How We're Developing Our Next Expansion Differently

I've bitched a few times in the past... however, as someone said here, we bitch not because we hate the game, for we love the game!

I love POE and I hope it stays true to the developers and the community.

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QcGreywolf wrote:

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Smaggles wrote:

All in all, I guess what I'm trying to say is I think it would be more fun if there was less content, if it means that content is both more polished and rewarding. 10 sources of content that are thoroughly fun and rewarding is way better to me then 50 sources of content that are mediocre and barely rewarding.

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Keep up the good work, GGG!

About the other replies... I, and apparently GGG, disagree with all the people saying they want less stuff in the game and there are too many mechanics and too many different things to learn. This is what I want on a game to hold me for years, and that's what GGG wants. It is SO COOL how, even after months playing, a new player still often finds out new things, new mechanics, new build, etc. There is always something to learn, and there is always some way to get better at the game or improve your current build or do a completely different build. This is what I tell friends when I'm telling them they should play this game. And NONE of that holds you back. You can play and do everything you want perfectly fine and at whatever pace you feel like before ever knowing what is uber elder, delve boss, corruption altar or that you can control-click npcs. And even if your build or gear isn't really great, that never feels frustrating to play - BECAUSE this game can be played at whatever pace you like to, and because there is always more to do that you haven't done before.

Great work guys. Keep it up. Proud of you.

One thing I would personally enjoy is if you did one year league hops. As in The first and third league would be the same and the second and fourth league would be the same. The benefits of this system is that you don't need 100% new concepts, old concepts could be pushed further like delve, league mechanics that didn't quite fit could be changed more aggressively then what a patch could do so that you could salvage the concept, and the biggest one for me would be that in the first league it could be a "map-addon" league then in the second it could be its own concept.

Bugs aside, Heist is fun! All the characters and content are awesome! I love you Chris and GGG

Good to hear Chris. I installed PoE in the last 2 weeks of Harbinger and have been back every league I could (sorry Incursion - I love you but had life to worry about). Heist and Delirium were the only leagues I left before the last week of the league.

I work in digital consulting and hold certifications as a Salesforce Advanced Administrator (CRM), CSPO, Linux+, and am working towards my PMP. In my experience, I have worked with development teams for small businesses up to Fortune 500. In house, vendor, and offshore teams. What separates a GREAT team from a GOOD/OK team is being vulnerable and honest with your stakeholders. That also includes your internal stakeholders. I sincerely appreciate your willingness to show that side to us Chris. It is in those moments that I remember why I play PoE over Torchlight 3, Diablo, or other wannabe games (LMAO WOLCEN).

I think the experiment you are doing is the right decision. Those of us in the field of Project Management live by the Iron Triangle (triple constraint). The sides of the triangle are time, cost, and scope. Inside of the triangle is quality. You must NEVER sacrifice quality. When you adjust one of those sides you have to compensate from another side. Considering you have fixed Time in your model - I understand why you tried adjusting cost by offering overtime but with additional constraints due to Lockdown. In non-development project management that can work. However, as you know all too well, not necessarily the case with software development.

In closing - the Iron Triangle is not perfect. It does not account for impact or satisfaction. If you have to pick one of those two - go for user satisfaction. There are a number of us that have plenty of buying power to reward that type of company.

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About the other replies... I, and apparently GGG, disagree with all the people saying they want less stuff in the game and there are too many mechanics and too many different things to learn. This is what I want on a game to hold me for years, and that's what GGG wants. It is SO COOL how, even after months playing, a new player still often finds out new things, new mechanics, new build, etc. There is always something to learn, and there is always some way to get better at the game or improve your current build or do a completely different build. This is what I tell friends when I'm telling them they should play this game. And NONE of that holds you back. You can play and do everything you want perfectly fine and at whatever pace you feel like before ever knowing what is uber elder, delve boss, corruption altar or that you can control-click npcs. And even if your build or gear isn't really great, that never feels frustrating to play - BECAUSE this game can be played at whatever pace you like to, and because there is always more to do that you haven't done before.

I mostly disagree, specially because what makes a game holds you for years is not the ammount of "new things to discover" but rather the gameplay itself. The game needs content but it doesnt need 50 leagues cramped into core content. A few extra systems cleverly put in place, polished content.
And to be honest "Nothing is holding you back" o man it is... So are not the crafts gated behind those dated leagues? So if i put a simple build together and than i need to color my hard worked six link that as a new player i took some time to aquire and than i learn that i need to delve for the recipe... And than i need to grind prophecies for a chance to get the chains for the crafts i want access and so on and so on...
I agree you dont NEED to know about delve bosses, corruption altars and all that right away. But it is not like you putting it here.
POE has great replayability because there is aways a new build to put togheter, there is always room to improve your hard worked character, there is always something that will make you go hmm i think i need that, what if i had this, i should try and do x. BUT you dont NEED the ammount of non usefull new stuff that GGG often releases.
For example in 3.13 harvest is coming core. What does it do? Mainly it allows crafting. You can easilly target craft on your gear stuff you otherwise wouldnt as often. So do they neeed a new mechanic? No they dont we already have a core league that has crafting and we already have the crafting bench and we have veiled crafting and stuff so wouldnt it be better to ADD those harvest crafts into these systems? Like harverst mobs could be fit into beastiary as a new type of plant mosnters for example. But GGG rather put in a new system that will clutter the game instead of making it enjoyable. If they keep adding new stuff and new stuff and new stuff everything in the game will be a chore to do. It is nice that you have ALL this content to play but is it fun? Nope. There is too much to do to for simple stuff. And often with core leagues the rewards are not usually worth your time unless you KNOW what you are doing with those mechanics.

"Less is more" dude. You dont need new crazy leagues going core every 3 months to keep the game engaging.

Is it beginning of the end?

Sounds good, I hope for the success of the experiment or atleast you get valuable data or lesson from it. I also hope this time you show it thru actions & not with another wall of words.

Quality over quantity is the best policy.