We Need More Of A Cultural Influence In The Game

[Pbrandon1]

And by religious influence, I don't mean Christianity, Catholic, Muslim, no none of that...

 

I mean some of things like Shinto, Buddhism, Taoism/Daoism and some none religion like Confucianism.

 

We could implement this into the system of Warframe.

 

SHINTO:(Warframe)

 

"Shinto is a belief in gods that are called Kami. They are sacred spirits which take the form of things and concepts important to life such as wind, rain, mountains, trees, rivers and fertility. Humans become Kami after they die and are revered by their families as ancestral Kami. The Kami of extraordinary people are even enshrined at some shrines. The Sun Goddess Amaterasu is considered Shinto's most important Kami." 

 

Source: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2056.html

 

So with this information, we can incorporate it into Warframe by stating that Tenno believe they are such Kami but given the ability to be alive. In Shinto, they are taught to be able to control their powers and master their frame so that they can use it to maintain the balance of the Solar System.

 

Most of the Frames in Warframe are mostly elemental and those elements are also important to life so this fits quite nicely.

 

"One cannot hope to master their weapons without mastering the equipment that holds them together."

 

Tenno in this will be required to build a source of water that looks much like the ones used in the religion, a shrine to Amaterasu, and a pad.

 

These things are not required if you are in a clan as these can be implemented in the decoration sets. 

 

Shinto has the belief in meditation, cleansing, rituals, and sacrifices(Not Human Sacrifices).

 

So, let's try to implement that into the system.

 

We first must add in two things:

 

-Connection

-Effectiveness

 

What do these mean? Well Connection is suppose to represent how much of a connection you have to the dead Kami.

 

There is bad and good connection and it will be split into halves on one meter. Killing enemies can build your bad connection because you have purposefully killed them in battle and now their blood is on your hands and you can't wear it proudly as it is an insult to them. Bad connection is built upon how powerful the Kami will be after his immediate death.

 

Grineer will have the lowest impact on your connection because they are clones, which have hardly much power in the spirit world.

 

Corpus are more human so they will have a bit more of an impact on your connection since they are more human. Moa's will not, they are just robotic enemies and robots don't have an affect on the spirit world since they don't have any spirit.

 

Wildlife will have a good impact on your Connection because Wildlife is viewed highly in this religion, and you are killing them senselessly. Avoid them and go on your merry way.

 

Corrupted and Infested will reward you Good Connection due to the Kami being trapped in their controlled body and cannot be released on their own. Killing them and letting them be free is viewed as a good thing among the religion.

 

Now your build of bad connection  won't be so much where when you run one mission, you have built up tons of bad connection...no no no nooo. It will be quite small, like in the decimals range but it will still be substantial so that you can see progress being made in that area. 

 

Now to get rid of bad connection there are two ways, one is to cleanse yourself with water as a symbol to getting rid of the blood of your enemy and saying sorry instead of wearing their blood with pride. Number two is to make a sacrifice to Amaterasu and give up an item of your choice, whether it be your sentinel, frame, mod, etc. The value of the item will determine how much Bad Connection you lose.

 

Now Connection can affect your Frame in many ways depending on what you get. Good Connection can increase the effectiveness of your frame. Effectiveness goes into Health, Damage, Shields, Armor, Powers, and more. The more effectiveness you have, the more you can boost your power in these areas.

 

Bad Connection can cause many things to happen. One, you know Corrupted? Well, in this religion, they view them as people who have built up too much bad Kami and have lost control over themselves. Some Tenno know this is not true but they still view them as a symbol to what happens if you build up too much Bad Connection. So, what happens if you have more bad connection then good? Well, bad things will happen. You will have the color of your frame drained off of you progressively as you build up more Bad Connection. Your frame begins to lose it's damage, you have sparks coming off you, and you start to lose Effectiveness, making your armor drains, health, and many other things.

 

Bad right? This will make you want to keep control of your Connection and not let it go overboard.

 

Alright, now let's cover the pad and shrine some more. On the pad you can meditate, which can provide you buffs in certain areas by your request. You will start out with only a few buffs but as you rank up in Mastery, you can unlock more buffs. How long the buff lasts depends on your connection to Dead Kami. When you are meditating, you are connecting to them and reaching out for their power so the more good connection you have, the longer it will last. Now the effectiveness depends on your effectiveness. The more effectiveness you have the more you can get out of the buff.

