A solution for the infinite atlas causing bloat/load times/getting too big.

First of kudos for the new endgame!

So currently I do not see the problem of an infinite atlas causing infinite bloat being adressed, other than the new search. I have an idea on how to solve this bloat, and allow further player agency.

Allow our first clear of the main questline to unlock a world reset. The main questline could trigger an explosion visual expanding outwards, stopping, expanding inwards again. As if time is reset. This resets the world.

Resetting the world would then allow a player to choose benefits (in the form of specialisations) for the next world. For example:

* Your next world will contain 200% more abyss biomes.
* Your next world will not contain the "desert biome"
* Your next world will not contain the following maps: (Pick 5).
* Citadels will spawn closer to your starting point in the next world.

Doing this for the first time will unlock more ways to trigger the world reset. This could for example be clear 40 maps, defeat 3 citadels. But this would not be a forced reset.

I don't think these world reset benefits should be in the form of "increased quantity in next world" or "the next world contains boxes in every map" as they would just lead to a reset rush meta. I think it should be aimed at reducing bloat and making the world more "your own".

This is not a bad idea per se, but the guardrails you're proposing are an order of magnitude too low.

Completing all the questlines is supposed to be the beginning of your endgame adventure - most experienced players will do this on day 2 of the league starting, hence wiping the atlas at that point is way too early.

A reset with corresponding rewards would also essentially force everybody to do it at the specified breakpoint, making it a forced outcome, not a choice.

These are all band-aid fixes, just like checkpoints.

We need a finite atlas atleast in the future. The infinite atlas is a cool idea at first, but after so many leagues, it's nothing but a headache when you do 100+ maps.

Too many directions, too many things to do, theres no clear plan to form. It feels way too meaningless to play when you have 500 different options.

If they want us to play random maps instead of choosing like POE-1, fine, but make it finite so we know all the maps and we can have atleast some sort of planning or direction when we farm endgame.

Very disappointing that they doubled down on the infinite atlas. When you have infinite options, each of them loses its value. No agency at all, boring.

I think the infinite atlas up to now wasnt good either, but I think they wanne stay with it. I hope they can make it work and make it feel enaging instead of bloated and overwhelming. Maybe its possible, maybe it isnt.

But I have to try the new iteration before I can judge that. I hope that the mechanics on the latest atlas even after the fixed star will make it feel better, but I can't know if I didn't play. So I guess its just wait and try, then give feedback if its good/better than before or still ass.