Tag: Destiny

Episode #012: All About the Beta! (Part One — “Homecoming”)

Wasn’t that Destiny 2 Beta awesome?!

Okay, okay, okay, maybe not all Guardians would agree that the Beta was perfect, and even Nick, Brandon, Tee, and Ron would admit there were flaws.

It is a Beta, though.

Fresh from the experience, your Guardians are talking about what they liked — and what they didn’t like — in this week of awesome from Bungie. Instead of dropping all our thoughts in one massive show, we’ve got word from the Vanguards to run on a weekly schedule in order to take our time and enjoy our look at this incredible sneak peek at what’s coming on September 6th!

Sound off, Guardians! What were your favorite parts of the Destiny 2 Beta? What do you think needs work? Talk to us at 703.791.1701 (reachable through WhatsApp now) or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!

00:00 — Introduction 

  • Right — Let’s get some serious SEO accomplished here…
    • No, Coach. Don’t spoil the Punch Line!
    • The fans love Nathan Fillion!
    • Welcome to the Nathan Fillion Is Awesome! podcast. And did we mention that we love Nathan Fillion? We sure do!!!
  • Ron, you want to drive?
  • Tee Morris: Rant the First
  • We go hot with the mics…and NOW Nick wants to re-decorate!
  • Tee Morris: Rant the Second

02:45 — Episode #12: All About the Beta (Part One — “Homecoming”)

  • Tee can’t quite get the reveal of the Farm as a great way to end a Beta
  • There were some issues reminiscent of Destiny: Year One
    • Not this again? (No, thankfully…)
    • Problems logging on…
    • …for everyone except, Tee. Tee was patient. (For once.)
    • “Hey, Twitch Guy…I gotta go play! Thanks!”
  • Yeah, Tee took a whole day off from work for this. No regrets.
  • Nick, on the other hand, had bigger issues.
  • Tee streamed his experience! Take a look here at archived Twitch streams.
  • Brandon is our resident Beta expert, so we want to know how the Destiny 2 Beta compared to other Betas he played.
  • Nick doubles down over Ghaul: Ghaul’s a jackass!
  • Some other problems in the Beta
    • Cooldown times were ridiculous…but not if you ask Coach who has a different perspective on this.
    • The new abilities are very cool, provided you remember you have them.
    • Like it or not, this is part of “starting over” in Destiny 2.
    • Transitioning with the mechanics is a little tricky.
    • All weapons felt nerfed. Especially when Nick compares ballistic damage to punching aliens in the face.
  • Sadly though, Tee is still shooting like a stormtrooper.
  • Now that we’ve seen her fly, Nick has a new nickname for Amanda Holliday: #BlondeSolo

15:21 — GameStop of Innovation Center (Manassas, Virginia)

16:03  —Episode #12: All About the Beta (Part One — “Homecoming”)

  • How could I have startled Coach when he speaks to me this way in the Crucible?!
  • And Nick watches us nerd out…
  • So who else had all the Feelz when you reached out for your Ghost?
  • Let’s talk about “Homecoming”…
    Not this one…although it is a REALLY good movie!
  • The opening mission is extremely well-directed
    • Beautiful cinematography
    • More storytelling in this mission than in all in Year One of Destiny
    • DAT SCORE!!!
  • Dr. Stacia Kelly has a tough time walking through the Tower now
  • Tee has a theory about Sweeperbot.
  • Security Sentries seen everywhere in “Homecoming” and at The Farm.
  • So much to see walking through what remains of the Tower…
    • The tipped-over urn of Eris Morn
    • Did you see Shaxx’s Trophy Room?
    • The only banners still flying in the hangar: The Future War Cult
  • There’s too much for one show, so expect more installments just about the Beta experience.
  • Okay, let’s talk about Gary…
    • Nick still thinks he’s a jackass.
    • When Ghaul makes an entrance, nothing else matters. It’s a terrific villain for a terrific game.
    • Ghaul returns fear to the game.

25:05  — Guardian Feedback

  • All the way from the Great White north, Steve Saylor a/k/a The Blind Gamer, taking his first crack at Destiny with the Destiny 2 Beta!
    • Oh, Steve…what’s waiting for you…
    • Totally new to Destiny? Start with Destiny 2, or go back to the original?
  • Another voicemail, this one from Jonathan Jett-Parmer, going deep into the mechanics. AND SOME SERIOUS “COUNTDOWN” LOVE!
    • What is it with the hate for the Arcstrider? (I love it.)
    • Tee and Brandon go back and forth about the Sentinel’s super…
    • …and we discuss more mechanics that we should have a place to practice, but we didn’t have it.
    • Destiny 2 Beta. Not really for the lone wolf?
    • The purpose of a Beta: A Bug Hunt
  • Twitter feedback from Episode #011
    • A simple message…
    • …from an unexpected listener: #BlondeSolo herself, Courtenay Taylor
    • This is what happens when no one else but Tee checks the podcast’s Twitter account!
    • Nick may need a moment…
    • An appeal to #BlondeSolo to come on the show.
    • Why didn’t Shohreh Aghdashloo tweet Tee? Nick knows.
  • What did you think of the Beta? Let us know at…
    • Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701 (And Brandon’s rolling his eyes about the “WhatsApp” connection. Whatev’s.)
    • Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
  • Where to find us online…

Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!