 

The Shrine can be used to pray and sacrifice items. We have already talked about how you can sacrifice items to get rid of the Bad Connection. You can also sacrifice items to receive other items. It will be like a Token System and I have seen posts that have wanted a Token System for the Void and this will take on that while also going into other places. Items will be sacrificed for equal value and it won't be based on rarity. The system will be pre-designated on what amount of a certain gives what, so the players will know, "Ok, so I need this amount of this for this item.", once they find out. Grinding will still be a viable choice for those who don't want to just have to figure out this system.

 

You can also Pray for a random rare item. Now it won't be where Oh I prayed, now I get a rare item automatically, NO!

It will be where you must pray on daily basis, and it increases your chances of getting the rare item. So basically, you pray once for the day and you can't pray anymore. This will also correspond to your connection to so if you have bad connection, your increase in chances is lowered. If you have good Connection then your increase in chances is increased. 

 

So you have two ways of going about it.

 

So you get what I mean, although this idea isn't that perfect, I think it would be nice if we had more of a Japanese Cultural Influence as it would make the game much more interesting and since it is hardly touched on except for a weapon, and some rooms for the clan, and some positions Tenno take. 

 

EDIT: These beliefs will be just symbolism and not religion, should have understood that people are uncomfortable with it being called religion.

Edited June 24, 2014 by Pbrandon1

[Pbrandon1]

Ignore what I said at top of the post, I forgot to change it, it is suppose to be cultural influences like religion.

[(PSN)StoneRevolver]

I prefer religion stay out of my videogames, personally.

[GreyEnneract]

Civilizations as far in the future as the Warframe universe are smart enough to not have any religions at all.

[Zero.No.Hikari]

I like the idea....but let's keep religion out of it shall we?

[Athros]

Japanese religion, no. It would be a bother to a lot of people, especially to people who have different religion (IRL of course).

Japanese cultural tradition that have NO relation to religion, could be.

Japanese aesthetic, yes. Hella yes.

[SoulDust]

no religion, no problems. ooh btw this post is amazingly long. tl;dr just say religion and went :nope:

[Pbrandon1]

I like the idea....but let's keep religion out of it shall we?

Religion wouldn't be as bad as it is in the real world where people are shoving it down your throat and...just ugh.

 

It would be implemented in the system as a mechanic where there are more focused are bettering your skill as a whole and more or less these would be just symbolism and this game seems to be taking more from Old Japanese Culture but not using it which is full in Shinto, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism belief. 

[darthdart]

A gigantic how about no.jpeg is basically required for this thread.

 

Like taking up most of the internets bandwidth sized jpeg.

[xShadowsaur]

Civilizations as far in the future as the Warframe universe are smart enough to not have any religions at all.

Goddamn, call in the paramedics because nothing's gonna heal that burn.

[Pbrandon1]

Japanese religion, no. It would be a bother to a lot of people, especially to people who have different religion (IRL of course).

Japanese cultural tradition that have NO relation to religion, could be.

Japanese aesthetic, yes. Hella yes.

Instead of it being religion or belief, more or less just have it as symbolism and more geared to bettering your frame as a whole. Tenno know these things aren't true what they are being told, but are great symbols and give them more courage to becoming a better warrior,

[AngelGuardcc]

No religion pls

 

 

we got out hands full with this godam Vor trying to convert us to Orokin religion

Edited June 24, 2014 by AngelGuardcc

[FalseIncarnate]

First off, I believe this would belong better in Fan Concepts. I may be wrong though.

 

Second, it sounds like at the core of it all, it's not actually about any sort of religious connection, but rather a karma system. Plenty of games have included karma-style systems such as the Fable and inFamous series. In each, the actions of the player affect their personal karma, which in turn affects their appearances and ability development.

 

For example, in the inFamous games, a player with good karma helps the citizens and avoids excessive collateral damage. This leads to them developing more precise and efficient abilities, to help facilitate these actions. Conversely, bad karma players kill and destroy everything in sight, leading to more destructive and explosive abilities focused on raw power instead of finesse. Good players will find their appearance to be cleaner, less scarred, and generally healthier looking while bad karma will make the scars more prominent, their clothes will be darker and dirtier, and they begin to look more like Skeletor (evil, pale, etc).

