An Idea For Additional Enhancement And Customization At Higher Difficulty Levels

[Reichmar]

EDIT: Modifications to this idea are in progress following Ced23Ric's request for less complexity. See post #3 for possible changes.

 

Issue:

 

While the discussions regarding the future of warframe and endgame content continue, one issue which will need to be addressed is how to implement additional mechanisms for increasing player power to cope with more and more difficult endgame content. 

 

While there are options for newer and stronger weapons, as well as stronger weapon mods, there is a risk for downright strange and lame additions. Multi-multi shot? Five types of Bratons? Adding additional elements (Its weird enough that players already shoot rainbow rounds, something needs to be done to make weapon mod loadouts viable without forcing the player to load his gun with a box of crayons)? Using formas to enhance specific mods?

 

A system by which a player enhance his warframe of choice in specific ways may be a partial solution to this issue.

 

Proposal:

 

I'm envisioning a system through which a player can further customize and enhance his high-level frame of choice by adding/modifying select components of his armor. No, I am not calling for the ability to shape components of armor (I don't want Warframe to turn Dionysian), but what I am envisioning is the ability to further enhance (albeit slightly) your frame with additional stats, passive bonuses, or some other form of enhancement without breaking visually from the theme. 

 

Let me elaborate.

 

Lets divide up the human body (warframe) into four components: Lower body, Torso, Head, and Arms. Each one of these frame components contains circuitry, or a chip, or some sort of technology that governs their power/strength/defense/etc. These inner workings could make for a varied loot list that players could hunt for/assemble that could give them a slight boon when playing at advanced difficulty levels. This new modification system could only be available once a warframe is max level, and the blueprints/drops would only be on the loot list for higher difficulty levels.

 

The idea is that players would play from 1-30 in the current game layout and build out their mods for gameplay at the next difficulty level. Once playing on the next difficulty level (for the sake of argument, lets call it "hard"), players would stumble upon new options for increasing their power in order to compete at the next difficulty, which I'll call "extreme".

 

The individual progression line would therefore work out to: 

 

Easy Difficulty (1-30): Build up mods and forma equipment to house said mods.

Hard Difficulty: Build up (possibly new) mods, forma (possibly new) equipment, collect and build warframe component enhancements.

Extreme Difficulty: Build up mods, forma equipment, build (new) warframe components, and more.

 

Effects: Statistical

 

The actual effects of these items are to be slight modifications to an existing warframe: no dramatic increases in player power (at least to start -- who knows how endgame and player progression will turn out), but an ability to further enhance a part of the frame's (or combat related) stats. For example, you could find a blueprint off an elite pack (https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/64304-operation-cornucopia-make-count-what-we-kill-adjust-drop-tables-for-mobs/  Post #12, 13) for a chip that slots into your helmet. That chip would provide a slight increase to a base stat. While small on paper, as the player enhances the corresponding mod, the statistical bonus would increase because math. A player could also discover a chip that slots into their arms that provides a 5% overall damage bonus to weapons of a certain class.

 

To avoid unwanted situations, such as a player with ludicrous shield values, each slot could present a choice to the player. The torso slot could give a player a choice between a bonus to shields or a bonus to health, the arm slot could offer bonuses to specific weapon classes, or a bonus to armor, the head could offer bonuses to energy or ability power, and the lower body could offer bonuses to jump height, etc. There is also the possibility that these bonuses would be frame-based, allowing for customization of certain frame abilities.

 

All of these bonuses are simply ideas, and I would welcome thoughts as to what sorts of bonuses would be more useful, better balanced, or just generally smarter for the purposes of enabling higher difficulty gameplay.

 

Effects: Visual

 

The visual effects of these enhancements would not break visually from the frame's theme and could possibly be tied to microtransactions. For example, if a Loki were to install a bonus in his helmet slot, the visual representation of that component would be the horns (hammer-head) on his helmet being turned downwards. If an Ash were to slot a particular torso enhancement, the visual representation of it would be a large bone fragment of some sort being tied to his abdomen. 

 

Suggestions for what these enhancements could be are welcome, as well as their possibility for existence in the form of microtransactions only available once the player installs the corresponding component.

 

Conclusion:

 

This is very much a work in progress. I thought about this possibility early this morning, and began writing to avoid forgetting it. Feel free to be constructive and help the idea be refined. Or, if you have a slightly different conceptualization, be sure to share!

