Well you avoided my question too, wich is, do you think that people are going to want more PvP features when it comes out? Whether or not the players are casual players or competitive, the will want more. Second question, (more of a statement), you want to control how you play the game and so does everyone else. That's why I'm posting and why you are posting and everyone on the middle.
This is obviously my opion so you don't have to comment on it. Also when the PvP come out the main focus of people is going to be interested in PvP. People are not going to have it for at least 8 months (wich is two months after the predicted inferno completion) if not longer. Whether or not people are tired of the PvE content they will flock to the PvP when it comes out because it is fresh and new. I also assume that the majority of the players to on to the forums and decide what side the are on. So the "majority" of players will be blindly asking for PvP features and visa versa with the "minority". Nobody can predict what millions of people are going to want.
Also when people can play and COMMUNICATE with each other there will always be negative environments. The only way to avoid that would be to play by yourself or Blizzard takes out the communication between players, wich they can't. Even if your on the same side it is still player versus player unless the game has no challenge at all. In hardcore you are not going to run with someone that could get you killed. And seeing that you can't die in the arena the PvE will probably breed way more negative environments than PvP, even more so since the "majority" playes PvE.
I hadn't realized you were asking a question. To answer it, no...I don't expect the majority of players to demand more PvP features. From the sound of it, Blizzard is already catering to the majority of players with Arena. Why would they have a need to demand more features?
Sure, when people can communicate there will be bad apples. However, there is a difference between a few bad apples and a whole orchard of them. A highly competitive community creates such an environment. It encourages people to be bad apples by rewarding such behavior. Why add a system that that promotes such an environment?
@Conax, Sorry.. I'm not going to read a gigantic run~on wall of text. I suggest you either reformat it or give me a 'tldr' for it.
That said, I read the first sentence or so and you're quite wrong. All they have to do in order to disable eSports in D3 is not add private Arenas. With no way to run tournaments there would be little room for any form of eSport to evolve. Not adding private Arena would not affect the majority of their player~base negatively and as such is something they COULD do without negatively impacting their community as a whole.
What, that's positive to tell competitive players are breeding chaos, mayhem or whatever to your gaming experience? Of course it's negative. The only responsibles of your gaming experience is blizzard and yourself, wanting everyone to play following your moral rules is unrealistic, because people don't have the same moral rules on the first place. On sports many players trashtralk others, many others are examples of sportmanship, so you would say sports are bad because there are players who insults or even physically confront their opponents. You are being negative because you are getting everybody on the same sack and being unable to see what good brings competition and dedicated competitive players to the game.
And you pretty much ignore my points.
It's not that I am unable to see the good that comes from competitive play. Competition does bring good things as well, however, in a video game environment where the overall goal is to play for fun...competition tends to create a negative environment. If others are supporting me its not because I'm some great speaker, its because they see the same issues I've seen and don't want to see it repeat in Diablo 3 either.
As for the issue of pushing my moral views on others. I'm sorry, calling people carebears because they would prefer a casual PvP experience, calling people retards because they prefer the Diablo 3 skill/stat system, etc.. isn't something that should really be accepted by a positive community. It's about treating other players decently regardless of their play~style. Its a negative environment.
I believe I've hit all your points this time, yet ~~ you ignored my question still. Do you want all the negativity as part of the Diablo 3 community?
Negativity comes from persons, not pvp'ers, casuals or hardcores. It's not that hard to understand, is it ? You can't deny human behavious through internet. I want the game to be as best possible, and that means quality content for most kind of gamers (like blizzard ussually does). I still don't see the negativity as an only competitive issue, because here you are, as a casual fun guy, posting on a pvp forum about how they breed bad community members (short - morons).
By the way, you also say games are meant to be fun. You know fun is subjective right ? Or are we going to come back to the debate wether theorycrafting or playing to win is work instead of fun for some people ?
Your posts remember me so much about fluffymeisters against competitive gamers on wh40k. If you have a problem with some kind of gamer, it's your problem, not theirs, grow up an deal with it on a mature way, not crying on forums how meany people is on games.
