Official Thread The Division v. 2

I actually did a lot of solo in DZ in the first game. It wasn't off limits but did require alot of attention to the map. Actually killing A.I in Div1 was actually pretty easy solo, even in the difficult zones. That was mainly due to A.I predictability. In Div 2 that A.I seems less predictable anf thus harder for solo play...atleast based on the small time playing it in the betas.
Absolutely. They deserve props for their AI work. Best I've seen in a long time. They flank and rush, use grenades to drive you out of cover. The Auto turret is pretty essential in providing flanking opportunities and it kicks ass as well. I went after a bounty and the leader was almost like a real player. Was pretty intense.

Also dat detail! Check the reflection on this dome mirror!



Here is my auto turrets handywork. Shot him through the window from the other side of the truck :D

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The AI does seem much improved. I think that's what impressed me the most about the beta. You have to think about your cover, not just grab the nearest thing. The gun battles were really fun. I'm not a fan of the PVP side of things but I'm still tempted just for the PVE stuff.
 
I actually did a lot of solo in DZ in the first game. It wasn't off limits but did require alot of attention to the map. Actually killing A.I in Div1 was actually pretty easy solo, even in the difficult zones. That was mainly due to A.I predictability. In Div 2 that A.I seems less predictable anf thus harder for solo play...atleast based on the small time playing it in the betas.

Ah cool, yeah I tried DZ solo in the original and couldn't do s*** lol so I stayed out of it.
 
Ah cool, yeah I tried DZ solo in the original and couldn't do s*** lol so I stayed out of it.

The whole system was rigged against the solo player. I'm hoping the new system will be better but I'd with they'd remove the extraction completely or significantly change it.

It is the one thing keeping me from buying right now honestly.
 
The whole system was rigged against the solo player. I'm hoping the new system will be better but I'd with they'd remove the extraction completely or significantly change it.

It is the one thing keeping me from buying right now honestly.
Well they haven't and wont. But with most gear going straight to your inventory then it makes the issue less problematic. No more hours of looting with little to show for it. Normaliization will help. So will the existence of the Occupied DZ.
 
Kind of interesting how skills and skill power has changed.

Skills now have mods that do more damage, larger radius, quicker cooldown, etc, but those mods require skill power to run/work. But unlike Div 1, the skill power stat doesn't increase skill power at all, skill power is more like an energy source that powers the skill mods.

Sounds cool in theory, but I'm a litgle worried this change might result in skill power builds being low tier builds. Hope not.
 
surprisingly the beta didnt grip me, played Division 1 alot but i guess there just isnt enough difference in combat

i dont think i will be buying
 
surprisingly the beta didnt grip me, played Division 1 alot but i guess there just isnt enough difference in combat

i dont think i will be buying
That is unfortunate.

While I totally the understand the 'feels too similar' opinion, I found all the changes add up to a fresh experience.

I myself loved it. But I am worried about the endgame and lack of content in it. However, I'm going to give them the benefiet of doubt since they clearly listened to the community and changed so much in the right way.
 
I'm still on the fence, but mostly because I don't have time for this game right now. Still may end up getting it. I'm actually on vacation the week after this comes out so I would have some time to pump into it.

It is so nice to see a game actually put effort into AI for a change. It seems we complain about lack of AI in every game out there.
 
That is unfortunate.

While I totally the understand the 'feels too similar' opinion, I found all the changes add up to a fresh experience.

I myself loved it. But I am worried about the endgame and lack of content in it. However, I'm going to give them the benefiet of doubt since they clearly listened to the community and changed so much in the right way.

I’m expecting the end game to be well thought out but maybe only so so on content at launch.
 
The future roadmap looks nice, but they don't have any dates that I've seen. My big worry is that they follow the latest trend and give really poor drop rates. Destiny 2 went that way and Anthem looks to be going the same route. Grind games need balance. You can't just hand everything out right away, but you also can't use the slow drip model.

The problem is a lot of gamers don't understand the difference between a meaningful endgame and a pathetic drop rate. Destiny 2 did this and suddenly now it is "normal" to get one drop a month. People who stream the game daily for hours talk about it taking months to get things. That is not a good thing. I get a few extra hours to play and I don't bother because the chances are just so low on getting anything. They just dropped another DLC and I don't have all the stuff from the one last September (few do).

I would love to see this game find the right balance. Don't give me everything at once, but keep dropping little bits to keep me chasing. Reward me, but also leave something even better to chase.
 
The future roadmap looks nice, but they don't have any dates that I've seen. My big worry is that they follow the latest trend and give really poor drop rates. Destiny 2 went that way and Anthem looks to be going the same route. Grind games need balance. You can't just hand everything out right away, but you also can't use the slow drip model.

The problem is a lot of gamers don't understand the difference between a meaningful endgame and a pathetic drop rate. Destiny 2 did this and suddenly now it is "normal" to get one drop a month. People who stream the game daily for hours talk about it taking months to get things. That is not a good thing. I get a few extra hours to play and I don't bother because the chances are just so low on getting anything. They just dropped another DLC and I don't have all the stuff from the one last September (few do).

I would love to see this game find the right balance. Don't give me everything at once, but keep dropping little bits to keep me chasing. Reward me, but also leave something even better to chase.
What drops are we talking about? I would imagine exotics will have a low drop rate. I imagine gear sets will have a relatively lower drop rate too.

