Developer Questions and Answers

What Masters are planned to settle down in highgate? (I guess sooner or later there will be one or two)
Flask Master and Jewel master are popular demands, but do you have any other plans? (a "Yes" is sufficent ;) )

1) How is POE data-mined by GGG? Would you be willing to lift the curtain and show some of your analysis (as is)? What surprises you most, given the access to so much data on so many players? Has this access to an evolving, ppl-driven database changed any of your opinions on how companies or governments collect and use data? What advice would you give yourselves if you went back in time (vis-a-vis data analysis)? Does anyone at GGG have prior exposure to this type of data collection/analysis, or is the team "new" to it? Would you be willing to share your mega-data, or is it for GGG only and not appropriate for players to have access to?

2) Has anyone at GGG submitted a flag design? Links? :)

Hey GGG
I have been thinking.
Why don't you ad weapons like crossbow :D ?
A friend and I talked about it, high dmg, low attackspeed compared to bow.
It could be so awesome.
Maybe a skill gem called draw, where you charge a bow/crossbow attack and deal increase dmg
for duration charged. It could have knockback also dependents on draw duration :)

I just love crowsbows, would it be possible to ad into the game maybe ?

Will you improve less popular skills (for example: heave strike, freezing pulse, cleave... ) to increase build diversity ?

Will you change in-game trade system, so players won't be forced to use external sites/software ? Will you add shops more friendly for players than those on PoE forum ?

Hello!

POE is by far my favourite game and recently I have been get lots of fun playing as summoner, so my question is:

1- Is there any plan to store spectres like we do with guardians? It could be very helpful because is very annoying hunt the monsters every time I get disconnected and I do care about my pets, it is a sad thing lost them... :(

2 - What do u guys think about a new screen to select chars? The create screen is really nice, but what could be amazing is a new screen to select our chars wearing their full armour and weapons, it is a chance to view our full char in all his glory...I think it could be a awesome thing to look at...

Thank u!

Well, sorry for not checking almost 40 pages, but here's my question:

Do you currently have any irons in the fire regarding engine optimization? I saw that you managed to acquire someone for it after a long time of trying, and he left after three months.

Should we hold our breaths?

Can you give us a little insight as to the process by which you pick uniques to change (whether it be buff, nerf, or wildly alter)? I absolutely love when I see items that are too weak, niche, or obsolete get revitalized. A great example of this is the new Hyrri's Ire. An underused, much-too-niche chest with too much competition got a great overhaul and will likely be very valuable and useful going forward.

I do wonder what the reasoning behind changing some and not others is. Do you use data that shows numbers of people equipping them? Do you take market value into account? Do you let criticism on the boards drive what might get looked at? Clearly, top tier items that are trivializing content get a look as a part of a general balance strategy (sometimes it's correct to hit the item, other times coming at balance from a different angle is the way to go). However, what puts a unique in your crosshairs for a buff or a more radical change?

Take Apep's Rage for example: in a patch that gives rare caster weapons access to large, flat elemental mods for spell damage, I expected to see the item that debuted this ability with chaos damage would see a buff to keep ahead of those weapons. The buffs to base damage of spells that lost shotgun mechanics really hurt this item. A magic Electrocuting Prophecy Wand of Finesse does about the same damage and has no huge cost drawback, augments an elemental effect, and is much easier to scale and support than chaos damage. Plus, you can roll four more mods! If equipping Apep's Rage could grant chaos damage an effect, it got a damage buff, or the drawback was removed, I could see it opening up a really great new archetype. Chaos got some great new tools in the form of jewels and other unique gear, but could buffing or changing Apep's Rage let it actually compete with new flat elemental caster weapons?

Does GGG use agile as your development method? Specially for big releases?

What have you learned in terms of your development method thus far?

What made you choose the passive tree vs other methods (ie: Guild Wars' attribute system)?

Will there be a way to click a button in your tree to export it to your website so you can show your friends and make changes without having to experiment on the real thing?

Will there be an update to the passive tree on your website to show the 3 radius types on mouseover of a jewel socket?

How did you make the passive tree on your website?

In 2.0 you changed how Eldritch Battery worked. It was certainly an interesting approach but, what about returning it to how it was and taking the Iron Reflexes approach? As in, Int no longer grants mana and/or energy shield. Was this considered? If so, were there reasons for not doing it this way?

Will there be a master to handle the blue mods from warbands and jewels?

Will warbands/Tempests be incorporated permanently into the game?

Will there be zones with snow in the future? I like games that can take me through all kinds of biomes but, snowy zones have always been my favorite :)

These are my questions for now. I thank ALL of you at GGG for gracing the world with a great game. Loved Act 4 and the look and feel it offers.

What are your thoughts on flasks in the early game? Do you feel flask diversity is good enough early on?
Any plans to add low level versions of existing flasks, giving players an early option and desire to upgrade to the larger flask when they get higher level?

Are there any/many vendor recipes that have not been discovered yet? If so, how many or specifically which ones? Any recipe for exalted orbs?

Are there any plans to add an option to vendor a vaal gem and get back a level 1 version like you can do with regular gems?

Chris, did you enjoy your first vacation since Path of Exile launched? What was the most memorable thing you did or experienced on your vacation?