#destiny critical

[xivu-arath]

man after putting a lot of my gripes about relatively recent writing together with The Lore Circle, and then seeing the article about just how dire the state of bungie is right now, it's really... not a surprise. we'd been noticing and feeling the effects of this in bits and pieces for over a year, at least

the weird flattening and streamlining of story and narrative and characters, the unnecessary amount of connections being made with zero ambiguity allowed, characters and dynamics being written in reaction to overall community opinions and vibes but often without actual depth, the very... on the face and rote pattern of seasonal dialogues. not that I care much about gameplay, but the intense pivot towards "challenging gameplay" that feels both one-note and pretty damn brutal for casual players like myself. I'd long held that there had to be a strong executive meddling for how things were being handled, and it sucks to have been so right

and it's so easy to see how things will spiral into going worse. why should longtime fans extend any grace or trust to bungie now? how can we be "earned back" when all the good writers and community managers and counsel and musicians have been laid off? when every well-meaning initiative has been promptly shut down and everyone involved is gone?

I don't generally have the energy nowadays to Express Opinions or be as loudly disappointed as many of my friends are. but I am disappointed and tired and also really fucking sad. the destiny that exists in my memory could actually be pretty good, and sometimes almost matched what I was writing and imagining in my own head. and... it's probably never going to return to that. I'm not going to leave it! I will probably hang around and keep plucking out the dregs that appeal to me, and keep writing and theorizing and talking with the talented and passionate community I've found myself in. I've scavenged and remained invested in much worse and more overall garbage stories

but I am going to grieve this decline for a long time, too. not just as a fan, but for the hundreds of people who did work on this big and silly universe and put their hopes and best efforts into it, and got crunched up instead

#destiny critical #bungie critical

[sovpologist]

the heavy narrative focus on crow confuses me because i feel like he isn't a fan favorite. he’s a very polarizing character, people either hate him or love him. and even people who really like him admit that he began to overstay his welcome in the seasonal narrative (i would say around lost, but definitely after haunted) and were glad when the writers seemed to recognize this and move on to other characters and plotlines.

the sudden heel turn not only to focus on him again but also to focus on old arcs that have already been explored and concluded (amanda didn't forgive him; he didn't want to talk to mara but was tentatively open to doing so in the future).... to ultimately come to the SAME conclusions (amanda still didn't forgive crow; mara is still interested in reconnecting but crow is still not) feels not only misguided but also completely unasked for. if crow is going to the “main character” no matter what the audience thinks of him then at least do something interesting and new with him instead of just rehashing the same couple of storylines!

#chatter #defiance spoilers #destiny critical #i feel like they’re afraid to really do anything fun with him because they don’t want audiences to dislike him #but a certain portion of the audience will scream ‘crow is uldren so he’s evil!’ no matter what happens #so why are we catering to those people

[synnthamonsugar]

My issue with D2 isn't that it's bad.

Bad media can be, and frequently is, fun, strange, shocking, thought-provoking, entertaining. Bad media often has things to say (even if not said clearly), it's often heartfelt in ways that bigger and more-polished productions cannot be since it's more likely to be the brainchild of an individual or small team instead of a committee of writers working under tight managerial control.

Even through its better-crafted plot beats, I think Destiny (counting both games together here) has often felt bad to me. I say this with utmost love and respect. There are limits to its model of storytelling, and there have always been plot holes, strange bits of characterization, setups without payoffs, weird dialog, gameplay-narrative dissonance, etc. and I think it's easy to focus so much on the high points in its history that we forget that being bad isn't atypical for Destiny, and that this is fine!

The issue is, it used to be that even when it was bad it was genuine, meticulously detailed, oozing with character and heart in every line and lore tab, had bits of world-building and background that made me desperate to know more. It was a rambling story from a friend, who might not have a point but they're so into telling it that it becomes the most interesting thing in the world to listen to. I think, for much of Destiny's history, you could feel Bungie was putting their whole back into it, that the creators made it with love and care. It was impossible not to get invested in return, even when it was a little corny.

The issue is, it doesn't feel like that anymore. It feels like something that's being made because it's contractually obligated. It feels like something neither Bungie nor the creative team wants to put effort into, and I frankly cannot blame the creative team given what we know is going on behind the scenes. That doesn't make it less disappointing or frustrating - in fact it might make it worse because I can't help but see it as something being made under a level of duress. (More than the typical level, for anything made in capitalism.) But it certainly explains why.

And of course, given we know they're trying to make the bottom line there's always the question of how much executive meddling is affecting the story. I definitely have qualms with some of the narrative team, but I do wonder what Destiny would look like today without the stress of meeting sales goals and deadlines.

