News - Destiny 2: The seven things we expect

Let's talk abou the future of Destiny

I've recently made my review on Destiny: Rise of Iron (RoI) and I though now it'd be time - since all Bungie community is talking about it - to write what we ("we" as in "I") - would expect from a already announced Destiny 2. So here we go!

As I've said on my RoI review, I think Bungie at this point is trying to captivate and maintain as many fans as it possibly can right now. They're trying to prevent fans from leaving to other shooter games by rewarding those who have been faithful to the game thus far, but are they achieving it? I don't know. I believe Destiny is losing some track over other shooters that are providing new mechanics and a much more fan-fun exploration game experience.

Knight, alien planet, dragon. The kinda fantasy elements that I believe were what made Destiny unique!

So what does Destiny need to make it bigger and better than the competition? My understanding, in seven points:

1. Easier access to fire team events - One big problem in Destiny has is getting into Raids and other fire team events like Trial of Osiris or Challenge of Elders. Unless Bungie addresses this issue and provides a plausible effective way for gamers to communicate in-game with other players, people will simply leave the game after they've made all quests for themselves.

Forget PSN (Playstation Network) cause the fact that you have to add a new "friend" just for an event doesn't make sense if you don't even know who you're talking to. A message board, mercenary lounge (a place where people looking for a fire team can go to get partners) or an in-game messaging service are all necessary, even mandatory, for Destiny to continue to attract and keep players. There's always the option going to bungie.net or in-roll in a clan but that's all outside game mechanics that most people just don't have the time to bother (or even know for that matter). Not to mention that while in US, Japan or China you may have a lot of same language speakers, when it comes to Europe it's not that easy to engage in a conversation, much less to ask someone to help you on a specific Raid or quest.

2. Customizable weapons and vehicles - This is also a must as most shooters can now have fully customizable weaponry and vehicle enhanced props. On Destiny, weapons are only customizable via ornaments that change the appearance of the entire weapon. This is a very hard way for something that other games already provide easily. As on vehicles, you can change them but they actually provide very little to the gameplay of the game.

If you introduce SRL (sparrow racing) as a monthly event, make some sort of exploration quest for spaceships or have them be upgradable (say if you equip a special drive to your ship you get full enemy radar or heavy weapon drop) this would make the gameplay a lot more fun while providing an objective to your customization. Cool right?

Guardians killing a giant alien dragon with nothing but melee weapons?! Yes please!

3. More varied worlds and enemies - I'm all for recycling, unless it's for a sci-fi exploration game. RoI is a splat image of recycling enemies and scenery, basically is the Chosmodrome with snow. As in The Taken King, enemies were recycled fallen, hive and cabal with a new skin. Stop that! Make new enemies and new worlds for us to explore and amaze. Why not a blazed cabal serpent, a hive dragon, did someone mention a behemoth taken tiger?! Why not?

Also, when it comes to worlds, we are all getting a big tired of the same old deserts. We have some fun and visual stimulating sets on the crucible, make a whole new world out of that. We need new planets!

4. More realist and engaging environments - Look at Witcher 3! No matter were you go or were you look, it's a live wonderful world to see and explore. Some animals, vegetation, beasts, people, architecture or eye catching landscapes to make us not only be in the game but to keep us in the game. Water worlds, fluorescent night worlds, mad-max home worlds, something.

Now this looks like a place for socializing don't you think?

5. Social areas for actual social engaging - Destiny is a community driven game correct?! So why aren't the social areas more engaging. Hunters bar, Titan's hideout, Warlock libraries, bounty office, spaceship hangar and shop, weapons upgrade/enhanced store, message board, raid terminal, SRL registration office, trade area, clan temple, all these are awesome good ideas to provide a much more engaging game and social area. If you add in game messaging to it, I'm sure all players would have no problem interacting with each other and making the community even bigger.

6. Different storylines for different races and/or classes - What does your history quest differs from everyone else based on your chosen character or class? Nothing! It's all the same no matter what race or class you choose. On The Taken King you had a different quest based on class (hunter, titan or warlock) for a new power on the game, why not make that a thing on Destiny 2?

If you play as a human your quest begins on earth (or on a specific quest) and if you're an awaken you begin on the queen's Reef (or a special mission there). That would make you want to explore the game even more. And if you're worried that you'll miss something by not playing the other stories, just make the rewards the same for everyone. You'd be able to get a different experienced storyline like that!

The kind of place only hunters would hang out I think.

7. Enhanced graphic, Virtual Reality (VR) and Character Transfer - This game better have the newest, more awesome, Deus EX graphics you can find and while the VR may be optional, the game emblems, shaders and exotics should transfer to the new Destiny.

You've been a guardian for three years and now you have to start over?! I don't think so! Keep things in the vault (maybe just the exotics cause the rest you gonna pick up anyway) that you can later upgrade or trade, leave all the achievements, emblems, shaders and factions ranks. All the things we worked hard to achieve it would be nice to keep (or some sort of perk that makes other gamers say "This guy's a veteran. Respect!").

And that's it! Basically keep the community in the game, give an engaging story and awesome worlds to explore and make it easier to get a fire team so everyone can fully enjoy the game! If you can do that you will have the best shooter around and keep the competition on their toes.

Bungie... Hope you're listening!