I really hope that Rod really played POE 2, there is so much to learn from it and have Diablo 4 improve.
Content is number 1. This is one reason I played POE 2. Different mobs and bosses. And you are somewhat forced to face them during your way to the atlas maps. Each activities like ritual, delirium, breach, expedition seems to be totally different mini games that you can do and point you different bosses.
Graphics feel more next gen. The lightning effects, the frozen enemies that are shattering, the visuals are really not
stash linked to the game’s own trade site. I mean, how hard can this be to implement?
hideouts that serves as your HQ where you can personalize.
Far more contents on the microtransactions shop that adds tons of effects on your characters.
Now why will I return to D4? It’s for the simple fact that POE 2 doesn’t respect players time and feels like satisfaction can only be achieved if you have at least 10 hours of playing time a day.
In D4, you level to a 100, feel strong, move to another class, do the same and stop playing for the season and wait for the next. D4 provides satisfaction to players that are not just hardcore gamers.
I will be back to D4. I just hope that the competition with POE 2 will force blizzard’s attention of adopting what works in POE 2 and apply it to D4.
I think what fooled you into thinking that is because PoE 2 in general just has more flashy looking animations and skills overall. But if you zoom in or look in depth, the graphic in D4 is way better.
While I agree D4 skill animation is slightly blend. SB being the exception here, while I think all other classes should have as much of flashy skill animation as SB… you will see the development difference between AAA and AA studio is apparent.
D4 also supports latest Ray Tracing , DLSS and frame gen . Not sure if PoE 2 also has that support.
I would love to think you’re right, but the visuals are more stimulating and feels more modern on POE 2. I’m not bashing D4 on this, but I just have to accept the fact that on this regards, POE 2 is more appealing. You can zoom in the mob and boss models on both and you would see that they are significantly different in amount of details. I didn’t even notice that there are shadows on the mobs of D4, but POE 2 does. The small ice fragments from shattered enemies, the small spikes coming from ice nova, enemies walking on shroud (this is a wow for me as fighting these mobs feel like your on FPV and really blinded by the cloud). I don’t care about the technicalities thrown in the game, but what matters is what I can see and appreciate.
what is your graphic setting like in D4 ? are they the same as what you play with in PoE 2 ?
The water and reflection looks stunning in D4, especially if you have ray tracing turn to max, as well as particle density. But even without ray tracing, if you crank raw rasterization up, if your system can handle it, shadow, and texture is really good as well, it passes what AAA studio quality in my opinion.
I really think it comes down to the flashy skill animation that is playing your eyes. While it looks more flashy, more pretty, it does make you think the graphic is superior to D4.
Since you claim to have 350 hours, tell us about the end-game, maps and such… what content have you actually done? What level did you get to? Why do you think they don’t respect your time but somehow D4 does?
Many of the things that make POE 2 great also make it hardcore. There is so much to learn and do and the game isnt even retail yet. Its overwhelming and their introduction to all these elements doesnt exist. Its daunting and will overwhelm many players so much so that they will leave the game. POE 2 being this complicated and cumbersome is the lifeline that D4 needed to become king again. POE 2 has not done enough to help causal gamers. IF D4 can get out of there no risk taking shell and start making things interesting again then they can defeat POE 2 and become cemented king of ARPGs again.
I too played over 350 hours (14 days 13 hours on my main) and I really think both games should learn each other. Atlas mapping is not a perfect system, but it’s definitely better than D4 pits. D4 should develop interesting activities (like breach, delirium, etc) as a permanent feather for endgame.
And I do agree that POE2 doesn’t respect player’s time. Things like dying = xp loss, map and loot gone, should never happen in 2024/2025. There is a mode called hardcore for a reason.
I like both games and I’ll be playing at least a month for each new season / league.
Number 1 is the massive changes they did to meta gems and then did not give players a complete free respec. This was a huge slap in the face of players time expecting them to just pay in gold for GGGs balancing mistakes. Reducing the cost was not enuf. You make big changes to skills or passives then you give a free respec. Anything less is a huge slap in the face.
Ascendancy need to be tweaked for sure. Xp penalty has always been in Poe get used to it. Atlas is endless,getting blocked there are ways to get around that.
No doubt the game needs a lot of work,we will see the next few patches.
The only thing I’ll agree with is the map loss on death, that’ll change though and we know it.
XP on loss has been in POE for a long time, so complaining about that is idiotic at best.
If those are what make people think they don’t respect your time? They should just read a book instead, they’ll be better served and should stop gaming altogether… it’s not made for casuals and casuals should stick with D4, no punishment and a power fantasy that is easy to obtain.
You provided an issue that plagues D4 far more than POE2, “BALANCE”
I provided a specific example how POE 2 does not respec players time. Sorry that you cant put 1 and 1 together and get 2. Copy that. Goodbye…#18 on my list.