Edited June 23, 2013 by Reichmar

[Ced23Ric]

Mhmm. I think this may turn out to be a too complex of a system and requires a lot of work for a fairly low payout. Maybe the idea needs simplification..?

[Reichmar]

Mhmm. I think this may turn out to be a too complex of a system and requires a lot of work for a fairly low payout. Maybe the idea needs simplification..?

 

I understand the fear over complexity, and I cede that point to you. Perhaps the visual distinctions should be saved for skins and other market-based items -- that would already cut down on a lot of complexity, but lets see what else can be done.

 

With respect to the system as a whole, being able to see stats would be a big help. Thankfully, DE has already stated that they want to show them, if I'm not mistaken. It'll try to address complexity for each of the two remaining parts, and I'll also edit the OP once I get more feedback from you:

 

1) Knowing what each component does:

 

If and when visible statistics are implemented, the player will be able to distinguish whether or not a component will impact their warframe's performance in ways that they desire. Percentages are much easier understand for most people if they can be visualized in a stat table or some kind.

 

Perhaps to reduce complexity, each component would only affect one attribute in one way instead of the +/- idea that I originally had. That way, adding a component into a torso would only affect shield capacity, for example, instead of boosting shields AND reducing something else. Also, remember that only one component can be added per slot -- the player has the freedom to choose a set-up based on his/her desired playstyle.

 

There are 13 planets in the game currently. Here is a list of 19 possible components (the list can be built further or edited based on developer imagination and balance concerns). The intent is for each planet's boss to drop the blueprints for one of thirteen components, as well as being able to acquire the other 6 through general RNG.

 

Head: + ability power, +ability range, +health, + energy pool

Torso: +shields, +health, +stamina,  +interrupt resistance, +knockdown resistance

Arms: +shields, +melee damage, +rifle damage, +shotgun damage, +pistol damage

Legs: +speed, +stamina, +melee damage, +jump height, +shields

 

To implement the system:

 

a) No additional visuals of any kind are needed besides icons for each component.

 

b) The drops would be added as blueprints, and each would require materials to craft native to the planets they are found on.

 

c) Four buttons would be added to the warframe mod page to reflect the four slots that the components can fill.

 

d) Components would be available only in a new difficulty mode (once that is created, or the system can be modified should other plans for endgame arise).

 

 

2) Additional Difficulty Level (or w/e endgame turns out to be):

 

The concept behind this system is to allow players to prepare themselves for play at higher difficulty levels, and it presupposes that two additional levels will be added. The current mod/weapon leveling system would suffice to prepare players for a second difficulty level. This warframe component system would allow players to prepare themselves for the third difficulty level. However....

 

ALTERNATIVELY, and to address Ced's concern over complexity, this system could be implemented without a third difficulty level at all. These warframe components would be accrued by the player while playing on the second difficulty level only. If difficulty levels are not part of the endgame planning for this game, and instead a new system is in the works, the same system would apply there.

 

I actually like that idea more, to be quite honest. Assuming that the next difficulty level is quite a bit more difficult than the current one, it would be in the player's interest to farm a particular planet/boss for components in order to strengthen themselves enough for further progression throughout the system. Special components could also be sold in the marketplace for platinum (locked to level 30 frames only -- perhaps even level 30 frames with X number of Formas installed to encourage working hard on a particular frame). Each component blueprint would require a substantial (TBD) level of resources to craft -- perhaps requiring new resources only available in either the next difficulty or new system (whatever is chosen by DE).

 

Still thinking of ways to make it less complex, but I feel like dropping visuals, a third difficulty, and streamlining the bonuses that the components grant really does a good job.

 

Let me know if you think it could be nailed further!

Edited June 22, 2013 by Reichmar

[Oz270]

Sounds interesting ,Kinda reminds me of the original deus ex series upgrade system.

I'm voting for visuals for the upgrades, but then again that would be a lot of work with not much to no income for the team

Other then that, this is a good idea overall I'm just hoping they fix he rest of the game before adding even bigger buffs to the current push over shallow difficulty.

Promise more feed back after I get some sleep coffee isn't cutting it anymore.

[Xepharyx]

Along the line of what DE said in the recent livestream about the problems of RNG, i think these components should not drop from bosses. This would decrease the chance of warframe BP's dropping. What could happen is that these new components could be tied to the second-to-boss missions, or harder missions in the system (Xini). This would give more meaning to more missions. Just an idea, but RNG's a b****.

