In other news more related to Diablo 3, Bashiok recently responded to comments on Battle.net about how the public sees the game differently so far. He brought up some interesting points about how hardcore gamers view Diablo 3 versus the general game buying public. Here's what he had to say:"The Creators of DotA and Curse bring our users exclusive early access to the League of Legends beta!
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Official Blizzard Quote:
"Well I think it's kind of easy to look at changes and advancements in the RPG genre as a whole and narrow them down to any number of sources to fit each use.
To make a car analogy (my favorite!) it would be like having issues with the newest version of the mustang because its body styling takes into account things like passenger safety and aerodynamics, and being upset by this because these are features also found in the ford focus. A clearly inferior car in the eyes of the mustang enthusiast.
These types of ideas could never have been thought of or would ever be included in the mustang, of course, had not both cars been manufactured by ford.
It's just all a bit silly. What I do think is interesting is the differentiation between the hardcore Diablo II players (most of y'all) and the majority of the rest of the game buying public. From our showing at BlizzCon and PAX a lot of the articles and off-site (non fansite) discussions are saying that Diablo III may not be doing enough to change itself from Diablo II.
If those people read some of the posts here you'd think we were putting a Diablo sticker on a WoW box and calling it a day. So it's just an interesting difference between the audiences and how level of dedication changes perceptions and expectation.
And I don't mean to lump everyone together, I'd say aside from the trolls the majority of posters here are actually level headed and logical. At least able to take multiple things into consideration. Reasonable thought process and understanding that the game is a work in progress, and not someone that sees a character with a slight hunch and makes a leap of logic that we must be using model/animation assets from a different game.
That's still my favorite. Cause of it bein' so stupid 'n all.
But anyway I guess what I'm getting at is... I'd really like to read something new and original. These posts are getting tired."
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Posted Sep 11, 2009hope its fun and enjoyable
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Posted Sep 11, 2009-
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Posted Sep 11, 2009And of coarse, complaints are good... most of the time. It means people are paying attention to the franchise, and developers can decipher whats needed in its product and come up with something for everyone without losing anything.
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Posted Sep 11, 2009Bottom line is, It cant be too much like diablo ;). I love diablo II and III looks to be a worthy successor.
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Posted Sep 11, 2009-
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Posted Sep 12, 2009You said it buddy!!! The more like the old games it is the better!
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Posted Sep 12, 2009I have nothing wrong with complaints that are constructive, but complaining about the graphics is just a waste. They have stated time and time again that they are not changing them.
Also, most complaints are about systems that are still in development or complaints about how this or that won't work when we don't know all of the game features.
I think your final point proves my case. I think most people complaining have never played the game...because all I have seen from reviewers who have has been nothing but positive.
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Posted Sep 12, 2009I agree it sucks stats are auto now too, but we don't know what might replace that or even trump that and be more fun and useful than stats.
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Posted Sep 12, 2009-
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Posted Sep 12, 2009I can't agree with that at all. I would like some level of similarity/familiarity, because it is the next line in the Diablo series and so it should share some qualities with its predecessors, but I am not looking for another D2 expansion. If they made a game that was the same as D2 but with new characters, I probably would play it for maybe a month at most and then quit. I've had 10 years of playing D2, I want something new.
Also, as a side note, I'm glad to see the stat system gone. I personally thought it was nothing more than a nuisance, and almost everyone (aside from the smaller group of people to make strange/outlier builds) had pretty much the exact same 2 stat builds: always pump strength for gear, no energy (except in energy ball sorcs), and either max block and put the rest into vit, or just pump vit. I am not going to miss the stat system at all, to be honest.
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Posted Sep 12, 2009Bashiok used a good example with the Ford Mustang and Ford Focus.. but that is a little flawed.
Try thinking it like this..
GM own both Chevrolet and Pontiac.
Keep in mind that tons of car models look alike.. but if you can look back to when John DeLorean ran Pontiac a lot of cars in that division used Pontiac made engines, a lot of uniques styling designs, etc.