 

Seeing as how the lore of Warframe casts Tenno as protectors of balance in the universe, the idea of a karma system makes sense. However, balance is a strange, fickle beast that is hard to quantify. To look at previous events, the Tenno were essentially told to decide whether the safety of their fellow warframes was more important that halting the expansion of the Grineer Empire (I'm referring to the Gravidus Dilemma), which doesn't fall so neatly into the black-and-white morality that most people associate with karma. Which of those choices would be best for the system's balance: allowing the Grineer Empire to expand their territory in a massive way, or allowing Alad V to gain access to Warframe technology and build an army of Zanukas and possibly worse?

 

Your idea for the pad sounds like a step towards the Focus system that DE has been working at, though that may be a misunderstanding on my part. As for sacrificing things to the shrine, players might dislike feeling as though they are being "forced" into sacrificing weapons, frames, etc in order to play. Doing so might lead players to declare Warframe to be more pay-to-win since you'd be constantly needing to replace things and the grind is already intense.

 

I like the idea of quantifying Balance, albeit in an abstract way, and especially like the concept of rewarding players for consciously working to maintain that Balance on the player level. Given that the Tenno are pretty solidly based on Japanese themes, I'm not opposed to seeing those themes spread to more than just the dojo decorations and a couple weapons like the nikana. But the simple notion of "religion" is clearly scaring the above posters, and would likely cause an uproar among the non-posting community.

 

TL;DR: Karma, not a specific religion. Don't punish players by making them throw away items, instead focus on rewarding mindful players for upholding balance. Again, no specific religion to make this more acceptable to more people.

[Shinobi-kun]

Buddhism doesn't necessarily mean Japanese, you know.

 

And Buddhism isn't about "I want the Gods to bestow me rare popcorns, and there's this ad that says, Pray and get stuff." dammit. 

What's next? A religious holy war in Warframe? Grineer heretics for believing in a deity other than the Tenno's? 

[Nova-IX]

No religion pls

 

 

we got out hands full with this godam Vor trying to convert us to Orokin religion

This XD

[Athros]

Religion wouldn't be as bad as it is in the real world where people are shoving it down your throat and...just ugh.

 

It would be implemented in the system as a mechanic where there are more focused are bettering your skill as a whole and more or less these would be just symbolism and this game seems to be taking more from Old Japanese Culture but not using it which is full in Shinto, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism belief. 

 

But integrating it into this game would actually do the same; shoving it to everybody's throat. Fiction or not.

Besides, with technology as advanced as Tenno's and Orokin's, religion ceremony would only helps in faith, with no relation whatsoever with lore.

 

Instead of it being religion or belief, more or less just have it as symbolism and more geared to bettering your frame as a whole. Tenno know these things aren't true what they are being told, but are great symbols and give them more courage to becoming a better warrior,

 

What your OP had listed is have more tendency into religion aspect rather than symbolism, since symbolism is just that, a symbol.

 

TL;DR: Karma, not a specific religion. Don't punish players by making them throw away items, instead focus on rewarding mindful players for upholding balance. Again, no specific religion to make this more acceptable to more people.

 

This more like it, with some psychological aspect thrown in.

[Deidaku]

To  people who say religion in games is bad

 

 

Not always? Jsut look at final fantasy games , a lot of JRPGs , god of war, devil may cry.

 

Some religious inspiration could be welcome but of course I don't want my tenno praying for Jesus or anything XD

[Pbrandon1]

First off, I believe this would belong better in Fan Concepts. I may be wrong though.

 

Second, it sounds like at the core of it all, it's not actually about any sort of religious connection, but rather a karma system. Plenty of games have included karma-style systems such as the Fable and inFamous series. In each, the actions of the player affect their personal karma, which in turn affects their appearances and ability development.

 

For example, in the inFamous games, a player with good karma helps the citizens and avoids excessive collateral damage. This leads to them developing more precise and efficient abilities, to help facilitate these actions. Conversely, bad karma players kill and destroy everything in sight, leading to more destructive and explosive abilities focused on raw power instead of finesse. Good players will find their appearance to be cleaner, less scarred, and generally healthier looking while bad karma will make the scars more prominent, their clothes will be darker and dirtier, and they begin to look more like Skeletor (evil, pale, etc).

