10 Quick Fixes To Warframe's Core Problems

[notionphil]

I'm not suggesting that these 10 quick fixes would make the game perfect, but I feel they would greatly improve Warframe without massive effort from DE.

 

IMO Warframe's core problems are:

-over-reliance on RNG

-lack of reward for overcoming challenges

-static feeling levels

-poor scaling/balance at high levels

-imbalanced/over-reliance ultimates

-little to no teamwork/communication in PUGs (prob 80%+ of games)

 

1) Make Nightmare mission conditions visible on mission screen before mission start. Give each a "difficulty rating". Make one condition called "unknown conditions" so players can still sometimes be surprised.

 

Why? Warframe has few tactical elements. Allowing us to plan and gear up appropriatlely for the more challenging levels in the game will allow us to overcome challenges with more than brute force.

 

2) Make more defined Tiers of defense reward/nightmare reward loot. Low waves/Easy nightmare conditions will still drop all mods. But remove ALL crappy mods from the reward pools of high waves, or Nightmare missions with multiple difficult conditions.

 

Why? Because RNG has its place. But it's not a replacement for rewarding players for overcoming challenges. Make this scale waaay up. If you grind to wave 30, you ARE getting either a multishot mod, a T3 Void, or a super rare item.

 

3) Add many of the super rare mods/gear to the tippy-top Tiers of random loot (lv 50, or nightmare with X conditions).

 

Why? Because it gives us something to work for, and push ourselves against. Again, challenge = reward. We shouldn't have to wait 9 weeks for a vauban helmet if we're willing to push to wave 50 to get it.

 

4) Remove armor scaling on enemy weak points -AND- Reduce bonus weakpoint damage of armor penetrate/ignore weapons.

 

Why? Because logic. And fun. And balance. Armor penetrating weapons don't need to 'find a weakspot' - they penetrate anything. Armor pen/ignore will still be balanced, awesome all around weapons even with lower reward for hitting the 'home-run'. (eg: extra 25% dmg instead of extra 100%)

 

However, regular damage weapons will have the potential to do very high damage if the player is skilled enough to hit weak points. Make weakpoints smaller if need be.

 

5) Allow players to cancel out of a roll, a stun, a scorpion attack or a knockdown or ANY loss of control by hitting the jump button at the right time.

 

Why? Because it's not fun to constantly lose control of our character. Because skilled ninjas don't fall over 100x a day. Unskilled ones, however do. Allow us to determine which we are. If need be, allow the recovery rate to be affected by a mod.

 

6) Make named mini-boss models randomly show up on 10-25% or so of missions (including defense waves). You don't even have to get too creative - either use a boss model (like for assassination alerts) or an elite troop (fusion moa, grineer scorch, ancient disruptor). These should always drop a rare or a rare mod.

 

Why? Because spikes of challenge cause us to mix up our tactics, and are fun.

 

7) Make player generated waypoints snap to items more effectively, and make them say what's being targeted (like module). EG: 21 Rubedo. Cryopod. Xzryull - Elite Ancient Disruptor. Etc...

 

Why? Because it's really tough to communicate while you're trying to stay alive. This would greatly increase the level of meaningful communication without much effort.

 

8) Make ultimates have a % of setting the alert level of a mission to 1 level higher. The more ultimate-y the ability is, the higher the %.

 

Why? Because setting off a series of antimatter explosions, or setting the world on fire, for example, is really loud. And rather than reduce the strength or utility of these abilities (no nerf here!), they can have external consequences.

 

9) Allow players to reset the alert level of a mission by hacking a terminal. Not every terminal would be hackable. Make 1 - 3 random terminals in a mission which would allow this, and have a diff color screen to signify.

 

Why? Because it makes the world feel more real and interactive, when we can, you know, interact with it!

 

10) Allow players to carry over their Forma'd slots from the regular weapon when they build a Prime weapon.

