Destiny: match-making, public areas and social interaction discussed by Bungie

[Bald Bouncer]

Bungie's lead engineer Chris Butcher has been chatting to Joystiq about Destiny's vast array of mostly invisible online features, which conspire to make online environments feel like single player worlds. According to Butcher, the flexibility of the game's matchmaking systems (and associated match types) is key to its appeal. "There are lots and lots of different activities in Destiny. The way we think about is that if you're in the mood for high intensity gameplay, low intensity gameplay, competitive or cooperative, whatever your mood, there should be an activity that meets you." As you wander the game's universe - Destiny takes place on the planets of our solar system, hundreds of years after the fall of humanity's extra-terrestrial empire - you'll enter public areas and be given the opportunity to interact with other players, strictly in accordance with the context.



"The way we think about the public spaces is that they're areas within the world of Destiny where, as your fireteam goes into that area, you'll be seamlessly match-made behind the scenes with other fireteams," said Butcher. "There's no UI, progress bars, loading screens or anything like that.

"And that's where we think shooter players are going to find the gameplay that's most interesting and meaty for them, because it's something we feel is kind of new, unexpected and exciting. What happens is, in these public areas - like I said - you'll be match-made with other players in this large-scale cooperative experience."



"There's continuously these dynamic events that are kicking off in these public areas, and you can choose to engage with them if you want," he went on. "Or you can choose to go about your own personal mission that you came to do there. So it's up to you - you don't have to participate if you don't want to, but if you do, you get to enjoy this cooperative experience and you get additional rewards as well."

Source: Rheena.com