Diablo 3

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I think you can find bad in every company and every game. But some people have a reason, or rather, a desire to focus on it more so than others, and it's usually for personal reasons. I am not saying that's the case with you, but this is generally true, I have found. Me personally, I refuse to let my disdain for a company (even EA) cost me being able to enjoy a helluva game. Now, I have no disdain for Blizzard, and I feel that Diablo 3 may very well end up being the greatest PC role playing game ever made. I think time will vindicate this excellent game.

And let's not kid ourselves. Blizzard did in no way rush this game. They took their sweet time with this game. And in my honest opinion, it shows.

Warcraft 3, Starcraft, Starcraft 2, Diablo 2.

There is really no denying that Blizzard's only track record is one of greatness within the PC gaming community. Only Valve would I dare to put on the same pedestal. Love them or hate them, and I'm sure you have your reasons, Blizzard's contributions (and Valve's, for that matter) to PC gaming is widely recognized and evident in just about every facet of PC gaming. And there is a very simple reason for that, and one that I can personally attest to.

Their games are excellent.

Holding to the opinions you do doesn't make you wrong. But it does put you in the minority, at least among reputable sources. And a big minority at that. In my humble opinion, the reason why is clear enough.
 



Very well put. I kind of agree with everything you said here.

Ugh no D3 for me tonight.....still in the mail!!! SUCK!!!!!!
 

I can feel your pain. But if it's any consolation, the extra waiting on your part will probably make your initial experience better, seeing as how Blizzard is still working out the kinks.

I had a copy reserved at gamestop, but went ahead and purchased it through Blizzard at the last minute so I could have the client downloaded, installed, and ready to go once it went live. All things considered, it wasn't worth passing on the physical copy just so I could get in a few hours early.

I had much rather be in your shoes, to be honest.
 


Argh...don't say that... LOL.



Trust me, you don't want to be in my shoes...slow ass internet...slow ass snail mail....the list literally goes on and on!

Some people get annoyed if their package comes in 2 days from their order....well I have to wait a minimum of 2 days, even with the fastest possible way to ship.

But...your probably right. With my slow internet...I probably wouldn't have been able to get on anyways (if I even got the game at midnight), probably would get shoved to the bottom of the list by the server lol.
 
Just giving my opinion about D3. Note that this is an opinion and not a rant or bash. Trying to post comment on D3 with constructive criticism.

I have played a few hours today, about 4 hours total so far (game only got released this morning and I have a life heh). Have not played the beta as I wanted to try the game as it was meant to be. Unfortunately, I am quite a bit disappointed so far. I don't know if I have seen all of what the game has to offer in terms of game mechanics but so far, the general opinion is. bah...

Before I get to the game mechanics. Intro movie is perfect, other in game cut-scenes are "bah" here too (I've never been a fan of "artworks" style of cut-scenes. It always felt like the easy way out of something more impressive. However I respect that others do like this style of cut-scene, it's just not my style but I ain't judging the game because of that. Sound effects is also great, music is good too and fits with the theme. Graphics are okay, nothing fancy, old computers should be running this without any issues, not necessarily a good thing tho.

To the mechanics. To get an idea of the kind of player I am, I am in no way a diablo expert, I have not played d2 all this time waiting for d3 or things like that. I have done 1-2 play-trough of D1, D2 and I prefer single player games.

My first gripe that I have so far is the fact that leveling up is boring. No points to assign, everything is done for you. My first reaction was that D3 fell for the annoying trend that games are being more and more dumbed down, less complex, easy to play. When I reached level 4 or something and just got nothing to do, no new skill, nothing, it kinda felt weird. Ok the stats got up, but nothing to assign. I don't remember when was the last time I played a game like that and that I had nothing to do at a levelup.

