More specifically, the developer took the game’s complex (some would even call it convoluted) currency and consumable selection and made it even more so.
And although it’s true that the House of Wolves DLC will add new upgrade materials, consumables, and currencies into the mix, it will also render a few others obsolete. More specifically, the next major Destiny update will do away with Vanguard and Crucible Commendations, clearing the way for more space in players’ vaults.
For those who might be familiar, Commendations was yet another currency added by Destiny’s Dark Below DLC. As players leveled up their Vanguard and Crucible Reputation they would earn a Commendation, which could be used (along with Vanguard Marks or Crucible Marks) to buy new gear or weapons. In fact, many of the DLC gear required Commendations, making the currency pretty important…at first.
Eventually, though, Vanguard and Crucible Commendations lost their utility, as most players either bought all the gear they wanted or found better gear from Xur or Crota’s End. That didn’t stop the Commendations from coming in, mind you, but they just sat there.
However, starting with the next Destiny update, players will finally be able to take their Commendations and trade them in for Vanguard or Crucible Reputation. And any future Reputation levels will no longer deliver Commendations. All players will need to purchase the new gear moving forward is a certain number of Crucible or Vanguard Marks.
While it’s great to see that Bungie is listening to fans and making changes, it’s hard not to wonder why the Commendations were added in the first place. Destiny already puts so many hoops in player’s way that anything extra only takes away from the enjoyment. And even those who buy in to the changes will eventually find that there’s a shelf life for almost every piece of currency. For example, once players acquire every exotic weapon and armor piece from Xur, Strange Coins become practically useless.
The good news, though, is that Bungie has heard those complaints about upgrade materials loud and clear, and they are adding changes to improve those systems as well. Starting with the House of Wolves, The Speaker will offer an exchange system whereby players can trade their upgrade materials (shards, energy, and Motes of Light) for different types of upgrade materials, or they can simply exchange them for Glimmer.
At the very least these upcoming moves should do well to clean out Destiny players’ vaults, giving them more space for those new consumables like Etheric Light. However, we still can’t help but shake our heads as Bungie goes back and forth, adding features and then removing them.
Are you happy to see that Commendations are being removed from Destiny? Are there any other currencies or upgrade materials you’d like to see go?