Game needs a radical shift in direction

GGG. I hope that you read this and take it to heart.

The direction of this game is worrying. I saw it happen with PoE 1. Where you built a game directed at a small portion of the playerbase. A game with egregious time-sink, and emphasis on solo play. Yet forcing mechanics on people that kept them stuck in a cycle of consumption. Like the forced economy, or the repetitive end-game.


This is an issue, because over the last 5 years. There's been a radical shift in the mindset of players. Players everywhere are asking for enjoyment in video games to be a priority again. And not just expecting players to continue buying the same stuff that's been shoveled towards them for years.

You see all these game companies as of late, refusing to adapt to this desire that gamers have been expressing again. Ubisoft is the most recent one. Lots of people will say it's because they're "WOKE" Now, but the reality is. The games just aren't good. They took a winning game formula, and then repeated it till everyone lost interest, and now look at these companies. They're imploding. Thousands of people are losing their jobs.

Gaming is about player enjoyment and innovation. Not creating game cycles that keep players stuck in cycles of repetition, time-waste. More and more people are wanting to return to the roots of gaming. Where a game was made with passion, and a sole attempt at providing players the best experience possible. They're sick of microtransactions, They're sick of forced grinding just to pad game time, and they're sick of communities that end up toxic, and competitive because they're the only people being catered to.

POE 1 went down this path a decade ago. I saw it when I first joined. The game became about grinding end-game, in order to force interactions with the economy. Tedious gameplay, and complexity. Rather than just making the game fun.

PoE 2 seems to have retained all the worst aspects of PoE 1, and has also managed to ruin some of the best aspects of it as well.


I get that some people played PoE 1 for the economy, for the grind. And there's nothing wrong with that at all. But all you've managed to do is re-create that with PoE 2. All the people that left PoE 1 because they valued more from the game, bought into PoE 2, expecting a different experience. Yet it's largely the same. Tons of people from PoE 1, are now expecting PoE 2 to be largely the same too.

And you've largely given these players what they wanted. A repetitive end-game with a focus on grinding.

But your own vision for the game, and what you want, has led you to be unable to see that there's a huge chunk of the playerbase that isn't interested in playing the same thing again. And you've been ignoring the feedback given from them.

Game companies lost sight of what really matters long ago, and it's that player enjoyment comes at a number 1 priority. And when you don't listen to your players, the games, and companies ultimately fail.

There is a huge group of players that have been on the forums, telling you the ways in which PoE is not enjoyable. I think it's time to take a bit, and really listen to them. You already have a game that caters to one type of player. Why do you need to make a carbon copy?

Just look at how dead these forums have become in the mere month or so since the games release. If this game was going in a good direction. There would be more engagement. It really is that simple. Look at the warning signs before you, before you end up wasting millions more on developing a deadend.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I also wanted to give things that I DO enjoy about this game so far. Because I don't think the game is bad, I just think it's drifting in a direction that could end up giving us a game that misses the mark.



The Graphics are great. It's quite a step up from the first game. GOOD job on this. It needs some optimization, but I really love the art style of PoE 2. The lighting especially are a huge step up. The lava tomb/boss in act 3 made good utilization of it. It was cool hitting those switches and watching the temple light up. Cool mechanic, and cool use of the lighting to make it a better experience.

The enemies. You have a great variety of new enemy models. Some new interesting Mechanics. I hope to see more. As much as I don't like fighting 10 waterhags on my screen, the design of them is interesting. Just tone it down lol.

Act 2 Town zone is just cool and fun. Honestly awesome. The game needs more of this. Express yourself! I loved seeing all the undead? slaves dragging this massive convoy. This is the sort of stuff that brings life to your world and game.

The Bosses. You put a lot of work into them, I feel some of them still need some polish, but overall they look cool, they have some neat moves. And they're all pretty unique. There are a few fights that really stand out, and if you managed to bring most bosses close to the same quality as them. I believe that players would really enjoy themselves. The Act 1 final boss is a great example of this.

