Got in the beta last week. Went to 2 Blizcons just to play Diablo III and really enjoyed them at the show.
I will post more specific and in-depth thoughts later after work, but I just wanted to give a quick overall feel for the game I have so far.
Unfortunately, I do not get how Blizzard can completely ignore 10 years of history with Diablo II, a game that to this day still sells for almost full retail and produce the game that they have.
Diablo III is not a Diablo game in my opinion. Basically all RPG elements have been completely removed. Stats auto level, all skills open to the player and level automatically. You have to go to a completely ridiculous "shrine" to swap out skills. From what I can see, the only RPG element left is a choice of 3 total passive skills you get over the complete lifespan of you character.
It is a pure action game now with some RPG-lite features. The re-playability of Diablo II and it's long term success was built around the RPG elements not the gameplay (certainly addictive) or the items. Choice mattered in Diablo II. For every choice you made you gave something up. Each character you played was ultimately unique, even if eventually there were so called "cookie-cuter" specs. You were a Furyzon, not a Bowazon and could never be. If you decided that you wanted a bow wielder you made one, and the roguelike features made it FUN to develop a new character. The horrible skill system that has basically infinite respecs kills that. On a non-hardcore setting you will only play one of each character ever. There is no replayability. Blizzard seems so concerned that the game will be even a little complex and people might make a mistake (they should be able to, and in fact is the attraction of the game) that they have basically eliminated any choice or any interesting character development elements of the game. They have ignored the fact that the underlying complexity of Diablo II IS WHAT MADE IT SUCCESSFULL. It's like the chess saying, a minute to learn a lifetime to master.
I know why they have done what they have done - probably some focus groups or surveys that suggest that they will sell more copies as a pure action game than as a RPG. And it will sell a bazillion copies so they will point to its success as the validation of this change but that is facile. Diablo III will not have the longevity of Diablo II now way.
Even worse than that though is that the game mechanics have been changed a lot too from the betas and the actual gameplay itself is not as fun. It was actually a much better game as an alpha than it is now. I am a huge Diablo fan and with the beta installed on my PC I basically have no interest in playing. I will so I can give Blizzard reasoned critisisms but I know that they will ignore them as blue themselves have created this adversarial relationship where they call the Diablo II players "hardcore" and diminish their opinions.
There was a time when RPGs didn't require you to meticulously plan out your character builds from level 1 you know. You might have even played such a game. (Diablo 1) If that's too "actiony" for you though, you might look at every single RPG based on AD&D 2nd edition, which had downright minimal customization options for building a class. And if D&D isn't an RPG, I'm not sure what is.
There was a time when RPGs didn't require you to meticulously plan out your character builds from level 1 you know. You might have even played such a game. (Diablo 1)
Agreed. As far as I can remember, the Diablo franchise has always been an action-RPG game, and in keeping with the Diablo franchise, D3 has a different way of handling skills/spells than in D1 and D2.
I really don't understand the attachment that some people have to Diablo 2. I mean, it was a fun game and all, but I really don't think it was a game that Blizzard thought people would still be playing 10 years later and defending it tooth and nail. I think it was successful for so long precisely because it was such an addictive game. It didn't have an incredibly involved story (in fact, you could skip right through it, and many did), it wasn't a very long game, it wasn't a huge world that you could explore - in fact, it was pretty small overall. For the average player, Diablo 2 really has almost no replayability, because you're playing the exact same game over and over but for better items.
Then don't play it? I don''t know what to tell you.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"I want to say something but I'll keep it to myself I guess and leave this useless post behind to make you aware that there WAS something... "
-Equinox
"We're like the downtown of the Diablo related internet lol"
-Winged
What you're pointing out could also have been said at the launch of Diablo 2. Diablo 1 had spells books, of which all classes shared the same spell pool. The three classes were practically indistinct. From there skill trees and point are actually a step in a whole new direction. And now Diablo 3 is featuring rune customization.
So basically the evolution of the skill/spell system:
Spell Books->Skill Trees->Skill Runes
Also, Diablo 2's items relied heavily on your attributes, and no matter which class you played, you could always build them in the same way. You raised strength for your desired armor, dexterity you left or spent a few points if you played with a shield, the rest went into vitality, and you never needed to spend a point in energy. How is that fun, exactly?
If you've been following D3 then you'd know that attributes still play a part in your character build, I'd say more so than D2. Attributes are more of a juggling act now, which are totally item dependent now and can actively be raised through gems. In D2 item requirements seemed burdened by your attributes, however, in D3 your items work in conjunction with your attributes, raising them to in turn function with your build.
