Gravity, turbine(I forgot who originally created Atlantica Online, but who ever did make it, is by far a better developer), Stardock is pretty sweet too, to name just a few(I know there are plenty more), all of which are better PC game developers.
Blizzard hasn't been about developing quality titles in a long time, they are all about generating hype now(aka the title of the games are better then the games them selves, due to their ealier games being so good, and them puting less effort into their newer games).
I'll rephrase my point a bit. In the 5-10 years since, what I would term, the golden age of PC gaming I haven't made a single PC title purchase that I didn't feel buyer's remorse over. Personal experience has lead me to an indictment of the industry rathan than one developer or one company in general.
I've seen and taken part in some innovative and cute indy title betas, but the polish never seems to be applied. I've seen and purchased a few very promising main-stream titles from the giants and felt equal parts nostalgia and dissapointment. Where there was ample polish, there was not much innovation, and where there was innovation; it was hap-hazard.
In the genre's i've traditionally cared about (rpg, mmorpg, rts, tbs, and action variants) things look grim all around. I'm not saying that nothing good is out there, but I really don't agree that Blizzard has fallen under par. I think the whole industry has slipped far down the well and the glorious era of masterful and innovative gaming likely popped with the tech bubble.
While it is "indeed true", the industry as a whole has been going down hill, Blizzard games have been going down hill in quality pretty consistantly sigh(they are still above the red line, so most of their games are still "decent"), but if quality drops anymore, then it will easily lead to completely subpar games.
Needless to say, Blizzard needs to stop trying to hype up their games, and actually put effort into development, if the game is a quality title, it will generate more then enough hype as is.
Also if Blizzard Isn't gonna develop more then 3 titles, they need to stop being arrogant punks, and stop pulling this Blizzcon BS(spend the money on better development teams, and getting games developed in a timely manner).
With the way Blizzard acts, you would think they are the biggest, and greatest company in the world(lol only in their minds). Their promotion getup is so huge, they could support like 2-3 dozen games at very least(yet they only have 3 titles... ).
Sadly though, if Blizzard continues along this road of dumbing down systems/pulling crap only square(the worst company out there now) has pulled and focusing hype over the quality of the game(s) , the next Blizzard game will be a comlete POS(since it takes 10ish years for them to even make a game, and they only have 3 titles, any respect people have left for Blizzard will go out the window), they will easily be a subpar company.
Can you name some of these "great titles," and developers in question here? I agree with your critqiues, but I disagree any other studio has generated a blizzard-quality PC title in the last few years. Come to think of it, I don't even like what blizzard has done lately.
Mostly I'm thinking of Bioware and Bethesda. Mass Effect is an amazing series and Fallout 3 (at least I think so) was a really great game and I got a ton of hours out of it.
We tend not to compare such games to the likes of Diablo around here, however. But however those games are different than what Blizzard has done, I have a lot more respect for those other developers who don't show such contempt toward their fans (again, not even talking about the beta here) and just stick to their professionalism and get games finished and out on the market.
I think, Mass Effect 2 I must've played at least 80 hours. Obviously you can go on playing D3 for much longer cause it's a loot grind.
And I do like what Blizzard has done lately. I liked Starcraft 2 as much as I thought it sucked the Protoss and Zerg campaigns would be released later. Cause I'm not really into the PvP part of SC2. And how long ago did Wings of Liberty come out? Like in July of 2010? So with most of SC2 already built, it's taken them over a year to put together just the Zerg campaign?
Well what's the rush anyway? They're not gonna charge you the full price you paid for Wings of Liberty so there's less to be gained in sales and most people bought it for the multiplayer anyway. I don't know...there's just something about Blizzard these days. It's their hubris I think. It's manifested itself in some really unattractive ways. But they don't seem to think it matters because they believe you'll buy their game no matter how they act.
It's like the Q&A panels they host at Blizzcon and other events. The panel can be so condescending and dickish to all those people with complaints and concerns. Granted, sure, a lot of those people really do have some crazy ass questions as if they want a game designed personally for them. But then a lot of other don't either and they're still treated with disdain by the panel. So why, why even have the panel? Is it really worth showing such casual contempt for the people who have been there with you since the beginning? And I know a lot of them are cause they'll even say they've been playing since the first Diablo. I don't know...
