Destiny: FIN

[BarryL85]

Finally levelled above 20 and then got to 22 (almost 23) in about an hour after 21. At one point I had 3 gauntlets two with 7 light and one with 8. The game really hates me, it took me about 10+hrs of playtime after I reached 20 to get to 21.

Here's the worst part, one of my friends leveled to 20 only last night, played along side me and ranked to 21 in only 3 strikes. I grinded high level strikes all week and only got gear with very very low level light.

At one point I had light on every piece of armour and in total it was 9 light, 2 light on everything but 3 light on helmet, when I kept grinding I upgraded each piece and I was only about 15 light until the game finally gave me a piece of armor with 7 light last night and took me to the ever unattainable (for me) level of 21.

My mates first item after level 20 was gauntlets and had 8 light, then he got chest armor with 9 I couldn't believe it.

[Mr. Gerbik]

Seriously who gives a flying fuck about metacritic

Publishers and developers since their scores are often directly tied to significant bonuses and/or future investments in potential sequels.

[Loki]

I managed 3 levels last night from 20-23.

Sorry Barry.

~ RNGesus

[Timmo]

Or maybe you shouldn't interpret things so literally.

Not sure how you can say that.

Because Destiny really does only start once you hit level 20

That article is essentially having a go at people judging the game on the first 20 hours. In fact, it's pretty much saying that the first 20 hours aren't great, but after that it's great (maybe, we can't say yet!). I like my tutorials to last less than 15 minutes or not be there at all. I read that article and the post level 20 stuff sounds interesting and good. I know I'm ready for it, too. I'd probably have kept the game if that stuff was there right away.

If there really is an improvement once you hit 20 then I think it's terrible design. Play this game for 20 hours before it gets truly good. It's stupid and padding of the worst kind.

Also, that massively patronising article is factually wrong, I was getting armour and weapon with those abilities (discipline, second half of mag stronger) all the time at level 10ish. Maybe I should write a condescending email to him to correct him.

[BarryL85]

I managed 3 levels last night from 20-23.

Sorry Barry.

~ RNGesus

Haha, i'm just super unlucky, even the cryptonarch trolls me for lolz, he always gives me green armour when I hand in blue engrams.

[Clipper]

If there really is an improvement once you hit 20 then I think it's terrible design. Play this game for 20 hours before it gets truly good. It's stupid.

Well its not like that for me, I ditch a game if it takes too long to get going and I snort with derision at someone if they say "oh it gets going after x hrs" where x is greater than 1

I dont have time to waste like that.

I liked Destiny from first mission because it threw me into some action I shot some stuff I got some loot and a better gun and a grenade power.

I've only played a couple of hrs as I dont have time to game (and I am also playing Diablo 3 and others) and this a perfect drop in drop out do a mission and shoot stuff game.

I'm sure its meant to be a sweeping scifi epic and if you want that then its "bad" but I dont care about that. Its a solid shooter.

I am beginning to think I am the ultimate casual gamer Or at the least "old school". Games in 80s and 90s didn't take time to get going they were either good or not, in fact loads used to front load the game with the best bits to drag you in then peter out.

[Loki]

It's the MMO design Timmo. It's always about end game.

Not that I agree that the first 20 hours are shit either. I've enjoyed the experience of levelling up, both solo as my Titan and as a duo with my Hunter.

It's not a fault of game design that the first 20 hours are shit. It's a problem with you not liking the levelling process.

[SozzlyJoe]

It certainly seems to be nailing that MMO feeling of having you look wistfully online at videos of the premier end-game content you will never, ever get to play.

[Stanley]

Publishers and developers since their scores are often directly tied to significant bonuses and/or future investments in potential sequels.

I'm fairly certain Destiny will have performed well enough for this kind of thing not to matter as much.

[Pob]

From that GR article:

there are three free content expansions dropping into the game world over just the next six weeks

Didn't know that. Sweet. I hope that means new weapon types, vehicles and areas. They're clearly holding back all the crazy alien weapon types they used in Halo.

