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  • Magistrate's avatar

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    Nov 21, 2021
    Magistrate posted a message on Trade Value Guide (Runes, Torches, Uber-Keys, Charms, Sets, Uniques, Bases & Magic Items)

    This is exactly what I've been looking for. I've been trying to compare items based on jsp prices and it's been a whole thing. Thank.

    Posted in: Diablo II: Resurrected
  • Magistrate's avatar

    1

    Oct 29, 2021
    Magistrate posted a message on D2R is NOT ready for the first ladder season yet, far from it. It'll be a disaster.
    Quote from Rebjorn >>


    You can actually create/join a channel. Type '/channel join MyChannel'. But it's very lacking. Once you're there you're OK but if you enter a game you will be sent back to lobby and you have to manually select the channel again from the drop down menu. And if you exit the game and restart D2R you have to manually type '/channel join MyChannel' again.


    I figured this out literally right after I replied and felt so dumb XD But I honestly didn't think anyone would even reply. Site seems so dead.


    This is another case where I can't believe they didn't at least preserve the original functionality. I'm pretty sure back then if you joined a game it kept you in the channel when you left a game.


    On game exit it did make you leave though--I think maybe pickit or maphack might have automated rejoining a channel on closing and restarting the game but I can't be sure.

    Posted in: Diablo II: Resurrected
  • Magistrate's avatar

    1

    Oct 26, 2021
    Magistrate posted a message on D2R is NOT ready for the first ladder season yet, far from it. It'll be a disaster.

    I think in general going more conservative on inventory streamlining than people are now asking for was a good idea. 100% there would have been unyielding angst. This can be easily justified by arguing that the tetris system is part of the original's gameplay and changing it too much changes how we play the game.


    All of this is hard to argue for when they already have our money and this isn't a subscription-based service. I want to say Blizzard wants to earn back a lot of faith after the last couple years, and they don't want the brand to sour as we approach D4, but I struggle believing in them actually supporting this game much more.


    Also, honestly the server stability, login queue, and random shadow banning all need to be fixed before anything else.


    However, I am definitely for everything in the thread re:storage now that I've had some time to play and stew in the revisited gameplay:


    1. Infinite or drastically increased storage tabs (total space and/or number of tabs), and also nameable.

    2. Allow gems and runes to be stackable.

    3. An inventory search bar that searches across all your shared and personal tabs and highlights the ones that have the thing and highlights the thing once the tab is opened.


    Honestly, I think stackable gems/runes would help resolve much of the storage space issue. Gems and runes are consumed like bulk craftables and are completely fungible/interchangable. Definitely still add more tabs/space, but this one change would probably make a huge difference. It would likely require a PTR as the underlying code would have to mask over how the game engine actually handles storage unless they actually hard coded the change to the engine.


    It is also incredibly weird how broken the lobby UI/functionality is while still missing parts of the functionality of the original. We absolutely need:


    1. game filters with a diverse array of options for creator/joiner

    2. Refresh button to work ???

    3. Option to disable auto-refresh

    4. Refresh to not wipe what you have in the game name box

    5. Options to condense parts of the lobby UI that were cool in 1999 but are now just nonfunctional screen hogs

    6. working block option??? I think this worked for me like twice

    7. option to block chat based on keywords

    8. autocomplete game names when you leave to 1) refill box with last game name you joined (and persist this for if you log off/disconnect) AND auto increment it if it ends in a series number (002, x2, etc.)--this was an incredible feature of maphack back in the day

    9. i honestly cannot figure out how to create or join personal channels--if these currently exist, they need to be more visible and would help avoid bots; also, tbh add functionality that works like chatbots of old to moderate and run channels--remember sitting in trivia and stuff back then between games, or using them to help keep channels not a mess?

    10. why do we not have clan options in 2021?



    In an ideal world, I'd like 1 ladder season to pass like the original, and for them to then


    1. add new sets, runewords, items, etc., seasonally to change ladder meta going forward so it's not all enigma/infinity builds with a few others scattered about

    2. Add vanity in-game profile pics/avatars or frames earned by getting to x level by end of ladder season, and/or special visuals for your character while in chat lobby for ladder progress

    3. create new events that double down on farmability and GROUP play, as the more I play this i'm reminded how much of a single player game it is

    4. approach it with a modder's mindset and add systems for new areas, either modifying/reusing assets for randomized maps with new farming goals or adding new content to existing zones (new caves, etc. with new farmables or new overworld spawns/event locations)


    I don't THINK new content restricted to new ladder seasons is too out of the realm of possibility, especially since industry standard for remasters is trending toward this kind of idea (age of empires has done this and continues to, there are others).

