April 4Th: Community Hot Topics!

[[DE]Megan]

Update 13 Teaser Site:

With the Teaser site planned for the release of Update 13 last Wednesday, it was disheartening to have to put a timer on everything.

 

The Devs spoke a bit about the Teaser site in Devstream #26:

 

Steve: I got a couple tweets asking why we put up that Teaser site. The Marketing department put a lot of work into it.

 

Geoff: The Marketing department definitely didn’t want to do a countdown to a countdown.

 

Steve: I hope that people can see the ambitiousness of what we’re trying to do with Update 13. We were as disappointed as the people that were tweeting us saying why are you late? We were very upset with that decision as well. 

 

Update 13:

If you missed Devstream #26 you’ll want to check it out! Our Devs previewed Update 13 content, including Melee 2.0, Hydroid, Solar Rails, and much more! Thanks for everyone for sticking it out, stay tuned for Wednesday!

 

Performance:

Last week we mentioned Performance improvements were in the works for the Void, Forest, and much more. Update 13 will bring these improvements for PC and PS4(when it ships).

 

Commander Switch Teleport:

Recent threads expressing dislike towards the Switch Teleport from Commanders have been hot with discussion. The frustration boils down to the 1.5 seconds you’re stun-locked in a circle of Grineer without any warning or option to react; prior to the switch. Players have suggested either a lowered stun delay, or an option to hear or see the switch so you can react. 

 

Helmet Stats, Ongoing: 

This topic is certainly still hot. To reiterate: 

 

“Scott commented in Devstream #25 saying that we’re not planning on supporting stats on Helmets anymore; the plan is to basically retire them. This has come with mixed feelings from the community, a majority of players enjoy stats on helmets and wish to have the option of purchasing either a stat or statless version.With proposed alternative solutions growing, we’re keeping our eyes out. One particular school of players are asking about the blueprints they currently have, and if waiting on crafting them will always yield a stat helmet. Because we don’t know, we advise to craft them - take action where uncertainty exists if you know what you want (a helmet with stats).”

 

Updates will occur when we have discussed further. 

 

 

Prime Time #24 Feedback

 

Solo Alerts:

Our skills were put to the test last night as we attempted an Alert with fully ranked Warframes and semi-ranked weapons. This was to test Solo/New Player experience if an Alert were to appear on an available Node. (Note that if a New Player doesn’t have that Node unlocked they can’t play the Alert unless invited). With our semi-ranked weapons we didn’t stand a chance, so another round of Solo alerts was tested this morning will fully ranked gear, consumables, abilities, etc. This still proved difficult compared to playing with Teammates. 

 

As of right now, enemies don’t scale in Alerts if you’re playing Solo. This could be a potential solution, but more feedback is needed for an ultimate solution.

 

It comes down to players not having the same experience if they have bad connections. Solo players shouldn’t have to miss out on Alerts because they can’t join a squad. 

 

ODS vs Void Survival:

There was a clear difference in the Survival gameplay experience as ODS was compared with Void Survival to determine difficulty disparity. ODS proved to be a heart racing mission with constant low Oxygen levels and sporadic enemy mobs which resulted in few Oxygen drops. Could it be related to Level Design combined with Infested AI? Further investigation needs to be done, but it’s clear that there's an issue. Ultimately, there is a philosophical design question present here as well as if these missions should play identically. Comparable, maybe, but identical, maybe not. 

 

General PS4 Comments:

We’re currently working on a small PS4 build that will include fixes like Region lock, improvements to a few connectivity issues, and issuing out the limited time only Dex Furis and Proto Armor. We’ll update you with solid information when we have it!

 

[Brahmastra]

You might as well add in the discussions about the new frames name.. Guess we're gonna be seeing these topics for a while.

[Archwizard]

Hydroid: Bit of shock over the name. Might wanna see about something less... Pokemon-y, while you still have time before the update and all of the names are in flux.

 

I'll grant that naming him "Hydros" would be a little too similar to "Nekros", and all of the mythological names (including Davy Jones and the works of Lovecraft) would break the trend for elemental frames. But Hydroid is just... unfitting, especially since he has nothing to do with jellyfish (and most players will otherwise just think it's made up - and unlike Mag, there are a lot of recognizable alternatives, considering his element makes up 70% of the planet).

 

Heard some good ones like Abyss, Riptide, Aquarius, Nautilus and Vapor, though.

 

Helmets: To reiterate what I said in the last CHT, it's not that players want to purchase a stat or statless version. It's that we want stats to be completely independent of the aesthetic.

We like the stats! We like the helmets! But like peanut butter and pepperoni, we don't like them as a package. Don't just make a resale version with or without (since that will just annoy the players who already have their helmets, and only dances around the problem), and don't force the players who already have them to make a permanent choice about the stats either. Take the stats off the helmets completely and create some other fluid means of applying them, so that you can freely wear one helmet with another's old stats or without any at all, by your own choosing.

