Community Focus - Aztecross

Aug 12, 2022 - Hippy

Whether you are looking for somebody to share some sweet new build ideas with or are just want some general tips regarding the ever-evolving world of Destiny 2, our latest Community Focus is here to bring the heat and their help to any Guardian trying to up their game. That’s right, folks, we have finally got Aztecross here for what many of his community members have said is a “long-overdue” highlight. Which... fair, but there is always more than enough love to go around, right?   

Right.  

But for now? We’ve got that spotlight-love on the man himself to talk a little bit more about his Bungie journey and his path to becoming the creator he is today. So, without further ado, let’s get it into it. 

One thing to note is that we’re going to be playing with how we write these Community Focus blogs over the next few months, trying different styles as seen in today’s feature. Let us know what you think as we experiment!  



Aztecross first began his journey into the world of video games at a young age, inspired to digitally dive in at the behest of his aunt who was kind enough to share her Super Nintendo with him to get in some good bonding time. “She would sometimes get home late at night, but she would always make sure she came to the room I was staying in to play Mario Kart with me for hours,” says the streamer when reflecting back on simpler times. “That was really the moment when I fell in love with gaming.” 

Unfortunately, that 8-bit love affair faded due to his family not wanting to become a “gaming household” as he was growing up. Luckily, as time passed, he inched closer and closer to what would later become an incredible community. When reflecting on how he found his way back into the gaming world, he thought back fondly on Xbox’s influence. “I was finally able to jump back in not long after I turned 20,” he recalls excitedly. “I remember stopping into a GameStop after just starting a new job in construction and it was an insta-buy for me when it came to snagging an Xbox 360. From there, it was all downhill [laughs]. And by downhill, I mean that obsession hit hard and there was no coming back. I was in it to win it, and the rest is history.” 

From there, he began to delve into streaming and content creation, eventually finding his niche within the Destiny 2 community. From streaming gameplay and chatting with fellow Guardians to putting his own comedic spin on our weekly TWABs, it didn’t take long before he showed the rest of us who he is: a passionate player that is understanding but also unafraid to be respectfully critical. Because of that balance, his community trusts him. The funny jokes and Destiny 2 puns—those are just an added bonus. 

With so much time spent in-game with other Guardians, we’re excited to dig a little deeper into those moments that matter to him the most. That, and it’s our duty as Bungie to bring up Taniks again (and again), so there’s that too. According to the young content creator, a certain spacewalk has his loyalty when it comes down to a most beloved experience in-game: “I will always love a game for its atmosphere and immersion,” he tells me. “Bungie nails this a lot, I feel like, but it’s something that always makes me want to dive back in. As for specifics, the space station portion of the Deep Stone Crypt raid is what really makes me fall in love with the Destiny universe over and over again. I don’t know, Hippy, there is just something about jumping through space with that music (chef’s kiss, by the way) that just hits different.” 

More seriously, he adds, “Story-wise, though, I live for the Seasonal content. Not going to lie, I was lowkey hoping that Crow would go bad and just be Uldren 2.0, but I think I like this version of him even more."

As an unabashed Crow fan myself, it’s hard not to see the logic with that one, and Deep Stone Crypt had a lofi-esque vibe that it’s pretty safe to say that we were all enthralled by.  

Regardless of whether he’s taking on raids or perusing Seasonal content, there is only one question that matters: What’s his favorite class? As a Titan main myself, the joy at hearing his prideful proclamation for our chonky, and beefy Guardians is real. But what’s a class chosen without the right build, right? “For my build,  I used to love to bonk with hammers with Solar 3.0, but after the recent changes, it didn’t quite feel familiar to me,” he confesses. He jokes, adding, “Only haters will say the Solar hammers were too strong, after all [laughs]. Now, I’m just sort of experimenting with different styles to find out what is a good fit for me.” 

Fair enough, but what about his favorite build of all time? “My favorite build spanning all of Destiny’s history, however, has got to be when Energy Accelerant worked with the Heavy attack on Crown Splitter, thus birthing Crown Spitta. We would one-bang Champions in Grandmaster Nightfalls, which allowed us to kick butt all Season long in PvE. Felt powerful...  almost too powerful.” 

Speaking of Destiny’s history, it’s no secret that this Bungie universe is constantly evolving with ever-changing metas, new content, and fresh, enjoyable ways to play. A vital pillar to that evolution is never straying from the creative rush of ideating the future! For Aztecross’s future wants and dreams, he lays it out blank: “Honestly? When it comes to evolving the player experience, I think Bungie is doing a really good job already with Destiny 2. Sure, there are some bugs, but with a game this size? That’s honestly expected. At this stage in Destiny’s life, social and MMO features are a must. This game has grown a lot and that means the vision needs to grow too, which I think we’re seeing a glimpse of now.”  

Regarding what he’d like to see as far as an overhaul, he adds, “I made a video recently about imagining Destiny 2 as a ‘true MMO’—clan halls, player housing, in-game looking for group (LFG), open matchmaking, global chats—things like that. Those are the features that keep me invested in a game and make me remember it long after the end credits roll, but I don’t know how doable that is with your engine.”  

You can’t talk wish-list wants without fantasizing about a new subclass. When attempting to think on what sort of new subclass he would create if he could, he instead found a philosophical conundrum: what is “perfect” when drafting up a “perfect subclass.” He also admits that this loaded topic weighs a little heavier when trying to be realistic, “You see, this one is a tough one for me. I’ve seen Stasis, I’ve also played with the 3.0 subclasses, but what Bungie has done has gone above and beyond anything I could have ever come up with on my own. Perfection is impossible, especially when you look at all the different ideas on what perfect even means. For me, this question, even in just a joking way, is a bit above my pay grade. I shoot things, I play with the new features as you guys drop them, and I hang on for dear life when we get subclasses like Stasis. Either way, I like it when Bungie goes big. Even if it doesn’t always land, it’s always good to try and then go from there. “ 

The same sort of fearlessness he describes with how we approach new content is also applicable to the craft of content creation. Challenging yourself, making a positive impact, and sharing your joy with the world can be thrilling, but it can also be quite intimidating, as well. Doubly so for newcomers.  As we’ve seen with Aztecross’s journey, everyone has to get their start sometime, so why not now? For any content creators looking for some inspiration from the man himself, he offers one simple piece of advice: “Keep it simple. Real talk: just have fun,” he urges. “That’s it. Let’s be honest for a second, having fun is what gaming is all about. If it’s not fun anymore, why do it? If you lose that feeling of enjoyment, then you’ve lost the whole reason you started on your journey to begin with. So don’t lose that, treasure it instead.” 

With a new Showcase on the horizon and Lightfall in our future, the road ahead is going to be filled with exploration, discovery, and diving deep into what it really means to be a Guardian. As for where you can tune into the world according to Aztecross, you can find him on most social media under the @Aztecross tag.  



And that’s a wrap on another great Community Focus with yet another wonderful person that helps make our little microcosm a better place. For even more community amazingness, check out our most recent Community Focus featuring the incredibly kind Bonafidehiro here.   

Thank you all so much for tuning into the latest in this series. If you’ve got a person that you think should receive that delicious Focus spotlight, feel free to let us know in the Bungie forums and by tagging us over on social media. In the meantime, keep being kind, don’t forget to drink that water, and for the love of God, please take care of yourself. Your body and mind will thank you, trust me.   

  

“I should go,”   
Hippy 
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