With the recent launch of Destiny 2: Lightfall, the latest addition to Bungie's sci-fi MMO, players delved deeper into the new action, exploring new elemental forces on the coast and uncovering the secrets of the hidden Neptune city of Naimon. Destiny 2's new expansion also means a new Raid, an exciting co-op Destiny adventure designed for fireteams of up to six and designed to test player skills, problem-solving and teamwork. On March 10th, Guardians from around the world entered the newest and perhaps most visually stunning raid: Root of Nightmares.
To celebrate the launch of the new Lightfall raid, we recently spoke with three members of the Destiny team: Associate Design Kailani Marrero, Staff Designer June Meyer, and Lead Designer Brian Frank to get a behind-the-scenes look at what it's like to work on some of the most mysterious, interesting, and challenging material in the game (and call ). All games.
After the early events of Lightfall, how does the Nightmare Root raid advance the narrative?
In Meyer: Root of Nightmares in June , players explore the Pyramid of Witnesses after completing the Lightfall campaign. In the raid, players can see firsthand how the traveler's light shapes the landscape, bringing new life and destroying the existing environment. We've never been able to see or influence this process, and raids allow players to change the environment with their actions.
Kailani Marrero: It was important to make sure that the lessons the player (and Guardian) learned in Neomun applied to their raid. The Guardian spends its time learning to "go with the flow" - especially when dealing with Osiris and learning to use the Coastline during the campaign - and we've carried that mindset into The Raid. Without spoiling the newcomers to the raid, the Guardians know who the threat is and know that the organization must be destroyed. Even in the face of huge divisions, there is work to be done, and this belief in ourselves and our allies must remain real.
Q: Can you list any specific examples of Bungie incorporating narrative themes into the puzzle-like elements of Destiny 2 raid gameplay?
Brian Frank: The Apprentice's And of [from Destiny 2: The Witch Queen] symbols and their meanings are designed as a system where events in the game can make statements about places and characters in our world. In the context of The Witch Queen's themes of deception and illusion, they were meant to evoke truth, falsehood, or prophecy. It also helps to unfairly scare players, comment them and inform their staff to raid.
CM: Story threads are often an introduction to the experience that adds an extra dimension to the raid. Many mechanics are implemented with a general raid story concept in mind from the start, and then the storyteller provides additional context. The bones are there, but you can add them later to make them cooler and give them context if needed.
DM: The essence of the Nightmare Root mechanic was that the Guardians could successfully fight the Witness using only light and darkness. Players begin the action using only light, and the second encounter requires both light and dark, but never combined. In the last meeting, players learned to combine these elements in really useful ways.
Q: What are your favorite raid titles from previous expansions and why?
KM: I'm sure the answer will be different for everyone you ask! I'm totally biased and love Root of Nightmares the most. It took us a while to come to terms - we had a lot of laughs at the unexpected "gap gap" formula - but Root of Nightmares won because it was too good to pass up.
This time we wanted a mysterious and scary sounding name and it won. Some players have also been able to receive secret messages from Neomuna hinting at who they might face in a boss battle, and we wanted to pay it forward on behalf of the raid. If you know the legend of fate, when you think of Ghosts, some names immediately come to mind.
If I had to pick the top three it would be: Root of Nightmares, Seeker's Oath, and finally Desire (from Destiny 2: Forsaken).
DM: The Deep Stone Crypt [from Destiny 2: Beyond Light] will always be special to me because of its simplicity. The name of the raid revealed everything about the activity, but nothing at the same time. We knew the most important thing for players was to let them know where they were going, but we felt it was more important to keep the player's journey private. It was the name that came up during our discussion and since we knew it was the best choice, we didn't consider other options.
Q: What are the team's goals when calling a raid?
BF: Our goal is to create a sense of mystery for the title, either a manly adventure you can imagine, or a challenge you have to take on and overcome with your team.
KM : Naming Ray really means finding a combination of words that express the essence of the activity. They are generally designed to straddle the line between giving you absolutely nothing and everything at the same time. This is a difficult but interesting job!
Q: What else does the Bungie team want players who are new or returning to Destiny 2 to see how raiding fits into the experience?
KM: Destiny Raids is a unique experience for me. You see a lot of different raids in MMOs and RPGs and you combine them, but to see this in an FPS is really cool to me. It's a challenge for players who are up for it, and you'll be rewarded with cool stuff and new stories. winner of everything.
BF: Destiny Raids, the pinnacle of cooperative play, are designed to advance player stories. We set the bar high for coordination and skill in the unique challenges of each raid. Although winning may seem impossible at first, success is very rewarding and makes you believe in your team.
Q: What is the best way for Lightfall players to prepare for a Root of Nightmares raid?
BF: If you're up for the challenge, the legendary campaign is a great way to get a lot of gear that will give you the recommended raid power level. Another way is to participate in light rituals and seasonal events that increase strength.
JM: Power up Neomuna to unlock Wire Fragments, as dashing and jumping are great ways to survive both raids. Additionally, dungeons are a good opportunity to gear up and dive into harder endings without having to collect as many teammates as possible.
CM: You need to find a good squad to take advantage of any raid in Destiny 2. If you don't know the other five players to attack, don't worry! You can use the Destiny 2 mobile app's Battlegroups feature to join an existing raid group or create your own from scratch.
Destiny 2: Lightfall is available now.