So I've got a calmer mind now. I needed to take my own advice & cool off before posting. This post will (hopefully) be more coherent. _________________________________________________________________________________ “Enhancement” Cores need to be removed from the Infusion Process. I’m going to try (in vain) to once again try to reach out to you (Bungie) & explain that Cores (No matter the name) are not a positive influence on the Infusion process of your game. As the saying goes, [i]“If it’s not broke. Don’t fix it.”[/i] Honestly, Destiny 2 year 1 was one of the biggest examples of this & it’s one that every team at Bungie is painfully aware of. [i](I’m not rubbing it in your face, I’m using it to make a point.)[/i] Infusion at it [i]currently[/i] stands is not a fun process. It’s frustrating to the majority of the player base. [i](For those getting ready to rage reply & those who have already downvoted this thread. It’s statistically proven that less than 15% of a Product’s consumers ever visit the company website let alone their forums. Simply joinging a public/Random Chat during a Strike/PVP/Gambit session & asking will net you with the knowledge that people are almost all unhappy with the system.[/i] Perhaps you (Bungie) should offer an in-game poll on this topic? I understand that on paper the end goal was to make Infusion some form of [i][u]“Meaningful Decision”[/u][/i] (Your words Bungie. Not the player base’s. The player base was 100% fine with the old system Infusion had.) & it seems novel. But in execution it isn’t meaningful it’s just an obstacle. Worse, it’s an obstacle that hinders one of the great things Forsaken brought to the game, [i]“Fun”[/i]. For many gamers there is a thin line between Fun & Challenge. Challenge can be fun. Fun can also be Challenging. Cores as a requirement for Infusion. Is [b][i]NOT[/i][/b] fun, nor is it challenging. It is simply tedious. Currently the only decisions that your players face with infusion are: A. Do I waste my Cores on Infusion? B. Should I burn this Exotic to infuse ___? C. Should I just wear this item I dislike or stay weaker? D. Should I wait __ days to have enough Cores to infuse this? E. Should I wait & see if a stronger version of the same item will drop so I can avoid spending my cores? Now there is a recurring theme to all of these questions. The theme? [i]“How can I make/ensure this item remains “Useable”[/i] The big issue with Infusion & Cores is in actuality: [i]“Usability vs Specialty”[/i] [spoiler][i][b][u]Usability[/u][/b][/i]: noun. mass noun. The degree to which something is able or fit to be used. 'it was important to measure the usability of each product'. “The key is making a site distinct without interfering with its usability.” [i][b][u]Specialty[/u][/b][/i]: noun. A pursuit, area of study, or skill to which someone has devoted much time and effort and in which they are expert. [i]‘his speciality was watercolours’[/i] 1.1 A product, especially a type of food, which a person or region is famous for making well. 1.2 as modifier Meeting particular tastes or needs. [/spoiler] Masterwork, Enhancement, Upgrade, Specialization, Customization, Attunement, Revision, Rework, Modification, etc. No matter what word is chosen, they all (Masterwork being a minor exception as it actually would stand for a “Masterpiece” forged by a craftsman. Masterpiece of course being subjective; is it a Masterpiece due to the craftsmanship or is it a “Masterpiece” because it adheres to the Craftsman’s ideal design?) stand for the same process. The process of changing something (typically an object) to the exact likes, dislikes, and/or “specifications” of the owner/audience in order to retain “usability”. This is where the Cores do not fit in with the current iteration of Infusion. They do nothing more than hinder a player from upgrading their gear in a timely manner. Instead of Infusion being a quick & fun process it is a slow & tedious process that detracts from fun & creates a negative experience in your game. Many players are forced to use items they dislike or feel no character growth. (So they feel penalized.) Never in an RPG should receiving a reward feel like punishment/a penalty to the player. Renaming the Cores does not solve this issue. Placing Cores behind Forsaken only content (Spider & his “Once a Week” Bounties) & the uncommon “Scrapper” Bounties (Might be [i]my[/i] RNG but I've gone 3 days without one dropping.) is barely a band-aid. Now, placing Cores behind ALL Daily Bounties is a better band-aid. As it allows ALL Destiny 2 players access to Infusion. But it's also Overkill & kills the value of Cores. (Somewhere it got out that Bounties reward 1 Core? I have to go off that for now. But it also makes sense the cost would be 1 otherwise its the same effect as the above. ie: Devalues Cores.) But lets be honest. Bounties are a Band-Aid that are not necessary because the wound shouldn’t be there in the first place. If you (Bungie) want to make Infusion/an Infusion like process “Meaningful” then I suggest changing the system. Allow players to Empower/Upgrade their gear (Old Infusion System) & call it “Upgrading” or “Empowerment”, hell call it "[i]Infusion[/i]". Next, Allow players an avenue to “Infuse”/”Replace” Perks on Weapons & Armor by using Cores, Shards, Materials, & Glimmer to customize & I dare say "[i]Reforge[/i]" the item to their whims. Doubling the cost per Reforge. This truly makes Cores worthwhile, while also allowing players with bad RNG (which there are an astoundingly lot of) an avenue to bypass it but at the cost of time & dedication. How is this meaningful? If say a Player has a “Better Devils” and cannot get another to drop with better rolls, or they do not have the free time (Casual, Parent, Military Service) to grind & grind & grind until they get a drop that fits their playstyle then… The player has the option to make a Meaningful decision by choosing to Fully Enhance/Customize/Reforge this item, knowing it will take a lengthy amount of time. The premise essentially is that this process would be a “[i][u]Personal Quest[/u][/i]” of sorts to make their current Better Devils the gun they truly desire. How “I” picture the process: - Player plays the game for Legendary Handcannon drops. - He/She gets a Handcannon with Outlaw & Dragonfly on it. - The player chooses the “Enhancement” process for Better Devils. - Player now has to pick either Dragonfly or Outlaw, then select which perk on Better Devils to replace. - Player now must repeat this process for the remaining Columns/nodes until satisfied. ([i]Note: Every Enhancement cost Double the Materials. 10 Cores for 1st Enhancement, 20 for 2nd Enhancement, 40 for 3rd Enhancement, & so-on[/i]) This process essentially rewards the player for playing the game (whichever style they prefer), ensures the player remains active, & in the end rewards the player with an item that the player essentially built/made themselves, which is a truly satisfying feeling. I've done it in other games. It makes an item (Especially Weapons) truly feel like an extension of yourself. I dare-say it does something that even Destiny 1 wasn’t able to achieve… “[i]It creates an item that has a story behind/to it.[/i]” Where the player can proudly say: “[i]To get this item. I did ___.[/i]” By limiting the process to the same weapon type & slot (Kinect Handcanon, Energy Shotgun, Restorative Armor, Mobility Armor, etc) some OP builds should be avoidable. I’m no Developer, so obviously some perks can’t ever be allowed to stack. I’m just making suggestions here. [b]TL:DR[/b] Cores change infusion from a Quick & Fun process into a Slow & Tedious process. Cores should be removed from Infusion. Period. Cores would be better utilized by allowing players an avenue to customize/enhance/reforge weapons but at the cost of extensive time & materials. Addendum: [spoiler]For those who are at 600 & are now sitting on every material known to Destiny 2. Congratulation your are at the very top. You get all the glory & respect for being at the top. However, you also get to live out the curse of being at the top. That curse? You now have nearly everything (thus you have no use for items like cores), have beaten nearly everything, & now must wait on new content. But for the majority of players that 600 isn't even in remotely in sight. Think of your friends who just started the game & if they'll bother to stick out the current system. Additionally, with all those materials...wouldn't it be nice to be able to truly make your own personal loadout?[/spoiler]