Hmm? I was really casual back then (although I did have more time to play over the summer during HoW, but nothing more than 15 hours a week). I loved the game in that period. Whenever I got an exotic, I felt like I deserved it. I did my bad juju quest, I saved coins for weeks to buy ice breaker from xur, I got a plan c from my first nightfall, etc. Exotics were rarer, bit I felt like I earned them. They were also a lot stronger back then. I didn't need to get everything instantly, I could just play and have fun, and the game really fun during that period for me