Destiny: The Random Psychology of the Game Design Paradigm (Gaming)

by CruelLEGACEY , Toronto, Monday, October 20, 2014, 09:00 (3475 days ago) @ INSANEdrive

I think Destiny's end game was designed in such a way that it paints itself into a very interesting corner.

When we look at the things Jason Jones has said about the end game, it all makes sense within a certain context. I can see the train of thought:

* People replayed Halo missions like crazy.
* Therefore, people are going to replay Destiny missions like crazy.
* Therefore, it would be nice to give people rewards and bonuses for replaying these missions.

The flaw in this train of thought is that it doesn't account for human nature: as soon as upgrades, levels, and collectable gear are offered to the player, they are not seen as "bonuses". They are goals; things to be earned. Level 30 is not just something you will hit eventually as a reward for playing, it is a target that requires thought and planning and a lot of deliberately structured play.

So now the focus shifts. People aren't exclusively playing the parts of the game they enjoy, just for the heck of it. They're playing the stuff they need to play in order to progress. And that makes all the difference in the world. I enjoy the crucible from time to time as a bit of a pallet cleanser. But in my urgency to rank up, I've found myself playing more than I naturally would in order to earn marks so I can buy gear. Now, PvP is a chore to me. I've had to make a conscious decision not play PvP unless I want to. As a result, my progress through the end game has slowed. I feel like I'm being punished for playing the parts of the game I want to play.

This is where bounties, materials, and collectables come in to play. As others have pointed out, bounties (or achievements) come with a cost. They can add variety, sure. But they also encourage behavior that can be problematic, especially in PvP. Once again, players are forced into a corner where playing the game the way they want to play is not enough to progress. We have to play the way we are told, or miss out on the payouts/rewards.

All of these decisions pull Destiny's end game away from what Jason Jones described in the 2013 interview.