Category: Bungie News

Ask her nicely and Erika Ishii will sing songs from the famed Broadway show “Hamilton” for you… only with a twist. Specifically, she’s got her own Destiny-themed version of the musical’s song “Dear Theodosia,” with lyrics centered on everyone’s favorite Warmind.

Dearest Rasputin

What to say to you?

You’re my Warmind, you have a Russian name

When you came online you launched warsats

And it warmed my heart

As the new voice of Ana Bray and with an ever-growing resume of on-camera and voice acting roles under her belt, Ishii is no stranger to performing. If you’ve played games like Shenmue III, Fallout 76, Smite, or seen anime films like Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative, you’ve heard Ishii’s work. As a host with shows on Geek & Sundry and Nerdist, Ishii is deeply immersed in the world of geek culture. She’s also a big Destiny fan (and a Warlock main, in case you’re curious), who told us that getting the role of Ana was “a real honor.”

“My agent, if she has really good news for me, a lot of times she’ll call me to deliver it in person, and so she did,” Ishii recalls. “There was a lot of screaming and crying, definitely.”

We recently caught up with Ishii in her home in Los Angeles, where we talked about what she wanted to bring to the role of Ana Bray, how her career has progressed, and what it’s like to hear her own voice in a videogame.

How did you prepare for the role of Ana?

I was very fortunate that there was already this wealth of lore. The game has been out for a while. I played Destiny 1, but I hadn’t had a chance to play [Destiny 2] yet. The Bungie guys were so sweet and they sent me codes to pop in [and] play some Destiny. Also I watched some “Let’s Plays” to catch up on lore and any background information I might need.

I make playlists for almost every character I play, and there’s definitely an Ana playlist. 

What kind of music made the Ana Bray playlist?

When I make a character playlist, it’s songs that define who they are, how they feel about events or others. Of course there’s stuff from the Destiny 2 soundtrack. And then a lot of songs about her isolation; there’s a couple of songs from my favorite artists Vian Izak and Juniper Vale — “The Astronaut” and “The Expanse.” It has a lonely and hopeful feeling to it.

I would listen to it before I went to sessions or in between session weeks to keep fresh. Music is a huge touchstone of how I get into character or formulate and focus character.

Right tunes, right frame of mind. Makes sense. According to your Web site, you’ve got a musical background.

Most voice actors I know are musical. There’s something about the rhythm and the musicality of phrasing and performance and breath control that I think music prepares you for. People who are drawn to music are also drawn to voice acting. It’s very common. 

What were the Destiny recording sessions like?

It was just so much fun. It was criminal amount of fun. It’s really just getting to play; I feel so lucky to get to do this. 

Voice acting presents a unique challenge as far as acting goes, because you have to imagine everything yourself. What are the weather conditions like? Are you speaking to someone who is far away from you, or close? Then you have to layer all of the physical conditions on top. [Things like] how are you feeling? What is your character trying to get across? Is your character an expert on this topic? There’s so many elements you need to keep in mind while you’re performing. It’s a wonderful, exciting challenge.

Are there any specific challenges to building a scene?

What was your vision for your Ana performance? How do you relate to her?

I think every character that you play you find something of them in yourself, or put a bit of yourself into them. Ana is inquisitive and I think she really wants to help in the way that she best knows how. Exploring your past and your history — whether it’s in an undiscovered “sci-fi” sense, or just you as a person — is difficult. That was something that was interesting to explore.

What’s it like to be part of the Destiny cast?

I still can’t believe that I got to join this cast. That cast is stacked. Some of the greats of voiceover and on-camera. Such incredible actors that I get to say I’m in an ensemble with. A lot of people that I looked up to, or were idols of mine. I’ve joined the ranks and it’s unbelievable to me.

I love seeing the diverse and really rich characters of the world of Destiny. The fact that [Ana is a] queer Asian woman was kind of huge for me. I identify as pansexual. It’s really amazing because that’s not something you get to see a lot in media; queer women of color. That felt very significant to me. 

Have you played the game since you’ve been in it?

Not yet! I want to jump back in, especially since I was power leveling my Warlock before the season dropped. Now that [my performance is] in, I’m a little nervous. It’s odd hearing myself; most artists are very self-critical but I haven’t jumped in yet.

We’re sure the fans are loving it. What’s it like to hear YOUR voice when playing a game or watching a movie you’re in?

I was in the Gundam movie [Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative] and I got to take my mom to the screening premier of it. And the first time a character speaks, [it was] just an out-of-body experience. I was like “Oh, that’s me!” That happened in the trailer where Ana has those lines. It didn’t feel real seeing her mouth move and my voice come out of it. It was so wild. I have friends who play Destiny. They would send me clips and say, “I heard you in my living room!”

What has your path to voice-over acting been like?

I feel like no VO actor has the same story. Everybody comes from different backgrounds. I did on-camera acting for a long time. I always wanted to do voice over. I grew up with cartoons and videogames. One day I made the decision that I wanted to do VO specifically for videogames because it’s this new exciting medium that we have growing up in our lifetimes. Imagine being at the advent of cinema and getting a chance to make films. I wanted to be part of performing for this exciting new narrative medium. 

Was there a game that served as your inspiration?

I grew up with videogames. There have been so many incredible performances by legends and pioneers. I think it was playing The Last of Us that I decided, “Oh for sure, this is what I’m going to do.” 