And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and review.

Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening. 

 

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Episode #011: Who’s Who Behind The Cast of Destiny

 

You getting ready for the Destiny 2 Beta to drop? Well, while you wait, how about enjoying this latest episode with all the Guardians — Nick, Brandon, Tee, and Ron — in the studio, talking about the incredible voice talent that is featured in this game. You may think you know Destiny, but do you know who voices your favorite characters? We do. (Thanks, IMDb!)

Sound off, Guardians! Who’s your favorite voice actor in Destiny and why? Talk to us at 703.791.1701 (reachable through WhatsApp now) or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!

00:00 — Episode #11: Who’s Who Behind the Cast of Destiny

  • Let’s talk about the amazing voice talent…
    • In this podcast? Why not!
    • No-no-no, in Destiny. Oh. okay, sure…
  • Jumpin’ right in…
  • Voicing the Vanguard
  • Lord Shaxx we know from The Crucible, but in Lennie James’ spare time…
  • Debating over The Ghost
  • Taking a break on account of the perkiness…

14:36 — Monster Kid Radio

15:38 —Episode #11: Who’s Who Behind the Cast of Destiny (Part Two)

  • Maybe you don’t Know James Remar by name, but listen to the voice of Executor Hideo of the Ne wMonarchy and you might recognize him from…
    • Dexter
    • The Legend of Korra
    • Sex and the City
    • …and all the way back to 48 Hours and The Warriors.
    • This guy’s got the chops!
  • Also with the impressive resume — Bill Nighy. You know him as The Speaker, but you might also know him from…
    • The Underworld Series
    • The Pirates of the Caribbean series
    • Shaun of the Dead
    • The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
  • Tee discovers Claudia Black was in the cast, and he didn’t know that!
  • More Walking Dead alumni in Destiny as well…
  • And now…our Voice Crushes in Destiny.
  • Nick offers up a chance for the Guardians to hold a Dream Casting in Destiny 2…
    • Kevin Spacey
    • T.J. Storm
    • Leonard Nimoy (posthumously)
    • T.J Miller
    • Stephen Amell
  • Who would you like to hear contributing their voice to the Destinyverse? Let us know at…
    • Voicemail/WhatsApp — 703.791.1701 (And Brandon’s rolling his eyes about the “WhatsApp” connection. Whatev’s.)
    • Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
  • Where to find us online…

Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!

And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and review.

Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening. 

 

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Xur Location for July 7

It’s the weekend, and Xur is back! I don’t know how you say “Happy Hour” in Agent of the Nine-ese, but we approve! Here’s what Xur has for sale this weekend, one of the few before the Destiny 2 beta drops in under 2 weeks.

Destiny

Legacy engram [Helmet] – 29 Strange Coins
Eternal Warrior [Exotic Titan helmet] – 13 Strange Coins
Young Ahamkara’s Spine [Exotic Hunter gauntlets] – 13 Strange Coins
Ophidian Aspect [Exotic Warlock gauntlets] – 13 Strange Coins
Hawkmoon [Exotic hand cannon] – 23 Strange Coins
Three of Coins – 7 Strange Coins
Monte Carlo and Superspy [weapon bundle] – 30 Strange Coins, 25 Silver Dust
Zhalo Supercell and No Toy [weapon bundle] – 30 Strange Coins, 25 Silver Dust

Destiny

Weekly Reset – July 4th

Happy Independence Day, America! Happy Tuesday to the rest of the planet, and Happy Reset Day to Guardians everywhere! It’s Tuesday during the Age of Triumph, which means we have new raids, nightfall strikes and more. Here’s all you need to know this Stars and Stripes day!

Destiny

Weekly Nightfall

The Weekly Nightfall strike is The Nexus. Modifiers include Specialist, Juggler, Chaff, Ironclad.

  • Specialist increases special weapon damage.
  • Juggler means no ammo drops for your equipped weapon.
  • Chaff disables the radar.
  • Ironclad increases the overall number of shielded enemies.

Heroic playlist modifiers

  • Juggler means no ammo drops for your equipped weapon.
  • Airborne – you do more damage while in the air.
  • Catapult – grenade cool down takes longer

Crucible playlists

Mayhem Rumble. Nuff said.

Destiny

Challenge of Elders

Chaff, Trickle, Grenade Kill Bonus.

  • Round 1: Noru’usk, Servant of Oryx (Cabal)
  • Round 2: Overmind Minotaur (Vex)
  • Round 3: Wretched Knight (Hive)

Destiny

Weekly featured raid

King’s Fall is this week’s featured raid. Good luck taking out Oryx once again!

Episode #010: Gameplay Review with Tee Morris

We’ve broken into double digits with this episode, and we wanted to do something different. So Tee is putting himself out there with his own gameplay, breaking down what went right and what wrong during his first crack at Wrath of the Machine.

What did you think of this, Guardians? Want to see more gameplay from us? Let us know what you think at 703.791.1701 (reachable through WhatsApp) or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!

Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!

And remember, you can find the show
on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and review.

Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening. 

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Xur Location for June 30

Xur is finished his normal 9-5 job and has now shown up to work weekends selling Exotics. This time around, he’s chumming in the Reef. If you want to find him, do what religious folks recommend, Turn Right and Go Straight. (He’s down the stairs.)

