In Destiny there is a lack of vertical progression. 400 Light is reached too quickly, and then there is nothing more to do.
One of the most popular YouTubers and streamers for Destiny is Datto. He demands in a new video: “Bungie, give us more grind!” Many players stopped because there is simply too little progress after reaching Light Level 400. 400 is reached quickly and isn’t even necessary. In the game, everything can be accomplished with Light Level 390.
Light Level 400 has lost all meaning
The vertical progression, meaning actual strength gain, is too short in Destiny. This is the phase that is often described as “grind”. In other games, such as World of Warcraft, you can always log in and make your character a bit better – by collecting points for your artifact weapons.
In Diablo 3, your character also continuously levels up through the Paragon levels, which marginally improve the character’s base stats. A similar system exists in The Elder Scrolls Online. Champion points guarantee a steady vertical progression.
In Destiny, however, “growing up” ends quickly. Then you can only grow “horizontally” to the side, acquiring a larger selection of items. These do not truly make the character stronger, but only more versatile, giving him more options to react to situations.
No Forever 31, but guaranteed upward progress
Datto therefore urges Bungie to bring more grind into the game. And also activities where you can really grow. 400+ raids or instances where guardians can test their newly gained power.
Datto does not want a progression like in Vanilla Destiny times, no Forever 31. Progression should not be too reliant on chance: Am I getting that one item that I am still missing to reach maximum level, or am I not? Instead, there should be a steady progress possible.
New challenges for Bungie in boss design
Mein MMO thinks: The difficult part is that Destiny has a different skill ceiling than games like WoW or Diablo 3. In Destiny, it is much more about the player’s personal skills, and it is not about overpowering your equipment. Even if many believe otherwise, who just got acquainted with the Matador .
Ultimately, it would be necessary to play excellently in such “400+” activities. Always hitting the final boss and not getting caught by his abilities to defeat him. This is the core of Destiny.
Perhaps one would then need to play perfectly at Light Level 400. At Light Level 410, there would be a small margin for error. At 420, an even larger one.
Incorporating a vertical progression here would present new challenges for game design:
- How can boss encounters in a shooter be designed in such a way that these gear aspects and the margin for error come into play in the right amount?
- How should vertical progression affect the gameplay experience?
Difficult, but necessary
Even though it’s difficult: It is necessary that Bungie thinks about this.
It is clear that with the relaxations at light level the vertical progression is currently far too short. Bungie should indeed consider alternative ways to allow guardians to become stronger.
It can only go upward now, there is no more space horizontally
So far, it has always been the solution in Destiny to allow players to grow horizontally. To always offer them new variants of exotic weapons and armor. But that can’t last forever.
Already now, many guardians are wondering what weapons and armors could possibly still come. The current selection seems to cover everything.
Of the last 7 exotic armor pieces that came, hardly any item has been able to establish itself. This significantly reduces the fascination of Destiny and puts a damper on the mood.
For Destiny, progression can actually only go up, and not widen.
Different times were still prevalent in Year 1. Here are the 11 most important weapons from that era, which many consider the golden age of Destiny:
Destiny: The 11 most important weapons from Year 1 – People loved them, hated them!
