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  1. #1

    Survival - flawed from the start

    The whole precept of Survival is flawed. This is my initial opinion after spending just a few minutes in the expansion DLC. Look at some of the design flaws:

    1) the original mission was to enter the DZ and recover the most important item in the world. That's the same DZ that by every account is the worst and most dangerous part of the city, "filled with fear and betrayal in which each agent is responsible for themselves". "Few dare to go over the wall... but fewer still come out". So of course it makes sense that our Agent would embark on said vital mission armed with only a pistol and carrying nothing of value in the pack he is wearing. That's just stupid. (and don't say because of the helo crash - he still is wearing the useless pack!)

    2) No one would ever die of Sepsis in ONE HOUR

    3) the same "SHD Watch" that provides basic functionality from the onset of level 1 in the game (pulse, mini-map) suddenly no longer works. Why? It still opens doors and such.

    4) hypothermia in 20 seconds? Seriously, you wouldn't freeze so fast if you fell off a crabbing boat in the arctic ocean.

    5) its the same city, the same map as the LZ outside of "Survival", so why are the cache locations not the same. Suddenly they all vanished into thin air when the "storm" hit? I have spent time and effort learning the layout of the city, that should matter in Survival. Said differently - Exerience matters.

    6) In every encounter with NPCs the system reduces visibility to zero (I can't see the NPCs) - but they can see me like I am glowing! utterly rediculous.


    In summary, I would say that basically the Dev team took all of the worst elements of the Division LZ, DZ and Underground, and compiled them into 1 ultra-rediculous scenario, probably thinking it would establish intrigue. What's worse, I am expected to wait up to 6 or 7 interminable minutes while it "queues up" a solo PVE game for this nonsense?

    I would call Survival a "Massive Failure".

    HOWEVER - the option to choose PVE or PVP at the mission selection is fantastic - now do that for the DZ!!!
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  2. #2
    Wait, you don't go out in a freezing cold blizzard without a jacket, hat or scarf? What are you, smart?
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  3. #3
    Overall i like the survival mode (it's now almost exclusively what i play in TD). But i agree it's not perfect. You can add to your list, why doesn't the BoO leave you a care package outisde? (and why don't they at least invite you in to re-cuperate?) Why if you are flying from BoO to the DZ do you sometimes land further away in the opposite direction? Why do containers always spawn in the same place every game? Why are painkillers so useless? Why can you find a clothing item with zero cold protection? (seriously!, there is a t-shirt with nil protection.....WHY???), why, when you have only a pistol, if you kill an NPC you only occasionaly get a chance to pick up their weapon? (does it magically disappear?).

    I could probably go on, but think Massive are only paying lip service to 'old' game modes.
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  4. #4
    Andrewszed's Avatar Senior Member
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    Not to mention it's unrewarding at best. If you spend an 2 hours in the lz and or dz you leave with way more loot which is mostly sold anyways but the point is its a loot reward game. Well unless you play survival.

    The game mode is boring and lacks any real intrigue after say 5-6 times which is why I don't play it. Just another reason to hate on massive and their poor creativity and insight. The division will always be known as what could have been. Bout it.
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  5. #5
    Ms_Salami's Avatar Senior Member
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    j-ten4s well if you poke holes in most fictional stories nevermind computer games then you'll find the same with ALL of them, not just a single piece of DLC.

    Besides, if you were being funny you weren't the first to it, sadly.

    https://youtu.be/ZdDcDx7aDvo
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  6. #6
    Another thing is that survival has been out a while now and everyone knows where the division tech is so a 4 man squad can get straight in and take all the division tech. Either take division tech out or make it change spawns its a joke when a smaller group of 1/2 gets in and we can even craft a flare gun let alone a decent weapon
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  7. #7
    hallfrom8's Avatar Senior Member
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    Originally Posted by j-ten4s Go to original post
    The whole precept of Survival is flawed. This is my initial opinion after spending just a few minutes in the expansion DLC. Look at some of the design flaws:

