In an exclusive interview, our author Leya spoke with one of the main writers of the Warframe comics. Ryan Cady provided us with a deeper insight into the work of a game comic writer and why he needs to dive into the community while working on Warframe.
On May 30, the 5th web comic of Warframe was released. The comics are considered official lore in Warframe, adding more depth and background to the universe. Ryan Cady is one of the main writers of the story, along with Matt Hawkins.
Mein MMO: I know that you play Warframe yourself. How does playing the game help you when developing the story for the comics?
Ryan Cady: I believe that I need a certain authenticity when telling a story. The simplest way to achieve this authenticity in Warframe is to gather gameplay experience myself. When I write a script in which the Warframe Excalibur appears, I can create more than just something generic and general. If Excalibur kills someone, I can write that he used his weapon Lato-Prime or describe an Excalibur-typical move.
Mein MMO: So you get a better feel for the characters that are already in the game?
Ryan Cady: Yes, and I also gather knowledge about the lore from the game directly. But there’s more to it. I also follow the Warframe subreddit to get a better feel for the community. There, I sometimes find insider jokes that I incorporate into the comic.
Writing lore for a game comic comes with high pressure from players
Mein MMO: Is there a difference when you write for a “normal” comic or for a comic based on a game like Warframe?
Ryan Cady: In a game, the influence of fans is much greater than in a regular DC or Marvel comic. Players have certain expectations, which are also based on their personal gaming experience. Warframe is even an important game on an emotional level for many.
Players have their own vision of “their game” and want to see this reflected in the comic. The pressure when writing a game comic is definitely higher for me because I want to do justice to the players. But it’s positive stress because it allows me to dive deep into the topic and the community.
Mein MMO: The lore of the comics and the game belong together like a puzzle. Is it also possible to understand the comics if I don’t play Warframe?
Ryan Cady: We try to write the comics in a way that they are understandable for everyone. But I believe that the experience is not the same if you have never played Warframe.
The Warframe universe is so unique and has strong influences on the comics. Presumably, there are also confusing aspects in the comics if you have never touched the game. However, I can imagine that reading the comics might inspire someone to give Warframe a try.
Digital Extremes has the final word on the comics
Mein MMO: How do you as writers actually work with Digital Extremes, the developers?
Ryan Cady: The scripts are sent back and forth and edited by lead designer Steve Sinclair. Ultimately, he always has the final word and decides on the final story of a comic. I have often had to toss out an entire script and rewrite it because Steve was not satisfied. Additionally, Steve tells us where the story of Warframe is supposed to go in the future, so we can factor that in while writing.
Mein MMO: Has anything ever been cut from the comic by Digital Extremes that made you sad?
Ryan Cady: Yes, but that was a long time ago. We once had the idea of placing Ordis in a small sentinel body and making him the narrator of the story. But Digital Extremes said that it absolutely wouldn’t fit into the lore. I was really sad because I thought the idea of a little narrator robot was so cool and funny.
For clarification: Cephalon Ordis is an artificial intelligence that helps the player and manages the ship’s communication. He is primarily known for his sarcasm and bad jokes. He is one of the secret stars in Warframe.
Warframe’s story consists of puzzle pieces that are put together in the comic
Mein MMO: From a storyteller’s perspective: What aspects of the Warframe universe fascinate you the most?
Ryan Cady: You mentioned earlier that Warframe’s story is like a puzzle, and that fits quite well. You can take each one of these puzzle pieces and play with them. Warframe has these many diverse story fragments that also work outside the sci-fi genre. I’m a huge horror fan, and there’s a creepy quest called “Chains of Harrow” that I like to delve into. Expanding these puzzle pieces and putting them together into a whole is incredibly fun for me.
Mein MMO: Could you give us a brief summary of what has happened so far in the comics and what readers can expect there?
Ryan Cady: Sure! We are on Earth. The Grineer are attacking the villages of the Orokin under Captain Vor’s leadership. They are looking for something special, the nature of which we do not yet know. Only the girl Mitsuki survived the attack. Suddenly, an Excalibur Warframe appears and protects Mitsuki from a complete Grineer army.
Excalibur is then captured. It becomes clear that Lotus has been monitoring the Grineer’s actions all along. She sends out a Mag Warframe to clear the battlefield. The story currently revolves around the characters trying to figure out what the Grineer are actually looking for and why they are destroying the villages.
Along the way, we follow the Mag Warframe, the surviving and blind Orokin girl Mitsuki, and Little Duck, a worker from Solaris United.
Mein-MMO: Why did Mag become the main character and lead-frame in the comics?
Ryan Cady: We wanted to have one of the three starter Warframes [Mag, Excalibur, or Volt] as the lead-frame. That’s also why Excalibur appears as the first Warframe in the comic. He is simply an icon. Mag, on the other hand, is my personal favorite that I love to play. She was also my first Warframe that I chose out of the three starters. Additionally, I find her abilities visually strong.
Mein-MMO: Thank you for your time and the interview, Ryan.
Note: We conducted the conversation via Skype. Some answers from the writer have been shortened for better understanding – the content reflects everything as it was said.
Warframe comics coming soon in German?
If you’re curious now, you can download the first Warframe comic for free on Comixology. The prices of the other comics (2-5) range from 1.80 Euro to 4.50 Euro.
However, the comics are currently only available in English. In the interview, Ryan mentioned that there is a high probability they will one day be translated into German and other languages.
What do you think about part of the story being told in the comics?
We previously conducted an interview with Rebecca Ford, the community director of Warframe. Here, we talked about the future of Warframe.
