September 12Th: Community Hot Topics!

[Monolake]

Radial Javelin needs mechanics fixes first to be usable: fix targeting, remove 2sec post cast anim, add punch-through 

then it could use some scaling damage buff, but dont make it into CC too, or it will be 2-skils-in-1 and replace Blind

 

 

 

and lol @ 

How do you think Radial Blind should be revised?
Increase its crowd control. (29 votes [39.73%]) 

[RightInTheMiddle]

Death to the DNA Stabilizers!

[RahuHordika]

I definitely think Slash Dash should scale with melee, maybe make it inherit some melee traits such as elemental procs.

Super Jump should become a short, omni-directional quick dash while on the ground and keep it's current function while on the air.

Radial Javelin should punch through light cover and keep it's impalement effect, however any enemy that isn't killed is ragdolled away.

[7grims]

To start, I think these community hot topics aren't always visible.

I missed a couple of them as they loose their position on the front page of forums.

And I think more ppl of the community aren't aware of these.

 

------------------------------------------

 

Radial Blind:

This ability does not make damage, nor it kills any enemies, hence it is very strange why was it considerate for a nerf.

I use excalibur specifically for this ability, if its nerfed, and even if the other ones are buffed, excalibur wouldn't be the great frame that it is.

The value of excalibur is on this ability being a utility, cause honestly, frames based on damage and destruction don't scale well.

Would recommend however to make it a number 3 ability, with the proper 75 energy cost, if the spam is one of the dev's worries.

Maybe even a longer cool down, or the ability being blocked wile the enemies are still under the effect. But line of sight limitation is breaking this ability.

 

Super Jump:

Suggesting a more free use of it, like zephyr ability, the possibility of the jump not only being vertical, but more practical on directing it to the direction we want to go.

Or maybe the possibility to re-cast it, wile on air.

 

Radial Javalin:

I don't use this ability nor slash dash, as they don't really help.

But for a ultimate, of the poster boy of warframe, it is a shame it misses most of the enemies, the javalins get blocked by every little piece of the map, and they also miss any enemy a little below or above the origin of these javalins.

RJ always suffered from the line of sight problem, and now the dev's also want to make the same for Radial Blind...

 

 

I'm starting to feel, all this frames re-balances are all because of Fleeting Expertise, how it devastatingly changed all the gameplay, and now everything is being changed cause of it. But it is a good mod, and it changed the game into a more fun based ability use, thanks to the ease of energy use.

 

-------------------------------

 

In dark sectors conflicts, would only like to comprehend better who is who.

The players that do appear on the HUD, i suppose they are all from my team, but why is the opposite team not there too?

In the same way, identifying faster if that enemy frame is a specter or a player would be better.

 

-------------------------------

 

As for kubrows, all the kubrow system is exaggerated and too distance from the simplicity that sentinels were.

All the stages: obtaining, crafting, maintaining, and storing or removing is all too much. Its like playing a brand new game, for something that should be simple and direct.

This exaggeration went as a far as the incubator existing, wile everything in the game was foundry based.
I do hope that since the incubator exists and occupies a portion of the liset, it becomes more useful then just kubrows, hoping for it to create monkeys, bats, cats, snakes and all sorts of living creatures on it. (sarcasm)

Edited September 12, 2014 by 7grims

[Aure7]

I think it's pointless to do polls about game balance because people will always vote for the most powerful and easy options, no matter the consequences and balance. They will always vote for more EVERYTHING in abilities, they will vote to get everything FAST and for FREE.

[Primed_SuperNova]

Just buff my supra already and if there is no plan on removing stabilizers, you should plan on providing their BP in market so we can craft

Edited September 12, 2014 by --Q--xWindBladex

[RNDM9999]

The Pvp has many issues in my personal experience:

A.  i found that there are still balancing issues with certain frames (ie ash) 

B.  as for the objective i like the layout of the mission but it should be random which side of the mission your team is on. sometimes the defending clan should be able to do a "counter attack" and be on the offensive side of the mission (this should be random adds variety to the conflicts when your are doing a conflict for your clan hardcore doing the same mission over and over for 5 out of 12 conflict gets kinda dull)

C.  The Matchmaking is were the biggest problem is the host is always attackers that firstly gives them the lag advantage.  It is also an issue where all the attackers could be bad hosts for you and you don't have a choice and have terrible lag( I cant count the amount of times I have been stuck without a head and all weapons equipped unable to open a door bc of poor hosts in pvp)  Another thing that has happened not necessarily to me ( i didnt notice anything anyways) but it puts the attackers in the position to use a lag petal and or send packets to the defenders. People in my clan have be forced to continually run forward without touching the keyboard.  They could slow themselves down by pressing back but they couldn't stop completely.  As well as having their lvls reset midway through the match after a host migration. 

