Jump to content

Diablo III


Bren
 Share

Recommended Posts

So I got the game to work, and I became a level 4 Wizard named PixelPanic until the server was terminated (I was almost at Leoric, but I wasn't quite as close as you).

The combat is pretty meh-level stuff. The wizards don't have much customization besides which of the three spells you have do you want you use. I don't really get the UI, if I KNOW the spells, and I am capable of switching at any point in combat, why restrict me to 2 slots when starting out. I guess it's for the different kind of spells, but if I need a certain spell for a certain group of enemies, I shouldn't have to micromanage for 30 seconds. Also, playing a wizard is pretty much playing Magicka, but with less spell options and easier. This is why they should have an open beta, not for server tests, but for public response BEFORE you're game ready to go out the gate so we don't have dumb gameplay. Maybe it's just nerfed for the pre-release time, but frankly, I am minimally impressed. The reason I am only minimally impressed is because of the aesthetic and the music. Beautiful, both of them. I think having the first dungeon in a cathedral is a brilliant idea to show off design and visuals. Good job. But the combat is too overwhelmingly bland. I was playing with one hand for the entire time, the other hand on my lap until I needed a potion. Also, do Wizards get any special weapons? I have played about 45 minutes and it seems like I have only gotten shitty axes and bows I have no arrows for (I just keep hitting them with the bow, like some kind of caveman). I know wands are things, because I started out with one! Where they at???

But one thing has held on to my attention is a question floating in my head while playing: Is this really the masterpiece people have been waiting for?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have played about 45 minutes and it seems like I have only gotten shitty axes and bows I have no arrows for (I just keep hitting them with the bow, like some kind of caveman). I know wands are things, because I started out with one! Where they at???

Welcome to Diablo.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pixel - you expect to get phat lewtz in only 45 minutes?

Anyway, I played up until level 9 on the witch doctor... It was kind of fun, but my thoughts are still kind of the same since about 2009... the spells are way too vibrant and colorful.. I don't need to see hot pink and purple colors on my spells... it's really childish. Also, I don't like how primary spells are locked to left click and secondary are locked to right click. I want my god damn poison dart to be right clicked. But you can't change it, not even in the key bindings. I think it's kind of stupid. Blizzard is making it so 5 year olds can play the game, and I think Diablo II was more fun starting out. This is far from a masterpiece...

Edited by Ryan Jobson
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This game is a pleasant surprise so far. Graphics were a huge turnoff early on (models look very low-detail), but once I started going all Fist of the North Star on the zombies with my Monk, it was very gratifying due to all the physics and sound-effects. It definitely FEELS like Diablo.

I'm a bit sceptical about the skill systems apparent simplicity, but I did like how it handled the Monk skills, where the left-click enhances your melee attack in all kinds of ways.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anyone who wants a little more freedom in where they assign skills should turn on Elective Mode.

http://www.global-trance.com/d3electivemode.jpg

As for the not feeling too gothic and dark, then all that wilderness, desert, jungle, and snow mountains in D2 must have been really disappointing.

As for difficulty, the first 10-15 levels in this beta is basically the same difficulty as D2 normal was as well. Perhaps a little simpler yeah but I don't think it's bad. I think it's a lot of fun, especially with multiple players. I will reserve my full judgement of D3 until I finish Nightmare / Hell but so far this glimpse of Act I is looking pretty good so far.

A couple little side highlights for me...

Shoutouts to the shortcut to hell in the first Diablo:

http://www.global-trance.com/diablohellshortcut.jpg

Also R.I.P., Warriv. Thanks for the rides to Lut Gholein in Diablo II. You'll be missed:

http://www.global-trance.com/ripwarriv.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So I got the game to work, and I became a level 4 Wizard named PixelPanic until the server was terminated (I was almost at Leoric, but I wasn't quite as close as you).

