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  1. #1

    My thoughts on the Dark zone loot issue.

    Since the release of this game, people have shown preference to the PVE zones, rather than the PVP dark zones. Of course Massive is trying to incentivize us to play all modes. However the last announcement targeting to increase DZ participation divided the player base as it makes the highest gear loot exclusive to the DZ.

    I believe that such a move is a mistake for one particular reason. First of all, i should say that i don’t dislike the DZ. But what i like the most here, is the gameplay diversity that consists the endgame of Division 2. Unlike most looter shooters, in Division 2 every activity, every mission, every project, every bounty, is a viable path to achieving maximum gear score. Sometimes i am overwhelmed, in a positive way, by the possibilities.

    So why is it a problem if the Dark Zone gets exclusive 515GS loot? It is because after we reach that gear score, we are left with no reason to go back to any PVE activity. All gameplay activities outside of the dark zone will only give 500GS items, lower than what we already have. So now only the DZ will be worthwhile playing. That will leave us with a smaller end game. Who is going to try a heroic mission that gives gear 15 points lower than what he currently has? Who is going to play the hardest bounties if the rewards are not satisfying? The gameplay diversity that is this games highest quality will be lost, at least until the raid comes out.

    In my opinion Massive needs to protect that diversity. All gameplay paths should remain viable for advancing, even after the Raid is published. So what can Massive do to make DZ more desirable? Well the secret is in the loot but not in the gear score. They need to bring weapons and gear that will offer specific advantages to the activity they are designed for. So in the dark zone people will earn gear brands and sets with exclusive talents and skills that offer PVP and Dark Zone advantages. Similarly PVE activities and the Raid will offer their own exclusive gear with their own specific talents and traits. By playing more DZ you become better to the DZ, or by playing raid you become better at it. Players will create different builds for each type of gameplay but they will never feel forced to follow one specific path.

    New exotic weapons could also be used (They do need to make more of those after all) as exclusive rewards to the DZ.

    Finally Massive could offer exclusive cosmetic rewards for the DZ or the Raid or some of the most challenging PVE activities. Players can earn customization options by achieving certain goals on DZ, or PVE or the Raid. Events, like the current cosmetic chest event, could be connected to the DZ, in order to incentivize players to give it a chance.

    The combination of exclusive sets, brands and cosmetics will bring people in the DZ, without affecting the maximum GS. Actually by giving exclusive rewards to all types of activities, people will have more reason to spend time in the game and try everything. Whatever Massive decides, i hope they will not ruin what makes this endgame better than any other looter. And that, in my opinion, is this overwhelming amount of gameplay possibilities that exists today.
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  2. #2
    CJ Fresh's Avatar Senior Member
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    You lost me at the highest gear loot being exclusive to the dz. it’s sinply not true. You can recalibrate items already amthat can go past 515.

    I have a few pieces from recalibration that are 515-518.

    And people didn’t show preference for pve zones, dz and pvp players simply found what we were offered lackluster and stuck mostly to pve because that was the only substantial content in the game, still that way now.

    This game has been geared towards pve players that fear pvp and dz. 2 of the 3 dz’s are handholding adventures with normalization, heck even the pvp only option in conflict is normalized to make pvp gentler on you guys.

    Now y’all up at arms because pvp is getting love and you might have to suck it up and jump into the odz for a change?

    You’re already forced into the odz if you want pestilence.

    Again you can stick to calibration to roll high level items if the odz is too much for you (not you specifically). Now if they change that then I can see why everyone is crying but they made no mention of changing it.
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  3. #3
    Originally Posted by CJ Fresh Go to original post
    You lost me at the highest gear loot being exclusive to the dz. it’s sinply not true. You can recalibrate items already amthat can go past 515.

    I have a few pieces from recalibration that are 515-518.

    And people didn’t show preference for pve zones, dz and pvp players simply found what we were offered lackluster and stuck mostly to pve because that was the only substantial content in the game, still that way now.

    This game has been geared towards pve players that fear pvp and dz. 2 of the 3 dz’s are handholding adventures with normalization, heck even the pvp only option in conflict is normalized to make pvp gentler on you guys.

    Now y’all up at arms because pvp is getting love and you might have to suck it up and jump into the odz for a change?

    You’re already forced into the odz if you want pestilence.