I was always so scared to do it because it’s a different skill than on-camera acting. Other than the different techniques you need to learn, there’s a financial investment involved with it; paying for a demo, paying for classes, workshops and everything you need to be ready and have a calling card and show that you’re serious in the industry.

But it was playing The Last of Us that I said, “Yeah it’s worth it to me. I want to make art like this. I want to be a part of this medium that I really love.”

I was very fortunate to have a lot of good mentors, friends, and colleagues that gave me opportunities. I was lucky to have a lot of background that prepared me for a lot of those opportunities when they arose. On-camera acting, improv, [and] music helped so much. 

It’s really truly wild to me that I get to do my dream job.

—

In the near term, Erika will be narrating the new Vampire: The Masquerade novella that’s due for release this summer, and she looks forward to her next opportunity to jump back in the role of Ana Bray.

Thanks to Erika for spending time with us. 

Our focus this week is a streamer and a Destiny completionist who specializes in helping people – both IRL and in-game. In addition to raiding with her fellow Guardians and somehow managing to finish every challenge, Triumph, and Seal in Destiny, she works a demanding job as an emergency room nurse.

During this time of international concern, we thought it was important to introduce you to an inspiring member of the Destiny community who’s not only helping Destiny players make the most of their experience, she’s also helping people in the real world. Please meet iLulu.

Thanks for joining us. Please take a virtual seat and tell us a little bit about yourself and what your role is in the Destiny community.

iLulu: My online name is iLulu (formally known as: Lulusoccer) and I go by Melissa outside of gaming. I’ve been a part-time streamer for almost five years now with a main focus on Destiny. My passion for the game started with the Beta on the PS4 and has been ongoing since. I’d like to think my role within the Destiny community focuses more on teaching raids and completing end game content within my community. We just hit our 100th+ Garden of Salvation clear with 63 Sherpa completions! 

We play with any type of gamer, [including those who are] new to the series or raid masters. We’ve got some great “helpers” in this community that are willing to help anyone. I’m also very much a completionist in the game with a max Triumph score and all Seals acquired. Rivensbane is still one of my all-time favorite Seals.  

I’ve only done one Seal and can only marvel at how you were able to get them all. We appreciate you being brave and continuing to help others, especially now with so many people sheltering in place. Can you tell us a bit about what it’s like being nurse right now and what you’re doing to keep your spirits up?

iLulu: I’ve been a pediatric registered nurse for 10 years this May and a year ago I decided to pursue Trauma Nursing and am currently working in a Level 1 Pediatric Emergency Department. Nursing has always been an evolving field with changing practices and advances, but currently processes are changing every day to try and keep nursing staff, patients, and families safe. 

I feel like all nurses right now are dealing with the stress of constant change and some fear of what the next month will look like. None of us knew a few months ago that COVID-19 was going to drastically change healthcare/daily life as we knew it. We have to adapt not just as nurses, but as a society. I work with an incredible group of people and we are committed to continuing to provide the best care we can, given the circumstances. I absolutely love working in a busy ER – you could call Destiny and nursing my passions in life. I couldn’t imagine not doing either of them! 

In order to stay positive with everything happening, I make sure to take time for myself outside of work. Streaming is a part of that and Destiny has always been a great way to de-stress. I’m also looking forward to other various games coming out soon. One thing I’ll encourage all of you to do, though – please, stay home. Go online to see your friends, meet up in the Tower, but let’s keep as many people safe and healthy as we can.

Well said. We’re glad Destiny provides a way for you to get away from everything and we appreciate the great work you’re doing. You obviously play a lot, what has been your favorite Subclass and weapon?

iLulu: Nightstalker Hunter has always been my favorite since it was introduced back in D1. She gets the majority of my playtime … Even with the nerfs! 😉

One of my favorite weapons in D2 for PvE has always been One Thousand Voices. I don’t use it as often anymore but always loved how unique it was and [the fact that] it came from one of the best raids in Destiny 2. I’d be lying also if I didn’t mention Recluse … considering it’s almost always equipped for PvE stuff. However, I’m still a Hand Cannon girl at heart! For PvP when I use a controller, I have a god-roll Service Revolver and Mindbender’s Ambition that I enjoy running. Learning MnK for PvP I’ve been using Rose a lot, I feel like it has a pretty easy learning curve! 

Fully agree on One Thousand Voices; it feels like you are calling in an air strike. Tell us about your channel, what kind of content can we find there?

Glad to see you’re already prepping for Grandmaster. It’s going to be tough. Where can we go to find you on the internet?

iLulu: Here are links to all my channels:

What’s been your favorite Destiny moment over the last few years?

iLulu: I can’t pick just one specific moment. Some parts of Destiny that I love though are the blind raid races, the hidden puzzles, and teaming up with friends I’ve met over the years. I also love the personal satisfaction feeling of completing a challenge I was working on in the game. These include the Triumphs, Seals, or low-man raid challenges. 

This game has also given me so many opportunities – from meeting friends/people outside of the game, to traveling out to the studio. I had no idea when I started D1 it would change my life so significantly. I have so many specific moments that I’ll treasure throughout the rest of my life. These moments may mean nothing to others, but I know when I’m 80 I’ll look back and say, “Yeah, you lived a great life!” My advice to everyone out there: It doesn’t matter if people find what you do to be “silly,” “dumb,” or “stupid” – the real question is, are [you] living life how you want?

