Thanks!
Final Fantasy IX is, in my opinion, something you'll likely either love or just not care for at all. I usually don't understand the outright hate for it though, but that doesn't seem too common (at least these days). I absolutely understand a lack of interest in something though, and won't try and convert anyone on something they aren't interested in. I wouldn't like that done to me, after all.
Out of curious, what are those reasons for liking the other game? I'm not familiar with that game, and I may or not even understand your answer, but I'm curious all the same.
Probably because, like you, I'm not a fan of shooting games. I don't dislike them or anything... but I'm simply not innately interested in them either. It's basically a genre that can go either way with me but because I'm not interested in shooting or guns, it needs something else to pull me in. Usually, that something else is either a lean into survival horror, or atmosphere and setting. For example, the Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes? I'll play those without hesitation, even though they have large shooting elements. Generic military shooter 27? Yeah, that usually won't do it for me.
Some of the pictures in this thread remind I have a few other games I want to start, but I'm tied up with some other games right now, the aforementioned Final Fantasy IX being one. Hm, I'm making a retrospective on it elsewhere using a play-through to serve as the story coverage and maybe I could do that in its own thread here, but I'm not sure how much interest there would be for it. And it'd be long. (If this title finally gets announced for a remake and it looks promising, especially if it looks anything like what the Memoria Project teased, expect me to never shut up about it though!)
You should make that thread; if not for others, then for yourself as reminder of something you appreciate. Sometimes writing it out (just like having a conversation) helps instill those morals/ideals and appreciation into ourselves. If someone else can take something from that, or has a different perspective to share (which we may not consider before sharing something), I see that as a bonus wrt personal growth.
As for Destiny, there are many aspects to it.
First, I always wanted a game with continuous progression over the long-term, which it gives (arguably it used to do it better, and that was sacrificed for populism/higher (new) player-count, but I digress.)
I wanted something I could continuously appreciate, sometimes zone out to recollect my thoughts/listen to music/podcasts, but also anticipate new content without having to wait years for a sequel.
The most important part though, and anyone that plays the game knows this, is the ("seventh column" of) community/dev relations:
There are people in the community that are not only entertaining and serve as a touchstone, but are also extremely informative (think someone like Vaatividya for Fromsoft titles; Souls/Elden Ring). Perhaps not everyone reads every lore card/item description (to put together the minute intricacies wrt the plot and it's characters), but I'm thankful those layers exist and there are people out there that will both expound at great length (and perhaps speculate), as well as those that will summarize it for those that prefer that and/or have less time (or extra thought cycles). I'm happy that not only can those people can make a living off those things (and develop their talents), but it also gives me a tremendous amount of value outside the actual game itself. 1-6 hours of original content in the game may turn into literal days of original (and interesting) discussion both about or anticipating it. I love hearing all those different perspectives, especially over something that evolves and that discussion could actually change the game.
Bungie puts out a weekly dev blog (forever the 'TWAB', if renamed 'TWID') detailing not just awareness of issues and changes/things to anticipate, but has a sense of humility (and humor) wrt how some people play the game and/or "bugs". They also promote, and contribute, to a bunch of great causes. For instance, they recently had a charity drive in which after giving a certain donation a
programmer would draw a picture of you or your pet. I thought that was hilarious, because
that's Bungie in a nutshell. Do people appreciate Destiny's art (and programming)? They sure do. Do programmers draw? Not for a living. Do sometimes people go after certain people at a studio/publisher (on twitter, in articles, etc) in-which they target and/or blame [often the wrong person] for issues that have little, if nothing to do with them? Yep. Is this a clever way of Bungie explaining different people have different roles, and not everyone associated with something you like/dislike perhaps has input into that thing?
Maybe. Perhaps I'm just reading too much into it, but again, people at Bungie are
very clever in many ways I dare almost not speak. If nothing else, that programmer is putting themselves out there (perhaps drawing very badly and amusing someone; perhaps show-casing a hidden talent) in a way that is funny, thoughtful, for a good cause, and promoting people to go outside of their comfort zone.
When it comes down to gameplay, I must say I am a very specifically weird type of person. I know there are others like me, but we're not the loudest voices.
We're the type with few IRL friends that play, and find it difficult to create new connections (in the way you would respect a friend) to people we don't know personally.
