Destiny beta! 7/17 - 7/23

[Bolivar]

58149

For anyone living under a rock, Destiny is Bungie's forthcoming multiplatform successor to Halo that blurs the line between open world shooters and MMORPGs. After a successful limited Alpha, Bungie and Activision are gearing up for a robust pre-order Beta which includes several story chapters and PvP multiplayer maps along with a huge explorable area, replete with dungeons, sidequests, dynamic world events, and flower picking (!). From what I understand, it's not too late to pre-order for beta access and Bungie are giving out 3 beta codes to each pre-order holder.

Anyone else plan on participating in the beta? I will likely have one of my PS4 codes up for grabs if anyone is interested, would love to team up with some EoFFers on this!

[Madame Adequate]

Would like to get in on this, but I don't have a PS4 (or indeed any other console that can play it, excepting my 360 which I never take online anymore xD).

Someone give a trip report in a few days though. Counting on y'all, one of the original ideas for Halo was a FPSMMO so it'll be interesting to see how Bungie have done all these years later.

[KentaRawr!]

My computer would definitely explode if it tried to play this, but I can hardly wait to see gameplay! One day I'll have a computer that can play it, right? :lol:

[Nicolas]

My computer would definitely explode if it tried to play this, but I can hardly wait to see gameplay! One day I'll have a computer that can play it, right? :lol:

Sadly, it's a console exclusive. But maybe one day you'll get to play it.

Also, I am excited to do this. The Alpha was fairly enjoyable and I'm looking forward to playing this beta. I should also have 2 other codes for PS4 owners, I believe.

[Pant Leg Eater from the Bad World]

I am doing this. Super stoked.

Alas, I am and XBoxOner, so I can't play with you PlayStationers.

[KentaRawr!]

My computer would definitely explode if it tried to play this, but I can hardly wait to see gameplay! One day I'll have a computer that can play it, right? :lol:

Sadly, it's a console exclusive. But maybe one day you'll get to play it.

Also, I am excited to do this. The Alpha was fairly enjoyable and I'm looking forward to playing this beta. I should also have 2 other codes for PS4 owners, I believe.

In that case, I'm definitely not going to play it for a long while. :[

[escobert]

console exclusive? ew.

[Iceglow]

or indeed any other console that can play it, excepting my 360 which I never take online anymore xD

That's because you're a failure Huxley and the UNSC doesn't appreciate failures.

[Bolivar]

Unsurprisingly, PSN imploded!

Finally got through all the store crashes, downloading now. Hopefully the game is as interesting as these loading screens:

58225

[Skyblade]

Not only do you have to get through the PSN minefield, you also need a spare 13 gigs for the Beta Download.

I'm still torn on this, and I'm not sure it's worth a multi-hour download just to try out.

[Bolivar]

I just finished downloading so it should be less than an hour... not bad all things considering!

I'm streaming my Hunter right now, just started: www.twitch.tv/bolivar33

[Skyblade]

Well, watching Bolivar play has been enough for me. How utterly disappointing. I heard so many people talking about this game as "a new genre/evolution of gaming". And yet it's just another First Person Shooter.


I mean, that's fine for people who like that sort of game (and I know there's a lot of such people). And it does look like a really nice FPS. But given how much hype it's gotten, I was expecting something more, something deeper.

[Bolivar]

I was able to experience all the content yesterday and reach the Beta's level cap. Skyblade's right, Destiny is not going to take away the sins of the world but what you have instead is a very special game that combines a number of elements in an unprecedented and unique way. Its gorgeous, fun world feels so alive with enemies, dungeons, and other players off in the distance to interact with. Halo fans are going to fall in love but I suspect Destiny will reach beyond the typical shooter crowd. The combat just feels more like an RPG, at times Skyrim while exploring beautiful landscapes, at times World of Warcraft, delving into dungeons on raids with your friends.

The multiplayer is all Halo. The gamechanger is the character super abilities and the need to manage ammo for your heavy and special weapons. I've always been more of a Counter-Strike and Call of Duty guy but once your get the hang of it, it's very addicting and the maps are absolute eye candy. I could easily see a lot of people playing Destiny just for the multiplayer.

I'll likely hold off for now until the full game comes out but I can definitely say this is the big game for Holiday 2014.

[StarCross1988]

My brother has been playing it practically non stop since I finally got it downloaded (stupid PSN kept crashing or whatnot). I only played the intro, but I really enjoyed what I played, and I really like what I see from him playing.

[Skyblade]

The more I think on this game, the more I appreciate it. It is stunningly gorgeous, and it does seem to exist as a shooter/RPG/open world hybrid (I'm going to look into things more to see how well it does on the RPG elements). Which is great. I mean, I loved Mass Effect. That's what Destiny is currently most reminding me of, but with far more refined gunplay. I do wish it had a decent control interface (ie: mouse and keyboard), but it is still a fantastic looking title that will be huge this holiday season, I'm sure.

I just don't get the hype about how revolutionary it is.

[Scotty_ffgamer]

Anyone who wants to do this, here's some beta codes for PS3 and PS4. Whoever gets to them first can have them.

Voucher Code for PS4: PJ44-CQNF-RATK
Voucher Code for PS3: 46TP-8LNC-MBDB

Edit: For the sake of others you might mention if you claimed the code.

[Aulayna]

Well I tried claiming the PS3 one but apparently someone already has

[Scotty_ffgamer]

Huh, okay. Sorry about that Aulayna! I have a bunch more PS4 codes I think, but that won't help you out.

[Aulayna]

I got another code from somewhere else. :)

[Bolivar]

PSA: the Beta has resumed and is now officially live for Xbox platforms as well!