That’s a great way to see the world and live your life. Hope we’re all still gaming when we’re 80. Anything else you would like to add before we let you get back?

iLulu: Adding to that last statement, we are all just Guardians in this world, all trying our best to navigate the thing we call life. Can we all just be a little less judgmental to one another? We categorize people before we even know them. From the disconnect between “streamers” and “casuals” and “PvE players” and “PvP players,” life is not this black and white. Most people are somewhere in between. I really want to encourage people to talk to each other. Not everyone is going to like everyone along the way and we are for sure going to have different opinions but respect goes such a long way in the world.

Very true. Be excellent to each other. Even when we disagree, we can still respect others.

This week at Bungie, we look towards Io.

So, you’re a few weeks into your seasonal journey. You’ve cleared the EDZ Bunker of Fallen, and have been taking the Hive to task on the Moon. You’ve reclaimed The Fourth Horseman, and maybe even completed its catalyst. So, what’s next?

Tuesday, the final Seraph bunker will open on Io. New Seraph weapons and seasonal mods enter the mix, giving you more options to build your monster-killing machine. Later in the month, Guardian Games will kick off some good old-fashioned Guardian rivalry, accompanied by the Grandmaster Nightfall difficulty. 

This week, we’ll be parsing through some feedback we’ve been seeing since the season launched, and discussing next steps for emblem stat trackers.

Focused Feedback

Over the last few weeks, we’ve been watching the conversation about Season of the Worthy, and more specifically Trials of Osiris. We wanted to walk through the topics we’ve been exploring and give some basic thoughts on what we’d like to approach in the future. Some items below may be addressed in the coming weeks, but other may take a season or more to tackle. We’re having meetings and discussions daily to determine the best course of action. In the meantime, it’s important to us that you know your voices are heard.

Card Rewards

We’ve been discussing feedback around a lack of incentive for players to go Flawless. We understand that some players have found the first few games to be more lucrative, which we’d love to shift to the later games. Early card token farming, as some would call it, is something that we are very interested in solving. We want to make sure that every Destiny player who wants to play Trials has something to show for it at the end of a weekend.

Additionally, we’ve seen feedback that the Flawless chest isn’t comparable the rewards associated with grinding out Nightfalls. This is something that we’d love to improve upon. There are quite a few ways we could approach this, and we’re currently discussing what would be the best for Trials in the long run.

Disconnections

We’ve been investigating an issue that prevented us from enabling rejoin options when Trials first launched. The short version: A player’s score could reset if that player left and rejoins the match. Since we’ve resolved this issue, we are currently planning to enable rejoin in Update 2.8.1.

Additionally, our teams are continuing to investigate the rise in error codes since the launch of the season. This is one of our top priorities, and we’ve made some progress in identifying the issue. What’s left is developing a fix and testing it. We want to take the appropriate time here to avoid introducing any further issues into the game.

Fair Play

We’ve seen reports from players that have encountered cheaters in Trials over the last few weekends. What follows is a quick update on what we’ve been doing to improve your experience, and what we’re discussing internally for future improvements. To restate the note in the intro, some of these items may not be addressed for some time, as we’re in early conversations, but we wanted to give you an update of what’s going on behind the scenes here at Bungie. 

And if possible:

I know that some of you out there may find the statement of “We’re listening!” to be a repetitive cliché of community management, but the first step toward taking action is to listen. We’ve been collecting your feedback and looking to fully understand the root of the perceived issues that are being discussed by players in the wild. Your voice is important to us, and helps us as we walk the path to what’s next in Destiny 2. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on our plans as they become more concrete, and we thank you for your continued feedback on the game.

Speaking of the future, let’s talk about Stat Trackers.

Back on Track

At the beginning of the season, changes were introduced to stat trackers to give players more ways to express their achievements in Destiny 2. We introduced weekly Seasonal and Lifetime trackers, and these were completely optional to those who might want to have a clean emblem. With this overhaul, previously featured trackers were removed. Players were quick to highlight this as a pain point, which we’re eager to address. This week, we have a list of the stats we’ll be bringing back in Update 2.8.1, which is coming later this month.

We understand that there may be a few stats that are still not present that you’re interested in returning. To be clear, we have a hard cap on how many stats can be listed on emblems, so we want to make sure we have room to grow in the future. Please continue to give feedback on what you’d like to see, and we’ll keep you in the know of what our plans are.

Under the Magnifying Glass

No stone is left unturned when Destiny Player Support is on the case. When issues begin to trend, they disperse troubleshooting articles, but also dig deep to diagnose the issues. 

This is their report. 

HOTFIX 2.8.0.2

On Tuesday, March 31, we released Hotfix 2.8.0.2 to the world. While maintenance was underway, we incorrectly noted two items in the 2.8.0.2 patch notes:

Spinning Up

Look, I’m biased towards Omolon weapons. Hard Light was one of my first Exotics back when Destiny first launched, and it’s fun to see it take the spotlight for a season. That said, Auto Rifles in general are pretty hot right now. This week’s winner takes Suros for a spin, making some great plays in the Crucible.