I got into the game because a few guys I worked with were anticipating the sequel given their experiences in the original (which had always sounded like something I wanted to be a part of but didn't have people I knew to play with), and I was excited to have them as an entry-point for multi-user experiences.
Of course, that's just not always practical, and while there are wonderful single-player experiences (that reasoning shouldn't deter people from playing it like it did for myself initially), that's not why it's special.
I love Destiny because I absolutely despise using a microphone (when only talking to 'strangers'). I'm fairly shy wrt people I don't know (or don't know we have a similar topic of interest to discuss); fear getting berated for not perfectly executing the meta or a mechanic...perhaps myself not being assertive-enough about a tactic I feel will work/help someone (and hence become frustrated) and/or perhaps coming across
too forceful and causing someone else distress. Destiny has many ways to mitigate that (although tbh, people are usually very chill/understanding and most people shouldn't fear mics over LFG; perhaps bc generally older/more mature audience).
Destiny not only has strikes (fairly-easy for most short 3-player match-made PVE activities with escalating difficulty), but missions/dungeons (essentially shorter and easier/less-mechanic heavy raids) that don't
require a mic (especially if you learn the encounters/mechanics before-hand from a guide or video). The sense of social interaction and camaraderie still exists though; you can help a new player along their path to something you may have mastered long-ago (while perhaps seeking a new objective from that encounter) and perhaps awe them, complete a new experience yourself (you perhaps couldn't have by yourself), and at other times get help you may require from complete strangers (and like-wise be in awe). To me personally, all of that is extremely fulfilling, yet the stress level is very low.
That said, the times I have chosen to do a raid (6-player PVE activity that essentially requires mics for coordination), they've been (partly thanks to my IRL friends as a buffer) some of the happiest moments of my (gaming) life. I met new people (which are generally interesting), they may have taught me something and/or have been patient (which I appreciate), and I was able to contribute to something greater than we could accomplish alone.
Similarly, in pvp, one can play anything from a low-stress and almost-meaningless game, to competative, to Trials of Osiris. All of these modes are important; for different people and different reasons.
Some people just want to run around (for fun or to slay) like any arena shooter (and/or test a gun/do bounties), and that's fine. Not typically something I find exciting, but it's important for that to exist.
Some people want to be matchmade with/against people of their skill level, and aspire to get better. Destiny does this for 3-on-3; matchmade for players that single-queue, as well as duo/trios, vs like-wise.
I personally find this very fulfilling for a perhaps strange reason. While I'm certainly not the best player (I border on gold/plat FWIW), there are moments my (match-made) teammates are absolutely horrible..
...and it's great.
Again, I don't use a mic (although people can do that and be match-made against others that do similar). That doesn't mean that I don't let off some steam to those people that can't hear me.
Some people punch pillows, some people use that stress to tackle a project, some people listen to music to come back down to earth.
Me, I (sometimes) yell at random people (like I never would if they could hear it) that can't hear me and I'll likely never interact with again, and it's more cathardic than you can possibly imagine.
Is that weird? Probably.
Am I still happy when we clutch a victory and I move up the ranks? Absolutely. But I go into it knowing that potential may happen, hurts nobody, and may help me vent (if not even related to the game).
Finally, there is Trials of Osiris, which is a hardcore-pvp mode that requires 7 wins against other teams to win a prized drop (often useful in PVE), usually only frequented by the best players. I have successfully done it 3 times...
with a lot of help from absurdly good players in LFG (using the app). You can still earn decent rewards for simply participating in match-made teams, and maybe some will succeed there, but I'll never forget those that were kind-enough to
carry me do a lot of work for us to get to The Lighthouse (a special area where you claim your reward after your 7 consecutive wins). It's a pretty special feeling.
Hence I think of people like Jake, an absurdly good PVP player, that has devoted pretty much every weekend since it's existance to help players get to The Lighthouse...all while keeping a positive attitude. He livestreams it; he makes a living, but he's also helping (often truly unskilled at PVP) people; putting his very particular set of skills to good use. It's like...The most perfect thing. Everyone wins in that scenario.
It truly is about the community just as much as game content; their mindfullness, creativity, and attitude. It could just as well be applied to a game without guns, but it just so happens this game has them.
Fallout 3 was so great for it's time. Really enjoying it.
