DiabloFans

I have been reading a lot of feedback on blizzard's d3 forum, quite many of them are concerned about the skill set swapping issue. Some people are saying that runes will prevent it, but at this moment we have little information on runes mechanism.

Remember how 1 skill pt in corpse explosion and teleport in d2 was good enough?

It is very likely that there will be skills (all maxed) in d3 like that, where runes do not make much of a difference for the purpose of the skill. For example, buff/debuff or escape skills. You can use your buff/debuff, and when you see the need, switch that to a escape/movement skill.

What I am saying here is that, Blizzard decided on the 6 skill slot to force us make hard decisions. 6 skills out of 20. But its system right now is going the opposite direction than their philosophy.

If we can use macro to quickly switch skills, we can potentially have more than 6 skills (all maxed) at our hand.
I am sure that runes will make skills different, but not the same degree of alteration to each skill. For those skills where rune effects are negligible, and does not improve its intended purpose, people will just get more skills.

Also, for those rich kids (or people play endelessly) they may able to put a rune in all the skills they need, maybe all 20 if allowed. You can say well they spent their money/time, and they deserve it. But you have to question, is this the way blizzard want the game to turn out?

Quote from DragonJunkie

Quote from hoboman27

does anyone have a screenshot of this? I've seen this mentioned several times on forums. I can see this be distracting to people in the arena pvping, since you and your opponent are probably always close to dying, and you wouldnt want to be distracted all the time by the warning

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiCwATxb0a0&feature=player_embedded
At 4:30 is the Indicator. You will know it when you see it.
Oh and at 5:13 you get to see a character death.

Thank you
and yea its definitely too much, and it stays on as long as your health is below that level. It'll be difficult for you to see your enemies and their shots coming in. If a health globe dropped, it might be hard to see it too, since the red background just blocks it.

In a PVP it'll be even worse, as other players are constantly moving, using their skills and this just blocks your view.

does anyone have a screenshot of this? I've seen this mentioned several times on forums. I can see this be distracting to people in the arena pvping, since you and your opponent are probably always close to dying, and you wouldnt want to be distracted all the time by the warning

I believe its playable, and the modders are planning to release it in the future too, probably will have custom maps. There's also a couple of other videos that shows the guy testing it and running into bugs.

What would mario do if he had a portal gun? Dont know if anyone seen this, but i thought it was really neat.
Anything with a portal gun is just fun

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtcGiZelPfk

very nice plan, and excited to see all the details.

Scyber, is it possible that you guys do a benchmark testing, show us the graphics options, resolutions available.
I know you personally have a crazy rig, but if you have any old videocards lying around. that would be great to test it out.

I just built a 2500k z68 system, with no videocard, since i wont be playing anything until diablo 3 comes out. And your tests will definitely help me, and the others who question their computer systems, decide on good and efficient hardwares.


Thanks

Congratulations to Scyber and the Diablofans team.

Would it be possible for you guys to do something like a benchmark and test out d3's playability on different graphic settings/resolution, and perhaps videocards if you have any old videocards lying around? I know you just got a super rig and will max out the game with 100+++ fps no matter what.

Of course this will be after you guys finish playing the beta multiple times, since thats what the crowd want most.

the monk using the polearm was a little odd, starting from 0:35 and on, when the female monk wields the weapon around you still see the polearm clearly behind her back, stationary. Dont know if its a glitch of some kind or what.

Did anyone else find that weird?

im just curious, does anybody know why incgamers wasnt invited to the press event? i just find it to be a little odd to single them out like that, especially they have been to many of the previous important diablo events, and these events are suppose to get as much publicity out as possible, get the hype up, right?

Darn, imagine if the diablo team came out with these...
http://pc.ign.com/articles/114/1141379p1.html

I'd say the Cyclops is definitely OP

i'll try my best to help you with a new videocard
so just need to ask you a couple of questions
1. What monitor resolution do you play at?
2. when do you need the card (are you planning to play other games that require a new graphics card)?
3. how much are you looking to spend for on a new video card?

oh and it depends on the resolution, at a low resolution your 9600gt might be able to pull it off, but i really doubt it. As you can see here, at 1680x1050 ultra for sc2 using i7 920, 9600gt is on the borderline of being laggy
http://www.techspot.com/review/305-starcraft2-performance/page4.html

Quote from MasterFischer

Quote from Roger

Quote from MasterFischer

1. If you want to make a new character and stick with specific skills, then do that? What is the problem? Why do you need to make 50000 new characters? That's stupid. But it's there for u if u want. You can make 10 characters right now, so do that. You can always delete your char if u dont like it and start over, or u can strip all your skills. Start a new character and do another build if u want.. do that.

