Bungie talks Destiny: The Taken King's event-focused future (Eurogamer.net)

[The3rdWalker 1,264]

Destiny: The Taken King launched months ago, long before the rush of autumn releases, yet millions of players still play for hours every day. It's a vote of confidence for Bungie but also a never ending workload, as the game's intensely loyal fanbase constantly demand fresh content.

Ensuring Destiny's players are sated is a full time job - that of the game's live team, whose most-recent project was October's well-received Festival of the Lost event. It was a fun mix of Halloween freebies and a smattering of cosmetic extras you could skip the wait and pay for upfront.

But it's now December, when a year ago Bungie launched its Dark Below add-on with new story missions and a fresh raid. And, now, the game's playerbase wants to know what's next.

 

Bungie did not sell an expansion pass with The Taken King as it did with Destiny vanilla. No promises of further story additions have been made. But expectations were set high by the quality of The Taken King expansion, and the likely outdated release plan leaked in autumn 2014 which suggested two DLCs were planned to follow Taken King, just as two did last year.

 

Last weekend's announcement of a Sparrow racing event, once a highly-requested addition, had something of a mixed reaction. Fans were happy the mode was finally being trialled, but in the absence of any other information many had expected something different - something similar to last year's more traditional DLC.

 

Eurogamer spoke with senior designer Derek Carroll, part of the game's live team, to try and find out more about the event and nail down Bungie's plans for the rest of Destiny: Year Two. The gist? Don't expect a "monolithic" DLC any time soon - but several more events and surprises are in the pipeline.

 

Destiny's first year featured two DLC packs, whereas this year things are different. Can players look forward to any more story content in Year Two?

 Derek Carroll: "With Taken King we are moving to a more event-based model - things like Festival of the Lost and Sparrow racing, which is our winter event, and then smaller events such as Iron Banner and Trials of Osiris every weekend. "Rather than doing these giant, monolithic DLC packs, this way everybody who's an owner of Taken King can enjoy these things."

 

 

 

So why the change? [A recent Kotaku report suggested this year's DLC had been scrapped to give the next boxed Destiny release, almost certainly due in September 2016, a little more development time. It's a report Bungie has not commented on.] Why not do another Expansion pass as well?

Derek Carroll: "There's lots of different reasons as to why - I don't know how deep I can get into that. But basically the live team is charged with maintaining the game and keeping players happy, feeding them new content and surprising them with things they didn't expect."

 

 

Festival of the Lost was great, but this leads to a situation where players are left guessing what form the game's next addition will take. Can you say anything to set expectations?

 Derek Carroll: "I think by design the idea is to have these events which are surprises - so we can understand why players on the one hand want to have their lives mapped out for the next year.

 

"The way we're going is: you can expect new content from the live team in Destiny although we're not really telegraphing that. Certainly, players can expect new events and new content throughout the next year. We're taking it one step at a time."

 

 

Will there be anything you need to buy to access?

Derek Carroll: "We've had Festival of the Lost and now Sparrow racing. [both events are open to all players, with only cosmetic items purchasable via real-world money.] If you wanted to extrapolate from there, you could."

 

 

Bungie has so far done a good job keeping anything affecting gameplay separate from microtransactions. Presumably the Sparrow racing event will follow suit?

Derek Carroll: "It's very similar to Festival of the Lost. You don't need to buy anything to enjoy Sparrow racing, but if you want an additional challenge you can get the Record Book which includes lots of different challenges, keeps track of your stats, and gives you very targeted gear - like bounties, but you know exactly what you'll get when you complete challenges.

 

"All the stuff from [microtransaction shop] Eververse is completely cosmetic, to get aesthetically-pleasing things. All the items have no Light and no perks, but if you want your suit to match your Sparrow - that's what that's for.

 

"There's several new emotes, new Sparrows, new shaders, emblems... and Sparrow horns to annoy your opponents."

 

 

One final thing - I know fans want more slots for their emotes [currently you can equip only one]. Are you guys looking at that?

Derek Carroll: "That's definitely something we're looking at - I've heard rumblings. Nothing to announce on that but we're looking at expanding that and maybe rethinking how emotes are done in the game, they've definitely been a fan favourite."

 

 

Bungie talks Destiny: The Taken King's event-focused future

 

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From my perspective it's very disheartening and from what I took out of the statement is there will be no more "end game" activities that we all love. The resources are going directly to the next version of Destiny and they are hoping these tiny little events tide players over until then? It makes me not even want to play or think about playing the franchise at all.

[Sennex 1,903]

I read it the same as you.

 

I played last night for a little bit with Jsin, worked on the Sleeper Simulant quest line (Damn you warsats!), and I had a good time, but I think that that was more to hanging with Jsin, than the game.

 

That being said, I am going to make an effort to jump in and do a Nightfall every now and again to finish out the stuff for my Lock and Hunter.

 

I don't see myself raiding ever again though. Oddly I didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed VoG and CE, I directly blame the jumping aspects. (This will be the part where folks say OMG BUT THATS MY FAVORITE PART!!!!!!!!!!)

