TennoCon 2023’s main star will always be Warframe, a game I have played for more hours than I would like to admit and this years show was truly special. As they not only showed off minute additions to the game like the Heirloom Pack. Or the official mobile version of Warframe. But a peak into the near future of content for the game. Ranging from the upcoming update, Abyss of Dagath. To highly anticipated and massive updates like Whispers in the Walls, and Warframe: 1999. While Abyss of Dagath only got recently elaborated on in Devstream 173. The other two updates got an extensive and mind-blowing gameplay demo. Showing off so much crazy cinematic content coming to the game. But there is always more to learn, even with so much info on the horizon.
As such, we at Lords of Gaming were given the privilege of an exclusive and extensive Q&A regarding everything shown for Warframe at TennoCon 2023.
Of Mobile and Abyss of Dagath
Creative Director of Warframe, Rebecca Ford was kind enough to answer our questions about the reveals. Starting with the mobile version of the game:
With the mobile version of Warframe coming next year, what were some of the challenges the team faced when it came to porting the game over?
To which she responded with:
Overall, the entire project has been a challenge, but one we’re very excited to take on. Warframe is a very smooth and streamlined experience but ultimately there’s a lot of acrobatics a player can do and a lot of choice every second in how a player plays the game. Making all of that feel comfortable on mobile is our priority. From there we also want to make sure cross save comes first! People playing their many year old accounts on the go to make progress is a major goal and focus.
Warframe is a long running title, and players have invested potentially thousands of dollars into their accounts. So, to see Digital Extremes not take the task so lightly of implementing cross save for usage with mobile is a major relief. We then went onto ask:
In the Abyss of Dagath update, it was mentioned that a new “auto-melee” feature was coming to Warframe. Was this made with mobile players in mind considering the fast-paced nature of the game itself?
Rebecca responded with:
This was not actually part of the mobile usability but it’s a great case where decisions just enhance one another. Once we get this in the mobile platform testing, I think it will show how useful it is. The main focus of this was an accessibility setting so more Tenno can join the community and the love for Warframe.
As we learned in the recent Devstream, there are far more accessibility options coming alongside auto-melee for the game which should help many players, old and new. We were also able to ask about some of the philosophy that went into their upcoming major update, Whispers in the Walls.
Looking in the Lab in Warframe
Whispers in the Walls is going to kick off a new cinematic arc for the game. There is so much everyone, including me wants to know. To kick things off, we started with the following:
The Whispers in the Walls update seems like it is taking Warframe in a very interesting direction. Especially the Entrati Labs, which blends two different environments so seamlessly. What was it like creating The Entrati Labs?
To which Rebecca replied with:
To be honest, this entire experience has been thrilling and very satisfying! Our goals were to take something players could recognize – Entrati – and completely recontextualize it. That alone is enough to make a player familiar with the Lore think twice about where we are. From there we had a really big job to figure out how to integrate what we consider an unknown being like the ‘man in the wall’ and his world in the laboratory. The team experimented with a lot of different looks and ultimately we went for one that was unsettling and a high contrast. All the pieces are starting to set the groundwork for the future and we’re very happy about this mysterious place.
During the gameplay demo, the Entrati Labs went from being in a “mad scientists” lab to being in a desert-like environment in a way we have not seen before in Warframe. We then went onto ask:
The new Grimoire weapon type is a very exciting addition to an already very varied arsenal in Warframe. What inspired the team, and are there plans for more Grimoire weapons in the future?
Rebecca replied with the following:
When we’re planning a major update or TennoCon, we always try and get in that one bonus for gameplay. Putting a book style weapon in the game fit so well with what we were going for tonally because we really wanted to invoke Victorian and Gothic inspiration. It’s going to be a major point for the story as well, and we will definitely be adding more!
The grimoire weapon was a major surprise during the gameplay demo. As it adds more crazy variety to the weaponry in Warframe. But as far as story details go, we know at this time, information will be locked away for the big day. But we did try to get some answers by asking the following:
What will the Operator and Drifters role in this new story be like, outside of the perceived “Vessel” mechanic?
To which Rebecca replied with:
You’ll have to play to find out!
Following the reveal of Whispers in the Walls was Warframe: 1999, which took the community by storm with its an awesome set up and seamless transition in the demo. We asked the following about the reveal as speculation continued in the community:
The reveal of Warframe: 1999 is causing a lot of speculation amongst the community. Mostly for possible ties to Dark Sector. Is there any truth to this or will it remain in just Warframe related history?
And Rebecca only had this to say:
There are some clues on where we’re headed but… once more, you’ll have to play to find out!
So, there are clues that can point to one way or the other. But we will have to wait until the full showcase of this update at the next TennoCon!
Special thanks to Digital Extremes for the Q&A opportunity.