Destiny

Xur’s items for the week:

  • The Glasshouse (Titan Helmet) – 13 Strange Coins
  • Young Ahamkara’s Spine (Hunter Gauntlets) -13 Strange Coins
  • Starfire Protocol (Warlock Chest Armour) -13 Strange Coins
  • Hawkmoon (Hand Cannon) – 23 Strange Coins
  • Legacy Engram (Leg Armour Engram) – 29 Strange Coins
  • MIDA Multi-Tool and Special Ops bundle – 30 Strange Coins & 25 Silver Dust
  • Truth and Heart of Gold bundle – 30 Strange Coins & 25 Silver Dust

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For the Little Lights…

GuardianCon 2017 is coming to Tampa, Florida, running from June 30-July 1, but things have already kicked off with a special charity drive, happening right now on Twitch.tv.

The goal is to raise $1,000,000 for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and we want to do our part. Go to http://bit.ly/HHFTT-GC2017 and make your donation today. Every little bit — one dollar, five dollars, or digging deeper for more — will make a difference.

And for Happy hour from the Tower listeners, go on and make a donation. In the “Comments” field, write “From the listeners of Happy Hour from the Tower, for the Little Lights” and then send us a screen shot. We will enter your name in a drawing for something from our Vault of Geeky Goodies.

Make your donation before June 29 as that is when this GuardianCon fund raiser comes to a close. So eyes up, Guardians. Time to give for the Little Lights out there. Give to GuardianCon today.

 

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Xur Location for June 23-25

Happy Xur Solstice!

Okay, I know it’s Summer Solstice and that joke didn’t even make sense, but when you get to chasing the Agent of the Nine every week, you get a little loopy. So, here we are with some summertime iced tea and chasing Exotics. Let’s see what Xur has for us this week!

Destiny

This weekend, Xur is hanging out in the Tower, with his buddy, the Speaker (presumably for one of the last times ever). Here’s what he has available to Guardians.

  • Peregrine Greaves (Titan legs) – 13 Strange Coins
  • Celestial Nighthawk (Hunter helmet) – 13 Strange Coins
  • Heart of the Praxic Fire (Warlock chest) – 13 Strange Coins
  • Monte Carlo (Auto rifle) – 23 Strange Coins
  • Legacy Engram (Body armour) – 29 Strange Coins

Destiny

He also has these weapon bundles:

  • Monte Carlo and Royal Flush – 30 Strange Coins, 25 Silver Dust
  • Red Death and Steel Witch – 30 Strange Coins, 25 Silver Dust

Monte Carlo originated as a Playstation exclusive, and its featured power is that it grants quicker melee cool down. From what we’ve been reading, auto rifles may not be the #1 choice of all Guardians. Also, apparently, no one but me runs around punching everything. (After a long travel week, you can bet I’ll be doing that tonight!)

Thanks to the folks across the pond at The Sun for this week’s information.

Reset Tuesday: Info for June 20

It’s Taco…I mean Reset Tuesday! What are the new challenges for the Guardians during this week’s Age of Triumph activities?
There are updates to the Challenge of Elders, new enemies in the Prison of Elders, an updated Nightfall strike, new raid of the week, and more. Let’s discuss!

Destiny

Weekly Nightfall

This week’s strike is the Blighted Chalice. Head to the Moon to face the Pride of Oryx. Be prepared to deal with Void Burn. Modifiers include Brawler, Fresh Troops, Airborne, and Daybreak.

  • Brawler increases melee damage.
  • Fresh Troops increases the number of enemies in squads.
  • Airborne (aka the Thermal Wolf special) increases the damage you deal while in the air.
  • Daybreak greatly increases ability recharge rate.

Heroic playlist modifiers

Solar Burn, Specialist, Juggler.

Crucible playlists

Mayhem Clash.

Destiny

Challenge of Elders

Guardians will be dealing with Berserk, Small Arms, Melee Kill Bonus.

Round 1: Seditious Mind (Vex)
Round 2: Keksis the Betrayed (Fallen)
Round 3: Val Aru’un (Cabal)

Destiny
Weekly featured raid

Crota’s End is this week’s featured raid.

Don’t forget to give Episode 009 a listen for some of my starting over from the beginning, plus an amazing cosplayer from Awesomecon!

Episode #009: Nick’s Master Plan

 

Our episode begins with the presentation of a PS4 to Nick Kelly, He’s now able to play alongside Brandon, Tee, and Ron…but not before he gets his numbers up to snuff.

So…Nick’s got a blank canvas in front of him. What now?

Sound off, Guardians! Do you spark it in Destiny or do you troll? Talk to us at 703.791.1701 (reachable through WhatsApp) or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!