    Again you can stick to calibration to roll high level items if the odz is too much for you (not you specifically). Now if they change that then I can see why everyone is crying but they made no mention of changing it.
    Recalibration will also work for DZ gear, getting it probably as high as 525. I don't mind DZ at all. I even like it. But i don't want it to become my only option when i play. I will not play things like heroic activities if i can't get equivalent loot to the DZ. The same goes for the Raid. I am all in for exclusive rewards, i am even surprised they do not exist already. I just don't want to see the whole open world of this game becoming obsolete for the reasons i already mentioned.
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  4. #4
    Kwoung's Avatar Senior Member
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    Originally Posted by pharmakotriftis Go to original post
    Since the release of this game, people have shown preference to the PVE zones, rather than the PVP dark zones. Of course Massive is trying to incentivize us to play all modes. However the last announcement targeting to increase DZ participation divided the player base as it makes the highest gear loot exclusive to the DZ..
    They didn't say it would be exclusive to the DZ. Why does everyone only hear or read what they want too?
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  5. #5
    Kwoung's Avatar Senior Member
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    Originally Posted by pharmakotriftis Go to original post
    Recalibration will also work for DZ gear, getting it probably as high as 525.
    Also wrong, re-calibration no longer raises gear score on the PTS.
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  6. #6
    Originally Posted by Kwoung Go to original post
    They didn't say it would be exclusive to the DZ. Why does everyone only hear or read what they want too?
    I watched the State of the Game video. They said that the DZ will be the only place to get that extra boost to your gear score. After that they made it clear that the raid will offer even higher GS. What i am saying however is that other activities should also offer advancement to max GS, so that every aspect of this game remains relevant. I do believe that this is what they will do eventually. They will never want to make their endgame smaller and the open world irrelevant. But that is what they said on the last State of the Game.
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  7. #7
    Originally Posted by Kwoung Go to original post
    Also wrong, re-calibration no longer raises gear score on the PTS.
    I am not a PC player so i can't talk about the PTS. However what you say doesn't change my argument. PVE loot will be 500GS without the possibility to raise it and DZ loot will be 515, also without the possibility to change it.

    Originally Posted by CJ Fresh
    You lost me at the highest gear loot being exclusive to the dz. it’s sinply not true. You can recalibrate items already amthat can go past 515.

    I have a few pieces from recalibration that are 515-518.
    Obviously the above argument also will not apply
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  8. #8
    Originally Posted by Kwoung Go to original post
    Also wrong, re-calibration no longer raises gear score on the PTS.
    Which again makes his post valid. He is correct that the invaded missions, bounties, etc will actually become pointless for all agents who have participated in either raids or DZ. When you have 515 or above, nothing in the normal game will actually be of any benefit (apart from cosmetics and blueprints).

    There should never be a level of gear obtainable only via a few select activities as this does make all other activities pointless.

    Why would you run the daily missions on hard or challenging, or do the daily bounties, priority network, etc when you know that the loot you will obtain will not be an upgrade. I know that if I have to run raids over and over to get items that "might" be better, this game will very quickly start feeling stale. The DZ is something that I just have zero interest in and the more "troll" posts telling us to go there just makes me even more determined never to.

    What Division 2 did wrong was make the top loot standard. Almost all drops for me are GS 492-500 yellow. I even don't bother picking up most of it and this is supposed to be the best! Now look at Borderlands (1 / 2) where the real end loot drops rarely and gives such a good feeling when it does... you're like "omg, yellow drop!" No areas in Borderlands have better loot as every end game activity could drop the famed pearlescent.

    Division 2 seems to currently be a sinking ship with no captain.
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  9. #9
    It was slightly mentioned that the highest look wouldn't be found in the DZ. Short term yes 515 will be in the DZ, but they did hint that Raids would offer higher gear then anywhere else in the game if i remember correctly.
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  10. #10
    Kwoung's Avatar Senior Member
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    Originally Posted by AgentXB613 Go to original post
    It was slightly mentioned that the highest look wouldn't be found in the DZ. Short term yes 515 will be in the DZ, but they did hint that Raids would offer higher gear then anywhere else in the game if i remember correctly.
    I honestly can't remember where I read or heard it (had a lot going on yesterday), but FP Caches can also drop 515 gear. So no, it will not be "exclusive" to the DZ or raids is my understanding.
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