Endgame Affinity Gaining Method

[mindlord0013]

As it stands, DE has continually nerfed quick and easy methods of gaining affinity. I'm not saying that this is innately a bad thing. It's better for new/low MR players to have to work to get their weapons levelled, instead of running a single mission and maxing their gear from Rank 0. However, veteran players don't want slow grinds. They've already done those. As it currently stands, there is no way for veteran players to quickly gain affinity (for weapons, syndicate standing, or focus points).

This started with the Mesa changes, making Draco somewhat less viable as an affinity farm. I don't think they were wrong to do this, as having players just stand in the same spot and afk while 1-2 people do all the work isn't healthy gameplay. With U18.1, exterminate missions are no longer an option as affinity/focus farms. I can't say I'm surprised with the changes, I would even have bet money on it happening sooner rather than later.

Now we have a problem. DE has nerfed most of the ways for Veteran players to quickly or easily gain affinity. Veteran players don't want to grind to get it by running long defense, survival, excavation, or interception missions. You get burnt out very quickly from doing that, which only drives players away from the game. Draco and Ludi (Exterminate) where great for veteran players because they were easy (Draco), or quick (Ludi). There needs to be an endgame method of gaining lots of affinity (for your weapon leveling, syndicate standing, and focus points needs) that doesn't burn players out, or isn't considered an exploit (thereby garnering the wrath of DE's nerfhammer). I think most veteran players wouldn't mind spending a bit more time on affinity farms if they weren't so... I dare say boring and prone to burning players out.

I honestly don't have the answers to this problem. I can only make suggestions. We want it to be "fun" without being too exploitative, or accessible for newer players. Having a skill based mission modifier might be a good compromise. Something like a "the floor is lava" mission modifier might be suitable. Only available once you've fully unlocked that planet, and only on "lategame" planets (Ceres, Pluto, Eris). For arguments sake, let's say it is only available on Exterminate missions, on a semi-random basis on the above planets only. Making contact with the floor causes your Warframe to take 1/5 of their health per second (goes through shields, Iron Skin, and Limbo's rift). As a tradeoff, you gain infinite wall-latch time and enemies give 5x affinity.