Edited April 8, 2014 by Archwizard

[SirAuron]

There should be an Option to not scale difficulty on alerts. And here's another hot topic.

Which Melee System Would You Prefer? Time Focused Or With 2 Buttons In Sequence?

Note that in the end, players wanted both systems in game, but ultimately prefer two button style, but both can be implemented. This does not change the actual system, it only gives players more options.

 

I think it would be in the best interest of the Tenno if you can hold down "switch weapon" and select switch weapon to switch to. No one likes to cycle through 3+ weapons.

 

Also...

 

Weapon swap delay does absolutely nothing beneficial in the game. It makes changing weapons always a poor choice instead of reloading, removing a tactical option. It removes the option to switch for different damage resistances slower than just killing the enemy.

 

Switching is almost always the wrong decision. DE wants melee to be viable and used - otherwise they wouldn't have gone so far into m2.0.

 

Making weapon swap nearly instant (which it may be) will simply get us to use melee more often. That's a win for everyone.

Edited April 8, 2014 by SirAuron

[Deidaku]

The only thing that made me sad is that there doesn't seem to be a recovery mechaninc in Melee 2.0 :/

 

https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/177682-de-i-know-youre-ultra-busy-with-20-but-i-hope-you-wont-forget-this/

[123Olympian]

Nice everything on U13.

[EdBazokatone]

Coptering must go away in U13, how is that a non intended glitch becomes a playstyle? it's stupid and must be fixed. Rushers gonna hate ofc, but I don't think that kind of playstyle should be supported by devs.

Edited April 4, 2014 by EdBazokatone

[tsubasakuroi]

No third option for Commander Switch teleport of simply outright removing the stun?

[KTribute]

On the topic of stat changing helmets; The only thing to do is to give everything no stats.

 

Why would anyone pick anything cosmetic compared to a more aerodynamic rhino? This isn't tf2, cosmetics don't rule all.

The only true thing to do is make everything statless, and cosmetic. And why does it even make sense? Why does this helmet make me faster, make me run longer, make my energy last longer? There is no reasoning behind it other than "It's behind a paywall/rng wall"

 

Stop the madness, stop the Loki speed Rhinos, balance the warframes, and remove stat changes on helmets. All of them. That's the only answer there is.

[BrainInvader]

Thanks for making these topics, great to see you all keeping up with the problems we all face!

 

 

Prime Time #24 Feedback

 

Solo Alerts:

Our skills were put to the test last night as we attempted an Alert with fully wanked Warframes and semi-wanked weapons. This was to test Solo/New Player experience if an Alert were to appear on an available Node. (Note that if a New Player doesn’t have that Node unlocked they can’t play the Alert unless invited). With our semi-wanked weapons we didn’t stand a chance, so another round of Solo alerts was tested this morning will fully wanked gear, consumables, abilities, etc. This still proved difficult compared to playing with Teammates. 

 

As of right now, enemies don’t scale in Alerts if you’re playing Solo. This could be a potential solution, but more feedback is needed for an ultimate solution.

 

It comes down to players not having the same experience if they have bad connections. Solo players shouldn’t have to miss out on Alerts because they can’t join a squad.

FTFY!(Fixed That For you!)

[KTribute]

And on the topic of coptering, you are allowing a lazy bug to become a stable part of the game, at least give it a good animation. Make it a unique factor. make it pair with parkour. Don't keep it as it is, because PS4 players can barely do it because of their controls, and it's difficult, and why even have fast frames if everyone can go as fast as their melee lets them?

[MrBigFloppyDisk]

Since there is no more charge attacks in U13 (at the exception of the Glaive); what is the plan for melee weapons that only rely on charge attacks (like the Dark Sword) and the "charge attacks damage" mods?

Edited April 4, 2014 by AtomFailure

[Kaian-a-coel]

No third option for Commander Switch teleport of simply outright removing the stun?

You mean like it used to be?

 

And about the hypesite failure, it is a classical case of too little (explanations), too late. I made several posts in the related megathread about that already.

I can forgive but you better not forget.

[RMSGM]

I don´t agree with coptering either, if the excuse is that some frames are slower than others so they need this then its working as intended, because seeing Rhino or Frost running and flying on the map like a Loki or Ash is just not good for some of the roles other warframes should excel at. If a frame is tanky then it must be slower while glass cannons are faster.

Edited April 4, 2014 by RMSGM

[Orbister]

It's awesome that you differentiate solo players by choice and solo players because of connection issues and i am truly grateful that you consider that those who can't choose and HAVE to play solo should not suffer from it, and it is also great that even though if we do choose to solo you still think that we deserve an option that fits that style, in my case i have frequent network issues, i am not interested in sending a support ticket because most days i have no problems and we all know that online playing depends on many variables working in syncrony that might fail, but anyway i am very grateful that your phylosophy is to take care of the solo players whether by choice or not.

