Secret Leaked Transcript of Jay Wilson Consultant Interview

Just wanted to post this up. I guess when GGG was coming up with ideas for Awakening they really liked what Jay Wilson did with Diablo 3 so they reached out to him for help. I have the audio too if anyone is interested but I figured I'd type out the transcript for better analysis.



Chris Wilson: Jay, thank you so much for coming. We love what you did with Diablo 3 - the instaripping, the complete lack of fun late in the game, the tedious inability to progress, everything!

Jay Wilson: Yes well, I am something of a genius. It's too bad that Diablo 3's fanbase didn't understand what true gameplay was. [Removed by Support]

Chris Wilson: Exactly, that's why we invited you here today. We don't like the direction Path of Exile is going. It's too fast, too engaging....it's just too fun.

Jay Wilson: I've played your game extensively and I do have a few recommendations.

Chris Wilson: (Inaudible)

Jay Wilson: So first of all, take your physical damage done by every monster in the game and double it. Don't think; just double it. This ensures remarkably inconsistent gameplay in which players faceroll 90% of the content and then instantly die for no discernible reason.

I also think that the balance is off. A lot of people like to play casters so nerf them. Nerf them into the ground so it's not even a viable class anymore. Eldritch battery? Nerf it until it's useless. I mean truly useless. Arctic Armour? Nerf it until it's useless. Mind over Matter? Move it to a more accessible location as a newb trap, so stupid players think it's good because they don't realize that it's useless without eldritch battery. Then let them waste 20 points trying to get enough mana, only to realize that most of it has to be reserved for auras.

Oh that reminds me, auras? Way too many. They encourage build diversity so nerf them so players can only run one or two at a time, unless they can find this insanely rare unique armor that enables low life builds.

Which reminds me of something else, all those armors that people use? Nerf them. Make them excessively rare so only dupers and botters can get them. And then nerf them some more. Like lightning coil? People like using that armor so nerf it.

But I digress, getting back to casters and how people enjoy them, next you need to start nerfing the skills. Nerf all those fun skills that people love like lightning tendrils and flameblast. Pretty much if there's anything viable for casters, nerf it. Except for totems and summoners. If people want to play a caster then force them into these specific niche builds, because they're not very fun.

Chris Wilson: Wow, I love these ideas so far. This is really going to slow down the game play a lot. What else can we do?

Jay Wilson: You need to think big with expansions, so don't just worry about what you can do to casters. Let's talk sweeping changes here. As a general principle, any skill which is good or balanced needs to be made bad and unbalanced. There's that one skill, what is it called? With the chaos damage over time

Chris Wilson: Blood Rage?

Jay Wilson: Yes, Blood Rage. Nerf it. You really don't want people using that because it seems like it might be fun so nerf it into the ground. There are some other skills too that really need to be nerfed so that no one uses them, but I think the important part you need to focus on is funneling people into a select few builds which are the only viable path at higher levels. I mean, this is Path of Exile right? Not Paths of Exile? You don't want your players enjoying diverse builds because it goes against the lore.

Chris Wilson: Genius. Mark, write that quote down. Make Voll say that when you first see him. What else?

Mark: [Inaudible]


Jay Wilson: Well, we noticed that your players enjoy running high level maps, so make them impossible to find. Force players to run the same low level content over and over again. It would be really great to see level 90 characters forced to run level 72 and 73 maps over and over again, especially when they spend tons of currency to roll difficult mods on those maps and then RIP to one shot mechanics. This is really going to help to slow down the gameplay.

Chris Wilson: [Inaudible] act 4?

Jay Wilson: Graphically, act 4 is okay. We would like to see you add more cartoonish voices and a simpler plot line. I actually brought some of my Power Rangers DVDs so you can get some inspiration for the plot. As far as the gameplay goes, take the damage that all the bosses do and double it. Then take their attacks and double the frequency. Then take their AOE and double that too. Then take the area that players fight in and halve it - no actually, quarter it. This is going to really force players to use skill and tactical decision making. As I said in our phone conversation too, I'd really like to see a rage counter.

Chris Wilson: [Inaudible]

Jay Wilson: Right, exactly right. I understand you're concerned about losing your game's identity, but rage counters are just so hot right now. Life leech was another issue that I saw. It allows players to run bosses too easily so nerf life leech too.

Chris Wilson: Yes, it is way too fun and effective, you're right. Well Jay, thank you so much. We clearly have a lot of work to do but we'll be in touch!

Jay Wilson: Good luck. I think the important overarching principles are not to listen to your playerbase. No matter how much they bitch or complain, don't listen to them. [Removed by Support] In fact, to troll your playerbase you should run an invite only beta where loyal fans can play-test your changes for you. Then completely ignore everything and anything they say because they obviously [Removed by Support] don't understand your genius.

Just remember, completely rework most key aspects of your game in a seemingly arbitrary and poorly planned way and just pray that somehow everything balances out. From my extensive experience, that's the best way to do it.

This thread is priceless
+1

lmao.

Funnier when you read this post out loud and do all the voices in separate voices.

I've never heard Jay's voice...but I always assume it is something in between George Costanza (Seinfeld) and Newman (also Seinfeld). haha!

+1 Except for you implying summoners didn't get fucked (again) as well.

I died laughing...then got sad at the truth this thread speaks.

This is the thread to win them all, I'm just gonna stop bothering answering anything, this sums it up xD

"

LizRosales wrote:

Chris Wilson: Yes, it is way too fun and effective, you're right. Well Jay, thank you so much. We clearly have a lot of work to do but we'll be in touch!

Love it! Good job

"

Forum_scanner wrote:

"

LizRosales wrote:

Chris Wilson: Yes, it is way too fun and effective, you're right. Well Jay, thank you so much. We clearly have a lot of work to do but we'll be in touch!

Love it! Good job

I was playing my 60th level 73 map when I randomly RIP'd to a pack of magic devourers and lost most of the XP I had farmed when I started this dialogue in my head as a means of explaining the decisions they made for awakening.

+1

+1
Have to admit that it was surprisingly funny ... sadly most of those points are actual problems of PoE since the awakening released :/ and at this point i honestly don't know what to expect from GGG anymore .

Let's hope for the best...