Diablo III

[TWD]

I think the reviewer is missing the point. I already said this once, and Rambow touched on it as well. It really isn't a new game. It's Diablo II. It's still just as fun as ever.

I never played all the way through Diablo II, but I also agree that the story is a little weak. It's epic, but it also feels a little forced. It suffers from the same story weaknesses that StarCraft II encountered. It's a little cheesy, and there's too much filler.

I'm still only half way through Act 3 at about 24 hours. On Saturday I played until my head hurt.

[Kantham]

Random pots of positive thoughts:

Addictive game, grinding in the story doesn't make it too boring as I thought it would be, and the bosses don't drop items people would farm. Totally love the fact that they don't allow companions in MP. D2 crybabies on about how everything is auto-unlocked; I must be a casual noob then, because I enjoy being versatile switching back and forth, without having to re-$pec my skills for different playstyles.


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Feedback/concerns..

My main gripe with this game right now is Crafting, which is a pointless Money sink.. correct me if I am wrong, but it's no use up even to level 30 crafts, I get craftable items that are no where as good as the ones I find or get on the AH.

Also, quantity > quality loot system. Nearly every magic/rares I pick up are 5-10 levels below me, rendering them useless. So I mostly get my weapons from the AH..

The auction house - Filters are working well as expected and it is highly responsive, but kinda stinks in a few spots. For instance, you can put whatever amount of gold you want for buyout, meaning people sorting by buyout prices can find you level 5 magic dagger selling for 2 billion gold for priority. There's just so many items on the AH right now that's what mostly everyone is going to do.

Additionally, you are only allowed to 10 items at a time, which is fine! But here's the actual problem: 2 DAYS auctions - only option. You can NOT cancel any items you've posted 5 minutes after you did which is very irritating.

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Originally Posted by Sir_Brizz

Guess I won't know for a while as it's going to be some time before this goes under $60.

SC2 still sells for $59,99.

Not any time soon..

[SlayerDragon]

I found a place



with a dude in it



All the zombies were named after devs. Pretty funny.

I also found a Legendary chest piece today. I didn't like it much so I put it on the AH. There's a bunch of them there already of course. Iron something or other. It has a bunch of armor and resists but no stats for me and only one socket so not all that useful beyond the resists.

Bed time.

[Sir_Brizz]

Originally Posted by TWD

I think the reviewer is missing the point. I already said this once, and Rambow touched on it as well. It really isn't a new game. It's Diablo II. It's still just as fun as ever.

I think the reviewer has a point... for as long as this game was in development, how does it manage to add nothing new to the genre? It doesn't mean it's not fun or a good game, it just means it should have been out 2 years ago. That being said, the writer himself admits he's only in Act 2 when he wrote that. Perhaps his view will change in Act 3.

SC2 still sells for $59,99.

Not any time soon..

SC2 has been on sale for $30 in the past though, a price I am unwilling to pay for that game but more likely to pay for Diablo 3.

[Kantham]

Square Gems are the lol.

[shoptroll]

Originally Posted by Sir_Brizz

I think the reviewer has a point... for as long as this game was in development, how does it manage to add nothing new to the genre? It doesn't mean it's not fun or a good game, it just means it should have been out 2 years ago.

It probably would've been out two years ago but from various reports it sounds like it was in massive development hell. It was what, less than six months ago, when they announced the change to the rune/skill system, crafting changes, dropping one of the artisans, dropping PvP from launch, loot drop changes, etc.

Starcraft II was also "in development" for a protracted period of time and that didn't exactly re-invent the wheel either.

The article does have a good point about the illusion being ruined by progress loss due to connection drops. But that's not really an issue with D3 so much as a problem with the genre/franchise. There were times in D2 I would have to play through areas multiple times because my connection dropped in a realm game, or I wasn't able to reach the next waypoint before I had to run off to class. Having to retrace your steps and then slowly slog through the map, because the game generates a new map, to get to the next step is incredibly frustrating because you feel like you already completed that level.

