Destiny 2: The Witch Queen out now

Mafro wrote:I've not bought it yet. What's the new activity? Is it better than that hunt shite from last season?

It's basically a massive strike set in an instanced version of patrol zones. There'll be new ones unlocking over the course of the season. That and they've brought back Umbral engrams which were and are ace.

It's better than the hunt, at least on a scale with the activity in Arrivals.

Oh I did the first mission, is that the new activity?

Yep.

I like it, but it's not exactly...new

Tafdolphin wrote:Yep.

I like it, but it's not exactly...new

I think the problem is they've beholden themselves to the idea that each season needs to have a repeatable, grindable PVE activity.

The next problem is that they are limited to what they can do. It has to be doable from Day 1 of the season. It has to be doable with randoms, so can't be too complex or require much in the way of teamwork. Has to be short enough that you can run it over and over again. Has to be basic enough that it doesn't require loads of voice work, cutscenes or plot.

This basically limits them to either a public event, simple combat or a match made event with a mechanic that is easy enough to do with blueberries.

It's debatable whether the seasonal model was better than the "2 £20 expansions and one big £40 expansion in the autumn" which is what we saw in Destiny Year 1 and Destiny 2 Year 1. In theory that was more substantial but if you had a weak expansion (The Dark Below and Curse of Osiris) then the game would be flagging before the next drop of content came.

I think the new seasons are *just about* enough stuff to keep the game serviceable until the next lot of stuff. They are usually around 3 months and they drip feed enough to keep it going. If you no-life it you probably get bored, but there's usually enough of a reason to play most weeks, and enough to be worth £8.

The seasonal activity is always going to be similar to what they've been churning out, unless they go for a new approach. Last season's hunts were definitely one of the weakest, and Beyond Light had to do a lot of the heavy lifting to keep interest. But I think Arrivals and Dawn had a more engaging core wrapped around them.

What I did like about Hunt was the increased focus on the story and a surprising amount of story missions. Bungie said these weren't cost effective as they are effectively "one shots" but it was nice to get a few. I didn't expect a new strike this season either.

As I've said, given it's only £8 and they have to do four a year, I think it's always going to be some new loot, something new to level up, a grindable basic activity and some exotic quests with story. For me, that's just about worth it, though I'd like to see them add some sparkle to strikes and, especially, crucible and gambit.

Finally, Buff, why does the powerful gear grind annoy you so much? For me, that's when I forget really about levelling, bar doing some strikes or Crucible each week.

Are you actually aiming for high level, endgame content? If you're not looking to do the Grandmaster nightfalls what are you needing to reach the power cap for? The raid doesn't require it, you'll be fine in IB if you're at the powerful cap and your artifact will continue to boost you if you play regularly. It seems like you're getting frustrated with the powerful drop grind when you don't need to be doing it. 99% of all content is fine without it.

Mafro wrote:.

Yo, you up for this tonight, still? I'll be ready at 9pm.

Pedz wrote:

Mafro wrote:.

Yo, you up for this tonight, still? I'll be ready at 9pm.

Aye I should be. There was a 5GB update yesterday btw.

I think you've nailed it there Parksey. Just about enough is how I'd describe the last season, and the seasons I've played before it. Even Arrivals, which I loved, I loved because it was finally moving the main story forward and the lore content was great. At its heart it was one repeatable mission every week and patrol zone gambit. I disliked the Hunt as the activity was poor yes, but also because the story was dull.

With Chosen I'm...slightly worried. I do prefer the activity to Hunt, and even to Arrivals, and they've brought back the best thing to happen to the game in ages and even improved upon it with the new Umbral system. But the story seems incredibly dull. Chances are we won't see Caitl again until the finale and until then we're just fighting faceless Cabal. The writing and performances in the opening cutscene were the first time it became extremely obvious Bungie are working from home: it was a completely motionless tableau of characters talking, and what they were saying was really uninspired. Which is very unusual for Bungie.

Anyway. I'm enjoying the Battlegrounds at the moment, and the new weekly Challenge system is a huge improvement. So we'll see.

Mafro wrote:

Pedz wrote:

Mafro wrote:.

Yo, you up for this tonight, still? I'll be ready at 9pm.

Aye I should be. There was a 5GB update yesterday btw.

I'll check to see if it's updated now. Thanks for letting me know.

I think you might have misunderstood me Parksey but I was being particularly blithe - I love the powerful gear grind, up until the pinnacle stuff. The rewards for pinnacle gear is just far too stingy. A +1 drop, and it might be a duplicate to what you already have, making it meaningless? Absolutely not for me.
I love playing the game regardless anyway, bought the season pass last night after getting to about level 70-something last season.

Mafro wrote:

Pedz wrote:

Mafro wrote:.

Yo, you up for this tonight, still? I'll be ready at 9pm.

Aye I should be. There was a 5GB update yesterday btw.

Just thought, how much do I have to do before we can do co-op? I'll have to get on beforehand.

Pedz wrote:

Mafro wrote:

Pedz wrote:

Mafro wrote:.

Yo, you up for this tonight, still? I'll be ready at 9pm.

Aye I should be. There was a 5GB update yesterday btw.

Just thought, how much do I have to do before we can do co-op? I'll have to get on beforehand.