Movie of the Week: The Suros Simulation

Honorable Mention: Honey, I’m good…

The days and weeks are beginning to meld together. As our local weather station put it, we’ve entered the month of “Maprilay.” The sun continues to rise and fall, but it’s becoming a little difficult to keep track of what day it is. Thankfully, we have Destiny 2 to bring us together during these times of isolation. Sometimes, the only thing I have to remind me of what day of the week we are living is this every-Thursday mainstay blog article. 

I’d like to take a moment to highlight the Essential Workers of the world. While we’re all in this together, we couldn’t do it without you. You are all Legends in our eyes. You’re helping to keep the world spinning in times of crisis, and we cannot thank you enough for your efforts. 

We’re cooking up some initiatives on our side to amplify the good in this world. More on that soon…

Much love,

Dmg04

News | Bungie.net”> News | Bungie.net”>

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Guardians can count on Zavala. The stoic commander of the Vanguard is always on hand for an encouraging word (and some fresh bounties) each time they visit the Tower. With Season of the Worthy, Zavala has his hands full, fighting alongside Ana Bray to save the Last City from the Almighty’s deadly collision course.

It begs the question: With all of this turmoil going on, how does Zavala relax? We already know that (according to Destiny lore) he likes his knitting and crocheting. But this week, with the introduction of the Fourth Horseman Exotic quest, Guardians learned about a new personal passion for Zavala: slinging iron and getting a good cardio burn, accompanied by sick beats and a most unusual trainer.

This is the story of the Shaxxercise mixtape. 

[Fitness-related spoilers ahead! You’ve been warned, Guardian!]

The first step in the Fourth Horseman Exotic quest is to visit Zavala’s office, located in a lower level of the Tower Wall. Once you gain access to his office, continue through the back labyrinth of rooms and hallways, make your way into the Vanguard Vault, and continue your search for the famous Exotic shotgun. However, those Guardians who spent time rummaging through Zavala’s office this week eventually found a secret sitting high on one of the shelves – a mixtape of workout music, complete with motivational encouragement from everyone’s favorite Crucible host: Lord Shaxx himself.

So how did this mixtape come about in Season of the Worthy? Like many things, it started as a conversation between friends…

A Passion for Hard Work, I Like That

Bungie’s Kareem Shuman loves his job. As a technical dialogue designer, Kareem works on the Audio team and his job is to help make sure that the dialogue that is written, performed, and recorded sounds as good as possible in the final game. Think of Kareem as a shepherd for the content that makes up the dialogue audio experience. “Music and sound design and dialogue all have to share the same space,” Kareem said. “It’s my job to get [dialogue] across the finish line, sounding good, and delivering on the fiction and the experience.”

While hanging out one night during a Destiny 2 Crucible session, one of Kareem’s friends commented on how supportive and enthusiastic Shaxx is. She wished she had someone like Shaxx yelling at her when she was trying to stay motivated at the gym.

They laughed about it for a few minutes, but when Kareem came into work the next day, he couldn’t stop the idea from knocking around in his head. He wondered if he could turn the joke into something real in the game. 

How would you make a workout mixtape real in Destiny 2? 

One thing was for sure: a project like this would require work from across the studio. Like all other aspects of Destiny’s development, this would be a team effort, with input and creative ideas from every department, even down to figuring out if a “Shaxx mixtape” was something that Destiny lore could even support.

“I had to talk to [the] Narrative team and make sure they were okay with Zavala having a Shaxx mixtape,” Shuman said. “I didn’t want to step on anyone’s fictional toes.”

Narrative was fully behind the idea, which meant it wasn’t as crazy as he’d originally thought. Still, to bring this project home, it would take creativity, it would take communication, and it would take teamwork.

But first, it would take some music.

This Is It, Show Me What You’ve Got

The next step was to bring the idea to Bungie music director and composer Skye Lewin, who was immediately onboard. “My first reaction was [that] I laughed out loud and said, ‘Of course we can, let’s do it,’” said Lewin. He brought in Bungie composer Josh Mosser, and the two began discussing which music they could use for the mixtape. They were looking for the kind of tunes that, as Mosser said, would get Guardians in that “I want to get pumped up and run around in Destiny” mindset. 

Shuman also provided the music team with a handful of previously recorded Shaxx voice lines that could be used as motivational inserts while the music was playing. He had spent a good deal of time querying the content stores, looking for Shaxx dialogue (many of which Guardians might recognize from the Crucible) that would work and were funny to boot. It didn’t take long for Mosser to get inspired. 

“I literally sat there and imagined, ‘What would Zavala do at that point?’” Mosser said. “How would he go through a workout? Would he be high intensity the whole time, or [would] he need a moment to take a break?” After carefully editing the music selections and strategic voice drop-ins, Mosser came back to Shuman with the roughly eight-minute mix that ran the gamut from pounding beats to more contemplative moments (perfect for a brief mid-workout cooldown), all perfectly complemented by Shaxx’s intense vocal stylings. The mixtape consists of numerous separate bits of music, all carefully edited together to tell the “story” of the tape.

“One of those pieces could have been 14 minutes by itself,” Lewin said. “So we’re taking musical excerpts, making sure they flow from one piece to the next and then timing the dialogue around the music so the two work well and they tell the story in a way that’s funny.”

Lewin was especially pleased by Mosser’s choice to use the theme from the Ghaul fight for the heart-pounding climax of the mix. “It’s like the big payoff for your workout,” Lewin said.

