Mod/Upgrade Screen - Warframe's Biggest Killer

[RavingRoman]

What is the first thing new players think when they see this?

 

They'll "Nope" out of the game faster than a Warframe can bullet jump out of a capture mission. For something so core to the game's function there is little explanation to how any of it works besides the slideshow you have to go out of your way, or the "Tutorial" at the bottom of the screen. Players need to be reigned in and made to understand how it works for weapons and frames. 

For something so complex, you have to resort to "You do it, You show Me how to do it, and Tell Me why it matters" 

Have Ordis run a quick tutorial VIDEO (imposed over the mod screen) on what a mod is, each individual part, point out how they affect the stat blocks on the left, and then an in-game display of the effects of having one equipped. The absolute basics. For anything more complex like synergy, damage calculation difference, or elemental combinations, you can have that alluded to verbally. Treat newcomers like they understand nothing of the game. 

For returners, those who forgot, or people who want to check back again, make the video replayable. But it has to be mandatory to play the FIRST time the player looks at the mod/upgrade screen. Only then you can allocate the video to the codex AFTER (Ordis) telling them that they can rewatch the video anytime there. 

 

 

I cannot stress how much this complexity scares away potential players that it is vital they need to at least have some pull forward on how to progress, especially for something that is a basic/core of the game. 

 

Hopefully this will be considered. Thank you.

[BurstDaVoir]

I think its a great idea that for new players there is a small video clip with a quick and comprehensive description of how not just Mod but everything. I really like the Idea that they can go back to the codex to watch that clip again any time, especially when some people just skip tutorial and then get lost and then they need to backtrack.

[Cherrygems219]

I personally dont feel this is a huge issue, especially cuz new players start out with very little mods, the amount you show rn isnt smth a new player sees, they see like 2 or 3 mods after they get first told they are able to upgrade. 

[RavingRoman]

2 hours ago, Cherrygems219 said:

I personally dont feel this is a huge issue, especially cuz new players start out with very little mods, the amount you show rn isnt smth a new player sees, they see like 2 or 3 mods after they get first told they are able to upgrade. 

While that is true, that does not mean players will understand how to use it. Most don't even experiment until maybe a few more hours later (while unmodded frames and weapons are still viable for beginners against level 1-10 enemies) and by then have at least 20 ISH mods. Then they have no idea what to do with them. 

[sXeth]

I think the complexity fear factor is a mite overstated. If the new player is looking at their own mod screen and not a video or overframe, theres a bare handful of options at all. With most early ones being pretty simplistic. It’s nothing beyond dozens of popular games.

For example fire up a fresh Minecraft game, open crafting and… it doesn’t even tell you how to make the planks for the one recipe it shows (and you might immediately wonder what to do if theres no oak trees around because it also doesn’t tell you wood is interchangeable) yet its the most popular game in history.

The big critique I brought up in my own video on it was that the early game didn’t engage you in that system. You could fairly easily get to at least Ceres without even having your shield dropped while playing without using parkour. To DEs credit they have tried to up the combat challenge and the engagement required a bit. But thats where people usually did the tutorial during Once Awake or for the junction then forgot about it til days later then had a flood of back pile mods.