I was one of the lucky ones to win a key from this site, so I feel I should share some personal opinions on the different classes. My plan is to play a character up to lvl 13 and in the process test all of the different skills/runes available to us. The Witch Doctor was my first character, so here is what I have to say.
I have read several posts regarding the WD and how "boring" or "awkward" he was to play. I myself found the character very easy to play. The skills were simple to understand and use, and in the right combination he is quite deadly.
First I'll talk about the skills I enjoyed using throughout my levelling experience.
Poison Dart - This is one of the skills I was not sure about, but once I started using it I found it to be very useful, especially to attack individual demons or barrels. We had access to 2 different skill runes in the beta (Splinters which shoots multiple darts in quick succession and Numbing Dart which slows target movement). Both had their place, but I definitely got more us out of the Splinters skill rune.
Grasp of the Dead - This skill was essential for controlling monsters, and at times the damage that the skill dealt killed them without any other attacks needed. We had access to one skill rune called groping eels that increases the skills damage and was a nice addition.
Summon Zombie Dogs - This seems like the go to skill as a WD, summoning 3 zombie dogs to fight for you. The dogs helped to keep groups busy and at distance so that the WD had time to get his other attacks off and maximizing damage. One skill rune was available to us named Life Link which had the dogs absorb some of the damage you take.
Haunt - This spell haunts an enemy doing quite a bit of damage, and when the monster dies it has a chance to jump to another enemy and start damaging them as well. This spell worked well for me if I threw down Grasp of the Dead and then spammed it at the mobs.
Firebats - This spell is exactly what it sounds like. You shoot a swarm of fiery bats at the enemy burning them up. This is one of the skills I originally did not expect to like, but after using it I became a fan. You receive this skill at lvl 12, and for me it replaced my use of Poison Dart as the go to skill.
The skills that I didn't care for in the beta are as follows:
Corpse Spiders - I found it difficult to control where the spiders would go/who they would attack. Even with the skill rune Leaping Spiders, I just never felt this spell or could get it to work the way I wanted.
Plague of Toads - Another one of those spells I just couldn't get to work the way i wanted. It was hard to control and had limited duration.
Hex - I can't imagine why a spell that turns people into chickens didn't appeal to me, but overall it just didn't seem fun to use.
Horrify - As a spell that fears mobs I again expected to find this useful, but the spell didn't seem to work the way it was intended or I expected more from it.
Fire Bomb - This is one of the skills I had dialed into my final set up until I actually used it. Don't get me wrong....throwing a flaming skull into a crowd and watching it explode in a fiery mess sounds great, and it was ok. I had a hard time controlling the bombs where I wanted them to go, so that is probably why it ends up on this part of the list.
Please understand that these are just my opinions and that everyone plays their characters differently. As a matter of fact, one of my earliest posts was about the different things I was looking forward to in Diablo III and I listed the ability to have 2 different players playing the same class in a game together. I was able to experience that with the WD in a few games and as expected, we all played a little differently. Everyone used the Zombie Dogs as expected, but where I used Haunt and Fire Bats another player used Poison Dart and Corpse Spiders. Yet another WD used Fire Bomb and Hex. I think people's fears about every WD being exactly the same (cookie cutter) is just not going to be the case.
Sorry it was so long, but I wanted to give you a feel of how the class played. I must confess that I did die once during the Jar of Souls event due to my laggy computer (and lack of skill). I really enjoyed playing the WD as expected, so I am still leaning toward this as my first character at live. My next character review will be the Wizard, which is currently at level 12.
I only had one character created in the beta, so not sure why the boxes were reacting that way.
Also, regarding the AH, I found that if I wanted to look at one handed crossbows for example it wouldn't let me on my WD. I am going to have to play with it some more and see if that was something I did or ifit is in fact something happening to other people as well.
As for 2: Try setting down the max FPS, it helps a lot with reducing heat generation on laptops.
Thanks. I did set it down, but I may go lower to see how it works. It hasn't been too big of a problem so far. The desktop is my biggest concern, as the kids each have a copy of the game coming from the Annual Pass, and if they can't play it that will just suck.
As promised, I have pulled myself away from the beta long enough to give some initial reactions. Let me start by saying that I have only played as the WD so far and only to lvl 10 (I did defeat the Skeleton King). With that being said, here are a few observations:
1. This IS Diablo - It may be a different time, but the minute I entered the game and started playing it felt like I had never left Sanctuary. I had been reading so much negative feedback on the environment, and I am not exactly sure where this was coming from. The dungeons were gorgeous yet still had the same feel for me as in past games in the franchise. The sound was exactly what I expected from a Diablo game as well.
