The missing ingredient (Destiny)

by Kermit , Raleigh, NC, Tuesday, October 04, 2016, 18:01 (2961 days ago) @ Cody Miller

You enjoy so little of it, Cody, that I'm beginning to think that Destiny is not the game for you. Too often I see people who can’t decide that and move on. If someone doesn’t like, say, Destiny or Halo 5 or whatever, that thing must be dismissed or labeled as broken over and over and those who like it ridiculed and shamed.

In the case of Destiny, though, let’s think about what it is. It is primarily a social game. It is designed to be played with others, preferably friends. I’m not criticizing Destiny or the wonderful people on this forum, when I say that I think the people who have the most ideal experience of Destiny are those who have friends who play--friends who have a similar schedule and skill level, friends whose company they enjoy, in real life and while playing the game. Actual friends, in other words. Friends who would be friends with or without Destiny. (I don’t quite feel like one of those people, BTW. I feel like I have friends here, but whether it’s schedules or skill levels or what have you, I feel like I have to struggle to find five people who have the patience to wait for me in order to carry me through a raid unspoiled.)

Let’s call these people who play with their friends Destiny’s core fans. The core fans played the same activities in Halo 2 and Halo 3 almost nightly because they had fun doing it, especially with friends. Some of the core fans care about the same things you care about--improving, mastering the game, and so on, but that’s not their focus. Many of the core fans hit a plateau of mastery long ago, and don’t care that they did. They just plain enjoy playing Destiny for the fun of it. A big part of that is it’s a hobby that they can enjoy with friends. And unlike Halo games, Destiny has something new—a progression system. Love it or hate it, drops provide a metagame that some of us gearheads enjoy for what it is, which is gravy on top of the fun we already having (because we’re playing with friends, remember?).

You described the boring activities, but you know what I know? When I get bored I stop doing what I’m doing, and even with the pressure to level up, I’ve yet to be bored playing The Rise of Iron. There’s always a new weapon or strategy I’m trying out. And then there’s the missing ingredient: when I’m playing with friends, I don’t really care if we get the same strike again. It’s a chance to do it better, and push comes to shove, I enjoy the time regardless.

Don’t you and your friends have a favorite bar you like to go, not because it’s new and different, but because it’s familiar? Or are you the guy who everyone has to accommodate because you’ve already had all the beers they offer on tap, and you want to go to the new place across town. I mean, that’s fine, but you might not have the social experience in the other bar, and that may be fine with you, too. Really, though, if your friends stay at the familiar bar, is there really much to gain by trashing their choice?