The skill system is also boring and I am amazed at how simple/empty it is implemented. Skills unlock depending on the level of the player. That's it... No points to spend, just reach a level and u got the skill. As I write this, I still can't believe that its been implemented that dumb and I just hope I'm missing something. Ok you are limited to active skills so choices have to be made still, but no risk involved anymore, if not happy with the choice, just choose another one and voila. Also, if I have a wizard level 15 and my friend also have the same level 15 wiz, then we both have the exact same skill set, the exact same stats. The only difference is the gear we have.

Where is the strategy in putting the right specs for a class or gameplay type? Do I want more mana but less hp, do I want to have more spell power and less def, or whatever other stats combination depending on how I want to play? Nope, everyone has the same, only the loot is the difference. Granted you can do that with the loot but in previous games, you could push that further with the stats of your character. So to me this is a step backwards, dumbed down. No longer do we have to care about our permanent char stats, now its just the loot.

I agree that changes has to be made to innovate/evolve a game vs its predecessors but in this case, I feel d3 is a step backwards.

Its not all negative as said above, sound and music are great, initial cut-scene is excellent too and almost forgot about voice over which is perfect so far.

I am still going to play this game to the end for the fun of seeing the story progress. I am probably going to find the experience "okay" and not feel too bad. Still, after all the years spent developing this game, I was hoping for at least something like D2 and was hoping for something more like an evolved Titan Quest (as far as choices, strategy and general gameplay mechanics are concerned). In the end, _my opinion_ might be that D3 will be one of the most sold "mediocre/okay" games ever.

This is my .02$, please don't flame. Posting my opinions for those willing to hear/_discuss_ about it!
 
Interesting read SVoyager.

I kind of cringed a little bit when I heard there are no skill points to assign? That's one of the defining features of D2 when it first came out for me - just having that + button show up waiting for you to upgrade something just made it that much more fun.

I'll have to see how it all goes together myself once I get it.

Does D3 need an update right away? Patch 1.01 I believe - around 50MB?
 

"...if I have a wizard level 15 and my friend also have the same level 15 wiz, then we both have the exact same skill set, the exact same stats. The only difference is the gear we have."

When he said that, his opinion lost all credibility with me.

Diablo 3 has a rune system that wipes the floor with that statement of his. He don't know jack.
 


Their games used to be excellent*. Not in my opinion anymore. Also, this game isn't so much Diablo 3 as it has very few if any of the original Diablo development team left working on it, and in my opinion that showed clearly in the level design. The real Diablo guys are putting out their game later this year, with Torchlight 2 (which I pre-ordered).

Also, and this is completely off topic, but the game's netcode is a disaster. So far people all over the world pulling 500+ms delays on 100ms. The game was not finished. Animations not done, pvp not included, and the netcode is seemingly just thrown together to get the game out the door. I wouldn't tarnish the Diablo name calling this Diablo 3 :x. It's more like Blizzard 2.0 Dungeon Crawler Take 1. I know that's a minority opinion, but I'm ok with that. It's not like me passing on the game is going to keep it from selling 12 million copies, but it doesn't make me wrong either 😛 .
 



Ahh ok. Rune system? What is that? I haven't read up too much on D3 so I don't know all the details (don't want to spoil it too much for myself).
 

Just wanted to point out that the game is called "Diablo 3" rather than "Not Diablo 2". I judge it based on that alone, and I am loving it TBH.

That Witch Doctor is bad to the bone. 😀
 

"Our goal with the rune system has always been to provide additional character customization by allowing players to augment or completely alter their skills in new and significant ways."

"With the new skill rune system, you’ll be unlocking new skills as you level up just like you always have… but in addition you’ll also be unlocking skill runes. Now, when you open the skill window, you’ll choose which skills you want in which slots, the skill rune variants you’d like, and your passives. All of this is done directly through the UI, and all of the options from the skill, skill rune, and passive systems are unlocked through character leveling progression, leading to a cleaner overall integration of these systems. Just as we set different skills to unlock at specific levels, skill rune choices unlock at different levels as well.

