Game Modes With Fewer, More Challenging Enemies

[motorfirebox]

What I'd really like to see from Warframe is some game modes where it's not just about killing as many pushover mooks as you can before X happens (X = running out of mooks in exterminate missions, end of round in defense missions, running out of life support in survival, etc). I'd like to see some game modes where you aren't constantly crowded by mobs, and the mobs you do face require some strategy to take down. Simply running and gunning would be significantly less effective against these mobs, and might not work at all. 

 

For instance, let's walk through a new mission type called Hostile Takeover. This is just an example of the kind of tactical thinking I'd like to see required in new missions, not a specific suggestion for a new mission type. I'm sure I've overlooked lots of issues in this example, but I'm trying to suggest a design philosophy for new missions, not suggest a specific new mission.

 

In Hostile Takeover, you have to infiltrate a yacht owned by a high-ranking Corpus board member, and use his personal comm station to send a message. The yacht is small(ish, 5-6 rooms instead of the 15+ on most levels), and patrolled by powerful custom MOAs—one or two per room, tops. The goal is to enter the board member's personal suite and intimidate him into unlocking his comm station for you.

 

The MOAs have an experimental shielding system that reflects projectiles back in the direction they came from. The reflective shield can be disrupted by knocking the MOA down. This reflective shield can also absorb and store kinetic energy from melee attacks and release it in a powerful burst. When a MOA is knocked down, it charges this burst over 2-3 seconds and releases it in an AOE. The shield also acts as a very short-range nullifier, meaning powers won't work on it when it's up. However, the shield's power requirements mean that it's only turned on when the MOA is alerted. The MOAs are also armed with a powerful beam weapon with a viral proc.

 

Basically, if you just open fire on these guys, your own shots will smack you in the face. If you run up and melee them, they'll take little or no damage and blast you in the face with your own damage. If you knock them down and then just sit there attacking them, they'll blow you the heck up. And regardless, you can't stand out in front of them for too long or they'll eat your health right through your shields.

 

There are two strategies for dealing with these MOAs (or at least, I've tried to design them such that there are two workable strategies). The first is to stealth through the entire mission, all the way to the Corpus VIP, either without getting spotted or by taking out individual MOAs with sneak attacks and/or silenced, high damage-per-shot weapons (cough Dread cough). The MOAs follow set patrol paths, and there are multiple paths through each room with lots of cover, so this is doable (similar to Rescue 2.0). 

 

The second way is to fight the MOAs, which you'll have to do if the first strategy fails. The way to fight these guys head on is, one tenno gets the MOA's attention by taking a few potshots at it and ducking out of the way; another tenno sneaks up behind the MOA and does a knockdown (jump attack or similar) and then books it out of the way before the AOE goes off. When the AOE goes off, the shield goes down for a few seconds, and everyone attacks. I envision the MOAs having pretty high health, so in most cases it should take 2-3 cycles to finish one off.

 

Essentially, I guess, I'd like to see missions where you have time to think and plan, and where you need to think and plan.

Edited January 18, 2015 by motorfirebox

[[DE]Danielle]

Moved to appropriate section :) 

[motorfirebox]

Spy 2.0 somewhat scratched this itch for me, though I've yet to try it with a group. I'd definitely like to see more missions heading in that direction, as opposed to the current default "kill everything that moves" style missions.