Nightmare Conditions For Conclaves/dojo Dueling/(Dark Sectors?)

[DJ_Redwire]

So this is probably not a new idea, but I figured might as well bring it up if it hasn't yet.

 

Summary:

 

What if in Conclaves and the Dueling room, and maybe even Dark Sectors one day, if you had the option to set or vote to have nightmare conditions applied to the arena? No shields, low gravity, health vampire - just to name a few (and perhaps new ones as well?). If you've a Starcraft fan like me, you may have heard of some of the many arcade game modes such as

where standard PvP can be transformed into an entirely new game by altering maps, player functionality, mechanics, and much more to create a new and interesting PvP experience.

 

This idea plays to that concept by taking the restrictions of nightmare mode, or enhancements depending on how you look at it, and applying them to a PvP setting. The great thing about nightmare modes for PvP is that they already exist - no new content required!

 

While most of the functionality in relation to Conclaves and Dueling would be mostly parallel, I've decided to discuss them separately as to avoid confusion where there are differences.

 

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So first off, here is the list of nightmare modes currently in Warframe according to the Wiki. I've crossed out the options that would most likely not be applicable to a PvP setting:

 

- No Shields: Every Tenno's shields will be reduced to 0.

 

- Timer: The mission will now be timed, starting at 5 minutes. The death of an enemy will add 5 seconds to the timer. Death does not need to be caused by a Tenno and can be caused by death by another faction.

 

- Health Vampire: Every Tenno's health will be reduced by 1.5% of maximum per second rounded down. This won't reduce your health lower than 1% of maximum. The death of enemies, including Infested Volatile Runners exploding, will recover 12.5% health for the entire Tenno squad.

 

- Energy Vampire: Every Tenno in the cell will lose energy constantly (approx. 5 per second?). Energy Siphon slows down the drain rate.

 

- Ammo Storage Deficit: Lockers do not drop ammo, but enemies still do.

 

- Enemy Damage Buff: Enemies will have innate triple damage buff.

 

- High Level Enemies: Enemies will have a higher level than normal.

 

- Lethal Explosive Barrels: Explosive barrels deal lethal high damage. (around 1000)

 

- Longer Reload: Reload Times are increased. (possibly +50%)

 

- Low Gravity: In addition to the challenges above, there is also a 50% chance of low gravity (reduced by half, this affects everything including player maneuvers in the air, enemies and loot)

 

For selecting modes, players could choose as many of the options in any combination as they'd like.

 

Nightmare Conclaves

 

By now I don't think there's much need for me to explain how things would work when applying nightmare modes to Conclaves - I gather it's relatively easy to connect the dots for most.

 

The only thing that's really left to talk about is how and when a player or players would select a nightmare mode(s). Here are the first two most obvious ideas that came to mind when thinking about this system, but of course the floor is open for more. These types of things would be in place simply to make sure the modes aren't abused and everyone has their choice or say in what type of mode they might want or not want. These two ideas could work separately or in tandem. 

 

Given that the UI for Conclaves, among other areas, will most likely change with U14, all of this brainstorming is only in reference to Warframe's current UI and lobby system.

 

 

1.) Pre-Lobby Selection

 

So the first idea that seemed reasonable was that when you select a conclave to play at, it asks you before hand what type of Nightmare mode you would like to play in, and then you would be matched to a lobby of other players who selected the same mode (unless you're in a private lobby already, in which case see option #2). This is modeled after the current method of selecting nightmare mode for regular starchart nodes - where you are given the option prior to joining a squad.

 

2.) Voting 

 

Another option, that could possibly be applied just to private matches, is the ability to vote on the mode(s) while in the lobby itself.

 

 

Nightmare Dueling

 

While very similar to Conclaves of course, the only difference once again resides in how the mode(s) are set. The most logical format to me would be to have the modes listed in the room options terminal, where players pick and choose the modes they desire. Each dueling room's settings would be independent of other dueling rooms in the dojo.

 

My recommendation to DE when talking about permissions to change the modes for the dueling rooms would be to add a new rank option for clans specifically for editing dueling modes - so that a large number players can interact with choosing modes without needing the architect rank, and warlords can still regulate who can and cannot edit dueling room modes if abused individually.

 

 

Nightmare Dark Sectors

 

Although Dark Sectors have yet to receive their long awaited face-lift, this is just another possible way to enhance the experience beyond pure PvP. As that is all a long way out as it is, I won't ramble anymore about the idea besides that.

 

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So as always, please give me your opinions, criticisms, additions, and subtractions to this idea, and whether or not its worth the time and effort to pursue. Thanks for reading ^^

Edited July 14, 2014 by DJ_Redwire