Warframe‘s Isleweaver Update is out now, and it’s packed with new story content for players. Picking up after the events of Warframe: 1999, the Isleweave update introduces the 61st Warframe and a brand-new Clan Operation in addition to narrative developments.
Players get to meet Major Rusalka once again and dive deeper into the Duviri. As you explore Duviri more, you can collect lore fragments to uncover narrative secrets and discover a new island called Scholar’s Landing. Ultimately, unraveling the mystery behind Rusalka’s reign before facing off against Oraxia, the mistress of fear, can isolate and execute weakened foes, poison enemies, imbibe marked enemies for buffs, and even summon spiderling swarms from the corpses of the fallen.
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We spoke with Warframe Principal Writer Kat Kingsley about the Isleweaver Update, the new lore, the new Warframe, and what players can expect as the game continues to grow. And it all started by asking her if continuing to update and support a large world like Warframe was challenging.
Kingsley responded, “It’s definitely a team effort! Warframe has such an expansive universe with so many years of ongoing details and development that sometimes we often get into a situation where we run the risk of accidentally contradicting past points. Luckily, Adrian Bott, the Lead Writer, is a walking encyclopedia of Warframe knowledge, and Ryan Mole, the Senior Narrative Designer, has been with the company for all of Warframe’s development.”
The Isleweaver Update brings new things to Warframe and revisits the past.
“Between the two of them (and other resources like the wiki and the game engine) it gives us the ability to stay “on the rails” with the lore while finding opportunities to color within the lines, so to speak,” Kingsley said. “I think about it like a giant mural that’s been sketched out. We just haven’t painted in all the areas yet.”
While expanding the world of Warframe includes areas the team hasn’t painted just yet, the Isleweaver update brings everyone back to Duviri, regardless of its reception in the Duviri Paradox update. Kat Kingsley explained how the area would evolve and why they returned to it. “Duviri has some narrative and gameplay baggage tied to it. When we first went to Duviri in The Duviri Paradox update, it was pretty polarizing gameplay-wise,” Kingsley said.
“So, on the gameplay side, the team wanted to reintroduce core Warframe gameplay into the kingdom of Duviri. On the narrative side, this place is so crucial in the Drifter’s psychology and development as a character; it just seemed like the perfect way to tie the story back into the changes that were being made gameplay-wise,” she continued.
And of course, everything does come back to lore. Kinglsey added, “Also, it’s a fascinating location in the game to develop lore-wise, with its connections to the Void, Entrati, and now Rusalka. It gave us the opportunity to fill in a couple of blanks about some characters while revisiting others like Dominus Thrax. One of the most exciting things (for me anyway) as a writer is the chance to use an established character in a new and fresh context. It allows you to show sides of them you never have before, or it gives you the opportunity to let them grow in unexpected ways.”
“Major Neci Rusalka is easily just one of the coolest antagonist characters I’ve ever seen in a game.”
Duviri isn’t the only piece of Warframe we’re revisiting. Taking place after Warframe: 1999, the Isleweaver Update also brings us back to Major Neci Rusalka. When asked about detailing more of Rusalka, Kat Kingsley explained, “[She] is easily just one of the coolest antagonist characters I’ve ever seen in a game. She’s an incredible joy to write for, and voiced by such a wonderful actress like Elsie Lovelock, it’s hard not to find reasons to put her into the game.”
Kingsley continued, “We had a feeling we weren’t done with her when we finished off with the main 1999 Quest. As for what players can expect to see from her? I don’t want to spoil anything, but I will just say that those with keen eyes and who explore a bit will learn more than those who just blast through.”
While Kat Kingsley is the principal writer on the Isleweaver Update, video games of Warframe’s size aren’t made by one person. The complexities of working with others seem even greater when it comes to working on a game that has been around for so long.
On the development process, Kingsley said, “Pardon the wacky metaphor (writer, har har) but I think of game development like a multi-wheel vehicle. A lot of people like to ask, “Which comes first, story or gameplay? Art or story? Game or art?” In my opinion – and again, it’s just my opinion – especially when you have large teams working on a big game, you need all the wheels kind of going at once in order to get anywhere. Otherwise, you just go in a circle.”
She continued, “All this to say, that it’s kind of a group effort that very much flows in tandem. Rebecca Ford, the Creative Director, says, “I have an idea. Let’s do this!” And we all work together to get there. For example, in the case of The Hex characters like Arthur, Aoi, and Eleanor, the character art was done ages before writing began.
“However, when we were developing their backstories for the K.I.M. romance & relationship system, I pulled key details from the character art to factor into their stories. Whereas on the other hand, sometimes the narrative team will go: “We need X piece of art because of Y reason,” and the Art team will work with us to make sure it happens.”
Game Development is about working together and checking ego at the door.
When it came to Kingsley’s favorite part of the Isleweaver Update that she worked on, she was humble, giving the credit to her team. “Adrian and Ryan handled the writing for the majority of the actual update itself, so I have to give credit where credit is due on that. Their work is always astonishing, and listening to Neci and Thrax banter just makes me smile every time. My personal favorite contribution to the update involving Neci is a bit more… hidden. Players will have to work to find it. And if they’ve been patient with Minverva and Velimir, they might get an extra hidden piece of lore. That’s all I’ll say,” Kingsley said.
With the Isleweaver Update bringing in the 61st Warframe, to say the world is big feels like an understatement. So, we asked Kat Kingsley what advice she had for players looking to jump into Warframe but may be intimidated. “The community is amazing!” Kingdsley started. “If you’re stuck, don’t be afraid to play with ‘global’ settings on, so you can join random groups. That’s how I got through the game when I started. Also, don’t be ashamed to look up other people’s builds online to learn how to “Mod” (upgrade) your weapons and Warframes. For the longest time, I thought I sucked at the game. No, I just didn’t know how to mod my weapons or the Warframe itself.”
She continued, “Truth be told, I’m still crap at “buildcraft theory” but I’m getting better at it. Sit back, enjoy the ride, and prepare yourself to enter an amazing and absolutely bonkers world. “Warframe Weird” is real, and it’s amazing. There’s no better story or community in gaming that I’d be happier to be writing for.”
Digital Extremes plans to make more announcements at TennoCon in July. Warframe’s Isleweaver Update is available now.
