• The beta consisted of two phases, resulting in a total running length of Feb 17 -> Jul 19. About 5 months.
• Blizzard did not miss the final game's release date once announced.
• "still tracking toward our goal of a mid-2010 release."
• "On May 17, 2010, Blizzard announced that the first phase of the beta test would be coming to an end in all regions on May 31, but it was later extended to June 7."
FUN FACTS
• The Diablo III beta is currently on its 10th patch, counting today's.
• Diablo III's beta has been running for just over 4 months.
• All dates given by Blizzard were not a guarantee, except for the final release date.
• No "windows" were missed. The beta began around when they wanted it to begin and the game was indeed released in "mid-2010" (July).
• All announcements were made well before a 2 month period before the release date.
• The difference between the release date announcement and the actual day was nearly 3 months.
SPECULATION
The pattern tells us that the next announcement is going to be the release date. Also, judging by how long the Diablo III beta has been running, that announcement is going to come around the end of February, or early to mid-March.
Additionally, we're probably going to be notified of the release date 2 months in advance, at a minimum. Also, the beta is likely to keep running up to within 1-2 weeks of release.
I don't know if you know about this article, but yeah. It would be nice if you put D3's dates in the OP and actually compare or make assumptions about it...
I don't know if you know about this article, but yeah. It would be nice if you put D3's dates in the OP and actually compare or make assumptions about it...
I've updated accordingly with said information. I guess you could say I put up the post... too soon? *nerdy snicker*
It's worth mentioning that we also had phenomenal communication from the SC2 team over those few years. There were a few times where they held back a little bit to prevent information overload, but still. It was a long haul but it was a lot more managable. We got everything from Karune's constant Q&A's, to receiving constant feedback from players that helped theorycraft for the devs and finally a decent number of gameplay videos being released to us. Those battle reports were solid too. I can't remember the last time they added background information on the beastiary of Diablo 3 on the website.Outside of Blizzcon, did we ever see videos of a little PvP action? hell, even some recent PvE stuff?
Setting all of the new gameplay system changes aside, why haven't we seen any extra gameplay videos from, let's say, Act 2? It wouldn't kill them to show some gameplay from Act 2, seeing as though it's still probably the desert setting people like me played as far back as Blizzcon 09.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Some people tell me I'm going to hell. I just let them know that I've already packed my bags!
What upsets me is Blizzards attitude of "You'll buy it no matter when we release it no matter what." and to be honest this is really shitty. The only company that gets away with the bait and switch is Blizzard, if any other company had that attitude then the player base would get pissed off as a whole. I accept Blizzard needing time to polish their game but there comes a time when polishing a game leads to overhauling major parts of it because you've "polished" it so much that you've ruined what was initially was supposed to be a better way of doing things.
What upsets me is Blizzards attitude of "You'll buy it no matter when we release it no matter what." and to be honest this is really shitty. The only company that gets away with the bait and switch is Blizzard, if any other company had that attitude then the player base would get pissed off as a whole. I accept Blizzard needing time to polish their game but there comes a time when polishing a game leads to overhauling major parts of it because you've "polished" it so much that you've ruined what was initially was supposed to be a better way of doing things.
Honestly if I was Mike Morhaime I'd show up in a bugatti every day and be like: "Damn I'm good".
But then again I'm the guy with Herman Cain as my display pic.
You're trying to imply that any beta has the same duration.
You're omitting a big fact : a revamp took place after the beginning of the beta.
If you want to be honest with yourself, think like this : when the revamp patch is out, let's start counting this date as the beginning of the real beta, then come back guessing the release date. You'll be much closer to reality.
If you think Blizzard will pressure itself to stick to a "5/6 months beta no matter how unfinished the game is" you're fooling yourself big time.
Failed, faulty logic ftl.
The bottom line is we don't know shit. They haven't implied any further delays, and you're omitting the big fact that they've already completed this "big revamp.". Not in progress, completed. Jay pretty much said all that's left to work on is the skills and runes, and with the way that all these other large changes went from "Non-existent" to "finished and in the game" overnight, means that the remaining changes could be nearing their end as well.
