ARGH! D2 left off on hell mode. It was doable however you wanted to do it. They've added a new difficulty to the game. Its REALLY hard. Its actually well balanced on the technical side and I really enjoy it on the emotional side. While the jump from A1 to A2 was the biggest detractor they've since fixed it and the game has become even better. This isn't like Diablo 2's end game! They clearly stated it was going to be extremely hard, that people may feel pigeon holed, BASICALLY all the complaints of the gameplay variety I've heard for the past month were addressed previously by Blizzard.
It just drives me crazy that people demand WoW go back to being "hard" and that video games are too easy these days and so they release this gem and all anyone can do is complain its too hard this way and that. Inferno is tough as shit. You'll have a hard time. You'll die a lot. You'll even be pigeon holed a bit in your build comps. Lets move on.
Actually the D2 developers are no longer with Blizzard. And Blizzard made so many bad decisions regarding WoW that they've ruined the game. Same could be said for D3. Lots of bad decisions. Many players expected the game to be like D2LoD but improved on every aspect. It turned out to be more like WoW.
Since I was out of diapers when this all happened I can actually make a point here Mr. Duncan. Not all the Blizzard North developers are gone. Some of the big names are gone (Schaefer brothers and Roper are the biggest) but Uelmen, Cheng, and others stayed after this. Of those really only Uelmen has left to join up with Runic. The problem you're having is that you're generalizing a very complex situation. Since Blizzard North's cut Blizzard has made BC, SC2, WotLK, Cataclysm, and continued making content for those games. Since those developers departure they've created, Mythos (beta), Hellgate London, Torchlight, and Champions online. SO OUT OF THESE BIG NAMES... who has done better? The Shaefer Brothers have done decently for themselves with a quick release of Torchlight. Showing what talented people can do in a short time. But honestly it was more well received due to its price tag if you ask me. Torchlight 2 may improve on this and I, as well as Blizzard (publicly btw) hope they do very well.
See? Even Blizzard doesn't create the distinctions that you have. They continue to support their ex-employees as much as possible. Morhaime has stated many times he'll be playing Torchlight 2. And don't quote me on this but I seem to remember a whole lot of the textures in Mythos being from WoW. The Bro's over at Runic have nothing but good things to say about Blizzard. Roper had some finicky things to say about Blizzard after he left but they did basically kick him out because they didn't like his creation. Since Blizzard North though... has anything he's done been good? I honestly believe (and this is only my belief not to be confused with fact) that Roper is a bit overrated in this genre of entertainment. Also, you're bound to make a few enemies in any business :-/
D3 is constantly compared to 10 year old D2. Unfortunately the comparison isn't even apt if it was D2 day 1 to D3 Day 1 comparison because they are different games. If you want more of the same D2-wise you should probably play that. TL2 isn't going to be D2, PoE isn't, Titan Quest isn't, and Grim Dawn may never see the light of day (SEE WHAT I DID THERE!?). They are all going to be their own creations. D3 is a very good game thats going to continue getting better over time. People quitting now will almost certainly come back at some point and be just peachy. Those that don't probably loved playing Hammerdins, using maphack, duping, and botting. Glad they're leaving.
Just the sheer amount of stupidity is amazing. I'm in act 3 inferno with 90% gear I've found and farmed for and I never get 1 shot. I haven't been extremely lucky and haven't played for a billion hours. They are clearly stating they're going to be nerfing acts 2-4 and increasing drop rates as well. Even after all of this... People still believe that they just want to make money from RMAH, have no interest in player's concerns, and that the game is horrible because (now this is a new one) you can't cheese your way around in full dps gear, ignore defense and just leap out of the way of every attack. I'm not even trying to flame the people that believe in this sort of thing to be truthful. Just try to accept the fact that you're getting a bit out of hand when you find this to be a major game flaw.
I don't understand. Most deaths in D2 took more than 30 seconds to run back to EVERYtime. And on top of this you couldn't just run back in when the pack is near your body as you run NAKED back to your corpse. Come now... Corpse running is 100% worse.
Or is this more of the bot running folks with scripts to TP up a portal and leave the game type stuff that you somehow include into the basic design of the game?
My friend and I don't have much trouble with that combo. I play a barb and she plays a Wizard. That could be most of our success on it though. I know she likes Mirror Images for jailers though. That gets you out instantly and doesn't have much of a CD. Maybe diamond skin and MI? The only thing that gives us trouble really is arcane enchanted mobs in tight corridors.
This is the problem with Google guys! It gives anyone the power to search quickly and efficiently for places like diablofans. When that happens the boards get some folks who have never actually played a game of Diablo in their life.
While normally this wouldn't be an issue (because I would love to give everyone a pat on the back and welcome to the brotherhood that is Diablo) in this case... its just disappointing.
Guys, the game isn't about "beating" the act bosses or getting level 60. It never was about that even in Diablo 1. Its about finding the loot. Pure and simple. Theres side things that came along as well like dueling, or pk'ing, or even them goofy low level duelers back in D2. Those are fun things to distract yourself with while you get loot.
This is extremely challenging and fun take on the Diablo franchise a huge number of people are loving right now. If you aren't I am TRULY sorry that google, blizzard, and you yourself got excited about the game believing it was another MMO or action game shooting guns and what not but... alas... it is not.
Its a solid combination of both worlds in my mind. I find it challenging yet definitely possible to beat something every night. That will change in Inferno but I've enjoyed the hell out of the 60 hours I've got on the game already. You're fighting a huge number of really tough mobs and having to use the tactical side of your brain to get some things done. Granted you can just run past some things and feel like a hardass killing end game bosses but I did enough Meph, Baal, Diablo, Pinder, whatever the fuck else runs in D2. I'm glad they changed things like that.
