Tenno Spectres - Some Feedback + Ideas

[Vargras]

The Tenno Spectres, found during the Solar Rail Sabotage missions, have quickly become one of my favorite parts of U13 for a few reasons:

 

-They're smarter. Tenno Spectres shoot, block, melee, and use powers. Far from being like other enemies in the game with one gimmick (or none), the Tenno Spectres offer a bit of unpredictability. Will that Excalibur Spectre use Slash Dash or Radial Blind? Is the Frost going to try to melee me? Is the Trinity going to block all my shots and force me to try and flank or use an ability?

 

-They're reasonably challenging. Tenno Spectres are not challenging because they're bullet sponges. They're challenging because they're capable of several different things, and you don't know what you're going to run into until it's already happening. It's refreshing, really.

 

-They're something different. After playing against Grineer, Corpus, Infested, and Corrupted for so long, it was really nice seeing new enemies in the game that weren't mini-bosses or bosses.

 

I'd also like to offer up some feedback, based upon things I'd like to see and also things my alliance allies mentioned as well:

 

-Greater customization (Visual). They're defending a clan or alliance rail. I don't know how difficult this would be to implement, but give the clan warlord or alliance founder the option to customize how the Tenno Spectres look. Colors, clan or alliance emblems, the whole nine yards.

 

-Greater customization (Behavior). Perhaps even go one step further and tweak how the Tenno Spectres actually behave -- maybe you want an Ember Spectre who just spams Fireballs, or a Loki Spectre who goes invisible and melees. The sky's the limit!

 

-Great customization (Performance). Expand upon the Orokin Labs and allow clan/alliance members to research various upgrades for the Tenno Spectres (the Spectres fall under the Orokin enemy classification in the Codex, only makes sense for it to be in that lab). Allow us to fund weapon and warframe upgrades for the Spectres, making them tougher and more lethal.

Edited April 14, 2014 by Vargras

[MandoKarla]

I unloaded a full Wraith Vipers clip into a Trinity right as she linked me. XD I also got Switch teleported twice in a row by a Loki.

[Vargras]

I unloaded a full Wraith Vipers clip into a Trinity right as she linked me. XD I also got Switch teleported twice in a row by a Loki.

I actually really like how you can't just faceroll the Spectres. They'll often turn your own tricks against you.

 

Went up against a Frost Spectre today with a Scindo. Kept blocking and trying to back itself into a corner so it could just tank the hits. We also had an Excalibur meleeing, and I seriously thought it was an ally before it came after me.

[notionphil]

I must be experiencing buggy spectres bc mine just stand there as I unload a clip into their heads. If I approach they melee me, but other than that they are about as challenging as the fusion moas in the level.

[Vargras]

I must be experiencing buggy spectres bc mine just stand there as I unload a clip into their heads. If I approach they melee me, but other than that they are about as challenging as the fusion moas in the level.

Mine were the expect opposite. I've had:

 

-Excalibur using Slash Dash and meleeing

-Frost blocking and sometimes using a Lato

-Rhino using Iron Skin and meleeing

-Ember using Fireball and a Braton

[notionphil]

I only ran 2 missions so I'll try more. I ran it on solo so I could see their potential... And they really didn't do anything. I'll def try again tonight tho.

One enemy did party some bullets tho which was cool. Almost got me.

[Volt_Cruelerz]

Allowing players to choose the rates at which they cast certain abilities as well as the spawn rates of the frames themselves could be interesting.  Imagine having to assault a rail that focused all its Specters on Frosts that do nothing but spam Snow Globe.

 

Another idea I mentioned in another thread was allowing players in an alliance that owns a rail to donate mods to the specters in the event of an attack which would be used for a few runs before being destroyed.  Could prove interesting.

[Vargras]

Another idea I mentioned in another thread was allowing players in an alliance that owns a rail to donate mods to the specters in the event of an attack which would be used for a few runs before being destroyed.  Could prove interesting.

All my dupes would have a use for something, other than being sold, transmuted, or used for fusion.

[Sasquatchias]

Personally I'd like a system kinda like yours, just a bit different:

 

Individual members of the Alliance can purchase a BP in the Orokin Labs that'll allow them to produce a Spectre to defend the Solar Rail.

Players who contribute are able to further customize their Spectre, including cosmetics, weapons, and behavior (will the Spectre act like Rambo, going in guns blazing, or will they act defensively, biding their time and waiting for a good opportunity to strike?)

 

Players will get notifications about their Spectre, with the notifications being about how it was either destroyed, downed, or downed/killed an enemy.

Players whose Spectres have succeeded in defending the Rail (succeeding is downing or killing an enemy player) will gain a little credit and XP for the Warframe and Weapons that the Spectre was copied from.

[Volt_Cruelerz]

Personally I'd like a system kinda like yours, just a bit different:

 

Individual members of the Alliance can purchase a BP in the Orokin Labs that'll allow them to produce a Spectre to defend the Solar Rail.

Players who contribute are able to further customize their Spectre, including cosmetics, weapons, and behavior (will the Spectre act like Rambo, going in guns blazing, or will they act defensively, biding their time and waiting for a good opportunity to strike?)

 

Players will get notifications about their Spectre, with the notifications being about how it was either destroyed, downed, or downed/killed an enemy.

Players whose Spectres have succeeded in defending the Rail (succeeding is downing or killing an enemy player) will gain a little credit and XP for the Warframe and Weapons that the Spectre was copied from.

love this idea!

 

*goes off to ponder the most egregious forms of CC imaginable*

Edited April 14, 2014 by Volt_Cruelerz

[holyicon]

So long as the CC isn't buggy I'm fine with it.

I had a spectre blind me with a pure white screen that never went away. I didnt even die, I just stood there for like 5min spamming melee and it never went away.


EDIT:
Update. I was able to get the blind to go away by falling into a bottomless pit. Lucky I found it, and wasn't in an area that didn't have them.

Edited April 14, 2014 by holyicon