#warframe analysis

Exhibit A: Margulis

The Operator's plot: Margulis was used by Ballas for horrible ends but also loved you enough to sacrifice herself to protect you as best she could in a bad situation. Margulis herself says afterwards, "We can finally begin to heal."

The Drifter's plot: Roathe confidently asserts that Ballas and Margulis loved each other, and if it weren't for those meddling kids turning Ballas into a Scooby Doo villain, it would've been a love story for the ages. If you don't believe him, you're naive. 

Exhibit B: Loid

The Operator's plot: despite the dangers posed by the Dark Refractory, Loid nonetheless cares so much for you that he dives into that pool to guide you through your meltdown and give you the courage to face the memory of how your best friend died. 

The Drifter's plot: Roathe, like a devil on your shoulder whispering, "Hey, we should manipulate the butler into doing what you want. How? Why, I'll simply lord my Orokin authority over him and he'll do whatever I say...and this is the good ending, Drifter."

...

Thank you DE for making this distinction. The way people are towards their children can be vastly different than the way they are towards the rest of the world.

I am just glad that someone at DE has done their homework when it comes to child/parent dynamics, family dynamics and childhood trauma.

Actually, now that I think about it...Are Jade and Stalker not representative of Warframe's change in design philosophy over the years? From the fact that Stalker has been around for basically a decade compared to Jade being shiny and new, to how Stalker is more stealth-based like early Warframe was, with Jade just blasting everyting to kingdom come with no remorse while ALSO supporting her team like how most new frames are like. Not to mention how they use literally the same weapon classes, except Jade's all have unique and cool effects, while Stalker's just kinda...kill stuff.

I am not going to talk about how it is a bit off that Jade did not get a single voice line, other people have pointed that out before.

But it is so clichéd when it comes to its themes.

Edgy dude has pure and literally angelic girlfriend. Girlfriend/wife gets pregnant, everyone is happy, then tradgedy strikes. Girlfriend/wife has to sacrifice herself for the plot to go on and character development of edgy dude to happen.

Edgy dude is now the sole caretaker of a child, and the child is the only person besides the girlfriend/wife edgy dude ever interacts positively with. Edgy dude reveals his softer side for his child.

I am aware that it is not the first time in Warframe that a woman becomes a sacrifice, but Lotus is a fully-fledged character. Jade is an incubator. Not because she is pregnant (being pregnant and wanting to have kids is an absolutely valid choice), but because she is never *shown* as anything else. Storytelling-wise her role is "die for drama, make baby for story".

The only other bit we get is her protecting Stalker for a split second, but that scene is frozen. She does not really do much, just float there, we learn nothing about her.

She does not only not talk, but she does not show any emotions or reactions .

When Lotus died, she was angry, disappointed, she died for what she thought was right. Reaction wise, Jade does a reenactment of the 'This is fine' dog meme.

In the end, I think describing the theme of the quest as 'motherhood' is incorrect. We do not get to see her be a mother. Her role ends before that.

It would have had much more impact if she herself would have walked the way to the shuttle at the end of the quest, to then collapse and die. Show her being a mother, show her protecting her child. Show her make the active decision. Show her doing *anything*.

I am a bit worried it might become boring if I talk too much about it, so I have a poll here:

Warframe Design Notes

Hei, so today I want to start my mini series on Warframe designs in which I will try to analyse the visual design of all Warframes and find out what they potentially are based on. Today I want to start with an easy one, Ash. Ash is the classical ninja. Like many early Warframes, his design is heavily influenced by japanese design elements. The stereotypical ninja outfit we know out of popular culture is based on the kuroko from kabuki theater, stage hands dressed in all black. The tabi/toe shoes and the legwraps are directly taken from these outfits, although kuroko would have worn a different type of head dress. The arms are covered by chitin plates that are made to resemble sode armor plates-they even include the ropes holding the plates together. Why chitin plates? Because Ash is also based on insects, which is easily proven if we take a look at the names of his variant helmets (Scorpion, Locust). He even has mandible like parts on his helmets-it also explains its color theme; historical ninja's probably weren't dressed in black anyways and the brown and beige hues give him a beetle like look. Beetles apparently (please correct me here!) are symbols of rebirth and transformation in Buddhism, which matches the themes of the game. And they are small, barely noticable-perfect for a character that is supposed to be stealthy.