Bungie Weekly Update - 11/13/2014

This week at Bungie, our Weekly Update found a new home.

If you've played Destiny since launch, you may have noticed a pattern in the chaos. Every Friday, we open a window into our world to share a little bit of what's going on. We talk about what's on our minds or drop hints about what you might find on our workbenches. Sometimes, the news is groundbreaking. Other times, what you see here are the ramblings of crazy people wandering around inside their own demented minds.

If you've been following Bungie for longer than that, you know that this is one of our favorite traditions - a greedy heartbeat between people who make games and the people who play them. For over a decade, we've been mixing it up and keeping you close. It's become a hallowed ritual in our minds.

That will still happen (forever). It's just gonna happen on Thursdays from now on. Please reconfigure your calendars. Reset your alarms. Clear the table of all other Internet nonsense, and save room for ours.

The wants and needs of the Bungie Community have changed. You're a far more global population of armed combatants than we've ever served. Delivering our most important message after many of you have put your week to bed just didn't feel right anymore. And, really, happy hour happens when you need it most.

Thursdate? Thupdate? Would you believe that Urk and I had a huge fight about that? Regardless of your name, welcome to your new home, Bungie Weekly Update. Let's get down to brass tacks.

Iron Banner 2.0

Lord Saladin is poised for a return to the Tower. This time, his reappearance will be intentional. After a surprise ambush during what was supposed to be his sabbatical, we sent him packing again. More work was left to be done to realize his new potential. 

Some of that work happened today during a planned maintenance window. If the next Destiny Updates stick their landing, we'll light his shield again very soon. You'll be invited to approach his altar of war and glory by the end of next week, if all goes well.

Days ago, I stepped into a place we call Hive. Inside Bungie, what used to be an executive war room secreted away behind sturdy double-doors has become a playtest lab. All are now welcome, but all who enter are expected to fight. It's a place where our cabal of designers locks horns to see what works in our game - and what doesn't. We also like to see who among us is the best.

It was the perfect setting to give the new Iron Banner a dance. Standing at left is Tyson Green. Weeks ago, he made some promises for how we intended to buff Iron Banner. With a package that you'll install on Monday, we'll be making a bid to keep them. As always, you'll be the Judge. To wield that gavel, you're gonna need to gear up.

[Disclaimer: Photo for illustration purposes only. It is widely known that DeeJ is not a brutish Titan, nor does he have a full suite of Raid gear. As you were.]

Here's a confirmation of everything you'll need to know if you're to prosper in the new, improved, and exceedingly dangerous Iron Banner:

Power. Does. Matter! (no, really)

• Only players Level 20 and above can lead a Fireteam
  
• Players below Level 20 can accompany more powerful friends
  
• Players within 3 Levels can be competitive with each other
  
• Your DEFENSE rating affects how you take damage 
  
  • Wear your best (highest rated) armor
  • Players out of your league will seem like a Boss
• Your ATTACK rating affects how you inflict damage
  
  • Equip your best (highest rated) weapons
  • Lower-level players wielding fully-upgraded weapons should still be considered a very credible threat!

Claim victory to gain reputation.

• Lord Saladin now has five ranks to obtain through victory
  
• Your previous Iron Banner rank has been preserved
  
• The Tempered buff is a twelve-hour boost in reputation gains
  
• Activate Tempered later during the event to catch up faster
  

Acquire exclusive Iron Banner rewards.

• Increase your Rank to unlock better gear
  
• Reforge weapons to reset progression with new perks
  
• Earn gauntlets and boots to move you closer to Level 30
  
• See Lord Saladin for details!
  

Quitters never win.

• Reputation gains are only awarded only to the winners
  
• Defeat grants a token to be redeemed after a future win 
  
• You can carry up to five Iron Medallions at any time
  
• Partial reputation gains are earned instantly upon victory
  

Strike while the Iron is hot.

• Your reputation will be reset at the conclusion of this Iron Banner
  
• Like any competitive activity, each new event is a chance to regain your standing
  

Sound good? Feeling brave? 

