The Division 2 Private Beta - the experience

[genedjr]

I am truly blessed as I was fortunate enough for the Alpha and now the Beta. OH BOI!

with only about 8 hours of play - here are my first impressions - I am spending the $$ - wow.

Beginning - the opening cinema - great, nice lead in.  Talks about this being 7 months (now the height of summer) after the dollar flu.  I like the text/monologue intro, a nice way to bring us into this new world.  There is more subtle stuff, watch the intro multiple time (you can delete your toon [a major grip for the alpha - good job UBI] and start from scratch.

OMG!  Pistols actually do damage - who'd thunk it?  While I like the damage increase, the range is way to long.  I was headshot'ing targets that appeared to be over 100m away.  Not happening with most pistols with iron sights. but hey... it was fun to clear to the BOO (White House) with a pistol.

The White House - yep, pretty good representation (Have you been there? I have for work and tour - not bad at all).  BUT - the artificial blocking off of the second floor - interesting, but closes an escape route - so, but, ah-heck (< that is not what I really said ) artistic license...

General - 

• The graphics (for me) are superb.  My lowly GTX 970 is fine at 60FPS on high. (But run the latest drivers)
  
• CPU - never crossed 75%, and only got close on 2 cores (Ryzen 1600x)
  
• Monitor - I have a 15 year old HP 2335 - no tearing.
  
• I use a controller - and actions with the controller feel - uh - better.  I am not sure its much better, but - its better.  I spent a couple of hours switching back and forth - TD2 better - not great, better.
  
• this is very subjective - but the overall user experience is in MNSHO ...better  If you like TD, the man-machine interface is better. some things are different, but its better.
  
• The environment (WDC) is way cool for those that have been - just wow.
  

General low level play - 

• Everything felt right - that is hard to quantify.  What I mean is movement, cover, weapon actions - nice, not forced.  I am not really sure how to describe, but more fluid than TD, more natural.
  
• Gear - I have played low and the endgame - gear is COMPLETELY different, I have not had enough time with the new mechanics to really form a judgement, but - just on feel alone - I am good.
  
• Combat - Oh Boi - while there are issues, alot of them, its generally better than TD.  In particular the new bullet sponge armor.  Pieces really do break off and if you hit the holes, the NPC takes HUGE damage.  fun fun to hit the shoulder until it breaks and kill the NPC just there 
  
• Movement - this is a little hard for me as mostly is good, but its a bit tighter than TD (Worse when facing indoor NPC).  I seem to get hung up more, but not sure why.  I hope this is addressed before launch, but doubtful.
  
• Missions - this is much better, but not really an RPG - we are still a looter/shooter.  There are pros/cons - but I am having fun.
  

OK, enough with the brazen TD2 commercial - now what's wrong wit

• Tons and Tons of graphics issues 
  
  
  as example paint cans suspended in air after a explosion.
  
• Other things not really being on the ground
  
• Paint cans suspended in the air.
  
• lag - not due to the client.  This is a whole topic.
  

[*]Shooting NPCs that take no damage

• 
  
  OMG
  
• You think wow I got that guy, and review recording and yep you got him.... but he did not die.
  
• Other pieces are where you shot and the guy got hit/killed and the next guy with all the same attribute (from a gamers point of view) are the same and just can't be killed.
  

[*]talking to the people

• 
  
  uh - not working or I simply do not understand << mostly that
  
• I still don't understand the progression process if not just the main players but the people to BOO
  

Again - buy it, even at this stage it's BETTER than TD

...gene

 

[g1nt3r]

Nice review dude! I'll give mine once I play a little more. Haven't really had a chance with work and all but I got all day tomorrow. I do agree tho, buy it, it is better than TD.

 

[RimBlock]

Would agree with the vast majority.  One thing I do fine a bit more difficult is some of the menu systems.

Matchmaking I find less intuitive than TD1.  Not being able to matchmake in a mission (possibly due to where in the mission you are) is a massive pain when someone goes off-line or just quits.

It is nice to see the FN-FAL as full auto rather than burst fire but changing the LVOA-C to a single shot rifle.... err what....  The M16A4 is a burst fire and I have not seen a case where the burst fire weapons were considered good.  Having anything as burst fire, to me at least, just seems to bury them at the bottom of the meta dustbin.

Good to see the Spas-12 got in the game along with the P90 (which rocks) and the FAMAS in its own right and not just as the Bullfrog.

Loot randomisation is as terrible as ever.  The control point stock rooms restock after some time (in the Alpha and Beta at least) and clearing all 4 gave me 3 shotguns, two of the double barrelled.  Outside XBox did a live stream with them playing and they were joking about opening a kneepad shop with all the kneepad drops they have found so far.  This is one fundamental thing they should have improved but it seems to be the Division loot drop randomisation with no visible change. 