This is definitely a move in the right direction.
So far only a slim minority have berated Blizzard for the removal of attribute points and even skill points. Both of which are now more dependent on items (gems and runes, for now), which is actually more in tune with Diablo, if you think about it.
I really don't understand the attachment that some people have to Diablo 2.
AGREED~
Yes,Most people that played D2 were not aware there was a story line~
(game summery kill:Andy,Dur,meph,D,Baal GETS LOOTz)
Yes, Most people that played D2 wanted FREEZIES
(IE when i gave away all my stuff for the Nth time because i get board and stop playing)
YES, D2=lootz
I really don't see the complexities Diablo 2 had ...I don't really see the complexity in Diablo one other than it's a pain in the ass to go back and play, The most complex thing in Diablo 2 is trying to find someone to trade with(literally I was forced to spam and site in rooms and get stood up or get showed crap and your all like dude leave the room noob) anyway~
I sorta agree with johnny (tho i haven't played the beta)
From the video and pictures I've seen I think that Diablo maybe losing its dark gothyness I mean you can make the argument that it went out when D2 came in but what about D3?
Now maybe I would feel different if I played the beta and maybe if I liked WoW more I would say "Thats Tots not WoW!NOOB~!"but from what I see these are very similar if not WoW adjacent but back to the subject line~ "I just do not get this game at all" I don't see why you have to make it look so WoW~
I think it'll be a lot more fun not having to plan out each character on a spreadsheet before even starting. I was so happy when re-specs were introduced into D2 for this very reason.
However, I think he has a point about replayability. What's the point of making a new guy once you have all classes at level 60? Which probably won't take more than 6 months even for casual players. Why would you ever need or want to level up another character at that point since you'll have every skill unlocked automatically? Also, the 10 character slot limit surely doesn't help.
I don't know the answer. D2 obviously wasn't perfect, but is the D3 solution the right direction?
However, I think he has a point about replayability. What's the point of making a new guy once you have all classes at level 60? Which probably won't take more than 6 months even for casual players.
Ok, so every character type leveled to 60... finishing Inferno? I do not agree that casual players will do this in 6 months. As a matter of fact I don't think most "casual" players will even get more than one character to 60 (if any) before they stop playing (more likely several in the 20s and several in the 30s). Casual gamers probably won't make it through Hell difficulty before getting side tracked by something else.
Also, keep in mind that there is almost 100% certainty that there will be an expansion pack for this game (if you put any faith at all in the "leaked" Blizzard time line then you will probably believe there will be two expansions for it - which would not surprise me in the slightest).
The ability to control how much enjoyment you get out of D3 and how fast you churn through it is in your hands. Don't blame Blizzard if you rush through. From everything I've seen they are giving us a very nice game with a ton to do especially considering they added the 4th difficulty level, crafting, etc.
OP, I agree 100% with you. I just don't bother complaining anymore. D3 is what it is, it will be a fun game, but not one I will have installed in my computer in 10 years time, as D2 is now. Will I enjoy D3? Most definitely, probably more than any of the recent games. Do I think they could have done it better? Yes, in so may ways.
You have to stop thinking about it as a D2 successor (even when it is). If you do, you just get disappointed. You should also stop pointing out flaws in the game to this forums, most (not all) will just completely disregard your post and try to convince you that the game is perfect. The time when criticizing was welcomed is long gone.
Everyone allocated stats the same way on EVERY character, and once you found out the best way to do it you never changed them up. After you got to a certain point you would respec and dump your skill points into one skill and that would be that. Now with the rune system ALL of your skills have 6 possible builds putting your possible customization of your characters skills into the trillions rather than one or two skills, regardless of "bowzon" or "spearzon".
OP, I agree 100% with you. I just don't bother complaining anymore. D3 is what it is, it will be a fun game, but not one I will have installed in my computer in 10 years time, as D2 is now. Will I enjoy D3? Most definitely, probably more than any of the recent games. Do I think they could have done it better? Yes, in so may ways.
