This Week At Bungie - 01/19/2017 1h - DeeJ

This week at Bungie we have updates on the brain.

A Post-Dawning HotFix landed on Tuesday. The shipping manifest included fixes for issues we detected while snow was falling on the Tower. We straightened out some Patrols in the Plaguelands, a few elements of the in-game economy, and a number of Crucible maps that were welcoming undue exploration. Patch Notes are live if you missed them. If your console has been dormant since Tuesday, fire it up and welcome the download into your life.

Moments after Destiny HotFix 2.5.0.1 became a thing, we flipped the switch to return Iron Banner to the Crucible (it's not really that simple, but you get the idea). If you listen carefully, you can hear Guardians locked in a shooting match for prestige and loot. The contest of skill and Light lasts until the weekly reset.

Now, we come back to the eternal question that defines the Destiny Player Experience:

"What's next?"

So glad you asked.

First things first: Crimson Days will not be making a return this year. We enjoyed adding some gunfire to your date night, but we have other plans. Instead, we're dedicating our efforts to delivering different things for you to play.

Last week at Bungie, we teased that you haven't heard the last from the Live Team. Their next content update is taking shape. We're super excited to tell you about it - but not so excited that we'll jump the gun. There will come a time when we'll take a seat on our streaming set to talk about how we'll spend the springtime together. That moment will come closer to the thaw.

It's rarely our policy to issue guarantees about things that are not yet certified for download. Given the work that is being done behind the scenes, however, we feel like we can start to call the shot.

Balancing Act

If all goes according to plan, the next update to Destiny will include some design work to refine weapon balance. The exact release date is to-be-determined. The full notes on fixes and changes are to-be-revealed.

With every content update, there seems to be one category of firearms that becomes the favored option for winning a match against a fellow Guardian. Balance is like utopia: it is unknown. That doesn't mean we won't seek it.

Upon the launch of The Dawning, our Sandbox Team said this on the Bungie.net forum:

Sandbox: As we wage wars in our playtest labs, we're taking a lot of things into account: player data, your feedback, and our own gameplay experiences. We've heard the conversation about, and felt for ourselves, Shotgun dominance (Yes, we see you Matador 64), but we feel strongly that our goal shouldn't be to nerf them into the ground. Instead, we're looking at solutions that could bring Shotguns into a better state of balance with the rest of the guns in the game. In doing this, we would still want Shotguns to be effective and fun to wield. We could quickly and easily break Shotguns and call it a day, but it's important to us that we explore positive changes that can make Destiny better for everyone.

Ever since we opened that window into our labs, work has continued to refine player-versus-player combat in Destiny. Our current goal is to deliver a patch that will change up the meta before you have a renewed call to arms. That's a forecast more than a promise, but that's how things go when you're working in a world built from ones and zeroes. Testing and investigation are ongoing, which means that we're closing in on a fresh solution.

We'll have more to say as the exact details come into sharper focus. Please stay tuned. As usual, when we are ready to make promises, there will be developer commentary. There will be data and charts and stuff, too.

We Put a Spell on You

Ever wanted to confront one of those Guardians you've heard so much about and claim an emblem as proof that you won the fight?

Bungie Bounty Days have been raging since we announced them last week. Every weekday until February 10, we'll have another target for you to chase through the wilds of Matchmaking. The exact time and platform will be up to those who lead the chase. Check out the full schedule, so you can plan your attack.

*Done and Dusted!

01/13/2017: ProfessorBroman*
Saturday
Sunday
01/16/2017: Datto*
01/17/2017: MsTeamKK*
01/18/2017: RealKraftyy*
01/19/2017: Charionna*
01/20/2017: Mr. Fruit
Saturday
Sunday
01/23/2017: My Name Is Byf (pronounced "BIFE")
01/24/2017: Luminosity
01/25/2017: DrLupo
01/26/2017: Luckyy and BW
01/27/2017: Mtashed
Saturday
Sunday
01/30/2017: Teawrex
01/31/2017: Gothalion
02/01/2017: Clintus
02/02/2017: Blessious
02/03/2017: tripleWRECK
Saturday
Sunday
02/06/2017: MeloOniE
02/07/2017: Ziro TV
02/08/2017: JLemonade
02/09/2017: Universo Destiny
02/10/2017: Th3 Jez

We know what you're thinking: "What about ________________?"