 

Seeing as how the lore of Warframe casts Tenno as protectors of balance in the universe, the idea of a karma system makes sense. However, balance is a strange, fickle beast that is hard to quantify. To look at previous events, the Tenno were essentially told to decide whether the safety of their fellow warframes was more important that halting the expansion of the Grineer Empire (I'm referring to the Gravidus Dilemma), which doesn't fall so neatly into the black-and-white morality that most people associate with karma. Which of those choices would be best for the system's balance: allowing the Grineer Empire to expand their territory in a massive way, or allowing Alad V to gain access to Warframe technology and build an army of Zanukas and possibly worse?

 

Your idea for the pad sounds like a step towards the Focus system that DE has been working at, though that may be a misunderstanding on my part. As for sacrificing things to the shrine, players might dislike feeling as though they are being "forced" into sacrificing weapons, frames, etc in order to play. Doing so might lead players to declare Warframe to be more pay-to-win since you'd be constantly needing to replace things and the grind is already intense.

 

I like the idea of quantifying Balance, albeit in an abstract way, and especially like the concept of rewarding players for consciously working to maintain that Balance on the player level. Given that the Tenno are pretty solidly based on Japanese themes, I'm not opposed to seeing those themes spread to more than just the dojo decorations and a couple weapons like the nikana. But the simple notion of "religion" is clearly scaring the above posters, and would likely cause an uproar among the non-posting community.

 

TL;DR: Karma, not a specific religion. Don't punish players by making them throw away items, instead focus on rewarding mindful players for upholding balance. Again, no specific religion to make this more acceptable to more people.

Yeah, I wanted to go into taking Taoism and Confucianism and make it where there is no right and wrong choices but it is about maintaing balance in the Solar System and those are awarded for doing so.

 

Also have it where you could have different beliefs set up on bettering you as a warrior in different ways.

 

One for bettering your frame

 

One for bettering your skill with your weapons

 

One for bettering your connection with your companions.

 

Etc. 

[(PSN)IIIDevoidIII]

Lotus is our Waker.

Our savior of the evil times.

Of frozen Tenno.

Listen to the Lotus,

for she is all knowing.

Do what she asks,

as she is all giving.

Love her,

for she is all.

Waker be praised,

for she is all loving.

[Pbrandon1]

 

 

 

What your OP had listed is have more tendency into religion aspect rather than symbolism, since symbolism is just that, a symbol.

 

 

 

Hmm..then probably just make it a religion taking aspects from previous beliefs and call it something new then outright saying the religion.

[Inquisitioner]

I prefer religion stay out of my videogames, personally.

[Nachoguy5]

I like the idea of a Shinto influence on the game, but as you can already see by the above posts it would never go over well.

 

Also, the Corpus follow a religion all their own to those who say there's no religion in Warframe. Their religion is based on profit and moneymaking.

[-Hyperion-]

I consider myself a religious person, but I concur with the others in this case. Religions taken from the real world, spiritual in practice or not, usually causes a lot of disturbances. People will complain about _____ making it into the game when ______ was left out, which "offends them". Then it comes to people within that religion, or just culturally sensitive people, who will complain about _____'s portrayal in Warframe. 

 

As for made up religions, people will always complain about it. As many said above, a religious influence as strong as you suggest would simply put many people off. Secondly, people may easily become angered by identifying common core beliefs between a real religion and the in-game one.

 

Overall, religions-- mythological, real, or ones based off of real ones-- are generally a bad idea in games that don't aim to deliver a story towards its audience (Examples of a game that works well with "religions" is Bioshock Infinite because it delivers a story). Warframe, although in need of lore, doesn't necessarily need religion to compliment its existing lore.

[Athros]

Hmm..then probably just make it a religion taking aspects from previous beliefs and call it something new then outright saying the religion.

 

Naah, it would probably be the same. FalseIncarnate's idea is good enough, since it's focusing on karma, balance and morality; what you did would affects you, rather than another religion.

 

To  people who say religion in games is bad

 

 

Not always? Jsut look at final fantasy games , a lot of JRPGs , god of war, devil may cry.

 

Some religious inspiration could be welcome but of course I don't want my tenno praying for Jesus or anything XD

 

You said your own answer. ; )

An inspiration is good, but outright integrating it is, well... coould disturb a lot of people.

[UncommonUnicorn]

An inspiration is good, but outright integrating it is, well... coould disturb a lot of people.

Which could go for any religion being integrated, real or fictional.

 

But tbh, I'd be fine with shinto, buddhism or even jainism getting elements added to the game.

Maybe add some daoism into the mix as well for some tacked-on wuxia stuff.

In which case I'll be the first to say that earth = jianghu.