You have to stop thinking about it as a D2 successor (even when it is). If you do, you just get disappointed. You should also stop pointing out flaws in the game to this forums, most (not all) will just completely disregard your post and try to convince you that the game is perfect. The time when criticizing was welcomed is long gone.
i started reading his post and theres too much QQ in it that it just seems sad. can you make a list of things you think need to be changed to make D3 how you would see it as an amazing successor?
like:
-blazey blazey change this
-change that
-
-
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"once the pretty hardcore gamers we had testing inferno found it fairly difficult, we then we doubled it" -trolololol jay wilson
Everyone allocated stats the same way on EVERY character, and once you found out the best way to do it you never changed them up. After you got to a certain point you would respec and dump your skill points into one skill and that would be that. Now with the rune system ALL of your skills have 6 possible builds putting your possible customization of your characters skills into the trillions rather than one or two skills, regardless of "bowzon" or "spearzon".
You are correct.
But like the OP said, once you have every class at level 60, why would you ever level up another character? Assuming you don't play HC. I just see a big dead end that I honestly don't have a solution to but it's still worrisome.
And there's the issue of only 10 character slots...
I highly doubt I will have every class at 60 farming Inferno by the time the expansion hits. Who's to say they don't introduce new classes and stuff for each expansion either? Who knows what direction Blizzard will take to keep it fresh.
ok first: Diablo has never been an RPG it waas always an action game.
second: D2 and complex? lol i think we played 2 different games. every fucking character was basically the same +/- a few health points.
all you did was choose 1/2 spells and level its synergies and then take 1 spell more for immunes.
and stat wise you just pushed HP, str for your heavyest item and maybe maxblock for HC it was the SAME on every character that you wanted to be viable.
now instead of 2 skills you have 7 and i bet you will see a lot more viable builds in D3 for each char than in D2
the only thing i dont know how i feel about is the respec. its kinda cool that you can try different bulds without being punished for it but i kinda liked the commitment you had to your char
OP: Look, not everyone is going to like this game. If you don't like it, just be thankful you got into the beta and don't buy it.
I'm not sure why you're posting this here though... Your opinions seem resigned that nothing will change in the design and gameplay, so you're just venting. Good for blogs, not so good for forums.
If you want to have a conversation voicing your concerns for a game you believe in, constructively criticizing the parts you dislike, with potential solutions, by all means. But as it stands, you seem perfectly stoked with D2, and perfectly happy to fart in D3's general direction. Basically your post is a troll, so do us a favor and keep it to yourself, eh champ?
As for this thread de-volving into another D3 is going to be better than D2 clusterfuck troll bait topic, www.nope.com
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions."
-Thomas Jefferson
You didn't mention runestones anywhere in your post, so unfortunately I'm gonna have to disregard your entire rant. Also, you're really just complaining about old issues that Blizzard has already effectively explained away (stat distribution). Soooo gonna have to view this as a troll.
Im not saying D3 is D2 successor~ I actually think that all the changes in D3 will make me a very happy~ especially if i don't have to rebuild and start from scratch.
I just don't like cartoony games and D3 is really on the edge of cute(in some areas)~
But on the topic of End game~
I don't think that i will run out of stuff to do at lvl 60 epically with the garbage achievements Shoved in the game.
It skill system just saves time on grinding which i don't mind cuz that means i can spend more time LOOT WHOREING
So i guess if i had to tell Bliz to do something is make the game so dark that i cant even see my char~ that would make me very happy~
There wasn't any real choice in stats in Diablo 2. Here's how I would typically allocate stats:
1. Enough strength to wear the equipment I've found.
2. Enough dexterity to wear the equipment I've found (usually none).
3. Enough vitality so I don't get instantly killed in 1 hit.
4. That's it. I'd usually have anywhere from 100-150 stat points unallocated just in case I found something I needed a ton more strength for, and you know what? It never mattered.
It is a pure action game now with some RPG-lite features.
Amazingly, that's pretty close to verbatim if you were to pull out a PC Gamer reviewing Diablo or Diablo 2 back in the day. That's exactly what Diablo is.
Here's a contrast of choices then and choices now.
Then: You made a choice, typically around level 1 where you'd decide what skills your character was going to use. Zero experimentation. Heaven forbid you spent 10 points in the Sorc skill "Inferno" before you got to Duriel and he instantly gibbed your face. Even more fun when you get to Hell and a might aura unique archer pack instantly kills you while you shoot off a quarter second of inferno since you're guaranteed to not move when you use it. Time to make a new character!
Now: If you really want to, you could do the exact same thing with D3. Get a few skills, decide on them as your main ones, and use them until they're so stale you stop playing the character, then level another one of the exact same class with different skills. I'd be willing to bet you'd find that not very fun. Instead now you have the choice to use different skills and mix it up. You can use that exact same play time you would have used leveling a character and instead progress further into Inferno while keeping the game fresh.
