Just wanted to share this mock-up infographic I designed for a new endgame option within D3. I've been traveling quite a bit for work, so to deal with my Diablo withdrawals I've pieced this together based on some existing ideas I've seen within the community as well as some new ones of my own.
Would love to hear some feedback on the concept as well as thoughts on what endgame means to you in Diablo.
Direct Link: http://i.imgur.com/JadEbrk.jpg
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Why? The endgame in Diablo has always been about farming for better loot so you can farm for better loot.. better.
I agree! This is purely intended to augment that loot hunt we all know and love and extend the game's replayability, not replace it.
Why not just include Trials and Towers in Adventure Mode?
Good question. Each mode has a specific purpose that not everyone will be interested in, so overloading Adventure Mode with additional features feels like messy design to me. Story Mode = Enjoy the story, Adventure Mode = Play the item-hunt game (heart of Diablo franchise), Challenge Mode = Optional, augmentative content that extends the lifespan of the item-hunt game. But of course these modes could be joined, this is merely personal preference.
Does that mean no gear rewarded in Challenge Mode?
Yes. Only cosmetic rewards, competitive rankings and XP are offered in Challenge Mode. If Challenge Mode offered loot rewards, it would diminish the inherent purpose of Adventure Mode. The aim is to bring the heroes you've built into Challenge Mode to see what they can do, i.e; to improve your capabilities in Challenge Mode you need to farm Adventure Mode.
TL;DR: I like to compartmentalize.
Are Trials and Towers randomized to any extent?
No. By removing the random elements in regards to layouts, monster types and density, the Trials and Towers can serve as directly measurable content in a competitive sense. If random was at play, someone could simply perform well due to having "lucky RNG". So to summarize, randomization has been removed in Challenge Mode in order to level the playing field.
How does Difficulty work in relation to Trials and Towers?
Trials that are not affected directly by difficulty (like Race Trials) exist as static events that are played and ranked the same across all difficulty levels. Trials that contain monsters and are therefore affected by difficulty selection are ranked as per the difficulty in which the player achieved their result (see: Seasonal Leaderboards UI). Pandemonium Towers are capped on lower difficulties, higher ascension only becomes available with higher difficulties, with the Pandemonium Tower becoming "uncapped" on Torment VI.
The Tower is Endless?
Theoretically, yes. The increase in difficulty is dynamic up until the fixed rewards cease (Level 100), after that, each level sees a static increase (additive percentage) in Monster Damage and Hit Points. For the purpose of this concept let's say that's 5% per level, this means the most godly geared/skilled players can truly test their heroes to the absolute limits.
Couldn't you just skip mobs? Change to a more defensive spec for higher levels? And what happens when you die?
To access the next level you would be required to kill all the monsters on the current level. Skill selection would be locked from when you enter the Tower with a checkpoint every 25 Levels at which you can change your skill spec. These checkpoints also act as respawn points upon death, but they no longer appear after Level 100 (which would be very hard to reach as is).
Overall I haven't put too much thought into how tower progression would work, but I think losing all of your progress upon death would be a bit too much considering how long the climb is. I would love to hear some other ideas/suggestions regarding this!
What is this simultaneous instance nonsense?
When there are other players in your game and you choose to start a Trial or Tower, a dialogue box appears asking them if they would like to join in and challenge you. If they accept, they will be transported to their own instance of the same challenge. You are able to see the "ghosts" of other players according to where they are in their instance (see "Festering Circuit" race screenshot), but you have no direct affect on their game environment. For Tower Races, you would receive toast notifications in your chat each time a player reaches a new level.
Why not just have them in the same instance?
The competitive factor in Trials and Towers is based around how well each player performs, not how effectively you can impede your rivals. This is especially applicable to wave-type Trials and Pandemonium Towers, in which you can't have both characters in the same instance without it being Co-op.
Are the Bosses in Boss Time-trials different from their typical versions?
Yes, they would essentially be Uber versions of their normal encounters, with additional modifiers, more minions, larger HP pools etc.
Do Race Trials have other variables?
Races have additional factors in play outside of simply getting a character from point A to B. For example, Speed-boosting Nephalem Glory orbs can spawn along the route but might not always be in the most desirable of locations. In addition, obstacles such as Bear Traps and Barricades can impede your progress (another reason for separate instances). P.S- I love Mario Kart.
Uhh.. Where is PvP?
Ideally, Challenge Mode would also accomodate any type of future PvP implementation. I haven't included it in my concept as it's such a gigantic feature that it would probably need it's own infographic.
What's with the groan-worthy TV show references?
Because geeknerd.
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Hah, these stories make me smile. I remember early Season 4 (when DBs, Veiled Crystals, etc were in short supply) I upgraded about 15-20 rare mighty weapons in hopes of getting a Gavel for my HOTA barb. I realized too late that "ONE HAND" and "TWO HAND" mighty weapons are two different things.
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This seems to be a nice place to settle down while waiting for D3's release
Just like most (if not all) of you here, I've been a long time Blizz gamer (Diablo, Starcraft, WC3, and most recently WoW). I've also been waiting on SC2 forever, but for some reason I'm more excited for D3 woohoo! :thumbsup:
Cya around!