[b]Story: What Was Right:[/b] I may receive flack for it, yet I'll say it anyway: the story was not a complete bust. You have so many pieces to play with. You have wonderful art to accompany it. The zones and aliens themselves could go a long way provided we have these glaring holes filled in. The races all look interesting and unique; make them feel unique and interesting. You already have enough planets for years! After all, despite the community's insistence that create more planets, you literally have entire planets and different moons (theoretically) to work with as is. Personally, I want to see more Earth. I want to be told to find an ancient Guardian's relic or the like, or a rescue mission. You just need to execute better on further expansions. Personally, I am looking forward to the new DLC, but, even with what has been revealed, it might not be enough. I'm sure from a programming and developmental standpoint, the core game might not be fixable. The best way to improve your story may be to hit the mark on future DLC or utilize the bareness of our HUB. [b]PVP :[/b] I won't spend too much time on PVP. Many sources highlight PVP as one of the more successful aspects of the game. PVP by nature is repetitive because it's player-vs-player. What makes it playable is going against different challengers and therefore a different experience every time. What was done well, for the most part, I would say is class balance. I don't feel particularly overwhelmed by any class, shouting obscenities toward every special at some point. I've seen Bladedancers get a lot of hate, perhaps rightly so, although a well-timed shotgun blast and/or focus fire melts them provided people don't group up. Personally, I'd be okay with them being nerfed and receiving more PVE usefulness besides "stealth medic" (although it is fun, just useless in hardmode from what I've tried, being that you can't rez). Fusion rifles may or may not need tweaking; if they find you first, like any weapon, you're usually dead, but there's something about that charge-shot-kill, from close-to-mid range that seems finite and too powerful. The maps are fun but incorporation of custom matches, playlists, or vehicle less playlists would only serve to help. The vehicle maps seem lacking specifically because of vehicle design and the way ammo is dispersed; can make it far more difficult in dealing with vehicles. Comparing the vehicles and their identities to Halo vehicles definitely feels lacking, too. The gameplay just doesn't appear to be there. Finally, make the marks and pvp gear more worthwhile somehow. [b]Brief Statements Regarding Mechanics, Content, and DLC:[/b] I'm running short on time hence why the other sections besides story, including this, are winding down quickly. Destiny needs to find its identity. Its shooting elements are fantastic. It's clearly sci-fi and has a sense of adventure to it, but the rpg elements are inconsistent. The Loot system needs tweaking because the RNG can favor those who do little-to-nothing or, for the fortunate soul, grant them a hot streak of items. Then, there are those that receive nothing for an extended period of time, regardless of their contributions. The biggest place I have problem with this is reports of the raid; it's difficult enough for those unable to find a group, but those that have grinded it and received little, well, it makes little sense. Although it has rpg elements, I actually stand by your decision to not allow trading and an auction house. Typically, they only serve to harm the quality of items, devaluing them by making it that literally anyone can get them ... of course, there's still kind of that issue from the RNG. There needs to be a line made; if you don't want trading because players can abuse the system, don't allow the RNG to abuse itself. Color shaders and the inclusion of different ships are fun ... but make the ships something more than cosmetic value. Otherwise, we're just changing our loading screen. Content is lacking. This is no news to anyone. I know I've gotten my money's worth, but have we gotten the budget's worth? The PVP may satisfy the community and the raiding has satisfied the casual raider in me and my guild, but at the same time, even as casuals (to an extent), we've rain VOG twice under two hours and are ready to farm it on normal to gear up for hard. If it wasn't for the first DLC coming out soon, we would run into the issue that more hardcore players have found: not enough content. Even for the "opening release" there should be more than the nightfalls and raids. It may be too late to retool the first DLC (one of two parts that make up the expansion), but the second DLC should add more than one raid and a few strikes that will make end up being nightfalls for end game pve players. More story is nice, too, but it's not enough to constitute being considered a worthwhile DLC. It's hopefully a fix for the lacking story elements though. An expansion typically adds a wealth of content. The first release is just that: DLC, not an expansion. Depending on how much the second DLC includes will determine whether or not it was truly an expansion pass or just two DLCs stitched together. I'm not saying these two DLC will make or break your game, but they will set the pace and lead to an understanding of whether or not this trend can continue. It will also provide the community and Bungie with a wake up call; I just hope it's for the better. Story missions and strikes alike do not take much time with an effective group, and complaints like those surrounding the release's content will only continue. Playerbase can potentially diminish, too, and I don't want to see this game bleed out before reaching the potential that it deserves—given the hard work put into the game. Except for the bosses. The fights themselves were fun in VOG due to the mechanics of the fights, but the bosses could have been more unique. [b]TL;DR:[/b] No game is perfect, but no game with so much potential should fall so short. At its core, a sci-fi shooter, it succeeds, but for everything else Destiny is supposed to be, story included, it does not have the content or execution to be as it was advertised. Developmental hell may have taken Bungie by storm. Fixing the game, making it worthy of a ten year plan, and turning this rough gem into the glory it can be, will take a certain level of tenacity and honesty on the developer's part, as well as the community's. No, this does not mean flaming Deej as so many see fit. Nor does it mean we should be whining like entitled children; it only furthers the stigma that gamers may be spoiled and unknowledgeable as to what they want. Worse, it gets in the way of constructive of dialogue. Inversely, Bungie guys should try to keep us in the loop better, whether it be a developmental blog that's updated more regularly or simply more concise answers as to what is going on. The past is the past. Improving the game started from the day it was released and continues from now until DLC releases. I understand part of the community will ruin that as no one wants to promise something they cannot deliver, but if not that, a better level of transparency may be needed. Personally, I'm okay, provided the development team understands the troubles ahead and is actively trying to address the more legitimate and vocal community concerns, but the more that things don't add up, the more things are consistently disappointing, the greater the chance that those who want Destiny to succeed, myself included, may not get to. I have faith in Bungie as a developer and I've greatly enjoyed this game, but the rose-colored glasses need to come off, just as the community's bashing needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Find the happy medium, develop a plan-of-action for more immediate changes, and I think this game will improve faster than anticipated. Be brave, Bungie. P.S Maybe add a Horde-like mode in the mean time? Might help quell the masses at least a little bit while further developments for PVE are underway.