This forum post's purpose is designed to come up with a better way to implement the future expansions of Destiny. I will give background on a popular article (linked), specifically the parts relevant to my discussion. I will then offer my own solution that I ran past a few friends. Maybe you don't like my idea. Tell me. But be mature about it. Criticize it constructively, don't throw a temper tantrum. Maybe you like where I'm going but want to change a few things. Tell me. Maybe you think I'm a genius. Definitely tell me! Here we go, guardians: [b]The Polygon Article[/b] There is a Polygon article (linked above) that has gained a lot of traction in the Destiny community. If you frequent the forums, you've likely already read it. I love this game and for some reason get personally offended when people trash it. However, I'm not blind to it's flaws and weaknesses. As a result, I actually find it refreshing when someone criticizes this game in a mature manner without prejudice. That's what this article has done, except for a few one-liners that I can forgive. I don't want to talk about everything in the article. I agree and disagree with different points, but there is one major concept in the article that I find interesting. This concept is how the new gear progression "disrespects past achievements". The article goes on and basically separates guardians into raid players and non raid-players. I will continue with this separation for simplicity purposes. [b]Non-Raid Players[/b] Since the "only major content addition" is the raid, non-raiders are forced to grind the same marks and rep as before, simply to make the move from level 29 to 31. I'm not as much on board with the complaint about non-raiders as I am with raiders. What else do you want? What could Bungie have given you? This is a serious question that I'm leaving open and will update accordingly. My rebuttal to potential ideas is below (I will update this). [u]New vendors with new gear:[/u] That's the same light level as it is now (31), you're just grinding different vendors. [u]Same gear, but with an extended upgrade path:[/u] A lot of players have over 100 Ascendant Shards. It would take you a few hours to go from 29 to 31, then you'd complain that you beat the expansion in 3 hours. Since you aren't a raid player, what's left for you? [b]Raid Players[/b] The issue for raid players is that the new gear (meaning Tower gear) can get you to level 31, where as old raid gear (Vault of Glass) can only help you reach 30. Since you can buy your way to level 31, your VoG gear is useless. I totally agree with this. And while I don't really care personally, I see the frustration. On top of this frustration, a lot of raiders are mad because they are now equal at level 31 with many players who have never attempted the raid. Non-VoG players can join the new raid and be level 32 at the same time as VoG players. I understand this frustration and share it to some level. [b]Solution: Non-Raid Players[/b] Let's come up with this together. I honestly don't know what you could possibly want, other than what Bungie has given you. So enlighten me, friends. [b]Solution: Raid Players[/b] A checkpoint system. You're either a raider or you aren't. You shouldn't get to skip the VoG and be on par with players who put blood, sweat and tears into the VoG. Under this method/concept/idea, a person who never completed the VoG would not be able to [i]equip [/i]Crota's End gear. Earn it and store it? Yes. But can't equip it. Once a guardian hits level 30 using pre-expansion gear (i.e. some combination of fully upgraded exotic/iron banner/VoG gear that equals 120 light), the ability to equip Crota's End raid gear would be unlocked. Now, this probably can't be done for the current expansion because old gear can't be earned anymore and people have already equipped Crota's End gear. So this would be an idea moving forward. Keep the old, outdated gear available after the next expansion so players can still hit the old level cap using legitimate methods. [i]Why This is Fair[/i] Someone who has played 1/3 of the time of another player will not be able to beat or tie them in a race to level 32. Guardians who put their VoG gear away in their vault will be rest assured that their VoG accomplishments were worth something, because without the checkpoint, they wouldn't be able to hit level 32. Also, newer Guardians will have a longer journey to level 32 (or 34/36/38 in the future). Do you really want to finish the game that fast anyway? [i]You Can't Please Everyone[/i] I can see it coming: raiders will still be mad that their level 31 gear is the same as non-raiders. Put it this way, you're already mad. Won't this make you less mad? Further, how mad will you be when you're level 32 and the non-raiders are stuck at level 31? I would hope not that much. [b]Conclusion[/b] Like I said, folks, this is a work in progress. Its not perfect right now so don't break your keyboard by aggressively telling me I'm an idiot. Work with me, not against me. I'm sure I missed things, such as the effect this change would have on other aspects of the game. Don't crucify me. This post can only get better with more minds working on it. - Duke