Finally a level 8 Master(solo/sf)

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Strimlaren wrote:

Ahh stalker, best game ever :) That do sound like a good plan, may i ask what mods you use? Ever tried Lost alpha?

This time i was using Hal's Traders Overhauled(master edition?)+Complete 2009, just to get nice graphics and easier playtrough, last tiem i checked Lost Alpha, it was unstable as hell (haven't tried it with my current setup, maybe next year)... this game is still the shit, i don't know why but it still amazes me, i really hope that some day there will be stalker 2, i mean the real single-player not some online-multi shit.

Elreon just dinged 8 too.

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HikaruYami wrote:

I share that playstyle preference. I like freedom. I run all of my maps by myself. I never join "public" parties for reasons other than trading. I don't even have friends that play this game, so I never run their maps, either.

Pretty much seeing eye to eye here.

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HikaruYami wrote:

But people that refuse to join global 820 and talk (even those who don't complain, just talk) about how slow master leveling is make far less sense to me than even people that insist on being 100% self-found. Global 820 just plain makes sense. Join parties, get Master exp. Your resources (aka maps) are not being wasted on anyone else in doing so. There is no risk involved, aside from the tiny risk of time wasted when some moron fails a vorici mission for the whole party. You are not obliged to share your own master dailies (I only joined parties offering free level 8 missions, and that was more than enough). It's just literally free Master exp. Saying no to that feels like you're playing a completely different game than I am.

I agree that there is practically no risk involved, and that if viewed from a purely resource-driven standpoint, there is absolutely no sense in dipping into this free and available resource. Personally I just prefer not to party up with strangers other than for trade, and that's all there is to it; I really will not be able to come up with an explanation that will make sense using risk/reward ratios.

I play POE as a predominantly single-player ARPG, and trade strictly as a means to acquire core build-enabling uniques (I don't really care about my Masters leveling rate being slower than in parties either.) Perhaps this perspective might help you understand a bit on the psychology that goes on in our minds when we do not partake in the 820 supper table? (:

-- EDIT with emphasis on bolded part: Actually, now that I pondered your statement, it seems like your description might be correct -- we may indeed be playing a completely different game, in our minds.