2. I need a new computer - The game runs pretty well on my laptop, but the desktop can't support the game (graphics card). I have had a couple issues with the laptop overheating due to the graphics as well. Not a problem with the game, but figured I would mention it in case others may have similar issues upon release.
3. The new UI is definitely a bit clunky at the moment. Changing skills out isn't as fluid as I would like. The other thing I noticed was that every time I exited the beta and then came back to it, the elective mode was defaulted back to being unchecked (As were other options like advanced tooltips, auto equip, etc.). It would really be nice if they made it so that once you've checked the box it stays checked.
4. The new Skill Rune system seems pretty good to me. The ones I was able to open up were pretty nice, and added some depth to the skills. I know there has been a lot of controversy regarding this system, and some suggestions that these be a choice by players as to exactly which skill rune opens when. That solution seems like it would actually lessen my enjoyment due to the fact that I would choose the ones I want at their earliest availability, and then probably not experiment with the other available versions, making the level push to 60 must less interesting.
5. The changes to the RMAH/AH seem better than what I had been reading regarding the previous version. I was able to do searches by the type of armor, character I was looking to purchase for and I could compare the item on the AH to what I had currently equipped. The only negative for me was that I wish the AH was actually available in game vs. having to use it outside of the game.
6. Character movement was exactly how I remember in the previous games. I kept having issues with movement/attacks due to my long time relationship with WoW (dang wasd keys), but after a while I got it worked out. It helps that i like to go slowly through the areas and check every inch of the maps.
So, there you have it. I want to reiterate that these are just MY views. I am open to other opinions regarding the game, and welcome spirited debate between fans. I would also like some feedback on the actual post (was it informative, entertaining, etc.), as I have been toying with the idea of a blog or something of that nature.
I plan on posting some personal opinions regarding the different classes and my impressions of them in the future, That will of course be after I have had the opportunity to level each of them to the beta cap (lvl 13) and have beaten the Skeleton King. I want to make sure I have played with each skill available in the beta as well as the Skill Runes that we have access to.
I just wanted to say thanks to this site for giving me a beta key. I plan on doing some crazy things in game to really test how the system will handle it, but I will also be true to the post I made earlier where I said if I got the beta I would come back and post my opinions of the classes and beta overall. Good luck to everyone looking to get in. I hope to see you in the beta soon.
I play WoW and have since day 1. I love the game and truly enjoy everything about it (sometimes not the people, though). Trust me when I tell you that Diablo III will be fantastic as well, just in a different way. I am going into Diablo III with expectations that it will be an updated journey into the world of Sanctuary that we have come to love so much. If you can think of the 2 games as seperate entities with different things that make them great to play, I think you'll be fine.
I am sorry that you aren't enjoying the beta. Hopefully the time you spent with it gave you a feel for the way characters play, how different mobs respond to different spells/skills, the feel of the UI and how the skills/runes work together. I wouldn't base the game's replayability or fun on the little bit of Act I you have been given access to. I guess the biggest question I have would be if you can put aside the limited access and limited areas you have tried, is the game fun to play? Is the feel of Diablo there and can we expect to have that sense of deja vu/i've been here before?
As I said, I have not played the classes at all and am giving a completely uninformed and uneducated opinion based on what I have seen and read. I was hoping to start some dialogue regarding people's feelings on the different classes who may not have had the opportunity to play them as of yet.
I think four players will be fine. I have a hard time trying to keep track of my own character, let alone 3 other people. In Diablo II I was never a fan of 8 players in the same game on the same screen. Too much happening at once.
Ok. Let me start off by saying I have NOT played the beta. I have watched several gameplay videos and read every bit of information I can find on Diablo III, so I feel I have a decent understanding of the classes.
Secondly, as the title suggests, I am a NOOB. I have played Diablo, Hellfire, Diablo II and LOD, but to consider myself an "expert" would be stretching the truth a bit. Actually, it would be like saying Peewee's Playhouse was as iconic and important to television as the show M.A.S.H.
With those two things being said, I feel that I am as qualified as anyone who has never created a game, designed a game or understood anything about the gaming industry to make broad and uninformed judgements about Diablo III.
