Bad equipment from real life served as inspiration for the worst gear in The Division 2. How did that happen?
This gear is about: Have you ever looked at the item descriptions of the white starter gear in The Division 2? If not, you’re probably like most fans.
Most players likely missed these details. The vast majority of agents simply wanted to get better gear and quickly replaced the white equipment.
There are some texts that might make you smile – especially if you have served yourself.
What do the descriptions say? For example, the mask description says: “Should protective masks really let through so much dust?”
The gloves state: “Always a bit damp, even after drying.”
Here are some more examples:
- Backpack: Any other backpack would be more comfortable to carry
- Body armor: Might stop a bullet. But cardboard can do that too, if you’re lucky
- Holster: Keeps the pistol almost always where it should be
- Knee pads: Primarily protect the shins instead of the knees
In principle, all of these texts suggest: “Please replace me as soon as possible” and do not show the starter gear in a particularly good light. That was probably intentional and had a reason.
How did these descriptions come about? The reason for the quirky descriptions of the starter gear in The Division 2 was revealed by the game designer Rasmus Künstlicher in the current edition of “State of the Game.” Künstlicher was personally responsible for these texts.
The descriptions are based on his experiences during military service. The worst gear in the game – i.e. the beginner sets – therefore have real-life counterparts. The texts are inspired by stories that Künstlicher experienced during his training and deployment in Afghanistan with poor standard military equipment.
For example, his gloves caused a lot of frustration. They were always damp – no matter how long you dried them. No one ever understood why. His knee pads always slipped and protected more of his shins than his knees, which “will never be the same again.” The backpacks were anything but comfortable.
Not everything was bad, Künstlicher says. However, the most formative experiences of that time are now reflected in the item descriptions of the starter gear.
While we’re on the subject of gear:
