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Edited by dazarobbo:
6/11/2014 1:09:41 PM
96
My experience with the Alpha (200 images)
I was fortunate enough to be given early access to the Alpha version of Destiny (thanks, Bungie!), so for around the past week, that's what I've been playing (obviously). Some of what I explain you may already know, but without further delay, let's get into it. Most of this will be screenshots, by the way.
Edit: since some people have asked, [url=https://imgur.com/a/BVCRD]here's an imgur album[/url] with about 50 more images.
[quote]1. Starting Up
2. The Dark Within
[url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post?id=65325556&path=1]3. The Tower[/url]
[url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post?id=65325550&path=1]4. Free Roaming in Old Russia[/url]
[url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post?id=65325544&path=1]5. The Devils' Lair[/url]
[url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post?id=65325527&path=1]6. Other Settings[/url]
[url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post?id=65325522&path=1]7. Feedback and Comments[/url][/quote]
[b][u]1. Starting Up[/u][/b]
Some people have already asked this, so I figure it would be the first thing to address: [url=https://i.imgur.com/EHePCUl.jpg]the Alpha is 6.7GB[/url]. After you've got it, the first thing to do is create your Guardian, and to begin with you get the option to choose whether you want to be a [url=https://i.imgur.com/efzbdUV.jpg]Titan[/url], [url=https://i.imgur.com/GrIiIiW.jpg]Hunter[/url], or [url=https://i.imgur.com/xz5hVNs.jpg]Warlock[/url]. Next you get to customise your [url=https://i.imgur.com/pN3tmDa.jpg]appearance[/url]. When you're [url=https://i.imgur.com/b6davFj.jpg]done[/url], you get [url=https://i.imgur.com/MHFUfPo.jpg]dropped into "The Steppes"[/url], which appears to be a smaller region of Old Russia, and onto your first mission, "The Dark Within".
[b][u]2. The Dark Within[/u][/b]
Normally you'd start off with some more "basic" weapons, but since I'm using the character I've been using for a while, I have some more... upgraded stuff. Anyway, you get dropped in and [url=https://i.imgur.com/Fvb5eNL.jpg]this is[/url] the [url=https://i.imgur.com/c7BdBhp.jpg]first thing[/url] you see. [url=https://i.imgur.com/Irq4mgK.jpg]Pull out your Ghost[/url] and you'e in nav mode to see your current objective. There are also these [url=https://i.imgur.com/TLOAvLm.jpg]"Spinmetal Leaves"[/url] scattered around Old Russia too, which you can pick up. More about these later. Off we go.
First couple of enemies: [url=https://i.imgur.com/VqErLJz.jpg]A Fallen Vandal and Shard[/url]. One of them [url=https://i.imgur.com/3LZ3SdW.jpg]lost their head[/url]. Moving on, [url=https://i.imgur.com/5WrZKoK.jpg]here's a cave[/url] where more came out from. You might be wondering why there's a prompt on the right: that's for a fallen Guardian waiting to be revived. [url=https://i.imgur.com/zo1roOK.jpg]This is the building[/url] we're going to, and [url=https://i.imgur.com/PkAbK1Z.jpg]it's faster by Sparrow[/url].
I found [url=https://i.imgur.com/JlH764k.jpg]a nice elevated spot[/url] to take out some more Fallen with my Sniper rifle. [url=https://i.imgur.com/knomxic.jpg]They never saw it coming[/url]. [url=https://i.imgur.com/73qAZkW.jpg]Neither did he[/url].
More [url=https://i.imgur.com/f6hrAjP.jpg]Fallen amongst the graveyard[/url], along with a [url=https://i.imgur.com/qo4FzFN.jpg]Vandal[/url], and a [url=https://i.imgur.com/lFGx0uh.jpg]camouflaged one[/url] (you can just see the refracting light above the dot).
Here's [url=https://i.imgur.com/VUD4W5z.jpg]another cave[/url] with Fallen (see the radar?). Luckily my Hunter can double-jump, so I made it over there fairly easily. And [url=https://i.imgur.com/CMOtN4e.jpg]here comes the sun[/url] (do do do do).
A Guardian I came across was [url=https://i.imgur.com/ApjDqZF.jpg]being attacked from behind[/url], but I may have let that happen just so I could take the picture. I [url=https://i.imgur.com/1dSlC7W.jpg]waved hello[/url] all the same [url=https://i.imgur.com/Vcd79FH.jpg]just before meeting another[/url] we came across.