My initial impression of the characters was as follows:
Witch Doctor - This is my favorite. It has a similar feel to the Necromancer (not really close, but humor me) from Diablo II. Lots of utility and choices on playstyle with minions, poison spells, spirit spells. Kind of looks like he needs to see someone about his scoliosis, but cool regardless.
Wizard - Has a sorceress feel from Diablo II (though you can be male or female now). Pretty much a spell casting machine, dealing damage from a distance but still somewhat of a glass cannon. My second choice for fun in the world of Sanctuary.
Demon Hunter - Amazon meets assassin from Diablo II (I hated the assassin). Another ranged character who uses bows rather than spells. I might be able to work with this.
Barbarian - No explanation needed. He was in Diablo II. Basically a big oaf who runs around yelling and smashing things (reminds me of some guys I went to school with). Not too excited for this one.
Monk - No real comparison here for me to anything in Diablo II (maybe druid/assassin?). This one is basically the one I am least looking forward to playing. Hand to hand combat and fist weapons....not feeling it.
Did I fail to mention that I really dislike melee characters? That being said, my opinions have changed slightly since watching gameplay videos and seeing the characters in action.
My new order of preference for character play:
Witch Doctor - Same as above.
Demon Hunter - The rapid shot skill alone gets this one a bump.
Wizard - Same as above.
Monk - After seeing the different skills in action, especially with the new rune skills system, I have decided he needs a second look.
Barbarian - Still feel like he is going to be demanding my lunch money here in a minute.
So, there you have it. An unwanted opinion by an uninformed individual who has no business even trying to educate anyone about Diablo III.
In all seriousness, thanks for reading the whole thing if you got to the end. I am hoping to get a chance to actually get into the beta or play a friend's (anyone want to be my friend? 8P ). If that happens, I will come back and let you know what my slightly more fact based opinions are.....whether you want them or not.
I apologize to those of you that felt I was being a Fanboi. When I referred to Diablo III as the "next greatest work of art from the best damn gaming company in the world" that is truly how I feel. Blizzard games (so far imo) have been the best i've played. So I do consider them artists as far as making games goes. I have found none better to date with the consistency Blizzard has shown.
The whole point of the post was to let other people know that we are all in the same boat. Some of them will get the beta keys, some will not. It's not the end of the world, and as much as we all like to think we would be the best testers or would put more time/effort into testing, we can't all get in. Keep the faith and enjoy the game when it is released.
I have seen so many loyal fans on these forums just itching for an invite to the Diablo III beta. Just a taste of what is to come....that's all anyone wants. We'll test everything possible, play through every class 100 times each, whatever it takes. We won't be like those "other" testers. We'll actually test things instead of playing.
Alas, most of us won't get in. That's the reality of the situation. So where we go from here? What will we do when we finally realize that we weren't lucky enough to win?
Some will rage. We've seen a lot of this reaction already on various sites. "I will not buy the game. It's garbage"
Some will feel sorry for themselves. "I am a devoted fan for the last xx years. I deserve to test the game."
Others will disappear only to be heard from again the next time invites start going out or contests are announced.
And still others will continue on with their normal routine. Diablo III videos on Force Strategy Gaming, forums here/DiabloIII.com./etc., whatever else is out there for people to do while we obsess over the next greatest work of art from the best damn gaming company in the world.
To be honest, I have found myself in every one of these categories at one time or another while waiting for Diablo III to be released. All I can tell you is that life goes on, the world keeps on turning and there are thousands and thousands of us out here. We may not have the beta, but we will at some point have the game. And that is the most important thing.
You know, I have to give kudos to the people that frequent this board and the people running it. I posted this same thing on the official boards and got little to no response. It seems the only thing anyone wants to talk about on those forums is negativity and hatred for Diablo III/Blizzard. I think I may have found new forums to participate in.
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I have read several posts regarding the WD and how "boring" or "awkward" he was to play. I myself found the character very easy to play. The skills were simple to understand and use, and in the right combination he is quite deadly.
First I'll talk about the skills I enjoyed using throughout my levelling experience.
Poison Dart - This is one of the skills I was not sure about, but once I started using it I found it to be very useful, especially to attack individual demons or barrels. We had access to 2 different skill runes in the beta (Splinters which shoots multiple darts in quick succession and Numbing Dart which slows target movement). Both had their place, but I definitely got more us out of the Splinters skill rune.
Grasp of the Dead - This skill was essential for controlling monsters, and at times the damage that the skill dealt killed them without any other attacks needed. We had access to one skill rune called groping eels that increases the skills damage and was a nice addition.
