Dat completionist mentality (Destiny)

by CruelLEGACEY , Toronto, Monday, March 09, 2015, 23:23 (3357 days ago) @ Kermit
edited by CruelLEGACEY, Monday, March 09, 2015, 23:27

I've said this before, but Destiny + person with strong completionist mentality = new heights of frustration. I think the approach you and Claude are describing is a far more enjoyable, perhaps even healthier way to approach Destiny. I think the players who often have problems with Destiny's end game/upgrade system are those who can't tune out the carrots on sticks. This is something I struggle with myself. I'm a huge supporter of the "if it's not fun, don't do it" school of thought. And yet, when I pull up my equipment screen and I see weapons sitting there un-leveled, it bothers me. Literally, it bothers me. And that's kind of insane.

But to Cody's point, Bungie baked this form of "reward" system right into the game. The first 20-30 hours are a constant stream of new gear, new missions unlocked, level up, more new gear, new planet, upgraded gear, new powers to use... And then it just stops. Worse, it doesn't stop in a way that feels satisfying (because the story and missions themselves aren't particularly satisfying). The only way to continue the positive feedback loop is to continue leveling up, but that stops. So you focus on getting all the guns, but then you either succeed or get too frustrated to care about the few that you're still missing. So what's left? Upgrading all your stuff.

Now, the REAL reason I keep playing is that I adore the combat in Destiny, the Raids are spectacular, and the strikes are mostly a lot of fun. There is plenty of end game fun to be had here. I just feel that the "investment system" ends up being more of a detriment in the long run.