[Archwizard]

Excalibur:

I've had some ideas for him for a while that emphasized giving him some melee importance, especially out of the starters (as Volt is closer to the Jack of All Trades among them now, and Excalibur has always had the highest survivability in the roster). Recently I've also heard some suggestions to give him more fluid mobility compared to Zephyr, like the ability to hit the brakes on Slash Dash, or take low ceilings into account with Super Jump.

 

- Slash Dash increases Excalibur's melee combo count by 1 per enemy hit. Can be interrupted by the user via melee or casting another ability.

- Super Jump no longer locks the player out of using other abilities or weapons while ascending, and can be cast once while airborne.
- Radial Javelin damage is affected by the combo multiplier, can Punch Through, and briefly pins the enemy in place if it simultaneously penetrates the ground or a wall (ie if cast in the air; root affected by rank but not Power Duration); cast speed increased.

 

The idea is that you could use Slash Dash to supplement and build your combo count, and then use Radial Javelin as a sort of finisher move. Comboing's a good system to work with for this, since it's relatively simple yet rewards starting players for trying a more advanced playstyle (on top of giving him some scaling in a more experienced player's hands), and using Slash Dash to supplement the combo count works as an alternative to equipping a speed-built melee weapon. (While you could use the melee weapon's stats directly in Slash Dash, you'd also be saying that the only weapon to use with Excalibur is the slow, hard-hitting weapon optimal in Charge builds, since it has no openings to implement speed or crit.)

 

Given Super Jump's low energy cost, I'd say it would be better to use it as a sort of bonus modifier skill and give each of Excalibur's abilities an extra effect if used while airborne to promote synergy. In the example above, Super Jump could be paired with Radial Javelin to impale enemies and pin them to the floor; it already can increase effectiveness of Slash Dash's mobility, and the upcoming line-of-sight change to Radial Blind will make Super Jump useful to bypass that. Still, I'd recommend reducing Super Jump's mod cost and rarity, or at least swapping it with Radial Blind's. (The more popular opinion would, of course, be to scrap it entirely.)

 

My only regret with this setup is that Radial Blind presently only affects the first hit that blinded enemies receive, and even then wouldn't affect his abilities. It's more of a broad idea overall, and it gives me some hope that the poll at least considers implementing the melee directly.

 

Sidenote, what about Nekros?

 

DNA Stabilizers

Let's just look at the math for a moment:
One stabilizer grants 40% maximum health to the Kubrow, and can only be used once per day.

The Kubrow loses 10% health per day.

I have to use a stabilizer on my Kubrow every 4 days to keep it alive. But because it's always decaying, if I want my battle-ready Kubrow to be at its most effective, I need to use a stabilizer on it every day - otherwise it loses health, thereby dying more frequently and losing more Loyalty.

I suppose if you wanted to only use it in peak physical condition, you could solely use it on every 4th day, but that's still two or three days you're just letting it sleep on your ship just so you can use a stabilizer on it... which is simply wasteful on all fronts, as you could just keep it in stasis and not have it decay at all.

 

The latter mindset being why I'm sure several players level their Kubrows to 30 and only keep them in stasis going forward.

 

Mod UI

I was upset when I used the Mod UI for the first time because I couldn't tell which mods were equipped on which weapons anymore. There's also some lingering bugs still, like the fact that sometimes my Installed tab will be completely empty or a max rank mod won't show up. I do like that the rarity of mods is now much easier to spot, as I used to have trouble differentiating the soft bronze border on mod cards from the equally-soft gold, which now have more reddish and yellowish hues respectively... but I also understand that this is now a colorblind-unfriendly setup.