Summon Zombie Dogs - This seems like the go to skill as a WD, summoning 3 zombie dogs to fight for you. The dogs helped to keep groups busy and at distance so that the WD had time to get his other attacks off and maximizing damage. One skill rune was available to us named Life Link which had the dogs absorb some of the damage you take.
Haunt - This spell haunts an enemy doing quite a bit of damage, and when the monster dies it has a chance to jump to another enemy and start damaging them as well. This spell worked well for me if I threw down Grasp of the Dead and then spammed it at the mobs.
Firebats - This spell is exactly what it sounds like. You shoot a swarm of fiery bats at the enemy burning them up. This is one of the skills I originally did not expect to like, but after using it I became a fan. You receive this skill at lvl 12, and for me it replaced my use of Poison Dart as the go to skill.
The skills that I didn't care for in the beta are as follows:
Corpse Spiders - I found it difficult to control where the spiders would go/who they would attack. Even with the skill rune Leaping Spiders, I just never felt this spell or could get it to work the way I wanted.
Plague of Toads - Another one of those spells I just couldn't get to work the way i wanted. It was hard to control and had limited duration.
Hex - I can't imagine why a spell that turns people into chickens didn't appeal to me, but overall it just didn't seem fun to use.
Horrify - As a spell that fears mobs I again expected to find this useful, but the spell didn't seem to work the way it was intended or I expected more from it.
Fire Bomb - This is one of the skills I had dialed into my final set up until I actually used it. Don't get me wrong....throwing a flaming skull into a crowd and watching it explode in a fiery mess sounds great, and it was ok. I had a hard time controlling the bombs where I wanted them to go, so that is probably why it ends up on this part of the list.
Please understand that these are just my opinions and that everyone plays their characters differently. As a matter of fact, one of my earliest posts was about the different things I was looking forward to in Diablo III and I listed the ability to have 2 different players playing the same class in a game together. I was able to experience that with the WD in a few games and as expected, we all played a little differently. Everyone used the Zombie Dogs as expected, but where I used Haunt and Fire Bats another player used Poison Dart and Corpse Spiders. Yet another WD used Fire Bomb and Hex. I think people's fears about every WD being exactly the same (cookie cutter) is just not going to be the case.
Sorry it was so long, but I wanted to give you a feel of how the class played. I must confess that I did die once during the Jar of Souls event due to my laggy computer (and lack of skill). I really enjoyed playing the WD as expected, so I am still leaning toward this as my first character at live. My next character review will be the Wizard, which is currently at level 12.
I only had one character created in the beta, so not sure why the boxes were reacting that way.
Also, regarding the AH, I found that if I wanted to look at one handed crossbows for example it wouldn't let me on my WD. I am going to have to play with it some more and see if that was something I did or ifit is in fact something happening to other people as well.
Thanks. I did set it down, but I may go lower to see how it works. It hasn't been too big of a problem so far. The desktop is my biggest concern, as the kids each have a copy of the game coming from the Annual Pass, and if they can't play it that will just suck.
1. This IS Diablo - It may be a different time, but the minute I entered the game and started playing it felt like I had never left Sanctuary. I had been reading so much negative feedback on the environment, and I am not exactly sure where this was coming from. The dungeons were gorgeous yet still had the same feel for me as in past games in the franchise. The sound was exactly what I expected from a Diablo game as well.
2. I need a new computer - The game runs pretty well on my laptop, but the desktop can't support the game (graphics card). I have had a couple issues with the laptop overheating due to the graphics as well. Not a problem with the game, but figured I would mention it in case others may have similar issues upon release.
3. The new UI is definitely a bit clunky at the moment. Changing skills out isn't as fluid as I would like. The other thing I noticed was that every time I exited the beta and then came back to it, the elective mode was defaulted back to being unchecked (As were other options like advanced tooltips, auto equip, etc.). It would really be nice if they made it so that once you've checked the box it stays checked.
4. The new Skill Rune system seems pretty good to me. The ones I was able to open up were pretty nice, and added some depth to the skills. I know there has been a lot of controversy regarding this system, and some suggestions that these be a choice by players as to exactly which skill rune opens when. That solution seems like it would actually lessen my enjoyment due to the fact that I would choose the ones I want at their earliest availability, and then probably not experiment with the other available versions, making the level push to 60 must less interesting.
