Mar 4, 2014 - DeeJ









Who are you? What's your deal?





I'm USplendid ; forum goer, redditor... I would say International Man of Mystery, but that title has already been taken by Jason Jones. In reality, I'm just some dude who's excited about Destiny - though some would also accuse me being a self-aware Destiny Wiki.





Consider this your formal arraignment on those charges, then. Your attention to detail is frightening. Where do you like to hang out and talk about Destiny?







USplendid: I obviously spend a good bit of time here on Bungie.net. However, I'd call Reddit ( I obviously spend a good bit of time here on Bungie.net. However, I'd call Reddit ( /r/DestinyTheGame ) my real home. When I first showed up there, it was a virtual ghost town. Since then, it has really grown and come alive. I like to think I played some small part in that. During the "dark days" I would scrape together anything I could find and post it, in hopes of sparking a conversation or two.





Good conversation breeds community, so please do take your portion of the credit. We’ve seen you in those places, fact checking rampant speculation and setting the record straight. It's impressive. Do you have a history with online gaming communities?







USplendid: Before Destiny, you would see me chime in from time to time on Halo forums, but I never really stood out. I was just another ODST, feet first into hell. Where I really made my mark was as an active member and moderator of the once popular Austin City Limits music forums. It's where the cool kids [read: hipsters] would discuss, debate, and get hyped about music - all while gearing up for Texas' twist on Lollapalooza or Coachella. I did that gig for many years. It taught me a lot about people, forums, and (most importantly) the roller-coaster ride that is the hype-train. It was a fun place, with thousands of subscribers and a very active community. I still call many of them my friends.



Would you credit your contribution to keeping Austin weird with your detective skills when it comes to information about our game?



USplendid: Well, it helps that my brain is apparently a steel trap for Destiny facts, but I definitely owe a lot to the guys on Reddit. They are a studious bunch of info-ravenous sticklers, and I mean that in the best way possible. There's a hunger for knowledge over there that is contagious.



We can sense the appetite, to be sure. Do you maintain your own kitchen where you actively satisfy their hunger? Is there a Usplendid blog or a YouTube channel?



USplendid: I seem to do the most good on the front lines and deep in the trenches, although you never know what might be over the horizon.



Such a man of the people. Do you even have a twitter account?



USplendid: My (not so secret) twitter account is reserved for stalking Bungie employees and poking fun at Destiny content creators.



In the absence of a link, we shall enable you to keep what remains of that secret. What are, in your well-informed opinion, the finest sources for accurate information about Destiny?



USplendid: Direct from the horse's mouth is definitely my first choice. Of course, that sometimes requires deciphering Bungie-speak, which can be quite the task.



If you’re accusing us of communicating in riddles and enigmas, who else do you consult in the pursuit to crack our codes?



USplendid: I should give a shout out to Destiny Updates and I should give a shout out to Destiny Updates and DattoDoesDestiny as well as Desti-Nation.org . They all do fine work and have been around since the beginning.



So, what secrets continue to elude you? What are the hottest burning questions that we have yet to answer?



USplendid: What are Factions? How do they play into the story and into competitive multiplayer?



All in good time, my friend. Before you understand any of that, you’ll need to create a Guardian to explore the frontier where we’ve hidden the answers. In preparation for that moment, give us the most detailed spec you can provide, based on everything you know about the game?



USplendid: That's a tough one.



And, yet, the question will be put to every player of Destiny! You must choose…



USplendid: The class I currently want to try the most is the one we know the least about. Definitely a Male Awoken Titan, wearing awesome analog-futurism style armor - something straight out of a Ridley Scott film. Close-quarters, brutish, and explosive-friendly. I'm really excited about all these different grenade types you guys have been hinting at. Double jump, shoulder rush, a scout rifle primary, SMG secondary, and HMG heavy. Anything that packs a punch.



You’ll have your chance to land some explosive punches. In time. Until then, thanks for keeping our community (as well as us) honest.

Mr. Spendid is a man worth listening to. Follow him here , or wherever else you can find him. In the run-up to the launch of Destiny, it can be a challenge to separate fact from rumor and wishful thinking. Fortunately, our community is filed with people who help light the path that leads to the Tru7h.



When we focus all of our attention on one of you, the subject of the interrogation is often a very visible enthusiast with their own channel for discussion. Yet, it must be observed that community leadership comes in many forms. Some of the most valuable voices in a shared conversation can be the ones you find in the crowd, mingling among their peers. As people congregate to wonder aloud about the missing pieces of the puzzle we’re putting together, there are some members of the community with a unique eye for the big picture. This guy has that vision.