Kubrow Feedback [Megathread]

[Draeviel]

I'll keep this succinct.

Incubation: I feel the wait times on egg incubation and maturation are fine as is, and have no problems with the concept of plat'-rushing them as a legitimate and unobtrusive source of revenue to support the game and Studio. I think the maturation window is an important 'sluice' mechanic as far as controlling the volume of new Kubrows is concerned; I simply think people should not be able to churn them out, plat or no. At least this way the gene print market is kept interesting with a real feeling of finiteness. Rushing the incubation phase seems like a great compromise. No complaints.

 

That said, of all of my complaints, I feel most strongly about not being able to have an active Kubrow during an incubation. Fielding a Kubrow in combat is fun: they're reactive and you find yourself looking out for them they way they look out for you. Showing off your enormous, rare-colored and lotus-marked mutt in parties is also fantastic. Furthermore, breeding them is fun and exciting: seeing the results of gene combinations makes for fantastic experimentation, and random incubations have a great blind-box feel about them.

I want to be able to enjoy both of these aspects of Kubrows at once - the 'complete experience', if you will. Right now it feels like we're basically cornered into paths:

1 - Never use them in combat and spend the whole time chain incubating them and selling the good prints.

2 - Use them in combat and feel totally unable to breed them or improve upon your stock.

Seriously, I would gladly take longer incubation times if I could incubate whilst having an active Kubrow.

Stasis Sickness: This absolutely has to go, or at least be dramatically shortened. The motivations behind this particular time wall elude me, but 15-30 minutes seems at least more reasonable. Right now, if I want to switch to a Kubrow, I have to bring it out before bed so that it will be ready for use the next day. This is fine for crafting, but it's completely unacceptable for simply equipping something I already have.

 

Breed Balance: Straight out, the Sunika needs a rework. If you are going to put in such powerful disincentives for kubrow switching on demand (as the situation often demands), then it's not really a sound idea to have a breed skill with such a narrow margin of applicability. Each of the other 3 breeds are flexible, but the Sunika's VIP takedown feels like a bit of a sandbag. I think reworking it into a stun/takedown of Elite/Eximus enemies would make far more sense.
 

AI: Kubrows very occasionally get stuck on terrain, and in a static defensive mission, you may not be able to cover enough ground for them to reset to your location, essentially locking them entirely out of the rest of the fight. I've noticed this happened a lot in the Grineer defence maps with the elevator cryopod (doge would get stuck on the lower floor and idle before being killed. Even after resurrection, it resumed idling.

 

Welp, that about covers my 2 cents. Based on the evasive pet answer from the last Dev' Stream, I'd love to see more combat pet species! Maybe predatory cats or hunting falcons. The sky's the limit.

[Doomclaaw]

My biggest beefs about kubrows currently are:

 

= stasis cooldown times....no...just no. This HAS to go. Absolutely unnecessary feature I would NEVER pay platinum for. I don't mind dropping plat on kubrow features, eggs, ect. but I will never spend it on stasis cooldowns. End the torture please!
= "Unleashed"...this mod is just...mmm..yeah no. Rework it completely, needs more functionality to warrant me wasting precious rank points on it. 

= Being able to hold only 1 egg at a time. While this is something I can live with, it is terribly inconvenient. Hey idea: wanna replace the plat fees from stasis cooldowns? Sell a cryogenic egg-holder. 1 slot per 20 plat up to, say, 5 slots. We all win that way. 

= While I see the reasonning for not allowing elemental damage to be applied to them (I can only imagine how op that would be) it would be nice to be able to change it's base damage (physical) type. Perhaps by installing a mod of the respective damage type you want (puncture, or impact- but slash should always be default) but I don't think allowing mixing of damage types would be necessary to prevent too much balance problems

= Needs some kind of jump attack for flying enemies, even if it does little damage but perhaps knocks the flyer down or back (the feral kubrows can already do backflips in the air- perfect animation for this attack so I know it's possible in the game)

= Sometimes it refuses to use the special mod-skills like opening lockers more often than not it means enemies are nearby, and I can understand it might interfere with them entering combat phase, but it needs to be loosened up some. Right now they won't mess with lockers if there's an enemy less than 2 tiles away even if they haven't been alerted. Also if you climb to a hard to reach area to get at locked lockers, the kubrow can't get up there to unlock them. Wall running is something they need or at the very least a convenience teleport. 

