A Future 2 ping system would resolve many issues in Bungie’s hit FPS recreation, and one gameplay mechanic in Future 2 season 21 proves how such a system is turning into more and more mandatory.
The latest conversations a few potential ping system come right down to Toland, an entity purportedly speaking from the Ascendant Realm and represented by an orb-like form within the Future 2 Season of the Deep. Guardians briefly encounter Toland within the seasonal Deep Dive exercise, which makes use of matchmaking to place gamers collectively in the event that they’re not already a part of a Future 2 fireteam. Interacting with Toland causes the entity to ‘Invoke Darkness,’ making the exercise tougher and granting larger rewards, together with triggering a requirement for a weekly problem. Nonetheless, the catch is that every one three fireteam members need to work together with Toland to activate this impact… and lots of gamers have no idea they will work together with Toland or perceive the entity’s position within the exercise.
That is why Future 2 gamers are justifiably requesting a ping system, which some Guardians have needed for years. With a ping system, gamers may mark Toland as an indicator that there’s an object within the setting and their fireteam members must work together with it. However Toland is much from the one use case. Gamers may additionally apply pings to assist others discover lore bits and secret chests within the Future 2 Ghosts of the Deep dungeon, goal Champions as a crew in Future 2 Nightfalls, and even present fireteam members secrets and techniques in numerous vacation spot environments similar to Area Chests or Misplaced Sector entrances.
Ping techniques have gotten more and more widespread in FPS and TPS video games. Although it was not the primary recreation to have such a system, Apex Legends made waves when it unveiled its ping system with its launch in 2019. Many regarded the sport’s novel and sturdy method to location marking as a real innovation in how folks play video games. Fortnite builders instantly famous the attainable worth a ping system may carry to its battle royale recreation and launched a Fortnite ping system lower than a month later.
Ping techniques operate properly as a substitute for comms for gamers who’re shy or are usually not fascinated with being harassed primarily based solely on their voice, accent, or affectations. And, with Bungie being so fascinated with accessibility, a ping system may assist gamers talk with each other with out having to actively face potential harassment by Guardians who is likely to be pissed off, salty, or simply all-around dangerous teammates.
With the launch of Future 2 Lightfall, Bungie launched its Commendations system, which concerned all-new visuals, endgame screens, and growth works. The system was designed so as to add positivity and camaraderie to participant interactions. Nonetheless, even with all that effort, the outcome appears comparatively superficial in observe, as Guardians typically assign random Commendations to random teammates. Alternatively, a ping system is a means for gamers to speak meaningfully inside the context of a recreation, fostering teamwork and positivity.
The Future 2 crew can be reportedly engaged on a Searching for Group (LFG) system, which is able to undoubtedly be useful when applied and appears to be an enormous developmental endeavor. Nonetheless, quite a few third-party instruments are designed to unravel this problem, together with Discord channels, console-based LFG techniques, and apps. In contrast, a third-party resolution for a ping system just isn’t attainable. A ping system has the potential to positively impression each participant within the recreation, in contrast to an LFG system that will primarily impression these in search of fellow Guardians for group actions.
As an FPS recreation, a ping system would supply nice worth to Future 2. And positively, Future 2 builders have performed video games similar to Apex Legends, Fortnite, Name of Responsibility: Warzone, Rainbow Six Siege, and lots of extra shooter-based multiplayer video games which have applied ping techniques. So why has Bungie not opted to combine a ping system for its recreation?
Any reply can be speculative, however the probably actuality is that the event of such a system wasn’t merely warranted from a cost-to-benefit evaluation. However with the Toland problem within the highlight, it’s no less than price revisiting how a lot a ping system may realistically impression the general recreation expertise.
Maybe as with the blueberries who’re misplaced in the case of Toland, Bungie simply wants one thing to level its builders in the proper path.