Resetting the beta clock just because they released a patch is the stupidest thing I've ever heard.
What upsets me is Blizzards attitude of "You'll buy it no matter when we release it no matter what." and to be honest this is really shitty. The only company that gets away with the bait and switch is Blizzard, if any other company had that attitude then the player base would get pissed off as a whole. I accept Blizzard needing time to polish their game but there comes a time when polishing a game leads to overhauling major parts of it because you've "polished" it so much that you've ruined what was initially was supposed to be a better way of doing things.
The only other company with a 'we'll tell you as little about the game as possible, because we don't want to give away too much', as well as a 'the game will be ready when we say it's ready, and that's the end of it' policy is ArenaNet. Then again, it's quite amazing how their fans are foaming at the mouth for information, while still supporting the company wholeheartedly and keeping a sensible level of decorum.
Perhaps the problem doens't lie with Blizzard. Perhaps the issue is fan mentality.
18 people worked on Starcraft 2 who also worked on Starcraft 1.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the only person I've heard of that is still around from the Diablo 1/2 days is an artist who drew Mephisto. I forgot where I read it, it was a year or two back... Or maybe 3... But yeah, I'm sure that has something to do with this also.
You cannot kill core teams that work on Franchise games and expect the same result in the end after even 4, or 5 years of development. Without at least a couple core members from the Diablo 1/2 days, the game is going to be a different experience that reminds of us Diablo, but took twice as long to be released due to that.
It's really sad they had to cut their losses with North. I know I read something that a prior Diablo 3 was being developed and it wasn't very good and that's why North split, and then the new Diablo 3 development went underway that we see now back in like 2006 or 2007, but still, I've been waiting for Diablo 3 since 2000. Hell, since the day I got Diablo 2 in my hands. The game provided 3, 4, 5 years of entertainment but there was a point when I had to move on to greener pastures.
That desire and hunger for Diablo 3 never left, and I'd occasionally go back and check on Diablo 2, and play again, and even go back and rerun Diablo 1.
If anything is certain now, it's that I'm beginning to question what I feel the difference between game polishing and incompetency is. What's the difference between "When it's done" and "It's taking us 5 years to make a Hack N' Slash that's not more complex than a game from 2000" ?? That's anyones guess, but my opinion lately is leaning more towards incompetency.
As I grow older, I start to realize more and more that time is incredibly precious in my life. It's precious in everyones life, and I'm a totally different person than I was 10 years ago. I'm in my 20's now, and the gory hell filled games that delighted my senses and filled my vision of the late 90's and the dawn of the new millennium are lodged somewhere that have been dying to be refreshed for a decade now.
I can't spend 12 years waiting for another game release. I literally can't. If over the course of my lifetime I can only expect 4 or 5 more game releases from Blizzard (by the time I'm 70 years old, and long past this era of Blizzard's employees are gone), I'm sorry, I have to move elsewhere. (Hypothetical, but yeah).
Game production has stepped up it's pace and franchises are in rapid fire now, and although a lot of games really suck, there are companies that release great games in quick succession, like Borderlands. I believe it's sequel is slated for this year, and the same goes with Darksiders.
Blizzard truly needs to update their core philosophy to fit the new decade. It's not the 90's anymore. Hell, it's not even the 00's anymore. And that's a scary thing when the desire for a single game is still with you over all that time.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"When men are most sure and arrogant, they are commonly the most mistaken, and have then given views to passion, without that proper deliberation and suspense which can alone secure them from the grossest absurdities"
Bah, this brings back my sweet memories of the SC2 Beta. How I loved to play multiplayer and trying to reach as high rank when there were so many resets/wipes.
When the game actually got released I only played the singleplayer and didn't really go back into multi
What upsets me is Blizzards attitude of "You'll buy it no matter when we release it no matter what." and to be honest this is really shitty. The only company that gets away with the bait and switch is Blizzard, if any other company had that attitude then the player base would get pissed off as a whole. I accept Blizzard needing time to polish their game but there comes a time when polishing a game leads to overhauling major parts of it because you've "polished" it so much that you've ruined what was initially was supposed to be a better way of doing things.
