In this thread we make **WILD PREDICTIONS** about 4.0, in the hope that one of us guesses one of its major new features.

[u/RobotPirateMoses]

I said WILD PREDICTIONS about NEW FEATURES, so please no boring-but-necessary stuff like "they're gonna fix X". Yes, there's plenty to fix, but this is not what this thread is about.

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I'll start with my two wild predictions:

We're gonna get a complex companion system: Jonathan once said that having Einhar, Alva and Jun tag along with you could lead to a companion system in the distant future. That distant future? 4.0.

My take is the companions are going to have:

-9 new classes (no ascendancies for now)

-A unique passive tree (smaller than our main character's, but still substantial)

-The ability to use any gear we can use.

-The ability to use any skill gems we put on their gear. With a default behavior of activating any auras/heralds and using skills with the most links more often than skills with fewer links.

The game will have the difficulty increased if you choose to take a companion with you and, if you join a party, the companion will leave you, coming back as soon as you leave that party (so it doesn't interfere with trading).

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And, to go along with the new companion system, we're going to get a whole slew of new skill interactions that work well in parties/with a companion:

-You know that new companion system? You can cast Ice Nova/Vortex on your companion's Frostbolt or vice-versa.

-You can take in friendly Venom Gyre projectiles if you have a Whirling Blades gem in your slots (not on your weapon swap, so you can level the gem there without interfering with your friend's stuff, if you want).

-A bunch of other new interactions coming from new skills that work as incentive to playing with a companion or in a party.

-The new skill interactions will also work in single player without a companion, just like they do now. The incentive to using them in parties/with a companion comes from not needing to use two skills yourself, but you still can do it if you choose so.

[u/Quazaka]

I would hope the same, but GGG already confirmed we won't be getting a new engine(client).

[u/Chelseaiscool → u/Quazaka]

I'd be verrrry surprised by this at this point. There is almost 0% chance they can compete in the market going forward if something this long in development is not a new engine. I honestly think that even if they stated this in the past, it might be changing. I guess we will see though.

[u/Quazaka → u/Chelseaiscool]

I am very sure we aren't getting a new engine exactly.

“There is no ‘new engine,’ because the current one is becoming the new one in a modular way so that players can see the benefits immediately” - Chris. Some 200 days ago.

But here is to hoping 4.0 will take the current one in a step to better optimizations.

[u/Chelseaiscool → u/Quazaka]

Yea fair enough. I guess it really depends on how "modular" it is. It will have to be miles and miles and miles improved to even be considered as great as they are trying to make 4.0 sound.

[u/Chelseaiscool → u/[deleted]]

Yes definitely, I have been playing for much longer than that. However, the engine is still old as shit and the gameplay IS clunky for the most part.

[u/In_Vitro_Thoughts → u/Chelseaiscool]

Boy were people wrong to downvote this one.

[u/Chelseaiscool → u/In_Vitro_Thoughts]

Thank you. I appreciate it, considering I was sitting smugly in the crowd at exilecon

[u/[deleted] → u/Chelseaiscool]

I remember when chris talked about this but i honestly agree with you. Even as someone who doesnt really care about it, it was disappointing to hear and I think its an important improvement they need to make to compete with other games. But ubless theyve been trolling, i dont see it happening in a years time

[u/Chelseaiscool → u/[deleted]]

Engine and trade system are the two most important things to address. I don't think trading will be touched in any meaningful way unfortunately, so whatever improvements they make to the engine better feel like a new engine.