If you ask the team which Shaxx line is their favorite, the vote is almost unanimous – Shaxx furiously demanding for the listener to calm down (“Relax more. I SAID RELAX!”); a moment that is perfectly accompanied by a momentary easing of the musical intensity. 

With the music and voice lines in a good place, there was still the matter of getting it all to work in the game. 

You’re Halfway, Hold Strong!

At this point, Shuman had what amounted to a big audio file, complete with the various tunes and Shaxx voice lines edited into place. A single audio file worked in theory, but there were drawbacks to implementing it in the game, including the need to create separate audio versions for all the languages supported by Destiny 2, as well as making it difficult to integrate with the game’s subtitles system.

The solution was to tie the music to a system called a “dialogue table” which contained all of the selected lines of Shaxx dialogue. Once the player interacted with the mixtape object in the game, the music would kick off and a timer would start, essentially sequencing Shaxx’s voice lines based on timing determined by Shuman in the dialogue table. Now, you could have the music and the voice lines play in perfect synchronization, plus it could be more easily localized and subtitled. 

Now, how were Guardians going to find this mixtape?

One Final Push, Guardian

Eve Campbell, Bungie senior world artist, loves surprises in game worlds. “My favorite thing with any video game is finding secrets. If I play any game that, when I swing a sword and I accidentally hit a wall and the wall disappears and there’s a chest, I freak out and I have to hit every wall for the rest of the game.” 

That love of surprise has served Campbell well when creating Zavala’s office and the labyrinth that lead to the Vanguard Vault. Having also worked on missions like Zero Hour and the Banshee-44 workshop pathway for the Leviathan’s Breath quest, this was comfortable territory for her. Designing Zavala’s office was also a chance to expand on the character a bit more. After all, how someone decorates their private spaces can say a lot about them as people. 

Remember how Zavala likes to knit? Look around his office and you’ll see a small knitting kit tucked away on a corner table. Or a set of trophies presented to the commander for his many heroic efforts over the years. Or the set of barbells perched improbably high on the shelf next to the mixtape. And what executive suite wouldn’t be complete with a peaceful (and interactive!) Newton’s Cradle on the desk?

“For the mixtape specifically, we wanted that to be a thing that players discover,” Campbell said about the decision to place it high on a shelf near the office entrance. “We wanted it kind of hidden away a little bit. So we ended up with a jump puzzle to discover it, just so players could have that discovery of it. It feels a little earned.”

Even Steel Needs Sharpening

It’s no surprise that Destiny players found this musical Easter Egg in quick fashion with the weekly reset. The development team has enjoyed seeing the reaction from fans – and the inevitable mixtape remixes that are surely still to come. 

Those Guardians who, in their haste to finish the Fourth Horseman quest, missed it at first can take solace and know that the musical treat is still there, waiting to be found, tucked high away on the upper shelf of Zavala’s office. 

Just look for the barbells.

This last weekend, I was looking at a few of my new Trials weapons and thinking, “Huh, I wonder if these have good rolls. Who do I trust to give me a weapon review with multiple points of view that could help me come to a decision?” 

I think it’s only right that this cool guy gets a bit of spotlight in our Community Focus series. Maybe you’ll find a few weapon reviews to help you understand perks, stats, and more! Enter: CoolGuy.

So, CoolGuy, what makes you so cool aside from these weapon reviews? Who are you, what do you do for a living, and what inspired your callsign? 

CoolGuy: Hello everyone, I am CoolGuy. I am a Radiologic Technologist. I have worked in emergency rooms, operating rooms, clinics, and more. In 2014, I came across a game called Destiny, made by one of my favorite developers, and I liked it so much I made a YouTube video using my Xbox. The thought of making a video hadn’t crossed my mind until Destiny, so initially I was just making content as a hobby. Fast forward five years and add an awesome community who supported me and helped me see this as a possible future, and now content creation is my day job.

The CoolGuy moniker was given to me back in high school. I always got along well with everyone, regardless of their hobbies or backgrounds. I played videos games, varsity golf, pool, enjoyed all kinds of music and concerts, etc. One day somebody called me a “cool guy” and it stuck. I first got on Xbox Live in 2009; naturally, CoolGuy was taken. Hundreds of other variations of CoolGuy were also taken (MLGCoolGuy, SnipeMasterMLGCoolGuy, C00LGuy, XI CoolGuy IX, etc.). After a while, I decided to let everyone know that “I am CoolGuy” (the one and only).

What brought you to start doing weapon breakdown videos specifically?

CoolGuy: I ended up having a passion for it. I was fortunate enough to be included in the early days of Planet Destiny with Patrick Casey (Holtzmann). For me, his breakdowns really set the bar and, like many now look to me, I always looked to him to help me improve my game. Like we all do, I imitated the style of content I gravitated to as a player so, when I started creating my reviews, I based them loosely on how he broke down weapons.

The goal with my channel is to put out unbiased information. I always share my opinions throughout, but the ultimate goal is to educate the player and help them understand what something is doing and how it works so they can then apply that knowledge to their game. From day one, it was incredibly important to me that my channel and the comments section provided a judgement-free zone. Your skill level doesn’t matter; we’re all improving daily, and when you better understand the mechanics of the game, it really opens up what’s possible for you however you like to play. At the end of the day, we all share the same passion for games and they’re a hell of a lot more fun when we’re doing well in them. 

It’s been awesome seeing you and your channel grow with each Season. Two weeks into Season of the Worthy, what’s your favorite loadout? 

