Typing this out from my phone, so I will do my best to ensure it doesn't look like it's typed from a phone. I'm also long winded, so I will try to condense this as I've been reading the wrath on the forums for weeks now.
EDIT: it's still long winded...feel free to skim it. :)
I don't believe I will have lost any time leveling. The massive overtone right now is "I'm losing all this time I spent".
My reason - and it's a reason that covers a lot of the games faults - is that I play this game for the social aspect. I play it to have fellowship with my friends. I play it to scratch my competitive itch, as I am highly competitive.
Did I farm materials alone when no friends could play? Yes. It sucked. I wanted to run into my kitchen, tell my wife and daughter goodbye and stab myself in the face. Ok, that's a little bit of an exaggeration. But we were all there. Mining crates is boring. Now that's gone, which was a great move by Bungie. Back on topic.
I won't tell anyone else how to play Destiny, but maybe my mindset can help others.
To me this game is about the time I get to spend with friends. Of the 500-600hrs I've spent in Destiny (don't worry about my family, I do most of this while they are asleep or working - yes, I don't get enough sleep lol) I have loved almost all of them. I also won't consider any of that time wasted when I re level my trusty exotics.
Why?
Because all of that time I spent was well spent. I have had a lot of great laughs joking and talking with my closest friends while farming crates and doing patrols. It's done nothing but strengthen friendships I already had while creating some new ones.
I don't play many games solo anymore. It's not a good use of my time. For many of you, that may be the way you play. Destiny may not be the direction you want it to go and I can see that. However, it was designed to be a social game first and foremost.
I couldn't play this game solo. I'd go insane. But with friends, even the most tedious, boring moments are enjoyable as they are remembered for the time with friends, not the hours spent running around the crate loop on Mars because RNGesus thought I needed 4 straight raid weapons to all be relic iron...grrr.
In short, I look forward to re leveling my exotics because I look forward to the fun I'll have interacting with my closest friends. Most of whom I work with or have been friends with for years. I'm sure many great laughs will be had in the strikes, goofing off and trying to conquer challenges we or Bungie creates. And raiding. Some of the most fun I've had in a group since...Halo Lan parties?
Soldier on Guardians.
Xbl is Real28. Experienced Raider with all aspects of raid. Will have all three types of characters to level 30 next week. Need a 6th? Send me a message. If I'm not busy I will even help if I have nothing to earn.
Easier to plan ahead though as i have been limiting my Destiny time before 8-9pm est for family time. Once everyone's asleep, it's time to kill stuff.
Pps: apologies if this is repetitive or scatter brained - even on a phablet, hard to keep ideas organized when I can only see 8 lines at on e!
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Good to see a positive post about the game for once. Helps you look on the bright side after seeing such a negative forum.