Unpopular opinion: GGG should put their foot down regarding "QoL" and convenience (e.g. loot filter)

Addendum (5-7-15):

I should clarify that I'm not trying to lump all QoL features together. There are a ton of things GGG has added post-launch that definitely make the game more enjoyable to play. A recent QoL feature I liked is the stash search function, and another one I'm looking forward to is the "/dnd" command for chat. Make no mistake, there can be sensible QoL features and I support those.

The only purpose of this post is to remind GGG that all QoL are not created equal. Some are more "dangerous" than others and GGG should be mindful of how much (or little) each feature can affect gameplay. For me, the loot filter is toeing the line way too closely, as it's basically the final nail in the coffin of destroying "loot tension", of removing the manual skill needed to visually sift through loot, of knowing exactly what bases to pick up that only an experienced player would know.

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Preface:

Maybe it's just the nostalgia of growing up on older generation games, but back then, games made no compromises. And I kind of liked it that way. A game was released. It was perhaps unrelenting in its difficulty. Players played it, they either loved it or they didn't, and that was that. A game was solidified as soon as it hit the store shelves. We remember certain games because of their design quirks, because of the odd glitch here and there. The developers showcased a distinct design philosophy, and rarely wavered.

Now, Path of Exile is a completely different breed, as are a lot of games nowadays. The defining factor of PoE is the people behind it -- the developers. GGG listens to its customers. A lot. I think anyone here can agree about that aspect of PoE's massive appeal. Sometimes, it's as if the players are a crucial part of the conversation in the game-design process, quite literally (e.g. supporter uniques, Divination Cards, etc). Players can now leave a mark in the game that can be felt by all who play it. It's revolutionary in nature, but also means that the players themselves have an indirect, yet impactful influence on the difficulty of the game.

Main:

And that's what worries me. Perhaps GGG is having too much of a conversation -- lopsided in favor of the playerbase. The overwhelming voice from the playerbase (in any game) will always be to make the game easier, to make the game more "convenient". There's no surprise there. Rarely will the playerbase ask for harder content. That is where the developers need to come in. To put their foot down and say enough is enough. The game's difficulty will not be compromised for the sake of player satisfaction.

In particular, I feel the recent loot filter is a scary step in the "more convenience is better!" mentality. The loot filter is disguised as a "quality of life" feature, to supposedly make it more convenient for people while farming. But at a certain point, isn't "convenience" synonymous with ease of content?

After all, a large part of an ARPG is about the collection of loot. To spot that one glimmering piece of diamond nestled in a mound of coal, to spot that flake of gold in a pan of silt, to find that one special guy/gal in a sea of mismatched dating candidates. If a Mirror of Kalandra drops, and Player-A notices, while Player-B doesn't, shouldn't Player-A justifiably reap the rewards of being able to visually identify the Mirror of Kalandra? When you relegate those seemingly tedious actions to a bot or a script, the treasure-hunting aspect becomes less fun, less rewarding. When I play in parties, I'm always the one who is able to collect the most Chromatic recipes per map. That is a skill I've developed, to snatch a linked tri-color item from a pool of other items before anyone else can notice it. And I'm proud of that aspect of my playstyle.

One glaring example of what too much convenience can do to a game is Diablo 3's [former] Auction House. This is an entirely self-contained topic that warrants its own thread, but one could easily argue that an Auction House (where item exchange is automatic) would be a "quality of life" feature. So if a loot filter is implemented for the sake of convenience, why not implement an Auction House too, in the name of convenience?

As you're aware by now, giving into demands of QoL features starts to become a slippery slope of compromises. If the developers start giving an inch, people will ask for two inches, which then turns into 20 inches, and soon the developers have given a mile without realizing what happened. This goes back to what I mentioned earlier: developers should have a solid vision of what they will allow, and what they will not. The Development Manifesto should be as much for the players as it is for the developers to reflect on their own core philosophies.

If after careful review, GGG still believes the loot filter is part of their vision, then I have nothing to say. PoE is, after all, GGG's baby.

TL;DR:

Too much convenience, via certain (not all) QoL features, turns a game into a borefest. Developers should draw a line in the sand, and take a stand against player demands of making the game more convenient.

Using the slippery slope fallacy is not going to give you many supporters.

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NeroNoah wrote:

Using the slippery slope fallacy is not going to give you many supporters.

One example I forgot to mention was the loot allocation, which demonstrably highlights my concern. In Open Beta, there was short allocation, then now we have permanent allocation. Caving into demands for convenience is in fact a very slippery slope. It's not a fallacy at all.

The people playing with the Loot filter are in for a big surprise... all those colors and borders and sounds aren't going to make the game better. Their brain already has developed it's own filter and when you change all those colors you're going to piss it off.

It's kind of like the QWERTY keyboard. It was originally designed to slow down typists. But people adapted to it and changing it would only piss them off. People have tried. Here... try this more "logical" keyboard. No! Fuck you! Give me my QWERTY back! Same thing is going to happen with the filters.

Dude, even Diablo 2 got a bunch of patches, and those were all great.

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Shagsbeard wrote:

The people playing with the Loot filter are in for a big surprise... all those colors and borders and sounds aren't going to make the game better. Their brain already has developed it's own filter and when you change all those colors you're going to piss it off.

It's kind of like the QWERTY keyboard. It was originally designed to slow down typists. But people adapted to it and changing it would only piss them off. People have tried. Here... try this more "logical" keyboard. No! Fuck you! Give me my QWERTY back! Same thing is going to happen with the filters.

Do you have beta access? I adjusted to the loot filter right away, and it works waaay better than my brain was working before the filter existed.

Simply being able to turn off white item drops will be so much easier on the eyes.

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rrtson wrote:

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NeroNoah wrote:

Using the slippery slope fallacy is not going to give you many supporters.

One example I forgot to mention was the loot allocation, which demonstrably highlights my concern. In Open Beta, there was short allocation, then now we have permanent allocation. Caving into demands for convenience is in fact a very slippery slope. It's not a fallacy at all.

"GGG has done what community has asked before! So they will do it against their better judgement!"

It's a fallacy. GGG has its standards. They can change opinions with time, but not without players giving reasons. What's next? Auction House?

I don't really disagree with you but it's an almost impossible sell these days to tell people something they don't want to do is a skill they need to develop. There are too many options out there and you really have to pick your battles when it comes to giving in to the masses vs staying true to your vision.
A game can only be so "hardcore" these days and succeed long term if it has to fund itself.

There is definitely a line you must not cross. GGG is still making the game fun.