You STILL aren't directly answering the question I asked... oh well.
I don't believe I have stated once that negativity is purely a competitive issue. What I did stated is that the highly competitive environments tend to create heightened negativity. Generally this happens more in a situation where a game has a casual crowd and a competitive crowd. In situations where the game is purely meant to be competitive completely, the community tends to be more enjoyable.
I don't think I've stated once that PvP breeds bad community members either, so please stop twisting my words. I've said that a highly competitive PvP ENVIRONMENT creates a negative ENVIRONMENT that tends to breed more players that react to more casual players with insults, badgering, contempt, etc. On the flip side, the majority of casual PvP players try to interact nicely...even if they disagree.
Since Blizzard has made it very clear that they want a co~op environment, its my opinion that a highly competitive PvP environment would be a negative to the community as a whole. If Diablo 3 had been designed with its primary goal to competitively PvP, then it is likely I would have never posted here in the first place.
If Blizzard really didn't want competitive PvP then they shouldn't have put it in at all. No matter how restricted it is, people will want more, these forums for example. The PvE will have the same amount of "negativity" as the PvP, because it is the person who is negative. People are answering your questions but I guess you don't want to read them.
If Blizzard really didn't want competitive PvP then they shouldn't have put it in at all. No matter how restricted it is, people will want more, these forums for example. The PvE will have the same amount of "negativity" as the PvP, because it is the person who is negative. People are answering your questions but I guess you don't want to read them.
No, people are doing as you did and giving reasons for the negativity, giving it excuses, etc. The exact question was simple, and it wasn't directly answered once.
Because only you view such environment as negative and you don't accept the answer that it might not be the case.
No, I don't accept an answer that is not an answer to the question. I'm not the only one that views the clash that happens when casual and competitive communities collide as negative. Its evident immediately due to the way many competitive players act here on the forums when a more casual player has an opinion about the game. If said opinion is not competitively focused, it's generally attacked. You think such an environment is positive?
You don't accept an answer that is not the only "true" answer to your manipulative question. Your question assume that everyone should view the competitive community as negative, and it's not true as many here answered to you. Interesting thing to note is that mostly you reply to every single post about competitive PvP. So maybe you are the negativity that attack everyone here? I think the environment is neutral.
Here's an interesting question, did you play Diablo 2 highly competitively? Do you play many other games with highly competitive communities? I'm curious what your actual experience with such communities actually is...because mine, has not been very positive. In any game with a highly competitive community it always ends up being as we've seen here.. the clash of casual vs competitive.
So yes, I'll not accept answers that revolve around people trying to excuse the behavior of people who use insults or badgering to defend their position. You cannot argue that the negativity doesn't exist because its very apparent. Sure, there are good sides to the competitive community, I won't argue that. However, if you look at the majority of highly competitive players posting here on the PvP forums...you cannot argue that they represent the negative aspect that I talked about.
I'd also like to know how I 'attacked' everyone here? By...pointing out that their suggestions go against the design that Blizzard has set forth for their game? To try and explain reasons as to why Blizzard made their decision? Maybe my attempts to figure out solutions that could bring the PvP and PvM communities in agreement for certain feature requests? Oh yeah... I'm totally being negative.
There is no right answer it is all opinionated. Then they give you their opinions and you ignore them or treat them like children/idiots and say "your wrong" or "avoided my question". Now your saying you don't accept the answer unless it is your answer. My answer to your question is no I don't think competitiveness creates negativity or enables it. You will find the same "negativity" throughout the whole game, because it is in the players not the game. You are a very competitive person evident by you posting so rigorously on this forum and others about your anti-competitiveness. Furthermore, I think you are just trolling to distract everyone about what this forum is supposed to be about.
