PoE2 will be Free-To-Play upon 1.0 launch. For now it’s in what they’re calling Early Access (a Beta period) and requires a €30 euro key. I believe they said they did this because it wasn’t the complete game, they were still looking for feedback, and it’s a bit janky in terms of balance.

So far it’s been worth every penny, many times over, but I also think the promise they deliver on in the first three acts they fail to deliver on in the end game. I’d recommend people wait if they have other games or ARPG’s to play. I’d also recommend anyone who loves ARPG’s, if they have run out of content elsewhere to give it a try without hesitation. It’s a fantastic game and the best arpg on the market in almost every aspect.

I’ve stopped preordering most games, partially because of a backlog, partially because games like 2077 ruined my trust in even “good” companies (and no, I do not think 2077 deserves the redemption arc the Internet gives it). I did however pre-order Path of Exile 2 by a week because I had A) played a beta experience which was terribly fun B) followed all of the content creators talk about the beta’s they played and how even when they complained it felt like choices I’d like (more action focused combat) and C) the preorder I got came with keys for friends I wanted to distribute ahead of time. So I knew for sure I was going to play it, like it at least enough to justify the price, and that I wanted to preload it for a launch party.

Pretty much the biggest and best reason to preorder is for the preload so you can play at launch. But not every game needs to be played at exactly the launch time (in fact we struggled on launch day of poe2 but did eventually get to play) and all pre-orders should be done as close to the launch date as possible so you can get an easy refund if it sucks.

I’m saying you summarized incorrectly. I’m not accusing you of being too succinct, I’m accusing you of being wrong.

You refuse to argue the subject matter and rely on attacking the person. I’m not here to defend Cory, I don’t know the person. I’m here to say your opinion is bad and I want other people to think about it because you clearly haven’t. International copyright law is a tool nations use to make trade beneficial to both sides theoretically, yes? The US is in a trade war with its allies, which I’d like to point out is not supported by anyone qualified on the subject matter that I can find. So wouldn’t it make sense for countries at war to reconsider all trade tools during a trade war? That seems like a pretty fuckin basic concept. Pretty related to the conversation wouldn’t you say - copyright laws and trade wars?

Whether you or I agree or disagree with the approach, well that’s interesting if a bit meaningless because I assume neither of us is an elected representative. But at least it’s interesting. What would be a good tool for those under attack to use for the benefit of the most people? I’d like to know that. Maybe if I did I could advocate for it, or do more research and spread the knowledge, or generally better my own understanding of society.

Instead I’m arguing with you about whether or not a person should be allowed to have an opinion on a community built on peoples opinions. It’s a stupid position to have when the content is value added. He has a platform because he writes and he writes enough that he’s bound to get attention if his material is good enough and it happens to have been good enough multiple times. Idk why that makes you so upset. It feels small to try and pair down a person’s success, however minor, to one single thing. Especially while ignoring their contributions. Again I repeat, you’re a part of the problem instead of a part of the solution.

If you want more opinions posted from reputable sources fuckin post em. But you come off as condescending and wrong when you assume people aren’t listening to voices “with experience” just because they engage with voices you disagree with. Most people are capable of taking in multiple sources and coming to the correct conclusion, including but not limited to weighing educated specialist opinions more than random blogger’s opinions.

I love that you’re seeing what you want to see here but I can promise you that I have no love for pop figures. That’s again, a weird old person assumption. People should listen when experts talk. That doesn’t mean they should ignore all other voices. Those things are not mutually exclusive.

That’s a bad argument and frankly a shit take. An artist doesn’t have to be have a formal degree to make food art, a journalist doesn’t have to have a formal degree to do good investigative work, and no one needs to go to culinary school to post a good recipe they made. Your argument doesn’t make sense on face value in numerous situations.

Qualification is primary source material is valuable. I want to know the doctors who run clinical trials are qualified, registered, and in good standing. I want that data published from a reputable source but not necessarily a qualified one. And I want people who are good at explaining data, with a rational perspective, to explain that data in every medium they can. Distributing, digesting, repackaging, and resynthesizing facts do not require qualification and can still provide benefit.

Doubly so when conversing about a topic, writing philosophy, or debating a political stance. I don’t need every 9-5 worker to be qualified in a subject matter when talking to them about it, I just need them to be rational. Starting that conversation and formulating opinions is what I enjoy about Cory’s work. I do not need a PhD or a government official to do that. If someone has thoughts worth considering, if they communicate them in an agreeable manner, and if they do so in a public space correct for that conversation then they provide value regardless of their qualifications.

I think your deduction as to why we’re in the shape we’re in in the US is poorly formed. People didn’t just wake up one day and decide to get their news from the clown network and then they voted in a clown. People who wanted more power and control deregulated industries, moved money out of communities, worsened public education, monopolized the media, monopolized industry, and stoked fear until people wanted any change and promise of safety regardless of who gave it.

I think what you’re doing now, trying to silence positive educated voices on the Internet, enables those bad people to continue their evil work. Because it cost other people like myself time to respond to this bad opinion that could have done harm if supported by enough people. Gatekeepers and authority are not the deciders of what is valuable and what isn’t.

Could you engage with the content instead of being upset that a person is prolific? I personally have enjoyed everything I’ve read from this person. I’m not claiming they’re an expert, I’m claiming I like their perspective even if I don’t always agree with it. That’s exactly the kind of material I want to see on Lemmy.

Ugh, please, I would do anything to work less and create more. I’m making the furniture for our flat, I would do that faster. I am making my own TTRPG, I just started on a TCG cause I think the tools for making them yourself are in a good place (and I’ve literally always dreamed of making one), and I like to write short stories - I’d definitely do more of that.

Got a big steam backlog, that’d be nice. I’d workout more everyday. Idk, work is a means to an end and the moment I can make that more efficient I will.

Do you think it’s better to block someone or add a note to them so you can still engage with their content? I’ve gotten into the habit of blocking people and I’m not sold on it being the best approach.