2. Levelning up, you gain, more powerful spells, powerful rune effects and new items, new powerful spells, just cos u dont have a little button to click, doesn't mean anything..

All your stuff increases when u level-up. That's nice and powerful. Just go look in your inv.

1. There is really no need at all to make a new character since you could only make a lvl 60 character and switch skills. This is not about stupidity or need to make 50000 chars, it is about relevant choices and about the developing of a character to try a build. Now you can try a build simply changing the lvl 60 character skills. It's easier, as using a trainer and making a level 99 character and choosing the skill point allocation also was, but is not as fun as starting over and FEELING the build in every part of the game. I always loved the first 20-30 levels far more than the last ones.

2. I don't know, does that feel relevant to you? A completely automatic level-up? The level-up is the climax of every RPG, it can't go like "Oh, another level, what can I do now? Oh, i am stronger, that's all.".

I am not trolling nor am saying that the system will be bad. I am just trying to grasp how this system deals with the aspects I've risen, that are very important to me.

Tell me then.

1. There is no need? Who says that? YOU create your OWN needs. That statement from you is weird. You do what you want. Why you do WANT to have a restriction to HAVE to make a new character everytime you wanna try something new or just a little different? That's insanely stupid and not fun.

If you WANT to make a new character and start fresh.. then do it ? What's stopping you? Nobody. Just never respec or change skills and start fresh 1-60.. same build.. try it.. what is wrong with that?

Just cos blizzard doesn't MAKE you do it anymore, doesn't mean it wrong or bad.

2. So clicking 5 times on a little button is very important to you? In diablo 2, raising vitality 5 points didn't matter AT ALL really... the small attribute points was skewed, and it was just plain a stupid design. Besides, it wasnt even every level that u got to spend attribute points and get new skills... in diablo 2, you just "rose" in level as well.. but u unlocked new stuff sometimes.. it was good.

In diablo 3, you fight and when u get new lvl.. ding.. u know u got alot of new stuff... newer spells, more attributes, more stuff to explore and gather.. if u want to feel powerful, then just click randomly on your scree nand imagine your stats rising lols

1. I believe roger is talking about incentive, as with the new system, there is less incentive to create a new character with a different focus. Since your original character have already been built, quests done, geared up, and can change its skills (which are maxed) easily. Even though a lot of us, like to create new character and play for the experience. there are many constraints in life, and if there's less incentive for gamers to do it, then people would rather not do it at all.

2. Fighting monsters is a major part of D3, but why do we fight monsters, to level up, to find items. And it is this progression of your character that is the key to these games.

Customization debate aside, The following is what i posted in another post earlier:

"...what i am concerned about this choice is its affect on the playthrough experience, as well as the player's 'attachment' towards the character. Back a while ago when blizzard announced their level 60 cap, their explanation was to make every level feel significant. And i feel that skill points is a part of this 'significance,' a reward you receive for leveling up. even though just a psychological thing, but it does make you feel more weight on each skill point's distribution, and feel that you are more 'involved' in your character's progression.

Now with the skills scaling to your level or weapon dmg, once you have tried all the skills and selected the 6 skills you want, you are kind of done with it from level 30 (or 24) and beyond, since all you need to do now is to level up, and your skills would be stronger. which i think kind of 'detaches' you from your character and gameplay experience. I know people can say that "well with people following a specific build, skill choices arent really a big part of ongoing experience." well yes, but for one that is caused by DII's old system that we were hoping Blizzard introduce a new mechanism to fix, and second you still get to decide your skill point every level and probably decide on a specific path you would like to follow.

People can approach a build differently, for example you may want to orient or max skill X before skill Y. if you know the area have some high dmg monsters, you may want to put more skills in your defensive skills for now, and catch up your attack skills later on. Or when you play in a team, you may want to focus on certain skills that will compliment other team members depending on their current skill choices. this type of strategic thinking and constant balancing of your character to current needs i say is part of the experience with action RPGs."