00:00 — Introduction

  • Tee is getting his Heath Ledger on…
  • Ron reminds Nick of Shepherd Book from Firefly…and you know, he’s got a point.
  • When Ron gives advice in game, it’s tough love.
  • Shout out to +2 Charisma who made us these wicked-cool glasses for our podcast!
  • And suddenly we get plug heavy…

3:52 — Nick’s Master Plan

  • If you ever wondered what makes for bad audio…
  • Tee presents Nick with a non-gift because, well, Nick’s purchased Tee’s old PS4.
  • Does anyone need a LAN Cable? How about a toe?
  • Nick’s beginning a band new adventure on his household’s second PS4.
  • Now, a breakdown on where to find us all…
  • Ron puts down an ultimatum about The Crucible.
  • Music tangent, featuring composer Blake Neely on Twitter
  • The question to Nick: Are you going to spark it, or are you going to troll it?
  • One advantage of trolling to 40: Experiencing the Cinematics. Again.
  • Making a connection that takes Tee completely off-guard…

13:43 — Headshots

15:19 — Nick’s Master Plan (Part Two)

  • Coach makes everybody happy.
  • Ron’s definition of trolling in Destiny…and it’s eeeeeevil.
  • Other oddities of Destiny…
  • Anyone need a LAN cable?
  • Another way Nick can organically troll: His Grimoire.
  • And there goes Tee, breaking the Fourth Wall.
  • Advantages of working through levels, and what Nick can’t do presently (a/k/a pining for Archon’s Forge).
  • Waxing nostalgic. It’s what you do…
  • Quick shout out to Subifan05 who represented Guardians with respect at AwesomeCon!
  • Share with us your stories on how you decide to start over…
    • Voicemail — 703.791.1701
    • Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
  • Where to find us online…

Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!

And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and review.

Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening. 

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Weekly Reset for June 13

E3 is in full swing in Los Angeles, with plenty of news regarding Destiny 2. Meanwhile, it’s Tuesday, and that means another Age of Triumph reset. What’s new for Nightfall Strikes, the Crucible, the featured raid and beyond? Let’s take a look!

destiny

Weekly Nightfall
The Undying Mind is this week’s Nightfall. Modifiers include Epic, Specialist, Juggler, Grounded, and Chaff.

  • Epic means an increase in heavily shielded enemies
  • Specialist provides an edge to special weapon damage
  • Juggler prevents any ammo drops for your equipped weapon
  • Grounded increases damage taken by Guardians while in the air
  • Chaff disables players’ radar

Heroic playlist modifiers
Heroic, Arc Burn, Brawler, & Ironclad.

destiny

Crucible playlists
Zone Control.

destiny

Challenge of Elders
Berserk, Catapult, Precision Kill Bonus.

Enemies:
Round 1: Keksis the Betrayed (Fallen)
Round 2: Seditious Mind (Vex)
Round 3: Noru’usk, Servant of Oryx (Cabal)
Weekly featured raid
Wrath of the Machine is this week’s raid. Go get that slick armor!!!

Weekly Reset for June 6, 2017

As the guardians have seen, the Age of Triumph once again brings the Weekly Reset. What’s new for Nightfall Strikes, the Crucible, the featured raid and beyond? Let’s take a look!

Destiny

It’s the Iron Banner! According to Bungie, Supremacy is this week’s challenge type. Victory rewards include the Iron Saga Mark (Titan Mark), Iron Saga Helmet, The Branded Lord (Fusion Rifle), and The Distant Star (Scout Rifle).

Weekly Nightfall

It’s everyone’s favorite eyeball, as the Weekly Nightfall brings back Sepiks Perfected, with Arc Burn. Modifiers include Ironclad, Catapult, and Exposure.

 

  • Ironclad increases the number of enemies with shields.
  • Catapult up the grenade recharge rate.
  • Exposure increases shields, but they do not replenish.

Destiny

Heroic playlist modifiers

Void Burn, Berserk, Brawler.

Crucible playlists

Combined Arms.

Challenge of Elders

Airborne, Trickle, Super Kill Bonus.

Round 1: Wretched Knight (Hive)
Round 2: Keksis the Betrayed (Fallen)
Round 3: Overmind Minotaur (Vex)

Weekly featured raid

King’s Fall is this week’s featured raid. Good luck against Oryx.

Episode #008: Play Smart. Play Efficiently.

 

It’s been a challenge recording this episode, but third time’s the charm! Ron had so much fun in studio with us that he decided to come back for more, but in this episode we talk about playing efficiently. What exactly does that entail, and when is it a good time to stay away from your comfort zones?

Sound off, Guardians! How do you play Destiny and where do your preferences lie? Auto? Pulse? Scout? Talk to us at 703.791.1701 (reachable through WhatsApp) or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!

00:00 — Introduction

  • Man, Chief Wigam 49 and Halo Is My Bitch 12 are throwing serious gremlins in the mix!
  • Ron decides to pick apart a line from The Empire Strikes Back…
  • …and the show is already off the rails.
  • Brandon’s take on Friday the 13th: The Game.
    • Worth the wait!
    • Disturbing chats in hardware stores after playing Jason Voorhees…
    • Wait, this is not the podcast for that game. This is!
  • Destiny accomplishments for the week
    • Some of us got together with Michi. Some of us…
    • Damn social life.
    • Takeaways from the week’s Nightfall Strike
    • No, Tee…that’s not a Troll. That’s…oh, never mind…

