Bungie wanted to eliminate the shader problem with the advertised mass deletion in Forsaken. However, the feature does not work as fans had hoped. Deleting shaders still annoys many Guardians in Destiny 2.
A feature that has been continuously requested by the community since the release of Destiny 2 was the mass deletion of shaders. The feature is here now, but it still presents difficulties.
What are shaders? Shaders represent certain color palettes for Guardian weapons and equipment that can be applied to the respective items. They are cosmetic in nature.
The shader mass deletion that isn’t really a deletion
What is the problem with shaders? When all 50 inventory slots for shaders are filled, you have to delete some, as otherwise, you can’t accept new ones.
Since the least popular shaders pile up relatively quickly and flood the inventory, players want to be able to remove them quickly from their inventory.
Deleting shaders takes time: But it took forever in Year 1 of Destiny 2. Until recently, shaders could only be deleted individually – even if you had a proud collection in the high hundreds. Many fans were exasperated: Deleting shaders is not necessarily one of the most enjoyable activities in a Guardian’s life, yet it consumes a tremendous amount of time.
According to a statistic released by Bungie in August, Guardians had dismantled a staggering 807,635,124 shaders since the launch of Destiny 2 until August 2018. That’s equivalent to 25 years spent deleting shaders.
It’s only too understandable that many prefer to engage in other activities in the game.
What does Forsaken do differently with shaders?
Forsaken was supposed to solve the shader problem: Forsaken was meant to put the issue in the past – at least according to Bungie. While they did not revert to the Destiny 1 system where shaders could be used infinitely and for free upon obtaining them, they at least promised fans a mass deletion of shaders.
The introduction of collections, from which already obtained shaders can be drawn infinitely, was supposed to provide additional convenience.
Mass deletion different than expected: But deleting works differently than fans had hoped. It is only possible to delete shaders in stacks of 5 – and not the total amount.
While this speeds up the deletion process a little, for many Guardians with a large collection of unwanted shaders, it can still take a huge amount of time.
March to the Cryptarch necessary: On top of that, you also need to visit the Cryptarch in the Tower for this. From the inventory, shaders can only still be deleted individually.
Fans are disappointed and want the old shader system back from Destiny 1
Many fans now see this as a kind of small blemish on the otherwise solid Forsaken expansion.
Many new shaders, even more compulsion to dismantle: Because the game now inundates Guardians with even more new shaders and forces many players to deal with shader management. However, deleting is neither fun nor particularly conducive to using the often limited playtime in Destiny 2 effectively. Many fans are annoyed and angry.
What do the fans say about this? A good representation of the current mood can be found on Reddit. Amid numerous praises for Forsaken and posts about new puzzles and secrets, there are many posts complaining about the shader system and the new “mass deletion.”
A Reddit user G-star-84 says: “Shaders should be a fun aspect of the game and not a mess that I have to manage time-consuming.”
The user Ogthor says: “Obtaining shaders is now annoying. Shader management is so convoluted and the inventory for shaders is so tight that I just get annoyed every time I get one.”
Requiem191 adds: “Players still want a “delete entire stack” option for shaders. If it fails because the game cannot process what materials it should spit out in return for the deletion, then let me delete the stack knowing that I won’t receive anything for it.”
Shaders like in Destiny 1 – the solution?
How can the shader system be improved? There are plenty of solutions and ideas within the community. The prevailing sentiment is clear: Make shaders like they were in Destiny 1 – unlimited use.
Destiny 2 has received a useful system in Forsaken in the form of collections, where already obtained and missing items are tracked and presented. Why not unlock shaders there as soon as you obtain them, instead of constantly sending them to the inventory?
Another comment from the Redditor Requiem191 summarizes the community’s stance well: “It would be best if Bungie made shaders unlockable items like emblems, gestures, Sparrows, ships, etc. Make them unlimited in use. Player experience comes first.”
What do you think about the shader system in Destiny 2 and the current mass deletion? Can you live with it or do you also wish for the system from Destiny 1 back?
