Temporary Endgame Suggestions (Or How To Keep People Playing, And Not Farming)

[Firebasket]

So, I've been playing Warframe since the Closed Beta. It's a fun game. But after a while, it pretty much becomes "BOSSES: THE FARMING". You never have a reason to go back and clear entire planets other than to open up locations for Alerts, and even then, people can just give you rides. Now, here's the thing: What I'm going to suggest isn't a permanent solution. Not at all. I don't know how to work it into the lore, either, as it does feel rather video-gamey. Then again, it is a fun video game about space ninja, so... nyah. Here's what I suggest y'all can do to buy yourselves time to think of a good endgame.

 

1. Planet Clear and System Clear Rewards

 

So basically, you clear a system, and you get a random reward. For lower levelled planets, this should probably be artifacts, with maybe a small tutorial with how to use them when the player clears their first planet. Once you start getting upwards of Ceres and Pluto, maybe have a chance for weapon BPs. Alternatively, allow the player to roll on the 7-day slot reward system for clearing a planet.

 

Once the player has cleared the entire existing system, give them an awesome roll of only ? Alert award weapon BPs! That way you have something awesome to look forward to, a reason to actually try to clear the whole game!

 

However, that's not really enough to keep people occupied. Once you can clear Pluto, what's next? Well...

 

2. Hardmode Planets

 

Essentially, once you clear the entire system, go "Okay, you may now enable Hard difficulty." Essentially what this would do is just add 50 levels onto the planets, but also reset them for clearing. At any time you can switch to and from hardmode, but naturally, clearing planets normally wouldn't affect hardmode, nor the other way around. Clearing planets in hardmode would give you an even better chance at getting those rare weapon BPs, but would also require a large investment of mods, weapons, warframes, catalysts, ect. Essentially, it gives players a reason to want those super awesome mods and weapons, other than "Well now I can solo Pluto. Yippie."

 

Then, once you've cleared the entire hardmode system, you get an awesome reward... getting to CHOOSE from all of the available ? Alert weapons. I would personally say the weapons, but BPs would work too. Now, the thing is, once you get to Pluto you're fighting like, level 100 enemies. So finally clearing all of that would require a player to have invested a huge amount of time into the game, while still actively working towards something other than "... Well, I want a new frame."

 

 

That's all fine and dandy. But I have other ideas as far as adding content as well. The game has leaderboards already, yes? So how about...

 

3. Warframe-based Challenges (With Leaderboards)

 

You could have missions accessible from either the profile menu or maybe a new button altogether that would function as Challenges with leaderboards that were Warframe-based. Essentially, these would be things like a Parkour Challenge, Solo Enemy Survival Challenge, Boss Rush Challenge, Melee Survival Challenge... things that would be tough, but still doable. Then have leaderboards for them. Maybe, I'unno. Johnson420Smoqueed managed to beat the Parkour challenge in 30 seconds flat using his Rhino. Oh man, crazy. Players could compete for high scores on the leaderboard, with maybe special color schemes or accessories available based on placing. It would just be something silly to kill time with, yes, but it also introduces an element of competition into the game that many players would appreciate, while also not being straight PvP in any way.

 

You guys could also introduce some pre-made maps and a Time Attack challenge, and let players try to complete the map as fast as possible solo, or some such. Still Warframe-based leaderboards because an Loki would have an easier time than a Rhino, but still something DIFFERENT for players to do that isn't farming! Maybe give mods based on minimum time requirements on a per-warframe basis, and only give it to players who both go under the time set by the devs, but who also improve on their own times. That way players don't grind them for things, but also have a reason to try them again.

 

 

Once again, these are not permanent solutions. These are temporary. HOWEVER, I believe that at least the Hardmode planets and Planet/System clear rewards would be somewhat easy to implement, and give players things to do, rather than sit around and wait for ? Alerts and farm bosses.

 

Please post additional suggestions, and ways to improve things I've posted! Warframe needs an endgame, and that's gonna be tough for the devs, but we can absolutely think of ways to buy time until then!

[Tetsmeha]

Don't forget instances :)

[SyDaemon]

I'm thinking "Operations" not unlike those done in Mass Effect 3 multiplayer could be added. They had these weekend time frames where the entire player base is to complete certain objectives like "kill X of Y". The operation succeeds if the total kills (by all MP games over that weekend) meet the objectives.

 

With the planet locations, operations in Warframe can be a lot more interesting. Perhaps over a period of a month, there can be some massive Grineer invasion where certain planets have an large increase in Grineer forces. In cases where the original locations belonged to a different faction, the Grineer can appear in large numbers to overwhelm them and effectively take over the place. The community is then challenged to drive the invasion back by completing missions at these locations with the Grineer appearing in larger numbers than before. If a certain number of missions are completed over that month, the operation would be deemed a success. Failure will result in some special constraints for an arbitrary period following the operation. For example, mission in these "lost" locations are now timed. Success will grant substantial rewards to all who has participated in the operation.

 

Other interesting events could be temporary faction alliances where Corpus and Grineer ally themselves for a week to make certain mission locations more challenging than before.

[AberforthBrixby]

a massive +1 to this

[Firebasket]

I've been thinking about this. It might not be suitable for endgame, but would add more content: I'd love to see premade "Story" missions after you've completed a planet, with special objectives or boss fights. So completing Venus might give a story mission where the player first encounters Corpus, and Lotus gives a bit of exposition about them. Or at Ceres or Sedna, the Stalker messes with the Tenno's objective, by killing a hostage or destroying the data aboard a ship, and the player has to chase them down, with maybe a big showdown on Pluto. Just something to give a little more flavor to the game, and to give the players a reason to actually play (as well as a bit of story).

[Story4]

Really like the Challenges idea, +1.

[SyDaemon]

it looks like we've got our wish. :)

[TinyLesbianRobot]

Why can't I hold all this +1?

[Zetalleon]

The hardmode planets and parkour leaderboards are great ideas, +1.

[Shrooms]

And there should be some fun game modes like Moa riding races >D

 

Also there could be a pvp like system where you aren't playing with your warframe, but your sentinel or control another unit which is optimalized for pvp, this way they wouldn't have to change the warframes and it would give the game a new and fun aspect :D