I think your idea for the way skill gems work. Is on the right track. I think it just needs some polish. Multiple of the same support gems should be allowed IMO, but over-all it's just a better way to do gems rather than tying them into gear. It also feels like we don't need multiple tiers and types of gems. Just make it a rarer drop, but it can be anything. ~~~ Too Much Clutter ~~~


I love playing with WASD compared to the mouse and keyboard. It feels MUCH better than PoE 1 did. This is a great job. There's a bit of polish that still needs to happen with it. Especially in regards to attacks locking onto enemies, or movement spells, but you'll get there.

I like the bigger area's compared to PoE 1. Only real complaints is that some of them can be heavy on chokepoints, or simply too large. Checkpoints help a lot though. A feature I wish the original game had.

Automatic Waypoints. Yes, Amazing. I have ADHD, and would constantly walk past one because I got distracted by a new shiny enemy to kill, and completely forget to grab it.

Saving maps on log out. Also a huge QoL feature that I really enjoy. It means I can just quit, at any time, and come back and immediately restart. Even a week later. This is something I didn't think I needed, but love now that I have it.

I really like some of the spell animations. Fire especially looks really good. Only complaint is that, it's very resource intensive. Perhaps experiment with other ways to add spell effects to the game that don't require so much rendering power. It looks GOOD though, especially with the new lighting. My first character I played was a fire sorc, and I cranked the contrast up and added a bit of colour vibrancy to the game and it was popping. I love games with lots of colour. You also had one monk ability, Falling thunder. Looks fucking awesome. MORE OF THIS PLEASE.



Like I said. I don't think the game is BAD. But I do think that there's a lot of repetition compared to the first game in area's that aren't going to ultimately help this game reach a ton of people. You have created a great world, with awesome stories in it, full of lots of awesome enemies and bosses, you have tons of fun skills to use, and a passive tree that can add tons of unique playstyles. I want more people to enjoy it. I believe you can make a generational ARPG. One that completely blows others out of the window.

But you have to realize, that this means that player enjoyment needs to come first! Not long term player retention. 1000 hours of awesome gameplay > 10,000 hours of decent gameplay.




I'll also say. I was SEVERELY disappointed that there were no Aliens at the crop circle in Act 1.. Consider an alien act maybe? lol.

Your post is lacking any specific suggestions. You are basically wrote "Make game more fun! Make it more replayable! Make it better for everyone! Make it awesome!". Good intentions, but useless without any specifics.

"

Suchka_777#4336 a écrit :

Your post is lacking any specific suggestions. You are basically wrote "Make game more fun! Make it more replayable! Make it better for everyone! Make it awesome!". Good intentions, but useless without any specifics.

I have given plenty of examples in past posts. And the players themselves have bombarded the forums with many examples of unfun mechanics, as well as suggestions to better the game.

The issue is that they are being ignored. Not that there's a lack of suggestions.

no you've made no actual speicifcs, and any detail are lost in the fluffed out story you posted.

you may as well have started your post with "once upon a time"

"

They're sick of forced grinding just to pad game time

"

And you've largely given these players what they wanted. A repetitive end-game with a focus on grinding.

contradictiong yourself too

"

There is a huge group of players that have been on the forums, telling you the ways in which PoE is not enjoyable.

"

Just look at how dead these forums have become in the mere month or so since the games release

which is it? are the forum dead or have a huge group posting?

the more i read your post there literally no substance to anything in it. It's just vague generalisations

"

andred#5148 a écrit :

no you've made no actual speicifcs, and any detail are lost in the fluffed out story you posted.

you may as well have started your post with "once upon a time"

"

They're sick of forced grinding just to pad game time

"

And you've largely given these players what they wanted. A repetitive end-game with a focus on grinding.

contradictiong yourself too

"

There is a huge group of players that have been on the forums, telling you the ways in which PoE is not enjoyable.

"

Just look at how dead these forums have become in the mere month or so since the games release

which is it? are the forum dead or have a huge group posting?

the more i read your post there literally no substance to anything in it. It's just vague generalisations

What kind of substance do you want? The forums are already full of valuable feedback and suggestions from everyone. Including me. The issue is that it's not being used.

