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Is everybody aware how tremendously good Path of Exile is these days?

nicoga3000

Saint Nic
So, yes, the game is good, a true F2P game with no hidden progress gates, but not being able to respec and do some experimentation with your build (or rectify poorly assigned skill point) is a horrible, horrible design decision.

It's a fantastic throwback to D2. ;)

I'll have to look into it again, but I disliked the super slow feeling, and weak combat.

I had this issue at first, too. But once you get a skill gem or two, that changes. I've been running a Sunder build and it's been a ton of fun. Pop a totem and right click for days. That's also why I suggest a build guide to start...They do a good job of getting you into relatively quickly.
 
I'll have to look into it again, but I disliked the super slow feeling, and weak combat.

I guess that's only the start of the game. Never bothered me, although now that some people in here mention it, there might in fact be less of a feeling of instant gratification at the start of the game compared to D3.
 

Keinning

Member
I like the game, however, two things bother me. So far, seems like there is some kind of great lore in the game, however, there is no story to tell it. I never liked Souls-like approach that tells the story through NPC dialogue and item description.

The second part is passive skill tree. Diablo 3 feels much more streamlined than PoE since there are fewer number of skills/runes and the whole skill system seems much more comprehensible. It doesn't take a genius to understand what each node does in PoE, however, the prospect of fucking up your character and not being able to respec is daunting. Sure you get few respec points, but considering that I have already spent almost 20 skill points and I have only 2 respec points, means that if I messed up my build I now have to restart the whole game and try to get it right next time. For a guy with limited play time, this is a disastrous design decision which made me quit the game.

So, yes, the game is good, a true F2P game with no hidden progress gates, but not being able to respec and do some experimentation with your build (or rectify poorly assigned skill point) is a horrible, horrible design decision.

skills are gems, which you can place and replace as you seem fit in any equip you want. plenty of room for experimenting. if anything they're more open to builds than D3 because nothing is class restricted. passives are, like the name say, passives. would be better to have the full respec option but i strongly disagree that they "stop you from experimenting" or "are a horrible design decision"
 
Could someone point me to a concise video that shows the game and talks about it for people like me who are completely unfamiliar with it? I just checked youtube and there are so many videos of it, from youtubers I don't know, and a lot of them seem like bad videos. I need your help, GAF.
 
PoE's combat has been better than Diablo 3's for a while now, but unlike D3 you actually start off weak and then become tremendously more powerful in the end.

Could someone point me to a concise video that shows the game and talks about it for people like me who are completely unfamiliar with it? I just checked youtube and there are so many videos of it, from youtubers I don't know, and a lot of them seem like bad videos. I need your help, GAF.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JPVJIn98B4

This is probably the most relevant beginner guide.
 

Drazgul

Member
So, yes, the game is good, a true F2P game with no hidden progress gates, but not being able to respec and do some experimentation with your build (or rectify poorly assigned skill point) is a horrible, horrible design decision.

Orbs of Regret are a thing (1 skill refund point on use), they seem to be going for almost 1:1 chaos orb at the moment on Harbinger league. So respeccing isn't free, but nor should it be - possible to do if you really mess up, though.

Plus you get a lot more of those points as quest rewards in later chapters, so you can do some tweaking at least. If you want to rebuild your tree altogether, then yeah, it might be the best to just restart from scratch. Leveling is super fast tho once you're past the complete noob phase and have some idea of what you're doing, and can gear your character up with cheap uniques.

Problem is that combat feel is actually slow at the beginning, especially if you're melee.

Endgame can be so obscenely fast paced and colorful that you'd start worrying if your PC can handle the stupid build you came up with, like:

https://youtu.be/ieNk4aNcMuY

Doing a cyclone build right now - early melee options kinda suck so I just went with Molten Strike until I could switch to Sunder (which was a fun skill too, until cyclone @ lvl 28). You absolutely need a good aoe skill to get through maps quickly.
 
I like the game, however, two things bother me. So far, seems like there is some kind of great lore in the game, however, there is no story to tell it. I never liked Souls-like approach that tells the story through NPC dialogue and item description.

The second part is passive skill tree. Diablo 3 feels much more streamlined than PoE since there are fewer number of skills/runes and the whole skill system seems much more comprehensible. It doesn't take a genius to understand what each node does in PoE, however, the prospect of fucking up your character and not being able to respec is daunting. Sure you get few respec points, but considering that I have already spent almost 20 skill points and I have only 2 respec points, means that if I messed up my build I now have to restart the whole game and try to get it right next time. For a guy with limited play time, this is a disastrous design decision which made me quit the game.

