Quote:
Originally Posted by ItalianFX
I still don't understand anything about this game and what makes it so great. I watch streams and all I see is a FPS with robots.
I don't understand where the loot is coming from, how it drops, or what you're supposed to do. How are people finding the special guns? Does loot only drop after the game? Is it just a random reward after each mission? I don't get it.
Someone explain how the game works, please. What is a typical mission from beginning to end, loot and all. Thanks.
Drops / Loot
Every game mode drops stuff somehow. Every game mode also offers currency rewards. Every game mode also offers post-game rewards (not always; you sometimes get post-round drops and sometimes get unlucky and whiff).
Some drops are actual items. Other drops are currency. Other drops are called "Engrams." These are decoded (or revealed) by an NPC. Sometimes you luck out and the engram provides you with a highly powerful item. Most reveals of Engrams are meh.
In essence, everything you do has the potential to result in a drop.
In PvP, every game offers post-game rewards (not always; you sometimes get post-round drops, sometimes not). As your level gets higher the quality of the post-round drops improves (but not outlandishly so).
In PvE, each Story Mission or Strike has the potential to drop stuff - engrams, gear, currency - during the mission or strike, AND at the end (the post-round scoreboard).
You can also utilize currency to buy nice gear.
Weapon Normalization for PvP
In PvP, the game balances the damage between elite weapons and lower-level weapons. The idea here is that a Level 8 guy with a good Assault Rifle for his level can compete with a Level 28 guy with a super great Assault Rifle. This
does not mean that the perks are limited - that elite rifle probably still reloads faster, aims better, etc. But its DAMAGE will not be unfair.
In PvE, the better your gear the better you are. You improve your gear, as noted above, by buying it or earning it through drops / engram decodes / post-round rewards.
Typical Mission
You fly into Venus to play a strike. You do the strike. During the strike a couple engrams might drop, or maybe a weapon itself (probably a pretty bad weapon). After the strike the game shows you a table containing your kills, assists, revives, deaths, etc. The game then lottos you 0, 1, or 2 rewards for the strike. You may whiff. You may get two rare items. You may get currency.
I think that mostly covers it.
The game is really good because the combat is just awesome, and the grind is varied and fun. It satisfies that loot urge and the FPS comp urge. What's not to like?
EDIT: There are also bounties that can, from time to time, reward you with super elite stuff instead of experience (see
here for an example).