Just like Diablo II gear… (Destiny)

by RaichuKFM , Northeastern Ohio, Thursday, July 31, 2014, 22:33 (3557 days ago) @ Cody Miller

Another reason why investment systems suck big time. They always incentivize gaming the system and optimization over just enjoying the experience.

I wouldn't say always, but certainly much too often.

I would say always. I have yet to see a single investment system that makes any game better.

I'd argue D&D, but I could easily see someone pointing out that with tabletop games' much more flexible rules (by their nature) than video games it is much easier to accomodate different playstyles more equally, and one could probably further add that vanilla D&D doesn't do that perfectly well (more out of balance issues than versatility ones, though.)

More generally, it comes down to what makes something enjoyable for a person. Sure, pure gameplay is fun and giving us all the toys at the start is one way to do it, but its not the only way to do it. Look at Minecraft; some people prefer Creative mode because they are invincible, can fly, and have infinite resources, while others prefer Survival mode where they have to gather those resources. Obviously some people merely prefer Survival because of its combat mechanics or reasons other than earning what they use to create, but it isn't a perfect analogy. What I'm trying to get at is that some people find progression in and of itself to be fun, and if the gameplay is fun then the game will be.

Some games do make it so that there are only a few viable endgame options, and that isn't fun. A way around that though is to keep several "endgame" pieces of equipment of similar overall effectiveness but still with wide degrees of variation. And I mean variation within categories, which, judging from the Beta, Destiny at least has the capacity to provide. I'd point to armor that gives a lower bonus but has an ability; wide differences between uncommon weapons of the same type; the different abilities weapons had semi-randomly assigned.

But I think this really does come down to a subjective, as long as Destiny avoids the above-mentioned pitfall or similar snags. There isn't really a right answer to "get everything now" or "earn them", and so I think there are plenty of games that did investment systems well that you wouldn't like.

Finally, (not a complaint), but for having gone dark you're still pretty dang active.