Solo learning curve?

[Tenebraex]

Hello, I started playing less than two days ago and for the most part I'm really enjoying the game play. However, I feel like I'm struggling with the beginner missions more than maybe I should. I realize this game is intended for co-op but I'm not ready to give up with solo yet. I've seen some suggestions say it's better to solo slowly and cautiously while others say a quick and aggressive pace is better. I've tried both and often find myself quickly overwhelmed from the front and back spawning.

Each mission attempt on average takes roughly 20-30 minutes if I'm careful and Vor alone took about 20 attempts to beat and complete the mission. I use a mix of melee and ranged but I'm not adept at the acrobatics yet. I've been keeping my mods and nodes up to date as I get them but even with them I often feel like I'm at the mercy of the level generator. Is this trial-and-error methodology the nature of solo play or am I doing something fundamentally wrong? Also, is there a proper branch path to follow after Mercury or is it an equal difficulty either direction?

Appreciate any advice that would make beginner solo less frustrating.

[Redler]

Unfortunate, the game is optimize for co-op experince. As a result, the damage and amount of enemies are the same solo or online, which is a problem right now becuase co-op is too easy and solo is just too damn annoying.

This is much worse at the beginning as later on your item is pretty powerful.

I will leave low level strategy to other people.

[Labcat]

Remember to utilize the full potential of stagger. Skana can stagger Grineer, thus if you do one heavy melee, you can finish him off without having to trouble getting hit. I do not recall myself having trouble the earlier levels, but if you really are, you should Buy a better weapon. Without having platinum to upgrade things, other weapons are superior due to higher base efficency. And yeah, the MK1 is not all that bad, but neither is it good.

[SpiderWaifu]

And yeah, the MK1 is not all that bad, but neither is it good.

The normal "Braton" is a straight upgrade, but its still only 'decent.'

[Nubsawce]

I would like to confirm here that I have successfully (very usually without any deaths) have solo'd everything from mercury to pluto (but not eris... those defense missions...) on a Loki and most of them on a Frost. Not pluto on frost yet. Anyway, sort of irrelevant to your questions but I did want to posit that it is POSSIBLE to do if you get the hang of the game.

Never run into the middle of a room with enemies in it. Stick to edges and snipe out the thicker bunches of them. Use your abilities if you feel pressured, because 50 energy gone is better than a revive gone. I would recommend getting aklatos or a lex for your sidearm and a braton or a strun as your main weapon. Both served me very well until I got my later latron and hek.

[Tenebraex]

Thank you for your input. I notice many people touting new weapons or different warframes (I use Excalibur, bad choice?) but after crafting the Cronus I can't afford anything beyond the default MK1 and Lato, and a new warframe blueprint is way out of the question. Currently my rifle is rank 9, pistol rank 8, and rank 6 Skana; is this an appropriate range for finishing Mercury or should I be grinding more?

[HeartlessFinale]

You should be able to finish Mercury with that.

[Tenebraex]

Okay, thanks. More than anything I have trouble with enemy awareness as there is no default radar. Typically the three or four enemies I'm facing off with quickly become 10 or more spawned around me and that's when I fall apart.

[11.11.11]

They really need to address the issue of hacking and data retrevial missions in solo mode.

There is nothing more frustrating than clearing out a room, going to a console, starting to hack - then getting killed by a grineer marine, or a grinder you didn't spot because you couldn't exit the hacking mini-game.

Either the AI need to freeze in place while hacking in solo runs - or else you need to be able to exit the hacking interface - perhaps by clicking on the dead space - or pressing the spacebar.

The other is of course data retreival / re-route quests - where you have to carry a datamass for most of the map. Even with my fully upgraded Aklato, many maps - especailly the infested ones - are hard to do with a single gun of a matched pair. Either give us the ability to carry the datamass on our backs/belts perhaps - allowing us to use both our primary and secondary normally. Or else, allow dual weilded secondaries to use both of their guns.

Edited February 8, 2013 by 11.11.11

[Altale]

They really need to address the issue of hacking and data retrevial missions in solo mode.

There is nothing more frustrating than clearing out a room, going to a console, starting to hack - then getting killed by a grineer marine, or a grinder you didn't spot because you couldn't exit the hacking mini-game.

Either the AI need to freeze in place while hacking in solo runs - or else you need to be able to exit the hacking interface - perhaps by clicking on the dead space - or pressing the spacebar.

The other is of course data retreival / re-route quests - where you have to carry a datamass for most of the map. Even with my fully upgraded Aklato, many maps - especailly the infested ones - are hard to do with a single gun of a matched pair. Either give us the ability to carry the datamass on our backs/belts perhaps - allowing us to use both our primary and secondary normally. Or else, allow dual weilded secondaries to use both of their guns.

There's also the problem that one player can carry a max of 3 datamasses at once. On missions where you have to get more than 3, you'll have to leave one at a data terminal and come back for it, or very slowly move it along by constantly swapping.

[Labcat]

There's also the problem that one player can carry a max of 3 datamasses at once. On missions where you have to get more than 3, you'll have to leave one at a data terminal and come back for it, or very slowly move it along by constantly swapping.

What on earth are you talking about? I've carried 8 at the same time, without any kind of problem.(Double Spy mission ftw)

And when I play, I generally avoid spy missions. I like hacking and all, but carrying that stupid bedsheet is so annoying that it ruins any functionability that could have been, making me relying more on my powers than my weapons.

Edited February 9, 2013 by Labcat

[Altale]

What on earth are you talking about? I've carried 8 at the same time, without any kind of problem.(Double Spy mission ftw)

And when I play, I generally avoid spy missions. I like hacking and all, but carrying that stupid bedsheet is so annoying that it ruins any functionability that could have been, making me relying more on my powers than my weapons.

Meh. I was solo'ing a Spy mission, and I had to hack 4 terminals. Everytime I tried to pick up the 4th datasmass, I would drop one. I had to haul &#! to extraction, drop them all there, go back for the last one, and run through over 9000 enemies along the way.

They might've fixed it since then (2 days ago) but idk.

[Cleverbird]

Sprint + crouch + melee is your friend

If it doesnt outright kill your target, a second slash will. And it helps you get around more quickly!

[Labcat]

Meh. I was solo'ing a Spy mission, and I had to hack 4 terminals. Everytime I tried to pick up the 4th datasmass, I would drop one. I had to haul &#! to extraction, drop them all there, go back for the last one, and run through over 9000 enemies along the way.

They might've fixed it since then (2 days ago) but idk.

I did this before the 6.2 patch.

Sprint + crouch + melee is your friend

If it doesnt outright kill your target, a second slash will. And it helps you get around more quickly!

Go to Earth, and play Pacific. Try and level a new melee, and crouch-melee the Chargers. Good luck not dying, I've died 7 times to them.

Edited February 9, 2013 by Labcat

[Volume]

The game needs to be tuned for solo play and have enemy/difficulty scaling.

The infinitely spawning enemies without infinitely spawning ammunition make relying on consumables very important.

I suggest purchasing some large health kits if you can spare the credits.