There is no right answer it is all opinionated. Then they give you their opinions and you ignore them or treat them like children/idiots and say "your wrong" or "avoided my question". Now your saying you don't accept the answer unless it is your answer. My answer to your question is no I don't think competitiveness creates negativity or enables it. You will find the same "negativity" throughout the whole game, because it is in the players not the game. You are a very competitive person evident by you posting so rigorously on this forum and others about your anti-competitiveness. Furthermore, I think you are just trolling to distract everyone about what this forum is supposed to be about.
They have not answered the question, therefore I'm going to not accept an answer that isn't an answer to the question I asked. It's pretty simple. It's like asking the question "Out of two colors, red and blue...which do you like better?" and someone answering "elephant". They aren't giving an answer that represents the question. They are trying to justify the actions of a group of people that act in a negative manner.
I'm not trolling either. This thread is about Diablo 3 being an eSport, and I don't feel it should be...for the reasons I've cited. If that means we don't get private Arena's either as a result...I'm alright with that. They are not a NEEDED feature for the game to be amazing, and the public Arena system sounds like it will offer a fun casual environment for people to PvP.
Well, when I first posted in this forum my opinion on PvP you answered to me that I shouldn't play the game because it's not for me, even though I haven't stated that the game would be bad without competitive aspects. Here you go, one example of negativity to a new user.
You clearly do not look for agreement when you are publicly stating that the people you are talking to are bringing negativity to the community. You are insulting a lot of people.
This is also precisely what I see in ecutruin posts. I would like to see reason and logic other than "I don't accept thoes answers because they are not the answers I want".
Hrm...If you cannot enjoy the game without a strong competitive environment, then maybe the game isn't for you...that's not an attack, that's just explaining that Diablo 3 isn't catered towards a highly competitive environment. It's not meant to either, kind of end of story.
I do want to find a middle ground. If I didn't, I wouldn't be attempting to discuss the issues. I am looking forward to Arena and what it'll offer for the community. From playing the Beta, the game will be awesome.
I've given reason and logic. You avoided my question and instead of answering it, you tried to say the negative environment doesn't exist. Where~as my question was posed with reference to it existing. I've also explained where I've gotten my opinions from, and such opinions are based on my experience here on the forums, in other games, from other posters, etc. It is not a baseless opinion and either you have not experienced the same situations, or choose to ignore it.
So you're saying that we are not allowed to theorize about how this game would play out as an e-sport just because currently it's highly unlikely that it's gonna happen? Why hasn't this topic been closed so far than?
Except that isn't what is happening. What is happening generally (and why I end up posting to many of the threads) is what people are complaining that Blizzard isn't supporting their way of playing. They in~turn bash Blizzard, and various aspects of the community because they are not getting their way. When someone comes in and says something counter to their viewpoint, we get badgered, insulted, etc.. just for actually liking the direction that Blizzard has gone.
Sure, theory~craft away...but don't start your thread with "How many people want Diablo to be an eSport?" and make claims like "I know the said they wouldn't do it but they also said that if there was enough of us who wants Diablo 3 to be an eSport they would do it". That isn't theory~crafting. It's complaining that Diablo 3 isn't focusing on eSport features and encouraging others to complain more as well.
Exactly my point. I have no problem with your opinion, unless you try to make it a fact (that competitive community is negative) because it's based on your experiences.
I would very much like to see a competitive community in Diablo 3. Is that an answer you were looking for?
That isn't an answer to "Do you want all the negativity (created by the clash between casual and competitive) as part of the Diablo 3 community?". The question I asked was a yes or no question and answering it with something other then that isn't actually answering the question....It's just making a side comment.
Wait.. what? How thoes quotes are complaints? The first one is a valid question that is not insulting anyone and the other might be a misunderstanding of what Blizzard said. Why are you complaining about people asking questions and talking about eSport in a thread that was made for that purpose.
No, the first quote was the original poster attempting to get people on his side, and the second quote was telling those same people to complain as well because Blizzard will change their mind if more complain. That is how most of the PvP threads here go. Notice, I don't tend to post in threads that are theory~crafting class builds and such..
