Dev Workshop: Prime Resurgence & FAQ

[[DE]Zach]

Meet Varzia, former Dax.

A new time-limited scheduled event is landing in Maroo’s Bazaar on all Platforms November 16th: Prime Resurgence!

Not only is this the return of a slew of Prime Vaulted items (and more!), but also the discussion of the Prime Vault program as a whole. In this Dev Workshop, we will be going over several core areas of Prime Resurgence to explain what it is, how it works, and share some insight into the Dev decision-making process. More importantly, we will dive into how Prime Resurgence addresses player feedback about Prime Vault.

But first, a bit of history is needed!

The History of Prime Vault

Monetizing a free-to-play game is a balancing act. Prime Access has led the way for us to being able to routinely release premium content and accessories for players that are looking for Premium fashions (Prime Accessories), while providing all players with free access to some of the best gear in the game (Prime Warframes & Weapons). The Prime Vault program started in 2015 as a way for us to return Prime Warframes, Weapons, Accessories, and more from Prime Access Packs that had gone into retirement. We needed a way for Prime content to make its way back around to players, so that if they missed it the first time, they had another chance to either purchase the packs outright or earn Prime parts via Relics. We kicked this off with the unvaulting of Frost Prime, Reaper Prime, Latron Prime, and the Misa Prime Syandana and continued the cycle ever since, opening up the doors to the Vault every several months throughout the year.

The Prime Vault program has undergone many changes over the years, all driven by player feedback and requests. To name a few:

• Added standalone Accessory Packs.
  • Prior to this change Accessories could only be obtained through the largest pack available. We first offered this option in July 2018[forums.warframe.com] with the release of Nyx Prime and Rhino Prime, and have continued to offer separate Accessory Packs.
• Permanently unvaulted Valkyr Prime and Nyx Prime Relics into Corpus Railjack missions to help alleviate the backlog of vaulted Prime content in Update 29.10.0.[forums.warframe.com]
  
• Utilized Twitch Drops during TennoCon to earn Vaulted Prime Warframes for free.
  • Loki Prime, Hydroid Prime, Nekros Prime, and Ash Prime.
• Added Volt Prime and Odonata Prime Vaulted Relics to Baro Ki’Teer’s rotation of Offerings.
  • First appearance in Baro was March 9th, 2018.
• And many more...

The theme here is to offer more choice and quicker access to Vaulted Prime content. Which is where Prime Resurgence comes in…

Prime Vault meet Prime Resurgence

We first announced that we are looking at running a Prime Vault event of sorts on Devstream 156 - and Prime Resurgence is just that! It is our first attempt at offering an alternative to Prime Vault: A one-stop shop to gain access to Vaulted Prime content and Relics with a fully transparent schedule that allows players time to plan.

Varzia, a Dax from the Old War (who may seem like a familiar face to some), will appear in Maroo’s Bazaar November 16th on all Platforms with Prime goods for you to obtain. You can either purchase Relics from her Wares with Aya (free path) or gain instant access to Prime items and bundles with Regal Aya (purchase path).*

*Currencies are explained further in the FAQ section below.

One thing we want to really drive home is that there is absolutely no scenario in which a player cannot do what they could do before with Prime Vault. More specifically, Prime Resurgence maintains the same two options to gaining access to Prime goods:

- Instant access through purchasing
- Free path access through gameplay

Pricing specifications and comparisons are available below in the FAQ section.

The Wind in Dev’s Sails

The following two factors prompted a thorough evaluation and consideration of player feedback, which remained at the forefront throughout Prime Resurgence’s development:

1. Lack of Access

A domino effect has been created with Prime Vault in its current state, which has turned into a cycle of:

Unvaulting Rotation Cadence + Repetition -> Growing list of Primes in the Vault -> Limited Acquisition Options

Since 2019, we have only been unvaulting new Warframes with the exception of Ember Prime, Frost Prime (which had been brought back 4 times*[forums.warframe.com]), and the currently live Nyx Prime and Rhino Prime Vault. With 24 Warframes and 42 Weapons in the Vault, releasing 2 Warframes and their Weapons at a time means you may find yourself waiting far longer than you’d be willing to for your favorites to come back into rotation. We have run into the issue where we are vaulting more Primes than we are unvaulting, and managing a rotation cadence that can keep up with that just isn’t feasible anymore.