We both went after the [url=https://i.imgur.com/5gfcdBR.jpg]enemies coming out of the cave[/url], but only I ventured inside where I [url=https://i.imgur.com/cvdMs5w.jpg]found this guy[/url]. Keep in mind I'm a level 8 because that's what the Alpha capped us all at but nonetheless, [url=https://i.imgur.com/wbWtpFk.jpg]he was no match[/url] (though he is when you're just starting out).
Made my way [url=https://i.imgur.com/Hg980Fq.jpg]up to the building[/url] where a couple more Vandals and a Captain were waiting for me. Again, no match. We get notifications along the bottom for events too, so as you can [url=https://i.imgur.com/Ct2sj6F.jpg]see[/url] [url=https://i.imgur.com/Bqmi3k1.jpg]here[/url], I've attained a new card for a new rank (along with some Glimmer and experience on the side) and weapon.
In we go and it's [url=https://i.imgur.com/0Y19LiK.jpg]getting kind[/url] [url=https://i.imgur.com/fucbIsp.jpg]of spooky[/url] (the purple flaring you can around the sides of the screen in the first image, I believe, occurs whenever you/your fireteam are deliberately separated from the rest of the players in the area by the game). My Ghost [url=https://i.imgur.com/i8q79fm.jpg]opens up[/url] the locked door after a prompt ([url=https://i.imgur.com/n3yK7Z2.jpg]translation please[/url]?) and we're given some [url=https://i.imgur.com/jdqW1tC.jpg]shiny green crystals[/url] to look at.
[url=https://i.imgur.com/BZ0HTIf.jpg]Even spookier now[/url]. The really unexpected thing here with the Ghost's light turning on was that the PS4 controller's lightbar also turned to bright white as well.
Now we meet [url=https://i.imgur.com/6K4RU3m.jpg]"The Hive"[/url]. [url=https://i.imgur.com/jNzrc8s.jpg]These guys[/url] like to chase after and scratch you up, but you can [url=https://i.imgur.com/FHm9Wd5.jpg]get rid of them[/url] easily if you can spot and react to them quick enough. The Acolytes [url=https://i.imgur.com/D01YO7q.jpg]prefer to shoot you[/url] instead though.
In a bit further and we have to [url=https://i.imgur.com/zuW71zF.jpg]take down a Wizard[/url] and [url=https://i.imgur.com/RrgDaV5.jpg]friends[/url]. Unfortunately it is capable of [url=https://i.imgur.com/73lEKJD.jpg]poisoning you[/url], which kind of messes up your vision a bit, makes you walk slower, and jumping is a bit tougher. Nevermind, I [url=https://i.imgur.com/B3AI5H7.jpg]bought the right tool[/url] for the job. [url=https://i.imgur.com/cSw5pSc.jpg]And...[/url] [url=https://i.imgur.com/wNQftl4.jpg]freebies[/url]. An [url=https://i.imgur.com/tTNum5J.jpg]Encrypted Engram[/url] which I'll decrypt later.
The mission is over now, but you can still run around the pick things up while the timer counts down. I already picked it up on a previous day, but back up on the ledge is a box containing loot (more pictures of these later).
When the time's up we get some post game [url=https://i.imgur.com/5BlwuGV.jpg]rewards[/url] (I'm already maxed out for the Alpha, so that's why I didn't get any XP). Then we get a screen telling us about any [url=https://i.imgur.com/eV5Ob2t.jpg]upgrades and bounty progression[/url]. I have two of the latter active which I purchased. The green bar shows the progress. [url=https://i.imgur.com/9qtkISg.jpg]And of course the kills, deaths, etc...[/url]
[url=https://i.imgur.com/nMli5BD.jpg]Now we're in orbit![/url]
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTiw18pQJlM]To see all of the above as a video in less than six minutes, click here[/url] (I basically ran through it all).
[b][u]Orbit[/u][/b]
This is kind of like a main menu for choosing what you want to do - where you want to go to. In the Alpha, we have the [url=https://i.imgur.com/KRjsgEx.jpg]option of going to the Tower, Earth, and the Crucible[/url].
[url=https://i.imgur.com/KmbqiB4.jpg]Here's a map for Earth[/url]. The orange circle is the mission I just went through. The green octagon takes you to the same area as before, but allows you to freely explore Old Russia (most of it anyway, as far as I can tell). Last is the blue hexagon which is The Devils' Lair Strike mission.
