Under-Lighted Missions (Destiny)
So, I had been a little disappointing that there was no longer a "Hard" option for the story missions, as I usually like to struggle a bit and have to get creative when playing them for the first time. So, I was finally a high enough light level (~210) to attempt the daily story mission (240 light) last night. I figured that would be a pretty good challenge.
Things went pretty badly. I managed to make my way to the final battle room after about 45 minutes, at which point the more aggressive enemies/boss spawned in and I got slaughtered almost instantly. I tried a few more times to see if I could find a spot to safely approach the fight, but didn't get anywhere, and then I was luckily disconnected from the Destiny servers, preventing myself from any further self-inflicted torture.
So, if you are trying to get up to Raid level for tomorrow (not sure what it is, speculation is 280?), at 30 light short you are going to have a tough time.
Other lessons:
At some point during the mission, I was running out of special ammo, so I tried switching to Icebreaker. Icebreaker (high-impact) was doing a lot more damage than the 200-light sniper (low impact) I was using, even at 170. This highlights how (I think?) the new light system works: all damage is based on the light average of your gear and the stats of the weapons, not the individual weapon levels. With the increase in items that matter to your stats (average of 9 items), you may be able to afford to use a powerful Y1 weapon. If you average 280 light, using one 170 Y1 weapon decreases your average to 268, just a 4% decrease (which I think somebody noted before the expansion came out, but it makes more sense now that I've seen it in action). However, the 4% number may be misleading, as your damage is dependent on the relative light level between you and your opponent, so if the 12 point drop gets you to a high enough difference, you may be doing 100% less damage.
Please correct me if I'm totally wrong.
Under-Lighted Missions
by MacAddictXIV 
, Seattle WA, Thursday, September 17, 2015, 14:52 (3167 days ago) @ squidnh3
So, I had been a little disappointing that there was no longer a "Hard" option for the story missions, as I usually like to struggle a bit and have to get creative when playing them for the first time.
Unless you are looking for a really "hard" options for story missions, I noticed there is a higher difficulty for the TTK missions that is set to 220 I think. I never tried it when I was playing them because I was way to under leveled to try them.
gally still wrecks too
I beat the final boss in the story solo while wearing The Ram, ToO gloves and chest, and VoG boots, with The Messenger, The Supremacy, and Gally as my weapons.
Under-Lighted Missions
by CruelLEGACEY , Toronto, Thursday, September 17, 2015, 15:50 (3167 days ago) @ squidnh3
At some point during the mission, I was running out of special ammo, so I tried switching to Icebreaker. Icebreaker (high-impact) was doing a lot more damage than the 200-light sniper (low impact) I was using, even at 170. This highlights how (I think?) the new light system works: all damage is based on the light average of your gear and the stats of the weapons, not the individual weapon levels. With the increase in items that matter to your stats (average of 9 items), you may be able to afford to use a powerful Y1 weapon. If you average 280 light, using one 170 Y1 weapon decreases your average to 268, just a 4% decrease (which I think somebody noted before the expansion came out, but it makes more sense now that I've seen it in action). However, the 4% number may be misleading, as your damage is dependent on the relative light level between you and your opponent, so if the 12 point drop gets you to a high enough difference, you may be doing 100% less damage.
Please correct me if I'm totally wrong.
My understanding, based on Luke Smith's comments in a recent Game Informer podcast, is that your total light level does effect your damage output, but the damage rating of the weapon itself weighs in heavily. He didn't get in to specifics or percentages or anything, but my takeaway was that using an Icebreaker while having a light level of 260, you'll do more damage than you could at 200. But a weapon with equal impact and a higher rating than icebreaker will do more damage, assuming your total light level is the same.
Under-Lighted Missions
by Xenos , Shores of Time, Thursday, September 17, 2015, 17:26 (3167 days ago) @ CruelLEGACEY
My understanding, based on Luke Smith's comments in a recent Game Informer podcast, is that your total light level does effect your damage output, but the damage rating of the weapon itself weighs in heavily. He didn't get in to specifics or percentages or anything, but my takeaway was that using an Icebreaker while having a light level of 260, you'll do more damage than you could at 200. But a weapon with equal impact and a higher rating than icebreaker will do more damage, assuming your total light level is the same.
Can confirm partially. My 280 Stillpiercer and 290 Boolean Gemini do WAY more than other guns, even if I'm at a similar light level.
Under-Lighted Missions
So why were we instructed not to shard our Y1 stuff then? Or even to have the Y1 blueprint thing? I'm just confused why Bungie went through all the trouble to rebalance their perks, only to doubly render them obsolete anyway via the light level calc.
1 possible Answer *Side Quest Spoil*
The gunsmith gives you a quest at rank 2 and rank 3. Part of that quest is dismantling rare or legendary weapons. the weapons you have to dismantle are different for each class.
yr 1 weapons count towards the quest
1 possible Answer *Side Quest Spoil*
by DiscipleN2k , Edmond, OK, Thursday, September 17, 2015, 23:16 (3166 days ago) @ Schedonnardus
The gunsmith gives you a quest at rank 2 and rank 3. Part of that quest is dismantling rare or legendary weapons. the weapons you have to dismantle are different for each class.
yr 1 weapons count towards the quest
It's too bad I saved all of those for the Take King, and then sharded them before I got that quest :(
-Disciple
Under-Lighted Missions
by narcogen 
, Andover, Massachusetts, Thursday, September 17, 2015, 23:19 (3166 days ago) @ CruelLEGACEY
At some point during the mission, I was running out of special ammo, so I tried switching to Icebreaker. Icebreaker (high-impact) was doing a lot more damage than the 200-light sniper (low impact) I was using, even at 170. This highlights how (I think?) the new light system works: all damage is based on the light average of your gear and the stats of the weapons, not the individual weapon levels. With the increase in items that matter to your stats (average of 9 items), you may be able to afford to use a powerful Y1 weapon. If you average 280 light, using one 170 Y1 weapon decreases your average to 268, just a 4% decrease (which I think somebody noted before the expansion came out, but it makes more sense now that I've seen it in action). However, the 4% number may be misleading, as your damage is dependent on the relative light level between you and your opponent, so if the 12 point drop gets you to a high enough difference, you may be doing 100% less damage.
Please correct me if I'm totally wrong.
My understanding, based on Luke Smith's comments in a recent Game Informer podcast, is that your total light level does effect your damage output, but the damage rating of the weapon itself weighs in heavily.
That is also what I thought... but it sure doesn't feel that way.
I had a similar experience as in the OP-- I went into the Daily Heroic, was getting my butt handed to me, and switched to Ice Breaker and immediately started wrecking things. Later on I used Gyllenhaal to take out an Echo of Oryx before he could even spawn any adds.
Your light level and the weapon's other characteristics-- NOT base attack-- seem to be the important things now. Old guns, as long as you only equip one of them, are still way better than any of the new stuff I've seen so far.
He didn't get in to specifics or percentages or anything, but my takeaway was that using an Icebreaker while having a light level of 260, you'll do more damage than you could at 200. But a weapon with equal impact and a higher rating than icebreaker will do more damage, assuming your total light level is the same.
...and a new sniper with equal range and impact to Ice Breaker is...
Thousand yard stare or whatever.