When Delve makes it to core game, here are suggestions for it in new Leagues + Delve UI suggestion

Delve suggestion that will make Delving more enjoyable early on in new Leagues going forward:

Since the concept of farming Sulphite and Azurite is not going away (or so it seems, until further notice), then when Delve makes it to the core game, every player should be rewarded a flat 5,000 Azurite to start after completing Niko's Quest.

The reason I suggest the above reward of 5,000 Azurite after completing Niko's Quest is because it will be less Azurite players will have to farm in the beginning, that which will get players started and wanting to Delve sooner rather than later.

Unlike other Leagues and their mechanics from the past that allowed players to enjoy the experience early in the game, Delve's mechanics are not able to be enjoyed by players early in the game, notably due to absurd Upgrade costs, and that is why Delve received a bad first impression. Delve failed to get players engaged sooner after completing Niko's Quest.

Sure, Upgrade costs have been adjusted, yet players do not reap the benefits of those cost adjustments until late-game Mapping, and that is the problem! That is why having Niko reward players a flat 5,000 Azurite after completing his Quest will make early Delving more enjoyable.

Delve suggestions for SC, HC, and SSF in Standard only:

When the Delve League ends, ALL Delve Upgrades should transfer over to SC, HC, and SSF Standard only (for those who invested so much time into the Delve League, because that is only fair).

Furthermore, since Standard is forever fixed and does not change like when new Leagues start, players in Standard should also be given a special option granted by Niko to 'Reset Delve Map layout', whereupon clicking the option gives the message, "This option will reset your Delve Map layout. Are you sure you want to reset it? Note: This option can only be used once a week."

And when players choose to reset their Delve Map layout, a loading screen appears to reset the Delve Map, to which players can then start from the very first few Delve depths all over again.

Note: To prevent abuse of the 'Reset Delve Map layout' option, resetting one's Delve Map layout in Standard should be limited to once a week like Master dailies are limited to once a day, whereupon the 'Reset Delve Map layout' option becomes Red after 1 use in a single week.

And when players hover over the 'Reset Delve Map layout' option in Red after 1 use in a single week, it will read, "This option can only be used once a week. Days remaining until next use: 5"

Other Delve suggestions:

Implement an Option in the UI Options to 'Always display Sulphite Bar' that, when enabled, will always show the Sulphite Bar in the upper right-hand corner of the screen like when players enter the Mine Encampment.

Rework the Sulphite Bar UI so it looks less cluttery without cutting into the text in the top right corner of the screen when the Mini Map is displayed.

Here is a before and after mock-up I created:

Before (the current Sulphite Bar when hovered over with the cursor)



After (the reworked Sulphite Bar below when hovered over with the cursor)

I shortened the Sulphite Bar so it does not cut into the text in the top right corner.

The words 'Voltaxic Sulphite' should be on the same line with the Sulphite amount, not separated from each other, and the line with the Voltaxic Sulphite amount should only be visible when players hover their cursor over the Sulphite Bar, not displayed at all times like it is now (to further reduce clutter).

The Sulphite Bar I reworked below is split into 5 parts along the Bar whereas the old Sulphite Bar is split into 8 parts along the Bar. Therefore, the algorithm in the game code will need to be adjusted for when the Sulphite Bar fills up.

For example, two-fifths of 10,000 Sulphite = 4,000 Sulphite (as shown in the reworked Sulphite Bar below) whereas two-eighths of 10,000 Sulphite = 2,500 Sulphite (as shown in the current Sulphite Bar above).




Thank you for looking into this. This will only make things better for Delve long-term.
HeavyMetalGear

Suggestion to transfer any progress into a new league: Nope, as it would be too unfair to people who just discovered PoE. They might be put off by the fact that they start off at a disadvantage like that.
Leagues are a fresh start, even if you are heartily sick and tired of levelling masters, doing the story, gathering sulphite/azurite, etc...

Transfer to permanent leagues: Oh yes, in these leagues progress is not lost, so you should get to keep your upgrades and azurite/sulphite. Though I think a single optional mine reset is fine, just like the current single optional skill tree reset.

Azurite bar: Yeah, I've also wanted that occasionally. But not often, so it would need to be optional to avoid screen clutter. Probably not worth the effort as you can just talk to Niko to see your current tank level.

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SisterBlister wrote:

Suggestion to transfer any progress into a new league: Nope, as it would be too unfair to people who just discovered PoE. They might be put off by the fact that they start off at a disadvantage like that.
Leagues are a fresh start, even if you are heartily sick and tired of levelling masters, doing the story, gathering sulphite/azurite, etc...

