Looting -- The official thread for discussing the loot system. Updated 18th March, 2013.

Now whenever a boss dies I just wait for it to be at 5% and run away as far as I can. Once all the loot drops I whirlingbladeloot up to it in half a second and enjoy my 5 second leisure timers.

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Aixius wrote:

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TheSwampDog wrote:

In many online games, there are PvE and PvP servers. In PvP, other players can kill you. So why would anyone join a PvP server? To be able to kill other players.

That is why people would still play FFA; not to run the risk of being ninja'd, but to have the opportunity to do it to others.

Your comparison to PVP indicates that you feel that you are a "victim" when someone picks up an item that once had your name over it, when really the game provided you with a better opportunity than anyone else to pick it up. Many people don't consider picking up items to be doing something to somebody else; they're merely picking up an item that was available to everyone at the time. Killing baddies and grabbing loot are what make the game fun; I don't blame anyone for wanting to do either.

I wrote what I did in response to the common comment "If there were a non-FFA option, no one would play it."

I think I clearly showed reasons why some would. Other games have a PvP and a PvE option. Or, if you prefer, a 'compete against monsters and other players' and a 'compete against monsters only' option.

I won't invent percentages, but I think it's reasonable to state that with both loot options available, not all players will only choose one of them.

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XCodes wrote:

I'm going to take Vooodu's advice. I want options, therefore fuck Path of Exile.

Bye.

No need to quit they are planning on how to change the system already

In Chris’s recent post http://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/87905 he states
“We have been internally discussing community feedback on topics such as looting options”

So if you want to, take a break and wait for the patch that fixes this.

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wrathmar wrote:

take a break and wait for the patch that fixes this.

I feel the patch is more likely to iterate than fix. Bear in mind the developer is red and is backed by a visible market share encouraging them to retain that. Possibly there may even be enough purchases occurring behind the scenes that they can determine they're able to proceed with things as they are.

I'm cautiously optimistic.

FFA-only posters are the vocal minority. The core customers do not like the halfhearted FFA system that is currently in game. I don’t not expect GGG to implement an instanced system because I feel it would be as bad as the current consequence free FFA. I do expect them to increase the base timer or to lock it if monsters are within a defined radius.

Even the most adamant FFA-only poster agrees that the increasing the base timer would be a good thing.

Enough detailed explanations have been tossed into this debate.

I will go back to the reason I dislike this game. That reason being the FFA loot system. As of now, I would be content with the system if and only if the timers were increased by at least a factor of 2 if not 3.

I find the design philosophy to be lacking any credible explanation, considering a FFA system in a game which centers around "gearing" forces me to focus on drops versus strategy and fun. The fact that I solo, when in almost all previous games I've played the last decade I gravitate towards group play is the red flag for me. I would rather solo and have less fun then deal with asshats stopping mid-fight to spam clicks on my items, having to disengage from a ranged position and run up to collect an item, etc.

I laughed hardest upon the most recent explanation that even with a slight increase in timers the pace of gameplay slows down. Well, that is one hell of a subjective data point and says NOTHING while meaning NOTHING. It's a one-sided interpretation. It's sad. It's not scientific. I had to laugh pretty hard.

How about you try another metric along with pace or perhaps multiple metrics. Please, no more pandering with simple subjective one-sided junk justifications....

I for one do not mind a game pace that slows down since my satisfaction and desire to group would go up along with my ability to sit back and blow shit up, without constantly having to disengage from a fight, run into melee range and spam click on a stupid rare.

GGG - how about a design philosophy on loot that reflects the community, not a bunch of vocal people in the minority.

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wrathmar wrote:

No need to quit they are planning on how to change the system already

In Chris’s recent post http://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/87905 he states
“We have been internally discussing community feedback on topics such as looting options”

So if you want to, take a break and wait for the patch that fixes this.

Well, 2 things:

1) Too many people are bitching about X being a bad influence on the game or about Y community members wanting to have badwrongfun playing Path of Exile, and insisting that what they want will make the game as bad as D3.
2) I'm not actually convinced GGG is going to do the right thing, here. For example, they are/have been against providing the option to disable weather effects because they think it'll break immersion, nevermind real, practical reasons someone may want it out of the way to improve their experience, or perhaps people of the opinion that rendered raindrops are silly to have because under most circumstances they're actually pretty hard to see in real life.

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wrathmar wrote:

Even the most adamant FFA-only poster agrees that the increasing the base timer would be a good thing.

Most of us want the timer removed and go back to the way it was. For balance purposes there needs to be a timer unfortunately. The one halfway house on this that I (and other FFA supporters) would be ok with is that when loot drops you only see timed loot if it is allocated to you, which puts you in an instanced environment even if only for a couple seconds. This will also help people who have issues picking up their items deal with less clutter and should increase their reaction to grabbing it.

Honestly, if there is a timer there doesn't need to be allocation since the timer puts everyone on even ground as it comps for lag and FPS problems. The random allocation of the system is broken as it is anyway.

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XCodes wrote:

2) I'm not actually convinced GGG is going to do the right thing, here. For example, they are/have been against providing the option to disable weather effects because they think it'll break immersion, nevermind real, practical reasons someone may want it out of the way to improve their experience, or perhaps people of the opinion that rendered raindrops are silly to have because under most circumstances they're actually pretty hard to see in real life.

Do the right thing?! Exactly when did you buy GGG? The only "Right thing" is whatever the hell the Devs want this game to be, not your view. While I have seen them take a ton of feedback and work with it, you need to stop feeling entitled. You do not own the game, and the Devs enjoy the way it is. I am sure there will be compromise, but until you own the game, you don't get to decide what "the right thing" is.

They have a vision, and to demand them abandon that after years of work is selfish. The game does not "Have" to be anything, it will be what the developers imagined, and that is how unique games are created.

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Tandimonium wrote:

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XCodes wrote:

2) I'm not actually convinced GGG is going to do the right thing, here. For example, they are/have been against providing the option to disable weather effects because they think it'll break immersion, nevermind real, practical reasons someone may want it out of the way to improve their experience, or perhaps people of the opinion that rendered raindrops are silly to have because under most circumstances they're actually pretty hard to see in real life.

Do the right thing?! Exactly when did you buy GGG? The only "Right thing" is whatever the hell the Devs want this game to be, not your view. While I have seen them take a ton of feedback and work with it, you need to stop feeling entitled. You do not own the game, and the Devs enjoy the way it is. I am sure there will be compromise, but until you own the game, you don't get to decide what "the right thing" is.

They have a vision, and to demand them abandon that after years of work is selfish. The game does not "Have" to be anything, it will be what the developers imagined, and that is how unique games are created.

And why do you get to decide what the right thing is?
Maybe the devs decisions matched your expectation in the past, but I don't see any reason why that should stay that way. They changed their mind and will do so again.
Especially when situations change. And the move to Open beta was a fundamental change. Things (like the loot system) that were a minor annoyance before turn out to be a complete show-stopper with the influx of countless new players.

And accusing us of being selfish is ridiculous. The reason why we voice our opinions is because we want this game to succeed and thrive.
That becomes evident when you consider the fact that people who are opposed to the FFA-system tend(not all, but most) to bring arguments into the discussion, while FFA-supporters tend(not all, but most) to answer with crude insults.