[quote]Now it's just contradictory. Why can't Bungie see this? It's clear as day.[/quote] Because this isn't a game design issue. Your analysis is SPOT ON, from a game design point of view. I tried arguing this same line 6 months ago. Trying to warn them that this would grow into a game-breaking problem....and it has. Bungie realizes that its slowly breaking the game (by their constant attempts at half-measures to "fix" the problem). What's going on here is very simple. This is one of the few situations in life where "Hanlon's Razor" does NOT apply: Hanlon's Razor being [i]"Do not attribute to malice what can be more easily explained by incompetence. " [/i] Bungie isn't doing this because they don't understand that it will break progression. [b]THEY ARE DOING IT MALICIOUSLY [u]**BECAUSE**[/u] THEY UNDERSTAND THAT IT BREAKS PROGRESSION.[/b] You see, Bungie has problem that they lack the character (as an organization ) to own up to. They simply don't have the means to keep this game supplied in an adquate amount of loot. Go look at your Collections Tab. Eveyrthing from Year 1 is basically irrelevant because of fixed rolls (weapons) or lack of perks (armor). ...and they only have added a tiny amount of new loot for Year 2. So the loot pool simply isn't deep enough to support a conventional end-game loot chase. [b]But Bungie--despite the lack of loot---still wants us to keep playing. [/b] So the question is how do you get people to GRIND away at a game----like its a loot game---when it actually doesn't have any real loot to chase? Simple: You BREAK THE GAME. You break progression and its relationship to player time investment (Milestones)...by slathering the system in randomness, and limit the number of drops so that the game no longer responds to more play time with faster progression. (You basically slap a restrictor plate on the game's progression engine). THEN you break the means by which people can consolidate the progression they've already achieved. (cores). So you can force them to have to play with whatever drops rather than allowign them to freely choose what they wish to play. So you force them to have to grind in order to RECOVER the ability to use the loot they already have. LASTLY, you keep constantly raising the level cap. That way the game NEVER has a stable end game. You never reach cap for very long....and expose the game's lack of end game loot to chase. ...and the player never really manages to fully reconsolidate his previous position, or restore the use of his old builds. Result: [b]You keep people grinding away in an essentially UNENDING mid-game item level grind.[/b] You trap them in it by denying the free use of the loot they already have...until they finish the item level grind to cap. ...and then you quickly raise the cap so you kick them back down to the mid-game, and the grind starts all over again. [b]In short, you trap people in the mid-game. [/b] You call that mid-game, the "end game"....and you condition people to get used to frustration and unpredictable "rewards" (that is progression). Only one problem. This emotion that defines this kind of unpredictable reinforcement is FRUSTRATION and anger.....not fun. Which is why its generating such passionate pushback from the player base. Because anyone who is actually LIVING in the Present Moment (rather than only looking at anticipated reward) realizes that this isn't fun....and its a -blam!-ing hamster wheel that doesn't go anywhere, and doesn't give you anything. You just grind away at a loot game that keeps you grinding by chasing after a loot mirage that you can never catch. Like a racing greyhound chashing after a mechanical rabbit it can never catch. But at least the greyhound enjoys the running......

I fully agree with you on keeping players stuck in mid-game. Like always, I agree with your viewpoints. What Bungie doesn't seem to fully grasp is the potential the game in itself has. If they updated all year 1 gear to year 2 standards, added this to the pool as well as all those ornaments and made them attainable again then that would increase the loot to chase as well as creating a "fashion" parade. I think all players want their character to look great. Obtaining all sets and ornaments and then being able to mix them to create a unique look would be a worthwhile chase for a lot of players. Now, if the year 1 weapons are also introduced this could shake up the meta and would give players a great sense of freedom due to so many weapons being viable all of a sudden. I do feel the weapon choice would be okay this way. Now imagine you collected the weapons you wanted, you got your armour look down and have various builds in mind for different trees and weapon loadouts. Now introduce cores to reroll gear or upgrade the perks and you'd have a looter shooter. It still needs some work but that is your basis to keep players engaged and happy for some time to come. But right now, with the infusion BS, shallow loot pool, obsolete gear, stale vendors, lack of ornaments and complete shit catalysts (+25 stability on Hard Light, woohoo) this game only has it's gun play going for it. Such a shame for a game loaded with potential.

Agreed. Bungie has been so focused on trying to control the game....and micromanage the player base...that they are overlooking very obvious solutions here. But I think you individual egos....and a fearful organization....and both are leading to a LOT of tunnel-vision. That risks turning into the "target fixation" that would have WWII era pilots literally flying their own planes into the ground. Fighter pilots and dive bomber pilots would get so focused on their target that they'd lose awareness of everything else around them....to the point they'd occasionally fly their planes into the ground and kill themselves.

Well sayd brother ore sister..