Talk:Ballas/@comment-24.22.106.92-20160822075524/@comment-67.174.202.68-20161120191942

Whether or not it will turn out to reflect DE's intention as to the nature of primes, the idea that they might be pre-mass-production prototypes makes some sense. Historically for example, some prototypes of military aircraft created during WWII had better raw performance than their respective production versions. This was largely due to prototypes receiving direct scrutiny from the design team as well as being constructed from good materials without cutting corners. Prototypes had to meet performance specs and perform better than competing designs. Once mass production started however, issues with quality control and the shortage of materials during wartime meant that the overall construction quality tended to become worse. This was especially true in the USSR.

However, prime warframes do seem to differ signinificantly in design from non-prime versions. They also have much more ornamentation. This could mean that they are proof-of-concept designs that were later simplified for practical mass production. Alternatively, they could be upgraded versions produced only in small numbers and used for special assignments. The excessive ornamentation might indicate a role in guarding the Orokin leadership or important Orokin sites/facilities rather than front-line duty.