CoolGuy: I’m a bit of a weapon wayfarer, meaning there aren’t too many I find myself solely attached to. I really do use them all—one of the perks of my job I guess – because I’m always hunting to review the new weapons and gear, I’m constantly playing the game in very different ways. If I had to choose, my favorite way to play is as a Hunter with Oathkeepers. Le Monarque and a rampage Duke is the combination. That unlimited bow draw guarantees you always get poison damage. Just hold the bow draw and, when you see an enemy, aim down sights and shoot. With how the total damage works out (poison included), if you land a headshot with the bow, all you need to do is land a shot with Duke. If you land a body shot with the Bow, you need a headshot with the Duke. After you clean them up, Duke will be at Rampage x1 doing 100 damage to the head, allowing you to two-shot your next opponent. 

I can tell you no one suspects the Le Monarque/Duke – I take it all the way to Legend in comp.  

A close second favorite is probably anything Chromatic Fire on the Warlock… because explosions.  

Season of the Worthy did bring me something I will forever be attached to, though. It’s what my friends call the “CoolGuy emote.” I love that it says “CoolGuy looks Cool.”

Ah, good ol’ Duke. One of my coworkers loves it so much, it’s their call-sign. Of any weapon in Destiny or Destiny 2, which is your favorite?

CoolGuy: My favorite weapon of all time is Ace of Spades. For all of us, there are certain aspects of the game that define what Destiny is for us and how playing it makes us feel. For me, Ace encompasses everything a Destiny Exotic weapon is. It sounds cool. It looks cool. When you land a headshot, you get that fast reload and a cool animation. The headshot final blow makes explosions and then you get to hold extra damage in the magazine after you get a kill. The whole shooting experience is just top notch. I feel like a gunslinger with Ace in my hands. 

Cayde would be proud of every single word you just said. Brings a tear to our eyes! Where do you find yourself most active in Destiny right now? Favorite Crucible playlist?

CoolGuy: I spend most of my time in the Crucible, the Mars Core Terminus lost sector, and the Tribute Hall. Okay, the last two aren’t by choice, they are just really good testing areas. I am glad Season of the Worthy has taken steps to really address PvP players. Trials of Osiris is something I can’t get enough of. I am already back to refreshing Twitter every second to see what the map is on Friday afternoon. Seeing a high-stakes 3v3 game mode like this come back gives me hope that this is only the beginning and a great foundation for future possibilities.

Do you have a Last Word to share before signing off? Hah! Get it?! I made a weapon pun! You make weapon reviews! But seriously, any words of wisdom before you go?

Thanks for stopping by. Don’t be a stranger, and we’ll be watching for your next review. Cheers!

We hope you enjoyed this week’s Community Focus. If you’d like to follow CoolGuy, here are a few places you can find their content:

Cheers,

-dmg04

This week at Bungie, a new bunker was discovered. 

Doors, once hidden, open on the lunar surface revealing another Seraph Bunker in Rasputin’s network. Guardians have begun exploring it to see what upgrades lie within. And if you’re up for the challenge, there are also new Legendary Lost Sectors available and new weapons to get your hands on.

That’s not all. Lord Saladin is at the Tower and has a new Bow for you to earn along with several opportunities for pinnacle drops. On top of all that, week three of Trials of Osiris begins tomorrow. What map do you think will be featured this week?

World Drops

There were several armor sets added to the engram loot pool with Season of the Worthy. We saw a lot of feedback that, while you were excited to see your favorite armor sets from the past, the fact that none of them had Seasonal mod slots made them feel less desirable and not worth including in your builds.

Good news! We’re adding Seasonal mod slots to these sets in an update next month. The three faction sets will get Season of the Worthy mod slots and the rest of the armor will get either Season of Dawn or Season of the Undying mod slots.

Season of Dawn Mod Slot Added:

Season of the Undying Mod Slot Added:

The Fixings

We are currently targeting Tuesday, March 31 to deploy Hotfix 2.8.0.2. The main target of this update will be the issue affecting Trials of Osiris challenges not being reset properly. Here’s a quick preview of other fixes coming in this update:

Aside from the fixes in 2.8.0.2 we’re also continuing to investigate disconnects, crashes, and error codes being reported since 2.8.0 we released. Currently, we are seeing elevated disconnects from the Tower on all platforms but disconnects from other activities seems PC-specific.

The fix we deployed has appeared to resolve the crashes affecting Gambit, but didn’t help with other disconnects. We have made additional attempts at fixing disconnects that haven’t resulted in a decline in error codes and are continuing to work on new fixes for elevated Beaver, Beetle, Anteater, and Rabbit errors. We’ll give you more information as soon as we can.  

Twitch Prime Rewards

Player Support Report

Destiny Player Support is constantly tracking known issues in the wild.

This is their report. 

TRIALS WEEKLY CHALLENGE RESET TIME

Last weekend, Destiny Player Support noticed an increase in reports about players not receiving powerful rewards from their third, fifth, or seventh Trials of Osiris win. Upon investigation, the team discovered an error in the Weekly Challenge reset time. 

Trials of Osiris Weekly Challenges will unlock at 5 PM PDT on Saturdays. At this time, rewards are expected to be reset for players who have been impacted, and rewards will be granted when players reach three, five, or seven wins respectively. In a future patch, we will move this reset to the Friday daily reset.

