An Aesthetic Change That Could've Been: A Suggestion

[Jussatoon]

Klei is unlikely to try a new aesthetic avenue, more likely to either tweak the current theme or revert it back to the old one. However, if they do take the time, and they happen to see this post, here's my take on the shadow affinity that should hopefully bring a balance between shadow and tech.

I'm fairly confident in saying that plugging in the shadow atrium into WX-78's circuitry is a reference to their missing empathy module. They would rather not have a heart, but if they do, it'd be one of pure evil and darkness - quite fitting, if you ask me. But how about we make that theming more pronounced?

When unlocking Shadow Servitor, WX gains the ability to craft a mechanical heart that somewhat resembles the empathy module, though maybe with the colors of a shadow clockwork. Before plugging it in, they can give it nightmare fuel or pure horror to power it on, and when they unplug it, it powers off automatically. Visually, the shadow module would appear leaking with nightmare fuel when powered, while also emitting red sparks if powered with pure horror. 

WX can also craft an advanced version of the shadow module, requiring the module itself and a shadow atrium. The shadow module would have the atrium's veins wrapped around it, the module itself pulsing and beating like an organic heart, giving a sense of the module and atrium fusing together into a bio-mechanical entity. WX can have it become possessed the same way as the possessed shadow atrium and the possessed band, which could even perhaps make eyes appear on it.

Mechanically, all the effects of the shadow module are the same as Shadow Servitor 1.0. Both the basic and atrium modules can be powered with fuel, but the atrium version's damage and mimic features function even when unpowered, due to it being partially organic by that point. What powering the shadow modules do is activate the harvesting feature, so that there is a way to "toggle" it off for those who don't want it active at all times.

As for further suggestions, regardless if this interpretation is implemented or not, I'd like it if the harvesting was not only faster, but it also only targeted items you already have in your inventory; the latter could be exclusive to pure horror, allowing you to choose what kind of harvesting priority you want. I'd also like the possessed shadow atrium specifically to provide additional planar damage, like at least +10.

As for the name of this theoretical shadow module? Well, I'm no Klei, but my two suggestions at the moment are "Apathy Module" (emotion theme) and "Umbrathy Module" (shadow pun), or it could just be a name that states what it does, similar to the lunar affinity's transfer module. 

Edited April 27 by Jussatoon

[doritosdamafia]

this probably is the perfect balance among options

[Jussatoon]

Update: Well, I did say it was unlikely. Still sucks, though. 

To add onto my post at least, as a way to make the art for the current drones not a complete waste, the harvesting shadow trail could be replaced with an Auto-Grabber shadow, and the damage shadow whip could be replaced with a quick animation of an Exploiter shadow appearing near a mob, doing a quick scan, and disappearing. Both of these drone shadows could be scaled a bit smaller to avoid cluttering the screen.

Edited April 28 by Jussatoon

[Jussatoon]

I'm bumping this for the sole purpose of a modder hopefully seeing this.