Some people enjoy unique challenges. An example (though not possible in D3 because of PvP restrictions) was 8 people getting together in D2 with new hardcore characters. Everyone levels to 8 together, and then goes back to town and goes hostile for a mass 8 man FFA duel. More fun than a bag of peanuts.
D3 equivalent might be the naked game completion. 4 players all start new characters and try to clear act 4 naked, or see how far they get.
Also, if I had the beta I'd probably find it very unfun, but more because of the lack of content or story hooks. There's only so much fun to be had up to the SK.
You have to stop thinking about it as a D2 successor (even when it is). If you do, you just get disappointed. You should also stop pointing out flaws in the game to this forums, most (not all) will just completely disregard your post and try to convince you that the game is perfect. The time when criticizing was welcomed is long gone.
What? I most certainly see D3 as the true successor to D2 in every way. It takes everything about D2 that has become stale and improved upon it. I can honestly say that I am 100% excited about everything in D3 and I truly think it is brilliant as it is, excellent as a baseline. And from here on they have a great groundwork to expand upon.
You know, I don't understand why people insist to clamor that just because Blizzard are introducing new systems and scraping dated concepts it means that this can't be a true sequel. And just because you feel that this is not what you wanted doesn't mean its crap as a rule. Perhaps you expected D2.5 and that's fine, but don't presume that the rest of us can't be excited about the changes just because you're not. Some of us feel the game is perfectly fine, and really think the direction the game is going in is very positive. The only flaw I personally had was with the unattuned rune system, but since they scraped that I'm ecstatic.
Criticism is fine, constructive criticism above all. However, many people here have boiled the argument down to whining, spewing insults at Blizzard and anyone who supports them, or have reverted to downright paranoia and conspiracy theories. To some complaints of the upset, nostalgic minority, Blizzard even reply with reasoning behind their changes. If people still don't like it, then it's fine, but I don't see why some of these people would afterwards freak out and continue berating Blizzard and those who like their ideas.
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Got in the beta last week. Went to 2 Blizcons just to play Diablo III and really enjoyed them at the show.
I will post more specific and in-depth thoughts later after work, but I just wanted to give a quick overall feel for the game I have so far.
Unfortunately, I do not get how Blizzard can completely ignore 10 years of history with Diablo II, a game that to this day still sells for almost full retail and produce the game that they have.
Diablo III is not a Diablo game in my opinion. Basically all RPG elements have been completely removed. Stats auto level, all skills open to the player and level automatically. You have to go to a completely ridiculous "shrine" to swap out skills. From what I can see, the only RPG element left is a choice of 3 total passive skills you get over the complete lifespan of you character.
It is a pure action game now with some RPG-lite features. The re-playability of Diablo II and it's long term success was built around the RPG elements not the gameplay (certainly addictive) or the items. Choice mattered in Diablo II. For every choice you made you gave something up. Each character you played was ultimately unique, even if eventually there were so called "cookie-cuter" specs. You were a Furyzon, not a Bowazon and could never be. If you decided that you wanted a bow wielder you made one, and the roguelike features made it FUN to develop a new character. The horrible skill system that has basically infinite respecs kills that. On a non-hardcore setting you will only play one of each character ever. There is no replayability. Blizzard seems so concerned that the game will be even a little complex and people might make a mistake (they should be able to, and in fact is the attraction of the game) that they have basically eliminated any choice or any interesting character development elements of the game. They have ignored the fact that the underlying complexity of Diablo II IS WHAT MADE IT SUCCESSFULL. It's like the chess saying, a minute to learn a lifetime to master.
I know why they have done what they have done - probably some focus groups or surveys that suggest that they will sell more copies as a pure action game than as a RPG. And it will sell a bazillion copies so they will point to its success as the validation of this change but that is facile. Diablo III will not have the longevity of Diablo II now way.
Even worse than that though is that the game mechanics have been changed a lot too from the betas and the actual gameplay itself is not as fun. It was actually a much better game as an alpha than it is now. I am a huge Diablo fan and with the beta installed on my PC I basically have no interest in playing. I will so I can give Blizzard reasoned critisisms but I know that they will ignore them as blue themselves have created this adversarial relationship where they call the Diablo II players "hardcore" and diminish their opinions.
I really don't understand the attachment that some people have to Diablo 2. I mean, it was a fun game and all, but I really don't think it was a game that Blizzard thought people would still be playing 10 years later and defending it tooth and nail. I think it was successful for so long precisely because it was such an addictive game. It didn't have an incredibly involved story (in fact, you could skip right through it, and many did), it wasn't a very long game, it wasn't a huge world that you could explore - in fact, it was pretty small overall. For the average player, Diablo 2 really has almost no replayability, because you're playing the exact same game over and over but for better items.
