Mockup:

Similar to the Amp concept, a diorama would open as if it were configured through Legs in Fortuna so the player could preview the stats and appearance with the Moa/Hound model locked.

Polarities would remain the same when swapping configurations. With this in mind, Moa and Hound Brackets would no longer give the player a free polarity. Instead, players would be given the ability to add two polarities when Gilding as opposed to one. This would detach polarities from cosmetic choices.

K-Drives

UI Mockup:

Like the previous concepts, a diorama would open as if it were configured through the Ventkids in Fortuna so the player could preview the stats and appearance with the K-Drive board locked.

Polarities would remain the same when swapping configurations. Scrawls would be removed.

Kitguns

UI Mockup:

Like the previous concepts, a diorama would open as if it were configured through Rude Zuud in Fortuna or Father in Necralisk so the player could preview the stats and appearance with the Kitgun chamber locked.

Polarities would remain the same when swapping configurations. However, swapping the grip from secondary to primary or vice versa would remove all Mods and Arcanes. This is to prevent players from having a secondary Kitgun with primary Mods and/or Arcanes and vice versa. Skins would also be removed.

Predasite and Vulpaphyla Companions

UI Mockup:

Like the previous concepts, a diorama would open as if it were configured through Son in Necralisk so the player could preview the stats and appearance.

Polarities would remain the same when swapping configurations. With this in mind, Antigens would no longer give the player a free polarity. Instead, players would be given the ability to add two polarities when Gilding as opposed to one. This would detach polarities from cosmetic choices.

Mutagen Innate Resistances Rework:

The innate resistances earned from Mutagen could definitely use an overhaul to be more predictable and easier to understand.

1. Removed from Mutagen and breeding. Through Son in Necralisk, infuse a new consumable (concept name: Parrigen [pronounced Parry-gen]) to grant Shields, Health, Armor, and Overguard bonuses to a Predasite or Vulpaphyla. All four bonuses can be stacked. Each Parrigen would cost various resources to craft and a sum of Son Tokens to infuse. This creates a meaningful path of progression that will give Predasites and Vulpaphylas unique resistance modifiers that are not an annoyance to understand and offer a straight upgrade to the companion without the appearance affected.
2. Remove weaknesses and rename the bonuses for standardization.
   1. Proto-Shields -> Shields Resistance (affecting Shields)
      • Puncture 50%
      • Heat 50%
      • Corrosive 50%
   2. Alloy Armor -> Armor Resistance (affecting Armor)
      • Slash 50%
      • Electricity 50%
      • Magnetic 50%
   3. Cloned Flesh -> Health Resistance (affecting Health)
      • Impact 25%
      • Gas 50%
      • Void 50%
   4. Robotic -> Overguard from melee hits.
      • A functionally reduced version of Pack Leader (+50 Health per hit, 600 Overguard Max.)

Zaws

UI Mockup:

Like the previous concepts, a diorama would open as if it were configured through Hok in Cetus so the player could preview the stats and appearance with the Zaw strike locked.

Polarities would remain the same when swapping configurations. However, swapping the grip from one-handed to two-handed or vice versa would remove the Stance Mod. This is to prevent players from having a Zaw with the incorrect Stance archetype. Skins would also be removed.

Because players would have the ability to swap configurations and potentially create combinations where the Stance polarity no longer matches, Zaws would be installed with a universal polarity in the Stance slot when gilded at Hok. This is to streamline the player modding experience.

Conclusion:

The goal here is to make modulars as a mechanic feel more tuned for experimentation, rewarding players for grinding additional components and trying new combinations. Punishing users for making non-meta choices is what leads to most players using similar configurations and not wavering outside of that path outside of Mastery.

All the UI mockups can be found here.

On 2024-02-16 at 2:15 PM, CrownOfShadows said:

I agree with this in principle but not in all of its details. I've never like how hard it is to experiment with them that's for sure.

