Lewters Lounge talks about Diablo III in a new article. In their own words they call the story a tribute to a deeply flawed, and amazing game.
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Diablo 3 - Editorial @ Lewters Lounge
- Thread starter Couchpotato
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Drithius
Magic & Loss
The guy's "tribute" reads like a 12 year old's "how I spent my summer vacation" school assignment.
And then there was the launch.
And then I logged in.
And then I played.
And then I got to Inferno.
And then I tried to farm in Act 1.
And then I finally cleared Act 1.
And then I tried to farm Act II.
…ugh. This is a tribute?
And then there was the launch.
And then I logged in.
And then I played.
And then I got to Inferno.
And then I tried to farm in Act 1.
And then I finally cleared Act 1.
And then I tried to farm Act II.
…ugh. This is a tribute?
After reading this I kinda regret never having even tried Diablo 3. I played the hell out of D2, and I have lots of fond memories of that game similar to this writer's good times reportage of D3. I was busy with SWTOR, though, and even when I got tired of that, which didn't take long. I never heard anything about D3 that made me think it was worth a shot.
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DArtagnan
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When the expansion launches in late March, I recommend giving it a go.
Well his first sentence says it all. I don't think anyone should take it to seriously.
Drithius
Magic & Loss
I wouldn't play D3 if you're looking for gameplay and setting akin to D2. Worlds apart. Now, Path of Exile on the other hand is most definitely oozing with D2 qualities and then some.
I've played dozens of D2 clones the last decade and didn't like any of them. And actually, I didn't really expect to like D2 as much as I did, since I wasn't a huge fan of the original Diablo. I guess it was something about the recipe they used combined with the way it worked on Battle.net that really hooked me. Anyway, I looked into both D3 and Path of Exile again just now and decided to hold off on D3 until they announce for sure the online auction houses are gone and never being replaced with something similar. I think being able to buy that one item I had my heart set on instead of having to farm for it would completely ruin the game for me. Being expert loot farmer is the whole point! No sense in not at least trying Path of Exile, I suppose, since it's at least semi FTP.
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DArtagnan
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If you wanted optimal gear in Diablo 2 - you either had to play for years with constant grinding or go trade with other people.
The auction house was implemented because Blizzard wanted to avoid the black market and the inconvenience of having to start games with strangers, hoping to trade successfully.
Now, it's back to endless grinding or annoying trading if you want a certain gear setup.
Have fun
So, what do the players in the New and Improved Diablo do after they bought all the best gear in the game instead of earning it? Stand around posing? Where's the thrill of finally having that item you'd been hoping to get fall down on the ground after a tough fight? I don't know what they were thinking, but I'm guessing they badly misunderstood their target demographic
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According to battlenet, both the real money and the gold AH are being shut down in March. I'd still wait for the expansion though if your planning to give the game a try. A lot of the changes just seem really good, and would be likely to enhance your experience with the game a great deal. D3 vanilla is a good game, but it definitely has it's flaws.
A definite strength of D3, in my opinion, is that it's not a D2 clone. As you note, D2 has been cloned to death as it is, and I'm very happy to see something new. But I can understand how people who didn't want change would be less happy.
A definite strength of D3, in my opinion, is that it's not a D2 clone. As you note, D2 has been cloned to death as it is, and I'm very happy to see something new. But I can understand how people who didn't want change would be less happy.
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DArtagnan
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So, what do the players in the New and Improved Diablo do after they bought all the best gear in the game instead of earning it? Stand around posing? Where's the thrill of finally having that item you'd been hoping to get fall down on the ground after a tough fight? I don't know what they were thinking, but I'm guessing they badly misunderstood their target demographic
There is no best gear in the game, so there's no reason to stop playing if you're enjoying it.
Most people would go to the AH to get reasonable gear to overcome Inferno instead of wiping a million times until they found it themselves. Then they would stand a chance of finding better gear themselves.
Difference is that D2 did have "optimal gear" for the most part, at which point the game was pretty much over for that class - except of course if you liked PvP.
I don't know why you think the AH was forced upon you or why you'd necessarily start out with buying the best gear on there - but that's on you.
Personally, I think it was a great addition - they just messed up on game balance to make it a required feature for people wanting to do Inferno level.
I think it added to the thrill of finding items, because you could actually make a bit of money on the side if it was a great item you couldn't personally use. It extended the lifetime of the game.
There were other issues, but the AH was never the problem.
But people don't really think too much before they start bitching about things - and Bliz ended up caving to the whiners. Not unlike what they've been doing in WoW for ages.
Oh well, too bad.