7:09 — Play Smart. Play Efficiently

  • Brandon brings up a painful memory on why Tee wasn’t even able to play Destiny inefficiently on Day One…
  • A Titan’s mantra
  • Tee is convinced that certain weapons go with classes. Tee’s delusional.
  • #FloofingOff
  • However, some classes and races “fit” better together.
  • Ron’s Kryptonite: Sniper Rifles.
  • Lessons learned in the Challenge of Elders
    • Tee surprises himself with headshots.
    • Brandon wants a better indication of a precision kill…and we are back in Jason territory…
    • #Not aStormtrooper

12:47 — The Nerd Out App

13:58 — Play Smart. Play Efficiently. (Part Two)

  • Bless you, Brandon.
  • Ron dealt Tee during a loot review a Boot to the Head.
    • And Ron and Nick rub salt into Tee’s 400 Light wound.
    • A look into a new perspective on how to level up.
    • Pew-pew-pew-pew-pew…
    • Ron’s Tough Love. We all feel it when we run with him.
  • No, Tee…Ether Seeds, not Exot—oh, never mind.
  • The Plight of a “Part Time” Player…
  • Tee breaks the Fourth Wall, derails the episode, and turns it into a segue.

21:11 — Guardian Transmissions

  • Tee started up a chat with Spartan Jenzii after seeing a work-in-progress of hers appear on the Destiny Facebook Community.
  • Jenzii’s jam is EPIC cosplay builds.
  • Her current work: Aksis from Tee’s favorite raid, Wrath of the Machine!
  • Spartan Jenzii shares her story of her Aksis, Archon Prime build on the HHFTT Blog…
  • Sharing some Cosplay Melee love.
  • Wrapping-up and winding-down the episode…
    • AwesomeCon
    • Escape Velocity 2017
    • BlerDCon
  • We can take our act on the road, so if you want HHFTT at your event, reach out to us!
    • Voicemail — 703.791.1701
    • Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
  • Where to find us online…
    • All these different locations…some of which ask for reviews, and we would appreciate that.
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest (No, really, Pinterest!)
  • Ron, you want to take that call?

Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!

And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and review.

Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening. 

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Xur Location for June 2

Everybody’s workin’ for the weekend! (Quick, somebody photoshop me a bandana on the Agent of the Nine.) It’s Friday, and that means it’s TGIX: Thankful Guardians Interview Xur.

That’s not a thing. Scrub your eyeballs.

On with the show…Xur is back and here’s his location and what he’s hocking out of the back of his panel van this week. (That’s also not a thing). This week, the Agent of the Nine is in the Tower nightclub. So, belly up to the bar, pop some glimmer in the juke box, and enjoy Happy Hour (from the Tower).

destiny

Here are the Exotic Armors available this weekend (13 Strange Coins each):

  • Crest of Alpha Lupi chest piece for Titans
  • Mask of the Third Man helmet for Hunters
  • Skull of Dire Ahamkara helmet for Warlocks.

destinyThe Exotic Weapon is Hard Light, a fast-firing auto rifle whose bullets ricochet off of hard surfaces. (23 Strange Coins)

The Weapon Bundles are Monte Carlo auto rifle with the Superspy ornament, and the Red Death pulse rifle with the Steel Witch ornament.

Not a lot of love for this week’s inventory. Maybe Xur will have some better items for next week’s “School’s out for Summer” edition.

 

School Bands Getting in on Destiny

Special thanks to the continued great work by the folks over at GameRant.com. Kyle Sledge posted this article earlier this week featuring a middle school orchestra doing their rendition of the Cabal Stomp.

Game Rant’s article on the Cabal Stomp orchestra HERE.

As Kyle points out, this was originally posted by a Reddit user named “rediamnot” on Bungie’s official Destiny subreddit. It’s always amazing to see just how widespread the game’s popularity is, across generations and countries throughout the globe.

destiny

The article continues, pointing back to a 2-year old post from Game Rant contributor Sarah Fields. This post features an 8-minute video of the Guyer High School Wildcat Marching Band doing a full performance to music from Destiny. This isn’t new territory for the Wildcats, who, in 2012, performed an entire set to video game music. Songs included medleys from Tetris, Pokemon, and Halo. 

The Wildcat Destiny Musical Article from Game Rant here.

Music has always played a big role in Destiny, with a wonderful soundtrack supporting the game play. Back in 2014, Sir Paul McCartney even released an accompanying song, titled “Hope for the Future.” It marked the first time that the former Beatle had composed for a video game. To celebrate the song’s release, McCartney even created his own Guardian for the game.

destiny
Sir Paul McCartney’s Guardian

Weekly Reset for May 30

It’s Taco Tuesday, which in the Age of Triumph, means we have need weekly nightfall strikes, raids and more to accomplish. It’s an oldie but a goodie this week, and a favorite of our very own Brandon “Headshot” Kelly. Check below for details. Eyes up, Guardian!

Featured Raid: Yup, It’s Vault of Glass

Ok, Headshot, time to hit the Vault of Glass on Venus for a chance to earn some exclusive 390 raid gear and weapons.

The VoG has challenges for both the Templar and Atheon. Here are the requirements to pass them both:

  • Templar Challenge – The fireteam must prevent the Templar from teleporting once during combat.
  • Atheon Challenge – Each member of the fireteam must kill the Oracle once during every teleport phase of this fight.

destiny

Weekly Vanguard Nightfall

The weekly nightfall is the Dust Palace. (Quick piece of trivia: This strike was originally exclusive to the PS4, but opened up to all players in 2015.)