[Bubba]

Anyone who wants to do this, here's some beta codes for PS3 and PS4. Whoever gets to them first can have them.

Voucher Code for PS4: PJ44-CQNF-RATK
Voucher Code for PS3: 46TP-8LNC-MBDB

Edit: For the sake of others you might mention if you claimed the code.

Has anyone claimed the PS4 one yet? If not then I think I'll use it tonight if that's OK?

[Pant Leg Eater from the Bad World]

Whoo! Downloading the beta now for my XBox One!

[Nicolas]

Not sure how many of you have seen this (http://www.bungie.net/en/News/News?aid=11962) yet, but apparently Bungie has opened up the beta to all with PS+ or XBL.

[Bubba]

Anyone fancy teaming up?

My PSN ID is Dannyeg5dby

Let's do this!

[Aulayna]

http://www.bungie.net/en/Legend/2/4611686018429595600/2305843009217804248#gear

My profile

[Bolivar]

Very nice! How do you like Warlock? Did you try any other classes?

Here's my Hunter:

http://www.bungie.net/en/Legend/2/4611686018428442743/2305843009215404435#gear

I will be on PSN for a bit starting at 6pm EST if anyone wants to group up on PS4. Just send me a message (rmx687).

[Endless]

Here's me: http://www.bungie.net/en/Legend/2/4611686018430880139/2305843009219475289

I'll be playing (PS3) tomorrow evening I think, catch me in #eoff so we can setup a team so I can move forward a bit.

[Psychotic]

Played a little bit as a Warlock. Intriguing concept. Combat is very Haloesque. I don't get the Mass Effect comparisons. It's a game with RPG elements set in space, and that's about it. For me, it's a lot more like Borderlands. Well, Borderlands in the Halo engine, which is an improvement in and of itself.

[Iceglow]

Anyone on the 360 version wants to join me I'd be willing to play with them, I need 1 last golden chest and well, um, it involves the biggest boss battle of the beta xD

[Pant Leg Eater from the Bad World]

Guys. It is almost time for the big event.

[Psychotic]

TO THE MOOOOOOOOON!

[Pant Leg Eater from the Bad World]

That first moon level is p awesome.

[Aulayna]

Aww only the first level on the Moon. :( Was fun, though as an FPS casual, already finding the difficulty curve a bit much. Only reason I killed that witch or whatever it was is because it got Super Charged right in the face. Took a couple of attempts.

[Iceglow]

I'm enjoying Destiny, I really am there's a lot to enjoy such as the gorgeous graphics and the superb voice acting, even characters whom I've had little cause to talk to in the beta, I've noticed has some great voice acting talent around. Of course, everyone's picked up Peter Drinklage as your Ghost companion throughout the story. But I'm 100% sure that I've heard Claudia Black in there too.

That being said, I do have some gripes with the game: The enemies feel pretty boring, Bungie made great enemies in Halo out of the Covenant; they had personalities. For example; Grunts screaming "Run Away! They're everywhere!" and other lines what have become meme's in their own right though most most have faded by now to obscurity. I've killed enough enemies in Destiny's beta to know exactly how each fire fight will go down but I can't say there are any truly iconic enemies in Destiny's Beta for me, I didn't play it and immediately thought "Dude that's my new favourite enemy!". Though I suppose this is a beta, Destiny isn't out yet and who knows by the time I've completed the full game I might actually have changed my opinion on this. This isn't a real problem if I'm honest however, as the bosses are pretty memorable, even if after about 3 - 4 attempts at the same mission you're adept enough to know exactly what to use and from where to win without much trouble.

Perhaps my biggest gripe is that I've seen a lot of people describe the multi-player modes as pure Halo even in this thread. As one of the forums biggest Halo players (I may not be Paul or Dan in skill terms but I'm still pretty damn good to have on your team) I feel like I ought to tell you now: You're so very, very, decisively wrong. Halo Multi-Player is all about how balanced it is. Allowing players to take their current inventory and character from Campaign to Multi-Player is a grand idea. However, it's also a major pain in the ass in terms of balancement.

Take for example my character: Iceglow (http://www.bungie.net/en/Legend/1/4611686018430331292/2305843009219327520#gear) I'm packing some pretty ace gear there, though some of it is freshly acquired and needs upgrading. Now in Multi-player I get to walk in to a Multi-Player game with that. Pit my character against someone who just unlocked the Crucible at level 5. The level 5 will deal somewhere in the range of 50% - 66% of the damage I can on average depending on how lucky they have been. This means that even if they get the drop on me, I should be able to turn around and potentially kill them if not before dying, then simultaneous to them killing me.

Likewise, I've got some pretty good stuff but someone who has been a little luckier or has spent more time playing than I have will have obtained better guns or armour. I've seen a player take a direct hit from my rocket launcher in a Multi-Player game and survive on 25% health still able to kill me before I can change back to my normal weapons or reload. That's a heavy weapon designed to kill things as quickly and messily as possible but they just took it in the face like "Hey what you got there kid? A BB gun, best be careful son!" Sure, I think it's great to reward players for their many hours of game play harvesting these items and guns, but not at the expense of the balance of the multi-player game.

I still say that the best FPS Multi-Player I've played was Halo Reach. The reason for this is that yes, it had abilities but none of them utterly broke the game play. It also had 2 classes of weaponry Covenant and UNSC which were balanced if not exactly then comparatively. Yes, you were rewarded for ranking up and playing a lot of games but the rewards whilst cool were cosmetic and had no real impact on game play. This for me is the ideal Destiny should have lived up to in Multi-Player. Sadly it hasn't.

That being said, will I be buying this game when it comes out? Hell yes I will!