"It's like the Q&A panels they host at Blizzcon and other events. The panel can be so condescending and dickish to all those people with complaints and concerns. Granted, sure, a lot of those people really do have some crazy ass questions as if they want a game designed personally for them. But then a lot of other don't either and they're still treated with disdain by the panel. So why, why even have the panel? Is it really worth showing such casual contempt for the people who have been there with you since the beginning? And I know a lot of them are cause they'll even say they've been playing since the first Diablo. I don't know... "
That's true too(goes back to the them being arrogant issue).
If they aren't willing to anwer any real questions to begin with, why don't they just keep their mouth shut about the game all together(don't release any info that will bring up questions, and don't hold these QA panals if you don't intend to answer any questions to beginwith).
Seriously Blizzard acts more like a politician based organization, then a development company(getting them to give a straight answer is like pulling teeth).
While it is "indeed true", the industry as a whole has been going down hill, Blizzard games have been going down hill in quality pretty consistantly sigh(they are still above the red line, so most of their games are still "decent"), but if quality drops anymore, then it will easily lead to completely subpar games.
My assertion was that Blizzard is going down hill, but they are keeping pace with (and in most cases still surpassing) the industry as a whole.
Mostly I'm thinking of Bioware and Bethesda. Mass Effect is an amazing series and Fallout 3 (at least I think so) was a really great game and I got a ton of hours out of it.
Sure, but compare the hours put into something like Fallout with what used to go into Starcraft, Civ II, Diablo and D2, Baldur's Gate titles if you played any of those. I'm talking about games you played for months, years, and still felt like there was something to explore. I don't think anyone makes those these days. Blizzard learned from WoW that they make more money bringing it in piecemeal and the rest of the gaming industry seems to be either mimicing that model or just releasing half-baked things and hoping they'll be able to patch content in before all the potential customers leave.
I feel very similarly. I've been playing other games and obviously keeping bus with work and real life commitments. I'm at a point where if they never release the game, it won't make much of a difference. If they do at some point in 2012 release it, then I'll be happy, but may not even be playing it much at all, to be honest.
Other games have been giving me a lot of the utility / fun that Diablo would have given me. Rage was incredible, loved every moment (except for the Dead City...fucking mutants are scary and have a habit of running out from nowhere). Just picked up Arkham City last night and will be playing that till the disc doesn't run anymore. Not to mention that I still play WoW on and off, leveling different characters. Borderlands 2 will be out by next summer as well, so plenty to look forward to.
I love the Diablo series. I gave it so many countless hours of my adolescence. Spent so much time going over the lore and debating with friends. After all these years though, and especially the way Blizzard has handled the PR aspect of managing a rabid fanbase's expectations where the beta is concerned, I've gotten turned off to the whole experience.
Sure, I'll try and get a ton of Diablo III playtime in at Blizzcon this weekend, but beyond that, I've lost my taste for it.
Before people start to flame me for whining, I will remind people that we're all fans and the most basic right we have is to voice our opinions, even if it's critical rhetoric. I personally have been playing Blizzard games since 1992, have spent thousands of dollars on games, merchandise and events like Blizzcon and most importantly, like all of you, have given my time and patronage willingly to the company and their games. We all have a right to vent about this and feel disenchanted, if we're so inclined.
Really? Have you done no searches on this topic? Have you read nothing?
Diablo III Beta is NOT, I repeat, NOT for content testing. It is for testing the hardware and Battle.net infrastructure. For that, a small amount of the game is sufficient.
They could have people log into an empty room and fight a post over and over, and it would give them the data they need.
I've read plenty on the subject - and yes sure they say its for testing the infrastructure but I seriously doubt that its ONLY for that.
Your doubts mean little.
It is what would be expected, and more than that, it is what they said.
They have REAL testers to find bugs, they do not need the average joe who knows jack shit about game design.
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One is never hurt by being given additional choices, only by taking them away. A QUADRILLION MAGIC FIND is worthless if you can't kill shit!
While it is "indeed true", the industry as a whole has been going down hill, Blizzard games have been going down hill in quality pretty consistantly sigh(they are still above the red line, so most of their games are still "decent"), but if quality drops anymore, then it will easily lead to completely subpar games.