These Bounties will become a weekly ritual after the conclusion of the pilot calendar. Once a week, we'll set you upon another Guardian who has volunteered to put on a good show. There is no way we could honor the full scope and diversity of this community in one month, so we'll keep the party rolling for the foreseeable future.

On a long enough timeline, everyone on the planet will have a chance to hunt down a designated mark in their neck of the woods. Then we'll start looking for candidates on the Moon. It could happen...

Security Guardians

Destiny Player Support is a job that covers much more than in-game error codes. There are unseen evils that can block your path that leads to legend. Tireless DPS Specialists are in studio to diagnose, troubleshoot, and communicate with you about the things that get in the way of your virtual recreation. Their work includes combating cheaters and thieves as much as Weasels or Baboons.

This is their report.

Destiny Restrictions and Bans
On the #Help forum, we see questions about bans or restrictions placed on accounts in Destiny or Bungie.net. Players receive Bans or Restrictions when they break the Terms of Use, Limited Software License Agreement, or Code of Conduct. If you play nice and be cool, there is no need for worry.

We would like to focus your attention on the following from the Destiny Restrictions and Bans Help Article:

Q: Where can a player go to dispute a Ban or Restriction applied to their Destiny account?

A: There are no options to dispute or overturn account Restrictions or Bans. Permanent Account Bans are only implemented with rigorous checking to ensure that the innocent are not punished alongside the guilty. Bungie does not comment on or discuss individual account Restriction or Bans.

Restrictions are temporary, and will not be overturned or undone before they expire. Once an account is banned, however, that ban is permanent. Account Restrictions and Bans are only done in extreme cases. If actions were taken against your account, it was with reason.

We take actions to preserve the experience of all our Destiny players, and do not take account restrictions lightly. You are responsible for your online account and console hardware, and any actions taken in the world of Destiny, so please be careful who you allow to access your Destiny account.

Reporting Suspected Cheaters or Posts on Bungie.net

If you believe that you have encountered a player who is breaking the Terms of Service or Code of Conduct within Destiny, please use the in-game report feature. Additionally, players may opt to submit an inquiry through our "Report Suspected Cheating" contact form.

If you encounter any players breaking the Terms of Service or Code of Conduct on Bungie.net, please use the report feature. This will submit a report to our forum moderators (i.e. "Ninjas!"), who swing the Banhammer appropriately on our behalf.

Security: Keeping Your Account Safe
Best practices for Account Security are the most effective ways to ensure the protection of your Characters and their items. These measures can also help to prohibit the use of your account in ways that may lead to Restrictions or Bans. Below are some helpful steps on how to reduce the risk of your account being compromised.

Bungie.net accounts rely on PlayStation Network and Xbox Live credentials. To ensure account security, we advise the following:

• Do not share your account details with anyone. Bungie employees will NEVER ask for this information.
  
• Use a different password, and account security questions, for each credential.
  
• Ensure that any e-mail account tied to these credentials uses an alternate password as well.
  
• Update your passwords frequently.
  

For steps on updating credential passwords or increasing security, follow these links:

• PlayStation Network
  
• Xbox Live (Microsoft) Account
  

If you share a console with family members or roommates, you may want to consider setting a password/passkey on your PSN/Xbox Live Profile

• Setting up a Passcode for PlayStation 4
• Setting up a password to launch games on PS3
• Setting up a PassKey for Xbox One
• Setting up a Login Password for Xbox 360

That Popcorn Smell

Your community manager goes to great lengths to decorate your characters in recognition of your finest moments. Emblems are the medals he pins to your chest, to celebrate victory in combat or excellence in filmmaking. Let the awards ceremony commence!

Cozmo: We have some exciting new movies for you this week. A few of them fall into the classic montage genre, but this week's winner was a unique take on Destiny's Raid gear. Thanks go out to everyone who submitted videos. Even if you didn't win the Emblem, you're filling up the Creations page with content for other Guardians to enjoy - and there is always next week. Keep at it.

Movie of the Week: Fall to Light

Honorable Mention: PRIMITIV

Honorable Mention:  Natural Killer Clantage

You have reached the end of another wall of text. If you've come this far, maybe you're willing to come a little further. We'll be back next week with more.

We have some action to enjoy now. We have some evolutions to look forward to soon. We'll be sure to sound off when those points we plotted on the horizon get closer.

We'll get there together.

DeeJ, out.

p.s. It occurred to me during my final edit pass that I've become trained to create paragraphs that fit nicely in a Twitter screengrab. Clip away!