Going back, [url=https://i.imgur.com/dLHgj4V.jpg]here's what's in the Crucible[/url]. Only the first option, Control, is [url=https://i.imgur.com/PESJYrG.jpg]available[/url]. The symbol down the bottom shows your [url=https://i.imgur.com/v8sHM5l.jpg]Crucible Marks[/url].
We'll jump back again and go [url=https://i.imgur.com/m8L9P98.jpg]visit the Tower[/url] first.
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15 Replies[b][u]7. Feedback and Comments[/u][/b] [b][u]What I like[/u][/b] - Shadows look [i]fantastic[/i]. - Still being able to modify and look over my character while matchmaking (searching). - The notifications along the bottom of the screen. - The revival system. - Item customisation. - Being able to continually play a portion of the game, but with added dynamicism (ie. side missions). - Reward and purchase system for items. - Character customisation, and not just in terms of the character itself, but the ship, Sparrow, and emblem that everyone can see. [b][u]What I like less[/u][/b] - The cursor you have to use to select items on the screen is slow and clunky. I'd really prefer to just have options which get focus when I move the dpad or thumbstick on the controller. - Some of the UI prompts, particularly some of the "hold [button] to..." are too long, such as when you need to go back to orbit or exiting the post game stats. - Running around as a Hunter, the Golden Gun doesn't really seem to do all that much damage. Using it against Speiks Prime, for example does less damage than a Sniper round (even when hitting it dead centre). A lot of the time I haven't really bothered using it because it's not really that useful compared to the weapons I've already got. Usually the only time I do is when I'm just about out of ammo. - I understand it's a living, dynamic world you play in, but I really miss being able to just pause the game (when not in an exclusive multiplayer mode) to step out for a couple of minutes. I've had to try to find a "safe hiding spot" and just hope I haven't died by the time I'm off the phone. The only solution I see is to go back to orbit, but that means I'm abandoning whatever mission I'm currently on. - It's somewhat frustrating to have cleared a small zone where a group of enemies are, then [i]very[/i] soon after backtrack to the same location only to find more enemies there so soon. It's kind of monotonous while roaming and sometimes I just jump on the Sparrow and skip everything. - Needing to use the Ghost to find beacons. Why can't they just show up whenever I'm not currently on a mission? - Ammo pickups are hard to find. That's not to say they're rare though. The quantity of them is great, but actually spotting them among the terrain can be hard sometimes, especially the white ones. I would prefer they were a little bigger I think. - Pathfinding is pretty rigid between waypoints. Fairly often while moving between different areas, such as when getting close to an adjacent one, the current waypoint doesn't adapt to the next area smoothly, so you end up with magnet and compass needle type effect with the directional arrow. - Some of the overlays that popup describing an item while the cursor is over it end up blocking other information. For example, in the class upgrades screen where the Armor, Recovery, and Agility bars are shown, if I put the cursor over an item just underneath them, the popup blocks those bars and I can't see what has changed. - Some of what's in the game is difficult to decipher. Now, maybe that's because there's a bit of context lost because it's not from "the beginning" of the game, for example. What I did and still do have an issue with is trying to figure out all the different item details. My machine guns says it does solar damage, for example. I really have no idea what that means. - I only played one game in the Crucible which was a Control match (think Territories in Halo), but I didn't really enjoy it. It seems like you'll be killed by any grenade thrown near you, which means you don't really have a chance to get away from them. People are always jumping everywhere and hitting them is like trying to shoot fly in mid air. Sorry, but not a fan of it, which is OK because I don't particularly like competitive multiplayer anyway, so feel free to ignore this completely. To answer a question some people have though, your weapons are all equal to everyone else's (because of a setting which explicitly says it). [b][u]General Comments[/u][/b] - [b][u]I was not able to play the Alpha using my Australian PSN account[/u][/b], hence the reason you can see the gibberish account name I'm using at the moment which is set to another region. Whether this will still be a problem in the future, I don't know (I still can't use it). - At first I wasn't convinced. It seemed kind of "arcade-y" for some reason, especially when attacking enemies, but I warmed up to it pretty quickly. - Being in Australia, I half-expected some issues with the network, but to my surprise there was very little. I thought this was pretty surprising considering I was mostly playing with people in the US. Good work! - I think I may be somewhat addicted to it now.
