POE Public Stress Test Weekend: July 27-29

[jamesL]

http://www.pathofexile.com/publicweekend/

[Stefouch]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I am not at home this week-end

[Metal Hurlant]

Played Path of Exile and it really needs a manual to play it. Some of it is just confusing and annoying.

The UI is annoying. You can't sit at the Character creation menu and create characters all at the same time. When you create a character, it saves it and then automatically puts you into the game. And when you want to go back to the Character Creation screen to create or select another character, you have to log out of game. Then log back in to the Character creation screen to create or select your characters.

Another Problem is the Skill tree. It's confusing as hell. The skill tree is almost impossible to work out on your own.

The inventory screen is quite small compared to the weapons you place in it. They should have gone the way of D3's inventory screen with items taking up a maximum of two slots.

The good points are that it does look nice and atmospheric. The World map looks huge. It seems like an update version (graphics) of Diablo 2 but the learning curve on it is steep. It definitely needs a manual so players can figure it out.

When you have to spend almost more time on the forums on how to play than actually playing, then it's not a good game imo. And this is basically a Diablo 2 clone. I gave up on it for now because I didn't want to spend hours figuring it out.

[Bouss]

Well if you didn't want to spend a little time figuring it out it's your loss.

I've been playing the game since the previous open weekend. I agree with you on the point you made about the UI, but the skill tree is terrific - and has been recently simplified . It does take time to get to grips with, but it's well worth it. It allows for a multitude of possibilities and customisation.

The inventory size is as it is deliberately, to force you to make choices about what loot to keep or leave.

It's a great game that is getting better and better, and really grows on you. However, if you don't want to have to have to think or make choices when working on builds, it may not be the game for you.

[ibugsy]

I've been playing for a few weeks and have really enjoyed the game.

I think with most games, if you put some effort into it, then it will be lots of fun. There is a lot to learn in PoE, but I learned a lot just playing and then looking into the forums and doing some searches on character builds; then playing some more.

Then looking at the passive tree. Now there is a lot there and you need to look carefully and read. There are some skills where the description is not all that clear and you do need to go to the forums. Hopefully the will clear that up.

I don't think the learning curve is too onerous.

As for the inventory, it is small; but like Bouss said, it makes you be careful about what you pick up. Don't pick up everything! Initially, you'll want to pick up weapons that suit your character and its attributes. Then only pick up blue/yellow items to take back to the encampment for keeping or selling to the vendor.

If you do that, then it's not so bad. You end up getting a lot of portal scrolls as you adventure.

If you're a hoarder, then it will be frustrating. One of my gaming buddies is like that and he got frustrated with inventory.

Anyway, its a good game, very enjoyable to play.

[Heaped_Zit_Orzo]

It's definitely a rad game.

Played it a few hours yesterday and picked up a beta key soon after!

Favorite things about it so far:

Their take on potions - Respawing potions are quite amazing... so glad I don't have to keep clicking vials.

The FF7 Materia-esque skill system is quite refreshing.

The Passive ST significantly piques my interest in replaying as multiple characters and developing tons of different builds.

Biggest complaints:

Inventory UI is ass. Functionality is a bit goofy.

Lack of Town Portal hotkey sucks too.

[donkey]

I have played 2 weekends already. Great game for co-op. For singleplayer not so good. UI is good, don't grumble like old ladies.

[Metal Hurlant]

Originally Posted by Bouss

Well if you didn't want to spend a little time figuring it out it's your loss.

if you don't want to have to have to think or make choices when working on builds, it may not be the game for you.

It's not that I don't want to spend time on the game figuring it out or having to think. It's that I don't want to spend more time on the forums figuring it out than actually playing the game.

PoE seems to have taken the good things about Diablo 2 and then went to the extreme with things like its skill tree. Those extreme things will probably turn away customers.

It's not a good impression for the game when it turns away players because of the learning curve, especially a game that is free and relies on microtransactions to survive. Might be good for a niche of hardcore fans who like to think, but the game won't survive on 100 hardcore thinking players.

What I find interesting is that you can't seem to see the game objectively. I can see and point out the good and bad points of the game while you seem to be defending the game.

[Typhos]

Been in the beta for quite a while now and i have a few complaints

Combat feels a bit chunky/slow

No currency to speak of (altho they have said one "may" be introduced)

I did like the skill gem system altho having to find items with the right gem slots in the right colors with the right connections seems a little much (i realise you can use orbs to reroll all of these but it just seems a little too tedious)

I love the passives tree while it might like overwhelming at first glance it adds so much customization to the game

[jamesL]

Originally Posted by Typhos

No currency to speak of (altho they have said one "may" be introduced)

you know you can sell items to vendors
they give you potions and scrolls in return

that's something they added awhile ago