“Players will exceed our expectations” – Bungie on the art of Destiny 2’s weapon balancing

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As a gamer with over two decades of experience under my belt, I can say that Destiny 2 is nothing short of impressive. Seven years old and still going strong, it’s a testament to Bungie’s dedication to their players. With each new update, like Act 3 of Echoes, they continue to introduce fresh content while ensuring balance in the gameplay environment.

Hard to believe, but Destiny 2 is already seven years old! That means neither the PS5 nor Xbox Series X/S had been launched yet. If you were a PC gamer back then, you might still have been using an Nvidia 1000 series or AMD equivalent. Yet, this classic game continues to thrive as Bungie regularly rolls out updates to keep its dedicated fanbase entertained.

Starting the third act of “Destiny 2: Echoes,” enthusiasts can now acquire fresh weaponry – specifically, a Solar Machine Gun called Speleologist, and a Void Trace Rifle named Chronophage.

How does Bungie balance Destiny 2?

Incorporating fresh weaponry into a well-established gaming landscape such as Destiny 2 can present certain difficulties, particularly when it involves achieving balance.

According to Chris Proctor, Sandbox Craft Lead, our discussion at Gamescom revealed that within their team, they initially adjust weapons and abilities relative to one another in a symbolic manner. Subsequently, they collaborate with designers on different teams, such as the Raid and Dungeon team (RAD), to pinpoint potential player builds that might significantly outperform others.

Raids are obviously a huge part of where balancing mechanics are stress-tested. Thankfully, as Brian Frank, Raid Design Lead explains, ” Mixed into the process is knowing that players will exceed our expectations”. He explains: “We have targets for the number of phases for a fireteam to complete as well as damage contribution for individual players given different tiers of buildcrafting and on-meta weapon choices. For example, a highly coordinated team with multiple highly buildcrafted individuals can one-phase. We test those assumptions with a cross-discipline group of Bungie experts and tune boss vitality and outlier damage sources accordingly. Mixed into the process is knowing that players will exceed our expectations.” 

How can a seven-year-old game maintain an accessible experience for newcomers while still keeping experienced fans engaged?

As a player, I appreciate that the game designers carefully balance the playing field for both beginners and seasoned veterans by providing some potent weapons within reach of newcomers, even without extensive build-crafting and raiding expertise. However, they aim to reserve the weapons with the greatest potential for those who have honed their skills through build-crafting and dedication.

For instance, the Microcosm trace rifle delivers significant damage without demanding perfect accuracy. However, to achieve optimal damage per second (DPS), it’s recommended to opt for a more challenging weapon that complements your character’s build.

In case you haven’t heard, Act 3 of “Destiny 2: Echoes” has just been released! To get a better understanding of the new weapons, revised artifact mods, and a summary of the story from Act 1 and 2 of “Echoes”, be sure to read last week’s post on “This Week in Destiny”.

Additional reporting from Antony Terrence and Amaar Chowdhury.

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2024-08-28 14:10