Division 2: Creating Purpose through Environmental Storytelling | An Essay
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- Опубліковано 24 лис 2024
- The Division is a series renowned for its worldbuilding and setting. Levels are compelling to play, because the level and world design instill a keen sense of purpose through creating a narrative loop. This sense of purpose holds up through multiple playthroughs.
The new Division 2 mode, the Descent, focuses on random generation. As a result, a lot of the level-driven purpose is lost.
In this critique, we'll take a look at how the Division 2 uses environmental storytelling to craft a narrative loop by analyzing a few levels. Then, we'll compare this storytelling with the Descent mode.
My name is Calvin B. Fisher, and I do retrospectives and longform game critiques. I'm also the author of the Northfield Saga, a post-apocalyptic science fiction series set in a gas-infested wasteland. Mark Northfield faces death or the sacrifice of his soul, when he is blackmailed into an assassination mission. What he doesn't know is that his target holds the key to saving the world.
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#division2 #division #gaming - Ігри
Thanks for watching everyone, I hope you enjoyed it! What is your favorite post-apocalyptic game?
One of the things I like about the storytelling was the echos scattered around the map that gave context or background to things going on. Those and the audio logs do so much to build the world that you never see. Such as learning that Blacktusk took out the VP after he took over as president in order to put their man in his place. Or trying to make you sympathize with the leader of the outcasts after you take her out once and for all in the zoo.
Edit: I think there is a story of some kind to the descent game mode, or at the very least you are getting audio logs that add lore into the world. You get a log each week when you beat the nemesis.
Interesting! I did not know that about the audio logs in the Descent. The echoes are a really inventive take on delivering lore. I have been thinking about doing a deeper dive into the Division lore, especially the first game. I have a number of videos planned though so probably wouldn't get to that in a while. Thanks for sharing!
I didn’t know where this video was goin at first since I don’t know much about the Division, but then you really brought in the analysis of the environment and story telling with visual elements! I didn’t even need to have background knowledge! Another video well done :)
Thank you! I’m glad you liked it!!
I don't play video games, but I love to watch - preferably well edited with a viewer in mind - game movies. Their discovery now nearly ten years back opened up for me a whole new world of great worlds filled with stories, characters, action, drama, breathtaking vistas ... never to be seen that way on TV or the bnig screen.
That out of the way, I never understood why I keep coming back to watching playthroughs of The Division 2. What exactly is it, that makes this post-apocalyptic shooter such an immersive and satisfying entertainment? Thanks to you, I think, now I've got part of the answer. And one that has a lot going for it. Good video!
Now on to your "Halo Reach"-vid which as a game movie also has a special place in my fantastic sci-fi library.
Thanks for watching! I’m glad the video could provide some insight about the Division!
The Division 2 had some great world building and design, but the original Division was absolutely incredible. I feel it is unmatched in terms of post virus environment. The story of the world is so well presented, and it helps to create the story of the city and enforces that the Agent isn't the main focus of the game. As you play through the Division, you feel the story of New York rather than the story of the Agent. You meet other characters who learn or build their character over time as the city rebuilds. It is the great storytelling throughout the city that tells you the tragic story of the people in NY and how they will recover.
Also, the most important part of this video is seeing your agent's build lol.
Definitely! I think the first Division has some of the best worldbuilding and atmosphere out there. I am thinking of eventually visiting it and doing a really deep dive after my current lineup of videos. I wish there were more long videos on it.
Lol on the build! What do you run?
@calvinfishermedia I use the Heartbreaker set and Catharsis mask with the Chameleon. It works well enough on heroic (most of the time). Leads to taking tons of damage and dishing out more.
@@captaingrump1937 Nice! I love the Chameleon, such a fun gun to use. I've been thinking about trying a tankier build, mine does decent damage but gets crumpled pretty quickly.
@calvinfishermedia The Chameleon is a great choice indeed. I'd figure the best way to get some more breathing room would be to use a skill like the fixer or defender drone with the crusader shield to keep moving and shooting nicely while avoiding some damage. Also applying a mod to one or more of your gear items giving you armor on kill would encourage aggressive play and help with offense.
@@captaingrump1937 thanks for the tips! I appreciate it.
Take a look at the game SOMA by frictional games. Its one of my favorites!
Thanks for the recommendation! I will check it out!
this might be a stretch, but the best "post-apocalypse" type game i've ever played is this war of mine. such a phenomenal game.
Ah interesting! I have heard of that game before but I don’t know much about it. Thanks for sharing! I will check it out.
The YT algorithms led me here
Very insightful essay on one of my most played games
Gotta give it to the environment designers and art department for their work in the worldbuilding of the Division 1 and 2. Just walking around the open world you can see hints of the chaos that occurred amidst the social breakdown caused by the virus.
Regarding "The Descent" game mode, yeah the environment design certainly doesn't tell as much a story as compared to the Air & Space Museum and DCD Headquarters you brought up but I think that's the point. It is intended as a simulation for a scenario that no one hopes for but must be prepared for. We get rooms that look like the lab rooms within the DCD Headquarters, as well as underground bunker rooms to simulate scenarios that these shelters intended to preserve the "continuity of government" are overrun by hostile forces. The underground bunker rooms I think are the better designed of the generated rooms, showing a variety of possible lived in places that aren't as shiny as the more pristine laboratories. We've got rooms like clinics to treat its residents, meeting rooms and archive rooms with furniture that look like they're from the 70s. There's even a press room were a government official would be delivering speeches behind a podium with a fake background.
Would be interested seeing you do a breakdown on other mission levels or whatever interesting locations in this game in the future!
Thanks for checking out the video and giving my channel a chance! I appreciate your insights about the Descent game mode. I’m hoping to do a large analysis of the Division 1 sometime next year! I haven’t seen that many longform analysis videos on D1 so I want to do it justice.
If you love The Division 2, then more power to you, but you're giving Ubisoft way too much credit. The idea of filling a museum with... museum-related things is the bare minimum of level design. It's not necessarily some grand, holistic design approach.
Sure, filling a museum with museum stuff is the bare minimum, but I don’t think that is all the game does. I do think there is a level of craftsmanship to the missions, due to the layouts and more subtle details, which I have tried to point out in this video. Understand if you disagree though. Thanks for watching!
Do u want a gaming buddy? :)
Hey, thanks for watching! I’ve been kicking around the idea of doing some streams with subscribers, playing games and hanging out, and if I do I would love if you played! I think it would be a lot of fun.
@@calvinfishermedia That sounds like a great idea, I just want a group of friends to play with and I think your perspective on things would be enlightening to me. I really enjoy an analytical perspective when it comes to media it’s hard for me to do it myself.
@@David_McDeadass Thanks I appreciate it! I am deep into making a few big videos, so I probably won't get around to it for a couple of weeks at least. But when I do, I will let you know man!