 

Why? The current system discourages forma-ing gear, bc you never know when a new Prime will come out. Or when you'll find a prime BP. If you'd be able to instantly get your forma'd slots from your regular onto your prime, even if it took a specific item in the Foundry and build time, it would remove much hesitation. Your Prime gear mastery rank wouldn't change, it would just gain the polarity slots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 31, 2013 by notionphil

[Feldgrep]

Instead of 10, just make primes a skin. And refund all potatoes and formas that have been used on primes.

[notionphil]

Instead of 10, just make primes a skin. And refund all potatoes and formas that have been used on primes.

 

Not a bad idea...but some primes have diff polarities i think

[Meenmu]

Instead of 10, just make primes a skin. And refund all potatoes and formas that have been used on primes.

What all the mastery that is lost from the ability to level up primes as separate weapons?

 

I kinda like OP's suggestion a bit better

Edited July 31, 2013 by Meenmu

[theasl]

omgredtext

[Turtleshellon]

Thank you for taking the time the make this post my friend. They do read these posts and hopefully they very carefully consider some things you have stated. My biggest problem with the game right now is no incentive for me to do very high waves or nightmare mode. I have said it once and I will say it a thousand times. Make the risk match the reward!

[Aizeol]

+1 Sir. I can agree with all of the ideas you posted. Good work.

[PublikDomain]

What all the mastery that is lost from the ability to level up primes as separate weapons?

 

I kinda like OP's suggestion a bit better

So what if you lose mastery? Mastery doesn't mean anything yet.

[Yanga]

Make sure to note that Rare mods don't mean the Rare abilities... don't like picking a gold mod [marked as rare] just to find out it's a Absorb or Avalanche.

[Greater_Dullahan]

Instead of 10, just make primes a skin. And refund all potatoes and formas that have been used on primes.

 

Wouldn't that make it so you can't gain mastery from prime weapons then? I mean this sounds like a good idea, but if it's turned into a skin that'd free up a weapon slot.

 

There seems to be too much win in this concept

[notionphil]

Wouldn't that make it so you can't gain mastery from prime weapons then? I mean this sounds like a good idea, but if it's turned into a skin that'd free up a weapon slot.

 

There seems to be too much win in this concept

I think DE wants primes to be independent of reg weapons for a variety of reasons, and since I'm trying to keep these as 'fixes' less than changes, I think my suggestion solves a problem without going overboard in destructive editing. But yes, that would be logical.

[Gemini_Jenvas]

nr 10 is good. I got 11 forma and 3 forma bps and im not using any of it to polarize equipment as I have no prime equipment that I really like.

wanted to make my braton better, but hey there braton prime.

even I got frost he isnt one of my favorite friends, so i dont get excited when a forma alert comes up...

[Paradoxbomb]

... Yeah, pretty much this. It doesn't solve ALL the issues but these are definitely some of the core ones. Hope DE sees this. +1

 

 

Edit:

 

10) Allow players to carry over their Forma'd slots from the regular weapon when they build a Prime weapon.

 

I've heard it suggested that Primes should be stat boosting "skins", kind of like what the alt. helmets currently are now. That way you're still using the original weapon, and therefore, keep your catalysts and formas (I thought it was a good idea anyway).

Edited July 31, 2013 by Paradoxbomb

[Phoenix86]

nice post, hope something will be take in account by DE

[notionphil]

nr 10 is good. I got 11 forma and 3 forma bps and im not using any of it to polarize equipment as I have no prime equipment that I really like.

wanted to make my braton better, but hey there braton prime.

even I got frost he isnt one of my favorite friends, so i dont get excited when a forma alert comes up...

 

Exactly...why make us fear that DE will constantly outclass our weapons with new versions? This makes us spend less platinum and less time grinding, how does that help anyone?

[Volt_Cruelerz]

Doesn't solve everything and some of the stuff up there isn't what I'd call ideal, but hey, if these things were implemented, things would be better.

 

/signed

[Stilgar]

Agreed with everything but.....10 - it's bs actualy. Spend freaking money on this game, dont be %!&, formas is really cheap.

