Levels

by Phoenix_9286 , Saturday, February 23, 2013, 23:43 (4289 days ago) @ ZackDark

I recommend you looking into Borderlands and check how leveling up works there. I don't think you would find it too obnoxious and I honestly think it is likely for Destiny to take that direction.

This. I told you this last night when we were talking about it. There are varying degrees of RPG. I feel I can assure you with 99% confidence that should Destiny have you leveling up a set of skills, they won't be effecting your ability to aim, do damage, or kill things (much*).

*In Borderlands, everyone can use every type of weapon with zero drawbacks. Just because the Assassin or Hunter have entire skill trees built around using Sniper Rifles, does not mean that the Sirens (who have entire skill trees built around something completely different)can't use them effectively. What these skill trees DO allow for is added benefits and buffs. In the Hunter or Assassin's case, higher critical hit damage, increased zoom, maybe a handful of extra rounds in the magazine, perhaps decreased sway when aiming down the scope.

These might sound like big deals, but in the grand scheme of things, in a game based entirely around cooperative play, where the designers are practically expecting you to be playing with a full and varied party, they absolutely aren't. Because while my Hunter or Assassin might be able to hit anything with pinpoint accuracy and do massive critical damage, the game is a team effort, and those other classes, with other skills, are filling in the gaps I can't. Like the guy who's a walking bullet sponge, but only truly good at melee combat. Or the chick who warps in, deals elemental damage to soften up a group, and then warps back to help polish them off. Or the guy with the turret that'll provide suppression fire and give everyone a fallback point to recover health.

And that's what's exciting about Destiny. Borderlands is one of the single best cooperative experiences available because everything is a team effort. To know Bungie is working on something similar, but perhaps broader in scope, and with a ten year plan... That's awesome.