Focus "3.0": Revamp to better incentivize Operator + Warframe gameplay

[Synpai]

Will be going through and adding a void status effect category and gem effects to the forge.

Going to wait until after Fortuna 2.0 (still) before doing any major Waybound additions, Arcane critique/changes and such.

Edited December 10, 2018 by Synpai

[Synpai]

Some of those new Void damage conversion arcanes....maybe DE is lurking around here somewhere xD

[Synpai]

Alright just about through Vox Solaris rewards and there's a whole crap ton I want to talk about and add x.x
 

[Synpai]

Though I'm sure many of you seen it already, I've added the brilliant Karu art :3

Still contemplating on Void Status for schools like Naramon, Vazarin and Unairu, whether to keep them focused on true damage or utility.

 

[Darkuhn]

I love the new Mastery Category and the Forge! 

Also the Mastery Operator outfits look great! 😊 

And the Augments for the Focus Abilitys give a nice twist to the Abilitys 👍🏼 

[Vosenedich]

On 2019-01-27 at 9:48 AM, Synpai said:

Though I'm sure many of you seen it already, I've added the brilliant Karu art :3

Still contemplating on Void Status for schools like Naramon, Vazarin and Unairu, whether to keep them focused on true damage or utility.

 

There's a lot of great ideas on this thread, but I couldn't help but notice some mix-ups between the themes portrayed in the abilities and the designs for the operator outfits.
In particular:
• Madurai Suit looks like a bird/Zephyr outfit, yet is assigned to Madurai (fire) instead of Vazarin (wind)
• Naramon Suit looks like a dragon/Chroma outfit, yet is assigned to Naramon(shadow) instead of Madurai (fire)
• Vazarin Suit looks like a genie/ninja outfit, yet is assigned to Vazarin (wind) instead of Naramon (shadow) or Zenurik (electricity/radiation)
Having read the abilities, I'd have assigned them as (from left to right): Unairu, Vazarin, Zenurik, Naramon, Madurai

Regardless, they all look so good, I'd get all of them for my operator in a flash.

In terms of the changes to abilities, passives and the introduction of Void Spiral:
• "Void Spiral: Void Dash + Void Blast" Would require the player to use Void Blast mid-dash, which is not only a hard button input (specially on controller), but also causes the ability to be incredibly hard to position properly (as you're very quickly displacing yourself while trying to cast this). I would much rather see it implemented as Void Mode + Void Blast, or Aim/Block + Void Blast.
• It's a bit confusing how these abilities are distributed, as I understand it each ability in a school's list is a single node? Would this maintain the tree progression system?
• For Madurai's Void Spiral, why reload speed instead of +% fire damage (akin to Ember's Accelerant)? That seems like the type of QoL I'd expect from Zenurik (or Volt's Speed).
• I would've though Vazarin's theme to be "Water" and Naramon's to be "Wind", but this also works.

Those are the ones that really stood out to me while reading through the first time.

Hope some of your proposed changes make it to the game one day!

[5H4DE]

I like this, all of it, looks good, feels good, DE take a look and take some of it.

[Twistedsparkle]

Whoa! I must admit I didnt read everything that was a massive post but kudos to you for dedication
also that art looks amazing

[Synpai]

On 2019-02-14 at 10:49 AM, Vosenedich said:

• Madurai Suit looks like a bird/Zephyr outfit, yet is assigned to Madurai (fire) instead of Vazarin (wind)
• Naramon Suit looks like a dragon/Chroma outfit, yet is assigned to Naramon(shadow) instead of Madurai (fire)
• Vazarin Suit looks like a genie/ninja outfit, yet is assigned to Vazarin (wind) instead of Naramon (shadow) or Zenurik (electricity/radiation)

I see where you're coming from, but I also see them as they are now depending on how you look at it.