*Prime Vault in 2020 was affected by the throes of a packed development cycle that had us defaulting to the previous Prime Vault set ups, which required far less pressure on the Dev team. While we understand these were very real reasons for such repetition, it was not ideal and something we’d like to continue to avoid in the future.

We see this exact situation with Mag Prime, who has had the longest unvaulting gap at almost 3 years since her last appearance. For our Nintendo Switch Tenno, who entered Warframe’s list of supported platforms on November 20th, 2018, they missed the first two unvaultings in 2016/2017 and only had a limited run at the Mag Prime and Nova Prime Vault in 2018.

We recognize how this affects the ways players acquire Vaulted Primes - aside from Unvaulting, the only other opportunities are to trade parts or find and squad up with other players who have the Relics they need. While this player-led ecosystem helps us maintain a free path for Vaulted content in-game outside of the Unvaulting cadence, we are looking for ways to introduce an organized increase of supply for players.

Prime Resurgence breaks the cycle of lack of access in the following ways:

• Addressing the backlog in the Prime Vault by making a large list of Vaulted items available across all platforms on a scheduled rotation. No surprises, full schedule, easy to follow Event!
  
• Addressing the lack of acquisition options by centralizing Vaulted items in-game and offering far more options by:
  • Making Vaulted Relics available for purchase with Aya, which is obtained via free-path gameplay.
    
  • Making Prime Vault Packs AND individual Prime items available for purchase with Regal Aya.
    • Prime Vault does not allow for you to purchase individual items, only tiers of packs. With Prime Resurgence you have the freedom to use your Regal Aya beyond packs.

2. Store & Drop Table Management

Part of the Dev Cycle for Prime Vaults includes a 5-piece store management workload across all our platform partners. We are looking for a way to offset the constant bundle management into a universal new Vault Currency, Regal Aya. This would be a huge improvement for us in how we make Prime content available across all Platforms, as it would reduce the amount of time and resources needed for backend setup.

Additionally, the introduction of Aya in the place of Vaulted Relics means we no longer need to hand-curate drop tables for Vaultings and Unvaultings, since one new currency allows players the choice of what Vaulted Relics to buy.

Overall, we’re simplifying the process for both ourselves and players!

Prime Resurgence also gives us a space in-game where we can continue to:

• Bring back highly awaited Prime items, including accessories.
  
• Provide more flexible purchasing options through Regal Aya.
  
• Allow players to purchase the exact Relics they need through Aya.
  
• Release evergreen rewards (rewards that are permanent) in Varzia’s store:
  • For purchase with Regal Aya:
    • Non-Program Prime Gear
      
    • Burston Prime
      
    • Fang Prime
      
    • Lex Prime
      
    • Braton Prime
  • Premium Twitch Prime and other Prime Gaming content that has yet to be re-released since their original run.
• For purchase with Aya:
  • 5x Orokin Ducats
    
  • Apris Syandana
    
  • Necraloid Bundle
    • Includes Glyph, Emblem, and Sigil
  • Spektaka Liset Skin

Prime Resurgence not only opens the Vault doors, but also those of opportunity to build on the years of experience improving the systems in Warframe. We prioritize maintaining fair free-to-play and purchase options, something that remains an important part of Warframe’s history.

Prime Vault (in addition to Prime Access) sales have been incredibly important to sustaining Warframe's development over the years. We are extremely grateful for your continued support and are looking forward to hearing about your experiences with Prime Resurgence! This event will end January 25, 2022, after which time we’ll keep everyone aware of what the future holds! Please keep feedback constructive and remember that the best kind of feedback comes from experiencing the event first hand when it launches November 16th.

The following FAQ section covers the more granular elements of Prime Resurgence we feel are important to give transparency on! Please check it out in our forum post here: https://forums.warframe.com/topic/1285421-prime-resurgence-dev-workshop-faq/

Thank you Tenno!

[JOKER]

This is a good choice overall. (But...)

The new players will have access to prime equipment without spending a single plat. Which is good for new players.

The Devs will have a stable real-money income from the prime accessories that doesn't fluctuate too much with the popularity of the current rotation. Which is good for the Devs.

