Developer Questions and Answers

I really love your game, PoE has been my game of choice since its closed beta days. My questions:
How many players do have currently playing Worldwide?
How many in the U.S.A.?
How many in the rest of the world?

Thanks for answering my questions.

Keep up the good work!!!! As a lifetime ARPG game fan of 33 years, PoE is unmatched!!!

Currently most high level players skip over 95% of the rares that drop even in the highest map tiers. Additionally items like the new Reach of the Counsel makes id rares of the same type seem far less rewarding then in previous iterations of the game. Is this seen as a problem internally? Are there any steps taken to ensure unique items don't cannibalize competing rares.

Are supporter designed uniques still something that is available for high tier supporters? If not, will it be returning at some point in the future?

How did ZiggyD's (Or any others I didn't hear about) community designed unique event come about? Is this something GGG is interested in doing more of?

Is there any development been done to improve Predictive Mode, since Lockstep has been such a great success? As desync is still an big issue for those that can't use Lockstep "Third World countries".

What is the ratio between Lockstep and Predictive Mode?

What does it take to finish a lore thought?

Is it possible to chance lab specific uniques in the end game lab?

I know that if I ever had enough money to create a unique item for GGG I would want it to make the character look different. A number of unique items today already do that in some way:

- The Goddess Scorned and Rise of the Phoenix both have an Infernal-ish MTX, for example.

- Devoto's Devotion and The Blood Dance both have footprints, as another.

- Mokou's Embrace, Lori's Lantern, Maligaro's belt all have their own "aura" effect exclusive to the item.

I love things like this, since not only does it provide players with an interesting 3D effect but it also encourages use of that item if normally players wouldn't give it the time of day (even if the effect is skin-transferable).

I am curious if any supporters, or GGG themselves, have thought about changing the actual character model when equipping a unique item.

Think Trang-Oul set in Diablo II. Upon completing the set, the necromancer character model is converted to the vampire model. Complete with vampire casting animation and attack animations.

This sort of change is something I would want applied to any unique items I created, even if it meant making that item significantly weaker and/or rarer.

My question is if something like this is possible for GGG with their current software (and if it is, why it has not been done yet - what are the technical limitations you guys face?)

I would be pleased as punch if I could equip a helm that made me look like an undying discharger, or put on a shield and turn myself into a blackguard elite.

Thanks for your time!

Why can't you make fishing a reality that everyone knows about instead of a meme

My questions are about Rejuvenation Totem.

1. What stat increases effect the healing from Reju totem?

2. Can Reju totems stack? or since it casts an aura does it use aura rules (guessing this one)?

3. Chieftain has a node that says something along the lines of "reflect 8% of totem hp as fire damage", as I would understand it support gems on a totem wouldn't apply to the "reflected" damage. Is this true?

This thread has degraded in quality, previous two pages before my post never even touched mechanics. All game development and bug questions, sorry GGG will have to sort though this....