Aura System Discussion 9.1.4 Thread Merger

[Drusus]

Still have to swap out mods for others. Maybe if you didn't polarize everyhting you'd see this.

I'll repeat.

Have not applied Forma to any frame or weapon.

Have no intention of doing so until the situation is far more stable and consistent with a sense of predictable direction forward.

Please stop muddying the water with your repeated accusations on this point that have nothing to do with analysing the mechanics in place.

My point of view has _nothing to do_ with Forma or my own personal investment. It has everything to do with recognizing that if mod costs and relative utility is supposed to matter outside simply 'pick 10' the aura boost system was not the way to go, barring additional new developments that greatly increase mod costs in general.

As Lazyknight pointed out, if the goal is to have it all without restrictions, then that's fine. But it means polarities and mod costs are a waste of dev time and they should just remove the system and make it solely about mod picked and the mods stats at time from upgrades.

[Drusus]

Would do you mean? When people figure out they need x y z they will forma till they have the cost gone. What is your point anyway that people should chose health or powers? There are limited mod cards they can't make everyone happy. If you hate aura make topic to remove forma they are 100% interchangeable 14=3 forma given to all player.

Orthuska, Like Lazy, I couldn't make out what you meant though I'm not going to hazard his interpretation.

Could you elaborate?

[SirAuron]

I'll repeat.

Have not applied Forma to any frame or weapon.

Have no intention of doing so until the situation is far more stable and consistent with a sense of predictable direction forward.

Please stop muddying the water with your repeated accusations on this point that have nothing to do with analysing the mechanics in place.

My point of view has _nothing to do_ with Forma or my own personal investment. It has everything to do with recognizing that if mod costs and relative utility is supposed to matter outside simply 'pick 10' the aura boost system was not the way to go, barring additional new developments that greatly increase mod costs in general.

As Lazyknight pointed out, if the goal is to have it all without restrictions, then that's fine. But it means polarities and mod costs are a waste of dev time and they should just remove the system and make it solely about mod picked and the mods stats at time from upgrades.

Whoops. Wrong post. Ignore that post you quoted. There are those that say you can now equip everything.

[Drusus]

Whoops. Wrong post. Ignore that post you quoted. There are those that say you can now equip everything.

Done.

[Winterbraid]

Hello newly merged thread,

 

I've posted a couple of times about this issue already in two separate threads. Seeing as this is a merged version of some, not all threads discussing the matter at hand, I'll post here. However if you don't see the context of certain things I am about to talk about, please keep in mind I am referencing other material as well.

 

So, the other day I issued this challenge regarding the motivation for the Aura buff: "And for what?!" ; I'd like to believe some people got the idea I was going for there and from what I've read I can see that some did indeed. For those that have chosen to ignore this challenge or simply have not read it, I shall explain my reasoning.

 

Why was the Aura system changed?

Because of a certain vocal majority of people being against the introduction of another mod slot costing mod energy out of their builds. Some choose to call this an "uproar", "negative backlash" or "negative feedback", which are all reasonable terms.

 

While we're on the subject, why are some people displeased with the Aura system buff?

Because they've already put work into getting extra mod energy for their builds, which energy is now sitting there as an entirely useless one or two digit number.

 

Now these are obviously two sides of the same coin. The main difference here is that one is about being upset with having to put more time and energy into refinement using game mechanics already in place, while the other is about being upset with already having put more time and energy into refinement using those very same mechanics. That refinement already executed is now utterly useless and there are no game mechanics here or on the horizon that promise to usefully soak up that wasted extra mod energy. Also, the second side of the coin does not refer only to refinements made after the Aura system but also to the cases of certain Prime warframe builds (which come with extra polarity slots already) or those zany caster-only builds (that don't use that much mod energy) which could now have been completed with no forma polarization whatsoever. So, everyone is upset about their builds being screwed up.

 

I return again to the difference between the two sides of the coin. The side that aired their displeasure first represents a side upset with potential effort, while the side that is airing their displeasure now is upset with effort already wasted. Now again, I'd like to believe that some people see where I'm going with this but let me add some more kindling. The side that was upset with potential effort is now posting smug .gif-s and .jpeg-s as well as directly insulting certain members of the side that have actually put in that effort. Now I did not expect empathy or respect, certainly not on a forum, but I hope we can all agree that empathy towards someone that not only understands your plight, but has actually gone through it instead of you... should be the social norm in an ideal, civilized society.

 

In closing, I'd like to thank all of the people that have accused me or other people on my side of the argument of QQ-ing and being mentally $&*&*#(%&. Specifically I am thanking them for the endless source of amusing hypocrisy that has more than made up for the time and effort I've wasted forma-ing my warframes! You guys cracked me up! : D

 

I'd just like to point out that there's more than two sides of the argument.

 

I have invested 5 Forma into my Saryn. Getting there took quite some time, and quite some money (Affinity Boosters were involved). So yes, with the Aura change I am sitting on a 1-2 digit pool of unused energy.

 

And I still love the change because of a few simple facts.