The massive jumps in loot level / quality is also still there so gearing up is just a matter of a day if you are unlucky from what is available in the Beta.  Fine tuning will take a lot longer but I would have personally preferred a slow steady increase over time than massive jumps.

There is also no real randomisation of the missions (enemies coming from random places rather than always from the same points).  I can see the replay value dropping like a stone as we get in to the Lexington speed runs again.

Those are the two big flaws I see so far, or missed opportunities may be a better description.

Apart from those, the game is pretty good.  Hope the end game reply value will not just turn inn to a boring grind like TD1 did.

 

[genedjr]

OK, my reply here is all about the BAD

All the graphics bugs in TD1 are here. - so look at Buzz Lightyear.  Do I care about this - nope.

Gun info - while there is alot more gun info it seems misleading - pistols are nicely powered, but do not follow the appropriate range accuracy.  way to accurate.  Shotguns are good, but I need more research. The level of the gun seems to be less significant than TD1 - the stats are everything.  So its very confusing your level 3  m1911 is dominating over your lvl 5 M1911 with low stats, good stats is not the end all.

MOBs not taking damage - at first i thought this was lag, but no, the target radius for some (seems to be random) goes from state wide to 0.  Again random.  This is just weird.  I sniper shot a MOB and it dies.  On another nothing.  (BTW I am capturing via OSB).  Lag maybe, but....

Some random MOBs are smart, and do as veterans do - but no indication (IE, not purple or above)

AOE damage.  OMG the splash for AOE damage needs to be fixed.  Sometimes not in cover you can '0' sometimes in cover you die.  Just not consistent.

The stupid "agent request assistance" or whatever.  I hope this allows us to 'join' and really provide assistance.  but...

Should you still buy - H3LL yes.

They addressed 50%+ of the issues that plagued TD1 - and maybe more.  Is this worth $60 - h3LL yes.

I will get 1000s of hours of great game play.

...gene

 

[quinch1199]

"The stupid "agent request assistance" or whatever.  I hope this allows us to 'join' and really provide assistance.  but..."

It does allow you to join, just open map and there's a join option, however, balancing was totally out I think as often I'd join someone on a mission and I was a level 5 running in normal and I get throw in with level 7s running a hard mission with no information prior to joining. So, works but needs more work

 

[genedjr]

"The stupid "agent request assistance" or whatever.  I hope this allows us to 'join' and really provide assistance.  but..."

It does allow you to join, just open map and there's a join option, however, balancing was totally out I think as often I'd join someone on a mission and I was a level 5 running in normal and I get throw in with level 7s running a hard mission with no information prior to joining. So, works but needs more work

Interesting, I tried looking this up and all I found were ways to turn the notification off.  Glad this is coming as I mostly solo.  It would be nice to jump in, help out and leave without a group commitment.

 

[RimBlock]

I believe I read that you join the other Agent from the map / matchmaking which sort of makes sense.  Didn't try it myself and it was pretty annoying on the 'restricted' private Beta.  Imagine what it will be like on the live servers...

I also have a suspicion that this feature was not fully working on the consoles but cannot confirm.

I like the idea but jumping in to rescue and then just leaving would mean no reward wouldn't it.  Sure helping someone in need is its own reward  :35_thinking:  but surely finishing the mission (if you can with the random/s ) would actually give you something.  A sweetener to help other agents would be nice from the devs even if it was just something like exp for a successful clearing of the section or rescue points that can be built up to be worth something or a patch you could work towards etc.

 

[quinch1199]

Couple of things to note on the "Agent requesting backup"

 - It activates as an option for a player to take if he loses his armour for any reason and starts taking actual damage (I didn't see it as an option before this point, it seems to automatically offer you it)

- Activated only by Group Leader. 

- In the beta the match making side of it was utterly out of wack, lumping you with inappropriate groups. (hopefully fixed/better balanced for live)

- The audio gets very annoying until you learn to block it out mentally. (kinda defeats the process and idea behind it though!)

- If you answer the call you fast travel to the point where the caller is and immediately join their group (i.e. at any point in the mission)

- You can leave at anytime (such as getting stuck on some stairs against enemies you can't damage lol!).

- You will only benefit from XP rewards if you remain in the group, physical rewards you still have to be present to physically loot.

- It is NOT the same as the option to call in back-up when assaulting enemy held checkpoints, this is an option specific to Missions (Story and I think Side missions)

- To accept the request for assistance you HOLD map activation key/button, it then opens a list of agents with current requests for you to choose from.