Monster Density in Maps

"There shouldn't be any maps that feel underpopulated anymore."

nice term for empty maps. Kappa

Clearing a pack filled map is always satisfying!

"

Bex_GGG wrote:

Secondly, we have rebalanced the map mods so that every rollable mod now grants a pack size bonus.

Nice. I mean, we'll see how it plays out and all, but this has been one of my longest-standing complaints. Hard map with tons of extra damage and whatnot? No pack size and thus less experience and fewer drops. Easy map that happened to roll some pack size mods? More experience and drops for no additional difficulty.

The difference between a bad layout and a good layout -- regardless of the mobs therein -- is still likely to be an issue. But, again, I guess we'll just see. Maybe Cells and Crematorium will be wall-to-wall mobs in v3.1...

Sounds great if we get higher mob density in undesirable layouts. Might make Cells, Dungeon, etc juicy with Beyond mod, giving more incentive to run those maps.

You better not fuck this shit up lol like you always fuck things up for every positive thing out there.

back to strand meta?

"

Bex_GGG wrote:

Secondly, we have rebalanced the map mods so that every rollable mod now grants a pack size bonus.

FINALLY!

"

The difference between a bad layout and a good layout -- regardless of the mobs therein -- is still likely to be an issue. But, again, I guess we'll just see.

That's the point of their exp/hour shift and testing; Maps with worse, non-linear, maze-like, etc. layouts will now reward a TON more exp, to compensate for the slowing down of the clear speed.. Which is amazing. (I still won't play them though, because I absolutely DESPISE backtracking/zigzagging. >:P)

Essence drain dream : HELL YES!

I run any map i feel like running BUT underground sea and some other i cant seem to remember

Any map is fine really for something like melee because doorways and stuff dont matter for a summoner i would not want to run indoor maps unless they were opened up because the minions AI

But maps with more doorways (like cells) desync alot (im not using lockstep unless the game also pauses when you do... and even then i dont think id use it lol)

There'll always be something to set maps apart. For instance, if maps with so-called 'bad' layouts now generate as much xp/hr as 'good' maps due to higher density, that means they now also have higher loot potential since more mobs = more drops. That difference is probably acceptable, however, given the increased frustration involved in completing them. It shouldn't cause them to become a meta.

The bigger danger is div card farming. If map xp is normalized, then the meta will likely turn towards div card differences. And balancing against this is potentially even harder, since it's not simply a matter of giving every map a similar number of (and chance of) div card drops. This is because there are - and likely always will be - some div cards that are far more valuable than the others. And it's based on those that the new meta will arise. Exp was typically more valuable than div cards simply because it was dependable i.e. no, or little, RNG was involved if you did your mapping 'right' and most players don't have lvl 100 chars (and those that do typically retire those chars after reaching it). Now, and this is being optimistic about the changes, efficient div card farming will decide the new meta.

Such are the fundamental pitfalls of diversity. Some celebrate and explore variation for its own sake, but there'll always be insightful folks who figure out how to cut through i.e. narrow down such variation to only the 'best' options - and with the internet, this knowledge gets shared fast. This effect extends well beyond PoE, of course.