The Emotional journey – Analysis: Destiny 2 Homecoming

This is work that I did in collaboration with many others, using the Emotional Journey model, applied in a linear narrative on the opening mission of DESTINY 2, HOMECOMING.

Specifically, I worked with the designer on the casualty chart to make sure that we had an experience with peaks and valleys and was also directly stating the theme of the main story.

SETUP – Who, What, Where. What we know from before that has led us here, now.
[CINEMATIC] The City is under attack.
WANT – What do we want? Why are we here, now?ThereforeWe want to find the Vanguard.
DRIVE – You are moving forward because you want to…ThereforeDirective: Find the Vanguard
ENGAGE – Moving forward in the world, going after what we want.ThereforeWe move forward into the destroyed Underwatch
OBSTACLE – What is between us and what we wantButWe encounter our first Cabal enemy
END OF ACT I REVEAL

Zavala is evacuating the Tower, he’s requesting help at the Plaza.
DRIVE – You are moving forward because you want to…ThereforeDirective: Help Zavala at the Plaza
PLAN – We execute on what we decided to do, pushing through obstaclesThereforeWe fight through the Tower
MID POINT – Twist, turn. Stakes raised
The Traveler is being attacked
CHALLENGE – Biggest challenge so far.ThereforeWe reach the Plaza and fight alongside Zavala
SUCCESS – Short moment of success and encouragement, brief tension relief.ThereforeWe successfully protected the evacuation shuttle
BREAK REVEAL
ButThe Speaker does not respond.
DRIVE – You are moving forward because you want to…ThereforeDirective: Find the Speaker
BREAK – Setback, criticism, crisis, defeat… things are badThereforeWe reach the speaker’s space but once we arrive, the Speaker is gone. Ikora jumps away to look for him. The Cabal command ship is still destroying the Tower.
POST BREAK REVEAL
ThereforeZavala needs the ship to be put down.
DRIVE – You know what to do! You are moving forward because you want to…ThereforeDirective: Board the Cabal Command Ship
ASSAULT – Confrontation on the way towards the final obstacleTherefore[CINEMATIC] Amanda flies us to the Ship.
THEMATIC REVEAL – Thematic revelationBut[CINEMATIC] The Traveler is not waking up despite Amanda’s hope.
CLASH – Final battle against the last obstacleThereforeFight through the command ship
RESOLUTION – We reached our goal, or we didn’tThereforeWe disable the ship’s shields and escape the ship.
DRIVE – You are moving forward because you want to…ThereforeDirective: Escape the Cabal Command Ship
NEW STATE – New status quo. We won, we lost, things are different now.But[CINEMATIC] When we exit the ship from the top, Ghaul takes our Light and throw us off the ship.