Phoenixes hit both Madurai and Vazarin due to element (fire) and revival/healing, just a choice to focus on the burning.
Naramon looks more SamuraixNinja Gaiden to me than chroma
Vazarin is more dancer than ninja to me

Good input nonetheless.

 

On 2019-02-14 at 10:49 AM, Vosenedich said:

• "Void Spiral: Void Dash + Void Blast" Would require the player to use Void Blast mid-dash, which is not only a hard button input (specially on controller), but also causes the ability to be incredibly hard to position properly (as you're very quickly displacing yourself while trying to cast this). I would much rather see it implemented as Void Mode + Void Blast, or Aim/Block + Void Blast.

>.> what about the "R" key (or any ability keys) , it's not being used and I think even giving a window for input on void dash + void blast wont suffice. Void Mode + Void Blast gets a bit awkward for situations like Eidolon Hunts.

 

On 2019-02-14 at 10:49 AM, Vosenedich said:

• It's a bit confusing how these abilities are distributed, as I understand it each ability in a school's list is a single node? Would this maintain the tree progression system?

Not a fan of the tree distribution due to not being able to turn things off if desired. Yes each ability is considered to be a single "node." 
@DrBorris took a swing at it: 

I've not reached the point to where I want to dive into that personally.

 

On 2019-02-14 at 10:49 AM, Vosenedich said:

• For Madurai's Void Spiral, why reload speed instead of +% fire damage (akin to Ember's Accelerant)? That seems like the type of QoL I'd expect from Zenurik (or Volt's Speed).
• I would've though Vazarin's theme to be "Water" and Naramon's to be "Wind", but this also works.

• Reload speed is more generally useful to increase DPS, and this is why I love augments/mutations. Many of the schools hit multiple themes and can have different play styles, so a augment would suffice to remove the general utility of fire rate and reload, to convey a sizable +% fire damage.
• Same could be argued for Zenuriks Void Refund. It could instead convey instant reload stacks to allies (as per the Smeeta's Charm ability).
• Wind and water aren't too dissimilar, and one could argue Vazarin's augments are more water like:
  • Hydroid rain for more offensive support Void Blast Augment.
  • Healing pool instead of the wind vortex for Void Spiral Augment, etc.

Edited February 17, 2019 by Synpai

[DrBorris]

I think that this concept is in needing of a simplification. Things have been piled on things have been piled on things and it feels, to me, that it has gotten so complex that it takes away from the idea as a whole. I have found it useful a lot of the time when concepting something to stop and start again from scratch. That Focus rework I did probably had five full resets where I simplified it back down to the core and started to build it up again.

I am not going to touch on the entire rework, but I am going to throw my hat in on a 'reset' of this concept (which, at its core, I absolutely adore).

 

Operator Movement/Abilities:

• (Crouch) Void Mode: Same as now with the addition of a 15 meter 'Wisp vacuum' (will get to Wisps later)
• (Crouch + Jump) Void Dash: Largely unchanged, remove ragdoll
• (In Air + Aim) Hover: Basically just Aim-glide, costs a bit of energy.
• (Void Dash + Hover) Glide: Retain momentum from Void Dash while hovering. Void Mode does not slow speed.
• (Melee) Void Blast: 4 Meter AoE knock-down.
  • (Void Dash + Melee) Enhanced Void Blast: Doubles the damage and range of Void Blast
  • (In Air + Crouch + Melee) Void Crash: Quickly descend and create a Void Blast with double damage and range on impact.

Effects/Status

• Void Status: While an enemy is afflicted, all damage is converted to Finisher damage (from everything).
  • Operator abilities have a base 25% status chance.
  • Does not change with Focus school.
• Wisp: Hitting an enemy with any Operator ability creates a wisp that empowers your Warframe and/or Operator.
  • At base, picking up a Wisp gives +3 energy per second for 5 seconds to your Warframe. Picking up multiple wisps stacks duration.
  • No innate Operator buff, Focus nodes can add buffs that effect Operators.
  • Picking up a Wisp while as Operator will give a pickup counter icon in the buff area, only when you transfer back to your Warframe will the duration of the Warframe effects begin.
  • Of course you can also pick up Wisps in your Warframe.
  • Unsure if you should be able to pick up ally Wisps and what Wisp effects they would get if they could.

