Drop Rates And Those Who Suffer...

[knoxiTV]

Let me preamble this by saying I'm making an assumption that the current drop system is simply a % based chance to receive certain desirable drops in a given encounter. Apologies if this is not correct, it's just how it currently appears to be.

I've introduced a number of friends to Warframe over the past few weeks, most who've become paying players and founders and a few who've entirely taken to the F2P route.

And unfortunately as the ability or unwillingness to pay for gear and frames increases, so does the frustration and aggravation regarding attaining dropped items with very small drop percentages. Which greatly impacts the enjoyment of the game, not just for the those seeking the drop, but for everyone they play with - who may well have paid for the item themselves, but are left playing co-op with people who are pinned to specific missions or bosses.

There are many more intelligent (though, not easier) ways to handle drops. I would personally like a system where by each instance of success in a given scenario where a drop should occur gives a "fragment" of a percentage % value towards acquiring that drop ... increase the number of scenarios that give fragments of percent towards these items, and then present this to the player so that every attempt is rewarded, whether they successfully acquire a drop or not.

Or there's the simpler escalating drop % as described in this gamasutra article ( http://gamasutra.com..._Loot_Drops.php ) which discusses the issues surrounding entirely random drop chance; to summarize, a huge number of players will be left farming EXCESSIVELY longer than the average player to get a given drop, and due to randomosity there will always statistically be a percentile left over who will never receive a given drop.

When it comes to making sure your game is enjoyable ... why have a drop system that ties players emotionally into a system that leaves their enjoyment of your game purely to chance?

Edited April 9, 2013 by knoxiTV

[Earz]

What game doesn't have RNG?

[knoxiTV]

What game doesn't have RNG?

What point are you making...? ... this is the "Improving Warframe" section, not the "Give Warframe the same short comings as other games" section.

[Darzk]

Just make component parts of frames purchaseable for 100k credits in the Market. Or add a whole new currency that bosses drop just for frame components.

[knoxiTV]

Just make component parts of frames purchaseable for 100k credits in the Market. Or add a whole new currency that bosses drop just for frame components.

iirc Trade will be available at some point. Which would create a market place for these items... But the buying and or selling meta game is detached from core gameplay, where as the drop system directly impacts on the potential value of gameplay.

Edited April 9, 2013 by knoxiTV

[PiggySaysWhat]

Yeah entirely random drop %s are a relic that I would love to see improved. Just because some players have Stockholm syndrome with them doesn't make them enjoyable or add inherent value to the system.

I appreciate you bringing up other models and would love to see the devs give them a shot. I mean, look--This is still Beta, now is the chance to try it out. Pre the loot changes people collected huge amounts of Rare mods that they get to keep. So, any argument of "But what if people gain an advantage if they try a new system!" is already weak since well--people coming in are already at a disadvantage.

I think having the knowledge that your farming is actually bringing you closer to your goal would do wonders for the game. There's no reason to keep pure random tables with more sophisticated systems having been thought up and with tech actually being able to implement them. +1