Another thing we strive for in our games is "concentrated coolness," and while rune quality levels made sense when we were attempting to itemize them throughout the game, they make far less sense as runes are unlocked through the UI. We didn't want to get back into a situation where you're clicking a button to pump points into skills. It's far more concentrated (and cool) when your rune choices have a single and powerful benefit to your skill choice. The new skill rune system does not have ranks, and we've instead made each around the equivalent to what the rank 4 or 5 rune was previously. One click, you make your rune choice, and you get an explosive benefit to that skill. That feels a lot cooler.

Runes have been by far the biggest design hurdle we've had in the game, and as you know we've been continually iterating on them. We fully expect that some of you will be disappointed that runes won't be part of the itemization system. Internally, it took us a long time to let go of that notion too and stop trying to force them into being items, and instead embrace the intent of the system. Integrating runes with the skill system directly gave us a bunch of great benefits, and even without runes we're launching with more item types than Diablo II had. We knew we were making the right choice by letting go of runes as items and focusing on the core objective of the system: to customize your skills in awesome ways."

You can read more on www.Diablo3.com.
 
@pcgamer81

please remember that I played for 4 hours. Not caring nor discussing about it and simply dumping the post made me lose all respect for you pcgamer. I thought you were open minded.

I saw the rune system (if its the system you are talking about) and this thing is again level unlock where you can add a "property" to your skill. The first one I got gave more damage to the freeze ray and there seems to be about 5 per skill.

If its the system you are talking about, then its as dumbed down as the skill. It gets unlocked once you reach the level required for it and that's it. I haven't got another rune unlocked for the same skill yet but I can only assume that its something you have to choose depending on how you want to play.

Okay, but then again, nothing is permanent and everyone gets the same thing. It gets unlocked once you reach the level. So when I say that a level 15 wiz vs another level 15 wiz is the same, it still is, there is just another layer of choice added but still no "my character is my own" everyone has the same character only the loot differs.

If the system works differently, then please elaborate. This is what this forum is for and the reason for my post. Your reply of just "when he said that, lost credibility" is such a useful reply, I feel so much more informed now. /sarcasm. The other guy that read your post and haven't played the game doesn't know much more about the system eh, there is no explanation of what that system is if its different than explained in this post.

If you want to discuss (which is what I thought you wanted with your previous posts) then go ahead. If you can't reply with anything more intelligent than you did, then I will ignore the rest of your posts from now on and move on to something else. I have better things to do than reply to a troll, please prove me wrong and that what you did was a quick "not thought out" reply and want to discuss intelligently.

edit: just saw your previous post. It is a bit more like what you should have replied to me. However, after what I read, my understanding of the system is indeed what I thought it would be. My comment about a lvl 15 wiz vs my friend's lvl 15 wiz remains. Same characters, same options, same stats, only loot differs. Bah...
 
You've played the game for 4 hours. Do you really think, for even one minute, that you are qualified to talk about Diablo 3 in such a capacity, let alone make judgements? I don't know what offends me more, naiveness or arrogance.

Level 15? The meat of this game is geared around the endgame.

There is a reason why there are no professional reviews out yet (although there are a lot of user reviews).

When you have experienced the game more in-depth, seen level 60, familiarized yourself with the rune system, absorbed the full Diablo 3 experience, and really got to know Diablo 3 in all it's unadulterated glory, then we'll talk.

Until then, I am not going to discuss this game with you.
 


To be fair, you're lauding the game's many achievements without achieving any of this criteria either. You haven't experienced level 60 laddering and how necessary the RMT AH could potentially be. You should probably tone it down a bit. His post was reasonable, even if you disagree with it. It was a lengthy and quality post.
 

And geared around total and complete ignorance.

I have not lauded anything, actually. I have merely offered objections based on facts. But descriptors and adjectives concerning the game's quality or lack thereof I have remained silent on.

His arguments run contrary to the game's listed features, and indicate pure ignorance.
 