The difference in how you progress between the two games is massive. In Destiny it just power level, it is the be all end all. In Division the gear score matters but so does your build. The recalibration system makes all drops relevant regardless of quality oer gearscore.

The big difference is how meangful each drop potentially has. In Destiny it is small. In the Division it is big.
 
There's a post from them on Reddit about the endgame. I must say, it sounds really impressive. Reddit doesn't link here well, but it is stickied on r\thedivision

It is getting hard not to want to preorder this game no matter how hard I said I wouldn't.

Strongholds vs. Missions

Strongholds are vastly bigger, and meaner, than missions. Strongholds will be important to the plot development of the game and are extremely significant. Missions will need to be completed before attempting Strongholds. The concept of Strongholds are introduced very early on in the main campaign, but the concept becomes ramped up in the Endgame.



What happens when you hit level 30?

  • During the main campaign you'll be working thru a bunch of Missions and a handful of Strongholds to get to the final Stronghold that remains locked until you reach level 30. At that point, it will be unlocked and revealed. Once that final Stronghold is completed, World Tier 1 is unlocked, Tidal Basin is revealed and the living world will completely change.
  • Previously established control points that you've captured suddenly become dynamic as the Black Tusk faction comes into play and factions are pushed into the open world. Previously established fast travel locations are no longer available and must be re-established. Most importantly, due to the influx of the Black Tusk, Specializations are introduced because "you're gonna need a bigger gun.", and you're vastly weaker in relation to the new faction.


World Tiers 1-3 Unlocked

  • 3 Stronghold revealed (1 for each faction) that will have 2 invaded missions that are tied to each Stronghold.
    • After completing the first Stronghold, you'll progress to the next World Tier 2. Finishing the second will push you into World Tier 3 and finishing the last of the 3 Strongholds will push you into World Tier 4.
  • "The Snitch" & The Deck of 52 becomes active
    • 52 Named bosses, each faction matching a suit, that will award you loot and commendations for "completing the deck" and getting their cards. They won't spawn again until your deck is complete.
  • Cassie Mendoza "The Gun Runner" is revealed
    • A roaming random spawn vendor that cycles every day in a half that will have special loot/guns that scale to your world tier.


World Tier 4

  • Priority Target Network - An interconnected set of 7 tiered Bounties inside of different named zones that scale in difficulty as you progress thru them (progression similar to the "hard", "challenging" & "heroic" ways that were familiar to players in TD1).
  • Bounties (this is not endgame, but was discussed after the Priority Target Network to explain how they happen)
    • During the campaign you'll meet Otis Sykes and you'll get access to bounties that you spend Target Intel to play.
    • Target Intel is garnered thru mission completion and endgame content.
  • A final Stonghold "Tidal Basin" will need to be completed to move into World Tier 5


World Tier 5

  • TBD later - gotta keep you guessing and excited.


Keeping the open world "fresh"

  • Interesting discussion about the logic behind the rules and modifiers to keep endgame & bounties fresh and changing. Less about being random. More about being controlled and deliberate, while allowing each experience to be unique thru the use of the modifiers.
  • A future podcast will discuss these background mechanics.
 
There's a post from them on Reddit about the endgame. I must say, it sounds really impressive. Reddit doesn't link here well, but it is stickied on r\thedivision

It is getting hard not to want to preorder this game no matter how hard I said I wouldn't.
Does it sound impressive?
Tier 1 to 4 are basically the same thing.
Deck of 52 sounds interesting, but what is the point once you get all of them?
Cassie the gun runner is basically Xur. Nice to have but hardly end game content.
Strongholds are just longer missions.
Then you have bountiees.
 
Does it sound impressive?
Tier 1 to 4 are basically the same thing.
Deck of 52 sounds interesting, but what is the point once you get all of them?
Cassie the gun runner is basically Xur. Nice to have but hardly end game content.
Strongholds are just longer missions.
Then you have bountiees.

I would assume that WT5 gets you into the 8 man raids and such. I assume those are coming at some point too. Seems like a pretty good "start" for the endgame. I don't know how far out that content is of course. Not to mention dark zone and other kinds of pvp.

I'd rather play this than Destiny 2, that's for sure. The new gambit mode is horrible. :)
 
I would assume that WT5 gets you into the 8 man raids and such. I assume those are coming at some point too. Seems like a pretty good "start" for the endgame. I don't know how far out that content is of course. Not to mention dark zone and other kinds of pvp.

I'd rather play this than Destiny 2, that's for sure. The new gambit mode is horrible. :)
The raid is coming about a week after launch.

Gambit wasn't great to begin with, was boring & extremely repetitive.
 
Is someone going to create a UVGF clan? Does it have to be PC or Xbox only?
 
I don't think it matters if members of the clan are on different platforms. I think everyone would benefit from everyone's accomplishments.
 
I don't think it matters if members of the clan are on different platforms. I think everyone would benefit from everyone's accomplishments.

Read a couple things where clans can't go across platforms. Sounds like we'd have to have a UVGF-PC and a UVGF-XBox clan.
 
I went ahead and pre-ordered after seeing the state of the game thing. I'm going to be awful and I don't know how much time I'll have to sink in it, but I'll be there some. :)