The active modifiers on this strike are:

  • Epic adds heavily shielded enemies that are more aggressive and appear in greater numbers.
  • Match Game makes enemy shields immune to damage that doesn’t match its element type.
  • Small Arms increases primary weapon damage while slightly decreasing special and heavy weapon damage.
  • Chaff removes player radar.
  • Berserk prevents enemies from flinching even after taking massive damage.

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SIVA Crisis Heroic Strike Playlist

Someone, Strongbad is happy, because this strike includes a burn modifier. “TROGDOR!!!!” Break out the Sunsinger, Sunbreaker or Gunslinger and “Set Fire to the Sun!” Rewards include 30 Legendary Marks and a Treasure of Ages loot box. Lucky players will also potentially land a Skeleton Key.

The active modifiers on this strike are:

  • Heroic buffs enemies, making them more aggressive and in greater numbers than normal.
  • Brawler increases Guardian melee damage.
  • Berserk prevents enemies from flinching even after taking massive damage.
  • Solar Burn increases all solar based damage from any source.

Weekly Story Playlist

Revisit past missions, although with a new flavor, with the Weekly Story Playlist. This brings back old missions with new challenge modifiers, and rewards players with a Treasure of Ages box and Legendary Marks. This week’s story modes stick with the Iron Lords.

The active modifiers this week are:

  • Heroic buffs enemies, making them more aggressive and in greater numbers than normal.
  • Void Burn greatly increases all void based damage from any source.
  • Small Arms increases primary weapon damage while slightly decreasing special and heavy weapon damage.

Weekly Crucible Playlist

It’s Mayhem.

The modes this week are:

  • Clash
  • Rift
  • Elimination
  • Skirmish
  • Rumble Supremacy

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Thanks, once again, to Derek Nichols of Gamerant.com for this information.

Xur Location and Exotics – May 28

Xur, the Agent of the Nine, aka Squidward, aka Acne-pus (an octopus with bad acne issues) is back for the weekend. He’s making use of the Tower, while we still have one, hanging out with the Speaker, while we still have one, to sell you exotics. Here’s a breakdown of this week’s items.

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The items that Xur are selling this week are as follows:

  • Helm of Saint-14 (Titan Helmet) – 13 Strange Coins
  • ATS/8 ARACHNID (Hunter Helmet) – 13 Strange Coins
  • The Ram (Warlock Helmet) – 13 Strange Coins
  • Hearafter (Sniper Rifle) – 23 Strange Coins
  • Legacy Heavy Weapon Engram – 31 Strange Coins
  • Monte Carlo and Superspy – 30 Strange Coins, 25 Silver Dust
  • Truth and Prototype – 30 Strange Coins, 25 Silver Dust

Thanks to Matthew Reynolds at Eurogamer.net for this week’s update.

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Welcome to the Cosmodrome.

There’s an old saying about art imitating life. When it comes to Destiny, though, it’s a little creepy to think that’s true as we’re playing in a post-apocalyptic world.

But WIRED Magazine has the evidence: The Cosmodrome is real.

Photographer Danila Tkachenko created Restricted Areas, a visual essay of  “secret” cities that hosted the former Soviet Union’s most sensitive military and scientific programs. Many of these monuments to an age gone by are now abandoned and falling into ruin.

Read the article here, and take a tour of our present-day Cosmodrome. Keep an eye out for Fallen, Guardian.

Weekly Reset for May 23rd

We’re all super stoked for Destiny 2, with the Gameplay trailer and announcement landing last week. (Check out episode 007 of the podcast for our reactions!) In the meantime, we want to keep everyone posted on the weekly resets for strikes, raids and playlists.

Destiny

For the Week of May 23, here are the updates:

Weekly Nightfall

The Nightfall this week is The Wretched Eye with Arc Burn, and modifiers Small Arms, Juggler, Airborne, and Daybreak.

  • Small Arms increases primary weapon damage.
  • Juggler prevents ammo drops for your equipped weapon.
  • Airborne increases the damage you deal while in the air.
  • Daybreak greatly increases ability recharge rate.

Heroic playlist modifiers

Void Burn, Brawler, Ironclad.

Crucible playlists

Doubles.

Challenge of Elders

Specialist, Trickle, Super Kill Bonus.

  • Round 1: Seditious Mind (Vex)
  • Round 2: Noru’usk, Servant of Oryx (Cabal)
  • Round 3: Sylok, the Defiled (Hive)

Weekly featured raid

Crota’s End is this week’s featured raid.

Thanks again to Sherif Saed of VG 24/7 for this update.

Destiny

Funko Pops FINALLY Launch a Destiny Line!

You may not have known this about Tee, but he’s got a thing about Funko Pops. However, he assures everyone that he can stop…

…at any time.

But that time will not be in August when Funko releases their new Destiny Pop!s Collection.

From the Funko blog:

You can now add your favorite Guardians Cayde-6,
Ikora and Zavala to your Pop! vinyl collection.

In addition, the antagonist Oryx.

Collect them all this Summer!

Oh, Tee will. Tee most assuredly will…

 

Episode #007: The Reveal of Destiny 2 and Tee’s Raid Revelations

Brace yourselves! This episode of Happy Hour from the Tower: A Destiny Podcast is YOUGE! BIGLY! SUPER-SIZED FOR YOUR PLEASURE!

