Revamped WARFRAME

Explore TheGreatZamboni's radical proposal for a Warframe rework, focusing on a new progression system and skill trees to replace the current mod card system.

Hey there, Tenno! You might have heard whispers about a major overhaul for Warframe, and today we're diving into a fascinating proposal from TheGreatZamboni, originally shared by Protonus. This isn't an official update, but it's a deep look at how one player thought the game's core mechanics could be fundamentally improved.

The main issue TheGreatZamboni identified is the current Mod Card system. The idea is that the game relies too much on drops and the mods you equip, rather than making the moment-to-moment gameplay itself satisfying. This leads to players rushing through missions just to get to the extraction point and grab their rewards, often feeling like they're just grinding for drops instead of enjoying the experience. Even bosses with invincible phases seem to highlight this, pushing players to just get past them quickly.

The argument is that with so many Warframes and weapons available, it's a shame if the core gameplay loop isn't engaging. When your Warframe's or weapon's effectiveness hinges on the mods you've slotted, rather than your own skill, the game becomes all about chasing those specific mods like Serration or Redirection. This makes it hard for developers to design content, as they can't be sure what mods players have or have maxed out. Imagine two players on Pluto: one has maxed Redirection but low damage, the other has high damage but can't survive. It becomes a guessing game, forcing players to replay missions for mods, then replay more for credits to upgrade them.

The proposal suggests that player progression is too tied to luck (RNG) and not enough to skill or dedication. When 'skill' becomes exploiting game mechanics like rushing or using specific abilities (like Iron Skin in survival missions before a patch), it points to a design flaw. Even with Damage 2.0, the mod system causes issues, leading to inflated numbers and builds that are ineffective against certain enemy types. The author points out that certain weapons can become overpowered (like a Brakk one-shotting the Jackal), which shouldn't happen and stems from the mod system making content design a guessing game.

The core problems with the current system, as seen by TheGreatZamboni, are:

• Grind: Players have to replay repetitive, unfun missions.
• Samey Builds: Once you get the right mods, there's often only one optimal way to build. Mods like Serration become mandatory, limiting player choice.
• Randomness: The effectiveness of your loadout depends heavily on RNG for mods and upgrade materials.

Even the Codex, while a great tool for showing drop tables, is seen as a symptom of this issue – focusing on drops rather than making the gameplay itself compelling.

So, what's the proposed solution? A complete scrapping of the Mod Card system. Instead, the idea is to build specialized systems for the three core pillars of Warframe: Warframes, Gunplay, and Melee. If these foundations are solid, content can be designed around them.

A key part of this is revamping the Mastery Rank system. It's currently seen as not very useful, mostly just unlocking planets and guns. The proposal suggests making Mastery Rank a true measure of player skill and progression. The current tests are too basic, like tutorial tasks. Ranking up should feel more rewarding and tied to actual accomplishment. A player's Mastery Rank could then serve as a clear indicator of their progress, allowing developers to design content specifically for players at certain ranks.

The biggest proposed change is replacing the Mod Card system with a well-designed skill tree for each Warframe. This would allow for more customization and specific builds for different situations, using the existing A/B/C loadout slots. The idea is to create a system where mods like Intruder can exist without competing for space with core stats like Redirection or Focus. As your Warframe levels up, it would gain flat increases to its stats, providing a more direct sense of progression tied to using the Warframe itself. The images provided show mock-ups of what these skill trees might look like, aiming to fix the issues of the old, less effective skill tree system.

It's a bold vision, aiming to shift the focus from grinding for mods to a more skill-based and engaging gameplay experience. What do you think of these ideas, Tenno?