How to fix Helminth Charger

[Protomorph]

A lot of players are excited about Helminth Chargers and the idea of having an Infested pet. The implementation leaves something to be desired so here's some ideas on it. Note: this is about the Charger and the concept of an Infested pet. I'm not addressing anything regarding the "cyst" portion, this is just about how it functions as a pet and what it looks like.

 

First, the problems:

1.  It's a Kubrow skin. This is a real shame, because having an Infested pet is a really cool concept that deserves its own concept. I can only assume this was rushed out to beat an end-of-year deadline.
2. None of the attachments work. See 1, above.
3. Uses Kubrow sounds and movement. Ditto.

Pretty short list really. Let's look at whats *good* about the Helminth, and the concept of an Infested pet in general.

1.  It's an infested pet. Just the concept is cool. A lot of players have wanted this for a long time, and we're all looking forward to the finished version. Great timing to add it with Nidus in terms of story and lore.
2. The damage types: this is super cool. With toxin and slash damage this opens up some opportunities with pets we haven't really had before. It's a shame the Charger doesn't have a higher status chance, or a mod to give it an increased status chance.
3. The AI: it works well. Helminth charger does a good job of maneuvering around the environment and attacking enemies. I don't know if the AI was updated, or if it works differently with Helminth Charger but previously when I've used Kubrows and Kavats they spend most of their time doing, well, literally nothing.

The fun bit: How to fix Helminth Charger

1. LET THE ART TEAM GO NUTS AND REDESIGN IT. I don't think this can be stressed enough. There is a unique opportunity here, and a limited window. This is the first Infested pet in the game and, more importantly, this Infested creature did not gestate in a Corpus or a Grineer, but in a Warframe. It's appearance should reflect that. A lot of people have commented on this, and some think it should have an appearance based on the Warfame it gestated on. That's probably not doable, but the Helminth Charger should look like an Infested pet that came from a Warframe, not just like every charger we've ever seen in the game. Bring that Warframe aesthetic to it, hybridize it with Infested goodness, and watch the playerbase lose their minds. Please, astound us. We know you can do it. Get your art people whatever coffee, or beer, or hallucinogens they need and make this lil' guy worth it. More about the "influenced by the Warframe it grew from" in a minute.
2. Make the Helminth Charger it's own animal. Kubrows are not Kavats. Kavats are not Kubrows. The Helminth Charger is neither of these things, and it shouldn't be. It shouldn't look like a Kubrow, act like a Kubrow, use Kubrows skins or sounds or animations. It should be creepy. And disturbing. And cool, and a little scary. When you look at your Charger pet, you should be just a little bit afraid that it might turn on you. When it screams, it should make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. There should be spikes, and horns, and multiple sets of eyes, and fangs and mandibles and chitin. When it bites something, there should be slime and toxic drool flying about. This is the technology that the Orokin could not control, that made them afraid, and the appearance and design should affect that.
3. Give it a higher base status chance on attacks, and a mod to increase status chance. Let the Helminth Helminth, like a good Helminth should. If you're gonna give it toxin and status, then run with it. Play to the strengths. If enemies aren't poisoned and bleeding, Helminth ain't happy. And when Helminth ain't happy, nobodys happy.
4. Give it it's own attachments. Helminth attachments should not be clothes, or armor. They should be spikes, or parasites, or symbiotes. Tentacles are good here. Helminth attachments should not be something they wear, it should look like they grew something.
5. Helminth Charger needs better options for color selection. The current options are not good. If it gets a redesign I'm hoping the chosen colors can customize it alot more than is currently possible.
6.  Now, about those frames the charger came from... It's honestly probably not feasible to make a [warframe]-influenced skin for every frame for Mr. Helminth upon gestation. DE would have to make one for every frame in the game now, and add one whenever a new frame enters the game. HOWEVER... what if, instead of Helminth Charger having a randomized appearance like other pets, what if it had skins that were influenced by Warframes? (I CAN HEAR EARS PERKING UP AT D.E.) Yep. That's right. So when you get a charger you have a base model, or maybe a couple of base models. BUT, if you REALLY want your charger to reflect a particular Warframe (like maybe it's DaddyMommyframe) you could buy a skin for it from the market. For plat. INCLUDING PRIME VERSIONS, because that's not really a stretch considering it's possible for a Helminth to gestate from a Primed Frame. (Helminth Prime PRIME??? WHO KNOWS, TEH POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS!!!)

If you made it this far, congratulation and thank you! I really like the new pet and would like to see it be the best it can be, so I hope maybe this helps clarify some issues and concerns the playerbase has. Looking forward to CHARGER 2.0, Umbras, armgun gunarms and other exciting stuff in 2017!

