I don’t see that stuff as relevant to Destiny as it may seem.

Other than day one raiding with the Contest mode and maybe GM Nightfalls, nothing in Destiny requires optimization. Sure, it happens, and the “Need 150 clears, all Triumphs, Flawless, and Gjallarhorn” LFF memes exist for a reason, but it’s so unnecessary. Normal raids could be completed with all blue gear and no mods with terrible stat distribution.

I can’t speak for anyone else, but I don’t chase anything in Destiny because it’s necessary, but because it allows for more fun. My current Titan Arc build allows me to have almost 100% uptime on both my melee and grenade abilities. That wouldn’t be possible without high stat gear with correct stat distribution. It’s not needed for anything I actually do in the game, but it sure is a lot of fucking fun! I’m an unkillable Thunder God that makes Thor look like a punk, and that’s fun.

I’ll have to make time to watch that video. I also have never played WoW, but other than streamers doing day one raids, I’ve never really seen optimization pushed in Destiny that hard.

So I haven't watched the video yet, but based on your description this sounds very much like experiences I've had with Destiny in the past. Mostly with raiding but occasionally with other higher-difficulty activities.

I probably wouldn't have thought to describe what I do with Destiny as "role playing" but I guess it kinda is. Generally for any given subclass I'll have one or more character builds in DIM. These tend to revolve around a playstyle. Operating at a certain range, using certain exotics/perks/abilities, etc. And I tend to get pretty specific with the weapon types. USUALLY I try to cover all my bases re: engagement range because even if I intend to play up close there'll inevitably be something plinking away at me from a distance and I might need to account for that. So my defender Titan that mostly runs around with a sidearm with Grave Robber throwing shields and punching things for healing and reloads (because who has time to stop for that) always has a scout rifle in the energy slot for things he can't reach, just as an example. I've always done things this way and it works for me. Whatever build I'm running, I instinctively know what my options are. I've always had a sidearm and scout rifle so I know what to do. I think I almost NEED to do things this way. If I don't I find myself swapping to the wrong thing mid firefight and not being effective.

You can probably see how this hasn't always been compatible with the "OK everyone equip current meta weapon before we start Atheon" crowd. I don't want to equip Sleeper Simulant on my Titan, he doesn't use linear fusion rifles. The thing is, those people aren't WRONG. They want to play the optimized way. But I learned those groups weren't the place for me.

Long video (a bit too long, it could definitely be more efficient in communicating the ideas), but interesting and definitely applicable to Destiny.

TL;DW

•There are different types of play. For the experience, and for the goals.
•World of Warcraft ostensibly supports both these. For instance, gear chasers, but also role players (example given was someone who played a dwarf and never put on boots, to remain barefoot).
•Playing for the goal leads to optimization.
•The best players set the strategies, and this meta becomes the norm through social pressures.
•This pushes out playing for the experience. Folks yelled at the dwarf to put on some boots to boost his stats, and one healer got kicked out over a 0.9% difference in healing.
•Mod support for WoW feeds into the optimization, as players create mods to alter the game interface, and what metrics are displayed. For instance, threat level, realtime DPS, etc. This exacerbates not only the social pressures, but the encounter designs themselves, since it's assumed everyone is using them. The mods themselves either trivialize certain mechanics (threat), or destroy the aesthetics of the game. Aesthetics are further destroyed when players turn down graphical options to give themselves an edge.
*Thus, over time social pressures push players toward the 'meta' and leave little room for experience oriented play, and undermine the game's aesthetics through the mod use. Stats are used for WoW classic, vs WoW in the past. Everyone is classic is essentially playing the meta and is hardcore.

Everything in the video SEEMS correct, however I've never played WoW so I can't say for sure. But the arguments are certainly logical, and demonstrably apply to other games with goal based or competitive multiplayer elements.

I suppose the big question is WHY such games have to be so goal oriented versus experience oriented. There's an answer I suspect, but am too lazy to examine further right now.

As the game started focusing on Dungeons where I was going to have to really up my game to keep up with my friends putting more hours in than I was, I just said "no".

...but here goes:

I was an off-tank for a guild (10 and 25-man raid), and we (along with DPS and healers) were not expected, but required, to have watched several videos on the mechanics of a given encounter prior to attempting it. Not knowing those mechanics would get you yelled at (at best.) Regardless of class / role, you were expected to play the correct subclass, have the correct weapons, and perform the correct rotations.

In my case, I had to play PvP (which I didn't enjoy) in order to acquire the correct weapon for my role. We're talking hours of the equivalent of Trials.

I also had to reach a certain reputation level with a faction ("exalted") which required about 45 minutes a day (time locked) for six weeks in order to get a particular item, without which tanking the end game encounter was impossible. No substitutions.

Certain 3rd-party addons were a requirement, some of which communicated to the raid leader your healing / DPS / agro stats in real time, with feedback being received in real time.

Around the time I started playing (2006-ish, Burning Crusade), Blizz decided to make end-game gear equivalents available to people merely willing to grind endless quests, patrols, and faction reputations. In other words, you didn't _have_ to raid to get the best gear, just play a lot, a LOT.

Perhaps it was my luck, but in general, my interaction with WoW players (in guild or in "pub" activities) created my belief that WoW has one of the most toxic online communities I've ever experienced.

The WoW population started dwindling over the first few years I played because the complexity of subclasses, talents, and gear, made it prohibitive to "get into it." I feel that Destiny is at that point, but I don't know the numbers.

Early on in Destiny, I was amazed that Bungie created this type of game but where weapons behaved identically in PvP and PvE -- something Blizzard never was able to accomplish with WoW. I was also amazed that you could do relatively well in crucible with blue weapons -- something impossible to accomplish in WoW.

In terms of monetization, WoW did some things which I think would work very well with Destiny. For example, you could buy an item from the store, say the equivalent of a sparrow, which was could be purchased as a gift -- you could "wrap" the item and you could trade it -- gift it -- to another player.

There are also "barbers" which allow a player, in exchange for gold, to change their hair.

For those of you who haven't seen it, this is a classic "raid gone wrong" video