[b][i]The Super Quick Version: [/i]Destiny will be a new hybrid genre with a single persistent universe that is cross platform, possibly cross generation and multi device enabled which mixes MMO, RPG, FPS & RTS elements.[/b] The quote from Bungie "Eventually it will become more the gamers than the developers and will take a life itself..." (can't remember the exact quote). I believe this snippet of information points towards a single persistent universe that all gamers participate within. [b][i]- TL;DR - The short version -[/i] Multi-platform (xbox & PS3, maybe PC), mutli-device (iPad, mobile phones), open world, combination First Person Shooter (FPS) & Role Playing Game (RPG) with possible Real Time Strategy (RTS) elements as well.[/b] [b]Regarding the concept art from the Bungie front page article and IGN Destiny article[/b]...When you look at the concept art you can[i] speculate[/i] a few things: 1. Player customisation, wide variety of helmets & armour 2. Teams/Factions (red vs. blue in one pic and also a red cape guy with emblem or leader insignia) 3. FPS weapons, long range, handgun, assault style 4. Vehicles such as mammoth style, tank style, spaceship style 5. Shields on the space ship so technology is paramount suggesting Sci-Fi obviously 6. Play spaces scale and LOD mechanics 7. Player abilities e.g. blue bubble shield thing 8. Ships have emblems as well, most likely faction/team based. 9. Tank image has a Destiny logo on the shoulder...alien enemies??? 10. Possible squad or orders based game mechanics, the solider finger pointing suggests these actions. 11. Male and female characters. Anyone else spot something interesting? There will also be a micro-transaction or subscription based economy for players to upgrade, sell or trade goods and of course website integration to keep you coming back. This will take place in a single universe where all player actions, games and data are in real time to all other players. I also speculate this game engine will either be for the next generation or already support the current consoles and run on the next generation in the same game release. After all what is bigger than Halo? Single universe, on planet (FPS/RPG), off planet (RTS/MMO), user generated content and cross platform interaction (subscription/micro transaction)...that's what. Bungie already have open access to multi-platforms, they like to take on ridiculous challenges and they really try to be innovative with their execution of new game mechanics e.g. Halo 2 multiplayer, XBL chat, Halo CE FPS console etc. Imagine Bungie's next game with a universe where all players are in the same game data, much like Dust/Eve games. Forget having a separate campaign and multiplayer! A single universe allows for both to become combined and a dynamic story evolving from gamers playing online. The story is set and fleshed out from Bungie obviously giving art-style, game mechanics etc to the base game engine. Now add more than just random multiplayer or campaign games without story/canon meaning or feedback to the universe itself. The result is dynamic universe and game outcomes direct from players who choose to create or participate in the single universe. This is sort of an extension of Forge being rolled into the single universe of campaign/multiplayer. The longer the game plays out online the more the community shapes the overall universe. Now think of the website statistics or interaction...you would be able to view things at a global universe level. This could even open things up for different games, such as Halo Wars also participating back to the single universe of other games like Halo Reach. It's this sort of multiplatform, multi-game environment combined with player creating tools I think Bungie/Activision are aiming for. I also believe we'll see different game traits for platforms e.g. Mobiles devices for minified RTS/MMO plus trading systems or statistics or customisations etc. Desktops/laptops for RTS/FPS/MMO and consoles/PC's for the full blown experience. Thoughts or comments welcomed... [url=http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=71308651]And this: When did Destiny development start? Some interesting research...[/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnsLmohs7SI]Introducing Warsoup: Claims to be Halo meets Starcraft. It's interesting to see the genre lines blur... [/url] Given Bungie's history of games my guess is FPS and MMO cross for gametype with possible RTS/RPG elements. A real hybrid so players can play and create content in the new universe setting. Beyond that Bungie has had PS3 job listings for ages now so cross platform seems like reality, unless they're working on multiple games. Further given the buy back of Bungie and move away from Microsoft the cross platform features seem inevitable. I think with developers like CCP and games like Dust/Eve which are combining PC and PS3 across multiple platforms and multiple games/types real innovations like this are a target for Bungie/Activision. The current length of time passed and lack of information seems to point at a large development lifecycle and such cross platform, cross subscription systems would explain this. Imagine the list of games in the future that Bungie could foster leveraging their experience from Crimson. This would extend not just to their new game but indie developers and other "professional developers". This engine, servers and overall development investment would position Bungie and Activision to seriously move up a tier and resell their engine for such a powerful platform. It could include mobile games, xbox games, PS3 games, website games etc and all connected to one universe. I believe the following are all going to come to fruition in the new game IP/universe; Crimson, Forge, Halo, Xbox, PS3, maybe PC, tie in websites and mobile devices. There are some very interesting prospects come next generation, although supporting xbox360 I don't see so much of that being used. More the genre blurring and persistent universe with an economy for now. In future with next generation and kinect upgrades they could potentially map you facial expressions or body animation on to characters in real time. Only new consoles could achieve this in my opinion and would have to be server based but there are a number of possibilities: 1. Facial expression sync'd with your microphone chatter, serious immersion and personalisation of characters. Imagine no more NPC's? Or imagine AI takes over your character when you're not playing in a persistent single universe? 2. Body animation, this seems very hard to implement but with Microsoft patenting a webcam/projector style device to use with Kinect style devices and all your walls/room become the game, similar to the interface in the movie Gamer. Long ways off perfecting though. 3. Customisable AI, imagine have a group of followers or clans etc that are made up of your online friends, AI's when they aren't playing and the ability to customise them such as aggressive, explosive, tactical, support, intelligence gathering etc. Again not for this generation of consoles. 4. Characters, in-game actions, roles and gaming across devices. Possible in this generation and much of what I have talked about in this thread. Overall enables players to use their console/PC as the main game but when away they can use their character from a different game aspect e.g. console/FPS and mobile phone/RTS strategy. 5. Kinect & Forge style mechanics. Imagine building Halo forge maps using the Kinect. You could combine the controller and Kinect for some insane features and customisation. Possible in this generation but more likely in the next generation, systems and designs have a long way to go to make this work intuitively.