Is the new Solo Self Found option setup to fail?

I am concerned that this implementation of a self found option is being setup to fail, and thereby the concept of "self found" will be relegated to the annals of "tried it, didn't work, won't try again" by GGG.

I have three major concerns:

1. It forces you to play solo. Why not implement a party-based self-found option? People who like self found play also like to play in parties, the two are not conceptually mutually exclusive.

2. There is no change in any drop rates - not even orbs of regret. As Chris points out, PoE is designed around being able to trade, so it is ostensibly not designed around self found play. Why not at least make orbs of regret much cheaper to buy from vendors so that, on the odd chance you do find a build enabling unique, the opportunity cost of respeccing is lower?

3. There is no ladder or way of comparing progress to others. Just because you like self found doesn't mean you don't like competition. Again, the two (competitive spirit and self found preference) are not mutually exclusive.

These points, which *could* have been addressed by GGG in an optional self found league/tag/ladder, have not been addressed. As a result, I believe this optional Solo Self Found tag will be a miserable failure, causing GGG to throw away the concept for at least another...4 years.

P.

I don't like ANY of those ideas. GGG got it right already.

Pretty sure there will be a SF ladder.

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Mr_Bill wrote:

I don't like ANY of those ideas. GGG got it right already.

I get that you might not like slightly easier access to regrets, that's a personal preference.

How can you "dislike" being able to play in parties (you're not forced to) or why the aversion to a ladder (as already exists on SC and HC)?

P.

... no?

it'll do exactly whats already being done, but give players proof that they actually did it.
It literally doesn't have to do anything other then that.

It's a feature of convenience that can be turned off whenever you like.

implicating that its set up to fail would pretty much say people are not playing SSF already, but they are.

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mrpetrov wrote:

Is the new Solo Self Found option setup to fail?

No.

I'm not going to be a condescending ass. I respect all players, and all wishes. I understand that some self-found players want higher drop rates. EVERYONE knows that playing self-found will NEVER be easier (read; more efficient) than trading (ok, a little bit condescending), no matter what they do about drop rates. Traders seem to forget this, at least some of them. Some sees SSF with increased drop rates as "easy mode", while some see trading as easy mode. They're both right, in their own way.

But the problem IS in fact the players. There are 237235 (yes, exactly 237235) different ways of playing this game. There cannot be an in game mechanic for all 237235. It's impossible. Some want solo play with trade, some want party play without trade and I could go on for hours. It's impossible to offer a ladder for each one.

So what do we do? We generalize. We trust in the wording. Solo. Self. Found. And we offer a ladder to those who wants to compare their efforts against like-minded players. We offer it as a choice, where you can opt out any minute. This way, no one can be against it, as it don't "hurt" anyone, don't affect anyone else and don't offer anything that isn't a self-imposed handicap.

1. Party play is the opposite of self-found. I could tag along and do nothing while my party members kill everything and drop me my loot.

2. Agree. We could use more and better balanced recipes.

3. As of the manifesto post, SSF will be a seperate league and thus have its own ladder.

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Phrazz wrote:

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mrpetrov wrote:

Is the new Solo Self Found option setup to fail?

No.

Hi Phrazz, thanks for replying. I guess it all comes down to the definition of success or failure.

I agree there are people out there playing SSF already. However, my guess is that it's a very small % of the PoE population already playing strictly SSF. Hence, the current implementation probably won't budge the number of SSF players by much (see points 1, 2 and (maybe or maybe not) 3 in the OP).

My thesis is that GGG could garner a lot larger support base for an optional self found tag/league if they simply allowed party play and made regrets easier to come by (not necessarily a wide ranging drop rate boost). I guess therefore that GGG aren't really looking to *promote* self found play, just to cater to the existing, limited, SSF players - which is fine of course, but they could do so much more.

P.

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Xavderion wrote:

1. Party play is the opposite of self-found. I could tag along and do nothing while my party members kill everything and drop me my loot.

2. Agree. We could use more and better balanced recipes.

3. As of the manifesto post, SSF will be a seperate league and thus have its own ladder.

1. Don't agree. Just because you "could" tag along, doesn't make self found and solo play mutually exclusive. I can only speak for myself, but I'd be more inclined to play self-found if I could still do it while having fun partying with my mates.

2. Glad we aggree!

3. Hope so too.

P.

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mrpetrov wrote:

Hi Phrazz, thanks for replying. I guess it all comes down to the definition of success or failure.

I agree there are people out there playing SSF already. However, my guess is that it's a very small % of the PoE population already playing strictly SSF. Hence, the current implementation probably won't budge the number of SSF players by much (see points 1, 2 and (maybe or maybe not) 3 in the OP).

My thesis is that GGG could garner a lot larger support base for an optional self found tag/league if they simply allowed party play and made regrets easier to come by (not necessarily a wide ranging drop rate boost). I guess therefore that GGG aren't really looking to *promote* self found play, just to cater to the existing, limited, SSF players - which is fine of course, but they could do so much more.

P.

That's pretty much nailing it. This is not meant to promote it and it's pretty clear that GGG has no interest in doing so based on their comments and decisions (previous and current). This is just throwing a bone to the people who already want to play in this manner. Nothing more.

I always play self found 1st when new league started, just curious to see how far I could go without trading from players, and it turns out quite rewarding!