Irreconcilable Differences

During Zizarans interview with the devs, something I felt became very apparent.
Path of Exile 2 has two very different design ethos that are at irreconcilable odds with each other, and the lead devs seem to be too far into the weeds to recognize it.

Which I am not going to say is entirely their fault, due to how Path of Exile 2 came to be, being built as something of an offshoot to Path of Exile, so it is natural for it to have a lot of design baggage. But it is the devs responsibility to fix it.


Path of Exile is classic ARPG, go big or go home, zoomie zoom zoom, loot explosions, make your own fun. And it works for what it is trying to be.

Path of Exile 2 however is trying to be slow, gritty, methodical and challenging. And there is nothing wrong with that, except when it runs head long into design conflicts with old mechanics. Having a large map is fine when your running at brake neck pace. But when you move like a crippled old man it becomes a chore. Fast enemies are what you want when they need to be that fast just to keep up with you, but not so much when by the time you've even finished winding up your attack, they've already run across the map and ripped your knackers off.

The same is true of damn near everything. Level design, monsters, items and modifiers, skills and support gems, passive tree. It was all originally designed with Path of Exile ethos in mind, and has only just been ported over with little to no real consideration for the new design ethos. It's mostly just tweaks around the edges rather than fundamental change.

And people are starting to realize just how much of a problem it is, and how unfun it makes the game as a result.


So between now and launch, the dev team really need to drill down, and figure out how they are going to design things going forward for this new game, rather then use the same old design ethos they've been used to.

No you need to feel like shit in order to feel joy.
Its the Path of Suckit.

You need to earn feeling good.
Like in the Army
or
Foraging for food behind Taco Bell

and other fun stuff.

foraging in the wild useful skill ;P

"

Jitter912#4278 wrote:

.

"Path of Exile is classic ARPG, go big or go home, zoomie zoom zoom, loot explosions, make your own fun. And it works for what it is trying to be."


This is what ruined both games. I do not think the game was ever meant to become this almost automated mess. It basically plays itself. People's dopamine receptors got shot, and almost everyone treats POE as a slot machine game.

This heavily affects POE 2. GGG wants to fix the previous mistake, but players (their customers) do not let them. SO now they are screwed, because they have to choose between a good game or whatever brings them money. The result is what you see: no one is satisfied.

"

lupasvasile#5385 wrote:

"Path of Exile is classic ARPG, go big or go home, zoomie zoom zoom, loot explosions, make your own fun. And it works for what it is trying to be."


This is what ruined both games. I do not think the game was ever meant to become this almost automated mess. It basically plays itself. People's dopamine receptors got shot, and almost everyone treats POE as a slot machine game.

This heavily affects POE 2. GGG wants to fix the previous mistake, but players (their customers) do not let them. SO now they are screwed, because they have to choose between a good game or whatever brings them money. The result is what you see: no one is satisfied.

I don't think it's useful to lay blame at the feet of whomever. It doesn't matter.
The fact of the matter is that they are using mechanics that are not fit for purpose. Fortunately they are in beta, so they have plenty of time to course correct. In fact they are expected to do so now more then ever.

I simply urge them to not be afraid to use a sledgehammer rather then a scalpel.