Needless to say, Blizzard needs to stop trying to hype up their games, and actually put effort into development, if the game is a quality title, it will generate more then enough hype as is.
Also if Blizzard Isn't gonna develop more then 3 titles, they need to stop being arrogant punks, and stop pulling this Blizzcon BS(spend the money on better development teams, and getting games developed in a timely manner).
With the way Blizzard acts, you would think they are the biggest, and greatest company in the world(lol only in their minds). Their promotion getup is so huge, they could support like 2-3 dozen games at very least(yet they only have 3 titles... ).
Sadly though, if Blizzard continues along this road of dumbing down systems/pulling crap only square(the worst company out there now) has pulled and focusing hype over the quality of the game(s) , the next Blizzard game will be a comlete POS(since it takes 10ish years for them to even make a game, and they only have 3 titles, any respect people have left for Blizzard will go out the window), they will easily be a subpar company.
I don't see how Blizzard games are going down in quality. Can you give an example?
SC2 was really good. The cinematics, the flow, the missions, the gameplay, oh the gameplay is flawless. The only problem I had was the campaign being broken into three. I love zerg, so I really wanted a zerg campaign, but the polish that went into WoL felt brilliant and definitely worth its price.
I've played WoW since TBC, and I've enjoyed it thoroughly, even Cataclysm was great. The only reason I quit was because, playing the game for so many years has made the experience a bit jaded. I wish I started playing with Cata, but I really feel I need to move on.
Diablo 3 already looks polished. I also don't see how the game is being 'dumbed down' and please don't jump on the skill points pony, because that thing has been ridden to death. It screams of 'I'm not getting my way' tantrums. The rune combinations already looks like a very comprehensive system. Games need to evolve, and if they feel they want to leave spending points then why not. If it means they can learn something from it and revitalize the industry some how, then great.
I think Blizzard are certainly up to par, way up there with developers like Bioware, Bethesda, id and Relic. I haven't played a Blizzard game I haven't enjoyed, even though they sometimes make odd choices, so what. I think you should let you petty grievances fly, maybe then you'll start enjoying their products again.
I do agree with what you said about the attitude problem at their panels though. Especially so when it comes to Metzen. He oozes of egotistical rocker douche-baggery, complete with sunglasses indoors, rocking around in his chair while staring at the roof as if whatever is happening around him is just so damn boring, and just being loudly full of himself.
But I don't know how you can hate Blizzcon. Do you hate all tradeshows, because that is what this is. Instead of them lugging their asses around to cater to a few fans a few times per year, they decided to go out on a limb and showcase their products specifically for their fans. This sort of publicity is good for companies, and how you can disagree with that is beyond me.
If you really want to see a company treat their fans like heroes, watch the ArenaNet crew. Their panels are always brilliant and that is one hell of a development studio that really goes the extra mile to treat fans like they depend on them (not the other way around). EVERY development company can really learn a thing or two from them.
To Azjenco: You may want to hit the enter button, where It's pretty clear there should be a line break, so it doesn't look like a wall of text.
Come on, even the drones that play WoW(which although was unique at the time of release, I don't think was ever actually a quality title), claim it has gone down hill, and while SC2 may not be technically a bad game in its self(don't know much about SC2 personally, only SC), noone I have heard from seems to think It's even as good as the original SC, which inturn means they are going down hill(doesn't mean they are crash, and burning like Square, but neverless they are still going down hill).
Lol and It's painfully obvious that D3 wont even come close to the greatness of D2(not saying D2 was perfect, it had its issue, but aside from the lack of security which lead to duping, the issues weren't big enough to hurt gamelay to a large degree, opposed to the dumbed down systems, other systems being half-fast jobs, and there being no single player in D3. There are ways to make a game secure, without pulling DRM/not having single player at all, also you can refine a system to make it better, instead of dumbing down the system, to the most basic element).
Yea, he's such a ass, It's bad enough Blizzard PR reps in general try to "handle" their fan base, but he goes way beyond that.
To Azjenco: You may want to hit the enter button, where It's pretty clear there should be a line break, so it doesn't look like a wall of text.