A warning is also feedback. I have explained the situation that many other game companies are now in because of their refusal to listen to their players. Arrogance about what the company wants, vs what the players actually want. It's led to many companies going under as of late.

Why wouldn't that be valuable feedback?



The forums have seen a drastic decline in users over the last few weeks. Fewer people are willing to offer suggestions, or even discussion on the game. That's an issue for an early-access game. Yes, the forums are absolutely dead compared to just a few weeks ago. That is a warning sign of what's to come. Absolutely relevant, and zero contradictions.

"

Suchka_777#4336 a écrit :

Your post is lacking any specific suggestions. You are basically wrote "Make game more fun! Make it more replayable! Make it better for everyone! Make it awesome!". Good intentions, but useless without any specifics.

Actually I really liked it. He gives a meta analysis of the wrong mindset of game design being at play here. He isn't here to do their job, he is here to critique that they have their sights set on the wrong things. I respect it.

"

Akedomo#3573 a écrit :

GGG. I hope that you read this and take it to heart.

The direction of this game is worrying. I saw it happen with PoE 1. Where you built a game directed at a small portion of the playerbase. A game with egregious time-sink, and emphasis on solo play. Yet forcing mechanics on people that kept them stuck in a cycle of consumption. Like the forced economy, or the repetitive end-game.


This is an issue, because over the last 5 years. There's been a radical shift in the mindset of players. Players everywhere are asking for enjoyment in video games to be a priority again. And not just expecting players to continue buying the same stuff that's been shoveled towards them for years.

You see all these game companies as of late, refusing to adapt to this desire that gamers have been expressing again. Ubisoft is the most recent one. Lots of people will say it's because they're "WOKE" Now, but the reality is. The games just aren't good. They took a winning game formula, and then repeated it till everyone lost interest, and now look at these companies. They're imploding. Thousands of people are losing their jobs.

Gaming is about player enjoyment and innovation. Not creating game cycles that keep players stuck in cycles of repetition, time-waste. More and more people are wanting to return to the roots of gaming. Where a game was made with passion, and a sole attempt at providing players the best experience possible. They're sick of microtransactions, They're sick of forced grinding just to pad game time, and they're sick of communities that end up toxic, and competitive because they're the only people being catered to.

POE 1 went down this path a decade ago. I saw it when I first joined. The game became about grinding end-game, in order to force interactions with the economy. Tedious gameplay, and complexity. Rather than just making the game fun.

PoE 2 seems to have retained all the worst aspects of PoE 1, and has also managed to ruin some of the best aspects of it as well.


I get that some people played PoE 1 for the economy, for the grind. And there's nothing wrong with that at all. But all you've managed to do is re-create that with PoE 2. All the people that left PoE 1 because they valued more from the game, bought into PoE 2, expecting a different experience. Yet it's largely the same. Tons of people from PoE 1, are now expecting PoE 2 to be largely the same too.

And you've largely given these players what they wanted. A repetitive end-game with a focus on grinding.

But your own vision for the game, and what you want, has led you to be unable to see that there's a huge chunk of the playerbase that isn't interested in playing the same thing again. And you've been ignoring the feedback given from them.

Game companies lost sight of what really matters long ago, and it's that player enjoyment comes at a number 1 priority. And when you don't listen to your players, the games, and companies ultimately fail.

There is a huge group of players that have been on the forums, telling you the ways in which PoE is not enjoyable. I think it's time to take a bit, and really listen to them. You already have a game that caters to one type of player. Why do you need to make a carbon copy?

Just look at how dead these forums have become in the mere month or so since the games release. If this game was going in a good direction. There would be more engagement. It really is that simple. Look at the warning signs before you, before you end up wasting millions more on developing a deadend.

​​Most will hide from reading because their cell phones have made them less of an intellectual and more of a meatbag. I see this same behavior ingame where they act like a horde and say get down if anyone says more than 3 lines of text. So, don't think too much if all you received is replies of criticism, and not opinion based discourse on a subject. Understand they don't understand, so they attack.