Let’s just be honest here: We had a lot to say about that Twitch stream from Bungie!

We’re breaking down the big reveal from May 18 with Special Guardian Guest Ron Dauphin jumping in on the conversation.

And…wait…Tee’s got a reveal of his own? And it’s got something to do with the Listener Feedback? What’s he revealing to his fellow Fireteam mates?

Enjoy this double-sized engram, encoded with all sorts of thoughts, opinions, and feedback from Bungie’s big day! Share with us your own thoughts on the big changes, new storylines, and incredible surprises from Destiny 2 at 703.791.1701 or podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com. We’d love to hear from you!

00:00 — Introduction

  • Big nod to the Red Legion!
  • Nick sharing his love for Amanda while Brandon gives his most serious of faces.
  • Check it out — ObiOrion is in studio!
  • Let’s talk about May 18, 2017…IT WAS NICK’S BIRTHDAY!!!
  • But we think something else was going on that day…

1:52 — The Reveal of Destiny 2 (Part One)

  • Bungie unveiled Destiny 2 on Twitch…and Guardians were pretty happy about it.
  • Piper watched me watch the gameplay…and she loved it.
  • How many times did you watch the gameplay?
  • Do you feel the tension between the classes?
  • Reactions to “Homecoming” from the collected crew…
  • Sweeperbot FTW!!!
  • These Guardians were taking notes!
    • Celebrating the Best of Cayde-6
    • New Special Abilities: The Sentinel, the Dawnblade, and the Arcstrider
    • More news from Mr Fruit’s Gaming Channel on surviving subclasses.
  • Representation matters, especially in Destiny!
  • What we’re digging from the opening cinematics…
  • What we want to see more of in Destiny 2…
  • What’s with the salt on Forums and Facebook Discussion Boards?
  • Tee gives good Lance Reddrick.

14:20 — Washington Metropolitan Gamers’s Symphony Orchestra on Twitch

15:01 — The Reveal of Destiny 2 (Part Two)

  • You were expecting this show to be a half an hour? This is the Destiny 2 reveal, thank you VERY much!
  • More about the Red Legion and their leader, Gary…
  • And ObiOrion brings the gravitas to Happy Hour from the Tower.
  • Where’s Eris Morn?
  • Speculating on what happens after the “Homecoming” mission…
  • If Orion had that armor, he would be wearing the new armor.
  • Does your power come from Experience or Light?
  • Tee needs to practice a bit at the jumping for Destiny 2…
  • Nick features the new maps coming in September
    • On Earth, we rendezvous at the European Dead Zone
    • On Nessus (Cayde-6’s hideout)
    • Saturn’s moon, Titan (Zavala’s hideout)
    • Jupiter’s Io (Ikora’s hideout)
    • …and getting from place to place has gotten a touch easier.
  • Destiny 2 introduces sidequests into the mix.
  • Tee’s theory as to why Guardians never had a map in Destiny 1.
  • Tee owns his inability to navigate current maps in game.
  • Changes in The Crucible
    • All matches are 4v4
    • Ron’s take on it: Destiny now compels players to work harder.
    • Coordination will be key
    • The H.U.D. is even more effective and dangerous…
  • We’re not going to let Nick slink away from the Crucible this go-round…
  • Nick covers changes in Social Matchmaking.
  • Bungie wants people to play in Fireteams.
  • And the Beta is coming….when?
  • Another break…but Nick gets in the last word.

31:14 —  The Phil Rossi Experience

32:24 — The Reveal of Destiny 2 (Part Three)

  • Nope…we’re not done. We’re NOT — DONE.
  • The new subclasses have some great abilities that encourage cooperative play.
  • Some Warlock love featured in the new Strike! (Love your Warlocks!)
  • Can we just take some time and enjoy the world designed for us?
  • Reflections on the Vault of Glass…
  • The debate between Dedicated and Peer-to-Peer Servers
    • No love for Division on this podcast, apparently…
    • Connections are a bit of a dice roll with Peer-to-Peer connections
    • Why would Bungie fix something that isn’t broken…for them?
  • Nick continues his descent into Destiny’s Grimlore
    • The backstory of SIVA
    • A Hardcore Destiny Guardian has collected all the cards and created bound volumes.
    • What happens when you go exploring in the Plaguelands…
    • Tee’s #DestinyGoals: Writing a tie-in novel.
  • Shout-out the THIS GUY in the audience…
    You, sir, are Legend!
  • Closing thoughts. Finally…
    • Tee draws a line in the sand. Truly, he does.
    • Some thoughts on the Defender subclass
    • Zavala’s moment in the opening cinematic
    • No, seriously, Ron wants to know where is Eris Morn?
  • One more segment to go…