 

1. It makes future players less dependent on Forma.

2. It makes me less dependent on Forma while I try out different frames. Previously, Forma was a big factor in making me reluctant about branching out, when the visible goal of the game design is to make you try out everything.

3. It doesn't stop my 5 Forma Saryn from doing anything I've designated her to do. I merely have a few redundant polarities. So what? Loss of purpose is not a physical loss. Besides, remember Forma can also remove polarities?

4. It is a more accessible system than before. And obviously, if a more accessible system comes out, then solutions based on the old and restricting system will become redundant at best. You can't stop the construction of a railroad just because it makes your awesome horse-drawn carriage redundant.

 

With 300 hours and counting and several items Formed to their (once) maximum potential, I dare say I've put quite a lot of effort into this game. I'm neither afraid of effort, nor am I upset with "wasted" effort. And I'd also risk a guess that the quiet majority of the players is like me. Maybe they'll gripe for a bit, but eventually they will just carry on playing the game and adapt. Because Warframe isn't a game about mods, polarities, or Forma. It's a game about being a space ninja and murdering lots of monsters.

 

As a big fan of this game (and video games in general), one thing I can tell you is: If you treat your virtual effort and its fruits so goddamn seriously that lessening them in any way makes you feel robbed, then you're doing something really wrong. This is a game, you're supposed to play it, not work in it.

[reXXer]

I'd just like to point out that there's more than two sides of the argument.

 

I have invested 5 Forma into my Saryn. Getting there took quite some time, and quite some money (Affinity Boosters were involved). So yes, with the Aura change I am sitting on a 1-2 digit pool of unused energy.

 

And I still love the change because of a few simple facts.

 

1. It makes future players less dependent on Forma.

2. It makes me less dependent on Forma while I try out different frames. Previously, Forma was a big factor in making me reluctant about branching out, when the visible goal of the game design is to make you try out everything.

3. It doesn't stop my 5 Forma Saryn from doing anything I've designated her to do. I merely have a few redundant polarities. So what? Loss of purpose is not a physical loss. Besides, remember Forma can also remove polarities?

4. It is a more accessible system than before. And obviously, if a more accessible system comes out, then solutions based on the old and restricting system will become redundant at best. You can't stop the construction of a railroad just because it makes your awesome horse-drawn carriage redundant.

 

With 300 hours and counting and several items Formed to their (once) maximum potential, I dare say I've put quite a lot of effort into this game. I'm neither afraid of effort, nor am I upset with "wasted" effort. And I'd also risk a guess that the quiet majority of the players is like me. Maybe they'll gripe for a bit, but eventually they will just carry on playing the game and adapt. Because Warframe isn't a game about mods, polarities, or Forma. It's a game about being a space ninja and murdering lots of monsters.

 

As a big fan of this game (and video games in general), one thing I can tell you is: If you treat your virtual effort and its fruits so goddamn seriously that lessening them in any way makes you feel robbed, then you're doing something really wrong. This is a game, you're supposed to play it, not work in it.

 

1. It makes future players even less likely to support the game by buying Forma (not that Forma weren't easy enough to get as it is/was).

 

2. If that floats your boat. I for one actually liked having to specialize my warframes for maximum effect. Also, a lot of popular game systems include specialization within a specific class and a lot of other people seem to enjoy that. They put "RPG elements" in everything these days. There are even several cold hard design reasons behind this that don't include catering to people that specifically look for character progression, like me.

 

3. Physical loss? What? It's all virtual here, do you want to punch me in the kidneys or something? Do you also want me to remove my polarities to reduce my extra mod energy now? What?

 

4. My horse drawn carriage took me about a summer to make with my own hands and I can still use it locally to take my vegetables to market. That railroad was made over years by thousands of people and it connects cities, I can respect that.

 

With over 300 hours and counting and several items Forma-ed to their once and current potential, I dare say I've also put quite a lot of effort into this game. I'm neither afraid of effort, nor do I care about your strutting. The silent majority will always exist, that does not mean that their silence should be taken as a vote for or against something that other people are actually debating. We will all adapt, as we still like to play this game, but the game actually is about mods, polarities and forma, also warframes, lots of guns, potatoes, cool abilities, missions, killing grineer, exploding infested, getting knocked down by corpus moa stomps and flipping on walls among other things. Would you really play any game that came along and said it's about space ninjas? I like DE's space ninja game the best, myself. Then again, I'm also a gushing DE fanboy sometimes ever since Darkness 2, so maybe just any space ninja game at all really would do for everyone... I dunno. What do you guys think? Just because I don't want to threaten quitting the game means I need to sit down and shut up when I don't like something? Is gritting your teeth and "dealing with it" a life skill, or a skill you need to put to work in a game you're supposed to enjoy too, when you have a choice (and yes, that applies to both sides of the argument I've previously recognized, the polite sides at least)?

 

As a big fan of video games in general and having written on the subject I can tell you that there are people in Korea paying money monthly to work in their games and it's still called playing video games. A sense of progression and a system of reward for effort is rewarding and amusing even when that effort is not everyone's cup of tea and in some cases bone crushingly tedious.

 

Also, I'M THE GODDAMN BATMAN! (You wanted God to damn things, it' all your fault.)