I agree. POE 2 has little to no real direction compared to POE 1. It seems like a new graphics engine, but with less overall ingame functionality. Good thing about Path of Exile 2 so far is the story. The voice acting and/ or pacing were top notch. But it is 2025. Games need to have more than just a story to survive, as everyone's a critic.

Gold should be removed, switched back to an ingame item that directly changes item rolls like in POE 1. That way it holds value. Gold holds none, just forced upon people as it's the only choice for certain activities.

Random vender should be removed.

Towers should be removed. Boring, waste of space (One of the worst ideas I've seen yet in the Path of Exile design).

Strongboxes, boring, uneventful (it's like rituals, but with little to no reward. Even if they contained rewards, it's like putting surgery on metal, it does little for the core issue). With how limited the viewing angle is with Path of Exile, I don't see how this could ever get better. I would like it if GGG would stop wasting resources on this.

Maps should have been made destructible in nature, so that way when someone gets more power, they can destroy more and more of the map. Like maps still have lanes, but once you get so much power you can make your own etc. Tree in your way, gone. Stuff like that. Add a hidden dimension into the game that you reach once you get a certain level of power.

Interacting with players should be the front of what Path of Exile 2 should strive for. Maps and/ or bosses created just for multiple people. Something to play with others. Get people to move away from standing next to that damn stash.

An auction house to combat scams, RMT and/ or bots is mandatory. People will argue that it isn't needed, but I wonder why that player suggests that. Do they have some type of biased opinion because they make money from the current system? Bots and/ or using the website need to go, yesterday.

"

KoreyCreative#5796 a écrit :

"

Akedomo#3573 a écrit :

GGG. I hope that you read this and take it to heart.

The direction of this game is worrying. I saw it happen with PoE 1. Where you built a game directed at a small portion of the playerbase. A game with egregious time-sink, and emphasis on solo play. Yet forcing mechanics on people that kept them stuck in a cycle of consumption. Like the forced economy, or the repetitive end-game.


This is an issue, because over the last 5 years. There's been a radical shift in the mindset of players. Players everywhere are asking for enjoyment in video games to be a priority again. And not just expecting players to continue buying the same stuff that's been shoveled towards them for years.

You see all these game companies as of late, refusing to adapt to this desire that gamers have been expressing again. Ubisoft is the most recent one. Lots of people will say it's because they're "WOKE" Now, but the reality is. The games just aren't good. They took a winning game formula, and then repeated it till everyone lost interest, and now look at these companies. They're imploding. Thousands of people are losing their jobs.

Gaming is about player enjoyment and innovation. Not creating game cycles that keep players stuck in cycles of repetition, time-waste. More and more people are wanting to return to the roots of gaming. Where a game was made with passion, and a sole attempt at providing players the best experience possible. They're sick of microtransactions, They're sick of forced grinding just to pad game time, and they're sick of communities that end up toxic, and competitive because they're the only people being catered to.

POE 1 went down this path a decade ago. I saw it when I first joined. The game became about grinding end-game, in order to force interactions with the economy. Tedious gameplay, and complexity. Rather than just making the game fun.

PoE 2 seems to have retained all the worst aspects of PoE 1, and has also managed to ruin some of the best aspects of it as well.


I get that some people played PoE 1 for the economy, for the grind. And there's nothing wrong with that at all. But all you've managed to do is re-create that with PoE 2. All the people that left PoE 1 because they valued more from the game, bought into PoE 2, expecting a different experience. Yet it's largely the same. Tons of people from PoE 1, are now expecting PoE 2 to be largely the same too.

And you've largely given these players what they wanted. A repetitive end-game with a focus on grinding.

But your own vision for the game, and what you want, has led you to be unable to see that there's a huge chunk of the playerbase that isn't interested in playing the same thing again. And you've been ignoring the feedback given from them.

Game companies lost sight of what really matters long ago, and it's that player enjoyment comes at a number 1 priority. And when you don't listen to your players, the games, and companies ultimately fail.