I'm going to miss the AH once I start playing the expansion, that's for sure.
My brother bought Diablo 3 for me for Xmas and so I've been investing a few hours in it over the holidays. It's essentially a polished turd; the fact that they ripped the guts out of the skill system and removed any stat manipulation/build experimentation is probably what irks me the most. The always online requirement is also god awful, as indeed is the design/business model itself. (The mmo and wow-ification elements - yuck!)
Just wanted to report that I beat Inferno without using the Auction House at all, so one shouldn't be misled into thinking it's a requirement to complete the game.
I simply didn't use it out of principle; it takes one out of the gaming experience and strikes me as just a little lazy.
I'd like to finish Hardcore as well, but I kind of dread the lag spikes and server disconnections which can result in some rather spectacular sudden deaths.
Just wanted to report that I beat Inferno without using the Auction House at all, so one shouldn't be misled into thinking it's a requirement to complete the game.
I simply didn't use it out of principle; it takes one out of the gaming experience and strikes me as just a little lazy.
I'd like to finish Hardcore as well, but I kind of dread the lag spikes and server disconnections which can result in some rather spectacular sudden deaths.
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DArtagnan
Guest
I'm talking about the way it played at launch, where unless you were a Demon Hunter - you pretty much needed high-end defensive AND offensive gear or you'd die horribly to a lot of pack combos.
That doesn't mean you had to use the AH, as I said, simply that the alternative was hitting a wall over and over again for hours.
The difficulty spike from Hell to Inferno was MASSIVE - and the gear reliance was equally massive, especially for the Barbarian and Monk.
The Inferno difficulty of today is a complete joke in comparison, and can be done with your eyes closed. It's been hit with nerf after nerf after nerf, and they also removed a lot of the pack combos because they were simply too hard.
However, the fact that you put the game down so heavily whilst having completed the game on all four difficulties is amusing. Unless they changed it so you can start on Inferno?
That must have taken a good 50+ hours. What a terrible experience it must have been for you - especially since you'd also like to complete it on Hardcore.
In any case, yes, the game suffers significant flaws - and yet it's got great core gameplay.
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sakichop
Guest
I've played diablo 1,2 and 3 and have come to the conclusion that I just can't stand the boring click,click,click combat.
Apparently I'm a slow learner.
Apparently I'm a slow learner.
I've played diablo 1,2 and 3 and have come to the conclusion that I just can't stand the boring click,click,click combat.
Apparently I'm a slow learner.
I just finished playing through Dragon's Dogma Dark Arisen. One of the best games ever made in my opinion. The problem is it has ruined me to "click, click, click" combat as you say.
In Dragon's Dogma you actually climb and scale your enemies, slashing and hacking. The battles feel very real and very immersive. I was just thinking how much cooler D3's boss battles or even Path of Exile's boss battles would have been if I could have actually directly moved my character, jumped on the bosses, dashes in and out, and you know...actually fought them for myself instead of letting my abilities just auto-kill them.
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Why is that so amusing?
Have you never criticised a game heavily that you've still managed to put significant hours into? My issues with the game relate mostly to aesthetics and overall design decisions as I've mentioned, but as you indicate, the core gameplay itself is mostly solid fun and very easy to get into. I think starting on Inferno won't be available as an option until Loot 2.0 comes out, i.e the expansion. This might make drops more personalised and rewarding yet upset the overall balance, we'll have to see. I'll no doubt save a class for a muliplayer experience here to try it out. I haven't tested out the Witch Doctor or Demon Hunter yet…
I remember describing Diablo when it came out as essentially Gauntlet with stats. I never considered it an rpg at all to be honest and so I've also always had a hint of derision for it and the action cRPG sub genre in general, as it is more or less opposed to the role-playing experiences that I largely prefer.
However, they are like "guilty pleasures" to me and I do so enjoy playing and beating them in the multiplayer LAN setting. (My brother and I once beat D2 and LoD in a long weekend, ahh such memories.)
A few more than that actually - 70 odd. The server disconnections, loss of time and diminished returns, hamster wheel repetition, irritating WoW-ish cutscenes, pitifiul legendary drops not equaling lesser yellows, yep - a terrible experience.
Thankfully, the gameplay has somewhat made up for that. Hardcore would certainly be a fascinating endeavour and I'd definitely have to be more conservative and play more slowly. The trouble is, the game doesn't exactly lend itself to such thinking very well - wading in to the fray with a new skill to test is usually the norm.
Speaking of amusement though, my brother informs me that you can kill off a representation of Jay Wilson in the game. Maybe that's where I should project my frustrations in future.
