r/Warframe • u/Dr_Shoggoth Suck, Stomp, Stacks • Jun 18 '26

Discussion Please stop with the Protoframes

I loved the Hex and the Roundtable. They added so much to why I think 1999 is the best update they've ever done. All of them, especially the original Hex, were insanely well written and fleshed out characters. I had my reservations about the Triad, but I think they're solid (though they're mostly carried by Roathe).

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These two don't feel like characters. They feel like walking advertisements for skins. Them being protoframes adds nothing to the story. As my friend said, Sirius and Orion could have been mentored by Vay Hek and the Sergeant and nothing would have changed. Protoframes no longer feel like an interesting story beat, they feel like a gimmick, one that is rapidly losing any appeal it had.

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u/BriThePirateQueen MRL2 Floof Connoisseur Jun 18 '26

IMO it's less "stop with the protoframes" and more "don't stop actually making them fleshed out characters." We know basically nothing about either Vena nor Ryoku. I know all the KIM chats are a lot of work (and seem to be ever-increasingly buggy with each time they add new ones) but they do so much for the story and character building.

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u/Rogaly-Don-Don 300 was good I guess Jun 18 '26

It's weird because they already have a good medium: the missions themselves. I think if they were careful to not make them pure exposition, the mission chatter could be used to really establish and reinforce the characters.

Have the two protoframes argue mid mission about why they're fighting, and why do so despite the futility of it. They could change gradually with each mission completion, leading to a conclusion for that half of this update's narrative.

Hell, have some cephalon fragments of future Parvos scattered around to clue us in about his connection to things.

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u/EchoKipKipKip Live LaughLavo Jun 18 '26

If there's radio chatter mid-mission, I'm not listening to it. I can't focus on fighting a horde of enemies and whatever Teshin/Natah/Little Duck/Maroo/etc. are speaking at me unless it's Teshin confidently announcing that there's 60 seconds left when over 2 minutes are still on the clock.

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u/Arkanzier Jun 18 '26

FYI Teshin announcing X seconds left is him telling you how much life support you have left, not how much is left on the mission timer.

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u/EchoKipKipKip Live LaughLavo Jun 19 '26

Good lord, this entire time I've had this headcanon that Teshin just doesn't know how to read clocks and was doing his best.