There is a huge group of players that have been on the forums, telling you the ways in which PoE is not enjoyable. I think it's time to take a bit, and really listen to them. You already have a game that caters to one type of player. Why do you need to make a carbon copy?

Just look at how dead these forums have become in the mere month or so since the games release. If this game was going in a good direction. There would be more engagement. It really is that simple. Look at the warning signs before you, before you end up wasting millions more on developing a deadend.

​​Most will hide from reading because their cell phones have made them less of an intellectual and more of a meatbag. I see this same behavior ingame where they act like a horde and say get down if anyone says more than 3 lines of text. So, don't think too much if all you received is replies of criticism, and not opinion based discourse on a subject. Understand they don't understand, so they attack.

I agree. POE 2 has little to no real direction compared to POE 1. It seems like a new graphics engine, but with less overall ingame functionality. Good thing about Path of Exile 2 so far is the story. The voice acting and/ or pacing were top notch. But it is 2025. Games need to have more than just a story to survive, as everyone's a critic.

Gold should be removed, switched back to an ingame item that directly changes item rolls like in POE 1. That way it holds value. Gold holds none, just forced upon people as it's the only choice for certain activities.

Random vender should be removed.

Towers should be removed. Boring, waste of space (One of the worst ideas I've seen yet in the Path of Exile design).

Strongboxes, boring, uneventful (it's like rituals, but with little to no reward. Even if they contained rewards, it's like putting surgery on metal, it does little for the core issue). With how limited the viewing angle is with Path of Exile, I don't see how this could ever get better. I would like it if GGG would stop wasting resources on this.

Maps should have been made destructible in nature, so that way when someone gets more power, they can destroy more and more of the map. Like maps still have lanes, but once you get so much power you can make your own etc. Tree in your way, gone. Stuff like that. Add a hidden dimension into the game that you reach once you get a certain level of power.

Interacting with players should be the front of what Path of Exile 2 should strive for. Maps and/ or bosses created just for multiple people. Something to play with others. Get people to move away from standing next to that damn stash.

An auction house to combat scams, RMT and/ or bots is mandatory. People will argue that it isn't needed, but I wonder why that player suggests that. Do they have some type of biased opinion because they make money from the current system? Bots and/ or using the website need to go, yesterday.

Oh, I don't let them get to me. These forums are especially bad, because people aim to impose their opinions on others and change peoples minds, instead of trying to understand, or find common ground.

Few people realize that enjoying the game in different ways compared to the way you enjoy it, is allowed, and even a necessity. When you force people to play one specific way, you severely limit the reach and potential the game could have. There's nothing wrong with having a specific type of game catered towards a specific type of player either... But you often don't need two games, doing the exact same thing.

PoE 2 doesn't need to be like PoE 1. Yet that's what most people are asking for on the forums. And GGG isn't realizing this either.


There's tons of way to change the game for the better, to switch things up. I argue the game should solely focus on coop and fun game play over everything else. I'd even argue the removal of the economy overall, and just limiting players to trading with friends.

Borderlands is a good example of a good coop experience, without the necessity to trade with randoms online to enjoy the game. I see no reason why PoE NEEDS an economy. Borderlands didn't need one, and it still did great.

One thing is true though. Making PoE 2 similar to PoE 1. Likely isn't going to do anything but create mediocrity, and at worse, it could end up harming the company. It's in GGG's best interest to listen to players giving feedback on what is, and what isn't enjoyable, and differing PoE 2 from PoE 1.

Ya see i dont mind grind, but when i see cheese builds destroying the map in seconds and my rewards being lvl 50 gear when im in lvl 70 maps at end game getting garbage roll after roll still using a lvl 40 wand i got in act 3 because nothing else is better i get bored.

i don't mind the way the end game looks and ill say looks.... but it's unbalanced as all hell and the constant punishing of the player with the amount on penalty's rolling on them way stones is a joke.

And it's already been said the drops suck unless you can nuke maps and buy then what is the point.

currently ill wait till this season is done i have no interest in logging in to have my face smashed in with nothing to show for it.

it won't happen. they learned nothing and they feel they are the best and better then everyone else at it to take any suggestions.