[Plumbers Crack 4,052]

 (This will be the part where folks say OMG BUT THATS MY FAVORITE PART!!!!!!!!!!)

No, nonononono, a thousand times nooooo!!!!

[JsinOwl 644]

Well that's weak. Can't say I'm shocked, but still, poor form. *shrugs* I'll play until I no longer have the desire, then I'll play something else.

I restarted my Titan, so lots to do yet.

[techno 3,491]

Well that's seriously going to piss a lot of the fantasy off.

I really can't see me playing it at all unless it's just part of a forum thing pissed sparrow racing or crucible etc as an aside to other things.

Can't wait to see how the destiny youtube community spin this.

[Plumbers Crack 4,052]

Can't wait to see how the destiny youtube community spin this.

You're right, it will be interesting....

[Sennex 1,903]

I watched a video yesterday where the guy basically said the game was boring and dead.

 

It was this one

 

 

 

I have no idea how "big" of a destiny youtube star the guy is, but I found myself agreeing with him

[The3rdWalker 1,264]

The big names for YouTube and Twith may chime in eventually. KingGothalion, ProfessorBroman, Datto and Tripple Wreck.

Other than Vault of Glass, King's Fall was my favorite raid. I also love playing with clan members so don't hesitate to message me.

I generally log on Tuesday late morning to get my raid completist ion and then that's it.

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I guess we will see were Destiny goes from here. It may be no better than Call of Duty eventually, which would be a shame.

I still actually need to collect the materials for the exotic sword.

[Sennex 1,903]

I still actually need to collect the materials for the exotic sword.

 

Fuck that sword. As soon as I got the quest, the ghost shells to track helium fragments stopped getting sold.

[The3rdWalker 1,264]

Fuck that sword. As soon as I got the quest, the ghost shells to track helium fragments stopped getting sold.

I forgot those shells existed as a hunter I've never needed one.

[Sennex 1,903]

yea, sadly, as a titan I do

[JsinOwl 644]

yea, sadly, as a titan I do

You must have bad luck, I've got a ghost shell for each material type for two Guardians, and not quite a complete set yet for my third. Only ever bought one, the rest were all drops.

[Sennex 1,903]

I never get ghost or artifact drops

 

no biggie though

[JsinOwl 644]

I never get ghost or artifact drops

no biggie though

Rank up that Hunter bro. I use my Hunter to material farm for all my Guardians, it's just easier with Keen Scout.

[The3rdWalker 1,264]

Just rank up your Hunter, because it's the master class and all.

[Sennex 1,903]

Master class, except for the shitty jump, and the tissue paper armor.

 

Especially with the buff to titans so that we no longer have t-rex arms

[The3rdWalker 1,264]

Sports car analogy still holds water. I haven't had much trouble with dying over the life span of the game so far.

[JsinOwl 644]

I actually quite like the Hunter jump, but I think all the classes are pretty well balanced versus one another. Master Race talk is nonsense. That said, there has never been a circumstance where someone said "we can't do this without a Hunter". That phrase has definitely been said about Defender titans and to a lesser extent Sunsingers.

[Sennex 1,903]

If we stick with an Automobile analogy, then I would say that Titans are the Trucks of the Destiny world, Warlocks are the Sedans/ Minivans, and Hunters are the Jeeps.

 

The Cryptarch would be the shyster used auto salesman, Banshee and Holiday would be the After market parts sellers; And the Speaker would just be some dude wanting the change out of your ash tray.

[Plumbers Crack 4,052]

I actually quite like the Hunter jump, but I think all the classes are pretty well balanced versus one another. Master Race talk is nonsense. That said, there has never been a circumstance where someone said "we can't do this without a Hunter". That phrase has definitely been said about Defender titans and to a lesser extent Sunsingers.

Invisible sneaking through CE raid maze at the beginning while everyone else dies?

[techno 3,491]

Invisible sneaking through CE raid maze at the beginning while everyone else dies?

With the don't touch me bro's good call.

That and dismantle mines yes

[TigerBurge 2,374]

Invisible sneaking through CE raid maze at the beginning while everyone else dies?

Yeah but it was just easier to make the rock jump as the Titan

[The3rdWalker 1,264]

I actually quite like the Hunter jump, but I think all the classes are pretty well balanced versus one another. Master Race talk is nonsense. That said, there has never been a circumstance where someone said "we can't do this without a Hunter". That phrase has definitely been said about Defender titans and to a lesser extent Sunsingers.

The entire CE raid and Certiain parts of Poe had hunters as a mandatory class.

Vault of Glass was for warlocks, CE hunters, Poe hunters & Titans.

[JsinOwl 644]

Well I've done CE and PoE both one time, so I guess I plead ignorance, but in neither case did a Hunter seem necessary. Helpful maybe, but not like we seriously cannot do this without a Hunter, and my Hunter is my main character so I'm not anti-hunter.

[The3rdWalker 1,264]

Yeah for the longest time hunters were mandatory as a sword carrier against Crota because of their blink strike and shadow Jack. After awhile people started to nut up and try running the sword with titans and warlocks.

Poe they were objective machines.