The only other company with a 'we'll tell you as little about the game as possible, because we don't want to give away too much', as well as a 'the game will be ready when we say it's ready, and that's the end of it' policy is ArenaNet. Then again, it's quite amazing how their fans are foaming at the mouth for information, while still supporting the company wholeheartedly and keeping a sensible level of decorum.
Perhaps the problem doens't lie with Blizzard. Perhaps the issue is fan mentality.
@Designation15 - I agree that Blizz is one of a few companies that can afford to develop a game for 5, 6 years while in the meantime making the fans upset with delays/system changes ect (which I must say is 85% the fans fault).
@Azjenco - I do you think it's the Diablo fans' own fault for following to closely and taking apart every little change/tweet/soon speculation. But again, I also think Blizz is as big a culprit here.
Yes it nice of them to let us see the game development since 2008 releasing info throughout development (even the April Fools Archivist*), but what they did wrong was making it sound like they were basically finished with the game before last year and then delay the game...they just shouldn't have said mentioned "aimed for late 2011" at all, cause this is one of the main reasons people raged.
*I wonder how many dev time that whole April Fools joke took, even it was back in 2009 when they thought they had time to spare.
Yes it nice of them to let us see the game development since 2008 releasing info throughout development (even the April Fools Archivist*), but what they did wrong was making it sound like they were basically finished with the game before last year and then delay the game...they just shouldn't have said mentioned "aimed for late 2011" at all, cause this is one of the main reasons people raged.
I sort of agree there. They shouldn't have given a date, not yet. They also shouldn't have given too many expectations and stated things like that made it seem the game was in the home stretch and it's going into polish, especially not when they are in the process of large changes being made to the core of the game. I don't mind them doing changing it, but they can't be surprised at the backlash, I guess.
Either Blizzard shouldn't have revealed anything that's been going on behind the scenes, nothing at all so then at release time no one would be the wiser, or they should tell people 100% what's going on. Why is it that they're suddenly changing the majority of the game, content that fans thought were in place. At least then I think people would be less agitated.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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Starcraft II Dates
May 19, 2007
Beta Start Date Announcement
Feb 10, 2010
Beta Begins
Feb 17, 2010
Release Date Announced
May 3, 2010
End of Beta Date Announcement
May 17, 2010
End of Beta
Jul 19, 2010
Release Day
Jul 27, 2010
Diablo III Dates
Jun 28, 2008
Beta Start Date Announcement
May 9, 2011
Beta Begins
Sep 20, 2011
ADDITIONAL NOTES
• The beta had, overall, 18 patches.
• The beta consisted of two phases, resulting in a total running length of Feb 17 -> Jul 19. About 5 months.
• Blizzard did not miss the final game's release date once announced.
• "still tracking toward our goal of a mid-2010 release."
• "On May 17, 2010, Blizzard announced that the first phase of the beta test would be coming to an end in all regions on May 31, but it was later extended to June 7."
FUN FACTS
• The Diablo III beta is currently on its 10th patch, counting today's.
• Diablo III's beta has been running for just over 4 months.
• All dates given by Blizzard were not a guarantee, except for the final release date.
• No "windows" were missed. The beta began around when they wanted it to begin and the game was indeed released in "mid-2010" (July).
• All announcements were made well before a 2 month period before the release date.
• The difference between the release date announcement and the actual day was nearly 3 months.
SPECULATION
The pattern tells us that the next announcement is going to be the release date. Also, judging by how long the Diablo III beta has been running, that announcement is going to come around the end of February, or early to mid-March.
Additionally, we're probably going to be notified of the release date 2 months in advance, at a minimum. Also, the beta is likely to keep running up to within 1-2 weeks of release.
I've updated accordingly with said information. I guess you could say I put up the post... too soon? *nerdy snicker*
Setting all of the new gameplay system changes aside, why haven't we seen any extra gameplay videos from, let's say, Act 2? It wouldn't kill them to show some gameplay from Act 2, seeing as though it's still probably the desert setting people like me played as far back as Blizzcon 09.
Honestly if I was Mike Morhaime I'd show up in a bugatti every day and be like: "Damn I'm good".