[notionphil]

Agreed with everything but.....10 - it's bs actualy. Spend freaking money on this game, dont be %!&, formas is really cheap.

 

racism always helps make your points sound more valid, thanks.

 

the issue isn't $$ (you racist turd), it's that it's annoying to spend time and effort doing something which is essentially undone by the devs, at random.

[JamesSergon]

More than excellent post!  This has to come to the eyes of DE.

 

Exactly...why make us fear that DE will constantly outclass our weapons with new versions? This makes us spend less platinum and less time grinding, how does that help anyone?

 

That's exactly the subject of a topic i've written last night in General discussion.

[gell]

I'm not suggesting that these 10 quick fixes would make the game perfect, but I feel they would greatly improve Warframe without massive effort from DE.

 

IMO Warframe's core problems are:

-over-reliance on RNG

-lack of reward for overcoming challenges

-static feeling levels

-poor scaling/balance at high levels

-imbalanced/over-reliance ultimates

-little to no teamwork/communication in PUGs (prob 80%+ of games)

 

1) Make Nightmare mission conditions visible on mission screen before mission start. Give each a "difficulty rating". Make one condition called "unknown conditions" so players can still sometimes be surprised.

 

2) Make more defined Tiers of defense reward/nightmare reward loot. Low waves/Easy nightmare conditions will still drop all mods. But remove ALL crappy mods from the reward pools of high waves, or Nightmare missions with multiple difficult conditions.

 

3) Add many of the super rare mods/gear to the tippy-top Tiers of random loot (lv 50, or nightmare with X conditions).

 

4) Remove armor scaling on enemy weak points -AND- Reduce bonus weakpoint damage of armor penetrate/ignore weapons.

 

5) Allow players to cancel out of a roll, a stun, a scorpion attack or a knockdown or ANY loss of control by hitting the jump button at the right time.

 

6) Make named mini-boss models randomly show up on 10-25% or so of missions (including defense waves). You don't even have to get too creative - either use a boss model (like for assassination alerts) or an elite troop (fusion moa, grineer scorch, ancient disruptor). These should always drop a rare or a rare mod.

 

7) Make player generated waypoints snap to items more effectively, and make them say what's being targeted (like module). EG: 21 Rubedo. Cryopod. Xzryull - Elite Ancient Disruptor. Etc...

 

8) Make ultimates have a % of setting the alert level of a mission to 1 level higher. The more ultimate-y the ability is, the higher the %.

 

9) Allow players to reset the alert level of a mission by hacking a terminal. Not every terminal would be hackable. Make 1 - 3 random terminals in a mission which would allow this, and have a diff color screen to signify.

 

10) Allow players to carry over their Forma'd slots from the regular weapon when they build a Prime weapon.

 

I can agree on the core problems, at least that some of them are core problems and others are just problems.

 

1) agree

2) Higher defense waves already have different loot tables, and nightmare mode only drops 10 specific mods. The only thing to change here is removing common/uncommon mods like Hellfire from tier 3 defense missions (or making a 4th tier that only drops rare mods from that table, if DE feels it's too soon for tier 3 to guarantee rares).

3) could work with some tweaking of what top tier stuff is defined as

4) This can be a decent bandaid for the whole armor/health scaling in the game, but that seems like a larger issue. I know it's a "quick fix" and it should probably be done, but DE should look at this whole scaling business and maybe bandaids won't be needed.

5) You're right that skilled ninjas don't fall over 100x a day. I don't. :) I do want some form of timing/skill-based recovery, but you can already avoid most stuff even when there are 10 shockwave moas around (it's not likely, but you can).

6) YES!! I've been saying this for months, longer than most players here even existed. Probably not a quick fix though, even though bosses are made. I think DE is working on something....

7) Yes, keep improving this system DE. the "module" text was a nice step, so keep going. You probably don't need to put the number of resources too though.

8) The alert level of a mission? There's only 2 (unalert, alert). There's nothing to raise unless you mean from 0 to 1. So really you just mean to make ults make "sound" in the game like guns do.