Come on, even the drones that play WoW(which although was unique at the time of release, I don't think was ever actually a quality title), claim it has gone down hill, and while SC2 may not be technically a bad game in its self(don't know much about SC2 personally, only SC), noone I have heard from seems to think It's even as good as the original SC, which inturn means they are going down hill(doesn't mean they are crash, and burning like Square, but neverless they are still going down hill).
Lol and It's painfully obvious that D3 wont even come close to the greatness of D2(not saying D2 was perfect, it had its issue, but aside from the lack of security which lead to duping, the issues weren't big enough to hurt gamelay to a large degree, opposed to the dumbed down systems, other systems being half-fast jobs, and there being no single player in D3. There are ways to make a game secure, without pulling DRM/not having single player at all, also you can refine a system to make it better, instead of dumbing down the system, to the most basic element).
Yea, he's such a ass, It's bad Blizzard PR reps in general try to "handle" their fan base, but he goes way beyond that.
I never heard of them, what games do they make?
Sorry about the wall of text.
True, WoW isn't quite what I remembered, but like I said, it's all grown rather jaded for me. I remember in its heyday it was amazing. Then again, age hasn't done it all that well, and it feels antiquated in comparison to SWTOR beta and the GW2 footage. Still, I have good memories of it, and nothing will change that.
Well, then again. all my RL friends and the guys on my Real ID friends list, all about 15 in total, think SC2 is at the very least on par with SC, most think better. And I will agree, the gameplay is very much on par and so smooth to play. I've also talked to other people on forums, and there I find the opinions quite split. But most importantly I enjoyed it, so that's what counted for me.
Maybe D3 won't reach D2 greatness, but I do remember quite vividly, many people back in the day said D2 would never be what Diablo was. They also said the systems were being thrown out; limited/non random quests, outdoor areas (they said it was too light and Blizzard removed the gothic feel), skill points (oh yes, people hated skill points, said it detracted from the random challenging element, and that it dumbed it down, because books were more challenging). Don't know what happened to those unsatisfied people, but it seems D2 turned out well. So, I'll stay positive and try to enjoy it when it comes out.
ArenaNet consist of some Diablo designers after they left post D2LOD. They created the Guild Wars series, but at the moment they are working on Guild Wars 2, and it looks brilliant. I think it will really redefine the MMO genre. I bought GW1, but I wasn't that impressed, it was fun, but overall alright, but GW2 is a beast all on its own. If you don't know about it, watch the Manifesto video, it sold me on the game: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35BPhT-KI1E
The community is also great. Their fan sites are very helpful and very rarely ends in flame wars, think I saw only one ever. Great community and great developers is what sold me on the game. You can also give their PAX and Gamescom panels a view, they are very nice people, especially Colin Johanson. Chris Metzon doesn't have a tenth of the charisma Colin has.
Well there's a differance between the era D1 came out in, the era D2 came out, and now D3. People's knowledge of game design, as well as game design bounderies is much more extensive then back then(hell when D1 first came out, the revitalised gaming idustry was still pretty new, and D2 came out at the exact time, online gaming started picking up steam.
D3 is long since removed from a era, where only the biggest dorks ever, would be involved in things like coding, game design, exc(due to the internet, information is insanely easy to find, not to mention the private development community is so helpful, It's not funny), hell the fan made game comunity, Homebrew comunity, fan translation comunity, and even modding comunity is proof of how wide spread knoledge revolving around the industry has expanded.
Oh Guild Wars huh(lol everyone atleast has heard of Guild Wars, but talk about a terrible name for a company, I doubt many people know who they are, I thought you were gonna name some obscure game, imagine if Blizzard was called Battlenet instead).
I heard Guild Wars 1 was a good game, although I wrote it off, but for personal opinion based reasons, not because I looked into the game, and found it to be a bad game(The name of the game put me off, although for all I know, is the title might've been misleading, but still. I don't subscribe to the belief that PvP is the only reason to play a MMO or even a primary reason, besides I play RO that has a godly Guild War system anyway, as well as not being completely focused on such).
With that said, damn you for posting a video(with comentary from developers at that lol), I really don't need yet another MMO to add to my list of MMOs I cycle through. Either the title is missleading(they picket it for a name, just because it sounds cool) or it refers to more of a faction/storyline based guild(not actual guilds).
