• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Destiny: April Update Preview

Klyka

Banned
Guys, can we leave the Division vs Destiny stuff out of here?

Both games are great, both games can be played without having to denounce the other.

LOVE & PEACE
 
Guys, can we leave the Division vs Destiny stuff out of here?

Both games are great, both games can be played without having to denounce the other.

LOVE & PEACE

sports.png

I liked PoE. Might be fun to give it a whirl again.
 
That did absolutely nothing to want to bring me back (and damn I was hoping this update would do it, miss playing destiny).

On a positive note, taking a longer-than-expected break from this game will just make Destiny 2 a lot more fresh (just like taking breaks at the end of each WoW xpac).
 

inki

Member
I was hoping for something new. PoE is the expansion I SKIPPED because I can't stand horde mode. It's imo the easiest way (laziest) to get the most replay ability with the least amount of carrots.

Destiny 2 needs to bring it or their going to fail their 10 year plan in year 5.

I understand the dilemma they're in and there is no easy way out. THIS just lost all the goodwill the fallen king got them. I want to love destiny again. I need something new.

I'll be playing Dark Souls 3 if you need me.
 

FyreWulff

Member
I guess Sony's marketing deal is any major update gets an exclusive. When they released the new PvP map in November there was no exclusivity attached to it, but Sony had exclusives for SRL and Iron Banner. Crimson Doubles, a small event, also had no exclusivity.
 

DocSeuss

Member
I was hoping for more than that. Hearing that a bunch of stuff is Takenified is not really exciting to me. The stats on that sniper didn't look great--not a rez sniper, right?

The live team isn't going to create new areas in the game. Just create things to do in the existing spaces.

Looks like part of the Crota raid

It actually looks like the place where you destroy the sphere that was communicating with Oryx in the main campaign. The one with the giant green knight and the columns that pop up out of the ground.
 

GhaleonEB

Member
Reactions here are understandable given Bungie's total refusal to set expectations about the scope the Live team is covering. And the protracted roll out only ratchets up expectations further.

I've put my expectations squarely on remixed and updated existing activities, and new things to do in existing spaces, and new gear. But I did so because I try to be realistic about what the Live team can deliver. The history of Destiny's rollout and DLC made it clear they were not going to be delivering new land masses via a new team on this kind of timeline - that's what the full expansions are for.

To reiterate what I said a couple days ago in the community thread, Bungie is doing themselves no favors by the way they are rolling this update out.

  • No expectation setting about the scope of the Live team.
  • Announcement of when things will be announced.
  • The live streams are a hybrid reveal / demonstration / developer commentary.
  • The BWU is where this part of the update will be clarified.

The end result is unreasonable expectations - see everyone thinking we'd be getting new landmasses - and a very protracted reveal process, which means the streams are doing triple duty.

It feels like Bungie doesn't trust their player base to tune in unless they are withholding information, and the result is the reveal schedule acts more like a long milking of our attention rather than a fun set of reveals and demos.

I think it would help everyone if they:

  • Set expectations about what the Live team will and will not be doing. (QoL updates, new gear, balancing, updates to existing activities, quests in existing spaces, events.)
  • Bullet point out the major features of the update when it's announced, so we understand the size and shape of it. ("New PVE activities" was the announcement for today)
  • Demonstrate the previously announced features, which means they won't have to announce, explain, demo and commentate on all at once.
  • Follow up in the BWU with any other insights or clarifications.

I like the team and think they are going in the right direction, and I'm genuinely excited about this update (benefits of reasonable expectations). But the way they are making this a four week announcement process for the April update is really frustrating, and just heightens the feeling that Bungie is milking the attention of the players rather than trying to stay engaged with them. The communication flow right now is really bad.
 

Lnkn52

Member
I like the team and think they are going in the right direction, and I'm genuinely excited about this update (benefits of reasonable expectations). But the way they are making this a four week announcement process for the April update is really frustrating, and just heightens the feeling that Bungie is milking the attention of the players rather than trying to stay engaged with them. The communication flow right now is really bad.

Exactly. It's the same concept they follow with TTK and timed events.

Have to wait for another week to figure how it all comes together.
 

Jito

Banned
Nothing really new then, just making changes to existing content.

Don't think I'll be back til Destiny 2, might as well delete it now.
 

Blueblur1

Member
I can't believe I was more or less correct last week. One new strike and remixed Prison of Elders. (And one new mission.) Wow. Talk about doing the absolute bare minimum. And before anyone pounces on me, I know expecting the live team (which is like 10 people, right?) to generate anything larger is unrealistic. But I hoped that they would have realized how badly Destiny needs new content resulting in them throwing more people at generating new Year Two content. But I guess I was being too hopeful. Activision isn't going to pay for that it seems.
 

