Development Manifesto: Harvest Crafting

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bgdmm wrote:

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brucemars858 wrote:

Harvest is the first time we have actual CRAFTING in Path of Exile, not glorified gamble.

The problem here is that Harvest crafting allows you to create the absolute BiS for every item type (with a few truly unique but exceedingly rare exceptions, like HH or Mageblood).

And that renders everything else completely obsolete.

And then you have a lot of people running with maxxed-out A+++ god-tier equipment clearing and curbstomping every content in seconds.

So, what would then happen is, since the whole content would be rendered trivial, GGG would have to up the monster damage, life and other properties to match those god-tier items.

Which, in turn, would literally force everyone to obtain those BiS A+++ items, because, otherwise, they would not be able to enjoy any content since they would not be able to kill it once it's buffed to match god-tier items.

And then, even those almost-BiS dropped items that have survived the first "everything but Harvest god-tier BiS is laughable and obsolete" would become truly obsolete.

So, how do you solve that?

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Firnblut wrote:

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bgdmm wrote:

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brucemars858 wrote:

Harvest is the first time we have actual CRAFTING in Path of Exile, not glorified gamble.

The problem here is that Harvest crafting allows you to create the absolute BiS for every item type (with a few truly unique but exceedingly rare exceptions, like HH or Mageblood).

And that renders everything else completely obsolete.

And then you have a lot of people running with maxxed-out A+++ god-tier equipment clearing and curbstomping every content in seconds.

So, what would then happen is, since the whole content would be rendered trivial, GGG would have to up the monster damage, life and other properties to match those god-tier items.

Which, in turn, would literally force everyone to obtain those BiS A+++ items, because, otherwise, they would not be able to enjoy any content since they would not be able to kill it once it's buffed to match god-tier items.

And then, even those almost-BiS dropped items that have survived the first "everything but Harvest god-tier BiS is laughable and obsolete" would become truly obsolete.

So, how do you solve that?

Make harvest roll only the lowest X tiers of a given affix. Just have harvest not add T1 %phys for example, but only T3. Now you have enabled players to craft good gear but you can still find better gear or craft it using regular crafting currency. Or limit the amount of harvest crafted affixed on an item.

On another note: People in trade already have deterministic crafting - it‘s called trade. You invest a specific amount of currency and get a specific items with stats that you know what they are goin to be, before you invest your currency. And unless you are playing at the top 1%, availability is rarely an issue.
Now guess how most players get the items for their builds: trading, which is basically deterministic crafting with league state dependent, semi random availability. Which brings up the same problem as you were pointing out. The game is ballanced around trading, which forces people to trade.
I don‘t see why another deterministic crafting mode would be that bad - but I totally agree with you:
Top tier items should not be available via deterministic crafting. There should be a limit for what can be crafted using a system like harvest, so drops and slams can still be exciting. Likewise top tier items should not be tradeable.

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Chase uniques are cool and all, but anyone remember crafting?

:(