Edited September 13, 2014 by Archwizard

[Shifted]

1.

Excal is already somewhat low on the "best frames" list, so if you want to nerf radial blind in the way it "leaked", it should be buffed in other ways, thus part of a complete rework.

 

2-5.

- Slash Dash is my favourite Excal ability so I wouldn't personally nerf it, however buffs are always nice. Add guaranteed proc of current melee?

- If Radial Blind is to get the LoS treatment, add some more CC? Stun? Knockdown?

- Super Jump could use cc + minor damage on start and end points.

- Radial Javelin? Add target tracking.

 

6. Unfortunately never bought any prime accessories, so no opinion here.

 

7-8. Dark sectors are a mess right now with the ridiculous taxes. Bring back the choice of PvP or PvE mode for the conflicts. Some people just won't play PvP, so don't try to force them.

 

9. The whole passive Kubrow DNA degradation is an idiotic idea. Players shouldn't be punished for not logging into the game.

Swap Loyalty and DNA Degradation: Make Kubrows lose DNA when dying on missions, but lose loyalty when not attended to daily. It makes more sense.

 

10. I like the new mod UI, but it could use some changes. The artwork associated with the mod helps with mod recognition more than the name, so dimming it doesn't work. The mod level should also be more visible, tiny blue stars aren't enough.

 

Thanks for reading.

Edited September 12, 2014 by Shifted

[Entari0]

my opinion on super jump is that it should do a heavy impact esque shock wave on takeoff and landing, the landing one would be cancelled if you use some other ability in mid air.

[Stefe]

For Dark Sector conflicts, can you add something near the spawn points so that you can't be affected by abilities for a short duration? I've had an enemy Vauban trap the door just outside the spawn point with a Vortex, preventing anybody from getting out safely.

[FrackingBiscuit]

I'd be excited to see a total rework of Excalibur as long as he comes out of it in once piece, but I honestly think he only needs two major changes:

 

Slash Dash dealing Finisher damage or somehow bypassing armor.

 

Radial Javelin getting punch-through.

 

If Super Jump gets anything, make its base jump height to a current jump with a maxed Intensify.  MAYBE work a basic stagger/Heavy Impact-like effect into it, but I think whatever happens it needs to stay a 10 energy ability with everything that entails.

[Kalenath]

1-5)

 

First and foremost, as it is Radial Blind with Corrupted Mods allows players to completely break the system.

 

I have seen an Excalibur stand in the middle of a lvl 35 Infested defense. spam Radial Blind and DO NOTHING ELSE while his Kubrow killed everything. Nothing could touch him. If that isn't broken, I don't know what is.

 

Slash Dash, Super Jump and Radial Javelin are fine for starting players, but at higher levels, people expect them to do more, be more. They expect Super Jump to make them fly like Zephyr. They expect Slash Dash to kill everything in their way and they APPARENTLY expect Radial Javelins to continually kill everything without even touching the button or fly out of their ***es like fireballs.

 

Personally, I find Excalibur fine for low end content. For starting players he is just about perfect. For uber elite PvPers and people who JUST do to wave 100 on ODD, since he can't nuke like Nova/Rhino he MUST be altered to suit them. After all, they are the only ones who matter, right?

 

I voted for a rework. But keep Super Jump as a mobility power. No, it doesn't nuke things like Nova can, but it HELPS.

 

The other powers are cool but need some thought to get them level with the playing field as it is.

 

Excalibur is THE poster boy for Warframe. He shouldn't JUST be balanced to meet the needs of high end content players. But he does need some thought.

 

6)

 

No opinion. I never buy them.

 

 

7-8)

 

Dark Sectors suck. Period. PvP and PvE in this game are NOT the same despite SO many players wanting them to be.

 

People are greedy. We know this. People want to show how 'leet' and 'uber' they are by screwing everyone else. Exploits, sneaky tricks, taxes... whatever. We get it. Do we REALLY need more ways to show how people can get off on the suffering of others?

 

9)

 

DNA Stabilizers are a tad bit too expensive still. Allow us to craft them and it should be okay even if you require an Argon Crystal for each like the power cores.

 

10)

 

New Mod UI is good, but the images are a bit small and hard to read at times.