Good. Be at the ready. We promise that you might get twenty-four hours advance notice before the resumption of hostilities. Maybe.

Please stay tuned for updates as we deploy downloads to your console.

We Really Need To Chat

Before we lure you back to the most competitive challenge to be found in the Crucible to date, we'll be opening a hailing frequency between you and other Guardians. It's no secret that that the team who communicates with each other tends to win with each other. When used strategically, your most important weapon can be your voice.

On Monday, November 17th, we'll be delivering the first of several Destiny updates scheduled for this month. This one will contain a Beta test for a new feature that will let you access a voice channel shared by the players you meet via Matchmaking. Click the Ghost to get the full story.

In summary: Navigation mode will connect you with willing allies on your side of a matchmade conflict - be it against man or beast. If they want to talk to you, the path will now exist. The question becomes: Will they choose it?

Think of this as a trial step into a more vocal world. We know that matchmade teammates aren't the only people in Destiny to whom you want to speak. Your Mom told you never to talk to strangers. We think she was probably right, but we're willing to provide you with an option where you need it for tactical gain.

Time will tell. We'll be listening.

Tricks Up Sleeves

Next week, we'll also let slip something we've been keeping a secret.

Did you acquire a Destiny collector's edition that included an Expansion Pass? Did you acquire an Expansion Pass separately since then? If you have, we've got a special surprise for you. If you have not, but think you might still help yourself to The Dark Below, you'll also be invited to enjoy.

The details are still secured in a crate. Early next week, the information we're guarding will fly through the air with the greatest of ease. When it lands, we want there to be no doubt that this is for you, and that you'll have a chance to enjoy it first.

We want to make sure that you traverse the next leg of your journey in outrageous style.

You Da Real DOC

It was a busy week in the Destiny Operations Center. We chased bugs. We updated our systems. We even took our own servers offline for several hours to rehab Lord Saladin's Legendary Weapon kiosk. Let's hear from the team who monitors the installation around the clock.

The latest Companion App update brought a makeover for the menus, as well as an easier way to recover from the "classified" condition on player stats. With the redesign, the Advisors and Stats have been moved to the main menu, and the Vault is now available via "the Tower'" screen. The Time Played statistics have been removed from the app, but is still available for viewing on your Bungie.net profile. 

Speaking of the Companion App, players are reporting issues with the Companion not updating their weekly event timers, and we are happy to help explain how to refresh your Companion App data. We have more help articles on Companion App questions that you can check out on the Bungie Help main page by typing "companion" into our handy search bar. 

We're aware that some people are having difficulty hearing some of their Fireteam members in chat. Sometimes this issue is due to audio settings, but other times it may be caused by someone having a strict NAT Type. Strict or Type 3 NATs will present a harder time giving you the best possible experience, including voice chat with all players in your Fireteam. To learn about NAT Types and how to change them for a better Destiny experience, visit our NAT guide today. If you cannot find a help article that answers your questions, please stop by the Help forum.

The door to the DOC is usually closed, but our forum is always open. Unless we take it down for maintenance, of course. That's our prerogative.

Alpha and Omega

Picture in the eye of your mind a Hive Knight. Three green eyes burn a hole into your bravery through the darkness. That hulking form encased in calcified armor is like an apparition from a long-forgotten nightmare. They're quite real, however, as evidenced by the fact that they charge your position when you invade their citadel. 

OmegaX711 is a Guardian who stands their ground. To date, 32,486 have met their end at the hands that wield an exotic arsenal. That's a lot of Bounties - enough Knights to populate a small town. For this gamer, the entire Hellmouth is a loot cave. This is exactly the sort of ally you'd want in your Fireteam in the weeks to come. If you haven't heard, we're sending you back into the depths of the Hive stronghold to dismantle their best laid schemes.

You ready? You know that this Warlock is good to go.

Busy times ahead next week. Updates for you to download and apply. Announcements for you to enjoy. New battles for you to wage.

Talk to you again soon. On Thursday, even.

Thursdate? Thupdate? Urk?