http://destiny.bungie.org/forum/index.php?id=3668

So in the Alpha we learn that you may earn and choose your subclass and abilities. The abilities shown in each subclass are tied to an element (Solar, Arc, Void, etc.)

So, I'm kinda right... but in the case of the Titan you can be an Arc Berserker or a Void Defender.

Can't wait to see the Solar subclass for Titan, possibly a slam or dunk of sorts.

http://destiny.bungie.org/forum/index.php?id=3668

So in the Alpha we learn that you may earn and choose your subclass and abilities. The abilities shown in each subclass are tied to an element (Solar, Arc, Void, etc.)

So, I'm kinda right... but in the case of the Titan you can be an Arc Berserker or a Void Defender.

So Titans are Gaige's Deathtrap?

I like that you can switch them on the fly (unless you choose to lock them in for the bonus perk), so you're never tied down to one "element"...

I like that you can switch them on the fly (unless you choose to lock them in for the bonus perk), so you're never tied down to one "element"...

I like that about the weapons too, but if they want to 1 up borderlands, they need to give you slots for each activity, especially since weapons have different effectiveness in each activity.

I hated going into multiplayer and having to switch my loadout while managing my inventory. And if I get a good gun am I going to have to pick between throwing out an MP gun or a Story gun? Delegating the management to different slots or tags is the best way to fight inventory panic.

I like that you can switch them on the fly (unless you choose to lock them in for the bonus perk), so you're never tied down to one "element"...

I like that about the weapons too, but if they want to 1 up borderlands, they need to give you slots for each activity, especially since weapons have different effectiveness in each activity.

I hated going into multiplayer and having to switch my loadout while managing my inventory. And if I get a good gun am I going to have to pick between throwing out an MP gun or a Story gun? Delegating the management to different slots or tags is the best way to fight inventory panic.

Or maybe just gear up appropriately in the Tower before you jump into PvP?

You may not want to bring a knife to a gunfight, but pants... pants would be useful.

~m

Explore for 3 hours,

Go to the Tower (5 minute load time),

Play PVP for an hour,

Go to the Tower (5 minute load time),

Sit in the Lobby and talk to Korny for 5 minutes,

Go to the Tower (5 minute load time).

This is where I hope b.net and the Companion app excel in making me able to manage easily, and not have to waste 15 minutes, where one Tower trip would suffice.

Explore for 3 hours,

Go to the Tower (5 minute load time),

Play PVP for an hour,

Go to the Tower (5 minute load time),

Sit in the Lobby and talk to Korny for 5 minutes,

Go to the Tower (5 minute load time).

Well, let's hope 5 minute load times are not something we'll have to deal with.

This is where I hope b.net and the Companion app excel in making me able to manage easily, and not have to waste 15 minutes, where one Tower trip would suffice.

I definitely look forward to being able to tweak things when I'm away from home. Say someone here mentions a build they're having fun with. It would be great to tweak my character via the BMA and then have it ready when I jump on at home.

~m

http://destiny.bungie.org/forum/index.php?id=3668

So in the Alpha we learn that you may earn and choose your subclass and abilities. The abilities shown in each subclass are tied to an element (Solar, Arc, Void, etc.)

So, I'm kinda right... but in the case of the Titan you can be an Arc Berserker or a Void Defender.

Can't wait to see the Solar subclass for Titan, possibly a slam or dunk of sorts.

Ah ha! That's what's been niggling at me the past few days. The Arc, Solar, Void distinctions and how we were only seeing two out of three(?) per Guardian so far. An Arc Warlock sounds exciting to me! :)

This is where I hope b.net and the Companion app excel in making me able to manage easily, and not have to waste 15 minutes, where one Tower trip would suffice.

You have full access to the customization menu almost at all times, even loading screens.
While you fly to the Crucible from a story mission, you could easily change your entire loadout, tweak your weapons and powers, and catch up on some Sonic fanfiction in the time it takes to get into a match.

Bungie have streamlined everything so efficiently, it's pretty much idiot-proof.
Props to them.

OR you could just not suck, and adapt your playstyle to whatever weapon ends up in your hands. That's an option too.

I definitely look forward to being able to tweak things when I'm away from home. Say someone here mentions a build they're having fun with. It would be great to tweak my character via the BMA and then have it ready when I jump on at home.