Quote from flawkstawker45

Quote from hoboman27

There were definitely problems with DII's ways, and I agree that by removing skill points, customization is not exactly affected, as skill combinations are still there, and there's the runes that will definitely increase possible builds.

However, what i am concerned about this choice is its affect on the playthrough experience, as well as the player's 'attachment' towards the character. Back a while ago when blizzard announced their level 60 cap, their explanation was to make every level feel significant. And i feel that skill points is a part of this 'significance,' a reward you receive for leveling up. even though just a psychological thing, but it does make you feel more weight on each skill point's distribution, and feel that you are more 'involved' in your character's progression.

Now with the skills scaling to your level or weapon dmg, once you have tried all the skills and selected the 6 skills you want, you are kind of done with it from level 30 (or 24) and beyond, since all you need to do now is to level up, and your skills would be stronger. which i think kind of 'detaches' you from your character and gameplay experience. I know people can say that "well with people following a specific build, skill choices arent really a big part of ongoing experience." well yes, but for one that is caused by DII's old system that we were hoping Blizzard introduce a new mechanism to fix, and second you still get to decide your skill point every level and probably decide on a specific path you would like to follow.

People can approach a build differently, for example you may want to orient or max skill X before skill Y. if you know the area have some high dmg monsters, you may want to put more skills in your defensive skills for now, and catch up your attack skills later on. Or when you play in a team, you may want to focus on certain skills that will compliment other team members depending on their current skill choices. this type of strategic thinking and constant balancing of your character to current needs i say is part of the experience with action RPGs.

action strategy game maybe but action RPG listen you get all skills and have them leveling on their own with limited customization options (runes are being re-concepted)That is not something you can equate with with any style of RPG and I will take that back when you tell me any single RPG that you considered great that did something like it. Now again we don't know what runes will be bringing to the table right now and I do have alot of faith but it is still dangerous grounds.

i think you misunderstood me, i meant to say that customization from skill point/selection level is going to be affected, but the "ultimate" level of customization may not, since the runes mechanism is suppose to cover for it. but how well? we dont know.
But i am more concerned about the game play experience without the existence of skill points and balancing your leveling progress. As i thought that was a big part of my experience with any action RPG games.

There were definitely problems with DII's ways, and I agree that by removing skill points, customization is not exactly affected, as skill combinations are still there, and there's the runes that will definitely increase possible builds.

However, what i am concerned about this choice is its affect on the playthrough experience, as well as the player's 'attachment' towards the character. Back a while ago when blizzard announced their level 60 cap, their explanation was to make every level feel significant. And i feel that skill points is a part of this 'significance,' a reward you receive for leveling up. even though just a psychological thing, but it does make you feel more weight on each skill point's distribution, and feel that you are more 'involved' in your character's progression.

Now with the skills scaling to your level or weapon dmg, once you have tried all the skills and selected the 6 skills you want, you are kind of done with it from level 30 (or 24) and beyond, since all you need to do now is to level up, and your skills would be stronger. which i think kind of 'detaches' you from your character and gameplay experience. I know people can say that "well with people following a specific build, skill choices arent really a big part of ongoing experience." well yes, but for one that is caused by DII's old system that we were hoping Blizzard introduce a new mechanism to fix, and second you still get to decide your skill point every level and probably decide on a specific path you would like to follow.

People can approach a build differently, for example you may want to orient or max skill X before skill Y. if you know the area have some high dmg monsters, you may want to put more skills in your defensive skills for now, and catch up your attack skills later on. Or when you play in a team, you may want to focus on certain skills that will compliment other team members depending on their current skill choices. this type of strategic thinking and constant balancing of your character to current needs i say is part of the experience with action RPGs.

got to agree with destructodave, earning skill points could be called a reward for leveling up each level.

Now with the skills scaling to your level or weapon dmg, once you have tried the skills and selected the skills you want, you are kind of done with it, and would not bother to visit the skills page, since all you need to do now is to level up, and your skills would be stronger. which doesnt seem to be a very comprehensive gaming experience. I know people can say that well with people following a specific build, skill choices arent really a big part of the game. well yes, but you still get to decide your skill point every level and probably decide on a specific path you would like to follow.

People can approach that build differently, for example you may want to orient or max skill X before skill Y. if you know the next act will have some high dmg monsters, you may want to put more skills in your defensive skills for now, and catch up your attack skills later on. that i say is part of the experience with action RPGs.