The combat is pretty meh-level stuff. The wizards don't have much customization besides which of the three spells you have do you want you use. I don't really get the UI, if I KNOW the spells, and I am capable of switching at any point in combat, why restrict me to 2 slots when starting out. I guess it's for the different kind of spells, but if I need a certain spell for a certain group of enemies, I shouldn't have to micromanage for 30 seconds. Also, playing a wizard is pretty much playing Magicka, but with less spell options and easier. This is why they should have an open beta, not for server tests, but for public response BEFORE you're game ready to go out the gate so we don't have dumb gameplay. Maybe it's just nerfed for the pre-release time, but frankly, I am minimally impressed. The reason I am only minimally impressed is because of the aesthetic and the music. Beautiful, both of them. I think having the first dungeon in a cathedral is a brilliant idea to show off design and visuals. Good job. But the combat is too overwhelmingly bland. I was playing with one hand for the entire time, the other hand on my lap until I needed a potion. Also, do Wizards get any special weapons? I have played about 45 minutes and it seems like I have only gotten shitty axes and bows I have no arrows for (I just keep hitting them with the bow, like some kind of caveman). I know wands are things, because I started out with one! Where they at???

But one thing has held on to my attention is a question floating in my head while playing: Is this really the masterpiece people have been waiting for?

Were you a fan of Diablo 2? All your complaints make it sound like you have no idea what Diablo 3's daddy was like. I'm guessing fans of Diablo 2 who are looking forward to Diablo 3 aren't looking for revolutionary gameplay, they just wanted Diablo 2 with new classes, new levels, more story. Diablo 3 seems prepared to provide that experience.

Edited by Avatar of Justice
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anyone who thinks the auto point allocation dumbs down the game significantly should read this amazing thread and reconsider. In a way it is, but you're not taking everything into consideration. In particular, gems and such will provide a much larger scope of stat control. And these things aren't active in the beta.

http://us.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/3811455085?page=1

On the surface D3 seems really simplified but I think it potentially will provide a lot more options to the player, just in a very different way compared to D2.

Edited by Global-Trance
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had fun trying to get onto the beta and having an Error 37 every time.. so eh.. I won't buy this, because you have to be online even for the single player game. It's holding the game hostage and as seen these last couple days, makes it unplayable.. And the text is too damn small!

All I want to do is spam hammers. Can I spam hammers?

Best part of D2, spamming hammers in the secret cow level. :-P

Edited by Brandon Strader
Link to comment
Share on other sites

No, but I expect a weapon for my class!

see...

what makes finding stuff awesome?

not finding stuff for a while. the greater the shortage, the greater the perceived reward.

diablo always got that right, atleast in single player mode. what you find or don't find in each playthrough is part of the random dynamics that make every playthrough a bit unique. that's the roguelike quality that diablo was originally inspired by.

was diablo 2 considered balanced when it came out? nope.

did we care that much? i don't think so, and that's because there wasn't really much of a benchmark for measurement. D2 eventually became the benchmark.

hey, maybe D3 is gonna suck...but it won't be due to balancing. firstly because it's fucking blizzard. they keep working on stuff. secondly because diablo really isn't that much about balancing.

starcraft multiplayer is all about balancing. you want strictly determinable and reproducible cause and effect for that.

diablo is about randomness. the balance lies in tweaking the randomness to achieve interesting results. part of the fun is that randomness just isn't fair :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anyone who thinks the auto point allocation dumbs down the game significantly should read this amazing thread and reconsider. In a way it is, but you're not taking everything into consideration. In particular, gems and such will provide a much larger scope of stat control. And these things aren't active in the beta.

http://us.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/3811455085?page=1

On the surface D3 seems really simplified but I think it potentially will provide a lot more options to the player, just in a very different way compared to D2.

This was a pretty interesting read, and has got me a more into D3 than the beta did. Thanks for posting!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And the text is too damn small!

If you think the text in this image is too small, you might have a problem with your eyesight.

Also, I went from sceptical to cautiously optimistic after playing through the beta twice. I think the game will have plenty of depth even with the simplified skill system, mostly because of the randomized loot and maps. I'm already liking how the damage of skills is affected by your gear, rather than the amount of points you put into it (+synergy), because it pretty much means that every skill will remain viable at every level.

Edited by Tensei
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This was a pretty interesting read, and has got me a more into D3 than the beta did. Thanks for posting!

Also it's not really talked about much in that link, but there's going to be 14 levels of gems in D3 as opposed to the 5 levels in D2.

Diablo_3_Gems.png

That is hella gems for hella stat control

Edited by Global-Trance
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...