A couple of tidbits which I'm not sure if have been picked up on elsewhere:

• ‘Loot’ includes weapons — they specifically mention a couple of named guns that drop — very Borderlands
  
• They mention seeing a concept art piece that shows dozens of combinations of weapons, and speculate that weapon models are procedurally generated from various ingredients
  
• The frozen base that looks like it's been hit by an ice storm is named as Europa
  
• Any idea of being able to play solo is pretty much brushed off; Pete Parsons talks of introducing a ‘slope’ to encourage single players to co-operate with others they encounter, and the article mentions that you'll encounter other players whether you want to or not
  
• The Vex are time-travelling robots from the future (I know some speculation has been that they're from the past, but I've never personally been sold on this).
  
• The Traveler is claimed to have arrived before Humanity's Golden Age, and thus actually precipitated it rather than arriving in the nick of time to protect them from the alien threat. I'm not sure I've heard this anywhere else and so I'm unclear if this is a mistake on the part of Edge in their interpretation of the plot. It is also claimed that it was ‘centuries’ ago.

I'll post scans here later… ahh, only joking.

[*]The frozen base that looks like it's been hit by an ice storm is named as Europa

I wonder if it's only named Europa or if it's actually located on Europa, one of the moons of Jupiter

Which issue is this? Is it worth it to order it online?

‘Loot’ includes weapons — they specifically mention a couple of named guns that drop — very Borderlands
They mention seeing a concept art piece that shows dozens of combinations of weapons, and speculate that weapon models are procedurally generated from various ingredients

I never bought into the billions of guns for borderlands. It just seemed overwhelming, I'm hoping Destiny keeps it manageable.

The frozen base that looks like it's been hit by an ice storm is named as Europa.

Jupiter!!??? I sure hope so!

Any idea of being able to play solo is pretty much brushed off; Pete Parsons talks of introducing a ‘slope’ to encourage single players to co-operate with others they encounter, and the article mentions that you'll encounter other players whether you want to or not

Kinda how I've been reading into it. I guess I don't mind, I always have more fun playing with friends. But I can see how it might be off-putting for some. Still, they wouldn't do it unless it was awesome right?

The Vex are time-travelling robots from the future (I know some speculation has been that they're from the past, but I've never personally been sold on this).

Cool.

The Traveler is claimed to have arrived before Humanity's Golden Age, and thus actually precipitated it rather than arriving in the nick of time to protect them from the alien threat. I'm not sure I've heard this anywhere else and so I'm unclear if this is a mistake on the part of Edge in their interpretation of the plot. It is also claimed that it was ‘centuries’ ago.

Hmm... Interesting, the plot thickens.

• ‘Loot’ includes weapons — they specifically mention a couple of named guns that drop — very Borderlands
  
• They mention seeing a concept art piece that shows dozens of combinations of weapons, and speculate that weapon models are procedurally generated from various ingredients

Ooooo, I need to find out the names of those guns. I'll track down the magazine before/after work, perhaps!

A couple of tidbits which I'm not sure if have been picked up
[*]‘Loot’ includes weapons — they specifically mention a couple of named guns that drop — very Borderlands
[*]They mention seeing a concept art piece that shows dozens of combinations of weapons, and speculate that weapon models are procedurally generated from various ingredients

I'm confused by this. Are they speculating about attachments for specific weapons, or are the weapons cobbled together from different items?

I wonder if it's only named Europa or if it's actually located on Europa, one of the moons of Jupiter

Sorry; I should have been more specific. Here's exactly what the caption says:

Europa was a human colony but we abandoned it when the invaders struck and now our structures are lost beneath the ice. Jupiter fills the skybox in dramatic fashion, one of many such spectacular views designed by skybox artist Mark Goldsworthy. And like every map in the game, Europa is subject to daylight, darkness and the ravages of a persistent weather system.

Which issue is this? Is it worth it to order it online?

Issue #252 (April 2013). It's mostly not new, so only really order it if you're obsessed and need every last detail out there. Or if you want to read Edge magazine, I guess.

I never bought into the billions of guns for borderlands. It just seemed overwhelming, I'm hoping Destiny keeps it manageable.

I quote:

Characters are faceless, defined by their armour and equipment. Every component and weapon can be traded and replaced with discovered loot and crafted gear. There are countless examples of rare loot to be found in Destiny's world, but on Bungie's walls hang A3 print-outs of a single gun chassis that's been reworked multiple times with exotic scopes, stocks and barrels, perhaps evidence of a procedural system for creating variant weapons.

I'm immediately reminded of Isaac Hannaford's various weapon studies for Reach, and the impression I get is less of random weapons so much as infinite weapon combinations. Sort of like Lego for guns. And that is a very appealing concept indeed.

Ooooo, I need to find out the names of those guns. I'll track down the magazine before/after work, perhaps!

The two examples are ‘an Invective shotgun’, and ‘a pistol named Thorn’. So…

I'm confused by this. Are they speculating about attachments for specific weapons, or are the weapons cobbled together from different items?