 

Edited January 3, 2017 by Protomorph
fixed spelling & missing words

[Myscho]

Saw few remodel sketches and they looks really great, DE should take some inspiration from them

[AdunSaveMe]

My problem with it is simply that it looks like an infested grineer and not an infested kubrow. I get having a charger as a pet, that's great, but the grineer bit makes no sense, and it uses all the kubrow animations and sound effects.

There's a lot of cool ideas. I'm hoping it gets changed to look more like it should.

[(PSN)robotwars7]

I hope it gets fixed too, even though it would mean console would have regular Charger versions for a while. they should definitely rework the appearance, maybe giving us different types to choose from (massive bulky charger, slimmer sickly charger, or mid-sized charger). give it some damage buffs and maybe some new abilities.

an Idea I had is a new mod called "Consumption". with this mod, whenever the Charger kills an enemy infested, it devours it's corpse for a moment and becomes stronger, gaining more armour and increased damage, which can stack up to 10 times. it would allow the charger to scale well vs. infested, and maybe a version could be made that consumes all enemy type if it wasn't considered overpowered.

I'm sure they'll look at it.

[pauli133]

23 minutes ago, Protomorph said:

1. None of the attachments work.

They all work fine - the placement is wonky, but that's just part of the charm.

The AI: it works well. Helminth charger does a good job of maneuvering around the environment and attacking enemies. I don't know if the AI was updated, or if it works differently with Helminth Charger but previously when I've used Kubrows and Kavats they spend most of their time doing, well, literally nothing.

You and I must have been using a different Helminth Charger, because the AI on mine was as horrible as always. It will stand there and let me get shot (or clawed) to death by enemies who are across the room or up close and personal. It hangs out in useless places. Seeing it attack things is neat... but unreasonably rare.

[Danjal777]

+1 bud!  

They will probably make adjustments, but I feel like it will be a while.  My issue is mostly with how it is made, I know some of you sickos would grind up kubrows with no prob, but it's a different level of messed up when you purposely inject infestation into a kubrow egg.  I am sure new loka will be picketing outside your liset in no time.

If you really want the effect of infesting a grineer, we should be able to capture a lancer and infect him, then watch him writhing and screaming in agony for 24 hours before you get you hands on ol Helminth the friendly charger.  

The other issue is his practicality.  If they wanted a reality , then that's all it should have been.  However, they made a full creature out of him, he is almost identical to kubrows, so why even bother with him?  Either he gets his own wierd infested precepts, or, you are able to use any kubrow precepts on him.

[CxLL]

This is some excellent feedback.
And I'm not even going to complain that it's not in the feedback section (although it should be) because, chances are, more people will read it when it's in the general discussion.

Fully agreeing with all the points given. Been discussing the exact same content ever since the first day the tiny mutant hatched - there is no logical nor biological sense in it looking like the default charger - the infested material couldn't have grown grineer armour parts which also "mature" with the pet.
And since "tweaks" were already announced, it's okay to hope it will be taken a bit further than just adjusting the model to fit the accessories.
Best way of approaching this, as a beta tester and the community which will be the one to use the product, is to give proper feedback.
And you @Protomorph have done exactly that! So allow me to thank you. Hopefully your arguments will be seen, analyzed and suggestions made practical and effective use of, as they are indeed voicing the community's thoughts.

[Takaani]

This thread needs some more attention. This is a really good post that displays both the positives and negatives of the charger pet as it currently is. I am one of those disappointed in the model and rigging, but pleased with its damage. I agree 100% with the OP and I wish I knew how to make DE see it.

[FollowTheFaceless]

The simpliest way to fix this drunken Clem is:
1. Replace animations from Kubrow to existing Charger (and restrict interactions for some time 'till decent rework).

2. Restrict attachments (Christmas Hat horror will be gone thou .-. ).

Done.

PS: Personally I'm looking forward to "Grineerless" Charger.

[thorinwhitewolf]

the charger needs a different skin to the one that is just a bland basic charger. the amount of infested defense missions i have seen where people have shot at someones pet because it looks like a enemy charger is massive. i will admit that the idea of the warframe themed infested is a good one, and they would look different to the enemy infested chargers then

[Myscho]

Spoiler

Borrowed from Reddit

 

[Sziklamester]

52 minutes ago, Myscho said:

  Reveal hidden contents

Borrowed from Reddit

 

Exactly this. I agree also with the op and thoughts overall.

[Guest]

I really really like the IDEA of the infested charger sprung from a kubrow egg and your own carefully cultivated zit.  I really hate the current implementation.  I honestly hope DE puts a lot of time and energy into reworking this thing in accordance with some of the community feedback.