[b][u]WARNING:[/u] SPECULATION AND OPINIONS AHEAD[/b]
As the title says, it seems that high level play will be vastly different and more complicated than low level play. Destiny takes all the basic elements of competitive shooters and adds layers of "character" depth that we traditionally only see in fighters and MOBAs.
Consider exotic weapons and armor. We don't know a whole lot about them yet, but from what we [i]have[/i] seen we can tell they are each going to be truly unique pieces of gear. They are not just 'better than' or 'more powerful than' the sub-exotic weapons but have unique properties. This is gear that changes the way you play and are played against, often granting its user, for example, the ability to cloak when scoped in and the ability to acquire ammo by shooting ammo crates (see Closing Time). These kinds of abilities change everything. I'll come back to this.
There are also class abilities like, for example, the Hunter's 'Blink' ability. This adds a whole layer of complexity to each encounter knowing that your opponent could Blink out of range of your Super or right up into your face with his shotgun. These kinds of game-changing abilities will only become more and more prevalent as players progress.
In other words, PvP at high levels is going to be very different than PvP at low levels much like in an MMO where players have fewer abilities at their disposal at lower levels than high levels. You'll still have to know the maps and be able to hit your shots, of course, but you'll also have to be ready for your enemy to pull a ground slide, a blink or triple jump, a super, or receive a health boost after getting a kill to name just a few of the myriad of options we'll have at our disposal at high levels.
Things are going to get pretty hectic. You could even argue that it might go a little overboard, but I want to give people the benefit of the doubt and say it's possible that the FPS scene is ready to turn their brains on again and have to think while they're playing competitive multiplayer.
However, striking a balance between those with the abilities granted from the exceedingly rare exotic gear and those without them is a worrisome thought. I hope Bungie has concocted a remedy for this situation. It would not be healthy for the game if, for example, Closing Time or Read Death were so unique that they were [i]the[/i] sniper or [i]the[/i] rifle if you really wanted to compete with the 'big dawgs'.
It would also make sense and, in my opinion, improve the competitive experience to know what kinds of abilities you're up against before a PvP match starts. That way you know to, for example, avoid close quarters with this person wearing this armor because melee kills grant them a health boost and half of their 'super' meter or whatever it might be. Or, say, knowing that there are two people on the opposing team with the ability to cloak. That's vital information that can be extremely punishing to just have to learn the hard way each and every match. It makes for a better, more compelling multiplayer experience when there's no room for cheap tricks.
Think of how the MOBAs do the pregame. Everyone can see who they're meeting on the battlefield as well as whatever special abilities they've chosen. This is how it should be done in Destiny, where abilities granted from gear combined with a certain class build could almost be thought of as a "character" like in a MOBA or fighting game. It is simply vital information to know what you're up against when there are so many dynamically different possibilities. Hopefully Bungie has integrated some sort of way to display this information while the pre-game animations are happening. At the lower level of play that we've seen thus far there isn't a lot of variation from player to player so maybe something like this has already been implemented but simply wasn't relevant in the ALPHA.
I'm pumped guys. I didn't think I could get excited about an FPS anymore, but alas, it seems this game could really be something special. Time will tell.
Thanks for reading. Please share your thoughts and comments.
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A well written and thought out post, unlike many others on this forum. You have many great points, witch I haven't even begun to think about yet. I hope though, the same as you, that our guys at bungie has. I like how you present the different ways weapons and armor fully upgraded may provide us with different play styles. It's making me look forward to the final build of the game even more. I think that bungie has balanced these things pretty evenly, but shouldn't you have access to different things I you play a game 5 hrs a day vs 1. timer? If you at the best fps player in the world you're still gonna win, but you have advantages as a regular player... Again, great post. Even more stoked for the game now.