Didn't Chris say that they wouldn't introduce new higher tier item mods?

All I know, is that GGG have been hesitant to add higher tier mods, to not devalue the existing items. I KNOW Chris (or other devs) said something about it some years ago, but all I have to show is this quote from mmorpg.com. But did they PROMISE? No, I don't think so.

"All of this supports Grinding Gears' attitude toward item additions. Wilson emphasized during our meeting that it's important to the development team not to just dump a slew of new items into the game, thus devaluing players' hard-won items."

Link: http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/747/feature/8268/Sacrifice-of-the-Vaal-Expansion-Preview.html

But I can't really see how the game could've moved forward in the long run, adding new content, harder content and so on, without adding new/higher tiers.

you don't need new tiers to devalue items. Item are constantly devalued by economic changes, balance updates, new FOTM builds, new uniques build enablers and so on. So the 3 % more damage from new tiers cannot seriously be a complain, people are mad for nothing.

You want a simple example ? When acuity has been introduced, all mirrored gloves has been trashed.

lol at all the freebie requests

While I completely agree with OP about breaking a promise, placing Atziri/Uber Atziri as top tier content is pathetic. No mob should require you clicking all 5 pots simultaneously in hopes of getting 102% fire resist/other type of damage immunities, otherwise 1-shotting you. To hell with this mechanic, to hell with Vaal Oversoul's and Dominus' 1-shot abilities. Its anti-fun, there really is nothing skillful in watching those fire circles on the ground while Atziri is literally spamming them, either leaving you with 100-1000hp or instakilling the character. I've seen a dozen videos with so-called "walkthroughs" (oh, COME ON), where 90% of the times people either restacked pots or died at least once. Also, her reflect is also antifun and demands yet ANOTHER flask!!! I mean seriously, GGG? Same goes for Abaxoth.

I'm a diehard D2/similar arpg's fan, but you cant make it all about the flasks and instakills. I don't want to feel a constant Belial-like (diablo 3) threat while playing. 75% fire resist MUST mean a cap of 15-25% damage per ring, and not otherwise; while 95% fire resi MUST deal 5-15% damage (just an example).

I'm all for introducing new mods/runes/sticks/funny mechanics, but against upping the existing ones. It will just keep the one-shot mechanic in the game, and keep the psychotic gamblers who love to have their dose ("OH HEY I DID IT BECAUSE OUT OF 100% I WAS IN THE 0.5% LUCKERS WHO DIDN'T DIE ONCE; OH AND I ALSO HAD BiS ITEMS! QUITE FUNNEY, EH? KEK *sniffs*") under their noses 99% of the time. You are not a "top tier/skill/shmill" player if you are lucky, you are just that - lucky.

lol breaking what promise, not everything one says is a promise, and nothing a game developer says is ever meant as a promise

AHTA - ANTI-HIGHER-TIERS-ASSOCIATED

Honestly, the idea of perfect items is stupid. It makes some players more likely to lobby against change, or to adopt a rent seeking behavior.

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FadeXF wrote:

With all due respect - and I get that things change - but I have watched videos with Chris describing how GGG didn't want to wreck players hard work by with every expac released. He's said it a few times - like at least 2 or 3 times in video/interview tours he's done. (Chris was alluding it almost as a barb aimed at MMOs and how every xpac that's released invalidates everyone's efforts leading up to that xpac.)

Chris saying they didn't want to and Chris saying they would never do it are two completely different statements. I don't want to go to the dentist but saying that doesn't constitute a promise that I would never do it.

And this is the 3rd expac release. Which means they are indeed not wrecking player's hard work with every expac. Every 3rd expac or every 2 years doesn't sound so bad.