[POE2] GGG - Stand true to what you said about player feedback

SEQUEL THREAD TO https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3398993
Focus on problems, not suggestions.

Then remember that some problems are non issues.

When Diablo 2 came out before hell mode was solved, if the developers listened to what people would have said we would not have a game still having lobbies immediately fill up weeks into ladder reset 20 years later. It seemed impossible, it seemed like the developers released a troll game mode that was never meant to be beat. It was solved.

You said 100 on ruthless PoE1 would not be reached, we reached it last league.

When PoE came out, you guys had the right idea. Starting perandus/prophecy, league after league after league you kept giving too much power and speed creep by addressing the problem of "we feel weak" in the wrong way.

Stand true to your vision, there is a happy middle ground here (such as tutorials on how to get resistances, and tweaks to positioning/nodes on the tree)

This game may seem hard, but it absolutely gives you the tools you need to succeed. People want to skip the campaign, the campaign is bloody brilliant, the ascendancy trials are brilliant, nothing but glowing feedback across my guild (who is nothing but D2 and PoE vets having zero issues with the game that are non-technical like crashes, all level 60+ or in maps/waystones).

We are all long time supporters and believe you have a chance to make a game that targets us hardcore ARPG players without needing to make a Ruthless GSF like you did for PoE1.

PoE1 has the extreme zoom power fantasy skip-the-campaign style game. Nerfing Malachai on release made me really upset, I don't even wear my Awakening shirt anymore.

The new ascendancies are very well done, only small rebalances needed. Again, player power being earned is extremely gratifying.

Keep the combat engaging and challenging, and add small rebalances to skills/trees.

One of the things my guild is most worried about is the extreme fun we had reaching the limited endgame will be lost after waves of buffs and power creep like PoE1. Campaign is a rite of passage, and it's earned not given. It was this way in D2, it used to be this way in PoE1, and it is the way to keep us ARPG players engaged PoE2. Frankly, if the game released in its current state, we would still play it over anything else.

You made a fantastic campaign and game, stay true to the vision. There are many players who aren't making forum posts and instead actually playing the game.

PoE2 is amazing. Many of our guild mates who are far in the game are loving it. This is a good middle ground between what Ruthless wanted to be and a true ARPG. Please don't gut and kill PoE2 to cater to the base you are ALREADY pleasing with PoE1, that you alienated for 5-6 years of powercreep.

Signed, guild of longtime lifetime supporters of PoE, D2, and other awesome ARPGs.

I think the fact that you're a long time player of ARPGs, clouds your vision on what is or isn't difficult. There's no reason to have the early game be as unforgiving as it is. There is a way to have difficulty that allows more people to actually enjoy the game. It would be fairly foolish to take what could be a largely popular game and make it for a very niche subset of hardcore players. The big picture, IE the longevity of the game, should be more important not only to GGG, but the players as well.

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Jdub679#3259 wrote:

I think the fact that you're a long time player of ARPGs, clouds your vision on what is or isn't difficult. There's no reason to have the early game be as unforgiving as it is. There is a way to have difficulty that allows more people to actually enjoy the game. It would be fairly foolish to take what could be a largely popular game and make it for a very niche subset of hardcore players. The big picture, IE the longevity of the game, should be more important not only to GGG, but the players as well.

This is the unfortunate reason that PoE alienated me and my guild for the better half of a decade. Money is money. I just wish I could have my game, I am willing to fork over hand over fist for packs, but I can't outspend tens of thousands of small customers who want to play cookie clicker.

It doesn't have to be that black and white, there's a lot of room inbetween 'cookie clicker,' and hardcore niche game

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Jdub679#3259 wrote:

It doesn't have to be that black and white, there's a lot of room inbetween 'cookie clicker,' and hardcore niche game

Agreed. I would much rather a game have multiple mode settings to accommodate the players who want a more challenging game AND the players who want a more casual experience, than focus on just one or the other. And that's where PoE1 excelled. The hardcore players could push the limits. The intermediate players could still find enjoyment in making their way through the later maps and challenges. The casual players could find enjoyment in just playing the game.

Right now, PoE2 feels like it's balanced around the best players and their abilities with playing the game and with trading and crafting, in order to slow the game down for them. Which of course means that for everyone else, it becomes an unbearable slog after just a few Acts.