[Trynant]

That review is incredibly dismissive of the mechanics in Diablo 3 that do try new things. He literally puts in a couple of sentences on how the skill system is nothing new. Wat. The replacement of talent trees with the rune system + the way skills work now is a very novel concept and should not be ignored to the degree it was in that article. And enemies get MUCH different and MUCH more difficult later on (although for some this may take all the way to Nightmare difficulty).

The game's writing did not get on my nerves nearly as much as it did that reviewers either.

DRM is still absurd though. That's true.

The game's got its flaws, yes, but it's not a 'hollow' experience.

[SlayerDragon]

Why does a sequel need to add something new, rather than add polish to what was already there? It's more Diablo. Innovation is nice and all, but they've rounded off a lot of the sharper edges and made a much smoother experience, in my opinion.

[Sir_Brizz]

Originally Posted by SlayerDragon

Why does a sequel need to add something new, rather than add polish to what was already there? It's more Diablo. Innovation is nice and all, but they've rounded off a lot of the sharper edges and made a much smoother experience, in my opinion.

I think the point the article is making is more "I waited how long and this is what I get?" instead of "This game is terrible because it does nothing new".

The game looks fun, it seems even the person who wrote this article would agree that with other people it's probably a blast.

[hal]

Originally Posted by Trynant

That review is incredibly dismissive of the mechanics in Diablo 3 that do try new things.

It wasn't a review - just an editorial on the experience so far.

[SlayerDragon]

Originally Posted by Sir_Brizz

The game looks fun, it seems even the person who wrote this article would agree that with other people it's probably a blast.

Did we even read the same article?

[Trynant]

Originally Posted by hal

It wasn't a review - just an editorial on the experience so far.

That editorial is incredibly dismissive of the mechanics in Diablo 3 that do try new things.

[Sir_Brizz]

Originally Posted by SlayerDragon

Did we even read the same article?

Yeah? He sayd playing it solo emphasizes the hollowness of the game. The implied other side of that coin is that with other people you don't notice how hollow it is.

Originally Posted by Trynant

That editorial is incredibly dismissive of the mechanics in Diablo 3 that do try new things.

The mechanics you mentioned don't sounds like anything different than what other games have already done with different names.

[Trynant]

Originally Posted by Sir_Brizz

The mechanics you mentioned don't sounds like anything different than what other games have already done with different names.

SPELL BETTER lol,,

But really, as far as I've played other games have not done things with the abilities and ability progression in the way that Diablo 3 has (at least not with ARPGs). What Blizzard has done is provided an interesting alternative to the talent tree system--an alternative that provides more flexibility in character customization. Also making basic attacks a special skill you can pick rather than...well basic attacking is a neat feature that I would like to see more in ARPGs.

[Firefly]

Brizz do you want one of my guest passes so you can try it for yourself?

[Sir_Brizz]

Sure, I wouldn't mind trying it out.

[Firefly]

just pm'ed you

[shoptroll]

Originally Posted by Sir_Brizz

Yeah? He sayd playing it solo emphasizes the hollowness of the game. The implied other side of that coin is that with other people you don't notice how hollow it is.

It's also John Walker who is occasionally a bit of a grump over there . Most of the rest of the crew seem ok with it, and i think the main reason he's playing solo is due to illness.

As a point of interest, here's his first "experience" with D3: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012...th-diablo-iii/

[Sir_Brizz]

Originally Posted by shoptroll

It's also John Walker who is occasionally a bit of a grump over there . Most of the rest of the crew seem ok with it, and i think the main reason he's playing solo is due to illness.

As a point of interest, here's his first "experience" with D3: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012...th-diablo-iii/

I dunno, I don't see much wrong with his initial impressions. I get the feeling the game is kind of average if you play it by yourself, but, frankly, that is probably true of each Diablo game. I don't even remember playing Diablo 1 solo and I most certainly did not beat it other than online.

[shoptroll]

Originally Posted by Sir_Brizz

I dunno, I don't see much wrong with his initial impressions. I get the feeling the game is kind of average if you play it by yourself, but, frankly, that is probably true of each Diablo game. I don't even remember playing Diablo 1 solo and I most certainly did not beat it other than online.

I'm pretty much in agreement with you on this. Check my earlier post, losing progress in D2 was possible and it sucked even then having to retrace your steps. That's just an inherent flaw in the series.