Existing Content

[Zerrien]

I started playing around Update 11. I remember Valkyrie coming out, and being impressed that the game could have such fun combat, while being updated with new stuff constantly. Warframe is an enjoyable horde-slaughtering first person shooter.

 

But, given it's been 3 'major' updates, with a fourth right around the corner... It's amazing that the game's core mechanisms have been ignored. Still. Every update expands on the game's structure, while piling more on top of the base of the game.

 

Mods? Abilities? Sentinels? Those were the structure of the game, when I was first around... Now, it's Player Ships, Kubrow and the upcoming Archwingii.

 

Kubrow are a Sentinel expansion pack. A great idea, really. But, what about the original batch? Carrier still reigns supreme, with it's Vacuum ability. The others are left to stagnate outside of each individual niche group that claims their Sentinel is the best.

 

Player Ships are the continuation of Dojos, and a precursor to a living, walkable world. Space Stations? Hubs? No complaints.

 

And, Archwings... The future! One update away. A whole new way to fight in Warframe! Different Archwings, different missions! New enemies! More mods, more abilities! But, how long will the luster last? How long before Archwings are the next Kubrow?

 

Weapons

 

Warframe is continually releasing content in an attempt to spike player numbers. Over, and over, and over. Every week or so, we're given a new cosmetic. Sometimes, a new weapon. A new weapon, that, isn't defining in anyway. A new burst rifle, with a delicious model. But... Where is the depth? The Hind is a burst fire weapon that fires 5 times. The Sybaris is a two-round burst rifle. The Burston is a 3-round burst rifle. What does the Tiberon bring to the table that the others don't? A new model. Some tweaked stats, (accuracy, low status, wow!) But, does it really need to exist? What builds does it open up?

 

Mods

 

More content is ALWAYS good, but, there are varying levels of return on the content.

 

How do you build a Hind? Serration. Elemental Damage Mods. Fire Rate, Punch-Through, Multi-Shot.

How do you build a Tiberon? Serration. Elemental Damage Mods. Fire Rate, Punch-Through, Multi-Shot.

 

That isn't depth. That isn't interesting. It doesn't take advantage of the Hind's rapid 5 bullets. It doesn't take advantage of the Tiberon's extremely high accuracy. It's... one-dimensional. While the goal is usually the same in all games, 'maximize damage,' the current state of mods is absolutely stagnant. Sure, some status weapons benefit from some status mods. And there are other choice examples of interesting weapons that were released recently... But, new weapon content like that falls flat.

 

No one asked themselves, or the forums, or their clan: "What can I do with this weapon?" Because the answer is the same as always.

 

Warframes / Abilities

 

Now, the problem isn't just with the mods, but, it's an easy place to press.

 

There are currently 20 Warframes. Each with 4 ability mods. ... That's it. They still haven't expanded on the individual Warframe's powers. There are some ideas as to why, (why give Loki Mirage's skills, if they can just make a whole new Warframe, with a whole new Warframe slot, and Warframe to sell, with skins!) But, I'd rather just give DE the benefit of the doubt and suggest that it's hard work to think of new abilities.

 

Now, some Warframes are hard to create abilities for. What does Rhino -need-? He has a DPS buff, a stun, a dash, and extra survivability. For balance reasons, it's completely understandable to say that Rhino is in a good place. But, what about Ash? A flourishy assassin-type, and no one's thought of a new move for him? Or Excalibur? The star-child of Warframe fame, and there hasn't been one alternative to Slash Dash or Super Jump?

 

Power Customization

 

There was a time where players were able to further customize their individual Warframes. Currently, they reside in the hands of rich players.

 

While their implementation wasn't... ideal. (Items on a timed-release schedule that improved the specific Warframes, or... Purchasable with real life currency.) They did provide further customization for players to use. The only methods for specializing a Warframe, are, still, the mod cards, (which are lacking.)

 

I can understand wanting to sweep this one under the rug, and making all Warframes carbon copies of each other... But, there is still the unsightly blight that SOME Arcane helmets still exist, leaving the potential for the future of stat-wise customization in a weird quantum limbo.

 

Solution

 

A lot of people simply refuse any complaints unless there is a solution given for these problems. Unfortunately, no matter what I suggest, it'll be met with discontent as it will require work.

 

It call comes down to... Update existing content. We've asked for it before, U13, U14, U15... Will U16 finally show some of the older content getting some love?

 

Mods need to be redone, entirely. There have been plenty of potential Mod insertion points. (Events. Events. Events.) Yet, they're simply raw-damage boosting mods. Seriously? I understand Events are limited time, and creating quality exclusive mods isn't 'fair,' but, at least show some more creativity than... +120%... slash damage.

