Really bummed you didn't stick with Dishonored/Dishonored 2 (Destiny)

by kidtsunami , Atlanta, GA, Thursday, June 27, 2019, 04:34 (1986 days ago) @ Cody Miller

Implying that any of the perks in Destiny would be pay to win is silly. They’re all varying degrees of mediocre to completely irrelevant.

I really hope the new system changes that.

I don't think a game like Destiny can really use perks in a good way.

Let's go back to Deus Ex. You can customize your character with 'perks' in a wide variety of ways. The game allows you to complete it by using your perks. In the final area you can hack the weapons systems to fire at your enemies if you have sufficient hacking skill. If you harden yourself to environmental hazards, you can sneak in through entrances and routes that would kill you otherwise. Or, you can go in guns blazing with a heavy weapon and stone skin.

All of this works because it is a single player game, and the goal is to have fun, progress, and explore. The perks are also not random; you choose them.

But look at a game like Diablo 2/3, where you can likewise select your perks but players converge on very specific builds. That game is based on killing things quickly. So there will be a set of skills that is just flat out better at that. And especially if you play with other people who want to level up or find items, they are going to expect you to be fast and efficient at killing.

Deus Ex does not prioritize quick killing. Diablo does. And Destiny does too.

If you make perks that have a noticeable impact, the ones that impact your ability to kill quickly will be preferred. And because you are so good at killing, hard content will have to be designed around having those perks. Otherwise it would be easy. So if you don't have them, you are at a disadvantage. It's no longer about choosing playstyle, but about measuring up.

Ultimately if you take 3 hours to beat Area 51 in Deus Ex by being stealthy instead of rushing in guns blazing and doing it in one, that's your choice. But you wouldn't have that luxury if you are in a strike or raid fireteam. They want the drop as efficiently as possible most of the time.

Of course if you make perks not have much of an impact, they don't really matter much do they?

The main problem is that Destiny just prioritizes certain things way more than others. The only solution I can think of is to design more parts of the game where alternate strategies are more desirable than murdering everything as quickly as possible, or provide some set of alternative goals for encounters.

In PvP, there are just perks that are straight up better. Again, if they have a huge effect, if you don't have them you are straight up disadvantaged. I think weapon mods should probably be disabled in PvP, but what do I know.

Every Deus Ex post you make just makes me appreciate those games even more.