DocSeuss

Member
Reactions here are understandable given Bungie's total refusal to set expectations about the scope the Live team is covering. And the protracted roll out only ratchets up expectations further.

I've put my expectations squarely on remixed and updated existing activities, and new things to do in existing spaces, and new gear. But I did so because I try to be realistic about what the Live team can deliver. The history of Destiny's rollout and DLC made it clear they were not going to be delivering new land masses via a new team on this kind of timeline - that's what the full expansions are for.

To reiterate what I said a couple days ago in the community thread, Bungie is doing themselves no favors by the way they are rolling this update out.

  • No expectation setting about the scope of the Live team.
  • Announcement of when things will be announced.
  • The live streams are a hybrid reveal / demonstration / developer commentary.
  • The BWU is where this part of the update will be clarified.

The end result is unreasonable expectations - see everyone thinking we'd be getting new landmasses - and a very protracted reveal process, which means the streams are doing triple duty.

It feels like Bungie doesn't trust their player base to tune in unless they are withholding information, and the result is the reveal schedule acts more like a long milking of our attention rather than a fun set of reveals and demos.

I think it would help everyone if they:

  • Set expectations about what the Live team will and will not be doing. (QoL updates, new gear, balancing, updates to existing activities, quests in existing spaces, events.)
  • Bullet point out the major features of the update when it's announced, so we understand the size and shape of it. ("New PVE activities" was the announcement for today)
  • Demonstrate the previously announced features, which means they won't have to announce, explain, demo and commentate on all at once.
  • Follow up in the BWU with any other insights or clarifications.

I like the team and think they are going in the right direction, and I'm genuinely excited about this update (benefits of reasonable expectations). But the way they are making this a four week announcement process for the April update is really frustrating, and just heightens the feeling that Bungie is milking the attention of the players rather than trying to stay engaged with them. The communication flow right now is really bad.

The scope is about what I expected, but it fails to solve the existing problems with the game, and it uses Taken when it really needs to maybe back up from that a bit.

The game needs a Weapon Update 3.0 that reverts many of the changes made with previous updates, as well as significant secondary weapon tweaks so snipers stop being the only thing people use. Destiny's biggest SOLVABLE problem is making loot exciting again. Right now, most of the new guns have perks that suck and rolls that are boring. I don't know anyone who likes the raid guns because they all lack stability, for instance.
 

Klyka

Banned
The new strike is literally the Shrine of Oryx mission with tweaked enemy placement and some Taken graphic effects.

Bungie is king in reusing their stuff.
 

MildSoss

Member
The Dark Zone is nothing like a Destiny raid, so comparing the two makes no sense nor does it make for a fair or adequate comparison for how matchmaking does or should work.
Then what's the excuse for this "end game" activity not to have matchmaking? From what I saw from the stream the updated Prison of elders seems extremely simple that most any team should be able to complete it.
 

Deku Tree

Member
The Dark Zone is nothing like a Destiny raid, so comparing the two makes no sense nor does it make for a fair or adequate comparison for how matchmaking does or should work.

I agree with you about new Raids.

But that PoE that we saw on stream looks really easy. Shorter and a lot easier than a Division Challenge mode story mission IMO, that has MM. I have completed numerous division Challenge modes with MM. It's great.
 
I was hoping for some gameplay changes to PoE. That mode wears out its welcome so quickly.

Outside of the new questline none of these changes seem significant. Just a higher cap to the numbers and some changes to the game's reward streams.
 

LifEndz

Member
Is PoE getting a Taken remix or is it exactly as it's always been?

This update is free so I guess I can't complain but damn if I wasn't hoping for Crota's End and Vault to get updated to the new light level. PoE is by far my least favorite of the raids or raid-like activity.
 

pantsmith

Member
I agree with you about new Raids.

But that PoE that we saw on stream looks really easy. Shorter and a lot easier than a Division Challenge mode story mission IMO, that has MM. I have completed numerous division Challenge modes with MM. It's great.

The matchmaking conversation is warranted, my only point was comparing the way it works in the Dark Zone to something that isn't the Dark Zone ignores all the fundamental design decisions that make the experience what it is.

Can PoE work with matchmaking? Sure, it already does. But if the argument is that the hardest level is meant designed around coordinated groups, I can't say I can argue against that. Skolas would have been actual hell with randos.
 

Ken

Member
So is it all just old content scaled up to current levels with some things getting a Taken skin (so spoopy)?
 

AaronMT86

Member
I went in with low expectations and came out satisfied. It's something, it's free. There's more to come. I am happy.

Looking forward to it and seeing whatever sandbox changes and patch fixes come with it.

Not sure why people are still salty.
 
I agree with you about new Raids.

But that PoE that we saw on stream looks really easy. Shorter and a lot easier than a Division Challenge mode story mission IMO, that has MM. I have completed numerous division Challenge modes with MM. It's great.