 

Warframe abilities. Give players the stock 4 by default, upon being built, and slowly insert various new ability mods into the drop tables. Super Slide for Excalibur? Passive Poison-Resistance Aura for Trinity? It's tough work, implementing new abilities, but, if 1-2 were added, per month? I guarantee players will be much more enthused about ACTUAL gameplay content, over rehashed burst rifle, or armor-set #25.

 

Weapons... I think they have the potential to be fixed simply with a mod-rework. Providing players with an interesting set of mods will allow them to play to their favorite weapon's strengths, instead of copy pasting the generic MASSIVE DPS build.

 

Power customization is tough... But why do Arcane Helmet exist? Is that really 'acceptable' to the developers?

[KiraShado]

I feel this is a summary of many player concerns... Of which all being worked on progressively.... *Sighs*

[vaugahn]

Fixes to existing gameplay are added gradually, but new content comes out all at once. That's why it seems like it's all of one and none of the other.

[7grims]

How long before Archwings are the next Kubrow?

 

What do you mean by that?

 

I feel kubrows got old and worthless pretty fast, all the new mechaniques, features and all the kubrow system, are now on the past.

Feels it was a bunch a work, for something I used/play for around a couple of weeks.

Now, I don't care, nor want anything else, related with kubrows evermore, and yet there's all the stuff they left in my inventory and that useless giant incubator occupying space on my liset.

 

And I think a giant part of the community still likes or cares for this feature.

So was that what you meant with Archwings becoming the next Kubrows?

​Cause I do feel lonely on hating these little pets.

Edited October 14, 2014 by 7grims

[CY13ERPUNK]

+1 OP

[Genoscythe]

I think new ability mods are not even necessary, I think things that just change an aspect of an ability would be nice (kinda like the runes in diablo 3). some examples:

 

Make vortex pull enemies in for a second and then collapse and deal damage + ragdoll,or let it weaken enemies but at cost of reduced time. Let lokis radial disarm deactivate shields for 3 seconds and stun moas.

 

Let my desecrate explode corpses at the cost of 100% health orb drops.

 

Let shurikens explode on impact at the cost of homing in.

 

 

 

short: yes, variety is the key, I agree to the rest you wrote.

[RoninJed]

Zerrien makes a lot of good points+1 I've been playing since the nekros update and something that has always annoyed me is seeing bugs get fixed only to come back at a later date. It seems like the more stuff DE adds the more bugs show up. I've seen people suggest for DE to not add any new features for like a month or so and just work on polishing the game. I know DE can't do that because they need to make more things for warframe to generate money but they got some money now after that PW deal so maybe we will see a bug free warframe;)

[Zerrien]

 

What do you mean by that?

 

I feel kubrows got old and worthless pretty fast, all the new mechaniques, features and all the kubrow system, are now on the past.

Feels it was a bunch a work, for something I used/play for around a couple of weeks.

Now, I don't care, nor want anything else, related with kubrows evermore, and yet there's all the stuff they left in my inventory and that useless giant incubator occupying space on my liset.

 

And I think a giant part of the community still likes or cares for this feature.

So was that what you meant with Archwings becoming the next Kubrows?

​Cause I do feel lonely on hating these little pets.

 

 

No, that's what I mean. Archwings will be popular for a while... And, then, they'll kind of drift off into nothingness, as we get Underwater levels. Or, Catbrows. Or, U19 feature. Then, they'll rarely receive updates outside of bug fixes and become 'Planet Gimmick X.'

 

I think new ability mods are not even necessary, I think things that just change an aspect of an ability would be nice (kinda like the runes in diablo 3). some examples:

 

Make vortex pull enemies in for a second and then collapse and deal damage + ragdoll,or let it weaken enemies but at cost of reduced time. Let lokis radial disarm deactivate shields for 3 seconds and stun moas.

 

Let my desecrate explode corpses at the cost of 100% health orb drops.

 

Let shurikens explode on impact at the cost of homing in.

 

short: yes, variety is the key, I agree to the rest you wrote.

 

I was just suggesting new abilities, because, that's existing functionality. The idea isn't to change something/improve on something... It's to work with what's already there.

[Genoscythe]

I was just suggesting new abilities, because, that's existing functionality. The idea isn't to change something/improve on something... It's to work with what's already there.

 

You can also do that, but I think that being able to mod the existing abilities is also working with whats already there.

[Neocyberman]

I feel the same way but a bit more... disappointed. 

 

I feel no real hype or anticipation for archwing in warframe because it will likely be like the other features we have been given. Incomplete with issues, functional but ultimately flawed and will not receive a next pass for another 6 months.