-Equinox
"We're like the downtown of the Diablo related internet lol"
-Winged
What you're pointing out could also have been said at the launch of Diablo 2. Diablo 1 had spells books, of which all classes shared the same spell pool. The three classes were practically indistinct. From there skill trees and point are actually a step in a whole new direction. And now Diablo 3 is featuring rune customization.
So basically the evolution of the skill/spell system:
Spell Books->Skill Trees->Skill Runes
Also, Diablo 2's items relied heavily on your attributes, and no matter which class you played, you could always build them in the same way. You raised strength for your desired armor, dexterity you left or spent a few points if you played with a shield, the rest went into vitality, and you never needed to spend a point in energy. How is that fun, exactly?
If you've been following D3 then you'd know that attributes still play a part in your character build, I'd say more so than D2. Attributes are more of a juggling act now, which are totally item dependent now and can actively be raised through gems. In D2 item requirements seemed burdened by your attributes, however, in D3 your items work in conjunction with your attributes, raising them to in turn function with your build.
This is definitely a move in the right direction.
So far only a slim minority have berated Blizzard for the removal of attribute points and even skill points. Both of which are now more dependent on items (gems and runes, for now), which is actually more in tune with Diablo, if you think about it.
Yes,Most people that played D2 were not aware there was a story line~
(game summery kill:Andy,Dur,meph,D,Baal GETS LOOTz)
Yes, Most people that played D2 wanted FREEZIES
(IE when i gave away all my stuff for the Nth time because i get board and stop playing)
YES, D2=lootz
I really don't see the complexities Diablo 2 had ...I don't really see the complexity in Diablo one other than it's a pain in the ass to go back and play, The most complex thing in Diablo 2 is trying to find someone to trade with(literally I was forced to spam and site in rooms and get stood up or get showed crap and your all like dude leave the room noob) anyway~
I sorta agree with johnny (tho i haven't played the beta)
From the video and pictures I've seen I think that Diablo maybe losing its dark gothyness I mean you can make the argument that it went out when D2 came in but what about D3?
I think D3 looks too much like WoW~ now don't post back saying the game play is different or spells are different because that not what I'm arguing. For example I saw some in game stuff for the city of caldeam and i was like dude this looks liek WoW in fact if i were at blizCon i would of gotten up and SAID "OMFR I In WOrong panal cuz i wants my D3s now" LINK BELOW
http://diablo.incgamers.com/gallery/data/610/medium/vlcsnap-2011-10-23-01h30m43s209.png
http://diablo.incgamers.com/gallery/data/610/medium/vlcsnap-2011-10-23-01h29m44s122.png
Another pic to reiterate my point~
http://www.maxfreak.com/diablo3/images/diablo-3-screenshot-1.jpg
Now maybe I would feel different if I played the beta and maybe if I liked WoW more I would say "Thats Tots not WoW!NOOB~!"but from what I see these are very similar if not WoW adjacent but back to the subject line~ "I just do not get this game at all" I don't see why you have to make it look so WoW~
I think it'll be a lot more fun not having to plan out each character on a spreadsheet before even starting. I was so happy when re-specs were introduced into D2 for this very reason.
However, I think he has a point about replayability. What's the point of making a new guy once you have all classes at level 60? Which probably won't take more than 6 months even for casual players. Why would you ever need or want to level up another character at that point since you'll have every skill unlocked automatically? Also, the 10 character slot limit surely doesn't help.
I don't know the answer. D2 obviously wasn't perfect, but is the D3 solution the right direction?
Ok, so every character type leveled to 60... finishing Inferno? I do not agree that casual players will do this in 6 months. As a matter of fact I don't think most "casual" players will even get more than one character to 60 (if any) before they stop playing (more likely several in the 20s and several in the 30s). Casual gamers probably won't make it through Hell difficulty before getting side tracked by something else.
Also, keep in mind that there is almost 100% certainty that there will be an expansion pack for this game (if you put any faith at all in the "leaked" Blizzard time line then you will probably believe there will be two expansions for it - which would not surprise me in the slightest).
The ability to control how much enjoyment you get out of D3 and how fast you churn through it is in your hands. Don't blame Blizzard if you rush through. From everything I've seen they are giving us a very nice game with a ton to do especially considering they added the 4th difficulty level, crafting, etc.