The reality is Blizzard took a heavy handed approach to PvP that angered those that were addicted to Diablo 2 PvP. Those people are coming here and trying to incite more people to get angry in the hope that Blizzard will listen to their complaints and alter their plans. Some of us DO NOT WANT THAT.
I want what Blizzard has promised and announced. I want a casual and fun Arena system that keeps the focus away from highly competitive play. So when people post threads like this one attempting to incite Blizzard to change it...I am against that and will post my opinion and thoughts on the issue as well.
The funny thing is.. I'll post a reply citing Blizzard statements, personal experiences, other posts, etc.. and just try explain WHY I feel things should stay (or try explain WHY Blizzard might have made some of their decisions)...and I get replies that attack me, call me a PvM fanboy, a carebear, a noob, etc.
All because I have a different opinion? Yet.. I'm suppose to just accept that these same people should have a game mode just for them? A place where they teach others to act just like they do and feel justified in doing so because 'they're pro and I'm a noob". No thanks. I'd rather encourage co~op and casual play and give less reasons for people to act like that. Sure, some still will.. but if it has no place to flourish, it won't be encouraged.
History of the franchise has never been as an e-sport.
Desire for E-sports in D3 stems from comparison to WoW.
I fully respect the decision to keep D3 away from extremely competitive PvP, as to do so would sacrifice the integrity of the PvE game.
This doesn't mean there won't be a highly competitive scene for Diablo 3, as there was one for Diablo 2. However the balance in PvP will need to stem from community rules, not Blizzard's game balancing.
However, this makes competitive PvP less accessible to casual players who don't have the immediate desire, upon playing the game, to locate and navigate community forums for competitive PvP ladders/tournaments only to be defeated easily by the hardcore veterans occupying this competitive setting.
This means you really won't have a large community of viewers for competitive D3. No viewers means no corporate interest. No corporate interest means no budgeted events, cash prizes, sponsored tournaments or professional players. These are the components that potentially make up an E-sport.
In a way this is almost better for the majority of players interested in competitive D3, because it lowers the extreme competitiveness of it, allowing somewhat casual competitors to compose the most competitive participants. Your average Joe with a day job could be the best competitive D3 player. Furthermore, you and I wont be far off.
ecutruin: So you came here trolling to disorganize the discussion, because you didn't like what it might bring? Now that's nice of you.
So, having an opinion that is counter to your opinion and stating it means I'm trolling? You want a competitive environment, I don't. I've explained why I don't. That somehow makes me a troll? Seems more like trolling when people continually make threads stating Blizzard should make the game competitive when Blizzard themselves said they have NO intention of doing so. They even made a comment to state that the way a competitive environment would affect the players is enough of a reason NOT to add private Arenas.
I would say to anyone who claims Diablo as a franchise is a PvE game they need to go back to WoW. For those who think it is only a PvP game they need to go back to LoL or wait for GW2. Diablo has both pvp and pve/pvm and thats what makes it great.
It's not that Diablo is a PvM only game, it's that the design of the game has always been focused around PvM. This is something Blizzard themselves has stated and has been a driving focus behind Diablo 3. So yes, PvM matters more when it comes to the development of Diablo 3 then PvP does. That's a fact.
The question is how far Blizzard should go when supporting the PvP side of Diablo 3. In my opinion they can do 3 things:
~snip~
I read your three options, but you're missing an option that Blizzard themselves has stated they can do. They can make a casual Arena system that focuses away from highly competitive play. This allows them to ignore heavy balancing changes specifically for PvP as its not aimed at tournament play. A simple matchmaking system that matches people based on wins, gear, levels, etc allows for a better experience for all involved. All of the options you offered assume that Blizzard HAS to go competitive or not at all. When Blizzard themselves already gave their plan.