Maybe Bungie should learn to trust its player base. Outside of the raid, there should be matchmaking for everything. I don't buy any of the excuses people make
 
The matchmaking conversation is warranted, my only point was comparing the way it works in the Dark Zone to something that isn't the Dark Zone ignores all the fundamental design decisions that make the experience what it is.

Can PoE work with matchmaking? Sure, it already does. But if the argument is that the hardest level is meant designed around coordinated groups, I can't say I can argue against that. Skolas would have been actual hell with randos.


IMO the challenge mode in Divison is far harder then Skolas back in year one POE. People who use MM will find a way. I will day MM for raids with randos could be a disaster but poe? Nah, Bungie is just being stubborn on that regard. SKOLAS with randoms wouldn't be thay bad and after a few wipes, it absolutely can be done.
 

amar212

Member
I went in with low expectations and came out satisfied. It's something, it's free. There's more to come. I am happy.

Looking forward to it and seeing whatever sandbox changes and patch fixes come with it.

Not sure why people are still salty.

People are People.
 

Solrac

Member
I went in with low expectations and came out satisfied. It's something, it's free. There's more to come. I am happy.

Looking forward to it and seeing whatever sandbox changes and patch fixes come with it.

Not sure why people are still salty.

stop call it free.

TKK wast free at all, we all paid it ( and not cheap )
 

Lnkn52

Member
Game Informer Article:

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/featu...view-dives-deep-on-destiny-spring-update.aspx

Bungie is rolling out info about its Destiny April Update through a series of three live streams, the first of which just concluded. Ahead of the stream, we were able to ask some questions of Ryan Paradis, the live events lead designer who has been in charge of preparing the update, and he provided additional detail about what’s on the way. If you missed the live stream, or you want to learn a little more about what you can expect, dive on in.

This week’s content reveals zero in on new activities, so we’ve focused on those in our questions. Specific details about gear, Crucible updates, and other facets of the Destiny experience won’t be explored until later. Read ahead to learn more about the April Update’s story, what you’ll be doing as you aim to hit the new light cap of 335, changes to King’s Fall, a major update to Prison of Elders, and more.

What is the goal for the April Update? When you began development on this new content, what were the most important objectives for your team?

Our goal with the April update was to hit a few different fronts. We have a lot of fans who fell in love with exploration on the Dreadnaught, with our Strikes, and with the Prison of Elders, but they’ve moved past them. We wanted to revitalize some of these favorites, and at the same time provide new challenges and rewards. As the Live team has done in the past, we wanted to provide awesome new vanity items for players to both express themselves better, and to look like the badasses they truly are.​

Another thing that was really important for us to accomplish with this update was to provide players more choices in how to become more powerful. The raid is a great endgame option, because it’s challenging, requires tons of coordination, and features our most complex mechanics, but for players who aren’t routinely raiding, we wanted to provide viable endgame gear upgrade options in Prison of Elders, Strikes, the Court of Oryx, and Crucible activities.​


What’s the top-level story idea for the April Update? How does the new story content dovetail from the events of The Taken King release?

The focus for the April update is on the Reef and what’s going on there after the devastation. While they’re beaten, they’re not down for the count, and Variks will be guiding you through the update. Although Oryx is dead, the Taken are still as strong as ever, and Variks is tasking you to stop them from resurging. The new story is intended to provide a small continuation of the Taken King storyline, and dovetail into our new Strike and Prison of Elders content.

Will there be new Grimoire cards to acquire?

With everything we’ve added in this update, there are of course new Grimoire Cards to further expound on the deeper lore of Destiny. I don’t want to spoil any of the new lore, but there are new grimoire cards for some of the new activities, some of the gear you’ll encounter, and even some bosses you’ll be fighting. We know how passionate the fans are about the lore we put in the Grimoire, and wanted to make sure to scratch that itch with this update, too.​

What’s the concept behind the Blighted Chalice strike?

Variks is going to leverage your particular set of skills to track down a new Taken threat. The Blighted Chalice Strike is the conclusion of that questline.​

King’s Fall is being updated with gear that goes up to light value 330. Are these the same pieces that were previously available in the raid, but at a higher level? Or are there new gear pieces/weapons? Have the King’s Fall fights themselves changed at all? Will this version of King’s Fall (with 330 gear) be a third difficulty?

With the increase in overall light, both current difficulties will be adjusted to provide additional challenge and commensurate rewards. The Challenge Modes will still be available, but we aren’t adding a third difficulty tier, or any new encounters.​

How will Court of Oryx change? Can you tell us anything about any of the new bosses or fights that Guardians might encounter there? Is the highest level fight still triggered with an Antiquated Rune?

With Court of Oryx, Guardians will continue summoning enemies with existing runes. No changes there. We have boosted the drops coming out of the Court to better prepare Guardians for the other challenges we’ve setup in this update, though.​


How is Prison of Elders changing with the new update? Can players use matchmaking for either or both of the new PoE game modes? How is scoring handled in the Prison of Elders score challenge mode?