Transfer to permanent leagues: Oh yes, in these leagues progress is not lost, so you should get to keep your upgrades and azurite/sulphite. Though I think a single optional mine reset is fine, just like the current single optional skill tree reset.

Azurite bar: Yeah, I've also wanted that occasionally. But not often, so it would need to be optional to avoid screen clutter. Probably not worth the effort as you can just talk to Niko to see your current tank level.

Edit: I purged that suggestion from the OP.

Then every player, new and seasoned, should be given a flat 7,500 Azurite amount to spend on whatever Upgrade(s) they want after completing Niko's Quest to get players started and wanting to Delve.

And as far the Sulphite Bar goes, it will not hurt at all to implement an Option to turn On/Off the display of the Sulphite Bar for convenience purposes.

I also updated my OP that includes a mock-up image that will make the Sulphite Bar look less cluttery without cutting into the text in the top right corner of the screen when the Mini Map is displayed.

i feel like there is no hope. lets just prepare to be dissapointed on how they implement delve to core game and how they merge it to standard after 3.4 finishes.

Thats my advice

A flat reward at the beginning would be a very bad idea. Simply because the right set of upgrades would trivialize the delve darkness mechanic (jus tpush resists and light-radius and delves are A-OK). Instead, just decrease the initial cost so that one does not feel as ressource-limited.

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UlfgardLeo wrote:

A flat reward at the beginning would be a very bad idea. Simply because the right set of upgrades would trivialize the delve darkness mechanic (jus tpush resists and light-radius and delves are A-OK). Instead, just decrease the initial cost so that one does not feel as resource-limited.

Except the idea I propose for alleviating Upgrade costs alleviates Upgrades costs in reverse through a flat Azurite reward given by Niko instead vs. having GGG reduce Upgrade costs in the background players cannot visually see. In other words, my idea is more visual, and as a result, more rewarding; your idea of having Azurite costs reduced in the background is not so visual and not so rewarding.

Therefore, if 7,500 Azurite rewarded after completing Niko's Quest is too much, then 5,000 Azurite can be rewarded instead, yet even with a flat reward of 7,500 Azurite after completing Niko's Quest to get players started, that is still a mere drop in the bucket compared to the Azurite costs going forward after players spend their first 7,500 (or 5,000) Azurite.

With that being said in mind, assuming a player invests their first 7,500 all into Light Radius and nothing else, that would give them +270% Light Radius (at the cost of 6842 Azurite). And at 5,000 Azurite, that would give them +210% Light Radius (at the cost of 3958 Azurite).

However, excluding Flare and Dynamite Upgrades, you and I both know the more realistic thing players will do with their first 7,500 (or 5,000) Azurite is either split their investment 50/50 between Light Radius and Darkness Resistance, or invest 65% of that Azurite into Sulphite Capacity so they can Delve longer, and the remaining 35% of that Azurite into Light Radius or Darkness Resistance (Darkness Resistance being the least important for players who just want to follow the Cart and not risk death from the darkness).

With those two percentage values of 65% and 35% regarding the most likely investment players would make with 7,500 Azurite between Sulphite Capacity and Light Radius, the remaining 35% of 7,500 Azurite totals 2,625 Azurite, which would get them +150% Light Radius (at the cost of 1,722 Azurite).

Now, if a player were to split that remaining 2,625 Azurite between Darkness Resistance and Light Radius instead, it would equal 1312 Azurite (rounded off), that which would get players +120% Light Radius (at the cost of 1034 Azurite), and +90% Darkness Resistance (at the cost of 813 Azurite), which is only good for roughly the first 70 Depths, if that.

The above broken down math assumes Niko rewards players 7,500 Azurite.

Now, if Niko were to only reward players 5,000 Azurite (which is -33.332% taken from 7,500, to be exact), the Darkness Resistance and Light Radius values shown in the above broken down math would be much less than +120% Light Radius and +90% Darkness Resistance, and even lower if players do invest 5-10% of that 5,000 Azurite into Flare and Dynamite Upgrades as well.

Source: https://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Delve (for Azurite costs)

P.S. With what I argue in mind against rewarding players 7,500 Azurite being bad after completing Niko's Quest (as you pointed out), I edited my OP to suggest 5,000 Azurite be rewarded instead, which I believe is a fairer, better rounded off, and more realistic amount.