 

That's about it for now. The other features some people have complained about really don't bother me much and I think overall the kubrow system is pretty nice. Thanks for reading. 

Edited October 10, 2014 by Zorrandor

[(PSN)z1e1r1a1m1o1t1h]

Would be nice if kubrows could get armor or had a prime form

[SoanoS]

Possible solution to Kubrow general behaviour:

 

Give us hotkeys to give our Kubrow some behaviour "stances", with F1 to F4.

For gamepad users, a held down button and a radial menu will be sufficient.

 

F1: Neutral Stance, under no circumstances attack anything and stay close to master, but out of the way. Only use non-combat abilities. Concentrate on actively scavenging lockers in sight.

F2: Defensive Stance, only attack things attacking master. Focus on defensive abilities.

F3: Aggressive Stance, attack everything in sight and assist master. Focus on offensive abilities.

F4: Toggle preference between Abilities/Melee combat, switch between dig, howl, take-downs, cloak and straight-up melee or 50% / 50% balanced.

 

This would allow us to choose between 3 behaviour modes, with 3 different types of preference over ability and melee combat use.

I am sure this would sort out most of the problems with the Kubrow survivability and the way they behave, and would allow Tenno more control over them.

 

The UI should have some symbols beside the Kubrow health and shield bar to display selected behaviour mode

 

This is just something I came up with over time.

Edited October 12, 2014 by SoanoS

[(PSN)Veg1ta]

Possible solution to Kubrow general behaviour:

 

Give us hotkeys to give our Kubrow some behaviour "stances", with F1 to F4.

For gamepad users, a held down button and a radial menu will be sufficient.

 

F1: Neutral Stance, under no circumstances attack anything and stay close to master, but out of the way. Only use non-combat abilities. Concentrate on actively scavenging lockers in sight.

F2: Defensive Stance, only attack things attacking master. Focus on defensive abilities.

F3: Aggressive Stance, attack everything in sight and assist master. Focus on offensive abilities.

F4: Toggle preference between Abilities/Melee combat, switch between dig, howl, take-downs, cloak and straight-up melee or 50% / 50% balanced.

 

This would allow us to choose between 3 behaviour modes, with 3 different types of preference over ability and melee combat use.

I am sure this would sort out most of the problems with the Kubrow survivability and the way they behave, and would allow Tenno more control over them.

 

The UI should have some symbols beside the Kubrow health and shield bar to display selected behaviour mode

 

This is just something I came up with over time.

Wheres all these commands going to fit on a ps4 controller?

[Bibliothekar]

Possible solution to Kubrow general behaviour:

 

Give us hotkeys to give our Kubrow some behaviour "stances", with F1 to F4. [...]

 

Wheres all these commands going to fit on a ps4 controller?

 

I had a similar suggestion a while back (p.13) and came up with this:

I don't know how "full" the PS4 and soon XBone controller already is regarding keybindings, but the best thing might be to limit the number of Kubrow commands to 4, so PC players can put them on e.g. F1-F4, while people who play with controller get a button that opens a command wheel (similar to the gear wheel) and just have to flick the joystick in the according direction.

 

/e: I just realized that F4 as command key might not be the best idea for someone like me, who uses Alt as push-to-talk key, but whatevs ...

[w34p0n]

Unfortunately, until they fix this broken Kubrow system I decided to quit the game.  I am tired of coming home from  the real world & finding my Kubrow half dead & requiring credits to upkeep. As much of a fan as I am of everything Warframe, this alone is enough upset my whole gaming experience. I am a pay to play player & chose to be because I respect the developers direction with this excellent game. It is a shame that this recent Kubrow implementation was obviously created to pressure players to log in constantly. Well, I have a life aside from this game. So I quit!