So, yes, the game is good, a true F2P game with no hidden progress gates, but not being able to respec and do some experimentation with your build (or rectify poorly assigned skill point) is a horrible, horrible design decision.

For #1, I agree. There is a story but its garbage. Although its not like I actually cared about Diablo 1 or Diablo 2 story.

For #2, I agree that it is daunting, however the beauty of the skill tree is that you can make literally any character you want. You want a barbarian that plays like an amazon? You want to be a support character that has 7+ Auras active at the same time? You want to make the whole screen explode in fireballs? The possibilities are endless and hundreds of the builds are equally viable for endgame and pvp. Where as in Diablo 2, you were much much more limited and in Diablo 3....well there isnt much of an RPG element to it at all.
 

TGMIII

Member
I like the game, however, two things bother me. So far, seems like there is some kind of great lore in the game, however, there is almost no story to tell it. I never liked Souls-like approach that tells the story through NPC dialogue (which isn't even mandatory) and item description.

The second part is passive skill tree. Diablo 3 feels much more streamlined than PoE since there are fewer number of skills/runes and the whole skill system seems much more comprehensible. It doesn't take a genius to understand what each node does in PoE, however, the prospect of fucking up your character and not being able to respec is daunting. Sure you get few respec points, but considering that I have already spent almost 20 skill points and I have only 2 respec points, means that if I messed up my build I now have to restart the whole game and try to get it right next time. For a guy with limited play time, this is a disastrous design decision which made me quit the game.

Completing quests gives you 24 respec points. You'll also find Orbs of regret as you play and it's very easy to trade for more. It's also highly unlikely that misplacing 20 points will cause your build to be so bad that you would have to completely restart.
 

jaosobno

Member
skills are gems, which you can place and replace as you seem fit in any equip you want. plenty of room for experimenting. if anything they're more open to builds than D3 because nothing is class restricted. passives are, like the name say, passives. would be better to have the full respec option but i strongly disagree that they "stop you from experimenting" or "are a horrible design decision"

Yes, you can switch gems, but I'm talking about character stats (perhaps I should have worded it better). And those are practically set in stone once you assign the point.

You liked one handed axes, but would now like to wield a two handed swords proficiently? Tough luck, start the whole game from scratch, you already invested in one handed weapons and axes.

And yes, you get 24 respec points, however the are total of 123 points so 24 is not nearly enough to change your build if you want to experiment.
 

Hyun Sai

Member
Yeah, but no controller support on PC and no PS4 version yet.

And the way respec is handled is also a huge turn off when the skill tree is that big.
 

JaseC

gave away the keys to the kingdom.
Ah yea that still exists, I think its about 15 minutes now if you are out of an instance it will delete that instance. However, there is literally no reason to ever go back to an instance of a zone after you have been out of it for 15 minutes unless you went afk in town or something halfway through.

Yeah, I'm sure it's plenty of time. I'll give the game another whirl at some point.
 
You can respec though. You get respec point drops as loot.

Respeccing past the 24 free regret points is pretty expensive for most players and you are better off just restarting if you completely screwed up your build to be honest.

I understand some people hate when games waste their time like this but honestly, there are plenty of games out that cater to the casual crowd and those with little time. It's nice to have a Diablo clone that rewards clawing your teeth into the game and sinking hours into and learning its mechanics. Having a great build knowing that you could have screwed it up is a very rewarding feeling, akin to Diablo 2.
 

nicoga3000

Saint Nic
Yeah, but no controller support on PC and no PS4 version yet.

And the way respec is handled is also a huge turn off when the skill tree is that big.

That's not an uncommon feeling people have, but it's worth setting aside your bias and at least giving the game a fair shake. As I said before, I hated it when it came out because of the skill tree. Don't let it "make up your mind for you" and you'll find a glorious ARPG waiting to be explored. There are SO many systems at play and SO much to do in the world.
 

Teletraan1

Banned
I have tried it a few times but could never get into it. The game always felt laggy to me. The closest server to me is a half continent away. After reading this thread I wonder if what I was experiencing was just this "slow" start people are talking about.
 