At the end of the day, if you play Diablo for the PvE only then this game is not for you. If you play Diablo only for the sake of PvP then this game is not for you. ( Beauty is though, that with a cleverly and seperated pvm and pvp both camps can be happy )
This statement is kinda false. Considering that the primary development goal of the game is PvM. This game is most definitely for people that want to just play PvM. However, the second part is true. It is a PvM focused game, and as such you are unable to really effectively 'just PvP'.
1) Put basic tools in place for the community to use in any way they wish but not officially supporting the PvP side of the game
I echo this. +1
They should support casual PvP as they plan. In addition to this they should offer the basic tools for competitive community based PvP in an unobtrusive way.
To me this is the best of both worlds, thanks oLd_Sneakers.
Or, they could just do as they are doing... and offer support for PvP in a structured fashion that keeps the PvP side of the game casual. Considering that Blizzard has stated themselves that the primary focus of the game is PvM, it seems that sticking with a more casual approach to PvP would be a good route to go.
In addition, by going this route they encourage those that wouldn't participate at all in PvP to actually play it. Those same people wouldn't likely participate in community~balanced PvP. Structured, but casual PvP seems to be the option that will make the MOST people happy in the long run and is probably the reason Blizzard has chosen that route.
Blizzard COULD make Diablo 3 viable for eSports. However, they're NOT going to do it.
How the hell does such a simple concept go for 18 pages?
This is barely about esports anymore. The thread has turned more into Ecut trying to run a tutorial on how you should play Diablo and how you shouldn't.
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I hadn't realized you were asking a question. To answer it, no...I don't expect the majority of players to demand more PvP features. From the sound of it, Blizzard is already catering to the majority of players with Arena. Why would they have a need to demand more features?
Sure, when people can communicate there will be bad apples. However, there is a difference between a few bad apples and a whole orchard of them. A highly competitive community creates such an environment. It encourages people to be bad apples by rewarding such behavior. Why add a system that that promotes such an environment?
That said, I read the first sentence or so and you're quite wrong. All they have to do in order to disable eSports in D3 is not add private Arenas. With no way to run tournaments there would be little room for any form of eSport to evolve. Not adding private Arena would not affect the majority of their player~base negatively and as such is something they COULD do without negatively impacting their community as a whole.
It's not that I am unable to see the good that comes from competitive play. Competition does bring good things as well, however, in a video game environment where the overall goal is to play for fun...competition tends to create a negative environment. If others are supporting me its not because I'm some great speaker, its because they see the same issues I've seen and don't want to see it repeat in Diablo 3 either.
As for the issue of pushing my moral views on others. I'm sorry, calling people carebears because they would prefer a casual PvP experience, calling people retards because they prefer the Diablo 3 skill/stat system, etc.. isn't something that should really be accepted by a positive community. It's about treating other players decently regardless of their play~style. Its a negative environment.
I believe I've hit all your points this time, yet ~~ you ignored my question still. Do you want all the negativity as part of the Diablo 3 community?
You STILL aren't directly answering the question I asked... oh well.
I don't believe I have stated once that negativity is purely a competitive issue. What I did stated is that the highly competitive environments tend to create heightened negativity. Generally this happens more in a situation where a game has a casual crowd and a competitive crowd. In situations where the game is purely meant to be competitive completely, the community tends to be more enjoyable.
I don't think I've stated once that PvP breeds bad community members either, so please stop twisting my words. I've said that a highly competitive PvP ENVIRONMENT creates a negative ENVIRONMENT that tends to breed more players that react to more casual players with insults, badgering, contempt, etc. On the flip side, the majority of casual PvP players try to interact nicely...even if they disagree.
Since Blizzard has made it very clear that they want a co~op environment, its my opinion that a highly competitive PvP environment would be a negative to the community as a whole. If Diablo 3 had been designed with its primary goal to competitively PvP, then it is likely I would have never posted here in the first place.
If Blizzard really didn't want competitive PvP then they shouldn't have put it in at all. No matter how restricted it is, people will want more, these forums for example. The PvE will have the same amount of "negativity" as the PvP, because it is the person who is negative. People are answering your questions but I guess you don't want to read them.