SEASON OF THE WORTHY SEAL

We have noticed that players have been trying unsuccessfully to unlock a hidden Triumph in the Season of the Worthy Almighty Seal when meeting the requirements. This Triumph is not currently available to unlock but will be so in late April.

RASPUTIN BUNKER BOUNTIES

With the Moon Bunker now unlocked, Destiny Player Support noticed some confusion about the bounties Rasputin offered. Weekly and daily Rasputin bounties are only available on the destination where the Weekly Challenge is active.

CURRENT KNOWN ISSUES

While we continue investigating various known issues, here’s a list of the latest issues that were reported to us in our #Help Forum:

• Some players may not receive progress on Crucible and Iron Banner quests and bounties. These are caused by connection issues and continuing to play will progress these objectives.
• Rasputin’s Daily Seraph Weapon can only be claimed on the character players were on when Rank 92 of the Season Pass was unlocked – this cannot be claimed on other characters.
• The “Lost Classics” Rasputin bounty does not count Crucible matches in the Classic Mix playlist.

For a full list of emergent issues in Destiny 2, players can review our Known Issues article. Players who observe other issues should report them to our #Help forum.

Lights, Camera, Action!

And now we move on to the entertainment portion of our weekly address. This is our chance to pick a few videos created by the community to share with you. As a bonus, their creators get to take home a special emblem and be the envy of their fireteams. 

Movie of the Week: Titan Sword

Honorable Mention: Four Horn Gulch

We got new stuff to do on the Moon and in the Iron Banner this week. Next week, we’ll have an Infamy Bonus available for anyone who wants to play some Gambit.

<3 Cozmo

This week, our focus is a community artist from the UK. He’s created some amazing Destiny-themed art in the form of fan posters, retro comic book covers, and more! We invited him to share a little bit about the artist behind the brush, or tablet in some cases. Please meet JackDrawss. 

Let’s get down to business. Who is the infamous JackDrawss? Tell us about yourself and your journey as a Guardian in the real world.

Jack: So my name is Jack and I live in London, UK. I’m in my second year of college doing film and television studies, however I’ve always loved drawing as a hobby. In October of last year, after Shadowkeep dropped, I drew a fan poster for the release. I also made some for Destiny2’s launch and for Forsaken. I then decided to post it to Twitter under a newly made account, JackDrawss (I wanted to call it JackDraws but that was taken lol). Now I love posting and drawing for the Destiny community every day.

That is a fine looking fan poster. Tell us more about your Guardian. What class and subclass do you enjoy playing as?

Jack: So I’m very much a casual player, but I main a Titan and have done since Destiny 1 vanilla. I usually use the Sunbreaker (Code of the Devastator) subclass, I just love using that long-range melee!

Titans a fine choice and pretty universally agreed upon as the second best class. What’s your favorite weapon to arm your Titan with?

Jack: It’s hard to say but I think Ace of Spades or my Masterworked Hammerhead may be my favourite guns in all of Destiny. They just feel so satisfying to use and I especially love the Ace for its background story. Rest in peace Cayde-6. 🙁

We all miss him. Now that we’ve gotten to know you a little bit, tell us about your art. Your comic style pieces are awesome!

Jack: So I’ve been drawing since I was very young, I did art in secondary school but it didn’t sit well with me, so I didn’t draw or paint properly for a year until I moved to digital and invested in a Wacom tablet. I love using my tablet and in the couple years I’ve had it, I’ve made some of my favourite pieces to date. In fact, I’m still using the same old tablet and laptop today! I also love drawing Destiny art and last month I had the idea to merge the retro comic style from the 50s and 60s with Destiny’s incredible characters. This was a hit with the community and I’m so grateful for the love they received.

Love the collision of styles with these comics! Where can players go to find your work online?

Any final words before we go?

Jack: I want to thank everyone who’s supported me and my art. I only started a few months ago but everyone has been so kind and supportive of my work. I will continue to make art for all of you! 

Thankyou. <3

This week at Bungie, the Fourth Horseman rides again.

Some of you may have heard the legend of the Fourth Horseman – a weapon so powerful, Spider Tanks run from it in fear. Any enemy foolish enough to come within range… ripped apart within seconds by the arc pellets launched from its four barrels. At the invitation of Zavala, you can get your hands on this beautiful Shotgun in Destiny 2.

Let’s say you want to strike fear into the hearts of the Cabal, but feel this already ridiculous weapon needs a little something extra. Keep your eyes peeled for its catalyst by continuing to upgrade Rasputin through Seraph public events, or clear Legendary Lost Sectors of the darkness found within.

And so, we begin another TWAB. Your weekly dose of Bungie and Destiny 2 news. We’ve got some exciting news on a new Twitch extension, an update from the Bungie Foundation, and more. While there isn’t a cat picture hidden in this article, I still expect you to read every single word. No exceptions.

An Extension of Your Hand

With weekend-two of Trials of Osiris on rapid approach, we’re excited to announce our first Bungie-developed Twitch extension. Bridging the gap between streamer and viewer, you can now quickly glance at the current state of the streamer’s Perks, passage, weapons, armor, perks, mods, catalysts, and more.

We’re also launching the first Twitch Weekly Bounty. After each match, you’ll have time to react to a clutch play (or heartbreaking loss) with some Destiny-themed emotes and earn progress towards this unique Bounty. Upon completion, players will be rewarded with Glimmer, XP, and Trials Tokens within Destiny 2.

