Your idea is very cool. I always imagined the (current) artifacts as being the logged memories of the Alpha Squad member who recorded them. Retrieving an artifact unlocks your ability to play through the length of time leading up to when the artifact was recorded, as the Alpha member who recorded it. 6* weapons anyone?
"Missions" to learn more about the lore
i like the idea of looking different but i want to choose, not end up taking a different role just to get something and end up altering something else while im at it. some good ideas, but if they are brought in perahps they shouldnt apply to everyone.
I'd suggest something more in-line with the game. No offense but it really looks like Spiral Duty The Call of Knights.
Those mission are outside of the lore. How would explaing the story behind the ghostly kats, cute wolvers and angry devilites wielding a machinegun and planting claymores? How could a tiny pink jelly compete against a shotgun? You also remove charges, a special feature of the game. You are adding ammo, stamina for sprints,etc changing gameplay.
You'd need to redesign practically everything to balance it out.
I like the idea of artifact missions, your weapon set (as said by Juances) will need tweaks. I definitely WANT more story play in this game. I want to know more than "descend an elevator, bash bash bash, oh look another elevator!".
When you say lore missions. I think of clicking on the alpha squad recon modules, I think of taking the roles of Alpha Squad itself (like your knight model changing to look like one of the alpha squad) as they journied down the clockworks. Of course those missions would just be rehashes of sorts, but you get what I mean right?
dude this is a super cool idea im with it 100 percent you even named the weapons i like the whole concept i hope they implement it.