The end - or how new crafting changes suck and how to make us all happy
As a long-time player with over 3,200 hours in the game, this is the "final nail in the coffin" for any further investment in Destiny. As a veteran player, who still considers myself a casual destiny player this is my concern about the removal of crafting mechanics:
1) Poor Random Drops: The RNG within the game remains problematic, resulting in crap loot distribution.
2) Low Loot Quantity: The amount of loot obtained per activity is garbage, further contributing to frustration.
3) Goal-Oriented Progression: Crafted weapons provided a clear and achievable goal, removal undermines my motivation.
4) Weapon Re-balancing: Re-balancing efforts often make saved weapons crap while making discarded weapons meta, which is frustrating.
5) Short-Lived Rewards: With the soft-sunsetting model, good rolls earned in the current season can become garbage next, so "why even try?"
Bungie's assessment of Onslaught is off:
Onslaught was fun, BUT it was the gameplay mechanics, not the grind, that made it enjoyable. I played extensively but got burnt out because of the grind. Even the prospect of new content in this mode makes me want to throw up, and I would guess a number would feel similar.
Current crafting mechanics suck, bungie has done the bare minimum with crafting, and it has had time to stagnate. I think a system where perks are unlockable, allowing players to invest in dropped weapons and unlock desired combinations would be a better solution. This would make the system more interesting and encourage excitement over a desirable drop or specific perk combo.
Another option: enhancing gun customization. Allow players to modify specific perk columns while charging with materials. This would grant more control over outcomes in a way that could rejuvenate interest.
I won't be purchasing the upcoming season. Final Shape may have been my last hurrah in destiny. I hope bungie gets their crap together. Honestly just start doing surveys, the game influencer noise is not going to do you any good in the long run.