Just a little game design musing, in particular about Warframe which is a video game that I play solo and co-op. Talking about it here because I'm intrigued about the design challenges it would take to bring it to the table top for solo and group play.

Just a little game design musing, in particular about Warframe which is a video game that I play solo and co-op. Talking about it here because I'm intrigued about the design challenges it would take to bring it to the table top for solo and group play.

Omari Brooks asked, "...what are you trying to model fictionally/ mechanically that hasn't already been solved by any number of games when it comes to Warframe? I played that game for about a year and on the surface I'm not seeing any unique issues..."

For those that don't know, Warframe is a game about space ninjas with super powers killing a bazillion mooks and bosses while they perform missions for their sexy mother-like patron. There is much grinding for loot drops, parkour, shooting, stabbing, as well... excessive customization (called fashion frame by a lot of folks.) There are also quests that reveal deep lore in the game and also unlock new modes of play or new warframes to use.

Warframes are wickedly competent. They're also exceeding tactical due to the video game setting. At the table top, there are dozens of games that allow you to kill stuff. And, it would honestly be kind of boring.

So, if the number one thing you do in Warframe is kill stuff (which is a reflex challenge for mooks, a trivial bit of a tactical challenge for lieutenants, and a shooty/slashy puzzle for bosses), what more is there? Discovery, mastery (leveling up your frame to unlock new powers), enhancing your gear, crafting new items (weapons, frames, keys, etc.), and pets (the kind that can fight at your side and grant you new abilities.) There's mission planning in your gear load out and warframe choice, imagine a player that can pick their class or playbook at the beginning of each mission. And, there is also resource management in-game for like restores (ammo, shields, health, and energy), spawn-able helpers, lock picks, and other gear. Even stealth and time is a resource that can be squandered.

So, the challenge would be to balance the feel with the mechanics to create the right kind of badassery without making you roll for every single mook that you killed. I'm still playing with ideas like a tile based combat system. In Warframe, maps are collections of random 3d tile sets with each one being a small battle field and they might branch to dead ends as well as continue to the next mission way point or exit. Funny, but the tile sets of Warframe distinctly remind me of the geomorphs from old school dungeon crawls. There is a flow to the game as you navigate it (or fail to do so due to a bad jump, enemy harpoon, or shockwave.) Even with the same tiles, the exact type of mission you run can change how they are played out. A capture mission favors stealth and pursuit, exterminate is brute force, etc.

Everything in the game can scale, the level 30 grunts will gun you down if you let them. The are power frames, shooty frames, melee combat monsters, and stealthy frames, so you can tackle each mission (and the tiles within) differently. Even some boss fights are radically different depending on your load out. So, there is game as several levels, but it boils down to a cycle of planning, execution, and leveling up/crafting.

Even if I got all those parts working like I wanted, it wouldn't be enough. I've played that game. (Okay, I still play that game, daily. It's good to be the warlord.) The next step after that would be world creation. Digital Extremes took years to build all their content and continue to expand upon it. Any part of a 'Warframe' game would have to allow you to create your own lore, discover dark mysteries, and reveal earth shattering events. You wouldn't want to stat out every mook and robot. You want the world and the enemies to evolve and surprise you before you kick their collective butt. :-)

Thanks if you're still with me, you could say that I'm a little passionate about the idea and the design challenge to create it and have it still be fun.