Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.
Destiny: Rise of Iron

Bungie Doesn’t Want Destiny to Be Like No Man’s Sky

Destiny's world design lead is glad their game isn't like No Man's Sky.
This article is over 8 years old and may contain outdated information

It didn’t take long after No Man’s Sky’s release for players to size it up against Destiny. While the two games sport eerily similar UI designs, both tackle the grandeur of space in wildly different ways. In a recent interview with Metro, Destiny world design lead Steve Cotton thinks the differences are for the best.

Recommended Videos

No Man’s Sky offers over 18 trillion explorable planets, but Destiny focuses on smaller maps and hand-crafted landscapes. “We talk about this a lot,” Cotton said on open-worlds. “For us it’s not good enough to just make a bunch of real estate. Real estate has to be really well thought out, so you really try to create experiences.

“Everything is very… intentional. And so when you’re hand-crafting and – no offence against No Man’s Sky – but when it’s not done by someone by hand it’s hard to get experiences that are memorable.”

On the topic of procedural generation, the core feature of No Man’s Sky, Cotton was skeptical, noting it can succeed in games like Minecraft, but can come up short when compared to planned worlds.

“I think that’s going to show when you go see the Plaguelands,” Cotton said. “We put a lot of energy into making that new area on Earth feel different to anything in the Cosmodrome, and with landmarks that were compelling to player. You get in there and you’re like, ‘I want to go to that tanker! I want to go to that battle station! That bunker on that hill! And I want to go to that fortress that’s billowing smoke!’ It’s all unique.”

“So we’re really excited about that… especially me because I work with the team, and the designers and mission designers, to make a world, and it was really fun to work on. And we do have a lot of real estate in this release, but it’s really well thought out.”

In response to the UI similarities, though, Cotton had a bit of a chuckle: “No, someone stole something from Destiny?! [laughs]”

More on Destiny and Rise of Iron


Twinfinite is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Sharon Coone
Sharon Coone
Twinfinite's former Editor in Chief from 2014 to 2017. B.S. in Biology, B.A. in Philosophy, and always within 20 feet of a bagel. Kind of like a reverse restraining order, but with carbs. Sharon's love for video games knows no bounds, and could be found writing about anything and everything at all hours of the day.
twitter