No, people are doing as you did and giving reasons for the negativity, giving it excuses, etc. The exact question was simple, and it wasn't directly answered once.
No, I don't accept an answer that is not an answer to the question. I'm not the only one that views the clash that happens when casual and competitive communities collide as negative. Its evident immediately due to the way many competitive players act here on the forums when a more casual player has an opinion about the game. If said opinion is not competitively focused, it's generally attacked. You think such an environment is positive?
Here's an interesting question, did you play Diablo 2 highly competitively? Do you play many other games with highly competitive communities? I'm curious what your actual experience with such communities actually is...because mine, has not been very positive. In any game with a highly competitive community it always ends up being as we've seen here.. the clash of casual vs competitive.
So yes, I'll not accept answers that revolve around people trying to excuse the behavior of people who use insults or badgering to defend their position. You cannot argue that the negativity doesn't exist because its very apparent. Sure, there are good sides to the competitive community, I won't argue that. However, if you look at the majority of highly competitive players posting here on the PvP forums...you cannot argue that they represent the negative aspect that I talked about.
I'd also like to know how I 'attacked' everyone here? By...pointing out that their suggestions go against the design that Blizzard has set forth for their game? To try and explain reasons as to why Blizzard made their decision? Maybe my attempts to figure out solutions that could bring the PvP and PvM communities in agreement for certain feature requests? Oh yeah... I'm totally being negative.
They have not answered the question, therefore I'm going to not accept an answer that isn't an answer to the question I asked. It's pretty simple. It's like asking the question "Out of two colors, red and blue...which do you like better?" and someone answering "elephant". They aren't giving an answer that represents the question. They are trying to justify the actions of a group of people that act in a negative manner.
I'm not trolling either. This thread is about Diablo 3 being an eSport, and I don't feel it should be...for the reasons I've cited. If that means we don't get private Arena's either as a result...I'm alright with that. They are not a NEEDED feature for the game to be amazing, and the public Arena system sounds like it will offer a fun casual environment for people to PvP.
Hrm...If you cannot enjoy the game without a strong competitive environment, then maybe the game isn't for you...that's not an attack, that's just explaining that Diablo 3 isn't catered towards a highly competitive environment. It's not meant to either, kind of end of story.
I do want to find a middle ground. If I didn't, I wouldn't be attempting to discuss the issues. I am looking forward to Arena and what it'll offer for the community. From playing the Beta, the game will be awesome.
I've given reason and logic. You avoided my question and instead of answering it, you tried to say the negative environment doesn't exist. Where~as my question was posed with reference to it existing. I've also explained where I've gotten my opinions from, and such opinions are based on my experience here on the forums, in other games, from other posters, etc. It is not a baseless opinion and either you have not experienced the same situations, or choose to ignore it.
Except that isn't what is happening. What is happening generally (and why I end up posting to many of the threads) is what people are complaining that Blizzard isn't supporting their way of playing. They in~turn bash Blizzard, and various aspects of the community because they are not getting their way. When someone comes in and says something counter to their viewpoint, we get badgered, insulted, etc.. just for actually liking the direction that Blizzard has gone.
Sure, theory~craft away...but don't start your thread with "How many people want Diablo to be an eSport?" and make claims like "I know the said they wouldn't do it but they also said that if there was enough of us who wants Diablo 3 to be an eSport they would do it". That isn't theory~crafting. It's complaining that Diablo 3 isn't focusing on eSport features and encouraging others to complain more as well.
That isn't an answer to "Do you want all the negativity (created by the clash between casual and competitive) as part of the Diablo 3 community?". The question I asked was a yes or no question and answering it with something other then that isn't actually answering the question....It's just making a side comment.
No, the first quote was the original poster attempting to get people on his side, and the second quote was telling those same people to complain as well because Blizzard will change their mind if more complain. That is how most of the PvP threads here go. Notice, I don't tend to post in threads that are theory~crafting class builds and such..
