Also, cores were introduced to allow players to masterwork items and therefore create orbs on multikills. This was a mechanic that was introduced to address the INCREDIBLY slow super recharge rate (compared to d1). Bungie apparently went with the plan to NOT directly increase the super recharge rate, but rather make you EARN a faster recharge rate through multikills. Personally, I now must choose between running the “endless hamster wheel” of attaining max light PROGRESSIVELY or I can masterwork my favorite weapons and armor...but not both. It can be done, for me, but I have to wear whatever armor that drops (if I want to play at my highest possible level). And I must do this for several weeks until I begin receiving max power drops...THEN I can infuse my favorite armor. If I play this way then, AND ONLY THEN, can I mange to masterwork a weapon or two. But as the OP said, this is totally a mechanism to delay progression to your destination through the use of speed bumps and pot holes. It’s asinine. I’d rather they simply make all power drops +1 or 2 above your current max level. THIS would have the same affect and people would be able to masterwork more of their favorite gear. And who would care? The majority of the player base is playing patrol where your power level above 600 doesn’t matter anyway! This...THIS should tell Bungie that the damn progression system is BROKEN. Really? Patrol? This is where your players are spending their time? Broken. Players SHOULD be progressing faster and further by completing raids. It’s an RPG for crying out loud. You continue to grow by completing harder challenges. I’d rather they went back to the old d1 system at this point. You could grind to a point to get into the regular raid. THEN you could eventually make it into the hard mode raid where even better loot awaited you. Cores...man...they aren’t this game’s biggest problem, but they’re not good. They are, however, a direct effect of the game’s biggest problem: They simply slow players down without Bungie needing to invest time and effort into revamping the system into something that is ACTUALLY meaningful.

CASUALS are just upset about this CASUAL game because they want it to be more CASUAL , so they become more CASUAL, lazy CASUALS.

We do get plenty of duplicate drops though.

And this is a problem?

They are [i]cheating.[/i] Cores break one of the foundational rules of design for RPG progression. [i]Progression is a by-product of normal gameplay, and is awarded in direct proportion to player time investment, and difficulty of content cleared.[/i] Cores were added to infusion to break that relationship and artificially extend game play in an abnormal fashion. My problem is not a RESOURCE management problem. Because it is not [i]possible[/i] to extract the necessary number of cores to allow the multiple end-game builds that every other loot game permits. Also the level is strategically raised each season so that you can’t manage to finish that process.., ever. The goal is to keep you on a hamster wheel that doesn’t go anywhere and doesn’t reward you with anything. It serves no purpose other than to waste the players time and reduce the amount of content Bungie needs to make. You may not value your time, but my leisure time is my most precious resource and I deeply resent the lack of respect Bungie shows for it.