    ...
    You forgot - mode in addition contrary scenario.
    Although the effects of the acceleration of action is understandable compactness world.
    But here are some things they can not explain.
    1) what kind of vaccine?
    2) Why to finde it need go into a dark area?
    3) They have vaccines that warehouse there? Or she dalekor flown and remain intact?
    4) Where did the hunters?
    5) Where were they?
    6) Who are they?
    7) Why is the helicopter flies in a dark area?
    8) Why NPCs are immune to cold? (By the way they dressed is easy).
    9) Why on the map 4-6 helicopters? Are you available after just 1 ...?!
    10) The drug most can be found at all on the street.
    11) The contracted agent?
    12) Why NPCs are immune?
    ... Yes, here it is possible to find fault with each post. But the legend of the regime at all. Only a short video showing the "nothing".
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  8. #8

    Dear Ms Salami

    Originally Posted by Ms_Salami Go to original post
    j-ten4s well if you poke holes in most fictional stories nevermind computer games then you'll find the same with ALL of them, not just a single piece of DLC.

    Besides, if you were being funny you weren't the first to it, sadly.

    https://youtu.be/ZdDcDx7aDvo

    It is true that one can poke holes in anything, I agree.

    However, STORY is the single element that can transform a work of fiction, such as a video game,from being just a mechanical on-screen puzzle, into a fully-immersible alternate universe.

    It's the "story" that shapes your understanding of not just what, but WHY your character is doing what they are doing. The story informs your decision-making, influences your perspective and even evokes emotional reactions to in-game content. TCTD is built around a staggerng amount of detail in both story and backstory, and its rich content - ranging from the in-game intelligence (i.e., the phone recordings, the videos, the echo playbacks, etc.), to the out-of-game companion book, YouTube ISAC transmissions, the Agent Origins video shorts and even the 2018 feature film - all serve to create a staggering and fullfilling volume of story that defines the Division's reality.

    But the one thing "story" needs above all else is CONTINUITY.


    By contrast to the aforementioned plethora of well-defined story, the paltry effort invested into Survival pales by comparison. Ubi/Massive didn't even take advantage of the volumous story elements already in existence, but rather created a semi-stand alone story is severely lacking in continuity, structure and content.

    If Massive had taken such feedback into a consideration, the outcome would've been exponentially better product and user experience.

    What I was hoping for was that someone would respond and say, "hang in there - it all makes sense a little while in", but you see that didn't happen.


    To your point that "it's all been said before", for a product that's been in the market aslong as TCTD, I seriously doubt anyone could say anything that hasn't been said before by someone somewhere. Even saying "Its been said before" has been said before.

    But I conclude with a question. If you were leading Ubi/Massive's Product Team, which would provide more perspective to the consumer reaction: a topic having 327 threads, or one having a single thread with 327 posts?

    Thanks for reading and thanks for your reply.
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  9. #9
    Originally Posted by Dan1985UK Go to original post
    Another thing is that survival has been out a while now and everyone knows where the division tech is so a 4 man squad can get straight in and take all the division tech. Either take division tech out or make it change spawns its a joke when a smaller group of 1/2 gets in and we can even craft a flare gun let alone a decent weapon
    More great points, both here and by others above in the thread. Thank you all for your responses. I am happy to see that it isn't just me. :-)
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  10. #10
    Originally Posted by hallfrom8 Go to original post
    You forgot - mode in addition contrary scenario.
    Although the effects of the acceleration of action is understandable compactness world.
    But here are some things they can not explain.
    1) what kind of vaccine?
    2) Why to finde it need go into a dark area?
    3) They have vaccines that warehouse there? Or she dalekor flown and remain intact?
    4) Where did the hunters?
    5) Where were they?
    6) Who are they?
    7) Why is the helicopter flies in a dark area?
    8) Why NPCs are immune to cold? (By the way they dressed is easy).
    9) Why on the map 4-6 helicopters? Are you available after just 1 ...?!
    10) The drug most can be found at all on the street.
    11) The contracted agent?
    12) Why NPCs are immune?
    ... Yes, here it is possible to find fault with each post. But the legend of the regime at all. Only a short video showing the "nothing".
    Even more great points. Sadly, I never made it far enough into Survival to get to these! Thanks for your input!
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