In the MMO shooter Destiny , players are reporting issues with exotic engrams: They often give duplicate items. Is it due to the smart loot system?
Already with Xur on Friday, some noticed it. Now it’s become even more evident because one can farm exotic engrams specifically with “Three of Coins”: Something is not right.
Players are complaining that they keep pulling the same exotic item from exotic engrams of the same type – useless duplicates.
This could be a coincidence. However, the reports are accumulating to the point where one should at least be aware of it.
Simply too few items in the Year 2 selection at the Taken King in Destiny?
With “The Taken King” came a “smart loot system.” It is supposed to recognize which exotic item guardians in Destiny still need, to give it to them with increased probability. This leads to players getting primarily (but not 100%) armor pieces for the class with which they decode the engrams from armor engrams. Previously, they could get all armor pieces with the same probability, regardless of whether they already have the items or whether it’s intended for the class with which they open the engrams in Destiny.
For armor pieces, the selection is still relatively limited: There are relatively few Year 2 helmets that could come from an engram. This might explain some of the duplicates.
But duplicates also occur with weapons.
Is the smart loot system in Destiny glitching?
The current theory: The smart loot system does recognize which item the guardian currently needs from this engram. However, if they receive it, the system does not immediately understand that they no longer need the item and gives it to them again. This means: If a guardian opens 3 weapon engrams in a row, it could happen that the system thinks they need the same weapon every time.
Whether this is truly the case is currently unknown. Numerous individual examples suggest this, and it can’t hurt to open the engrams “at intervals.” So, going to the Cryptarch more often and having fewer engrams decoded. Better to decode not 5 things in 5 seconds, but one per engram type and then do something else first.
… or is it determined at drop time?
It could also be that the content of the engrams is determined thanks to smart loot at the moment players receive the engram. This would mean it would be better to decrypt engrams as soon as one receives them, rather than waiting “until it’s worth it” and then marching to Rahool with a whole sack.
Aluhelm danger? At least it sounds plausible
Whether this is a “perception error” by the players that falls within the statistical range, or if something is really wrong with the engrams is hard to say. Such perception errors occur especially often when players feel disadvantaged to logically explain a streak of bad luck. It is suggested that this is not a phenomenon that is constantly and always recognizable.
But it’s not that far-fetched. It is a new situation. Previously, there was no “smart loot system” with engrams. Which helmet one pulled from an engram was independent of which helmets one already had. With the “smart loot,” this has changed. It takes into account the player’s item status. It is entirely possible that the described issues really occur.
It can’t hurt to be more cautious, especially if you are only missing a few items.
What are your experiences with the Cryptarch and the exotic engrams so far?
