Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand (Destiny)

by narcogen , Andover, Massachusetts, Monday, September 04, 2017, 19:24 (2689 days ago) @ Cody Miller

Long term engagement with finite content means repetition. Repetition with finite content and progression means introducing a random element so that progression is not keyed lockstep to content completion. (Progression here can me not just light level, but the continued accumulation of sets of armor and weapons that permit for varying gameplay styles).

Yes! You finally see why designing for long term engagement is a bad goal for any video game. Although, as Halo has proven, there are ways to foster self generated long term engagement: by making your game really awesome and dynamic. Oh, maybe I'll try AotCR without the tank this time! Etc.

No, I don't. I'm just demonstrating that I understand your argument even though I think it's nonsense.

The kind of long-term engagement in Destiny as opposed to Halo is absolutely not the same, and I'm pretty sure Bungie could back that up with hard numbers even if I can't.

In my own personal experience, these are not the same things at all. Even if I also thought Destiny could use more content and less repetition, there is no way Halo was as engaging on the same level. At this point I've put more hours into Destiny than I ever did into Halo even despite its obvious shortcomings, partially because of the long-term engagement and partly because cooperative play over a WAN actually works in Destiny whereas in Halo it's a nightmarish slideshow.

On no level would I acknowledge that "designing for long term engagement is a bad goal" either from a gameplay or a commercial perspective.