I think it’s important to be clear & concise on what works best for Trials in Destiny 2, & what hasn’t. Here’s my Final verdict:
:: [u][b]Matchmaking[/b][/u] ::
I think splitting the player base is fine. There are some adjustments I’d make, in order to alleviate some of the pressure points high skilled, & low skilled players have. 1st, remove the account wide flawless feature, & make it strictly character based. In addition; allow players to reset their card at any point, to lower themselves on the skill Totem, after going flawless. This would serve as a means to remove themselves from the more competitive scene, & back into the standard level matchmaking, if they see fit. However; If you’ve reached flawless before the end of the weekend (Friday/ Saturday) on any of your characters, you’ll be locked in the flawless pool, even when resetting your card.
:: [u][b]After Going Flawless 7-0[/b][/u] ::
It should go without saying that if you’re in the trials playlist; your goal should always be to go flawless. However, once you’re in the flawless matchmaking pool, every game you play (win or lose) should grant you an accumulative chance at receiving an additional adept weapon drop, from that weeks offering. Winning games would grant around a 70% drop chance, & losses 20%. The more games you win, the more likely your odds are at receiving an adept weapon. The more you lose, the lower your odds. Though you still have a chance to receive a drop, just as a safety feature to keep you invested.
:: [u][b]Saint-14 Bounties[/b][/u] ::
Open the lighthouse to flawless players as a new social hub, for the whole weekend. Give saint-14 a new set of flawless pinnacle bounties, that award the following for completions, Only In The Flawless Matchmaking Pool;
[i]Bounties To Collect & Complete[/i]
• Additional adept weapon mod
• Trials shaders (which include trials of the nine)
• Trials Weapon ornaments (legendaries & exotics)
• Trials Emotes
• Trials Sparrows
• Trials Ship
• Trials Ghosts
• Trials Transmat effects
• Trials Emblems
[u][b]These bounties[/b][/u]:
• Do Not Expire
• Are Not Repeatable
• Grant XP++
• No RNG (each bounty shows the reward attached to it, as guaranteed.)
These bounties would encourage the usage of different weapons for that week, in the flawless matchmaking pool only. Some would also include performing a certain number of actions with your fireteam, or winning a certain number of matches for that day. These bounties cannot be completed in the non-flawless matchmaking lobbies.
And that concludes my take.
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My skills, or rather lack thereof, are what's keeping me from getting flawless. And I'm completely okay with that. I don't want flawless handed to me (which is why I'll never sign up for a carry). I do, however, enjoy the game mode. And it was enjoyable this weekend not being constantly steamrolled 0-5. Playing as a solo, I have managed to get two toons to 7 wins on a flawed card so far. And even the losses this weekend, of which there were plenty, were, for the most part, more engaging. Here are some thoughts I had on how to try and continue to improve the experience for all: Institute the solo only playlist (freelance). The freelance mode operates at this week's trial settings. There are enough built-in barriers to going flawless in the solo que, ie. random teams, lack of communication, etc, that most will not go flawless, despite the potentially inferior competition. Some will, because they are that good, but if and when they do, they are moved to the general population mode, if they wish to continue playing. It would also make gatekeeping harder, since they'd have to do it as solos. The regular mode operates at week one settings. Folks would be able to continue to play with friends and/or help with carries if that is what they'd like to do, despite having gone flawless. Lastly, can continue to experiment with the flawless pool, for those that are actually interested in a higher level of competition and/or better rewards (how they are rewarded still needs to be tweaked). Institute a (still to be determined) combination of sticks (for example, players who have gone flawless, but continue to play in the general pool only receive half the rep gains they normally would) and carrots (for example, rep gains are increased to 1.25 of normal and there is a 'flawless pool' rewards tree for those playing in the flawless pool) to encourage participation in the flawless pool, to both deter folks from just farming inferior competition and entice them with better/more unique rewards. I realize this could potentially split the player base, but tweeks could be made as data comes in, to help all 3 modes remain healthy. If in the end, there's simply not enough population to maintain a mode, then further changes can be made, based on the data accumulated during this time.