The reality is Blizzard took a heavy handed approach to PvP that angered those that were addicted to Diablo 2 PvP. Those people are coming here and trying to incite more people to get angry in the hope that Blizzard will listen to their complaints and alter their plans. Some of us DO NOT WANT THAT.
I want what Blizzard has promised and announced. I want a casual and fun Arena system that keeps the focus away from highly competitive play. So when people post threads like this one attempting to incite Blizzard to change it...I am against that and will post my opinion and thoughts on the issue as well.
The funny thing is.. I'll post a reply citing Blizzard statements, personal experiences, other posts, etc.. and just try explain WHY I feel things should stay (or try explain WHY Blizzard might have made some of their decisions)...and I get replies that attack me, call me a PvM fanboy, a carebear, a noob, etc.
All because I have a different opinion? Yet.. I'm suppose to just accept that these same people should have a game mode just for them? A place where they teach others to act just like they do and feel justified in doing so because 'they're pro and I'm a noob". No thanks. I'd rather encourage co~op and casual play and give less reasons for people to act like that. Sure, some still will.. but if it has no place to flourish, it won't be encouraged.
Desire for E-sports in D3 stems from comparison to WoW.
I fully respect the decision to keep D3 away from extremely competitive PvP, as to do so would sacrifice the integrity of the PvE game.
This doesn't mean there won't be a highly competitive scene for Diablo 3, as there was one for Diablo 2. However the balance in PvP will need to stem from community rules, not Blizzard's game balancing.
However, this makes competitive PvP less accessible to casual players who don't have the immediate desire, upon playing the game, to locate and navigate community forums for competitive PvP ladders/tournaments only to be defeated easily by the hardcore veterans occupying this competitive setting.
This means you really won't have a large community of viewers for competitive D3. No viewers means no corporate interest. No corporate interest means no budgeted events, cash prizes, sponsored tournaments or professional players. These are the components that potentially make up an E-sport.
In a way this is almost better for the majority of players interested in competitive D3, because it lowers the extreme competitiveness of it, allowing somewhat casual competitors to compose the most competitive participants. Your average Joe with a day job could be the best competitive D3 player. Furthermore, you and I wont be far off.
So, having an opinion that is counter to your opinion and stating it means I'm trolling? You want a competitive environment, I don't. I've explained why I don't. That somehow makes me a troll? Seems more like trolling when people continually make threads stating Blizzard should make the game competitive when Blizzard themselves said they have NO intention of doing so. They even made a comment to state that the way a competitive environment would affect the players is enough of a reason NOT to add private Arenas.
It's not that Diablo is a PvM only game, it's that the design of the game has always been focused around PvM. This is something Blizzard themselves has stated and has been a driving focus behind Diablo 3. So yes, PvM matters more when it comes to the development of Diablo 3 then PvP does. That's a fact.
I read your three options, but you're missing an option that Blizzard themselves has stated they can do. They can make a casual Arena system that focuses away from highly competitive play. This allows them to ignore heavy balancing changes specifically for PvP as its not aimed at tournament play. A simple matchmaking system that matches people based on wins, gear, levels, etc allows for a better experience for all involved. All of the options you offered assume that Blizzard HAS to go competitive or not at all. When Blizzard themselves already gave their plan.
This statement is kinda false. Considering that the primary development goal of the game is PvM. This game is most definitely for people that want to just play PvM. However, the second part is true. It is a PvM focused game, and as such you are unable to really effectively 'just PvP'.
They should support casual PvP as they plan. In addition to this they should offer the basic tools for competitive community based PvP in an unobtrusive way.
To me this is the best of both worlds, thanks oLd_Sneakers.
In addition, by going this route they encourage those that wouldn't participate at all in PvP to actually play it. Those same people wouldn't likely participate in community~balanced PvP. Structured, but casual PvP seems to be the option that will make the MOST people happy in the long run and is probably the reason Blizzard has chosen that route.
How the hell does such a simple concept go for 18 pages?