It was not needed per se but more along the way of simply giving us a new challenge.

Year 1 players already ran locked load outs all the time. - Fate Bringer - Black Hammer - Gjallarhorn Good at every single range and boss DPS

For example in a strike one part might be better for a scout another a hand cannon and for the boss you want dps locked loadouts make you choose before you start and only one setup

[quote]Please post rational responses, as many people (including myself) don't understand why this was needed. Simply put, new features usually address a known problem, or shortcoming, of a game's current design. What problem does locked loadouts solve? If you like to use the same loadout, what stopped you from just doing that in Destiny 1? I can't help but think the fundamental design of the weapons, enemies, or both will have to change to address this. If every weapon has to work in every situation, how does this not mean everything has to be more generic? Would a situational weapon like Touch of Malice even exist in Destiny 2? That's definitely not something you would want to carry all of a HM raid just to use once.[/quote] It makes the game harder. Which is fine cuz pve is piss easy. Hth

It's more fun than just increasing the health on enemies. Now you have to think about what weapons to for every situation. Yes, it's a way to artificially increase the difficulty, but it might be fun. I've been locking my load out since Y1. Whatever I take into a strike, NF, or the raid, I use for the entire duration.

Locked loadouts solve the issue of the PvE endgame being too easy. It is one of many ways in which Nightfalls and raids will be made more challenging. For these activities, team composition matters. Weapon variety is important, as is subclass and gear specs. Let's be honest, by the end, every Nightfall could be done with a handful of weapons...and you had your go to loadouts for each section of the raid. Now, you will have to know a head of time who will be doing what, and spec accordingly. Maybe you agree to do a lot of add control, and thus spec with 2 autos and a sword. Basically, instead of opting for boring challenges (such as just giving bosses a shit ton of HPs, or OP OHK attacks), Bungie has made the game hard by making team composition and dynamics matter significantly more. A side effect of this, is that player styles and roles will emerge. Previously LFG posts would read: "400 LL Warlock TOM/BS/Ghorn". Now they will not only list your light and class, but subclass and role: "400 Voidwalker Tank w weapons X,Y and Z".

Okay, you asked the question, so I'll give my [b]THEORETICAL[/b] answer. This system is designed to reinforce the rules set in place with the introduction of a single power weapon. With the introduction of only one extremely powerful weapon instead of two, players will be forced to choose one and adapt to the role that weapon plays in combat. If you have a look at the power weapons, they are all mostly situational. Snipers are useful at very long range, shotguns are useful at very short range, fusion rifles are useful in controlled situations in which you have time to charge shots, grenade launchers are useful for clearing ads, etc. So players are forced to pick combat roles, and specialize in these roles. Imagine a raid in which the two best marksmen in the fire team are designated snipers, the most agile player takes in a shotgun, the player who likes to clear ads takes in a grenade launcher, and one flex player takes in a fusion rifle. Obviously the raid design (assuming this mechanic is in play during the raid) would have to change to accommodate this set of roles. This may allow pve players to focus on what they enjoy to do, and get very good at a particular role, enabling a sense of individuality and mastery. This locked load out system could be in place to make people choose their roles more wisely. Now everyone, put down the pitchforks, everything here is totally theory, and was said in part because I think a system of role would be cool. I do not think this system is necessarily the best way to approach this issue, but it looks like the locked load outs mechanic is gonna be something major. Edit: oh never mind, this mechanic doesn't apply to raids. Well hey, this theory could still apply to Trials...

locked load outs are the epitome of artificial difficulty.

Essentially bungie has bitten off more then they can chew. So to simplify programming and churn out a simple product, instead of introducing something new, they took the easy way out. Don't worry their will be dlc we can pay for, to get legit options already offered in games from 2005. I imagine the topic in their meeting's revolves around 'how do we recreate halo, without using the word halo'

Increases artificial difficulty.

I don't care one way or another. I'm still gonna kill a ton of sh*t with whatever I have. I believe in my skill, strategic thinking, and after playing this game for 3 years, the ability to pick up any weapon and be effective. I can understand if someone is comfortable using one style of weapon. I particularly don't care for hand cannons. I was never really good with them but I can be effective enough to deal with it. I don't really think of it as "artificially increased" difficulty. It's forcing you out of your comfort zone.... slightly. I would rather be forced to think things through a bit more and play strategically rather than having them turn every enemy into yellow bar bullet sponges. To me it's a lazy approach to making something more difficult. Adding health an shielding to enemies and then handing me things like Gally or sleeper doesn't take much thought to figure out I'm just gonna burn them down. Whichever way it turns out, it is what it is. I like the locked loadouts approach, but they need to NOT get carried away with it. Very small doses. What does it solve? It creates a level of difficulty without it be lazily done.

I don't think it solves a problem so much as it eliminates some of the most awesome raids have. What I mean is, you won't be able to have gallerhorn for Templar and the whatchamadigit (heavy fusion) for the last boss because those are the optimal loads for those bosses. Meaning you either have an easier fight for boss one and harder for boss 2, the reverse of that, or take something that works for both but not as well as the two separate ones.

Oh but no revives on hard mode that was fun....

If they implement this in PVP no more fighting someone and they have a better weapon like a sniper (ice breaker) but they loaded with a shotgun but you merc them up close. So they can't change and have to actually be good all around.