Personally I think the tower does a good job of making the world seem more life-like. The NPC do talk a bit when you are near them. Ships fly in and out the shipyard. NPC move and are in distinct areas of the tower suggesting that they are unique in some form or fashion. Earth on the other hand does seem lifeless, but I believe theres a very good reason for that feeling of a mysterious, lifeless, war-torn enviornment. I mean the Fallen and Hive are on earth along with some other species or enemy that dwell at in darkest areas of the map that can't be defeated in the beta. Also with the Fallen, as AI they are intelligent to a reasonable degree. When attacked or when locked on by a sniper reticle they do take cover and they will gang up on a unsuspecting guardian. Overall, we all need to keep in mind that this is a BETA. We are given a slice of whats to come in the game. A slice. We don't know whats going to be in the full game, what activites we will be able to do additionally over what we already have seen, we don't know how conversations will go through out the story missions and how much of that story will be conveyed through the game through NPC's and Grimore Cards. I don't see Destiny as a game with lifeless enivornments. Even though we just have a beta to go on, there is plenty to see thats contrary to what you may believe, for example, Public events. The sky suddenly getting dark, a ship appearing out of slipspace, with other ships in its wake, A ship dropping enemies and a spider tank in a certain area, players coming from all around to get a piece of the action...its hardly a lifeless enviornment. There plenty to explore now and there will be even more so in the full game. Heck if you explore to far, or to deep, you encounter enemies you have no hope of defeating, enemies that are up to something that you and anyone else who discovers them are curious about. I'm keeping a open mind overall. A slice of the game is hardly a full representation of it, especially considering how the game is initially designed. Its not a game that a person will beat the campaign, rank up all the way in multiplayer and unlock everything and just drop it, its a game that will change and that people will continue to play, its a game thats going to have a long lifespan. Can't wait to see whats instore in the full game.