We’re also looking at expanding the extension to apply to more activities in Destiny 2. Which activities would you like to be supported in the future? What other bounties would you like to see? Sound off!

Lightmakers // Lightbreakers

With the return of Trials of Osiris, players have a fresh opportunity to put some new accomplishments on display. You may have seen a few Guardians in the wild flaunting stat trackers with their flawless passage count or the number of Guardians they’ve defeated.

By using specific emblems granted from the Flawless Chest, players can earn unique stats as they complete more passages within the activity. We also introduced a way for Guardians to identify themselves as Lightmakers or Lightbreakers.

Lightmakers: With the “Light for the Lost” Emblem equipped, help Guardians to their first ever flawless passage. You can be identified by white glows on your Flawless armor.

Lightbreakers: With the “Flawless Empyrean” Emblem equipped, reach seven wins on a passage, and then continue winning matches. You can be identified by red glows on your Flawless armor.

We’ve seen many of you taking on these roles in the wild already and are excited to see how high you climb in the stat charts. Please note: In order for the emblems to track their associated stats correctly, players must have the emblem equipped when completing their respective requirements. We’ll be highlighting some of the greatest Lightmakers and Lightbreakers among you in future articles, so get to it!

Smelting Iron

Once again, Lord Saladin calls upon Guardians to test the strength of their iron. While Power-enabled combat is no longer exclusive to Iron Banner, this is your 6v6 battleground. As announced earlier today, Artifact Power will be disabled in Iron Banner. Don’t worry though, you’ll still have the opportunity to put your pinnacle Power on display.

This Season, Saladin is also offering a pursuit weapon as reward for completing the “Smelting Light” quest. You’ll be challenged to capture zones and defeat opponents with a collection of weapons on your journey to earning the “Point of the Stag.”

The Iron Remembrance armor sets also make their return, upped to Armor 2.0 standards. You’ll have the opportunity to earn some innacle Power rewards by completing weekly bounties. Additionally, Iron Banner armor pieces have chances for higher stat rolls from bounties, vendor packages, and post-game drops.

Iron Banner begins at 10 AM PDT on March 24, running through 10 AM on March 31.

Bungie Foundation Update

Over the last few months, we’ve had a few initiatives from the Bungie Foundation to help those in need. This week, we’d like to share some insight on our efforts to help during the COVID-19 Pandemic, and provide an update on Guardians for Australia. 

Foundation: With so much going on around the world right now, we know it can be anxiety-provoking, confusing, and stressful. Because of that, it is more important than ever to lift each other up and put the well-being of others, especially those who are in need, before ourselves. It has been encouraging to see communities join together in solidarity to keep themselves and others safe and healthy. 

As a company located in the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak here in Washington State, we believe it is important to help our local community through this crisis. Bungie is grateful to partner with the Boys & Girls Club of Bellevue (BGCB), which is doing life-saving work for our local families. While all local schools remain closed through the end of April, the BGCB is committed to keeping as many of their facilities open as possible to care for children, so that parents who must continue to go work are able to do so. In addition, they are feeding and providing necessary supplies for families in crisis. 

Bungie is providing a $160,000 grant that will enable the BGCB to operate four sites across the Bellevue region through the end of April in order to care for our community’s most vulnerable low-income and homeless families. This care will allow more families to continue earning income and paying their rent, while keeping their families fed and healthy, and will help to minimize long-term repercussions from this crisis. 

While many of us live in areas that have been encouraged to practice social distancing, there are always ways to help your fellow neighbor. Here are a few things to consider:

Get that door open, Zavala…

During last week, Destiny Player Support has been attacking bugs from all angles. Crashes, Gambit error codes, and more. It wouldn’t be a new Season without a few speedbumps, now would it?

This is their report.

A FLAWLESS SEASON
Since the launch of Season of the Worthy, we have received questions regarding the Flawless title for Trials of Osiris. The Flawless title can be earned in Season of the Worthy as well as future seasons. All triumphs must be completed within a single season; if a player has completed some triumphs but not all by the end of Season of the Worthy, they must earn those triumphs again in the next season.

KNOWN ISSUES

While we continue investigating various known issues, here is a list of the latest issues that were reported to us in our #Help Forum:

For a full list of emergent issues in Destiny 2, players can review our Known Issues article. Players who observe other issues should report them to our #Help forum.

Yeetus Deletus

Last week, we shared some lovely Trials clips from Destiny 1 tagged with #TrialsReturns. This week, we have the opportunity to showcase more Trials content, but this time from Destiny 2! Seems that Titans are good for more than just bodyshields. Don’t worry, there’s a Warlock clip in here too…

Movie of the Week: Flawless Thundercrash

Honorable Mention: Crispy Snipes

Honorable Mention: If Pigs Could Fly

Even if your area has gone on lockdown in the face of COVID-19, you can still find Guardians running around Mercury completing their weekly flashpoint, or grinding out some raids in preparation for Trials of Osiris. Share your favorite emotes with one another, or maybe even jump in a fireteam to strike up some friendly conversation. One thing that I’ve enjoyed most is the variety of songs players have suggested to keep motivated, or even as timers for washing their hands.

We’ll get through this together, as Guardians.

Much love,

Dmg04

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