[NecroMorrius]

I'm imagining Timmo running around the Barrens in vanilla WOW right now

[K]

I think "the real game starts at level 20" is fast becoming the new "you have to play it on legendary". And even that was the new "it only gets good after about the first seven hours" that everyone trotted out about FFVII. If the first dozen hours or so of the game are just a tutorial, then that's rubbish because you'd have to play through this brutally long tutorial every time you start a character in a new class.

I mean, I love Destiny, but if your argument is that it only really starts after 20 levels and about that many hours play, then that seems to be a pretty big flaw with the game. If something doesn't grab you after several hours, then a lot of people will have given up well before then.

[governmentyard]

Played a bit last night, didn't really enjoy it as everything was a bit hard to tackle on my own and I didn't really see any other people.

I continue to hate the progression towards the next generation, I just want to keep playing on my 360 but I can't :'(

...so accept my friend request

[Timmo]

Funnily enough I actually love MMOs and have played them for years.

[K]

Funnily enough I actually love MMOs and have played them for years.

You were probably playing them wrong.

[Mr. Gerbik]

I'm fairly certain Destiny will have performed well enough for this kind of thing not to matter as much.

Of course, it's just one of many factors. Should we, as players, care about metacritic if we're having fun with the game? Of course not, but the question was "who the fuck does care about Metacritic?" Not that long ago Obsidian missed out on a significant bonus for New Vegas because of it, despite producing a game that was a lot more intricate and of a far higher quality compared to its predecessor when judged purely as as an RPG. It sucks, but that's the nasty reality of Metacritic.

[Graham S]

From that GR article:

Didn't know that. Sweet. I hope that means new weapon types, vehicles and areas. They're clearly holding back all the crazy alien weapon types they used in Halo.

I'm assuming this refers to

September:

Combined Arms: multiplayer playlist this weekend, two game modes on vehicle maps

Queen's Wrath: timed event Sep 23-Oct 6. Extra bounties, challenging mission modes, loot rewards

October

Iron Banner: Crucible with the level playing field turned off.

[NecroMorrius]

From that GR article:

Didn't know that. Sweet. I hope that means new weapon types, vehicles and areas. They're clearly holding back all the crazy alien weapon types they used in Halo.

Here's what we know about at the moment:

Sept 12 - 14 Salvage (been and gone)

Sept 16 Vault of Glass (now available)

Sept - Combined Arms

The introduction of new content in Destiny will continue later this week when Destiny's competitive multiplayer includes the chance to play the Combined Arms playlist for the first time this weekend, which pits Guardians against one another in two game modes on vehicle maps.

Sept - Queen's Wrath

Destiny will also debut its first timed event, called Queen's Wrath, from September 23 to October 6, offering all Destiny players additional Bounties to complete, challenging mission modes to unlock, and more Rare and Legendary rewards to earn.

October - Iron Banner

Multiplayer tournament where damage and gear bonuses are NOT flattened. It will be brutal.

December - The Dark Below

First paid DLC pack. Adds new story, a new strike, and a new raid.

2015 - House of Wolves

Second paid DLC pack. Adds new story, a new strike, and a new raid.

[Mystacon]

Well its not like that for me, I ditch a game if it takes too long to get going and I snort with derision at someone if they say "oh it gets going after x hrs" where x is greater than 1

I dont have time to waste like that.

I liked Destiny from first mission because it threw me into some action I shot some stuff I got some loot and a better gun and a grenade power.

I've only played a couple of hrs as I dont have time to game (and I am also playing Diablo 3 and others) and this a perfect drop in drop out do a mission and shoot stuff game.

I'm sure its meant to be a sweeping scifi epic and if you want that then its "bad" but I dont care about that. Its a solid shooter.

I am beginning to think I am the ultimate casual gamer Or at the least "old school". Games in 80s and 90s didn't take time to get going they were either good or not, in fact loads used to front load the game with the best bits to drag you in then peter out.