5. The changes to the RMAH/AH seem better than what I had been reading regarding the previous version. I was able to do searches by the type of armor, character I was looking to purchase for and I could compare the item on the AH to what I had currently equipped. The only negative for me was that I wish the AH was actually available in game vs. having to use it outside of the game.
6. Character movement was exactly how I remember in the previous games. I kept having issues with movement/attacks due to my long time relationship with WoW (dang wasd keys), but after a while I got it worked out. It helps that i like to go slowly through the areas and check every inch of the maps.
So, there you have it. I want to reiterate that these are just MY views. I am open to other opinions regarding the game, and welcome spirited debate between fans. I would also like some feedback on the actual post (was it informative, entertaining, etc.), as I have been toying with the idea of a blog or something of that nature.
I plan on posting some personal opinions regarding the different classes and my impressions of them in the future, That will of course be after I have had the opportunity to level each of them to the beta cap (lvl 13) and have beaten the Skeleton King. I want to make sure I have played with each skill available in the beta as well as the Skill Runes that we have access to.
Thanks for reading
Secondly, as the title suggests, I am a NOOB. I have played Diablo, Hellfire, Diablo II and LOD, but to consider myself an "expert" would be stretching the truth a bit. Actually, it would be like saying Peewee's Playhouse was as iconic and important to television as the show M.A.S.H.
With those two things being said, I feel that I am as qualified as anyone who has never created a game, designed a game or understood anything about the gaming industry to make broad and uninformed judgements about Diablo III.
My initial impression of the characters was as follows:
Witch Doctor - This is my favorite. It has a similar feel to the Necromancer (not really close, but humor me) from Diablo II. Lots of utility and choices on playstyle with minions, poison spells, spirit spells. Kind of looks like he needs to see someone about his scoliosis, but cool regardless.
Wizard - Has a sorceress feel from Diablo II (though you can be male or female now). Pretty much a spell casting machine, dealing damage from a distance but still somewhat of a glass cannon. My second choice for fun in the world of Sanctuary.
Demon Hunter - Amazon meets assassin from Diablo II (I hated the assassin). Another ranged character who uses bows rather than spells. I might be able to work with this.
Barbarian - No explanation needed. He was in Diablo II. Basically a big oaf who runs around yelling and smashing things (reminds me of some guys I went to school with). Not too excited for this one.
Monk - No real comparison here for me to anything in Diablo II (maybe druid/assassin?). This one is basically the one I am least looking forward to playing. Hand to hand combat and fist weapons....not feeling it.
Did I fail to mention that I really dislike melee characters? That being said, my opinions have changed slightly since watching gameplay videos and seeing the characters in action.
My new order of preference for character play:
Witch Doctor - Same as above.
Demon Hunter - The rapid shot skill alone gets this one a bump.
Wizard - Same as above.
Monk - After seeing the different skills in action, especially with the new rune skills system, I have decided he needs a second look.
Barbarian - Still feel like he is going to be demanding my lunch money here in a minute.
So, there you have it. An unwanted opinion by an uninformed individual who has no business even trying to educate anyone about Diablo III.
In all seriousness, thanks for reading the whole thing if you got to the end. I am hoping to get a chance to actually get into the beta or play a friend's (anyone want to be my friend? 8P ). If that happens, I will come back and let you know what my slightly more fact based opinions are.....whether you want them or not.
NOOB out!
The whole point of the post was to let other people know that we are all in the same boat. Some of them will get the beta keys, some will not. It's not the end of the world, and as much as we all like to think we would be the best testers or would put more time/effort into testing, we can't all get in. Keep the faith and enjoy the game when it is released.
Alas, most of us won't get in. That's the reality of the situation. So where we go from here? What will we do when we finally realize that we weren't lucky enough to win?
Some will rage. We've seen a lot of this reaction already on various sites. "I will not buy the game. It's garbage"
Some will feel sorry for themselves. "I am a devoted fan for the last xx years. I deserve to test the game."
Others will disappear only to be heard from again the next time invites start going out or contests are announced.
And still others will continue on with their normal routine. Diablo III videos on Force Strategy Gaming, forums here/DiabloIII.com./etc., whatever else is out there for people to do while we obsess over the next greatest work of art from the best damn gaming company in the world.
To be honest, I have found myself in every one of these categories at one time or another while waiting for Diablo III to be released. All I can tell you is that life goes on, the world keeps on turning and there are thousands and thousands of us out here. We may not have the beta, but we will at some point have the game. And that is the most important thing.