Read the actual quote in the reply above, but it sounds like a bit of both — imagine that any given weapon is composed of a barrel, scope, stock, handgrips etc. — you could create your own personal ‘Vera’ by combining rare bits onto the base chassis of a given weapon type.

All speculation, of course, but I think it sounds like a plausible feature for the game.

I can't resist re-linking these because I absolutely adore his concept art work. There aren't really any ‘bad’ designs here, and you can well imagine this level of customisation working well in a persistent-world shooter like Destiny…

I replied here but the forum once again thinks that if you wrap an image in a link omg it must be spam.

ALL THESE WORLDS
ARE YOURS EXCEPT
EUROPA
ATTEMPT NO
LANDING THERE

tee-hee

Whoa

You can link to blocked posts?
Mind = blown

You can link to blocked posts?
Mind = blown

I know, right? Best part is it utterly defeats the point of a spam filter ;)

That would be awesome. I could spend hours just trying out different combinations. It would be a sci-fi AR-15 build.

Sounds better put that way. I could see that being a cool feature.

The two examples are ‘an Invective shotgun’,

Heh, totally read that as 'an Ineffective shotgun'.

I was like, "well what's the point then?"

you could create your own personal ‘Vera’ by combining rare bits onto the base chassis of a given weapon type.

And I want a hand knit Jayne Cobb hat to go with it!

You can link to blocked posts?
Mind = blown

I know, right? Best part is it utterly defeats the point of a spam filter ;)

Not entirely. The forum lets us know if something is flagged as spam, so one of the mods will unflag it (or delete real spam) when we see it. Might take a few minutes, though. Someone must have already gotten to your post since it's not marked as spam anymore.

I have a subscription on my iPad, and it looks like the digital version gets released on Thursday. The wait!

I have a subscription on my iPad, and it looks like the digital version gets released on Thursday. The wait!

Same here… it drives me mad that I get the physical copy first. It always ends up unread and collecting dust! Well, until this issue anyway…

I never bought into the billions of guns for borderlands. It just seemed overwhelming, I'm hoping Destiny keeps it manageable.

*shrug* It's really not that bad in Borderlands, there's a lot of possibility for small variations but there's really only a small number of base weapon types - once you figure out what you like to use you just ignore everything that isn't in your particular preferred categories. Plus it's all irrelevant once you find the couple of legendary weapons you'll actually use for the rest of the game. :P

I'm sure Bungie will make it awesome.

The frozen base that looks like it's been hit by an ice storm is named as Europa.

Jupiter!!??? I sure hope so!

Certainly seems that way. And from what I read on Wiki just now, Europa is quite icy so this would make sense. I am looking forward to an awesome skybox here.

Any idea of being able to play solo is pretty much brushed off; Pete Parsons talks of introducing a ‘slope’ to encourage single players to co-operate with others they encounter, and the article mentions that you'll encounter other players whether you want to or not

Kinda how I've been reading into it. I guess I don't mind, I always have more fun playing with friends. But I can see how it might be off-putting for some. Still, they wouldn't do it unless it was awesome right?

This is how I'm looking at it as well. I'm not going to get in a tizzy because "OMG NO SOLO PLAY!?!?!?! There are plenty of games I can play by myself. If Bungie has a particular vision for what will make Destiny fun, and that vision can only be facilitated by me being online when playing it, then so be it. I look forward to finding out why. And it's not like my XBox is ever offline anyway.

And yes, I get that some people's consoles aren't always online, or maybe are never online. But Bungie doesn't owe you an offline game - if this is what they're making, and it doesn't work for you, you can play something else. I don't mean that to sound like "GTFO if you don't like the way things are." Rather, I'm just stating that no one is forcing you to buy Destiny if your situation is such that you cannot play it.

the impression I get is less of random weapons so much as infinite weapon combinations. Sort of like Lego for guns. And that is a very appealing concept indeed.

Not to mention it is how actual guns work. If I want a different barrel IRL, I can get one. If it's done well a fully buildable weapon system could be awesome.

My God! It's full of stars!

[Y]ou could create your own personal ‘Vera’ by combining rare bits onto the base chassis of a given weapon type.

A trade? Hell, it's theft. This is the best gun made by man, it has extreme sentimental value.

- No text -

This may be my favorite of his. Much more realistic version of how guns are designed. A lot of guns you can use as an assault rife or as an impromptu sniper rifle if need be if you have the right attachments.

It is my very favorite gun.

> [*]The Traveler is claimed to have arrived before Humanity's Golden Age, and thus actually precipitated it rather than arriving in the nick of time to protect them from the alien threat. I'm not sure I've heard this anywhere else and so I'm unclear if this is a mistake on the part of Edge in their interpretation of the plot. It is also claimed that it was ‘centuries’ ago.

This sounds very similar to Arthur C. Clarke's novel Childhood's End.

+10 Bungie.