I’m more of a single player kinda guy but I do enjoy some multiplayer action now and then, most recently that being Destiny. Something about the SciFi setting and how accessible it is had me hooked for months but I remember one of my first Raids and bear in mind I have a little experience playing MMOs, one of the guys on my fireteam just hung back and didn’t do anything and then when we hit the boss, he/she was nowhere to be seen. Sadly, that meant just the 2 of us couldn’t take down the Fallen Captain and after several attempts we accepted defeat. I was furious at the lack of camaraderie but luckily Bungie has been fixing these disappointments since launch so it doesn’t happen very often anymore. In the latest weekly update (which is due to drop anytime now), Bungie seeks to ban the bad apples who are spoiling the experience for the rest of us, namely the ones who sit idle during Strikes and Crucible matches and still reap the rewards for taking part. User research lead John Hopson explains:
“In Destiny’s community, the efforts of a dedicated player can have a huge impact on the experience of hundreds or thousands of other players,” Hopson said. “Most of the time, this is awesome. When someone is willing to put in the time as a Raid sherpa, a clan leader, or a forum moderator, we all benefit and Destiny comes a little bit closer to its potential as a shared world.”
However, Hopson added that there are players who “put in that same level of monomaniacal effort into being jerks.” Bungie has long been aware of the negative power of players who sit idle in Destiny Strikes or PvP, but is now taking steps to eradicate the worst offenders.
“It’s become clear that a small number of the worst idlers are responsible for damaging the experiences of thousands of other players,” he said. “One player not contributing in an activity might seem like a small thing, but it can make a Weekly Heroic Strike unbeatable or make a Crucible match unwinnable. Those little bits of damage to the experiences other players adds up over time.”
So there you have it, be a jerk and you’ll get thrown off but it must be stressed that this new policy only applies to repeat offenders as we all get interrupted sometimes but Bungie will only punish the ones who keep up their lazy tricks. This month a small number of players will be temporairly banned from matchmaking and if they learn their lesson, they’ll be allowed back in but if not, then I presume it’ll a lifetime ban.
Bungie should also be releasing some solid details regarding Destiny’s second DLC called House of Wolves. Stay tuned for upcoming info.