Lothars

Member
I've tried the game a few times since it was released, most recently two weeks ago or so. It doesn't quite gel with me, and I honestly don't see how this is a modern Diablo 2. Titan Quest sure, but Path of Exile doesn't give me the same vibes I got from LoD back in the day. I didn't like the character development centered around gems that give you abilities and the economy based on consumables instead of a standardized currency.

I guess it's just not for me.
yeah I just don't like the game, I've tried it multiple times and don't get how anyone can say it's up to diablo 2 standards. It's not even close

It feels like a direct continuation of Diablo 2. PoE borrowed many mechanics as well as the entire aesthetics of Diablo and turned it into a modern game. I guess D2 is the best pound for pound game in the genre ever, but PoE as a game with modern technology is obviously the way to go now. I don't see how someone who loved D2 wouldn't enjoy PoE unless their preferences have shifted entirely in past years.
my preferences haven't changed, I still think d2 is one of the best games of all time but don't think Poe is fit to even be mentioned along side it or D3. Maybe I should give it another chance with the last update. I don't know though
 

xuchu

Member

mye.gif
 

Redshirt

Banned
I love PoE and have easily spent $100+ on stash tabs alone. Totally worth it.

I love D3 too and the Blizzard polish, but the intricacies of PoE are so much more rewarding over the long-term.

PoE is not nearly as complex as it seems, and I don't mean that as a slight. Once the fundamentals sink in, you'll be navigating the passive tree like a pro.
 

Keinning

Member
my preferences haven't changed, I still think d2 is one of the best games of all time but don't think Poe is fit to even be mentioned along side it or D3.

i mean, if you think D3 lived up to the standards of D2 better than PoE i guess there's no arguing with your taste then
 
After having spent the majority of 2000 to 2010 playing Diablo 2 like it was a personal religion (every single day in 2002, as a matter of fact), and avoiding Diablo 3 because of that addiction, I started Path of Exile not expecting it to be as good as it is. I had no idea, seeing as I don't do PC games anymore, so imagine my surprise.

That being said, it's not as good as Diablo 2 in my book. I mean, don't get me wrong, PoE handily improved on Diablo's weaknesses (namely dealing with the economy and customization), but Diablo 2 has always been and will always be king, and I'm not sure anything can upset that status for me.

Still, it's now a close second place, and it's absolutely worth the time I'm sinking into it when I should be plowing through my backlog instead.
 

TGMIII

Member
yeah I just don't like the game, I've tried it multiple times and don't get how anyone can say it's up to diablo 2 standards. It's not even close

Can you actually list the mechanical reasons as to why you feel like D2 is still the better game? Preferring one over the other is absolutely fine but saying they're not close is crazy to me.
 
yeah I just don't like the game, I've tried it multiple times and don't get how anyone can say it's up to diablo 2 standards. It's not even close

Not close in what? I'm not sure if I'm getting you. PoE ain't perfect but it's the closest modern day Diablo 2 we got and frankly, expanded on D2's mechanics in a meaningful and smart way, making it the best game in the genre to date. It's also very, very fun to play.
 
Man ARPG fans have some real inferiority complex issues. You never see people who play and enjoy Diablo 3 needing to assert, off the bat, that it's so much better than PoE or TQ or D2 or whatever. We get it, you don't like Diablo 3. That's not some badge of honor.
 

danowat

Banned
I've only put about 16hrs into it on XBO, but it boggles my mind ,in more ways than one.

I can't fathom how a game this good can be free, my mind is also boggled by the shear amount of 'stuff' in the game.
 
Can you respec in the game or are you stuck with bad choices forever?

You CAN respec, you get 24 respec points for free and orbs of regret drop or can be bought, however it is not recommended you respec a full skill tree (as you will never be able to afford it) and I would recommend rerolling a new character instead of respeccing more than 24 points at once.
 

Lothars

Member
i mean, if you think D3 lived up to the standards of D2 better than PoE i guess there's no arguing with your taste then
I've tried to get into poe since the original pc beta and just haven't been able to. I've been able to go and replay d2 in the last few years and still as good as ever but I'm just not a poe fan.
 

Keinning

Member
I've tried to get into poe since the original pc beta and just haven't been able to. I've been able to go and replay d2 in the last few years and still as good as ever but I'm just not a poe fan.