 

[noveltyhero]

Unfortunately, until they fix this broken Kubrow system I decided to quit the game.  I am tired of coming home from  the real world & finding my Kubrow half dead & requiring credits to upkeep. As much of a fan as I am of everything Warframe, this alone is enough upset my whole gaming experience. I am a pay to play player & chose to be because I respect the developers direction with this excellent game. It is a shame that this recent Kubrow implementation was obviously created to pressure players to log in constantly. Well, I have a life aside from this game. So I quit!

Our generation is overly sensitive...came a long way from Roman Legions and Spartans XD

[Phoenix86]

Unfortunately, until they fix this broken Kubrow system I decided to quit the game.  I am tired of coming home from  the real world & finding my Kubrow half dead & requiring credits to upkeep. As much of a fan as I am of everything Warframe, this alone is enough upset my whole gaming experience. I am a pay to play player & chose to be because I respect the developers direction with this excellent game. It is a shame that this recent Kubrow implementation was obviously created to pressure players to log in constantly. Well, I have a life aside from this game. So I quit!

 

you can... you know... put them in stasis...

[(PSN)Folkeye]

Okay, I know I said it before but I'll say it again:

 

Please get rid of or decrease the cool down time for Kubrows. There's certain missions I want to run that are a little more stealth desired (basically hiding to not get killed) and I want to run with my Huras. There's times I have my beefy Frost out and he wants a protective friend that provides shielding (Raska). Like a sentinel, not one Kubrow fits all the play style choices.

 

I don't mind using the sentinels at all, they still get used plenty, but considering the money and time spent, I'd like to switch to my dog too. 

 

I hate to suggest it, but what about a credit sink to get your dog out of the freezer faster. Maybe 1000K to get them up and going. That or seriously decrease the time. Sometimes when I want to run with a Kubrow I don't want to plan 3 hours in advance since I don't have that time.

 

 

The only thing I can see with being an issue is with the mechanics DE has in place.... what about the DNA stabilizers? If you can swap kubrows on the fly, then you'd have two not in the freezer....increasing that DNA crap you have to buy since they crumble over time. Though...

 

Suggestion: Allow our Kubrows to be able to be swapped. As long as they're NOT in use, don't let them decline. If they're chillin' on the ship and not in our inventory as a companion, just let them be stable. When you're out with them as a companion, only then do they take some wear and tear to their stability. Keep it on the same time frame as it would be now. You can have them out IN USE for X amount of time before you have to feed them.

Edited October 15, 2014 by (PS4)Folkeye

[HurricaneBones]

Since the beginning of the kubrows i hated them for 3 reasons :

 

- plats palette scrambler

 

- 3hours stasis

 

- DE thinking that would be good ideas to put the first ideas in game.

 

___________

 

Now the plats trash has been removed, half the work is done.

 

Remove the 3hours stasis, and i will play with kubrows.

 

PS : and it's about time to add an inventory to custom and see the kubrow from stasis.

[w34p0n]

Our generation is overly sensitive...came a long way from Roman Legions and Spartans XD

nah, there are just way to many other options in terms of really good games right now

[noveltyhero]

nah, there are just way to many other options in terms of really good games right now

No, it is just that you said "this is enough to upset me"...the game doesn't even revolve around Kubrows and it upsets you, its like if I stop playing DotA because one button in the UI is not where I want it to be >.>

[w34p0n]

you can... you know... put them in stasis...

the ridiculous cooldown on stasis makes it so u have to wait 3hrs to use the kubrow, or pay 10p... lmao

i don't see myself going through the trouble, but thnx

[Naftal]

Our generation is overly sensitive...came a long way from Roman Legions and Spartans XD

Because history books will tell you what the people really were like back then...

 

Or maybe you are talking about the pop culture romanticization of these past civilizations.

[noveltyhero]

Because history books will tell you what the people really were like back then...

 

Or maybe you are talking about the pop culture romanticization of these past civilizations.