 

thanks guys. keep up the great work! : D

[Llyssa]

I'd like to note that you need to test again on the ODS vs. Void.

 

There were a few big differences, including that the Void team has a nekros, and the ODS team did not, and that the Void team was spamming ults(thus killing enemies faster, which, in turn, causes faster spawns).

 

You need to have identical teams try each, to see exactly how much difference there is. Ults+nekros will always be easier than just standard gunplay--the skills make a HUGE difference.

Edited April 4, 2014 by Llyssa

[Othergrunty]

Have these hot topics ever actualy affected anything significantly?

 

Do Grineer Commanders actualy need to have a switch teleport ability? Switching place with an enemy doesn't really sound commanderish to me.

 

Why don't you just get rid of it all together and replace it with an ability worth of a commander title, like using a laser pointer to draw agro on a single player, or being able to teleport in reinforcements.

The later would be especialy fitting since it would resemble how Captain Vor can call in reinforcements.

Edited April 4, 2014 by Othergrunty

[Terrornaut]

Even without a Nekros, if you're one of many people who have played ODS. ...you know there's that danger of getting a low spawn run.

Hydroid? That's a definite?

...No mention about countless ability threads. I guess those are always hot topics. Touchy, problematic. Oh well. Will hope for an answer one day.

[AuroraSonicBoom]

Coptering must go away in U13, how is that a non intended glitch becomes a playstyle? it's stupid and must be fixed. Rushers gonna hate ofc, but I don't think that kind of playstyle should be supported by devs.

 

I think if we ever want to see it gone we need to at first open a dialogue to the devs and ask them for their reasoning behind not fixing it. The subject about coptering was quickly dropped in the livestream, intentionally or not, who knows, so right now the question we are going to have to ask is "why".

 

It's a bug that is throwing off game balance in a major way and allows the slowest frames to keep up with the fastest sprinters at a negiligent cost(being locked into a certain group of weapons) and requiring absolutely no skill to execute whatsoever.

 

Speed or the lack of is a major balance factor in this game, as it dictates how fast a groups of players is moving and how fast they can complete content. It's not some secondary stat that's doesn't have an impact to how the game is played, or what type of gameplay it encourages and discourages(learning to parkour vs. spam coptering).

 

So, I would like to ask Rebecca or Megan to forward the question of "why keep coptering, why ignore speed balance?" to the devs, particularily Steve, as he seemed to be most in favor of it during the livestream.

[Sidathe]

Heard some good ones like Abyss, Riptide, Aquarius and Vapor, though.

Riptide sounds like something a pirate would be named. lol

[(PSN)CrimsonShinku]

cool on the akfuris and excalibur, but what about the shamrock colors that PS4 didn't get?

[Archwizard]

I think if we ever want to see it gone we need to at first open a dialogue to the devs and ask them for their reasoning behind not fixing it. The subject about coptering was quickly dropped in the livestream, intentionally or not, who knows, so right now the question we are going to have to ask is "why".

 

It's a bug that is throwing off game balance in a major way and allows the slowest frames to keep up with the fastest sprinters at a negiligent cost(being locked into a certain group of weapons) and requiring absolutely no skill to execute whatsoever.

 

Speed or the lack of is a major balance factor in this game, as it dictates how fast a groups of players is moving and how fast they can complete content. It's not some secondary stat that's doesn't have an impact to how the game is played, or what type of gameplay it encourages and discourages(learning to parkour vs. spam coptering).

 

So, I would like to ask Rebecca or Megan to forward the question of "why keep coptering, why ignore speed balance?" to the devs, particularily Steve, as he seemed to be most in favor of it during the livestream.

 

Because there are already plenty of complaints that frames feel too slow as it stands, and they like to have multiple options open for travel. I wouldn't call it a bug, since it's practically the whole reason why the Dual Zoren exist, given the complaints about how weak they feel as actual tools of attack.

 

They already said a couple streams back that they like the idea of weapon weight influencing travel speed (so that wielding a heavy weapon feels heavier), and the copters are probably the most direct example of that.

Edited April 4, 2014 by Archwizard

[Jaekov]

DE is Helios' long targeting delay intentional? 

[ioeshepard]

Hydroid ? needed a glass of water after reading this one ...

 

How about Aquarius ? Vapor does not sound to bad either from a post earlier - but ... nah - this needs more braincells

 

I am burning for this update.

 

Melee recovery !!

 

....Scott commented in Devstream #25 saying that we’re not planning on supporting stats on Helmets anymore...

 

will cause tears but i think this is good

Edited April 4, 2014 by ioeshepard

[zebar1313]

My only gripe about the dev stream is they mentioned the valkyr and melee 2.0, but they never showed us what they meant. If i remember correctly steve said, 'we should talk about how valkyr and melee 2.0 work together' but they never went into detail... :( i wanna know how well my favorite frame will handle these changes.. :(