    Posted in: Diablo II: Resurrected
  • Magistrate's avatar

    1

    May 5, 2021
    Magistrate posted a message on D2R releasing "2nd half of the year" according to Investors Call.

    I *think* there was some rumor that the D2 remaster was going to be announced a year earlier than it actually was--I'm glad they didn't. This feels like the right amount of lead time for release. Very excited :)


    Also, it is highly validating to see it succeed in streams like it did. It has always had strong brand recognition/loyalty. It's good to see that is still true and that the thing itself is also good.

    Posted in: Diablo II: Resurrected
  • Magistrate's avatar

    1

    Apr 30, 2021
    Magistrate posted a message on D2R Opt-in Green Display Message Updated to BETA

    Oh nice! Thanks!!

    Posted in: Diablo II: Resurrected
  • Magistrate's avatar

    1

    Apr 8, 2021
    Magistrate posted a message on Ultimate Random Chat Thread [URT] v4
    Quote from VegasRage2»

    Hello again to all in this fine year of 2021.

    D2 Resurrected, D4, no one here, what in the burning hells?!


    Well, here is a moment of zen for any who happens upon it.


    Neither games are really accessible to consumers yet, so there's that. But yeah, this site subsisted for years with no news or new game before D3 and had daily new posts and threads, so I see no reason for that to be the sole limiting factor here. Tbh it's probably because social media is more visible and accessible to people.


    Imo fansites separated from RL identities and greater socially connected accounts and contexts were an amazing and freeing thing for many, and I think they were good mixing areas for people who would never normally talk to be excited about something. Social media brings in the context of your RL friends, families, and other connections in a way that prevents you from reinventing yourself, or fosters connections that prevent people from really getting to know good intention strangers.

    Oh well.

    Posted in: Off-Topic
  • Magistrate's avatar

    1

    May 8, 2020
    Magistrate posted a message on Activision Blizzard has several more remakes and remasters planned for 2020
    Quote from Demolition 13»

    Why would anyone at Blizzard think it was a good idea to do anything with D2 while they have D4 underway? Even if it was possible? (It's not).'Hey, I know we're spending a lot of time and money on making the best D4 we can, but let's simultaneously distract ourselves and the fans from that work and siphon away some of our customer base for D4 by releasing a remastered D2!" "Genius! Here's a huge bonus for you!" Come on, it's like Apple working on the Iphone 12, but there's a hardcore group who just loved and old phone made by another manufacturer, so they're going to rehash a version of it just for them. Not gonna happen.

    It could be argued that it's important to look at their products in terms of IPs and not individual installations. For instance, the Warcraft IP making money off a WoW expansion, WC3R (lol), a movie, microtransactions, swag/toys, etc., is all a win. All of it represents either an increase or a continuation of maintaining capital for them as a company.


    Investors may or may not see it that way. They might want an individual thing to excel as well as it possibly can. But in the long term, I think this is also something that is considered at quarterly calls because it's more indicative of longterm success. Box sales are just a blip on the radar--if you base all your success on them, you'll just be chasing temporary highs.


    This is why I argue BlizzCon and maintaining Blizzard IPs as a lifetime fan/family identity is more important than just selling the next big thing.


    Another thing could be argued--I don't think a D2 remaster would ever have the staying power to upset the multi-million dollar box sales of a major new installment. If Blizzard did it, much like the SC remaster, it would probably be either a labor of love or just for existing fans. I don't think any of their remasters have turned huge quarterly profits on the scale of a major release.

    Posted in: General Discussion (non-Diablo)
  • Magistrate's avatar

    1

    May 4, 2020
    Magistrate posted a message on Do you get tired of seeing the same Diablo 4 news being posted by a dozen different sites?

    It's a big name game that carries with it multiple generations of gamers. The outlets will all post the press kit assets. That's pretty much how it's always been.


    When I want to see more than the same confirmed facts, I usually go to a fansite or reddit. That usually solves it for me since communities around a single topic usually filter this down to unique information/takes or topical reading.