 I am just trying to say that the guy's reason for quitting the game is incredibly silly >.>

[Naftal]

 I am just trying to say that the guy's reason for quitting the game is incredibly silly >.>

I think you should've said that then.

[w34p0n]

No, it is just that you said "this is enough to upset me"...the game doesn't even revolve around Kubrows and it upsets you, its like if I stop playing DotA because one button in the UI is not where I want it to be >.>

...i said,  this alone is enough upset my whole gaming experience. 

i meant that it is annoying when i am trying to enjoy the game to deal with potential perma death.

besides, it's not that deep. i was just expressing something that bothered me, but lets compare apples to apples here...

i was grinding for kubrow stuff for a good week before i noticed the broken system (imho)...

that is hardly one button, lol. lets not be dramatic.  i may start playing warframe again if they polish off these issues, but until then i have other games that caught my interest. no disrespect was meant. i will keep a close eye on warframe in the mean time...

[Me.KayOh]

its such an unrewarding experience to have to farm sooooo long for something as simple as an egg. it makes you wonder how the feral kubrow population exists when you hardly find an egg dropping to begin with.

 

it seems to be heavy RNG placed on top of more RNG as, even if and when you retrieve an egg, you still dont know what kinda kubrow you're gonna get unless you trade for imprints and so on. and the wait time for incubation.....it would be compromisable if finding an egg wasnt so damn boring and ridiculous.

 

unrewarding experience every single time you need an egg...some of us dont have hundreds of hours to farm for one simple egg. if we cant get an egg, we cant play with kubrows even if we wanted to. =\ if we log in and want to do a particular thing in the game, it should be done within a reasonable amount of time so that we can do something else in the game....isnt that the point of adding more content? or am i suppose to be looking for eggs forever?

 

srsly consider the egg drop rate plz. it never works as initially stated. 

Edited October 18, 2014 by kalikilic

[(PSN)Hooligonzo]

All kubrow breeds should be euthanized.

 

None of them are viable organisms.  They are forced to live through severe genetic tampering.  They degrade.

 

 

Their existence is cruelty.

[Nemesis101]

Theres certainly a lot of good feedback in this thread which has made for some interesting reading concerning many aspects of the Kubrow but for me the Kubrow has been nothing short of a charade thats been disapointing since its initial introduction and sadly made worse by how DE has responded thus far to the majority of good feedback concerning certain areas. This feature is a plat sink that has pure greed written all over it that sadly, the gullible have fallen for and all i can hope for, is future features are not released in the same poor manner.

As for acquiring eggs with the low drop rate, only allowing one free egg in the inventory but will allow multiple eggs if purchased, Power Core costs, DNA stabilizers, loyalty, very poor drop rates for rare Kubrow mods all being stacked on one enemy type, 48 hour incubation period, 24-48 hour maturing process and finally the 3 hour stasis.. all is a perfect way to get many players to loose interest in a new feature and return to their Sentinels.

 

How the Kubrow was introduced, the changes made since and the direction it appears to be heading has me concerned and as a result i now fear what Archwing and other features in this game will bring.

DE you claim to value the feedback from your community but the constant and consistent feedback on this feature suggests otherwise (pointless me even posting to be honest) and im very surprised that you didnt respond with more positive changes to certain areas of the Kubrow sooner and prior to U15. But no doubt you will draw many players frustrations away from the problem areas when you offer Kubrow cosmetics/accessories which to me is simply and conveniently burying a problem under yet more fancy Bits n Bobs.

[blackstraykitten]

i still see huras very impractical to use since we already have the shade sentinel
kubrows are high maintenance and cant be stopped from attacking

while sentinels can have several type of weapons, can do elementals, and can be told to not attack by removing their attack mods

[noveltyhero]

Gosh, sorry for this late reply. I was busy

 

Thank you to everybody who contributed, your efforts will hopefully not go in vain and I want to assure you that the developers really do read the feedback here (confirmed in devstream). May our pets be upgraded. Until then have a wonderful day!

[-Himari-]

Locking thread per request.