[Reichmar]

Along the line of what DE said in the recent livestream about the problems of RNG, i think these components should not drop from bosses. This would decrease the chance of warframe BP's dropping. What could happen is that these new components could be tied to the second-to-boss missions, or harder missions in the system (Xini). This would give more meaning to more missions. Just an idea, but RNG's a b****.

 

I understand the concern. I envisioned these blueprints dropping in a new difficulty/new system -- not the current one where warframe BPs drop. That should separate things enough.

 

Your idea for these dropping off minibosses works too though. Perhaps off of random elite packs -- something that's been discussed around these parts as a possibility.

[Oz270]

Okay feedback I promised here goes:

I like the idea but as i said earlier is that this would not make the game balanced at this point of time since this idea adds more the grind and game difficulty issue that are BIG problems right now for the end game.

But i'm pretty sure you know that already and this is for a post balance scenario.

 

I'm really liking the idea but wouldn't just splitting the frame slots to head, arms, torso, etc... and re-categorize  the mods solve this problem?

Unless you mean that these enhancements are permanent to the frame.

[Reichmar]

Okay feedback I promised here goes:

I like the idea but as i said earlier is that this would not make the game balanced at this point of time since this idea adds more the grind and game difficulty issue that are BIG problems right now for the end game.

But i'm pretty sure you know that already and this is for a post balance scenario.

 

I'm really liking the idea but wouldn't just splitting the frame slots to head, arms, torso, etc... and re-categorize  the mods solve this problem?

Unless you mean that these enhancements are permanent to the frame.

 

Thanks for feedback.

 

This system is intended as simply an extra way to make your frames more powerful to help running the next tier of difficulty (or the next system). The current grinding issues that you allude to are based on poor RNG design for rare materials. DE has already said that is going to change. Difficulty wise...the game isn't difficult per se. Everything in the game currently can be soloed except for high level defense and maybe T3 void, depending on your frame.

 

Your suggestion on adding these things as just extra mods is noted, but I disagree. We already have mods that do these things. The point is for these new components to be further enhancements to your frame that will bolster your frame and its current mod loadout. Otherwise, they aren't really helping you tackle new content.

 

With respect to whether or not these enhancements would be permanent to the frame, I'm torn on that...

 

Part of me wants it, because it forces the player to specialize when playing high level content. However DE might not like that, as their desire is to force players to play lots of frames  and use lots of weapons, i.e. their F2P model. (nothing wrong with that)

[Palamudin]

Well i support this idea as well, mine's a bit different but this works as well. This would solve diversity in endgame, more content, more lore and more space to grow so designers don't get tied hands with nowhere else to go in order to please engame players (face it, everyone is at one point engame player) 

And i want to stress one more thing, this idea here and my idea (any idea that opens the warframe for additional moding in any form) would allow players to have 2 same frames tricked out in a separate manner (or same if changes are changable i.e. not perma) so they could excel at very tight roles that upcoming content will bring. 

And hopefully in order to make space for pve/pvp events that would combine both combat between teams and vs enemies in order to achieve objective. And there is where warframe will decimate the competition since i cant see a single game offering those 2 in a well built package (only seen in Brink so far, but everything else xcept the idea was trash)

 

cheerz.

Edited June 23, 2013 by Palamudin

[Lactamid]

I don't know how complex this is but I posted in another thread similar to this one about the passives and being able to customize it yourself. Maybe it could be something for you?
https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/68749-warframe-movement-and-concept-of-builds/?p=730561

Another option would be to craft better versions of each frames already existing parts.
Helmet, Chassis, Systems (with a higher tier main BP?)

This would increase farming in one way but also give value to those onwanted BPs dropped.

Perhaps you could even combine some of the various frame BPs to draw knowledge from that framedesign?

 

ex: Rhino chassis speed upgrade

Combine x amount of Ash Chassis  + x amount of Rhino chassis for a speed boost card.
Result: speed is increased (possible small armor drop nerf)

Also needs various resources and credits.

[Palamudin]

That idea with swapable items is a great upgrade to evolving endgame. Since there is already code within the game with helmet modifiers i see no reason not to be applicable to other body parts skins.

 

Hence you could spec your warframe EXACTLY as you want it for this match down to the gritty details of recoil tremor while fullauto spraying or additional skill bonuses / side effects for a duel or a specific mission.




 

Edited June 23, 2013 by Palamudin

[Anvildude]

Sooo....  Exactly like the Helmet system they already have implemented, but with options for the other parts of the body as well?