I think you’d be able to do it straight away but I can’t find a definitive answer. Are you making a new character?

Mafro wrote:

Pedz wrote:

Mafro wrote:

Pedz wrote:

Mafro wrote:.

Yo, you up for this tonight, still? I'll be ready at 9pm.

Aye I should be. There was a 5GB update yesterday btw.

Just thought, how much do I have to do before we can do co-op? I'll have to get on beforehand.

I think you’d be able to do it straight away but I can’t find a definitive answer. Are you making a new character?

Ok, cool. I assumed the beginning with the invasion bit and losing your powers would be a solo experience. One last thing we going to be using party chat or Discord?

Pedz wrote:

Mafro wrote:

Pedz wrote:

Mafro wrote:

Pedz wrote:

Mafro wrote:.

Yo, you up for this tonight, still? I'll be ready at 9pm.

Aye I should be. There was a 5GB update yesterday btw.

Just thought, how much do I have to do before we can do co-op? I'll have to get on beforehand.

I think you’d be able to do it straight away but I can’t find a definitive answer. Are you making a new character?

Ok, cool. I assumed the beginning with the invasion bit and losing your powers would be a solo experience. One last thing we going to be using party chat or Discord?

If you're talking about the Red War and the opening Tower attack, then that's no longer in the game. I have no idea what is the opening for a completely new character - I presume it's the ressurrection opening in the Cosmodrome, in which case you might not be able to do that first mission or two in co-op? Again, not sure, as my characters are all years old now, and going back to my Titan for the first time in a while the other day just put me straight into the Beyond Light cutscenes and the first Europa mission.

And yes, Buff, the Pinnacle drops are quite stingy, though you can get +3 drops from certain things. I think it might be the 10k nightfall, a raid completion and... maybe Trials? Basically the more "elite" achievements. I've done the level grind so much now I just switch off once I get above the cap, as I know I'll go up slowly anyway and the artifact will get me further over the line. I focus on what I need to do in other areas, like the Triumphs, quests, seasonal stuff and if I get my pinnacles along the way, that's a bonus. I rarely think, "I gotta get my 3 Gambit games in", unless I'm in the midst of being properly hooked. It helps when I have friends pushing me to level up for a raid or something, mind.

Parksey wrote:

Pedz wrote:

Mafro wrote:

Pedz wrote:

Mafro wrote:

Pedz wrote:

Mafro wrote:.

Yo, you up for this tonight, still? I'll be ready at 9pm.

Aye I should be. There was a 5GB update yesterday btw.

Just thought, how much do I have to do before we can do co-op? I'll have to get on beforehand.

I think you’d be able to do it straight away but I can’t find a definitive answer. Are you making a new character?

Ok, cool. I assumed the beginning with the invasion bit and losing your powers would be a solo experience. One last thing we going to be using party chat or Discord?

If you're talking about the Red War and the opening Tower attack, then that's no longer in the game. I have no idea what is the opening for a completely new character - I presume it's the ressurrection opening in the Cosmodrome, in which case you might not be able to do that first mission or two in co-op? Again, not sure, as my characters are all years old now, and going back to my Titan for the first time in a while the other day just put me straight into the Beyond Light cutscenes and the first Europa mission.

They removed some of the game?

Pedz wrote:

Parksey wrote:

Pedz wrote:

Mafro wrote:

Pedz wrote:

Mafro wrote:

Pedz wrote:

Mafro wrote:.

Yo, you up for this tonight, still? I'll be ready at 9pm.

Aye I should be. There was a 5GB update yesterday btw.

Just thought, how much do I have to do before we can do co-op? I'll have to get on beforehand.

I think you’d be able to do it straight away but I can’t find a definitive answer. Are you making a new character?

Ok, cool. I assumed the beginning with the invasion bit and losing your powers would be a solo experience. One last thing we going to be using party chat or Discord?

If you're talking about the Red War and the opening Tower attack, then that's no longer in the game. I have no idea what is the opening for a completely new character - I presume it's the ressurrection opening in the Cosmodrome, in which case you might not be able to do that first mission or two in co-op? Again, not sure, as my characters are all years old now, and going back to my Titan for the first time in a while the other day just put me straight into the Beyond Light cutscenes and the first Europa mission.

They removed some of the game?

The entirety of the original campaign and the first two DLC campaigns (plus the locations an activities associated with the location) were removed because the game install size was getting too big.

I’m fine using Discord.

Wait, does that mean I now have no access to a game I paid like 70+ quid for? That's shocking. I bought the digital Deluxe edition if Destiny 2 before 2 released and never got to experience it all, that's gooseberry fool, man.

This is the first I'm hearing of it

Still can’t find a definitive answer as to when you can start co-op. Someone on ResetEra seems to think that you have to complete the Beyond Light campaign but that can’t be right surely?

Mafro wrote:Still can’t find a definitive answer as to when you can start co-op. Someone on ResetEra seems to think that you have to complete the Beyond Light campaign but that can’t be right surely?

Will you be able to start a new character? If so then we can play at the same time and then do co-op as soon as it's available while chatting on Discord?

The thought only just occurred to me

Someone else said you can start co-op almost straight away so I’ll go with that

Can’t be arsed starting a new character since the new stasis subclass is really tedious to unlock.