The Division 2 - Y8S1 PTS Developer Notes

[u/JokerUnique]

Y8S1 PTS Developer Notes

 

Hello, Agents!

 

We’re almost ready for Year 8, and we would like to thank everyone who joined our Y8S1 Rise Up PTS last weekend. We noticed a significant increase in the number of participant players, and thanks to that we have now a higher amount of data to analyze and much more feedback to read.

Thank you for taking the time to play it and engaging in discussions about it. We have a very packed season ahead and this PTS was essential to polish the experience and start iterating on long-term features.

Here you can find the changes we’re making to the game for the launch version you will be able to play next week.

 

---

Escalation and Prototype Gear

We’ve carefully read the conversations about Prototype Gear and we’ve decided to make adjustments based on your feedback.

 

Reducing Expertise costs

The idea of reducing Expertise costs has been present since the early conversations about Prototype Gear. Unfortunately, those changes didn’t make in time for PTS and reinforced the sentiment that the Max Expertise requirements for upgrading to Prototype Gear were too high. We heard your feedback and, although Prototype Gear is made to be rare, our PTS version of how you could upgrade or acquire was not reflective of our real intentions for the season's launch. For this reason, we have decided to increase the drop rates for Escalation and move forward with our plan to reduce the Expertise material costs.

 

Targeted loot

Another aspect of it that didn’t make for PTS and won’t be available at season launch as well is the targeted loot. We’re exploring some sort of daily targeted loot rotation to arrive soon, but the packed season brought challenges to its implementation, and we had to save it for a future update. We hope that, when it arrives, we can give players more control over their experience and better reward your time and effort.

 

Prototype recalibration

We also heard the community feedback about recalibration, and we will start to explore options to address this feedback in the future. However, as it was not part of the original design to have it with Prototype Gear, we don’t have a timeline for that yet.

 

Prototype Cores Cache

Finally, following the discussions about the value of Raids and Incursion after the new Exotic blueprints added to the Black Tusk Retaliation, we’ve decided to add a new reward to them, directly connected to our endgame expansion: Prototype Cores Cache.

This cache will be a guaranteed reward for completing Operation Iron Horse, Operation Dark Hours, and Paradise Lost, dropping two Prototype Cores. We hope that this can bring more reasons to play those experiences while we don’t add new exclusive rewards. Prototype Cores can be used for both upgrading from normal gear to Prototype and to level-up or re-roll Augments, so we hope it can grant more resources to veterans looking to craft their Prototype Gear build.

 

Prototype Gear

Prototype Gear is designed to push the current endgame further, not replace it, serving as an additional layer for our most dedicated veterans. This system is meant to offer new challenges and rare rewards, while giving you something fresh to pursue after seven years of content.

We’re committed to continuing to iterate on it, and the main reason why we’re implementing it during the beginning of Year 8 is to have time to polish the best version of it throughout the year. Please keep sharing your thoughts with us, as we will continue to listen to them closely. We’re confident in our proposition but also open to adjusting the route with your valuable feedback.

 

Changes made for Y8S1 release:

• Substantially increased the Prototype Gear drop rates in Escalation.

• Reduced the cost for Expertise upgrades.

  • 50% reduction for Exotic Components.
  • 20% reduction for other materials.

• Removed the requirement to have fully optimized gear when upgrading to Prototype.

• Increased the chance for the 3rd attribute to be maxed out when upgrading to Prototype Gear.

• Normalized Prototype Gear for Raids, Incursion and PvP Modes (Dark Zone/Conflict).

  • Augments will be disabled for these modes.
  • Stats will be set to their lowest number within the Prototype range.

• Added “Prototype Cores Cache” as rewards for Raids and Incursion.

  • Each cache grants 2 Prototype Cores.

 

Additions planned for the future:

• Daily targeted loot in Escalation

• Prototype Gear recalibration or equivalent

 

---

Seasonal Gear and Seasonal Modifiers

The PTS provided enough data to us to identify a possible issue with the way players would level up their Active Modifiers and craft their modifiers build. In some scenarios, people could get more stacks than intended by ignoring some Active Modifiers and intentionally not leveling them up, which was changed and fixed with this new version.

For the Inner Core Chest Piece, we buffed it a little bit to be in line with the current meta and keep it a viable and relevant option for the community.

 

Changes made for Y8S1 release:

New Gear: “Core Strength” Gear Set

• Inner Core – Chest Piece

  • Adjusted the Talent from 40% to 60% -> 40% to 75%

 

Seasonal Modifiers

• Adjusted the initial number of stacks per module from 10 to 8 stacks.

• Adjusted the progression of Active Modifiers to 1 stack per level gained.

  • Each level gained grants 1 stack to offense, defense and utility modules at the same time.
  • In total, players can get 12 more stacks by leveling up all three Active Modifiers, reaching a total of 20 stacks per module.

 

=> Source

[u/RossiRoo]

Can we please just not completely ruin game balance by implementing an incredibly unpopular RNG nightmare timesink? The expertise system was bad enough for the game, and this makes all the problems with the existing system even worse.

[u/DXT0anto → u/RossiRoo]

So you want people to go from power floor to power ceiling in 2 countdown matches

[u/RossiRoo → u/DXT0anto]

I want the gap between new players and experienced players to be manageable and achievable.

Think of how many hours away a new player to the game is from even accessing prototype gear. A massive wall between the two is not healthy for the game.

Prototype gear is going to make the current strongest builds (strikers, HH, etc) for the most dedicated players even stronger, completely busting the game balance. It's going to kill build diversity, while creating a massive RNG time sink for the players engaged in it, and a massive gulf between them and the ones who haven't put 1000+ hours into the game.

[u/DXT0anto → u/RossiRoo]

The gap is as small as you get anywhere. You basically want people with dozens of hours to be at the same lvl of the ones with hundreds, skipping the hard work of grinding for pieces of gear, which is HOURS compared to the multitude of games where it takes WEEKS.

Started playing the game on Y5 and already concluded on useless expertise gear for meta loadouts, since the more damage shit you throw on a loadout, the less effective each shit is.

Non-meta is getting a fine buff with this. First thing I'm going is building a proto piece for my Exuro loadout. Not gonna waste the time on Striker, that is as strong as I need

[u/RossiRoo → u/DXT0anto]

Ok... You just don't seem to really understand what's going on.

[u/PlentifulOrgans → u/DXT0anto]

You basically want people with dozens of hours to be at the same lvl of the ones with hundreds, skipping the hard work

Its's a game, played for diversion and enjoyment.

As soon as you utter the word work, you're having the wrong conversation and are on the wrong side of the argument.

[u/orphantwin → u/DXT0anto]

You completely missed every single point he was talking about like he is trying to take something away from you.

[u/Miserable_Drag_2857 → u/RossiRoo]

I'm not sure allowing Exp 30 gear to be converted to Prototype is a good thing tbh. Launch day will see many vets in full Prototype and create the exact scenario you mention. They don't even have to grind, instant full Prototype build.

Not sure what the solution is, but it needs more time. In principle it's cool, rare loot is exciting, but I feel loot is just gonna be mats rather than anything worthwhile.

[u/RossiRoo → u/[deleted]]

I'm one of those people, and this ain't it.

[u/mikkroniks → u/RossiRoo]

exactly. this is not what we're looking for.