But then again I'm the guy with Herman Cain as my display pic.
D3 Channel: OnetwoD3
Failed, faulty logic ftl.
The bottom line is we don't know shit. They haven't implied any further delays, and you're omitting the big fact that they've already completed this "big revamp.". Not in progress, completed. Jay pretty much said all that's left to work on is the skills and runes, and with the way that all these other large changes went from "Non-existent" to "finished and in the game" overnight, means that the remaining changes could be nearing their end as well.
Resetting the beta clock just because they released a patch is the stupidest thing I've ever heard.
Perhaps the problem doens't lie with Blizzard. Perhaps the issue is fan mentality.
18 people worked on Starcraft 2 who also worked on Starcraft 1.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the only person I've heard of that is still around from the Diablo 1/2 days is an artist who drew Mephisto. I forgot where I read it, it was a year or two back... Or maybe 3... But yeah, I'm sure that has something to do with this also.
You cannot kill core teams that work on Franchise games and expect the same result in the end after even 4, or 5 years of development. Without at least a couple core members from the Diablo 1/2 days, the game is going to be a different experience that reminds of us Diablo, but took twice as long to be released due to that.
It's really sad they had to cut their losses with North. I know I read something that a prior Diablo 3 was being developed and it wasn't very good and that's why North split, and then the new Diablo 3 development went underway that we see now back in like 2006 or 2007, but still, I've been waiting for Diablo 3 since 2000. Hell, since the day I got Diablo 2 in my hands. The game provided 3, 4, 5 years of entertainment but there was a point when I had to move on to greener pastures.
That desire and hunger for Diablo 3 never left, and I'd occasionally go back and check on Diablo 2, and play again, and even go back and rerun Diablo 1.
If anything is certain now, it's that I'm beginning to question what I feel the difference between game polishing and incompetency is. What's the difference between "When it's done" and "It's taking us 5 years to make a Hack N' Slash that's not more complex than a game from 2000" ?? That's anyones guess, but my opinion lately is leaning more towards incompetency.
As I grow older, I start to realize more and more that time is incredibly precious in my life. It's precious in everyones life, and I'm a totally different person than I was 10 years ago. I'm in my 20's now, and the gory hell filled games that delighted my senses and filled my vision of the late 90's and the dawn of the new millennium are lodged somewhere that have been dying to be refreshed for a decade now.
I can't spend 12 years waiting for another game release. I literally can't. If over the course of my lifetime I can only expect 4 or 5 more game releases from Blizzard (by the time I'm 70 years old, and long past this era of Blizzard's employees are gone), I'm sorry, I have to move elsewhere. (Hypothetical, but yeah).
Game production has stepped up it's pace and franchises are in rapid fire now, and although a lot of games really suck, there are companies that release great games in quick succession, like Borderlands. I believe it's sequel is slated for this year, and the same goes with Darksiders.
Blizzard truly needs to update their core philosophy to fit the new decade. It's not the 90's anymore. Hell, it's not even the 00's anymore. And that's a scary thing when the desire for a single game is still with you over all that time.
When the game actually got released I only played the singleplayer and didn't really go back into multi
@Designation15 - I agree that Blizz is one of a few companies that can afford to develop a game for 5, 6 years while in the meantime making the fans upset with delays/system changes ect (which I must say is 85% the fans fault).
@Azjenco - I do you think it's the Diablo fans' own fault for following to closely and taking apart every little change/tweet/soon speculation. But again, I also think Blizz is as big a culprit here.
Yes it nice of them to let us see the game development since 2008 releasing info throughout development (even the April Fools Archivist*), but what they did wrong was making it sound like they were basically finished with the game before last year and then delay the game...they just shouldn't have said mentioned "aimed for late 2011" at all, cause this is one of the main reasons people raged.
*I wonder how many dev time that whole April Fools joke took, even it was back in 2009 when they thought they had time to spare.
Either Blizzard shouldn't have revealed anything that's been going on behind the scenes, nothing at all so then at release time no one would be the wiser, or they should tell people 100% what's going on. Why is it that they're suddenly changing the majority of the game, content that fans thought were in place. At least then I think people would be less agitated.