Hello all, here's the DiabloCast for this week. This time around we talk about the results of the Blizzard Video Contest, GamesCom, and the recent Bashiok posts on ALT options, Tiered Skill Slots, and the AH. If you missed the sixteenth episode, you can check it out here. Otherwise, the seventeenth episode covered the following topics:
I think the reason for a demo vs a full beta at Gamescom(factoring out beta readiness) would be the issue of length and content. The D3 demo's are very fast and to the point, solidified in their goals and execution. The beta is a place to search for bugs, playability, balance and such. They want people to jump in and get a fun, concise feel of the game where as a beta is more about spending hours upon hours playing through things and variants to see what works and what doesn't. In a setting where people are being filed through in 15min blocks a beta test experience just doesn't add up to much value for time spent.
I'd think of it as a promotional trailer vs showing of a rough cut of a movie.
As mentioned, the demo is used to allow 15-20 mins of straight action. Who wants to spend their play time going from lvl 1-5.
As for the skill ranks, last we knew it was 15, not 5-7. It is assumed that every difficulty, it increases by five. This will also help promote skill choice since you can't just cap one first.
The toggle option is obviously the best choice.
My favorite diablo memory is my brother and I having to rotate ice packs under our crappy laptop to avoid it from over heating from hours on hours of straight playing.
As mentioned, the demo is used to allow 15-20 mins of straight action. Who wants to spend their play time going from lvl 1-5.
As for the skill ranks, last we knew it was 15, not 5-7. It is assumed that every difficulty, it increases by five. This will also help promote skill choice since you can't just cap one first.
The toggle option is obviously the best choice.
My favorite diablo memory is my brother and I having to rotate ice packs under our crappy laptop to avoid it from over heating from hours on hours of straight playing.
And you guys aren't as funny without me
Thank you for mentioning the skill rank fact. Normally the information in these cast are pretty spot on and much better IMO then the diablo3INC cast but I definitely think they beat you guys this time in accuracy. Still great job as always gentleman. On a side note ..what's a guy got to do to get an update on skills and traits around here?
When Gamescom is has no bearing on when the beta is... Even if they made a new demo for it, it would take at least a few weeks to plan what they were going to have in it and to actually prepare it... You don't just slap together a demo in a few hours by taking a build and cutting out the stuff you don't want people to see... Plus they want devs working on the actual game, not using their valuable time putting together a new demo when beta is just around the corner...
why was the title "hc is too hc" used? Just wondering if I am missing some information about HC mode as I am unable to listen to this podcast for a while.
Sixen, I think you have a good point about the beta not being released before Gamescom because of the reason you mentioned. However, it's possible they're doing it that way because the beta client starts your character at level 1 and is not geared toward a demo. So the beta might not be a great demo so much.
Sixen, I think you have a good point about the beta not being released before Gamescom because of the reason you mentioned. However, it's possible they're doing it that way because the beta client starts your character at level 1 and is not geared toward a demo. So the beta might not be a great demo so much.
They could easily allow us to use premade characters though, just like in WoW.
Hmmm. You sure it would be easy? I mean preparing a demo takes a lot of work. It's not just a matter of slapping an area together and using a character select screen. Especially for Blizzard.
Edit: Furthermore, since they're in "crunch mode", I'd think they'd be wanting to spend all their efforts on the end product. Just my thoughts though.
Edit2: Also, since originally there was no mention of Diablo even being at Gamescom for a while, makes me feel like they're really (in a non-Blizzard-like fashion) throwing the build they have in there.
Hmmm. You sure it would be easy? I mean preparing a demo takes a lot of work. It's not just a matter of slapping an area together and using a character select screen. Especially for Blizzard.
Edit: Furthermore, since they're in "crunch mode", I'd think they'd be wanting to spend all their efforts on the end product. Just my thoughts though.
Edit2: Also, since originally there was no mention of Diablo even being at Gamescom for a while, makes me feel like they're really (in a non-Blizzard-like fashion) throwing the build they have in there.
Yeah, but they'll need to give us proper tools to test characters in. Worst case scenario, they can leave in debug commands that allow us to grant levels, etc. It's supposed to be for testing, ;P. And lets not forget, come release, there will be a PTR as well, so... I'm sure they'll have some kind of system for it.
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Posted Jul 8, 2011I'd think of it as a promotional trailer vs showing of a rough cut of a movie.
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Posted Jul 8, 2011You're not the only one
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Posted Jul 8, 2011As for the skill ranks, last we knew it was 15, not 5-7. It is assumed that every difficulty, it increases by five. This will also help promote skill choice since you can't just cap one first.
The toggle option is obviously the best choice.
My favorite diablo memory is my brother and I having to rotate ice packs under our crappy laptop to avoid it from over heating from hours on hours of straight playing.
And you guys aren't as funny without me
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Posted Jul 9, 2011Thank you for mentioning the skill rank fact. Normally the information in these cast are pretty spot on and much better IMO then the diablo3INC cast but I definitely think they beat you guys this time in accuracy. Still great job as always gentleman. On a side note ..what's a guy got to do to get an update on skills and traits around here?
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Posted Jul 11, 2011Edit: Furthermore, since they're in "crunch mode", I'd think they'd be wanting to spend all their efforts on the end product. Just my thoughts though.
Edit2: Also, since originally there was no mention of Diablo even being at Gamescom for a while, makes me feel like they're really (in a non-Blizzard-like fashion) throwing the build they have in there.
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Posted Jul 11, 2011