Nothing wrong with that, i still think D2 is a fantastic game and better than PoE in some ways (specially setting and story)

I just don't get your comment about PoE not being able to live up D2 unlike D3. It's also okay to like D3 for what it is, but certainly not as a worthy successor of the same gameplay and style as D2 had
 

LiQuid!

I proudly and openly admit to wishing death upon the mothers of people I don't like
I tried it a couple years ago and it was just like every other Diablo clone, brainless and unchallenging. I've tried a bunch of these. All the Diablos, All the Torchlights, Marvel Heroes, older ones on consoles (like the Baldur's gate and Champions of Norrath, the old X-Men and Marvel ones). I've tried to play so many of these over the years and I just don't get it. I bounce off all of them within a few hours. You might as well be playing Cookie Clicker for as interactive as they are.
 

Keinning

Member
I tried it a couple years ago and it was just like every other Diablo clone, brainless and unchallenging. I've tried a bunch of these. All the Diablos, All the Torchlights, Marvel Heroes, older ones on consoles (like the Baldur's gate and Champions of Norrath, the old X-Men and Marvel ones). I've tried to play so many of these over the years and I just don't get it. I bounce off all of them within a few hours. You might as well be playing Cookie Clicker for as interactive as they are.

Ive heard people complaining that PoE was too complex and daunting, but "brainless" and "as interactive as a cookie clicker", now that's a first
 

Drazgul

Member
Ive heard people complaining that PoE was too complex and daunting, but "brainless" and "as interactive as a cookie clicker", now that's a first

If he drops them all within the first couple of hours, I could see that. ARPGs are always dead easy early on, but that doesn't mean things don't change later. His loss if he can't get past that, even if it's a valid criticism on the genre in general.
 

MagiusNecros

Gilgamesh Fan Annoyance
Yeah, but no controller support on PC and no PS4 version yet.

And the way respec is handled is also a huge turn off when the skill tree is that big.

Lack of controller support is what stops me from investing time into it. Other then that it's pretty good.
 

Santar

Member
I'd love to get into this but as it's a online only game it's a no go for me.
I won't invest time into something I can't own. (I know they've said servers won't go down etc etc)
If they added a offline mode, I'd be over the moon.
 

Head.spawn

Junior Member
I put a good twenty hours into the Xbox One beta and now I'm probably on the lower side of 40-ish hours into the release version on Xbox One. Very satisfying so far and it's feels almost absurd that this is actually F2P.
 

Anoregon

The flight plan I just filed with the agency list me, my men, Dr. Pavel here. But only one of you!
Man ARPG fans have some real inferiority complex issues. You never see people who play and enjoy Diablo 3 needing to assert, off the bat, that it's so much better than PoE or TQ or D2 or whatever. We get it, you don't like Diablo 3. That's not some badge of honor.

But how will people know my taste is objectively better than theirs if I don't tell them??

Is it better than Marvel Heroes?


That's not saying too much. MH was a blast during its prime a couple of years ago, but it is D-E-D dead.
 
I tried it a couple years ago and it was just like every other Diablo clone, brainless and unchallenging. I've tried a bunch of these. All the Diablos, All the Torchlights, Marvel Heroes, older ones on consoles (like the Baldur's gate and Champions of Norrath, the old X-Men and Marvel ones). I've tried to play so many of these over the years and I just don't get it. I bounce off all of them within a few hours. You might as well be playing Cookie Clicker for as interactive as they are.

I can see where you are coming from. I think i died about twice by the time i got to act 10 with my summoner. But the game got significantly harder when i started doing maps in the end-game. That's usually where the challenge in these games start.
 
Man ARPG fans have some real inferiority complex issues. You never see people who play and enjoy Diablo 3 needing to assert, off the bat, that it's so much better than PoE or TQ or D2 or whatever. We get it, you don't like Diablo 3. That's not some badge of honor.

Not saying your general sentiment is wrong but the first mention of D3 in this topic was a guy saying how Path of Exile's combat is garbage compared to that of Diablo 3. :p
 
I've played several hours of the beta and i had no idea it seemed endless, so i levelled quite a bit and i've done quite a few quests too. Now i have to do it all over again and right now i just can't bring myself to do that. I also find it becoming extremely repetitive after a while, so maybe i'm doing something wrong or perhaps it's just not my cup of tea after all. I also find that skills menu/wheel rather overwhelming and that doesn't easily happen to me.

So far i wouldn't call my experience amazing or anything. But that's just me.
 
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