feeling frustrated

I realize this isn't exactly new ground, but I'm just. Feeling incredibly frustrated by the state of the game. I'm planning to take a break and play other things, and I try not to dwell too much on it since at the end of the day this is a game, for fun, and there are bigger issues in the world.

I care about this game, though. I've been playing it for about 6 years now, and it's brought me hundreds and hundreds of hours of enjoyment and distraction and stimulation for my brain, and I want to see it succeed. I can't imagine anyone will read this, much less anyone at GGG, but I feel the need to speak my mind.

Re the end of the first lil paragraph, this is a game, and games are meant to be played for fun. For enjoyment, the thrill, for the challenge, for any of those things. In order to be enjoyable though, a game has to be engaging. Any level of challenge is acceptable as long as there's something on the other side of it, and as long as the other side of the challenge is actually attainable.

As the game is currently, though, there's...nothing on the other side. Or rather, it doesn't matter what is over there, because getting to that point isn't...attainable, or possible, for the vast majority of players.

I know my way around this game by now. I'm not a min-max expert, but I understand how to craft good gear, what stats to prioritize, how upgrade pathing works. Generally speaking, in past leagues, even in Expedition when everyone thought the game was coming to an end, 10-30 divine (then exalt) worth of investment produced a viable build. You could play the game, you could map, you could boss, you could do the endgame content. It might not necessarily let you do like 100% deli T-16s and up or whatever, but you could have a good time with a build in that investment range.

That isn't the case anymore, though. Between random archnem one-shots, the scarcity of drops and currency, the narrowing of the build pool, and general player retention levels dropping (which makes it difficult to make trades, in either direction) it's just. It's not fun. Its just frustrating and demoralizing to have put a character together to the best of my ability, in a way that in previous leagues would be perfectly suitable, work really hard on it, and just watch it fail over and over again. no amount of damage seems to make a difference, it doesn't matter how fast I kill things, something always wriggles through.

I guess I don't understand why grueling and punishing and deeply unenjoyable would be the development vision for a game. For a small minority of people, maybe, but for something marketed for the general public? It just doesn't make a lot of sense.

The people making choices don't play the game. Simple as that.

They absorb content through watching streamers, and the gauntlets they help sponsor.

Chris, want to prove me wrong and livestream you playing next league? No?

Didnt think so.

Its telling even the players who helped sponsor the gauntlets arent touching PoE, yet no word from GGG admitting even the smallest mistake.

I think different games just appeal to different people. This is the direction the game is going. Some people like me find the added challenge a plus, others prefer a different experience. There is not anything bad in that.

I agree with the OP 100%, I love this game as well, or should I say I loved it in the past but as of late, the game has become so hard and frustrating. getting one shotted so many times. it seems to me, that the developer is clearly obsessed with the archnemesis modifiers, where exploding firebombs following you, or a hail of lightning trashing on you. I agree, a challenge is nice but, in my case, reaching end bosses is so far away from achievable, I am level 90 now, most of level 14 maps (especially indoors) are just killing me and my minions (and I love minion play) and yes, I have been playing for several years and watched a ton of videos, to understand mechanics. This is also the first league, where I have not found one single exalt, not to mentioned even a divine. I thought of starting a different character, but the cost of gear in divines is so high, that I am just going to leave it. I don't know, if the game ever will be fun again, it has / had such a beautiful potential, there are so many good things in the game, but again, the higher the game gets, only a few of the player base can achieve this.
I suggested it on another thread, if you want to introduce "Ruthless", I am sure, many will enjoy this challenge, but why not make something easier for the players, who just want to enjoy the game, have some challenges but also have a chance to get to the end game.
I hope, the developer will read this and even consider this feedback. and yes, I know, there are other games out and I play other games, there was just a time, when I actually enjoyed POE, why must it become harder and harder ... and so much less enjoyable

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TheFazzos wrote:

Some people like me find the added challenge a plus, others prefer a different experience. There is not anything bad in that.

Random one shots in situations you can't/don't recognize as threatening are not added challenge. Its added timesink at best, frustration on average. Of course there are players who like timesinks, though I doubt many like that with the combination of resets every 3 months. Most who like timesinks are playing MMOs and sandbox games already.

Personally I quit the league on my 2nd death at 98, dying to 3-4 blue/white mobs with 0 visual tell that something was about to explode and kill me. And I have no plans to play again in the next years. I'm not going to waste hours of playing to something that should have been removed during QA.