Assuming the reason we don’t have Red items yet is because the team hasn’t found a good way to implement it that they like, and fits with weapon makeups, crafting, looting etc. … I’ll just toss my ideas into the ring (again) on some thoughts I feel could make Red a fit for Darktide [less so just what Vermintide does with them]:
TLDNR my opinion/idea:
- Reds drop/craftable(from Orange) : focus on Modification freedom over “just perfect” through say having 20 re-distributable [for fee] ‘enhancement points’ on attributes + having up to 4 modifications of blessings/perks form the base limit of 2
- Reds still very rare drops, and very expensive to upgrade (possibly limit to a unique resource like VT when bartering reds for Red currency needed to upgrade)
- Reds in Darktide should respect RNG/loot stats (focus on enhancement/customization, not replacement of items as a ‘perfect drop’) → turn your great roll into an even greater one
— Long version —
My opinion:
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Red’s should be very rare drops of course, increased drops on higher difficulties, etc. (usual)
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Debatable: Red’s can be a CRAFTING upgrade — this could be handled two ways: (1) the Olde way – by ‘Bartering’ reds you find, you get currency that can be used to upgrade an Orange to a Red with enough – (2) Make it “easy” (I’ll tell you why soon) and it’s just a (very expensive) straight upgrade option.
Going off of (2) above, I personally never liked the idea that Red was just “Perfect” in every way… as basically once you get one for the weapon you like most, you’re kinda like… done [with loot]?
This game’s crafting has added a lot in terms of control and customization, and I think to take ‘Red Items’ into a new direction with Darktide would be very interesting to try out …a direction that focuses on “GREATER CUSTOMIZATION” instead of just flat out ‘Perfect for whatever you roll it with’.
With this in mind, my thought is something like this for Reds(con’t):
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Red can have up to 4 Modifications of Blessings/Perks
:: while this let’s you turn your weapon into a “perfect” roll, you still need to unlock the required Blessings to fill out those two, and looting/shopping is still valuable [and rerolling to alter stats as needed or upgrade a blessing is also significant goal] -
(this is the ‘odd’ one) Red, upon gaining or upgrading have “Distributable Stat Points” (call them ‘Enhancement Points’ (EP) for now) … so that magic 80% limit we have…instead of just giving a weapon with 100% everything, we can spend crafting currency to adjust these EPs and apply let’s say a minimum of ‘20’ (1% bonus each point), points that will boost a stat on a weapon in selected categories.
This means with this weapon, you are still respecting the ‘Roll’ of that weapon, but can be allotted 20 [or more] % addition EPs to either: (a) turn one (or more) of those nice 80% rolls into 100% rolls - OR - (b) bumping up stats that were lower than desired to balance the weapon out.
{I use 20 as an example because it feels intended… perfect 380 rolls become a 400,where those last 20pts are customizable}
…also 20pts wouldn’t make or break the balance of things I believe, it allows to maximize a single stat potentially in an extreme case (very helpful of course) but only that one stat at most, otherwise its more a balanced enhancement and fine tuning that I don’t think creates any weapon to be “game breaking” beyond it’s own mechanics/design … just “a bit better than before”
Anyways…
Again, this would still RESEPCT RNG, loot and the sense of having a ‘good drop’, without it being flat out overwritten by being/finding a RED [that is simply ‘perfect’] but moreso the ‘RED’ rank giving peak control over maximizing efficiency of a good weapon that’s been previously found [or good drop].
It also encourages to spend resources rerolling more stats for certain missions or builds to try [by being able to change stats as well as the usual blessings/perks]
EDIT:
Low level Red dropping also don’t feel like a slap in the face entirely if they can be ‘bartered’ later past their useful life, but also still give benefits early on of pushing a weapon 20pts beyond it’s current level limit which is still a nice thing to see/have even if you get it earlier than you want to [or even opt to craft/upgrade it early on! Assuming Consecration cost scales with level as it does, for Reds as well]
Anyways, just another idea into the ring!
Feel free to judge, suggest your own, give feedback etc!
EDITS: Fixing typos