Prison of Elders is seeing a fair amount of updates in our April release.

First off, we’ve heard the players who were bummed that Prison was no longer a challenge after level 34. With that in mind, we’ve added a new level 41 version of the Prison of Elders.

In addition, Variks has been collecting Taken combatants for the Prison. Launching into the Level 41 Prison of Elders has the potential to put you up against the Taken, with brand new bosses and mechanics, and players will be able to matchmake into the level 41 version of the Prison of Elders.

For the Challenge of the Elders, players will need to gather a fireteam to face a different version of the Prison. Each week you’ll face down three different bosses, with new skulls and bonus modifiers active. One week, you could face a Hive Knight as part of the three battles who summons mines and bounces players around the arena, and Guardians have the Small Arms skull and a score bonus to precision kills. Another week, you may encounter a newly augmented Servitor that warps around the arena and drops bouncing grenades if Guardians draw too near, but Grounded skill is active and Guardians get a bonus to all melee kills.

Each week players will face a different set of bosses, a different set of mechanics, all in pursuit of a high score. We intend to create sixteen weeks without repeats, and each week’s changing mechanics will require players to re-gear and re-make their build in order to come out ahead. All kinds of actions will earn you points, including precision kills, melee kills, use of your super, assists, and more. By gearing and playing properly, you’ll ensure your team earns a reward and has a place on the leaderboards amongst your friends and clan.

On top of this, Variks is offering bounties guiding players to the Prison activities to help them boost their reputation gains and offer even more in the way of reward opportunities.​

It sounds as if one or more of the Reef vendors may be seeing some changes. Can you detail what players can expect out of the vendors in the update?

Right! Variks is the one guiding you through all of this, and his inventory has received quite the facelift. He’s got the House of Judgement reputation now, and all of his gear has been updated. More on that in week two of our Twitch shows.​

Will the April Update feature any changes to the sandbox and/or balancing for classes or weapon types, and if so, when can we expect to learn the details of those changes?

Just like all of our past Live updates, the Sandbox team has been watching the players and reviewing data. We’ll roll many of the big ticket items out in show three, and of course, we’ll publish our patch notes for those looking for all the nitty gritty details.​

In addition to new weapons and armor, can players expect any new cosmetic items in the April Update? Is there the possibility for new ships, or the availability of ships like Fatal Vision that seem currently unobtainable? Any new sparrows, emblems, or shaders?

The Live team has definitely been hard at work for new vanity items for your Guardians, including ships, Sparrows, and new visual gear we’re not quite ready to discuss yet. Next week we’ll delve more into the rewards, what they are, how they work, and who you’ll have to smush to get them.​

The initial reveal for the April Update last week showed off what appears to be Guardians with a Taken-style shader. If that is a shader, what is it called, and can you tell us anything about how it is obtained?

There are a few Taken-inspired items player will be encountering in this update. I’m really not allowed to spoil anything yet, but next week we’ll be able to address that in much more detail.​

We hear that next week may bring some information about the specific new gear coming in the April Update. Any particularly cool items or weapons you’d like to tease in advance of next week’s reveal?

I think I’ve teased all I’m allowed to without being on the receiving end of some wrath… I can say I’m extremely excited about some of the new vanity options players will get on some of the armor with this update. My Titan will be wrecking house in style come April 12th. I hope to see you there, too!​
 

Two Words

Member
Doing high end game content matachmaking isnt going to work. thats why you get a group of your friends so you can coordinate
The necessary tactics needed to complete stuff in Destiny has always been overblown. What always happens is that a new challemging thing is made, people eventually figure out an easy way to beat it, and the populace adjusts to it.
 

ERMint13

Member
IMO the challenge mode in Divison is far harder then Skolas back in year one POE. People who use MM will find a way. I will day MM for raids with randos could be a disaster but poe? Nah, Bungie is just being stubborn on that regard. SKOLAS with randoms wouldn't be thay bad and after a few wipes, it absolutely can be done.

But it has problems. People getting kicked at the end for friends of party leader is probably the worst. You can solve it by being host but most just always quickmatch and join.

People quit often during challenge mode. Lincoln Tunnel is probably the only CM I've matched where the randoms didn't quit repeatedly.

No one talks during CM making it harder to do. Carrying 3 dudes who do dumb stuff repeatedly is frustrating. I've made it through Lincoln Tunnel in 20 minutes or 45 minutes. The groups being random can be insanely frustrating.

People on DestinyGAF had lots of problems clearing Skolas at times. Some people went at it for hours do to no checkpoint only to fail.

All that said I'll wait until the free update to get back into Destiny and depending on how good it is will dictate if I stay or go. Division is good for now.
 
Top Bottom