Within the past few decades Pontiacs became became your basic Chevy clones. They no longer used Pontiac engines. They borrowed way to much from Chevy to cut production costs. This became a big factor in GM's decision to cut Pontiac.
Many people weren't buying Pontiacs anymore because it lost it's sense of uniqueness.
There were a few.. but not many.
I'm not saying that this is what Blizzard is doing with WoW and Diablo III but if they were to do that it would KILL the franchise.
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Posted Sep 12, 2009-
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Posted Sep 13, 2009On another note, bashiok, i think what blizzard are doing with the world of sanctuary is brilliant, having static exteriors makes for a more living/breathing world (not unlike WoW which has some awesome design/scenery in it) and also making it more believable in that for the most part the world stays the same. In my opinion that kind of randomness doesnt add anything to the game e.g. D2: in one instance the river might be flowing from east to west and in another instance, oh look it's now flowing north to south, fancy that. From what you've described of what blizzard are doing with D3 in this respect i believe they're spot on!
And as far as the car analogy goes, i'll put it this way - instead of comparing different models in the same period i think its more useful comparing the same models in different periods. So compare a 70/80's car with a car of today, you have improvements like power steering, ABS, airbags, fuel efficiency, traction control, cd/dvd player to name a few.. And then theres things that made sense that they kept the same e.g. they still have 4 wheels, still 2/4 door still generally the same body shape bla bla bla.
So the car of today is a product of old ideas with new ideas and even a combination of old ideas and new ideas mixed together (OMG could he mean something taken from WoW?)
So theres my car analogy, hopefully it makes sense
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Posted Sep 13, 2009This gravity defying health bubble vs potion thing. That reminds me when I had to switch from regular to unleaded gasoline, it was kind of annoying but I got used to it. On the other (misshapen, demon claw) hand I kind of see (this far from anything realistic concept such as a bottle of super health tonic attached to my belt) mechanic kind of like instead of being able to stop at a gas station and fill up (yer fave pot seller) you need to drive around on slippery mountain roads until you manage to drive through a passing bubble of floating fuel. And I just betchya there will be places where, Great Ceaser's Ghost!- there aren't ANY floating fuel blobs to be found, die, res, rinse, repeat! I'm thinking this is looking like a Ford Focus, in that, to quote Car Talk, "At least they tell you what they're going to do to you first.'
Hmmm, I can't claim to have read every single detailed post on this but it seems basically you can't choose where your stat points go? What about skill points? That you are locked into 'doing' your class with little option for modification? (Hehe, I know Blizzard HATES that last word because it BUUURRRNNSSSS.) Well, to me, being able to try out weirdo builds once I've played all the base chars was what kept Diablo II from becoming an endless and repetitive treasure hunt........................ so, My younger brother's puke orange 1979 Ford Pinto. Sorry, but this is a hard point with me as I bore easily.
On the other hand, the graphics really look great, I'm going to say any recent Mazda sporty model! Will it be faster off the gun and have better handling and style than my rotary engined 1987 RX7? We shall see.
One other thing I just thought of- I actually do enjoy the NPC interaction and am pleased to hear old characters will be re-appearing. That is a good thing, it's fun, and I'm thinking maybe a 'Disney Parade of Lights' float for that.
My opinions are my own, make fun of them as you see fit.
Horadric Enchantress (It's like a guy playing a sorc, OK?)
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Posted Sep 13, 2009Choice is important. Developers have really been missing this lately, even Blizzard. It's important that I have choices. Period. The more I have, the better. Give people the choice, as Odin said, to turn it on or off.
The only point of stats was for armor and weapons in D2. You needed X amount of Str and/or Dex to use an item. As it stands now, you might as well just put level limits on items and completely forgo stats altogether.
The problem with Bashiok's analogy is that it's the consumer that dictates the options with cars by using their wallet. Here, Blizzard is deciding for the consumer.
Choice. RPG's are about it. The more options I have, the better. That's always the case. Always.
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Posted Sep 13, 2009I definitely fall into the casual gamer category (didn't really bother to play Diablo 2 after my characters got to level 50ish because I wasn't getting to see any interesting new skills). Diablo 3 looks like a good bit of fun so I'll probably give it a go when it comes out.