I'd suggest that instead of unlocking hot-swap with any crafted component after guilding I believe you should be able to hot-swap with any component before guilding (whether using your suggested base system or not). The reason for this is because the guilding process should consume the parts - they shouldn't be consumed by the initial choices when you've had no chance to even test them (and they shouldn't NOT be consumed at some point either).

If you unlocked hot-swap after guilding, the parts would not be consumed (only the base would be, if I followed your ideas correctly). While that's nice for users, it's not ideal because the modular part of the kit become infinite - they become like mods, you only need one or maybe two at most - unless you implement a sort of system that keeps track of what copy of a thing is in which weapon and it must be pulled out of that weapon to be freed up to be used in another, which would be a legitimate alternative method, a sort of socket system. If that's what you had in mind I'd be on board for that.

But anyways I'm suggesting that we could also let players experiment as they please with any parts they've built, and then boost the stats and consume the parts when guilding. This forces the player to build more parts to replace the used ones, but also incentivizes commitment to a build by providing the boost in stats. Also, since they wouldn't reach their full potential until guilding, some of the min-maxing that would naturally occur during the free experimentation phase is obviated.

Yet one other (somewhat lazy but still helpful) possible way of fixing the modular systems to be more experiment-friendly is to make them dirt cheap both to buy and build. They take some dedicated farm as it currently stands and sometimes some dedicated rep farm - and instead of requiring specialty materials switch it to generic materials as well. If it was a mere pittance to get them and build them that would remove a lot of the barriers, although leveling and guilding are also big gating factors too.

It's a very long and arduous process as it currently stands.

I like the base idea, and I like the alteration I quoted. But I have another concern: There are multiple tiers of parts based on your rank with a faction, and the stuff at rank 5 is almost always better than rank 1 - 4, as seen here: Primary Kitgun, Secondary Kitgun, Infested Kitgun, Zaw, Amp, Hounds (Kengineer doesn't have dedicated vids on MOAs or Modular Infested pets yet, but these get the point across).

If we want to encourage experimentation, wouldn't it be better to make just two versions of, for example, the Zaw Links? One for Crit, one for Status? Then do something akin to the Amps where one part gives a unique secondary effect? If one were to ask me, that'd encourage experimentation even further. Because even though guys like Kengineer will always find what's technically the meta, it'd still encourage people to find what they personally like. That way they can have that "Meta Weapon" for pubs, and the "Personal Weapon" for solo.

[Voltage]

9 hours ago, Gamer_Auto said:

I like the base idea, and I like the alteration I quoted. But I have another concern: There are multiple tiers of parts based on your rank with a faction, and the stuff at rank 5 is almost always better than rank 1 - 4, as seen here: Primary Kitgun, Secondary Kitgun, Infested Kitgun, Zaw, Amp, Hounds (Kengineer doesn't have dedicated vids on MOAs or Modular Infested pets yet, but these get the point across).

If we want to encourage experimentation, wouldn't it be better to make just two versions of, for example, the Zaw Links? One for Crit, one for Status? Then do something akin to the Amps where one part gives a unique secondary effect? If one were to ask me, that'd encourage experimentation even further. Because even though guys like Kengineer will always find what's technically the meta, it'd still encourage people to find what they personally like. That way they can have that "Meta Weapon" for pubs, and the "Personal Weapon" for solo.

I honestly forgot to consider this. This is a very valid change to make to breath life into unused parts.

[Voltage]

On 2024-02-16 at 3:15 PM, CrownOfShadows said:

If you unlocked hot-swap after guilding, the parts would not be consumed (only the base would be, if I followed your ideas correctly). While that's nice for users, it's not ideal because the modular part of the kit become infinite - they become like mods, you only need one or maybe two at most - unless you implement a sort of system that keeps track of what copy of a thing is in which weapon and it must be pulled out of that weapon to be freed up to be used in another, which would be a legitimate alternative method, a sort of socket system. If that's what you had in mind I'd be on board for that.

I agreed with the rest of your post, but I just wanted to clear this up. I do not want them to be like mods and more like the socket type system you just suggested. I'm with you there.