Can't really tell from the Video if It's good or not(basically no battle system info or any main systems for that matter), but Guild Wars 2 does seem promising(enough to look into it more, which I must repeat, damn you!!! lol), but if that music is from the game, that'ts outstanding music.
The fact there is a core story, and actions that can change the story, instead of just a metric ton of small, static side stories is something special in of its self, atleast in the MMO scene anyway(plus a interactive map can only be seen as a + /nice addition, as long as the map design its self is good).
If the company Isn't arrogant, and doesn't play games with the fan base, that's always a good sign(not to mention "gameplay" videos with actual "relevent" comentary), that at very least the developers think their game is, and intends to release a quality title.
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While it is "indeed true", the industry as a whole has been going down hill, Blizzard games have been going down hill in quality pretty consistantly sigh(they are still above the red line, so most of their games are still "decent"), but if quality drops anymore, then it will easily lead to completely subpar games.
Needless to say, Blizzard needs to stop trying to hype up their games, and actually put effort into development, if the game is a quality title, it will generate more then enough hype as is.
Also if Blizzard Isn't gonna develop more then 3 titles, they need to stop being arrogant punks, and stop pulling this Blizzcon BS(spend the money on better development teams, and getting games developed in a timely manner).
With the way Blizzard acts, you would think they are the biggest, and greatest company in the world(lol only in their minds). Their promotion getup is so huge, they could support like 2-3 dozen games at very least(yet they only have 3 titles... ).
Sadly though, if Blizzard continues along this road of dumbing down systems/pulling crap only square(the worst company out there now) has pulled and focusing hype over the quality of the game(s) , the next Blizzard game will be a comlete POS(since it takes 10ish years for them to even make a game, and they only have 3 titles, any respect people have left for Blizzard will go out the window), they will easily be a subpar company.
We tend not to compare such games to the likes of Diablo around here, however. But however those games are different than what Blizzard has done, I have a lot more respect for those other developers who don't show such contempt toward their fans (again, not even talking about the beta here) and just stick to their professionalism and get games finished and out on the market.
I think, Mass Effect 2 I must've played at least 80 hours. Obviously you can go on playing D3 for much longer cause it's a loot grind.
And I do like what Blizzard has done lately. I liked Starcraft 2 as much as I thought it sucked the Protoss and Zerg campaigns would be released later. Cause I'm not really into the PvP part of SC2. And how long ago did Wings of Liberty come out? Like in July of 2010? So with most of SC2 already built, it's taken them over a year to put together just the Zerg campaign?
Well what's the rush anyway? They're not gonna charge you the full price you paid for Wings of Liberty so there's less to be gained in sales and most people bought it for the multiplayer anyway. I don't know...there's just something about Blizzard these days. It's their hubris I think. It's manifested itself in some really unattractive ways. But they don't seem to think it matters because they believe you'll buy their game no matter how they act.
It's like the Q&A panels they host at Blizzcon and other events. The panel can be so condescending and dickish to all those people with complaints and concerns. Granted, sure, a lot of those people really do have some crazy ass questions as if they want a game designed personally for them. But then a lot of other don't either and they're still treated with disdain by the panel. So why, why even have the panel? Is it really worth showing such casual contempt for the people who have been there with you since the beginning? And I know a lot of them are cause they'll even say they've been playing since the first Diablo. I don't know...
Siaynoq's Playthroughs
That's true too(goes back to the them being arrogant issue).
If they aren't willing to anwer any real questions to begin with, why don't they just keep their mouth shut about the game all together(don't release any info that will bring up questions, and don't hold these QA panals if you don't intend to answer any questions to beginwith).
Seriously Blizzard acts more like a politician based organization, then a development company(getting them to give a straight answer is like pulling teeth).
Beta will be out by 3rd quarter of 2011.
And now the small beta is out, and the game is still at least 4 months away. So the only choice left is very slowly let people come in.
A QUADRILLION MAGIC FIND is worthless if you can't kill shit!
My assertion was that Blizzard is going down hill, but they are keeping pace with (and in most cases still surpassing) the industry as a whole.