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Posted Sep 13, 2009see link below to see ghost
http://www.rsportscars.com/koenigsegg/2009-koenigsegg-ccxr-edition/pictures/7378
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Posted Sep 13, 2009removal of ladder - Ladder was awesome, if you wanted to horde riches,get rich once and stay that way, play non ladder, if you like racing for the good gear and a fresh start once a year or so, and people actively trading and playing in pub games and whatnot, play ladder. Perfect system. Why is it every new ladder season saw a surge in player activity. More people then me obviously enjoyed this system, why take it out? If you thought ladder resets sucked, you should have been smart enough to stick with nonladder.
autostats - I've read some of the arguments why people hated the stat system, but I loved it. It was permanent and made your character. A max block wind druid for example, was a drastically different character then a max vitality wind druid. Strategies and playstyle were very different if you knew what you were doing. Now its going to come entirely down to gear, so every level 90 druid will essentially be the same.
respecs - much like above reason. I enjoyed some character permanance. I don't want a game where I have to respec for different areas, like a guild wars type system. Its much funner when you make a build, you know you have strengths and weaknesses, and you find ways to play around them and maximize your potential. Crying about not being able to solo in D2 is a bunch of whiney crap. I've easily solo'd the game with every class. If your single ele sorc can't handle it, make a dual ele for pvm. Single element builds have uses in other areas, like maximizing damage for pvp.
gold economy - I have never played any other game with a more active trading community then D2. Every gold economy game I've played has been awful. If you want a torch now for example, you need to either be capable of getting it on your own, which requires you to be able to figure out how to be some of the toughest areas in the game, or have acquired something else of value to trade for one, and will probably not acquire a top tier one very easily via trading. In a gold based economy any moron grinding gold in mid level areas for hours and hours will get whatever he wants.
bind on equip - discourages tradinng, plain in simple. Sure even ladder on D2 got overloaded near the end, but it was becuase of botting and duping, not poor design. Why not fix the actual problem rather then make changes that are going to inhibit player interaction via trading and kill replay value?
There you have it folks, my gripes about D3 and how blizzard will manage to turnt his game into a game for morons who dont want to think, and just want to grind for hours on end without any possible chance of messing anything up. Thank you blizzard, at this rate your sparing me from wasting the large portion of my life that would have been devoted to D3 and saving me the 50 dollars I would have spent on it.
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Posted Sep 14, 2009General public will see TV ads, posters, online reviews, metascores, etc.
Hardcore fans will give word of mouth
eg. My cousin comes over and sees my D3 background (downloadable image from main page) and is like "There releasing another DIABLO?!"
Now it's my turn to say:
a) Yes! It'll be amazing, but you'll have to wait another 2 years. I mean check out how dark and evil tristram looks with crows and shiz. Srsly.
or
now i don't believe it's going to be a WoW mod, but some people here really really do believe this. and from what i've seen, it's a legitimate concern. so you sit there and you tell us you're tired of this argument and you're finding some middle ground. a hardcore friend of mine hates WoW, but i almost have him convinced that he'll want Diablo 3. But what should I show him to convince him? Screen shots? Skill trees? Armors and Weapons?
You're tired of the same old comments, but there is a reason that we are here still posting the same stuff! Because we need to feel that Diablo 3 is truly different in art style and gameplay, and you're not taking shortcuts because of the success of WOW.
Do not underestimate the importance of word of mouth...
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Posted Sep 14, 2009I got a beta key a few weeks ago for League of Legends, and it's really a good remake of the famous dota custom map from Warcraft3, with some great improvements to the gameplay.
When I downloaded it, I was really expecting a copy of the game, with a few changes... Yes it's the same game, heroes & minions one against the other, but I'm actually having more fun with this game that I had with the original Dota.
Good job Riot games, lets polish this a bit more, and I'm sure it'll be a good 'success'
BTW, the graphics are a bit 'cartoonish', but I really like how it blends with the style of the game. Two thumbs up!:thumbsup: