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  • Magistrate's avatar

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    Jan 27, 2022
    Magistrate posted a message on Fiery Runes Resurrected - Locations: Resurrected #1 - The Burning Hells

    This man is the most consistent person i can even think of

    Posted in: Diablo Wallpaper and OS Art
  • Magistrate's avatar

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    Dec 29, 2021
    Magistrate posted a message on ARPGs - The Real End Game

    I'm glad you enjoy PoE!


    I agree with your point on rerolling and limited respeccing. I put more than 10 years of daily play into D2--when respec was added in D2 I was ecstatic, but I realized after a time exactly what you point out--D2 doesn't really have an endgame. That timesink for perfect stats/gear is what does it, and esp. that kick of serotonin unlocking new abilities on a fresh char early on. And then the cycle of getting gear with soft stats on it so you have to keep rerolling your char to optimize those stats. It was uncomplicated (my criticism of PoE--their endgame overcomplicates it imo) but the need to reroll (or high cost respeccing) is pivotal. So much of D2's experience was in rerolling that making respeccing so trivial really hampered it.


    I also agree with your take on gearing, in that a build should not be completable in only a couple days. Most builds should be functional and competitive for endgame activities with modest investment imo but if endgame areas are trivial in a matter of less than a week then there is a significant problem. Imo D2 got this close to right, although I think rampant immunities in all endgame content was a cheap way of doing it (especially multi-immunity).


    The core of this criticism is the gear/build relationship, in which D3 went the complete opposite way on both from D2. Imo the combat itself and the way you can customize skills was superior, but it feels like it came at the cost of everything else. D4 seems to have a cost for respec, but I'm hoping it's much steeper than D2 (have to clear endgame bosses a few times or trade for items, otherwise 3 resets max) and definitely higher than D3 (virtually free).

    Posted in: Diablo IV: Return to Darkness
  • 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

    Nov 16, 2021
    Magistrate posted a message on As long as the spam isn't dealt with, PLEASE at least fix the lobby channels.

    100% agree. What's more--while it's handy that chat persists ingame, that means it brings with it the spam sometimes :)


    There isn't a clear UI for creating new channels, either. You kind of just have to know.


    Also the reporting/blocking options sort of...sometimes work and sometimes don't? ???

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

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    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 29, 2021
    Magistrate posted a message on Seriously, if we're going to have to contend with these server issues for a while then AT LEAST fix this ..

    In addition to these, they def need to auto kick people idling in the lobby and not chatting for more than like 20-25 minutes.

    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
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