Sure, but compare the hours put into something like Fallout with what used to go into Starcraft, Civ II, Diablo and D2, Baldur's Gate titles if you played any of those. I'm talking about games you played for months, years, and still felt like there was something to explore. I don't think anyone makes those these days. Blizzard learned from WoW that they make more money bringing it in piecemeal and the rest of the gaming industry seems to be either mimicing that model or just releasing half-baked things and hoping they'll be able to patch content in before all the potential customers leave.
Other games have been giving me a lot of the utility / fun that Diablo would have given me. Rage was incredible, loved every moment (except for the Dead City...fucking mutants are scary and have a habit of running out from nowhere). Just picked up Arkham City last night and will be playing that till the disc doesn't run anymore. Not to mention that I still play WoW on and off, leveling different characters. Borderlands 2 will be out by next summer as well, so plenty to look forward to.
I love the Diablo series. I gave it so many countless hours of my adolescence. Spent so much time going over the lore and debating with friends. After all these years though, and especially the way Blizzard has handled the PR aspect of managing a rabid fanbase's expectations where the beta is concerned, I've gotten turned off to the whole experience.
Sure, I'll try and get a ton of Diablo III playtime in at Blizzcon this weekend, but beyond that, I've lost my taste for it.
Before people start to flame me for whining, I will remind people that we're all fans and the most basic right we have is to voice our opinions, even if it's critical rhetoric. I personally have been playing Blizzard games since 1992, have spent thousands of dollars on games, merchandise and events like Blizzcon and most importantly, like all of you, have given my time and patronage willingly to the company and their games. We all have a right to vent about this and feel disenchanted, if we're so inclined.
Your doubts mean little.
It is what would be expected, and more than that, it is what they said.
They have REAL testers to find bugs, they do not need the average joe who knows jack shit about game design.
A QUADRILLION MAGIC FIND is worthless if you can't kill shit!
SC2 was really good. The cinematics, the flow, the missions, the gameplay, oh the gameplay is flawless. The only problem I had was the campaign being broken into three. I love zerg, so I really wanted a zerg campaign, but the polish that went into WoL felt brilliant and definitely worth its price.
I've played WoW since TBC, and I've enjoyed it thoroughly, even Cataclysm was great. The only reason I quit was because, playing the game for so many years has made the experience a bit jaded. I wish I started playing with Cata, but I really feel I need to move on.
Diablo 3 already looks polished. I also don't see how the game is being 'dumbed down' and please don't jump on the skill points pony, because that thing has been ridden to death. It screams of 'I'm not getting my way' tantrums. The rune combinations already looks like a very comprehensive system. Games need to evolve, and if they feel they want to leave spending points then why not. If it means they can learn something from it and revitalize the industry some how, then great.
I think Blizzard are certainly up to par, way up there with developers like Bioware, Bethesda, id and Relic. I haven't played a Blizzard game I haven't enjoyed, even though they sometimes make odd choices, so what. I think you should let you petty grievances fly, maybe then you'll start enjoying their products again.
I do agree with what you said about the attitude problem at their panels though. Especially so when it comes to Metzen. He oozes of egotistical rocker douche-baggery, complete with sunglasses indoors, rocking around in his chair while staring at the roof as if whatever is happening around him is just so damn boring, and just being loudly full of himself.
But I don't know how you can hate Blizzcon. Do you hate all tradeshows, because that is what this is. Instead of them lugging their asses around to cater to a few fans a few times per year, they decided to go out on a limb and showcase their products specifically for their fans. This sort of publicity is good for companies, and how you can disagree with that is beyond me.
If you really want to see a company treat their fans like heroes, watch the ArenaNet crew. Their panels are always brilliant and that is one hell of a development studio that really goes the extra mile to treat fans like they depend on them (not the other way around). EVERY development company can really learn a thing or two from them.
Come on, even the drones that play WoW(which although was unique at the time of release, I don't think was ever actually a quality title), claim it has gone down hill, and while SC2 may not be technically a bad game in its self(don't know much about SC2 personally, only SC), noone I have heard from seems to think It's even as good as the original SC, which inturn means they are going down hill(doesn't mean they are crash, and burning like Square, but neverless they are still going down hill).
