Since I bought the game 3 months ago I have an avg of 20h per week. So I guess I’d qualify as one of those players.
Again, how is this any different if you had to choose your mastery at creation instead of at level 20? You wouldn’t see the impact of your choice until later anyway.
And how is it any different than trying a class that seems fun but then you don’t like the gameplay? You’d have to make a new character anyway.
I simply did what probably 95% of the players will do, which is check a build and follow it. I saw gameplay videos, found a build I liked and followed the guide.
Even though LE is much easier to create builds than PoE, the majority of players will still follow build guides. Hell, they even do that for D4 and that has no science to it.
That in itself is a valid reason not to change. For one, it’s their game and they decide how they want it to be. For another, if it prolongs the game, as you admit, then it’s a good thing for them. Whether it has little content (for now) or not.
In this aspect, how is respecing masteries different from auto-pick/transfer shards? Or having LP/FP in the loot filter?
It’s how they want the game to be, they designed it that way. Sure, some players won’t like it. Some players won’t like something no matter what. Those aren’t the players for LE. LE isn’t really aimed for the super casual players, much like PoE/GD isn’t.
If you want a game where the decisions are based on the opinions of the majority you can play D4. That’s a game that compromises it’s view and design choices of the game to try to please the vast majority of players.
I don’t really care if there’s a mastery respec or not. But if EHG feels they want it that way, it’s their right to do so. If EHG feels like shards should be picked up because they think it’s good for their game, it’s their right to do so. If they feel like the loot filter shouldn’t lead to a point where you only pick up the good stuff because your filter hides everything else (like in PoE), then it’s their right to do so.
Players have a right to suggest stuff and to say things they aren’t pleased with. EHG listens to feedback and they adjust their game according to it a lot of times. But players don’t really have a right to say something SHOULD/HAS TO be in the game. Only EHG has that right.
Players do, however, have a right to decide if this is the game for them or not. And either choice is valid.