Edited September 12, 2014 by Kalenath

[Shuuro]

Modified my post on the first page. Beware of long read.

[Metalarcher]

All right, so, from top to bottom!

 

EXCALIBUR (or) EVERY WARFRAME, BUT USING EXCALIBUR AS A MEANS TO TALK ABOUT ALL OF THEM

 

Personally, I think Warframes are more interesting when their abilities do something that no weapon can do.  For example, Volt's Shock can be mimicked by Amprex to a large degree, so that ability feels somewhat lackluster because it's similar to just being able to use an Amprex at any time at the cost of energy (not exactly, I know they function a little differently, but the difference is negligible for the sake of the example).  Conversely, no weapon can mimic what Zephyr's Tail Wind does, so that ability feels cool.  In many ways I feel that abilities which change the game in a certain way rather than adding straight damage are more worthwhile because they are unique and interesting.  In this sense it may also be somewhat appropriate to keep Warframe abilities as separate as possible.  For example, many first abilities are quite similar in that they do damage to one or few targets with a proc effect.  If all the Warframes had different first abilities that may make them all feel completely different from anything else in the game, that may give them more distinct identities and playstyles.  Anything I said here reflects how I feel about "abilities" as a whole in Warframe, and can pretty reliably tell you how I feel about all of Excalibur's abilities.

 

Of course, reworking nearly all the Warframes in the game might be an impossible task, but I'm hoping my reasoning is sound advice for the future anyway.

 

Moving on...

 

PRIME ACCESSORIES

 

I have no idea.

 

...

 

Moving on...

 

DARK SECTOR CONFLICTS

 

Not much to say here, except that I don't play them because they seem like (as in many games designed originally for PvE but with a PvP aspect) they favor specific min/max builds with certain Warframes and weapons rather than the ability of the player, which is a combination of unfair and boring because it gives a strategic advantage to carefully getting your character to a certain specific and mostly unmodifiable point (likely through guides) but gives no advantage to the player who is tactical or intelligence in his combat decisions.

Dunno how to fix it, just giving a point of view.  Maybe I shouldn't have said anything; Warframe is and will always be about the PvE to me.

 

Moving on...

 

DNA STABILIZERS

 

So this is a point on which I have quite a few criticisms  All in all, I would be quite a happy Tenno if they were removed entirely, but I think switching Loyalty and Genetic Stability in the ways they are acquired would work just as well.

 

Allow me to explain:  right now, as it is, I am, as a player, punished for having a Kubrow.  Kubrows require a fee to keep working and do not do much more than sentinels but look different.  Their potential in-game is, from what I have seen, the same as the potential of sentinels.  So why do Kubrows cost more to keep working, when sentinels have no such cost?

 

In a metaphor:  suppose you create a new gun that's really cool-looking and functions unique from any other weapon, but is no better and no worse than your average weapon we have right now.  Now suppose that gun requires you to feed it 300 polymer bundle every week to keep working, otherwise it shatters and you have to create a new one.  Do you think anyone would think that's fair?  Even if it's "easy to get that many polymer bundles in a week" over time you would still have less polymer bundle because of an arbitrary upkeep cost (i.e. you are wasting polymer bundle for no good reason, or just because you like the look of the gun)

 

I could see if Kubrows got you more money, so it would be a sort of tradeoff to have one, as you would have to play more to make use out of them as much as you can within the amount of time before their genes destabilize so that you can still turn a profit and pay for their genetic stabilizers, but they do no such thing, and considering they are so vastly different from any sentinel it is probable that no one would like them to be like this.

 

I will risk making the assumption that this mechanic was meant to be a credit sink, and if that is truly the case I think you may want to add an indefinitely-useable credit sink that actually gives the player rewards, however small.  I'm all for slot machines.  But that's up to you to decide...

 

My proposal is to switch the method of gene degradation and loyalty degradation (roughly, I'll explain in a moment) so that their genes degrade when they die and their loyalty decays when you neglect them for too long.  In this way, the player will only be punished if he neglects his Kubrow in combat by letting it die (something that is normally quite easy to avoid, if you have the inclination), and will be given a free pass (interact) otherwise.  Right now, the mechanic punishes the player for simply having the Kubrow (through credit costs with no advantage) and gives them a certain amount of free passes (interacts) per day if they mess up in combat.