46:48 — The Shared Desk

47:48 — Feedback & Tee’s Raid Revelations

  • Yikes! We’re still going!!!
  • #IMissMyDinklebot
  • Listener Email from TurtleSnake75…in Germany!
  • Listener Voicemail from our Fireteam’s own WikiReedia! (The one and only, Nobilis Reed.)
  • And now comes to the reveal as to how all this ties in with Tee’s surprise…but Nick steals the thunder momentarily with some lovely art for the studio!”
  • Tee’s big reveal: He got busy last week.
  • Mad love to ZGPhoto (Zac) and the Photobombers on Twitch!
  • Are you curious as to what Tee got up to? Well, guess what — this adventure was broadcast on Twitch for all to see.
  • Tee waited for the call from Team Leader ZG of “A good effort, but you’re done…” but nevertheless, the Photobombers persisted.
  • When Tee found his groove, he found it in Wrath of the Machine…but when he didn’t…
  • Then there were the directional challenges.
  • And in the end, we made it the final phase only to be outdone by Bungie.
  • Tee’s Revelations
    • Destiny’s Community rocks my world hard.
    • Zac and the Photobombers were patient, kind, and good guys—all of them.
    • Tee’s been playing Destiny all wrong.
      • He needs to master jumping.
      • “Wrong Way” needs to end. Now.
      • He’s got two months…and a standing invitation to return to the Wrath of the Machine Raid with ZGPhoto.
    • Another Takeaway: Watching the Raid is not the same as running the Raid.
    • Practice, practice, practice…
    • Thanks again, Zac.
  • Now it’s time to get practicing.
  • Remember, we want to hear from you…
    • Voicemail — 703.791.1701
    • Email — podcast (at) happyhourfromthetower (dot) com
  • We need to have Ron on more often…

Remember to leave us a comment or questions
for the show at 703.791.1701, or here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!

And remember, you can find the show on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play!
Subscribe, listen, and review.

Eyes up, Guardian!
Time to give up the Ghost.
Thanks for listening. 

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Xur Location and Items for May 19

destiny

TGIX! Thank God it’s Xur? Doesn’t really have that sing-a-long ring to it, huh? Well, it’s Friday, and that means the Agent of the Nine is back with a new catalog of “what’s it gonna take for me to get you into this Exotic today?”

Specifically, Xur (who I believe matches the original concept art for Squidward on Spongebob Squarepants) is in the Tower. This time, he’s hanging with the Speaker, instead of downing a pint of … uh … you got me in a box, here. I have no idea what that dude would order.

Here’s the breakdown on the items available from Xur this weekend:

Thanks again to Sharif Saed at VG 24/7 for this info.

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Weekly Reset for May 16: Nightfall, Playlists & Challenges

It’s Tuesday, and that means Bungie once again resets the weekly Nightfall, Challenges, and Playlists. Here’s the breakdown for this week, including…wait for it…Wrath of the Machine!

Weekly Nightfall

Winter’s Run is the Nightfall this week with modifiers Specialist, Chaff, Ironclad, and Exposure.

  • Specialist increases special weapon damage.
  • Chaff disables your radar.
  • Ironclad increases the number of enemies with shields.
  • Exposure increases your shields but they do not replenish.

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Heroic playlist modifiers

Solar Burn, Specialist, Fresh Troops.

Crucible playlists

Mayhem Clash.

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Challenge of Elders

Catapult, Small Arms, Melee Kill Bonus.

  • Round 1: Noru’usk, Servant of Oryx (Cabal)
  • Round 2: Overmind Minotaur (Vex)
  • Round 3: Seditious Mind (Vex)

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Weekly featured raid

Wrath of the Machine is this week’s featured raid. This means all three challenge modes will be active, which means you’re going to need to make sure you don’t mess up the attempt. Reading the full guide at the link is a good way to start. – Special thanks to Sherif Saed of VG 24/7 for this week’s info.

Xur Location and Items for May 12

Everybody’s workin’ for the weekend. Why? Because the Agent of the Nine is back and he has some super sweet gear as usual. Where’s Xur? Let’s find out…

xur

The squid-faced one is hanging out in the lounge/bar at the Tower (we approve, of course.) The big question is…what in the name of Osiris would this guy drink? And how?

What’s he Got?

The Legacy Engram (for just 29 Strange Coins) is leg armor.
13 Strange Coins will get you one of the following pieces of armor:
Immolation Fists (Exotic Titan gauntlets)
Khepri’s Sting (Exotic Hunter gauntlet)
Ophidian Aspect (Exotic Warlock gauntlet)

23 Strange Coins will get you the Zhalo Supercell (Exotic Auto Rifle).

7 Strange Coins get you the Three of Coins.

The following bundles are also available:
Zhalo Supercell and Not a Toy (weapon bundle) – 30SC, 25 Silver Dust
Hawkmoon and Carrion (weapon bundle) – 30SC, 25 Silver Dust

(Thanks again to the good folks at VG24/7 for the information on Xur this week.)

 

Iron Banner

So this week the Iron Banner is back in action, and the gamemode is Mayhem Clash. So that’s fun! Here’s some rules and things I’ve learned from playing the Iron Banner Mayhem Clash.

 

Rule #1
Fighting a Stormcaller is pretty difficult when you’re a Stormcaller yourself.

Rule #2
If you hear a Hammer of Sol, run for your life.

Rule #3
Grenade… Melee…. Grenade…. Super…. Grenade…. Melee…

Rule #4
Grab as much Heavy ammo as possible… It can save you.

Rule #5
Grab those Banner bounties, they’re worth it.

Rule #6

It’s not a bad idea to stick with your teammates.    Unless they’re all Sunsingers