Aren't Rare Alerts Like Helmets Supposed To Last Much Longer?

[Casardis]

https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/257983-berehynia-sedna-enemy-support-squadrons-located-40m-5800cr-triton-hydroid-helmet-blueprint/

 

How exactly does the RNG for alerts work, and how is it calculated? A while back, I think we were told that they changed the way alerts work when there's a special reward in them by either increasing or doubling their duration, in order to allow more people to do the mission. But then, how come, as an example, the recent Hydroid Triton helmet only lasted for 40 minutes?

 

Just looking through the WarframeAlerts feed, you may notice that pretty much all regular alerts last longer than 35 minutes for the most part (it's actually rare for them to last 30 minutes). Taking that into consideration, twice the amount would be at least one hour, and not 40 minutes. It's as if the Triton Helmet alert didn't get double the time (seems to happen to certain other alerts from time to time).

 

And then we have things like this, an Exterminate mission on Jupiter lasting over 1h, and it's not even over 10k credits. Why?

https://twitter.com/WarframeAlerts/status/486536191454765056

 

No matter how I look at it, it's as if the Triton helmet didn't get double the time it should have. Is it intended that RNG sometimes doesn't apply the doubling, or is it a coding error? If the RNG is intended to work this way, where it sometimes doesn't double the time for rare items, then why? I'm pretty sure the doubling was implemented specifically for such rare items when they come out (like how often Flux Nova gets 2h-long alerts), so why does it not do it sometimes?

 

And before any of you assume that this are the cries of someone who missed the alert and that I should deal with it.

 

I'm not speaking for myself here, since I play Warframe way too much for my own good, but it's for others who may miss the alert because it didn't last long enough like it should.

 

 

EDIT: I might have made a mistake here. It's possible that the whole doubling was for catalyst/reactor/forma alerts. Even so, sometimes certain alerts get extended, especially those with +10k credits, yet most helmets alert don't get such an extension besides a selected few, like Flux Nova Helmet.

Edited July 8, 2014 by Casardis

[Renegade343]

I have a feeling with the removal of stat helms, DE(L) turned all the helmets into normal items, not special items (as they are just cosmetic, and maybe to boost a bit of platinum sales), which could explain the short time. 

[xlraistlx]

As far as I knew the only items that had double the timer were Catalyst, Reactors and Formas.

Edited July 8, 2014 by xlraistlx

[Casardis]

I have a feeling with the removal of stat helms, DE(L) turned all the helmets into normal items, not special items (as they are just cosmetic, and maybe to boost a bit of platinum sales), which could explain the short time. 

 

Yeah, it seems it also depends on some helmets, but I just checked the twitter feed and most of them are between 37m to 70m. Again, Flux Nova having the longest for some reason, and it's been consistently that way too. o.O

 

 

As far as I knew the only items that had double the timer were Catalyst, Reactors and Formas.

 

Hm good point. It might have been my misunderstanding them. Adding an edit to OP to inform that.

Edited July 8, 2014 by Casardis

[Fubukin]

Yeah, i saw that 30-something minutes alert and thought the same, but hey, they want you to shell out for it if you need it now.

 

Who blames them though, that is how they keep themselves and this game afloat. I certainly don't.

 

And honestly? if you were able to survive until now without that helmet, you will for another few weeks until it surfaces again.

 

[Renegade343]

Yeah, it seems it also depends on some helmets, but I just checked the twitter feed and most of them are between 37m to 70m. Again, Flux Nova having the longest for some reason, and it's been consistently that way too. o.O

Appendix coding, as I like to call it. 

 

Or just simply to boost platinum sales. 

[Doom_Bunny]

Due the amount of helmets it would be hard to get all the helmets out in time with a large timer attached. Usually De seems to "force" out the newest helm before the next major update, only one. Then it gets put into rotation where it slowy becomes more common with the addition of other helms.