 

This way, a player who performs well with his Kubrow will have no upkeep cost and one that does not perform well with his Kubrow will be punished with that upkeep cost.  Seems more fair to me, anyway.

 

Of course this isn't a perfect reversal because loyalty decays too, and if it was indeed a perfect reversal gene stability would still degrade over time, which is the problem we're trying to avoid with this solution...

 

So there's my rant on that.  Moving on...

 

MOD UI

 

Looks pretty fancy.  I think it works fine, too.  No complaints yet.

Edited September 12, 2014 by Metalarcher

[Azamagon]

My thoughts and opinions:

 

Slash Dash - Make it benefit from and towards the melee combo counter (just like Ash's Bladestorm). Also give it forced impact and slash proc (if slash, then maybe slightly reduce its base damage).

 

Radial Blind - Doesn't really need any changes.

 

Super Jump - Could be changed to also include a rising "blade uppercut". It could have decent forward reach, but with a very narrow width. Targets hit by this blade uppercut are also lifted up along with Excalibur. Damage could, just like Slash Dash, benefit from and towards the melee combo counter, and possibly also have a slash proc.

 

Radial Javelin - Needs to be more interesting. It could have 2 phases:

1) Upon activation, the "javelins" spin around Excalibur for a duration (scales with mods). During this time they deal damage to nearby enemies, or, while blocking with melee, gives you efficient 360 degree blocking! You know, something to emphasize his melee role. The aoe-damage synergizes very well with the mobility of Slash Dash too btw ;)

2) When the first phase ends, or if you activate the ability again mid-duration, it launches the javelins like it does now. Added to its current effect i'd like to see them ragdolling the hit enemies and very minimal puncture (just to go through shield lancers and thin cover).

 

About Prime access: The only thing I'd like to see added to the "exclusive bundle" part is the Warframe icons. If you want those you are still forced to buy the most expensive pack. Sucks to be a completionist then :/

[Annnoth]

What would make you do dark sector conflicts more often?

 

Give us an option not to do PvP. I don't think there's anything you can do at the current stage warframe is in, in terms of balance that could make me want to play them because at the end of the day it's still warframe's PvP which is horribly imbalanced.

 

Not only that many people play warframe because it's a fun PvE experience and when you hide a mechanic that has an affect on the rewards for PvE people behind a PvP wall... Well I just like that aspect of it.

[Seanjuju]

1. Torid

2. Outdated Mastery System

3. Outdated Armor System

4. Dark Sectors are riddled with glitches, lag, bugs, unbalance.

5. Stances with too few combos

6. Lack of Frame Evolution

7. Damage 2.0 Collateral

8. Melee 2.0 Collateral

9. Unfinished Parry System

10. Useless Mods

 

There's no need to elaborate. The specifics should already be known.

[tocorro]

I like the ideas of this guy

https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/230673-excalibur-20-reaction-to-1461-changes-and-super-jump-on-all-frames/

 

The most reasonable one is :

 

Super Jump   ->   Super Charge

New skill that boost innate abilities of warframe (strength, speed, stamina etc.) also making super jumping a charged mechanism (hold down space to jump higher) is a GREAT idea.

 

my only suggestion :

 

Radial Javelin   ->   Wall of Swords

For starters he shoots out something that looks like swords more than javelins.

He would summon a LOT of swords behind his back (how many is a thing to discuss) in a shape of wings, a fan or heck even simple wall (swords side by side). In terms of power of the skill I have no ideas - so open to suggestions.

Swords made of light or energy. Activly tracking enemies. Because they're made of energy/light they are insta-hit. They ragdoll enemies and pin them to the walls immobilizing them for few seconds. So even if enemy isn't killed instantly it will give a time to regroup, or finish off pinned enemy.

If there isn't enough enemies Wall of Swords follows Excal and hits every enemy that will get in range. Skill should last 10 sec ? After that swords should fade away. Also casting animation should be somewhat quick. This changes should make Excal ult on par with other warframes.