I think you can sort bad media into roughly two buckets. There's the good-bad media, the kind I talked about, the passion projects bristling with heart and character and vision if nothing else. Then there's the bad-bad ones, the ones that were produced to make a paycheck, be consumed and forgotten ...

My (rhetorical) question is: why should I care about something whose creators don't care about it? If something is a cynical cash grab, how can I feel anything but cynicism toward it?

#destiny #destiny critical #destiny meta

[trans-estinien]

Sorry not 2 be a hater but I hope that after the f/nal shape dest/ny servers go offline

#no more. be free. play better games that respect your time and arent fueled by fomo #and im saying this as someone who used to obsess over the game: get outta there!!! #destiny critical

[telestoapologist]

what trying to land a hit on non-taken enemies post season of defiance feels like

#destiny 2 #destiny critical #like i can't be the only one who keeps having this problem #right

[erismourn]

Listening to my destiny soundtrack playlist and ruminating on how like. Even the soundtrack for lightfall was kind of subpar. Like I don't by any means think lightfall was wholly bad, but it wasn't up to the standard of everything else that's been happening in destiny. You can really see that having to split witch queen into two dlcs kind of made it so that lightfall wasn't the most it could be yknow

But back to the soundtrack - I know they made it this way on purpose, but it's so... M*rvel movies. Just like nothing interesting, generic John Williams style score. You can see the difference most starkly between insurrection (an uluran themed song) from wq and the song that plays when you're literally killing calus, our enemy of multiple years. Insurrection is so swagful and tyrant overthrown is so... Nothing. Like there's a bit of cabal stomp in there but it's not??? Idk it has no soul

#mads.txt #Destiny critical #It's honestly disappointing

[supercasey]

Minor spoilers for the new campaign, but I'm stuck on the last boss fight, so I don't know what happens after that and won't actually be discussing the story itself

When I first started playing last night, I was really liking the new content, especially Strand, but as I've continued playing into today, I've been getting increasingly irritated with the mechanics and difficulty of the new campaign. Honestly, it just accentuates a problem I've been having with Destiny 2 for a long time now; the game feels inaccessible if you're a single player.

I got through the early missions of the campaign without too much trouble, only really struggling with the Tormentor boss fights, but g-ddamn, the last (I think) mission's final boss is complete bullshit. I keep getting knocked off the map, which shouldn't be such a major problem anymore thanks to Strand, but for some g-dforsaken the people designing this game decided it was a great idea to make the cooldown on the grappling hook slower than a snail returning home from a funeral. Not only that, but the fucking Tormentors are downright overpowered when I'm having to dodge them, minions, and Calus at the same time. I finally rage quit after dying halfway through for the third time.

Now I have to wait for my dad to get caught up and help me through it, but with our conflicting schedules, and the fact that my dad really struggles with jumping crap (aka the beginning of the last mission), it's gonna be awhile before I can finish the campaign. I wish Bungie cared more about the single player experience for their game, but judging off the last few seasons, I won't get my hopes up for any meaningful changes.

Oh, and don't even get me started on the fact that the new seasonal crap has the audacity to implement dark zones, something I've never seen a seasonal activity do before. What, were they worried we were having too much fun not losing progress when everyone dies? It's a terrible freaking idea, and I'm honestly amazed Bungie is trying it.

Don't get me wrong, the stories on both fronts are compelling to me, but overall I'm really disappointed with Lightfall's implementation thus far. I hope Bungie takes everyone's criticisms to heart and makes some major changes, but I'm worried the player base is gonna drop again.

#supercasey ramblings #destiny #destiny 2 #destiny 2 spoilers #lightfall spoilers #destiny lightfall #destiny critical

[towards-toramunda]

Caduceus Clay is fully aware that he is a character in a game of dnd and that dnd is based on generally predetermined storylines made up by the DM aka “destiny” or “fate”, but I think if Ashton Greymoore realized they were a character in a dnd game they’d try to punch both Matt Mercer and Taliesin Jaffe in the face

#critical role #ashton greymoore #caduceus clay #cr2 #cr3 #Caduceus would hug them and accept whatever they made him do #when I say I love that Ashton hates fate and destiny its because I love when actors commit to character as much as Tal is for Ash #taliesin jaffe #edit to add: I also think Ashton would have a panic attack and start crying after attempting to punch Matt and Taliesin

[gluzzo]

I told you a story about someone picking my pocket thirty seconds ago and then you pick someone’s pocket?! That was a priest! Don’t get on my ass about it! All I know is that it’s pretty easy to do here, that’s all I took from what you said.

#criticalroleedit #critteredit #critical role #fearne calloway #orym of the air ashari #dorian storm #cr3e1 #the draw of destiny #riah.gif

[starlight-bread-blog]

Zuko and Katara Aren't Toxic to Each Other

I keep hearing this take that's biasically just different variations of this:

Zuko and Katara would bring out the worst in each other. They would be fighting constantly, and their similar tendency to anger will escalate these situations. They'd both grow miserable and bitter.