I agree wholeheartedly. I am loving it, just dipping in and out each night for a few patrol missions or a Strike.

I'm only level 11 and I haven't even opened up Venus yet, so if the game supposedly comes into it's own post level 20, then that makes me very very happy.

[Soo Denim]

If the game starts at level 20 maybe they should start you at level 20.

Good god no!

Destiny is basically wow with guns, beautiful, wonderful, halo like guns cans gunplay.

Like wow it needs to teach you about roles, specs, perks and talent choice. The. Explain how they interact with other classes and the. Explain gear, factions, rep and crafting.

Like wow it's to much to soon, if you started at 20 you'd be swamped by information. Destiny takes you slowly to level 20, then says now it's time to really play.

Like wow it appears simple but incredibly complex, like wow it involves high level rep grinds and raids. Like wow some of those raids are very hArd and will be completed by a minority. Like wow this minority grows as people gear up and out level content, that guides become available online.

Basically if you play wow destiny makes sense, it still has some major weaknesses. It needs a LFR tool, it needs to let you down level when playing pve I.e. If I'm 18 and play with a level 12 friend it scales me down. They have the tech in pvp so turn it on for pve. It's not very good at explaining complex high end game functions.

Tl:dr. Don't start at level 20 as you need to learn, yes game has faults. If you have played wow it's awesome.

J

[NecroMorrius]

I think "the real game starts at level 20" is fast becoming the new "you have to play it on legendary". And even that was the new "it only gets good after about the first seven hours" that everyone trotted out about FFVII. If the first dozen hours or so of the game are just a tutorial, then that's rubbish because you'd have to play through this brutally long tutorial every time you start a character in a new class.

I mean, I love Destiny, but if your argument is that it only really starts after 20 levels and about that many hours play, then that seems to be a pretty big flaw with the game. If something doesn't grab you after several hours, then a lot of people will have given up well before then.

I think it's bullshit speak for the game changes after lvl 20. Which is definitely true. Same as most MMOs really, you hit the level cap and your focus moves to gear. Only Destiny has been kind enough to tell you how good your gear is via the "light" stat and boosting past the soft cap. It's the same as the "gearscore" in Wow.

Hopefully they'll up the level cap with the expansions, that'd be nice.

Edit: what he said

[Mystacon]

December - The Dark Below

First paid DLC pack. Adds new story, a new strike, and a new raid.

2015 - House of Wolves

Second paid DLC pack. Adds new story, a new strike, and a new raid.

Looking at that it seems as if each paid expansion is likely to consist of about a planets worth of content.

[Timmo]

I've played WoW - I'm a level 63 deluxe power wizard with 4674 hours of play

[NecroMorrius]

The game starts at level 64.

[Mystacon]

The game starts at level 64.

[Soo Denim]

I'm fairly certain Destiny will have performed well enough for this kind of thing not to matter as much.

Sadly wrong, almost ever game now has a quality clause within a contract with a publisher. It's normally around 85% and is tied to key bonus payouts.

I'd guess that Bungie will loose millions of dollars with the metacritic in the first 60 days is not 85% or higher.

I've know. Developers. It be paid millions because they got an 84%. It's a horrible arbitrary system to base a business on.

[Pob]

Looking at that it seems as if each paid expansion is likely to consist of about a planets worth of content.

The first paid DLC will take place on the Moon though.

I think for perceived value it would have been nice to add a new environment in each paid DLC rather than simply expanding existing ones. When are we going to see all that stuff shown in the concept art?

[Graham S]

Obsidian's bonus for getting an 85 on metacritic for New Vegas was supposed to be $1m, but they got an 84.

Would Bungie sign a Destiny contract linked to metacritic? I'd be surprised.

[CarloOos]

"It's WoW with guns! It's an MMO!" It's not really, though, is it? It's Left 4 Dead with loot, if anything.

[Graham S]

Ah, the old leaked Bungie contract had a $2.5m bonus for getting 90 on gamerankings. It's currently 76.