Anatomy of a Responsive World: The 5 Pillars
|
Hello Everyone,
Here is the Overview of what I believe a true Next Gen ARPG will offer it's players. Links to previous posts for each pillar listed underneath. I don’t know why I’ve invested as much time into this initiative as I have. Beyond an interesting theory crafting exercise, I guess I’m just disappointed in how stale our beloved ARPG genre really is…I mean a huge improvement for combat is dodge/roll and WASD. Think about that….combat is the major focus of POE and We just got dodge. How much other “low hanging fruit” is out there!? Great question, because I believe a lot.  1) Dynamic Combat https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3927712 2) Dynamic Storyline https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3927001 https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3927712 3) RPG Soul https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3906745/page/6 4) Dynamic Atmosphere https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3927712 5) Player Identity https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3928310 Last edited by 600lbpanther#3839 on Apr 23, 2026, 12:55:11 PM Last bumped on Apr 22, 2026, 10:21:46 AM
|
|
" Those are not pillars, this is a flower. Pillars can't intersect, or they wouldn't be pillars anymore, but only one. |
|
" LOL. Where were you when I was building this thing!! I could have made it right.... Last edited by 600lbpanther#3839 on Apr 21, 2026, 8:09:02 AM
|
|
|
poe2 hit 0/5 of these. But surely it would interesting experience to play a game (especially arpg) with such things
|
|
" Thanks for the reply. A LITTLE harsh although I do agree with the sentiment that, not only POE2, all ARPGs are suffering from not satisfying the majority on the list. I think Dynamic Combat and Player Identity are the closest to being fulfilled they just need to make some "clarifying" decisions. Player Identity especially seems CLOSE to being solved they just need to fully commit to a mode (Or "Realm") for each style of play: Standard (current) versus 0.1 Patch. They should offer a choice to the player in the beginning which seems pretty easy to implement as 0.1 patch was already a thing. Last edited by 600lbpanther#3839 on Apr 21, 2026, 10:47:49 AM
|
|
|
If adding tons of extra features into a single game was a recipe for success then life of game designers would be a lot easier.
|
|
"One sentence. Multiple assumptions: designers want easier work, connected systems equal bloated complexity, this proposal are all new features, implementation is hard, and that we have any idea what GGG's developers would actually find difficult (or exciting) to build. Weather effects, factions, Light Radius, difficulty modes — these already exist. The majority of this framework is integration, not new construction. For the parts that are new — we don't know the implementation difficulty. Or how excited GGG might be to build them. Afterall, GGG developed the most complex passive tree in ARPG history. GGG's "easier life" was available in 2012. They chose the hard thing instead. That choice is called Path of Exile. Last edited by 600lbpanther#3839 on Apr 21, 2026, 2:13:28 PM
|
|
|
This looks like a framework for Skyrim type of a game.
The core experience of diablo like game is loot, character progression and combat. The rest is not that important. |
|
" Glad we are in agreement on what the current landscape of ARPG looks like: Diablo 1 had loot, progression, and combat. So did Diablo 3. So does POE1. This proposal is for the "Next Gen ARPG". Also, I would never associate combat with Skyrim LOL and I Love Skyrim. Evidence:   Last edited by 600lbpanther#3839 on Apr 22, 2026, 11:19:16 AM
|
|
|
Improved graphic adding "Music / Sound Effects" to "Dynamic Atmosphere" Pillar.
Fleshed out "Player Identity" Pillar below. Conceptual implementation of new 0.1 Patch Realm to visually present the idea.  Last edited by 600lbpanther#3839 on Apr 22, 2026, 11:21:31 AM
|
|