I don't like this argument for a number of reasons, but I'll adress just one: I feel as though these takes miss how Zuko and Katara have been shown to respond to each other's anger in canon.

For most of the story, they're enemies. Prince of the Fire Nation and the Avatar's friend & teacher. They fight because they're on opposite sides of a war. They do have an arc before they reconcile, there are fights from The Crossroads of Destiny to The Southern Raiders. But in my opinion they don't point at toxicity. They show how Zuko actually reacts to Katara's rage. And it simply doesn't escalate even before they become friends. So let's take a look at a few of said arguments:

The Crossroads of Destiny

At this point they are pure enemies. Katara didn't see Zuko's journy in the Earth Kingdom and they don't know anything about each other.

Zuko and Katara are in the crystal catacombs and Katara starts yelling & preaching at Zuko for all he did do them. At first Zuko just takes it all, just listens to her. But he hit his breaking point.

Zuko (calmly): You don't know what you're talking about.

Katara then rightfully gets angry. And opens up about how the Fire Nation hurt her personally – they took away her mother. Instantly, Zuko isn't angry anymore.

Zuko: I'm sorry.

He immediatly understands and offers comfort. And even, connect with his enemy.

Zuko: That's something we have in common.

Katara: I'm sorry I yelled at you before.

Now the argument is over. They were enemies just a second ago, but Zuko was able to put it aside, realize that Katara was well within her rights to get angry, see her pain and connect with her. So much so, that he tells her about his destiny, about how he feels he's free. And Katara offers to heal his scar to help him too. She too understood his pain, calmed down instantly and helpped.

The Western Air Temple

Zuko has redeemed himself, but not in Katara's eyes. She still suspects him after he betrayed her. She confronts him.

Zuko doesn't get angry if defensive, he knows why she's yelling and lets it happen. He understands her and knows his place.

Then, she threatens him with death. And what did Zuko do?

Nothing. It's not his place. He has gained the emotional maturiny needed to do nothing. To take her rage, knowing it's deserved.

The Southern Raiders

At this point Zuko is completely redeemed, he saved the Gaang just this day and proved he's trust worthy on multiple occasions. But that's still not enough for Katara. She makes a mean spirited comment about him not deserving any credit and leaves. Zuko follows her.

Thus the hostility begins. Zuko asks Katara why can't she trust him? He's proven himself, everyone already trusts him. It's a fair question, and fair frustration. Katara didn't provide substantial reasons to why she still doesn't trusts him yet. She just reminded him she was the first to trust him.

Zuko: What can I do to make it up to you?

He calmed down and tried to help, even when he had every right to be upset. In her next line, it became clear that she was projecting her grief onto him. Zuko realized this, what did he do? What did he do after finding out that Katara's rage at him isn't even about anything he personally did? What did he do after finding out that her rage is unfair and rooted in projection?

Says nothing & goes to her brother to help her solve her trauma. Regardless of it was healthy or not, Zuko was trying to help – not get angry at her.

All of these arguments happen before they even become friends. After they did, they are nothing but wholesome.

This argument that they'd bring out the worst in each other has no basis in canon.

"But it doesn't need to be prominent in canon! They didn't disagree yet, and we don't know what it'd look like".

They did once: Zuko agreed to an Agni Kai with Azula. He invited Katara just so he wouldn't have to do this. Katara finds it unreasonable. But she hears him out and trusts his judgement.

Yes, it does need to be backed up by canon. If it doesn't need to, you can pick any two traits of any two characters and think of how they could be miserable. It doesn't matter that that's not how they are, because it's a hypothetical. It doesn't need to be backed up in canon. Now I'm suggesting that Zukka would be toxic because Sokka's sillyness would clash with Zuko's anger. Sokka would joke around and Zuko would be irrutated & ask him to take it seriously. But it's stupid. I just picked two traits and went wild with it. Same goes for Zutara. They don't act like this, so it's irrelevant.

In conclusion: When Zuko and Katara were "fighting constantly" they were on opposite sides of a war. The first time they talked, it naturally starts as an argument, but turns into a beautiful moment where they both understand each other. When Zuko joins the Gaang, he waits pationetly to Katara's forgiveness, takes all her anger without being at all hostile, does everything he can to prove himself, stays calm even when it's unfair and helps her resolve her trauma. After they reconcile Zuko and Katara don't have a hinch of toxicity. They don't bring out the worst in each other.