 

Idea similiar to this :

  - fate stay night, Archers Infinite Blade Works Edited September 12, 2014 by tocorro

[Kinperor]

Excal was due for a change for a long while, honestly. The accidental nerf highlights this a lot, what with everyone flipping out. 

 

The issue with rebalancing Excal is that he need to be a proper starter frame while also being efficient late game. Personally, I think Slash Dash's only real arguments to be changed is that it's now a clone of two other abilities, and it's damage part become disappointing quickly. I think Radial Blind's nerf was OK personally. Super Jump has to go and leave room to a new ability that isn't a mobility gimmick. About Radial Javelin: I'd personally change it to a lower-cost ultimate where Excal casts an energy Javelin or something, which functionally acts like one of the Javelin he uses in the radial version, but he only throw an exceedingly high-damage one. I feel the current ultimate is both boring (damage in AOE, woooh) and  un-engaging for the player. Additionally, it's restrictions makes it worse than most other damage ults out there.

 

Slash Dash scaling with melee damage sounds like a good idea to me. Maybe make it give damage-stacks for each enemy stuck. I'd rather have Radial Javelin changed instead of just buffed.

 

I didn't buy the last accessory pack, so I guess I rank as "somewhat unsastified". I was interested in getting the Loki package, but ultimately decided not to because the pack didn't tickly my fancy.

 

Is it possible to stop talking about the stabilizer for a second and talk about the Incubator Power Core? THEIR prize should have been reduced with the introduction of consignment, for a consumable item it costs way too much. Even clantech material need like 3 or 4 units built to come somewhat close, and that's because you buy the blueprint every time. I'm not a fan of the Stabilizers (as in, I'd prefer them to be cheaper), but honestly I am growing exasperated to having to deal with the Power Core's jacked up price. 

 

Without mentioning, why ever does a power pile like this die out so quickly (after one use)? You know, here's an idea: Make both the construction BP available as well as another BP: The new BP uses an used Power Core that you previously built as an ingredient, as well as an Argon Crystal for the second ingredient. It would be just like replacing the battery in a gadget or whatever. Consider it, pretty please. 

 

 

[Katakuna]

The only change that would get me even slightly interested in Dark Sector conflicts again is adding a PvE variant alongside the existing format.  Like how it should have been from the start.

[R34LM]

I fall into the same ideas of most people in regards to PvP. I only did conclaves with friends, and we established rules of engagement because we all knew that one guy could pick a Loki with a hard to see energy color and own everything. I don't play PvP because of that reason. People have methods of making the round easy for them and hell for others.

 

In terms of DNA Stabalizers, it is the only thing that is stopping me from using my Kubrow. I understand that you want to simulate taking care of a pet, but is a rough balance between practicality and fun. You want to swing around the city as Spider-Man, but you sure as heck don't want to deal with the fact that Spider-Man has to clean up crime endlessly all day without any free time to swing.

[adarazrad]

What on earth could the additional effect for Super jump be guys?

 

 

 

The only things that would make it awsome 

 

> work like a double jump ( a platform spawns in fin air under excal)

 

 

OR

 

Super jump + melee

Arieal melee combos for excal only is awsome!

 

 

Super Jumping and pressing melee at the same time enables you to knock nearby enemies in the air ; close to you 

 

basically  for fighting game maniacs like myself , it would enable  be a "launch " attack. 

 

And still being in super jump , you could attack once or twice ( even more with builds , i'd say  up to 3 or 4 depending on weapon type. Galatine for instance wont hit as much as fang prime or Kogake)  with your melee weapon . At the end of the super jump , air physics go back to normal and meleeing in mid air = ground slam a  usual.

 

 

Forgive my spelling :)

 

 

 

Thoughts?

[MartianJellyfish]

For me at least DNA stabilizers are fine. Maybe they should cost less since not everyone is sitting on 5M credits like myself, or maybe they could be crafted in foundry instead. As much as I dislike DNA decay mechanics on kubrow it hasn't hindered my gameplay. Now, why aren't we discussing loyalty and stasis recovery issues...?

[Casardis]

DNA Stabilizers

 

My opinion is pretty much shared with this person's:

https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/268561-simply-swap-kubrow-dna-integrity-with-loyalty/

https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/277376-kubrow-dna-integrity-and-loyalty-fixes/