The Alphanet site worked just like this, letting you tweak your loadout from anywhere, and it shouldn't be too hard for Bungie to do the same for the mobile apps, since your full inventory is stored on their servers.

http://destiny.bungie.org/forum/index.php?id=3668

So in the Alpha we learn that you may earn and choose your subclass and abilities. The abilities shown in each subclass are tied to an element (Solar, Arc, Void, etc.)

So, I'm kinda right... but in the case of the Titan you can be an Arc Berserker or a Void Defender.

Can't wait to see the Solar subclass for Titan, possibly a slam or dunk of sorts.

Ah ha! That's what's been niggling at me the past few days. The Arc, Solar, Void distinctions and how we were only seeing two out of three(?) per Guardian so far. An Arc Warlock sounds exciting to me! :)

Was there any indication as to whether these Elements had distinct effects on enemies? I would expect the Arc property to be devastating against the Vex, for example. Or the Solar properties against the Hive; being undead...ish.

~m

Explore for 3 hours,

Go to the Tower (5 minute load time),

Play PVP for an hour,

Go to the Tower (5 minute load time),

Sit in the Lobby and talk to Korny for 5 minutes,

Go to the Tower (5 minute load time).

This is where I hope b.net and the Companion app excel in making me able to manage easily, and not have to waste 15 minutes, where one Tower trip would suffice.

Get it on PS4? Load times were long, but they were under a minute. Alternatively, it would be nice to be able to open the menu and do stuff during loading, like set abilities and weapons.

Was there any indication as to whether these Elements had distinct effects on enemies? I would expect the Arc property to be devastating against the Vex, for example. Or the Solar properties against the Hive; being undead...ish.

Yes. Some enemies 'shields' (white layer of health bar) were weak (2x damage) to certain damage types.
Hive Wizard's shields - weak to Solar
Fallen Captain's shields - weak to Arc

Also, enemies with yellow health bars seemed to resist attacks (1/2 damage) if you used the wrong type.
e.g. Fallen Devil Walker - resists Solar damage.

I didn't quite have time to figure it all out by the time the Alpha ended, and I don't think the tuning is final either (e.g. only getting 1.5x for headshot bonus against yellow-bar enemies, omgwtfbbq).

Well, let's hope 5 minute load times are not something we'll have to deal with.

How were the load times in the Alpha? Did anyone go through the scenario Paddy described? I'm not too concerned with specifics, but am interested in impressions.

Long/Too Long

Common/Frequent

etc

Long/Too Long

Common/Frequent

Long. Infrequent.

You don't mind it when playing the strikes or story missions, since it's a long load time but then a huge stretch of play without it. The tower is the worst, since it takes just as long to load, but half the time you're just getting your engrams identified and then leaving.

This is where I hope b.net and the Companion app excel in making me able to manage easily, and not have to waste 15 minutes, where one Tower trip would suffice.

You have full access to the customization menu almost at all times, even loading screens.
While you fly to the Crucible from a story mission, you could easily change your entire loadout, tweak your weapons and powers, and catch up on some Sonic fanfiction in the time it takes to get into a match.

Yes, but your storage for weapons and armor are a little small to hold:

1. Main weapons for any situation, most damage, most reliable.

2. Weapons for certain situations, Story mission involving Vex? Better get muh arc out.

3. MP Weapons, Weapons that aren't the best in explore, but pack a punch in PVP.

And if you're like me, you want to have options for each at different times and hold onto weapons until they are absolutely obsolete.

I'm just saying having a button in the menu to switch an A, B, C loadout of inventory items would not be a bad idea. Especially if you forget to switch between activities and are raging about losing all your special ammo after switch midgame.

Get it on PS4? Load times were long, but they were under a minute. Alternatively, it would be nice to be able to open the menu and do stuff during loading, like set abilities and weapons.

Or do Tower tasks. The Tower seems like a deliberate inefficiency. Well, at lot of Destiny is--the whole investment system, right. But while the investment system seems investy and part of the game, the Tower just seems like a tedious ceremonial task.

Get it on PS4? Load times were long, but they were under a minute. Alternatively, it would be nice to be able to open the menu and do stuff during loading, like set abilities and weapons.