Lol and It's painfully obvious that D3 wont even come close to the greatness of D2(not saying D2 was perfect, it had its issue, but aside from the lack of security which lead to duping, the issues weren't big enough to hurt gamelay to a large degree, opposed to the dumbed down systems, other systems being half-fast jobs, and there being no single player in D3. There are ways to make a game secure, without pulling DRM/not having single player at all, also you can refine a system to make it better, instead of dumbing down the system, to the most basic element).
Yea, he's such a ass, It's bad enough Blizzard PR reps in general try to "handle" their fan base, but he goes way beyond that.
I never heard of them, what games do they make?
Sorry about the wall of text.
True, WoW isn't quite what I remembered, but like I said, it's all grown rather jaded for me. I remember in its heyday it was amazing. Then again, age hasn't done it all that well, and it feels antiquated in comparison to SWTOR beta and the GW2 footage. Still, I have good memories of it, and nothing will change that.
Well, then again. all my RL friends and the guys on my Real ID friends list, all about 15 in total, think SC2 is at the very least on par with SC, most think better. And I will agree, the gameplay is very much on par and so smooth to play. I've also talked to other people on forums, and there I find the opinions quite split. But most importantly I enjoyed it, so that's what counted for me.
Maybe D3 won't reach D2 greatness, but I do remember quite vividly, many people back in the day said D2 would never be what Diablo was. They also said the systems were being thrown out; limited/non random quests, outdoor areas (they said it was too light and Blizzard removed the gothic feel), skill points (oh yes, people hated skill points, said it detracted from the random challenging element, and that it dumbed it down, because books were more challenging). Don't know what happened to those unsatisfied people, but it seems D2 turned out well. So, I'll stay positive and try to enjoy it when it comes out.
ArenaNet consist of some Diablo designers after they left post D2LOD. They created the Guild Wars series, but at the moment they are working on Guild Wars 2, and it looks brilliant. I think it will really redefine the MMO genre. I bought GW1, but I wasn't that impressed, it was fun, but overall alright, but GW2 is a beast all on its own. If you don't know about it, watch the Manifesto video, it sold me on the game:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35BPhT-KI1E
The community is also great. Their fan sites are very helpful and very rarely ends in flame wars, think I saw only one ever. Great community and great developers is what sold me on the game. You can also give their PAX and Gamescom panels a view, they are very nice people, especially Colin Johanson. Chris Metzon doesn't have a tenth of the charisma Colin has.
D3 is long since removed from a era, where only the biggest dorks ever, would be involved in things like coding, game design, exc(due to the internet, information is insanely easy to find, not to mention the private development community is so helpful, It's not funny), hell the fan made game comunity, Homebrew comunity, fan translation comunity, and even modding comunity is proof of how wide spread knoledge revolving around the industry has expanded.
Oh Guild Wars huh(lol everyone atleast has heard of Guild Wars, but talk about a terrible name for a company, I doubt many people know who they are, I thought you were gonna name some obscure game, imagine if Blizzard was called Battlenet instead).
I heard Guild Wars 1 was a good game, although I wrote it off, but for personal opinion based reasons, not because I looked into the game, and found it to be a bad game(The name of the game put me off, although for all I know, is the title might've been misleading, but still. I don't subscribe to the belief that PvP is the only reason to play a MMO or even a primary reason, besides I play RO that has a godly Guild War system anyway, as well as not being completely focused on such).
With that said, damn you for posting a video(with comentary from developers at that lol), I really don't need yet another MMO to add to my list of MMOs I cycle through. Either the title is missleading(they picket it for a name, just because it sounds cool) or it refers to more of a faction/storyline based guild(not actual guilds).
Can't really tell from the Video if It's good or not(basically no battle system info or any main systems for that matter), but Guild Wars 2 does seem promising(enough to look into it more, which I must repeat, damn you!!! lol), but if that music is from the game, that'ts outstanding music.
The fact there is a core story, and actions that can change the story, instead of just a metric ton of small, static side stories is something special in of its self, atleast in the MMO scene anyway(plus a interactive map can only be seen as a + /nice addition, as long as the map design its self is good).
If the company Isn't arrogant, and doesn't play games with the fan base, that's always a good sign(not to mention "gameplay" videos with actual "relevent" comentary), that at very least the developers think their game is, and intends to release a quality title.