You have to stop thinking about it as a D2 successor (even when it is). If you do, you just get disappointed. You should also stop pointing out flaws in the game to this forums, most (not all) will just completely disregard your post and try to convince you that the game is perfect. The time when criticizing was welcomed is long gone.
i started reading his post and theres too much QQ in it that it just seems sad. can you make a list of things you think need to be changed to make D3 how you would see it as an amazing successor?
like:
-blazey blazey change this
-change that
-
-
You are correct.
But like the OP said, once you have every class at level 60, why would you ever level up another character? Assuming you don't play HC. I just see a big dead end that I honestly don't have a solution to but it's still worrisome.
And there's the issue of only 10 character slots...
Battle.net Profile / Diablo Progress Profile
I'm not sure why you're posting this here though... Your opinions seem resigned that nothing will change in the design and gameplay, so you're just venting. Good for blogs, not so good for forums.
If you want to have a conversation voicing your concerns for a game you believe in, constructively criticizing the parts you dislike, with potential solutions, by all means. But as it stands, you seem perfectly stoked with D2, and perfectly happy to fart in D3's general direction. Basically your post is a troll, so do us a favor and keep it to yourself, eh champ?
As for this thread de-volving into another D3 is going to be better than D2 clusterfuck troll bait topic, www.nope.com
-Thomas Jefferson
I just don't like cartoony games and D3 is really on the edge of cute(in some areas)~
But on the topic of End game~
I don't think that i will run out of stuff to do at lvl 60 epically with the garbage achievements Shoved in the game.
It skill system just saves time on grinding which i don't mind cuz that means i can spend more time LOOT WHOREING
So i guess if i had to tell Bliz to do something is make the game so dark that i cant even see my char~ that would make me very happy~
DONT GET ME STARTED ON MF~
1. Enough strength to wear the equipment I've found.
2. Enough dexterity to wear the equipment I've found (usually none).
3. Enough vitality so I don't get instantly killed in 1 hit.
4. That's it. I'd usually have anywhere from 100-150 stat points unallocated just in case I found something I needed a ton more strength for, and you know what? It never mattered.
Amazingly, that's pretty close to verbatim if you were to pull out a PC Gamer reviewing Diablo or Diablo 2 back in the day. That's exactly what Diablo is.
Here's a contrast of choices then and choices now.
Then: You made a choice, typically around level 1 where you'd decide what skills your character was going to use. Zero experimentation. Heaven forbid you spent 10 points in the Sorc skill "Inferno" before you got to Duriel and he instantly gibbed your face. Even more fun when you get to Hell and a might aura unique archer pack instantly kills you while you shoot off a quarter second of inferno since you're guaranteed to not move when you use it. Time to make a new character!
Now: If you really want to, you could do the exact same thing with D3. Get a few skills, decide on them as your main ones, and use them until they're so stale you stop playing the character, then level another one of the exact same class with different skills. I'd be willing to bet you'd find that not very fun. Instead now you have the choice to use different skills and mix it up. You can use that exact same play time you would have used leveling a character and instead progress further into Inferno while keeping the game fresh.
Some people enjoy unique challenges. An example (though not possible in D3 because of PvP restrictions) was 8 people getting together in D2 with new hardcore characters. Everyone levels to 8 together, and then goes back to town and goes hostile for a mass 8 man FFA duel. More fun than a bag of peanuts.
D3 equivalent might be the naked game completion. 4 players all start new characters and try to clear act 4 naked, or see how far they get.
Also, if I had the beta I'd probably find it very unfun, but more because of the lack of content or story hooks. There's only so much fun to be had up to the SK.
You know, I don't understand why people insist to clamor that just because Blizzard are introducing new systems and scraping dated concepts it means that this can't be a true sequel. And just because you feel that this is not what you wanted doesn't mean its crap as a rule. Perhaps you expected D2.5 and that's fine, but don't presume that the rest of us can't be excited about the changes just because you're not. Some of us feel the game is perfectly fine, and really think the direction the game is going in is very positive. The only flaw I personally had was with the unattuned rune system, but since they scraped that I'm ecstatic.
Criticism is fine, constructive criticism above all. However, many people here have boiled the argument down to whining, spewing insults at Blizzard and anyone who supports them, or have reverted to downright paranoia and conspiracy theories. To some complaints of the upset, nostalgic minority, Blizzard even reply with reasoning behind their changes. If people still don't like it, then it's fine, but I don't see why some of these people would afterwards freak out and continue berating Blizzard and those who like their ideas.