Another sad thing is people are comparing this game to its 12 year old predecessor in terms of gear. This is completely faulty logic. People spent years amassing wealth in D2 that most of the time wasn't even legit! The hacking in that game got so out of hand they released the biggest patch in D2's history to help make the game ok again. Thats a bad thing people. The good items are rare. Lets go back to a happy place in D2's past where no one had that 49% Tarn or Twitchthroe was one of the best armors in the game for Zons.
I honestly (maybe a bit of flame here but not intentionally bad mouthing people) a lot of the folks on the forum are from D2... This means theres a whole LOT of hammerdins hiding around here that have no problem playing cheese and would probably prefer the economy end up where it is with Diablo 2 so they can use someones bot program all night and wake up with great loot. The game is doing well where it is. Some small itemization changes (legendaries really should have unique effects not seen on rares or magics to make them viable), some time for wealth to amass, and a little time for the majority of the playerbase to clear off the cobwebs of not having the Diablo franchise being current will do the community and the game a great service.
4
It just drives me crazy that people demand WoW go back to being "hard" and that video games are too easy these days and so they release this gem and all anyone can do is complain its too hard this way and that. Inferno is tough as shit. You'll have a hard time. You'll die a lot. You'll even be pigeon holed a bit in your build comps. Lets move on.
4
Since I was out of diapers when this all happened I can actually make a point here Mr. Duncan. Not all the Blizzard North developers are gone. Some of the big names are gone (Schaefer brothers and Roper are the biggest) but Uelmen, Cheng, and others stayed after this. Of those really only Uelmen has left to join up with Runic. The problem you're having is that you're generalizing a very complex situation. Since Blizzard North's cut Blizzard has made BC, SC2, WotLK, Cataclysm, and continued making content for those games. Since those developers departure they've created, Mythos (beta), Hellgate London, Torchlight, and Champions online. SO OUT OF THESE BIG NAMES... who has done better? The Shaefer Brothers have done decently for themselves with a quick release of Torchlight. Showing what talented people can do in a short time. But honestly it was more well received due to its price tag if you ask me. Torchlight 2 may improve on this and I, as well as Blizzard (publicly btw) hope they do very well.
See? Even Blizzard doesn't create the distinctions that you have. They continue to support their ex-employees as much as possible. Morhaime has stated many times he'll be playing Torchlight 2. And don't quote me on this but I seem to remember a whole lot of the textures in Mythos being from WoW. The Bro's over at Runic have nothing but good things to say about Blizzard. Roper had some finicky things to say about Blizzard after he left but they did basically kick him out because they didn't like his creation. Since Blizzard North though... has anything he's done been good? I honestly believe (and this is only my belief not to be confused with fact) that Roper is a bit overrated in this genre of entertainment. Also, you're bound to make a few enemies in any business :-/
D3 is constantly compared to 10 year old D2. Unfortunately the comparison isn't even apt if it was D2 day 1 to D3 Day 1 comparison because they are different games. If you want more of the same D2-wise you should probably play that. TL2 isn't going to be D2, PoE isn't, Titan Quest isn't, and Grim Dawn may never see the light of day (SEE WHAT I DID THERE!?). They are all going to be their own creations. D3 is a very good game thats going to continue getting better over time. People quitting now will almost certainly come back at some point and be just peachy. Those that don't probably loved playing Hammerdins, using maphack, duping, and botting. Glad they're leaving.
1
1
I don't understand. Most deaths in D2 took more than 30 seconds to run back to EVERYtime. And on top of this you couldn't just run back in when the pack is near your body as you run NAKED back to your corpse. Come now... Corpse running is 100% worse.
Or is this more of the bot running folks with scripts to TP up a portal and leave the game type stuff that you somehow include into the basic design of the game?
1
2
While normally this wouldn't be an issue (because I would love to give everyone a pat on the back and welcome to the brotherhood that is Diablo) in this case... its just disappointing.
Guys, the game isn't about "beating" the act bosses or getting level 60. It never was about that even in Diablo 1. Its about finding the loot. Pure and simple. Theres side things that came along as well like dueling, or pk'ing, or even them goofy low level duelers back in D2. Those are fun things to distract yourself with while you get loot.
This is extremely challenging and fun take on the Diablo franchise a huge number of people are loving right now. If you aren't I am TRULY sorry that google, blizzard, and you yourself got excited about the game believing it was another MMO or action game shooting guns and what not but... alas... it is not.
1
Another sad thing is people are comparing this game to its 12 year old predecessor in terms of gear. This is completely faulty logic. People spent years amassing wealth in D2 that most of the time wasn't even legit! The hacking in that game got so out of hand they released the biggest patch in D2's history to help make the game ok again. Thats a bad thing people. The good items are rare. Lets go back to a happy place in D2's past where no one had that 49% Tarn or Twitchthroe was one of the best armors in the game for Zons.
I honestly (maybe a bit of flame here but not intentionally bad mouthing people) a lot of the folks on the forum are from D2... This means theres a whole LOT of hammerdins hiding around here that have no problem playing cheese and would probably prefer the economy end up where it is with Diablo 2 so they can use someones bot program all night and wake up with great loot. The game is doing well where it is. Some small itemization changes (legendaries really should have unique effects not seen on rares or magics to make them viable), some time for wealth to amass, and a little time for the majority of the playerbase to clear off the cobwebs of not having the Diablo franchise being current will do the community and the game a great service.