Now That The Direction Is Definitively Upgrades..

[Volt_Cruelerz]

How do we justify the use of potatoes or forma? Right now, it seems that everything will inevitably have a prime or a vandal version.

Edited July 13, 2013 by Volt_Cruelerz

[KvotheTheArcane1]

+1, can't say primes are sidegrades. (or vandals minus the brandal I think)

Edited July 13, 2013 by KvotheTheArcane1

[ethics]

I still love my Braton vandal, despite the prime probably being much better, and even the normal one, cause it please me aesthetically, Although i can't deny everyone is going to be dubious of using formas and catalysts knowing that a prime could be just around the corner. I saw some good ideas earlier for possible ways to use the existing and upgrade it into a prime.

[Aure7]

Yeah that becomes kind of a problem

[DefconOrange]

Just wait until they introduce the "Omegas" that will invalidate your Primes

[Aure7]

Just wait until they introduce the "Omegas" that will invalidate your Primes

Vandal prime blessed turboed omega enchanted weapons coming to warframe in U12, ready your plat lol!

[DefconOrange]

Vandal prime blessed turboed omega enchanted weapons coming to warframe in U12, ready your plat lol!

 

Gold ammo coming this fall.

[Phaenur]

I've got an answer to this one.  Yes, the Prime versions are upgrades.  But frankly the biggest improvement is aesthetic - the stats are fairly minimal when all is said and done.  Plus, even with heavy grinding Prime kit takes a while to drop fully, and you can't build the parts on their own.  So you can instead use the standard weapon to figure out if you like the feel enough to pray for a Prime, and then have it maxed and forma'ed so far in advance that not having the +15 (and, admittedly, +x%) damage or whatever is completely negligible.  In fact, I'd say the long wait time does more to invalidate Prime gear than Primes do the older weapons specifically because of the time, energy, resources, calculations, and possibly money you've thrown at the old equipment.

 

Take me, for instance - I'm biding my time on Frost Prime over Frost and have been ever since the Fusion MOA event, but I already ranked the Snipetron Classic and have been working on the Latron specifically because the Prime version launched.  If you know you'd rather have the Prime version then by all means neglect the basic one, but by the same token remember that your familiar, well-upgraded old weapons and warframes will be so powerful as to be indistinguishable by the time you actually get the Prime equivalent.

 

And as amusing as the "Pay2Win" comments above are (and, depressingly, as likely to happen, judging from Some AAA Franchises That Will Not Be Named) I feel compelled to point out again that you can only get Prime equipment through random drops and Vandals through now-past exclusive opportunities (Grineer Drone Event for the Snipetron, I don't remember for the Braton and Lato but I think it was a Founder package in days of yore).  I will cheerfully eat those words and add my voice to the chorus of protests if they're added to the platinum market, of course.

 

That said, keep the predictions rolling!  For just 15 Platinum a shot, you can get your Ogris to fire rockets that explode into your clan symbol!

 

Edited for spacing

Edited July 14, 2013 by Phaenur

[Volt_Cruelerz]

If we had any assurance that Primes were the peak, it wouldn't be bad.Problem is, we don't.

If special potato-like item for primes were added to allow long-term growth, I'd be fine with that, but there just isn't any assurance even primes themselves aren't going to be outdated

[Lukedu_]

We should be able to upgrade. Say, have a Latron with a potato and all pieces of the Latron Prime, once your Prime is ready you can merge your original with it, so your potato won't go to waste.

Edited July 14, 2013 by LukEduBR

[Whyan]

We should be able to upgrade. Say, have a Latron with a potato and all pieces of the Latron Prime, once your Prime is ready you can merge your original with it, so your potato won't go to waste.

Give this man( or woman) a cookie. 

It is a compromise that actually sounds good and to top it off, isn't illogical.

 

You salvage the best parts of your weapon in order to replace the weakest parts of your prime version of the same weapon.

Basically, you lose your non-primed version but your prime version will have all of its forma's and potatoes. If DE wanted to make it a little bit more challenging they could also add a tiny resource or mat cost to fuse your weapons. 

Edited July 14, 2013 by Whyan

[MJ12]

How do we justify the use of potatoes or forma? Right now, it seems that everything will inevitably have a prime or a vandal version.

 

Because it's still a significant boost to your equipment's capabilities that is worth it? With the livestreams you're getting potatoes or forma about every week or two, so it's not like 'new Prime versions' is such a huge sunk cost.