    But by all means go for it!

    Posted in: Diablo IV: Return to Darkness
  • Magistrate's avatar

    1

    May 4, 2020
    Magistrate posted a message on Activision Blizzard has several more remakes and remasters planned for 2020
    Quote from Jetrall»

    Rebjorn - I think that's a fantastic idea and one that would truly benefit the community and the players. Thinking about this makes me wonder why Blizzard hasn't done something along these lines (though, I suppose I wouldn't consider them particularly supportive to mods, unlike other developers like Bethesda). If Blizzard is truly as profit-driven as it seems to us, that leads to the question: if there were a profitable way to do this, why haven't they done it?


    Certainly, there is a degree of risk involved in greater support for modding / releasing source code, but I imagine the potential for profit could easily outweigh these risks, especially considering D2 is an older property. Perhaps, then, the potential for profit isn't as significant as we believe. I find it doubtful they haven't at least considered possibilities like this - so perhaps they have done analysis and found that the profits just aren't there for some reason (or the risks are larger than we have considered).


    Maybe, for example, they are concerned about drawing attention away from their newer properties (i.e. D3, D4, Diablo Immortal, etc) by shifting player focus back onto D2 - cannibalizing some of their own audience. This could make sense, considering they are surely aware of the legacy of D2 compared to the somewhat lukewarm perception of D3, D4, and Immortal.


    They also may simply prefer to maintain greater control over their properties - something which supporting modding on an older title might undermine. It's harder to justify DRM, paid DLC's, and micro transactions on a new title if you're actively supporting modding on an older (arguably, more popular) title. This higher level of control and propriety over games is, unfortunately, gaining in popularity. It may be less beneficial for players, but it is a safer bet for the developer and shareholders.



    Ultimately, I think that your idea is great - arguably, better than Blizzard attempting a remaster / remake (as I agree that the fanbase and modders are more likely to put in the effort to crafting a more soulful and honest experience) - but it would likely require a major shift in Blizzard's direction... something which isn't likely to happen if they're content and profiting off of their current model.


    In short, this is a great idea but, if Blizzard is as greedy as it seems, I doubt it will happen (sadly). Not enough control over the product, maybe too much doubt about losing audience from their newer games.

    I remember a while ago...I want to say it was zhuge back when he was really leading up putting together wiki sections for mods...we had talked about what a cool idea it would be if D3 came out with mod support, or even a map builder and players could share/play each others maps. I'd imagine this would be pretty doable with how Diablo functions by using map chunks and setting them together. Oh well.
    With regards to a remaster, you guys all hit on several different nail heads. The first is that it was definitely said that essentially all the working parts are all lost to time. There's certain things modders can and do tinker with, but it's not enough to rebuild a game from. That's in that quote above, and I remember back in 2010 or 2011 when I went to Blizzcon this was confirmed by... I can't remember his name. At the time, the legacy "team" was literally 1 full time guy (for all legacy games) and one other guy that was usually at a different campus.
    Making the assets "available" like that to anyone isn't likely in their style. They very much went out of their way with WC3R to stipulate that any and all content created with their editor is their property, or at least can't be used in the way that led to a certain moba being born.
    I really, really wanted a remake. I remember when I was in line in 2019 before the con doors opened some guys were passing around a blurred screenshot that we all assumed was a D2 remastered character select campfire. I was losing my mind. It turned out it was a leak of the D4 character select campfire.
    But honestly, if they really pull through on D4 (and it looks like they will), I'm not sure I need a remaster, anymore. D4 feels to me like what D3 was missing. I know it's silly to rail on cosmetics, but honestly that vibe that the first games gave off are part of the reason for their campy following. D3 just felt like a high fantasy epic. I enjoyed the gameplay and so much else about it, but it didn't feel in the same universe for the most part until ROP.
    Posted in: General Discussion (non-Diablo)
  • Magistrate's avatar

    1

    May 4, 2020
    Magistrate posted a message on Greetings

    Diablo3.com actually existed as a blog for a bit before it got the vbulletin treatment. I think mockery said that once. There was an odd subtle tension between mockery's site and... god, I forget that other one. It wasn't medievaldragon's, it was that older one. I think it was founded in 2001. It's still around and dated as hell, lol.


    Welcome back Jetrall! Miss those days!

    Posted in: Introduction
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