We NEED to talk about SSF.

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luizdoc#0279 wrote:

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AceNightfire#0980 wrote:

I would like to see an experiment:

True-SSF-mode that can never migrate to multiplayer servers with higher drop-rates / better loot

vs

No-SSF-mode that is multiplayer-able all the time with normal loot-table.


I bet most people will start in True-SSF-mode, because most people would enjoy a true single-player experience more then a multiplayer-mode that no one uses except for trading and trading is only used because of bad drop rates.

Totally agree, I really believe a lot of players would fully enjoy what PoE 2 has to offer in terms of actual progression at its peak if a proper true SSF mode existed. I also think a lot of people would actually move from Standard to SSF. But when you leave the migration option open, it kind of invalidates the whole SSF concept. You’re just funnelling players back into a trade-based system already dominated by bots and trolls.

Removing the ability to migrate to Standard could be a solid first step for the devs to isolate and really polish this mode, which absolutely deserves more attention. Someone above mentioned that locking migration might push certain players away, but I actually think the opposite. Keeping that option open is what makes SSF less appealing to those who genuinely want a solo progression experience. Because let’s be honest, the moment you hit your first real wall, how tempting is it to just swap over and buy your way past it in the Standard mode? That temptation alone already breaks the spirit of SSF.

we once had that, albeit a bug, we had ssf only chat and noone could migrate, the amount of ppl complaining not being able to migrate was... very very low, compared to the currently "need help a1 normal boss" spams i see in trade, atleast give us back ssf only chat to begin with, already makes a hughe difference knowing i speak with like minded idividuals and not tradeis

Casually rolling through tier 15 maps as a SSF

What makes me stuck in SSF is lack of currency atm. I'm still using a weapon from act3 cruel and I'm just about to start t12 maps. I have so many items waiting in stash once I get enough regals/exalts to "craft" them. I've got a couple divines, but those are useless.
I did trade league in 0.1, and it was not fun experience in retrospect. You just get a good weapon for 1 exalt that easily pulls you through campaign, and then 10exalts to get full gear to get to t15. Then you're stuck grinding and playing the trade system trying to get an income comparable to others in order to finish with the best items. Last part is speculation on my point, I stopped after around 50 hours and started again in ssf.
After that whole experience I did some reading how the poe community thinks about this, and I found the trade manifesto from years ago. I really hope nothing in there is still their design philosophie. If it is and trade stays like this, I'll forever be ssf and just play campaign/pinnacle bosses once game is fully done on release once.
An example. Yesterday I spent 6 hours mapping, got in total about 10 magic items that I want to regal and exalt. I had enough currency to make 2 of them into full rares with decent modifiers. I got like 5% more evasion and 30% all res yesterday. Makes me think I can be fully equipped in a week or two, problem is, getting upgrades gets harder and harder, because crafting a good rare with 3 good affixes is easy. Replacing that item with 4 good affixes is harder, Upgrading that to 6 affixes is just not possible, its unlikely even if I had the currency to do so. In trade league I just spent 6 hours on the website and in the end I have that item for 10 exalts. Ofcourse those 6 hours are spent on whispering enough ppl to buy those items, because only 1 out of 20 reply anyway. Thoguh I havnt been scammed yet myself, nor has anyone tried. Probably because I wasnt trading anything worthwhile.

I don't consider ssf at all, there's no tools, no way to make gear at all, gamba is not crafting. At this stage ssf as well as hc is for perverts.

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InvRnd#4436 wrote:

I don't consider ssf at all, there's no tools, no way to make gear at all, gamba is not crafting. At this stage ssf as well as hc is for perverts.

I use normal SSF because it's the easiest to migrate that stupid shared stash away on death :)

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luizdoc#0279 wrote:

What GGG could do is simple: remove the option to transfer SSF characters to Standard, and in return, increase the drop rate of loot, currencies, and good gear like uniques and rares in SSF. That way, people who choose SSF can actually progress with their character in a healthy, solo way, without contaminating the Standard market with extra loot bonuses. The vision that Jonathan has for this game, that you should progress naturally by playing, doesn’t hold up in practice. Especially in SSF, what actually happens is that you have to play 400 hours just to craft one decent item or get a good unique, IF you’re lucky. A game that’s supposed to be fun turns into an endless job. No wonder the Steam reviews are so low, the player is nerfed in this patch, and the loot doesn’t drop.

I totally agree with removing the option to switch to Standard mode. That option basically turns Solo Self-Found into just Self-Found, and all the progress you worked hard for on your own can be tossed aside at any moment in the market. The whole point of SSF is the SOLO part, and that gets completely undermined when you’re allowed to switch. Just having the option there takes away from what it means to play solo.

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Terspet#0706 wrote:

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luizdoc#0279 wrote:

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AceNightfire#0980 wrote:

I would like to see an experiment:

True-SSF-mode that can never migrate to multiplayer servers with higher drop-rates / better loot

vs

No-SSF-mode that is multiplayer-able all the time with normal loot-table.


I bet most people will start in True-SSF-mode, because most people would enjoy a true single-player experience more then a multiplayer-mode that no one uses except for trading and trading is only used because of bad drop rates.

Totally agree, I really believe a lot of players would fully enjoy what PoE 2 has to offer in terms of actual progression at its peak if a proper true SSF mode existed. I also think a lot of people would actually move from Standard to SSF. But when you leave the migration option open, it kind of invalidates the whole SSF concept. You’re just funnelling players back into a trade-based system already dominated by bots and trolls.

Removing the ability to migrate to Standard could be a solid first step for the devs to isolate and really polish this mode, which absolutely deserves more attention. Someone above mentioned that locking migration might push certain players away, but I actually think the opposite. Keeping that option open is what makes SSF less appealing to those who genuinely want a solo progression experience. Because let’s be honest, the moment you hit your first real wall, how tempting is it to just swap over and buy your way past it in the Standard mode? That temptation alone already breaks the spirit of SSF.

we once had that, albeit a bug, we had ssf only chat and noone could migrate, the amount of ppl complaining not being able to migrate was... very very low, compared to the currently "need help a1 normal boss" spams i see in trade, atleast give us back ssf only chat to begin with, already makes a hughe difference knowing i speak with like minded idividuals and not tradeis

That is a very good point, to a have an exclusive chat based on the mode you choose, could be a very good first step to try to improve SSF alone.

I'm generally fine with the SSF mode having slightly different loot compared to standard but there seems to be mixed opinions on the subject. For now as others have stated you're choosing to play a harder version of the game.

It is not meant for you to feel empowered by your choice but it is meant for you to feel weakened by your choice which is exactly what you are experiencing as it is intended.

They were ready and willing to create ruthless loottables for a mode hardly anyone is interested in.
i see a lot more content around ssf and the desire to find uniques yourself, so how is it that this mode is supposed to be able to transfer back into trade league? just gives us a blanket 50-100 times droprate and i guarantee you there will be a lot more solo players tahn anyone expected.

for those saying ssf is a challenge run: you can make any run into a challenge run, but you can't increase droprates to a point where the game feels balanced like a single player game.

my assumption has always been that they want to force as many people as possible into playing trade, so their ingame economy is 'healthy', but at the cst of providing an absolutely horrid experience for those uninterested or unwilling to trade

I've accepted the limitations of ssf and started doing a lot more grinding
I can't rely on trades or even alts so I treat everything available as a precious resource

I don't ignore loot I could break down from vendors between levels and I farm for gear to sell, craft

I know it won't be easy and I might never find the perfect items I need for my build.

If I didn't want these burdens I wouldn't be playing SSF.
I don't think SSF was ever meant to be "I'm playing by myself give me everything I need" mode.