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DArtagnan
Guest
Why is that so amusing?
I have indeed, especially MMOs - but I always try to be fair about it. Which means I'll be sure to mention the positives. Maybe I missed them somewhere in your post?
No, they're actually going to remove the old difficulty levels entirely - and instead introduce "normal, hard, etc." when you begin a game. This essentially means you don't have to redo content you don't feel like doing.
I know lots of people who feel that way. I don't personally understand the word "derision" in this context, though. The games are clearly not trying to be traditional roleplaying games - they're just using RPG mechanics to a large extent.
But they're not asking you to enjoy them or play them, which is why I don't understand why people have these negative feelings for Diablo - but that's ok.
I do think lots of people miss out on the core of the Diablo experience - which is NOT about mindlessly clicking, but about the long term strategy of building the optimal character and getting the best loot for a specific plan. The first playthroughs are essentially building the strategy - and the test comes when you get to the hardest stages.
I find that very satisfying, but to each his own.
A few more than that actually - 70 odd. The server disconnections, loss of time and diminished returns, hamster wheel repetition, irritating WoW-ish cutscenes, pitifiul legendary drops not equaling lesser yellows, yep - a terrible experience.
Yeah, I have to say I still find that very amusing. Almost as if you're in denial about the game having been fun.
It's not like an MMO - where you spend dozens of hours discovering the finer points and realising the limits of the content. It's pretty clear within 5-10 hours what the game is about.
So, unless it's really fun - I have NO idea why anyone would play for 70 hours.
Amusing, indeed
I find hardcore to be a very silly and artificial mechanic - and I don't think online-only is a good environment for it. I wouldn't want to experience death after so many hours, that's for sure.
Speaking of amusement though, my brother informs me that you can kill off a representation of Jay Wilson in the game. Maybe that's where I should project my frustrations with the game in future.
If you need to be frustrated, that would be a good place. He clearly didn't understand Diablo at all.
Yeah, I didn't aspire to write a full review. I merely offered a quick overview of my gut reaction at the time which admittedly, was dominated by the more negative aspects to my experience with the game.
Narrative wise I appreciate the extra attempts to widen story exposition; namely the banter between character and follower. Making the environments in dungeons a little more interactive was also a plus, as are the ocassionally interesting "events" concept which change in terms of availability.
Hmm, call it a playfully mocking or gentle kind of scorn if you will. I have friends who will only play action role-roleplaying games/diablo clones to the negligence of what I (and many others on the 'Watch I would hope) would consider better role-playing games. Perhaps due to the many conversations on this topic over the years with mates and my brother is partially where some of this derision comes from.
Ahh well, each to their own indeed as we like to say. Uh, no. I've definitely had my fun. I thought that was self evident in my jesterly sarcasm to your own curious amusement.
I don't see it as artificial at all; the game can actually be quite exciting with the genuinely real hint of death in the air. But you're dead on - the online requirement almost gives the concept a stillborn effect.
(You're dead before you even start...) Eek, that's too many deaths...
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DArtagnan
Guest
Yeah, I didn't aspire to write a full review. I merely offered a quick overview of my gut reaction at the time which admittedly, was dominated by the more negative aspects to my experience with the game.
The only positive thing you said was that it was polished, AFAIK. But whatever
Yeah, those things work well.
Personally, I think the most impressive aspect of the game is the amount of active skills present with significant variations on each - all of which are beautifully animated and feel great.
No other ARPG can come close.
Hmm, call it a playfully mocking or gentle kind of scorn if you will. I have friends who will only play action role-roleplaying games/diablo clones to the negligence of what I (and many others on the 'Watch I would hope) would consider better role-playing games. Perhaps due to the many conversations on this topic over the years with mates and my brother is partially where some of this derision comes from.
I guess I didn't get the playfulness
Not in your original post, which is where I was first amused.
I don't see it as artificial at all; the game can actually be quite exciting with the genuinely real hint of death in the air. But you're dead on - the online requirement almost gives the concept a stillborn effect.
Yes, it's exciting because they change the result from temporary to permanent. That's the artificial part - because it's essentially a flag in the code somewhere.
It would be different if the game was designed around it, or gave some actual incentive instead of "I better be careful because otherwise I'll lose everything I worked for."
I used to enjoy such things when I was younger and had time to throw into black holes.
Not anymore, I fear.
But again, to each his own.
That said, the online requirement is the only way to make it work - as anything else can be circumvented and no one would know your achievement except you.
No different from D2 back in the day - and Battlenet was a lot less stable back then.