Focus Schools: Focus nodes add augmentations to all of the base abilities but never fundamentally change them. The easiest example is how different nodes can add new bonuses to picking up Wisps. So a Zenurik nodes would just enhance the innate energy regen but maybe a Vazarin node would give your Warframe a bit of health regen. Or a Madurai node gives a temporary damage boost.

It is a very similar approach to what the OP takes, but with a more standardized foundation. Especially the consolidation of the "wisp" concept. There is just one item that is used to buff your Warframe and Operator. My motives of simplifying the core might be partially caused by the Focus rework I put together, but even if Focus schools stay locked to one at a time sometimes a simple base is better. The majority of the things in the OP could be transferred to this more standardized system with some tweaks here and there.

 

Just imagine the increased pallet of movement and abilities combined with an actual customization system, it would be glorious.

 

I know it is not much and there were a lot of other areas that were touched on in the OP that I did not mention (I think Kill Skills could definitely have a place), but the point of this is more to give a mental reset to approach the concept with a new perspective.

Edited February 17, 2019 by DrBorris

[Synpai]

12 minutes ago, DrBorris said:

Focus Schools: Focus nodes add augmentations to all of the base abilities but never fundamentally change them. The easiest example is how different nodes can add new bonuses to picking up Wisps. So a Zenurik nodes would just enhance the innate energy regen but maybe a Vazarin node would give your Warframe a bit of health regen. Or a Madurai node gives a temporary damage boost.

 

On 2017-11-10 at 6:53 AM, Synpai said:

There’s potential for a Borderlands 2 skill tree style for focus where you choose between augments for abilities like Void Dash Speed, Width, or Damage

But essentially if we're on the same page something like the old modding system or final fantasy's node system, yeah?

 

19 minutes ago, DrBorris said:

It is a very similar approach to what the OP takes, but with a more standardized foundation. Especially the consolidation of the "wisp" concept. There is just one item that is used to buff your Warframe and Operator. My motives of simplifying the core might be partially caused by the Focus rework I put together, but even if Focus schools stay locked to one at a time sometimes a simple base is better. The majority of the things in the OP could be transferred to this more standardized system with some tweaks here and there.

I'll need more information, cause it sounds too simple. The operator is triggering a buff object, not actually performing. I can guarantee I'd just void blast, get the wisps and go on, unless it gets more complex than hitting enemies with any ability to get wisps. 

Feels like it'd have been better to link the post so I could comment thoroughly with all the info there.

33 minutes ago, DrBorris said:

Void Crash: Quickly descend and create a Void Blast with double damage and range on impact.

Was waiting on Melee 2.9, but ye Operator directional dives are good. Btw, why isn't it just Hover + Melee?

 

37 minutes ago, DrBorris said:

Things have been piled on things have been piled on things and it feels, to me, that it has gotten so complex that it takes away from the idea as a whole.

In terms of complexity, my only areas of concern are too many void spiral effects (which I mentioned the pros and cons previous) and The Forge, which is going to move to a different post. The idea comes across as I intended and seems to have inspired things. Gonna "complete" this and hit up another system, before reflecting further.

Void Status, Potential input changes (using ability keys for things instead of conflicting input), augments and ability tweaks are currently on my radar:

On 2019-01-27 at 7:48 AM, Synpai said:

Still contemplating on Void Status for schools like Naramon, Vazarin and Unairu, whether to keep them focused on true damage or utility. 

 

[Synpai]

Added the remainder Void Status still pretty skeptical about Unairu and Naramon.

[Synpai]

boop

[Casardis]

I remember seeing that a while back and I still think lots of the points are relevant. Kudos