On negative feelings, D1 to D2. /long (Criticism)

by Harmanimus , Friday, January 19, 2018, 09:25 (2286 days ago) @ cheapLEY

It is wholly fair to assess that at least some of the problem is caused by the game itself, but I homestly don’t think it is the actual reward systems that are the problem. I would suggest that the issues with fun in D2 are related entirely to how D2 minimized D1’s gear systems.

The more varied and the more “cool” things you do, usually the more fun that equates to, unless the core loop is sufficiently enjoyable to an individual to override variety and wow moments. Varied content is lacking in D2, though it has a better start in some regards than D1, and it can’t compare to D1Y3 yet. PvP feels less varied, as do strikes. And other than Flashpoints there is very little mix up in patrol spaces.

Now, doing cool things is more subjective and a few ways this can be handled. The first time you play a mission or do a Strike can be a wow moment. The first time a variable in a strike gives you a different encounter could be one. First Heroic version of a Public event or your first Raid, and each step through it. These moments are finite, however, so they hinge on variety and expanding existing content to keep people having them.

Outside of event moments you have player actions. D2 has a pretty wide variety of these which you can find, and ymmv, but they are out there. My issue with the way D2 handles them, however, is narrow scopes. For me, Orpheus Rig is basically the most fun Hunter Exotic, period. Chaining supers is cathartic and actually makes me feel powerful again. Most of these moments are from synergy between an exotic and a class perk. Skullfort and maining your shoulder is also excetionally satisfying, though less biable in higher challenge content. Winter’s Guile/Devour is popular. Peacekeepers and Lucky Pants for no need to reload are fun, too.

This is getting long, but I’m getting to the crux of why I think most people don’t have as much consistent fun with D2 as they had with D1. And I know I’ve said this here before, at least in other terms. But the issue is a drop in variety, mixed with less moments of excitement, and I put the blame on that to boring weapons and less abilities - both in regard to skill trees as well as rate of use. There are no longer emergent experiences with new weapons due both from everything being unlocked from the start and having less perks-per-weapon. Oh, and a single set perk that does anything interesting, instead of two which interact.

I do feel things are getting better, but it is slowly. Recent news is encouraging, but that doesn’t fix the current core loop and so a lot of people shift focus from those awesome watercooler moments to feeling like you aren’t being rewarded fairly for your time. So yeah. It isn’t all you. There are definitely elements to the game that are leaving sour tastes, but if the core loop were more enjoyable, I think the focus on reward issues would diminish because the rewards go back to being icing for most of the experience.