9) Mind wipe the enemies by hacking a console? I guess it could work if we hear a confirmation of the ship's comm saying "All clear, threat level down."

10) Nooo Prime weapons aren't all direct upgrades or reskins, for one, and even if they are, they're still another weapon (e.g. Braton vs Braton Prime, while Prime is generally agreed better, it's not entirely better). I don't think this needs a change at all because I don't perceive any discouragement in forma-ing gear. As long as the mastery rank considers it another weapon, I don't think they should share anything. Maybe they could have optional blueprints though, where you can include the non-prime version in the foundry, where it will consume it but keep all the forma (and maybe the catalyst?). That could promote usage of the foundry over plat purchases entirely, for better or worse. Yes, that gives me a good idea for optional blueprints...

 

So, those 10 fixes, what did you provide suggestions to fix?

 

-over-reliance on RNG

Decent step, but DE will still need to keep looking at the RNG

 

-lack of reward for overcoming challenges

Good step

 

-static feeling levels

One of many steps needed

 

-poor scaling/balance at high levels

Didn't solve this much at all. Armor/health scaling needs rework.

 

-imbalanced/over-reliance ultimates

Nothing improved here. Minimal chance as alert levels mean almost nothing currently.

 

-little to no teamwork/communication in PUGs (prob 80%+ of games)

A tiny bit better, with waypoints. If DE could think of a way to add callouts like TF2 or L4D (voice menus even though Tenno don't seem to talk), that would helps folks who don't have/use mics/voice. "Need a dispenser here!" :P

Edited July 31, 2013 by gell

[notionphil]

Don't forget lockdown. That's an alert level that everyone wants to avoid. Spam ult and get locked down.

[DiabolusUrsus]

Brilliant suggestions, though I don't know if changing Primes around is really worth it. I'm personally in favor of Primes being stat-altering SKINS, but I am aware of the issues with that solution. I'm of the mind that the Latron Prime doesn't completely invalidate the Latron, it's just a matter of preference.

Please, please, please don't forget the melee system and its dire need of balancing. It's sad to see Longswords and single Daggers just get swept under the rug by everyone who doesn't use them just for the sake of using them.

[gell]

I don't really consider lockdown an alert level, but if you do that's fine. I don't think it changes much. So basically, since enemies are rarely ever at alert 0 (not alert), they'll always lockdown every time you use an ult? It seems a little silly (and trollable). I don't think alert levels is the key here.

 

Of course, I don't find ult spam to be a problem either. DE designed ults to do what they do, for the energy they cost. I think energy needs to be tweaked still (getting energy out of "trash cans" is odd), and enemy AI/factions should improve. I don't care otherwise that we have people spamming ults when it costs 80-100 energy per shot. If they tweaked it, they could make enemies not drop energy orbs if they die by ults, thereby not feeding the ult loop. But if I just have to hack a console to open a door, it's nothing, and if it's to slow me down, these things don't seem to go together. Use ult = rushing? I can rush faster by not using an ult.

[notionphil]

Ults would have a % of raising alert level. Not 100%.

I agree that energy drops/recharge/cost could also be tweaked. But I find this a less nerfy quick-fix.

[notionphil]

Brilliant suggestions, though I don't know if changing Primes around is really worth it. I'm personally in favor of Primes being stat-altering SKINS, but I am aware of the issues with that solution. I'm of the mind that the Latron Prime doesn't completely invalidate the Latron, it's just a matter of preference.

Please, please, please don't forget the melee system and its dire need of balancing. It's sad to see Longswords and single Daggers just get swept under the rug by everyone who doesn't use them just for the sake of using them.

 

Thanks!

 

True, the melee system does need a balance but not in terms of hard #s. It needs a balance in terms of utility. Weapons other than heavy should benefit users in other ways; stealth kill damage, speed, etc. IMO.

 

This game needs to introduce more utility differences and not try to balance everything on DPS.