But... what about the veterans that have stacked tons of relics since 2013?

Prime sets were one of the only good ways to get platinum nowadays. All we will have now will be rivens, which is an outdated system based on RNG way too much. (not only RNG getting 4 good (A+) stats but also the RNG to find the right player at the right time willing to pay the right amount.)


It might work, but make sure to make this Aya Currency HARD to get and at the same time rewarding; I'm not sure if I want to farm for 5 hours the same map with the same exact squad comp that doesn't allow improvisation as happened with the Steel Essence and never touch it again. And for god's sake, don't touch the % drop rate after you launch it, it always feels bad for your "beta testers". PLAY it, TEST it and RETEST it yourselves for once.


Btw, the relics bought with Aya currency should be Radiant by default.

[SlantedRhetoric]

Is there any use for Aya leftover after the event ends? Like turning it into credits or something.

[[DE]Zach]

Originally posted by SlantedRhetoric:

Is there any use for Aya leftover after the event ends? Like turning it into credits or something.

After Prime Resurgence is over, Varzia will remain in Maroo’s Bazaar and you’ll be able to spend unused Aya on a selection of offerings[www.warframe.com] including Ducats, Customizations and more.

[Arete: ●●●◌◌◌◌◌◌◌]

Yet another paid premium currency to buy things locked behind artificial "timed exclusivity"?

[FRLN]

Originally posted by Neoxis:

This is a good choice overall. (But...)

The new players will have access to prime equipment without spending a single plat. Which is good for new players.

The Devs will have a stable real-money income from the prime accessories that doesn't fluctuate too much with the popularity of the current rotation. Which is good for the Devs.

But... what about the veterans that have stacked tons of relics since 2013?

Prime sets were one of the only good ways to get platinum nowadays. All we will have now will be rivens, which is an outdated system based on RNG way too much. (not only RNG getting 4 good (A+) stats but also the RNG to find the right player at the right time willing to pay the right amount.)


It might work, but make sure to make this Aya Currency HARD to get and at the same time rewarding; I'm not sure if I want to farm for 5 hours the same map with the same exact squad comp that doesn't allow improvisation as happened with the Steel Essence and never touch it again. And for god's sake, don't touch the % drop rate after you launch it, it always feels bad for your "beta testers". PLAY it, TEST it and RETEST it yourselves for once.


Btw, the relics bought with Aya currency should be Radiant by default.

Looking for the Dev respond to this

[[DE]Zach]

EDIT: Prime Resurgence - Accessories Price Adjustments Response

We have made a change to some Regal Aya item prices - our original intentions were to base prices on the best Regal Aya value per dollar but players have correctly pointed out things should match the Prime Vault Accessories as closely as possible within the new event structure when it comes to the Cosmetics involved. That feedback went into the following changes:

Prime Accessories that were previously valued at 3 Regal Aya have been changed to 2 Regal Aya. This includes:

• Prime Armor Sets
  
• Prime Operator Accessories and the Saita Prime Suit
  
• Kavasa Kubrow Prime Set

And for added transparency on specific Regal Aya values per item:

• Prime Syandanas = 2 Regal Aya
  
• Prime Sugatras = 1 Regal Aya
  
• Prime Sigils = 1 Regal Aya
  
• Prime Sentinel Accessories = 1 Regal Aya
  
• Prime Liset Skin & Decoration = 1 Regal Aya
  
• Prime Extractors & Blueprints = 1 Regal Aya

We do want to make a point of saying that not all accessories combinations will equal the exact pricing of a traditional Prime Vault Accessories Pack. Item combination is at player discretion since every Prime Vault item will be available for individual selection. The accompanying Warframes in rotations have varying accessory types and amounts. The Nekros Prime accessories, for example, has the Uru Prime Syandana (2 Regal Aya) and the Acanthus Prime Armor Set (2 Regal Aya) for a total of 4 Regal Aya if purchased together through Prime Resurgence. While others, such as the Nova Prime pack with the Edo Prime Armor Set (2 Regal Aya) and the Verlorum Prime Sigil (1 Regal Aya), maintain the 3 Regal Aya to one Prime Accessories Pack value.