I remember the days of ultima underworld, might and magic series, and leisure suit larry (lol). Nowadays there are rpg's everywhere. So many different kinds, so many different systems... If you don't like it, there's always games like dragon age, ES series, GTA. etc..., to fulfill your desires.
Diablo 3? I like it. I play it. It's fun as hell The leveling system? Meh, its simple, straightforward and it allows the party and I to focus more on the tactical side (ie which runes and abilities to choose from). I'd rather spend more time playing the game rather than deciding where my skill points go, but I don't let that dictate whether or not I am going to play the game.
Speaking of which are the servers back online yet?!

edit:
In case any of you were wondering... nope.
First day release... *sigh*
 


The same can be said for your position against his. Really, the game isn't even 24 hours old yet. Unless you have a pre-existing moral reason for not buying it such as myself, there is no way either of you have the grounds to personally hack at each other. In his case however, he was only making a general post about his opinion of the game so far, and was completely transparent about his his lack of experience with it. On the other hand, you aren't even granting him the right to have an opinion, even if he provides every responsible caveat to how it may not be fully informed yet (which he did).
 

This poster is criticizing the game based on ignorance. Now, I don't have to be at level 60 to know this.

He presents a false scenario. He makes the game sound like a multiplayer God of War with his complaint about lack of customization and diversity among fellow class members.

Listen, it's not necessary for me to have spent very much time with Diablo 3, playing it and reading about it, to know that 4 hours is far too short a time to make such a broad generalization, especially in regards to customization. Come on, casualcolors. Lay down your preconceived notions and hatred for Blizzard long enough to concur with this fact. I have enough experience with hack and slash dungeon crawlers and MMOs (and so have you) to know that at this point he doesn't have a leg to stand on or a pot to piss in, and for him to come on here and put his ignorance on display, particularly when there is a user on here excited and anticipating a game he is waiting for...now I am sorry, but I had to expose him under the circumstances.
 


I hate to break this to you, but any customization you might think exists in these games period is the product of decidedly bad play. There are specific builds in Blizzard games that are the best and if you want to be competitive these builds will generally be the quickest and often the only avenue to doing so. Then again, the game would have had to launch in a finished state with the ability to duel for that to matter anyway, but that is beside the point.

The biggest mistake that you're making here is in assuming that I'm justifying his post because I agree with the pretense of it. I'm just saying that he has a right to feel the way he does at any point after the initial purchase, and even moreso if he's plainly transparent about how far he's exposed himself to the game's content, which he did. It's not that I agree or disagree with either of you, I'm just mentioning it in the context that you normally would if you were not so personally attached to the subject matter. To me, Diablo 3 doesn't even exist and it's not a matter of forcefully making myself not play it. I literally don't care that it came out and it doesn't entice me as a game, which is how I know the Diablo franchise is dead to me. So you can forget any misinterpretation of my opinion as some kind of heated backlash hissy fit for not being able to morally reconcile playing a game that I would otherwise enjoy. I literally don't find the new Diablo intriguing at all. And I didn't pre-order Torchlight 2 to "stick it to Blizzard" or whatever. It just looks like a legitimately better game to me.
 
Fair enough.

But keep in mind that I wasn't challenging his right to make his opinion known. But rather, I was merely countering with my own opinion. Namely, that he was foolish for holding to such opinions only 4 hours in, especially in light of how these kind of games are played.



With what?

I am not hating. In fact, I am loving.

😍 Diablo 3 😍 and 😍 Blizzard 😍 .

With a burning, all consuming passion I shall support them with tongue and dollar!
 


The game can be beaten in under 8 hours, so I think the actual opposite is true. Not everyone is into Hell mode or Hardcore laddering. They do have the expectation of a decent game in the normal mode at least, even if I don't personally play games on their easiest mode.
 

If this game were a hack n' slash game a'la God of War, I would agree.

You won't hit level 60 on your first play-through, in fact, you won't come close.

This is a hack n' slash RPG made to be played several times. That is the core concept. And that is how it should be judged.
 
And that "under 8 hours" thing is misleading.

I can beat Morrowind in 2 hours.


Then perhaps Diablo 3 is not for them.

It is for me.

And with that said, I humbly take a bow.

My Witch Doctor awaits.
 
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