Or do Tower tasks. The Tower seems like a deliberate inefficiency. Well, at lot of Destiny is--the whole investment system, right. But while the investment system seems investy and part of the game, the Tower just seems like a tedious ceremonial task.

Already got you covered my man.

The tower is nice an all, but in reality all it does is make the mundane and cleanup tasks you have to do take longer. You get weapon drops you need to identify before using them, and this can only be done at a certain dude in the tower. There’s a reason Diablo did away with this and now just lets you right click to identify an item anywhere: it basically just adds unnecessary steps and strings the task out. You should be able to enter the menu, and hold square to identify the item. You can dismantle items anywhere, so why not identify? It’s the same thing with commerce. It’s just time consuming needlessly to walk around from person to person. A better solution would be a store menu you can access while in orbit, that has everything from everybody. It would be way easier. Look at Final Fantasy XIII, even they realized the convenience of menu shopping, and that actually traveling to your merchants doesn’t add anything to the experience. Need to buy something? Select the tower, wait for it to load, travel to the merchant (if you can remember who has what you want), buy it, then leave. Or do it my way, go to orbit, open the shop menu, and buy, leaving more time for strikes. I get that the tower is probably supposed to have character progression and story details happen there, but that could still happen. Just move the commerce into something more streamlined.

Get it on PS4? Load times were long, but they were under a minute. Alternatively, it would be nice to be able to open the menu and do stuff during loading, like set abilities and weapons.

But you can, can't you?
I didn't mind the load times much at all; I just spent them chatting to mates while in the inventory screens, checking things out and upgrading stuff etc. Same for PVP, you can bring up the inventory screens while loading and switch up your build depending on what the next map is or whatever.

Long/Too Long

Common/Frequent

Long. Infrequent.

You don't mind it when playing the strikes or story missions, since it's a long load time but then a huge stretch of play without it. The tower is the worst, since it takes just as long to load, but half the time you're just getting your engrams identified and then leaving.

Deckard Cain needs to venture out into the wilds.

Deckard Cain needs to venture out into the wilds.

I wouldn't mind running across a merchant, or a scavenger NPC of sorts in the wild. Missions or public events could be associated with it. There's a lot of potential there.

~m

Get it on PS4? Load times were long, but they were under a minute. Alternatively, it would be nice to be able to open the menu and do stuff during loading, like set abilities and weapons.

Or do Tower tasks. The Tower seems like a deliberate inefficiency. Well, at lot of Destiny is--the whole investment system, right. But while the investment system seems investy and part of the game, the Tower just seems like a tedious ceremonial task.

I haven't played it, so I don't really know, but it sounds like there are a lot of different things to do in the Tower, and there are going to be more when the game is done, and I could see them feeling like that's a better way to handle that many disparate things than a big huge menu system.
Even discounting talking to people to get missions, get weapons, get upgrades, etc., people have shown you could catch NPC conversations that might be enjoyable, and there were dead(?) Ghosts you could revive, and there was a soccer ball that some people had some fun with, and I wouldn't be surprised if they added a few more little things you can do in the Tower.
More than that, though, I don't think they've done this so much recently, but they were talking about the City and the Tower as this social space, so a) having everyone need to go there reinforces that and b) well, the social aspect is a feature, you can go there and try to get a group together to do something or just people-watch. It's too bad you can only hear people in your party and your fireteam, half the enjoyment of people-watching is actually people-listening, but I'm sure someone will enjoy it anyway. On the group-gathering side, you can get people together for any of the game modes or start a dance party or bump around the soccer ball. All in all, I'm looking forward to spending some time hanging around the Tower.

and there were dead(?) Ghosts you could revive

What? You revive those Ghosts you find?

it was mentioned here http://destiny.bungie.org/forum/index.php?id=23421 I can't seem to find where else, but I know people mentioned you could do it, I think it did stuff with the Grimoire

Yeah I don't mind going to the Tower at all.

It was quite cool going there and seeing what people were up to (dance pyramids) and running into randoms to play with.
Given that you can open and modify your inventory and equipment and chat to your fireteam members in the load times, I don't see much issue in returning to the tower every now and then.

You can see it in the videos from my writeup.

Both my quick one in the tower:

And in my legendary raid one (it's about 30 seconds in):