#anti anti zutara #anti kataang #anti maiko #pro zutara #zutara was robbed #zutara quotes #zutara analysis #zutara meta #maiko critical #kataang critical #zutara nation #zutara #zuko x katara #zukoxkatara #kataraxzuko #katara x zuko #zutara evidence #the crossroads of destiny #the southern raiders #zutarian #zutara forever #anti bryke #bryke critical #atla critical #atla fandom critical

[moonstarsandspacedust]

Revolving the role of prophesy and fate in dune around in my mind… it’s coming for you no matter how much you run from it.

Chani running from her secret name and Paul running from the holy war but in the end fate still catches up with them. Because it was destined? Because other people push them there? Is there a difference in the end?

What matters more: who you are or who others believe you to be?

#critical examinations of fate and destiny my beloved #dune #dune part two #dune part 2 spoilers #I guess

[xivu-arath]

tbh I came into destiny from lore and will probably stay for lore so as long as there's still stuff like the root of nightmares lore or collector's edition stuff coming out, I'm mostly happy to play with only half my mind on what's going on and just appreciate the gameplay and environments (and it's not like you can say I'm actively playing it rn anyways... or anything for that matter)

but I was playing swtor directly before destiny so my picking and opting out instincts are from there, as swtor is... 25? 30?% fun ideas or good beats and otherwise such a mess of conflicting writing and weird choices and flat characters and mandated deaths, so it was a necessary reflex to form

I am sad about having to apply it though! I miss being totally plugged into the seasonal narrative, and I really dislike the flattening of characters onscreen. I understand there's probably a lot going on in the back that we'll never see or know about, and pressures to make everything digestible but it's a shame nonetheless. all I can hope for is another shift in the narrative team and how it's doing things into the final shape but... that's awfully soon

this is also where I shill for expansion delays and letting things cook instead of the hard yearly release schedule. lightfall has neat, good bones and could be so much more solid!! aiat.

#destiny critical #let me fucking tell you about stupid deaths in swtor tho- #gonna turn off reblogs on this if it goes anywhere

[sovpologist]

well i guess i might as well give my opinion, i feel like mara has been simultaneously out of character and sidelined this season and it was disappointing to me. i try not to get my hopes up but they marketed the season with a giant picture of her head and she's basically a power generator and crow's therapist this season. i feel like with seth dickinson gone no one really knows how to write her particular brand of "mean cunt but extremely loyal and with a soft spot for people she cares about" like this is NOT the mara sov i know... this is an imposter...

#the speech she gave after amanda's death was beautifully written but the depth of emotion felt so out of character #esp since she never even spoke to amanda beyond a couple of lines #that's not even getting me started on amanda being fridged #and the cowardly attempt by the writers to preemptively halt a fridging discussion by having caiatl be like #she died for her convictions not your grief! #but like... she literally DID die so that crow (and zavala) could be sad about it #that was the narrative purpose of her death #defiance spoilers #destiny critical

[synnthamonsugar]

To be clear, if Lightfall emotionally resonated with YOU, that's awesome! I don't think it's as bad as its harshest critics claim and had many cool ideas, story beats and characters. But it's also bizarre to see people treat it like it wasn't an obvious warning sign of turmoil within Bungie, knowing what we know about the mistreatment of the creative team by management, and of the major shakeups that transformed what was originally planned to be two expansions (Witch Queen and Final Shape) into three.

#destiny critical #ig #lightfall

[trans-estinien]

i think its very funny how if you ask anyone whos outside the destiny 2 spaces on tumblr their opinion on the game almost all of the responses are like "its bad" becuase yeah. it is. tumblr destiny fandom just dont want to admit it

#destiny critical #there are a lot of people who quit destiny for xiv and i am one of those #its. really sad how some of the people who are left refuse to see that the game has been going downhill for ages #when the game eats shit and dies after the final shape dont say i didnt warn you #but yall should come play an actually good mmo. experience what youve been missing out on

[utilitycaster]

Various CR characters, the latest of which is Ashton Greymoore: I don't believe in fate

Matthew Mercer, descending directly into the narrative: the interplay of fate and free will is the most consistent culture-spanning theme in the entire universe I built and is set up as the crux of the finale of Campaign 3 so your belief does not actually matter but this is a great character trait for you to have so go off

#i just wrote the wiki article for the skein of fate and it's like #the divine and the arcane and the natural and the fey all united in this concept! #objectively tangible! arguably truer than even the gods! everything is the thread of destiny and the choices you make with it! #fundamentally tied into the cycle of life and death! you don't need to believe in it bc it exists outside of you and doesn't care! #critical role #critical role spoilers #for matt being like anyway ashton you grab the spark as was fated #(also. if you were to ask me. ashton 100% wants fate to be real and for them to be special) #(but also if fate is real what were the first 28-ish years of their life what was that bullshit; hurts less if it's not real.) #anyhow join me in eating drywall