The Amazing Warframe Laboratory - Lengthy And Complicated Suggestion

[DrPandisimo]

This is more than likely going to be a long post, so to break it down, I will hide each section of the process Im thinking of in a spoiler tag, so as to save scrolling through.

 

I got to thinking on this when I considered, I like the aesthetic of many warframe's, but dislike their skill set or stat's, or enjoy the skill set, but dislike the appearance. Given that the game has a base within customisation of sorts, I thought to myself, my not expend on this? Melee 2.0 is coming soon, giving players a greater may to customise and express through differing forms of melee combat, why not take it even further, eh?

 

The general theme behind my idea would be new room/lab within the dojo, that allows for extensive customisation of a warframe, from appearance, to stats and skills, whilst trying to maintain some form of balance. This process would be mastery locked fairly high, say 10, maybe 12, making it a thing to strive and work for, and would require extensive effort and mastery of multiple frame's in order to unlock its full potential (all will be explained, fear not). To help try to explain this process, and my thoughts, and avoid confusion, I will "build" my frame as I go along, at the end of each mini-section. Warframe constructed in this manner would have a + at the end of their name, and a stock description.

 

Section 1: Appearance

The first stage of this process would be to chose the look of your frame. Essentially, you are choosing an existing frames model as a base. To unlock a frame's base model for use within the lab you would need to have mastered the frame, and forma'd it, then mastered it again. All skins and helmets would be applicable to the frame, as would scarves and animations. For example, if I wanted to use Nekros as the base appearance of my frame, I would need to level him to 30, use a forma on him, then re-level him to 30. This first use of a forma will also be used at a later stage, but bare with me. For the rest of this example, I will be "constructing" an elementally based Nekros+, who will dabble with all the elements.

 

Section 2: Stats

Probably one of the more complex stages to describe in words would be "stat" selection. By this I mean health, shields, armour, energy and speed. You would be able to modify 3 of these to one of two values, leaving the other 2 at their base value. Some of these may have negative effects, such as choosing an extreme armour value may decrease your total shields by a set %, for example. To be able to choose different stats, you only need to have the frame unlocked that has that stat and levelled to 30. Stat choices would be as follows:

Health: Either 100, or 150

Shields: Either 100, or 150

Armour: A choice between: 65, 190, or 600(600 would confer a 50% reduction to shields)

Energy: Either 100, or 150

Speed: Would be limited to 1, 1.1 or 1.15, would not take any frame speeds into account, would be selectable regardless (i.e, can't take the master race speed of 1.25).

So, for my Nekros+, I will choose to modify the health, energy and speed values, forcing me to leave shields and armour untouched.

Each stat change would confer a cost of 20,000 credits, and 5000 alloy plate at the last stage, upto 60,000 and 15,000 respectively.

 

Section 3: Skills

Next section would be selection of skills. Remember earlier when I said the first forma would come into play later? Well, here it is. It unlocks the Ability Slot 1, such as "Slash Dash", or "Freeze" for use within the lab. To unlock the second, you would need to forma twice, and for slots 3+4, 3 for both. You would only be able to choose 1 ability for each slot, obviously. For my elementally charged Nekros+ I will choose, for example:

Skill Slot 1: Fireball

Skill Slot 2: Ice Blast

Skill Slot 3: Turbulence

Skill Slot 4: Overload

 

You do not have to choose 4 skills, but will not be able to add any further ones once you complete the process. To add a skill would cost the following at the end (Bring on the grind):

Slot 1 Skill: 5,000 Credits, 500 Circuits

Slot 2 Skill: 10,000 Credits, 1000 Circuits

Slot 3 Skill: 15,000 Credits, 1500 Circuits

Slot 4 Skill: 20, 000 Credits, 2000 Circuits 

 

Section 4: Polarities

As with every other frame, a custom frame would have 4x "=" polarities. It would have an un-polarised aura, and 6 un-polarised mod slots. You would be able to, at the cost of a single forma, be be able to choose the aura polarity, and a single other polarity, no more (I'm thinking only one because its likely many other forma's would have already been used already in this process). For my Nekros+ I will choose to have a "-" aura, and add a "V" polarity to my mod slots.

 

Section 5: Summary

Once the process is completed, a blueprint will be produced for your custom frame, with component requirements taken from the previous stages. it would have a base cost of 100,000 Credits, and take 4 days to build. 

So my Nekros+, for example, would take: 210,000 Credits, 15,000 Alloy Plate, 5000 Circuits, and a forma to build. There would be a cooldown of 8 days before this process could be performed again. Some of the costs may need amping up, or swapped to different materials, but eh. 

 

There is no TL:DR, it may be an utter failure of an idea in some people's eyes, or good in others. If a dev even graced this post I would explode all over the walls, a beautiful piece of blood red art. 

 

Thought, criticisms, alterations, expansions, questions,  welcome :3

[Entari0]

I like this idea, but I think that only abilities 1 and 2 should be changeable, if only because 3 and 4 are (generally) a sort of calling-card move. Alternatively, make it so up to 2 of the original frame's abilities can be changed, so your <frame name here>+ still is that frame, but heavily modified. not sure if i agree with the forma requisite for unlocking a frame body.

[notionphil]

So what would stop people from making a Frame with Pull, Iron Skin, Bastille, Molecular Prime for example? Or Decoy, Energy vamp, Turbulence, Absorb?

Power mixing can easily create an unstoppable power combo which renders your frame invincible.

I hope to see power switching but using the generic powers which are hopefully balanced for it.

 

EDIT - let me say on a more positive note that your post is creative and well-written :) Keep up the good work!

Edited March 12, 2014 by notionphil