Destiny 2: Bungie on Designing the Dread - Fireteam Chat
Fireteam Chat: IGN's Destiny Podcast
Deep Dive
Why did Bungie make The Witness a challenging boss at the end of the 10-year Destiny journey?
The team wanted The Witness to be appropriately challenging for the culmination of a decade-long journey, ensuring it stood out as a significant and memorable encounter rather than being easily defeated.
How long did it take to develop the Dread faction from conception to implementation in Destiny 2?
The development of the Dread faction began with the Tormentor the year before its official introduction, with the process taking multiple years to fully realize the faction's units, from top-end combatants like the Tormentor to fodder units like the Grim.
What was the role of the combat area lead in designing the Dread and Prismatic enemies in Destiny 2?
The combat area lead was responsible for overseeing the design of core combat elements, including the Dread and Prismatic enemies, ensuring the fundamentals of combat gameplay were solid and providing a foundation for creative encounters.
What was the most time-consuming Dread unit to develop and why?
The Herald, one of the Subjugators, took the most time to develop due to the need to balance its strength, ensuring it was challenging but not overly bullet-spongy or too deadly, requiring extensive iteration on its abilities and enrage mechanics.
How did the delay in the release of The Final Shape benefit the development of the Dread and Prismatic enemies?
The extra time allowed the team to refine and make the Dread and Prismatic enemies more cohesive and integrated into the game, ensuring they felt like a natural part of the experience and enhancing the overall gameplay.
What was the design philosophy behind the Dread faction's aesthetic?
The Dread faction's aesthetic was influenced by the pyramid ships and their interiors, with a focus on angularity, dark colors, and a sense of menace, blending gameplay needs with a visually distinct identity for each unit.
How does Bungie plan to continue developing Prismatic as a subclass in the future?
Bungie intends to keep evolving Prismatic, adding new aspects and fragments over time, similar to how other subclasses have been expanded. The team is committed to making Prismatic a long-term part of the game.
What challenges did Bungie face in balancing Prismatic with other subclasses in Destiny 2?
Prismatic's ability to subvert expectations and introduce new gameplay mechanics exposed systemic issues that needed balancing. The team aims to address these without invalidating existing builds or gameplay experiences.
How does the new light experience in The Final Shape differ from previous Destiny onboarding experiences?
The Final Shape offers a more accessible entry point for new players, introducing them to Prismatic and darkness abilities early, while also providing a high-quality narrative experience that represents the broader Destiny universe.
What was the most challenging aspect of designing the Witness raid boss in Destiny 2?
Designing the Witness involved creating a boss that communicated its immense power and multiple roles simultaneously, including its focus on the final shape and its deadly interactions with players, requiring extensive iteration on its mechanics and visuals.
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