A video shows for the first time: This is what Destiny looked like in development almost 10 years ago. Many details from back then can still be found in Destiny 2 . Also included is a feature that many wish for, but which never made it into the final version.
What is the deal with the video? The Destiny franchise has already had a few years behind it. Destiny 2 is in its third year, and the first Destiny has already been around for 6 years. The story goes back even further – to about 10 years ago, when it was in development under the codename Project Tiger.
A recently surfaced video now gives unique glimpses into the different stages of development from 2011 to the release in 2014. Even in the early stages, the familiar Destiny DNA is recognizable and allows veterans to indulge in nostalgia.
What does the video show? At the beginning, the viewer is shown a version of Destiny that one would probably expect more on the Playstation 1 or 2. Little detail, rough models, and missing textures determine the scene.
But even back then, many familiar things from the Destiny universe are recognizable, sometimes more, sometimes less well:
- Abilities – including the original form of the Chaos Fist and the Sunbreaker, as well as grenades
- Weapons like the iconic Fatebringer and the Auto Rifle Shadowprice
- Enemies like Fallen Captains, who already had their teleport back then (which still frustrates many players in Destiny 2), as well as Vex Goblins
- The EDZ location, which was originally planned for Destiny 1, but “thanks” to a reboot was only realized in the current installment
- The cute robots on the Tower
The video then ends with the release version from 2014 and presents the undoubtedly most famous of all Destiny weapons: The Gjallarhorn.
Check out the video here and embark on a little time travel through the development of Destiny:
Where do the recordings come from? On Twitter, David Candland shared insights into the Destiny development that had never been shown before. He himself was a long-time employee of Bungie at Halo and Destiny.
His area of expertise was mainly the UI (User Interface) and the HUD (Head-up Display) – all the displays regarding ammunition, abilities, or health bars. The video was originally intended for a presentation at a university that Candland gave a few years ago.
This concept didn’t make it into the final version: The video also shows an interesting feature that did not make it into the final version of Destiny: a trade system.
The ability to trade items between Guardians is completely missing in the Destiny series so far. Many players miss this function, which they know from many other MMOs like Warframe and in a simplified form The Division 2. It is not uncommon that during development many features are tried out and then fall victim to the cutting room floor.
Did you discover any more exciting details? What do you think about a trading system in Destiny?
The story behind the development of Destiny 2 has been explored in this article: A reboot two years ago probably decided the fate of Destiny 2
