I think a GGG response on Vaal Oversoul is due.

"

johnKeys wrote:

GGG should finally buckle-up, and go in for the root of the problem.

I don't get how people can think that they don't want to do it .... rather than it's a freaking very complicated issue that will never be 100% solved.

:/

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rrtson wrote:

"

Nightmare90 wrote:

Could you get Chris to update the manifesto on action synchronisation then?

People are mainly getting depressed and overly aggressive over this issue because they don't read about this aimed improvements in the patch notes. I for one must have missed them and I read every patch note since release and a bit beta. Summarizing some of them into the manifesto would let people have an idea on how you guys approach the problem.

It's because GGG hasn't done a damn thing to improve desync. They tell us that they're "constantly working to improve desync", and parts of the playerbase eat it up like it's gospel, when in reality, GGG hasn't done jack shit. They just delay the fuck out of everything related to fixing desync. Certain people will claim desync has improved, except it's most likely attributed to the placebo effect and wishful thinking.

All the proof I need to conclude that desync is just as bad now as it was during Open Beta is watching videos such as the one by Anuhart. There are countless other desync death videos that I'm currently compiling, and will soon be making a dedicated YouTube channel to "showcasing" PoE desync deaths.

Except you were proven wrong by several guys you would probably not consider fanboy and draw your evident videos from them. I would be far more impressed if you were able to compile your huge showcase with your own videos but I guess we both know why this does not happen and why you need to rely on other people at all to make up your mind on the desync situation.

Your reasoning can be spun around 180° and would sound exactly the same. Silly and mad. Good luck on your effort but your polarizing negative showcase won't carry that far. People will draw the same conclusion thousand of other people drew before them. "The game got it's flaws but it's free and the best ARPG by now."

The real huge issue is that the game starts slow and is a pain for every newcomer.
Doesn't mean that the engine guy can't work on desync while others work on content, I agree.

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Nightmare90 wrote:

The real huge issue is that the game starts slow and is a pain for every newcomer.

This was actually what I saw as one of PoE's huge assets. It makes for so much more character progression.
I was kinda sad when they began tweaking here in the attempt at addressing retention.

"

TheAnuhart wrote:

"

Nightmare90 wrote:

The real huge issue is that the game starts slow and is a pain for every newcomer.

This was actually what I saw as one of PoE's huge assets. It makes for so much more character progression.
I was kinda sad when they began tweaking here in the attempt at addressing retention.

I really believe that one can make a game more accessible without making it bad for the initial hardcore audience. However that is a topic warranting an own thread, don't we agree? :P

"

Nightmare90 wrote:

The real huge issue is that the game starts slow and is a pain for every newcomer.

It's a huge pain in the ass, for a AoE-centered game, when you play as a melee in the beginning. Which is one of the main reasons why I say: fuck the rerolling.

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TheAnuhart wrote:

"

Nightmare90 wrote:

The real huge issue is that the game starts slow and is a pain for every newcomer.

This was actually what I saw as one of PoE's huge assets. It makes for so much more character progression.
I was kinda sad when they began tweaking here in the attempt at addressing retention.

I agree with that.
The player starts with an exile that is not skilled at fighting yet, it has to be somewhat slow, the character has to learn the way.
Screw all those modern games where people can get 42543213 bonuses from the very start and have it very easy at the beginning.
And it's not about being hardcore or not, it's about wanting a game for assisted players or not.
This is the unforgiving continent of Wraeclast, it should not be anything like assisted for the player, it's quite fine atm for that imho.

This is getting off-topic, I just wanted to add that, for more, that should definitely be in another thread though.

@john I will agree with the fire golem only not sure what about them makes them different enough to cause the issue.

But I devourers do not auto hit anymore, and the regular golem aren't as bad. Now that I think about it, packs of monkey's aren't as bad as they used to be either. In CB, they were one of the most apparent. Before golems were introduced anyways.

Evidently we are noticing the improvements that Mark mentions here, relating to skill use, particularly by monsters. Golems probably being the best example.

I suppose we could categorise sync issues in 3 categories.

Skills (monster and player)
Monster AI
Terrain
Prediction and correction.

So while we have seen at least some improvements in the first category, the other 3 are what I think John is referring to. And I must agree, I'm struggling too see any improvements.

The issue with Vaal in the OP, I'm not entirely sure if that would fit in the first, second or fourth category, or all 3, or for that mater.. whether I'm talking out of my bum hole.

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Mark_GGG wrote:

If you mean me personally, then not a lot because global changes that affect desync aren't my job for the most part. I've caught a couple of things that are global within the skill system that have improved desync relating to skill use, particularly by monsters.
If yby "you" you mean GGG as a whole, then quite a lot over the time frame you seem to be discussing, although I don't know all the details of such because I'm only tangentially related to most of those changes at best.

There are improvements approached in Terrain related prediction as seen in some flavor elements in Fellshrine Ruins where you can simply walk through although it looks shitty. I imagine they could optimize other zones also in that manner, making the environmental art less intrusive to the actual gameplay experience but zones like churches or other door-madness screw other this.

The suggestion thread I linked kinda want to approach a different angle without dumping down area design into giant rooms with rarely an obstacle, where you really only desync anymore due to abrupt movement speed adjustments. But I really don't know if that suggestion is practical at all.

The suggestion floating around here some time ago where all movements skills are simply allowed to ignore flavor obstacles would kinda improve things a bit. However the style of some of those obstacles would need to be adjusted, I guess. Also it could fuck up Monster AI prediction furthermore, making them follow you throw obstacles they can't pass without movement skills. All aside not helping the door situation at all.

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Mark_GGG wrote:

[*]This is an interesting case where monster speed helps alleviate the desync rather than worsening it - the slower he is in attacking the longer the window this can occur in, and the slower he moves the worse the sync issue will be when it happens.[/*]

Just to check, but are you sure about this? While I understand you said only 'help alleviate' not remove; I personally never saw any change for the better if ever I did hasted and stacked hasted.

Oh and http://www.twitch.tv/mcm375/c/4517503 Uber-turbo hasted.