We would be remiss if we were unaware of the reasons for the popularity of Prime Accessories Packs, the biggest being the inclusion of bonus Platinum. To quote from the Workshop; “We simply cannot justify or reason with having players pay for one premium currency to purchase another.” But we understand that Platinum increases the value of the packs for players. While those differences in value vary between Prime Vault Packs and Prime Resurgence rotations, our intent is to establish a happy medium by offering all of the scheduled primed Accessories over several months (with the freedom to purchase individual items). Individual Primed Accessories give players more choice - a new and far more flexible approach to Prime Accessories access. Instead of waiting for a Primed Accessory to become available through a single Prime Vault rotation, you now have the option to hand-pick your favorites from several.

With the decrease of 3 to 2 Regal Aya for a handful of Accessories, that freedom of choice is increased that much more for players to determine that value where they see fit! The full schedule of rotations (and the Prime Accessories for those rotations) is available in the Workshop FAQ above, so that you can plan your future Regal Aya purchases if you choose to do so!

As stated in the Workshop, we will be intently watching for feedback during and after the event has run and will be reviewing data for future decision making (in the event that we choose to continue with Prime Resurgence.)

Thank you, Tenno!

SECOND EDIT: The Upcoming Corrections with Regal Aya: Next Steps

We have posted a PSA regarding changes being made to Regal Aya. You can read it here: https://steamcommunity.com/app/230410/discussions/0/3194736442551947640/

[自Smeengie由]

Originally posted by John Cena:

Originally posted by Neoxis:

This is a good choice overall. (But...)

The new players will have access to prime equipment without spending a single plat. Which is good for new players.

The Devs will have a stable real-money income from the prime accessories that doesn't fluctuate too much with the popularity of the current rotation. Which is good for the Devs.

But... what about the veterans that have stacked tons of relics since 2013?

Prime sets were one of the only good ways to get platinum nowadays. All we will have now will be rivens, which is an outdated system based on RNG way too much. (not only RNG getting 4 good (A+) stats but also the RNG to find the right player at the right time willing to pay the right amount.)


It might work, but make sure to make this Aya Currency HARD to get and at the same time rewarding; I'm not sure if I want to farm for 5 hours the same map with the same exact squad comp that doesn't allow improvisation as happened with the Steel Essence and never touch it again. And for god's sake, don't touch the % drop rate after you launch it, it always feels bad for your "beta testers". PLAY it, TEST it and RETEST it yourselves for once.


Btw, the relics bought with Aya currency should be Radiant by default.

Looking for the Dev respond to this

this is true, if this becomes a yearly event then the market will crash DE........[DE]Zack please respond to this, DE just respond

[Kou]

Mind fixing the Star Chart/All the planets/Missions/Nodes fonts? They are double size and looks terrible.

[TrashRat]

Stealth increasing the price of these items by DOUBLE by removing value from packs is ridiculous and scummy. Don't pretend you don't know the value of platinum when you literally sell it for money, it's bad enough you changed the wording of your intent AFTER negative backlash to implicate yourselves less. I'm so very disappointed.

[sleepwalkin9]

Originally posted by TrashRat:

Stealth increasing the price of these items by DOUBLE by removing value from packs is ridiculous and scummy. Don't pretend you don't know the value of platinum when you literally sell it for money, it's bad enough you changed the wording of your intent AFTER negative backlash to implicate yourselves less. I'm so very disappointed.

I share the same sentiments. This event was horribly thought out. I was planning to go crazy buying all the armor sets and Syandanas since I have all the weapons and frames but it'll be an excess of over 160 USD with absolutely no plat. It sucks people are defending bad values when its directly affecting them. 80 for 15 bucks of Regal is outrageous.

[KGBCowgirl]

Is there any logical reason y'all didn't implement something that gives us Aya from turning in completed Ayatan Sculptures to Maroo? You claim in the lore that Aya comes from those buggers, so why aren't we getting any at a reasonable pace except at excessively diluted rates in Void Missions and Bounties? If you want to claim that you're "improving" on the situation with vaulted Primes, then stop making it a Sisyphean task to make it worthwhile.

[f**k cancer]

more shady bul from DE ( or is that EA?) (or 10cent perhaps) they are al becoming the same anyways , glad i quit while WF was still good. may be the time to hit player auctions ;)