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- _incarnate_
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Member for 13 years, 5 months, and 15 days
Last active Tue, Dec, 13 2011 13:33:59
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Aug 3, 2011
_incarnate_ posted a message on Activision/Blizzard's August Financial Conference CallOk, so it's over. As we should expect there isn't much information. The beta is coming "later this quarter", as we expected.Posted in: News
We have up to 2 more months before we see it, though it could be sooner. -
Aug 3, 2011
_incarnate_ posted a message on Skill Points Removal Fuels Game ControversyI spent all day yesterday debating this with other people and there was one common denominator with people that didn't like this system. They all wanted the ability to "mess up" their characters. They wanted the sense of fulfillment when they finally found a build that they felt "worked" for them.Posted in: News
The funny thing is this system doesn't really change much from the previous. There are only 2 things you lose in the new skill system, neither of which impact "customization" of your character in any way.
The first is, at it's most basic level, the ability to make your character weaker in choosen areas. WIth the old system you basically had to decide which skills you wanted "strong" and then distribute a few points around the rest of the other skills. So, in essence, you choose which skills you wanted to have that would "SUCK" so you could have one or two really good skills.
The second is you loose some of the level-to-level variability between similar classes using the same skills as you. Basically, with the old system it was possible for 2 characters to have a certain skill and have one player use that skill more strongly then the other (because they dumped more points into it at different levels). Obviously the other character would be stronger in another skill, but assuming both characters are of equal level and class, they both have the same relative strength (character level).
But this only seems to matter in those few cases where you're partied up with somone of the same level and class and who has chosen the same skills as you. It's just a way to temporarily flex your e-peen because you have a skill that's "slightly" better then others. The "advantage" is false anyway, since you're not really competing with other characters.
The new system fulfills the same purpose in that, you get to choose the skills you "want" to use and then fill in the blanks with others. It's just that the other skills won't "suck" because you failed to choose to put points into them.
The customization of a character isn't determined by the strength of the skills they choose (skill points were only good for that), but by the skills they choose to actually use.
People who don't like this system really, actually, have a problem with the idea of respeccing, because now it's an inherent part of the skill system, instead of an optional one. -
May 9, 2011
_incarnate_ posted a message on May 9th Conference CallPosted in: NewsQuote from Cyber_Cheese
Quote from Dolaiim
what the hell, i started this thread. why the fuck does skarin1993 have the first post.
can i get a moderator to PM me ASAP.
Edit: I just realized they re-named another thread and folded my post into this one. And I don't like that.
Anyway, to confirm, The soonest we'll see the external beta is July.
threads got merged dude, they were all on the same thing
kinda depressing listening to them talk about WoW like a cash cow, even though i never liked the game, but wow activision
that spyro game is SUCH A NEW LOW
LOL wow *is* a cash cow. This is a company first and foremost and a publicly traded one at that. Don't let all this talk about quality and making sure it's right get you thinking it's just for us. Don't let it fool you. They want quality products so that they can make more money. The balance sheet is what matters most before anything else.
I don't mean to put that in a negative context either. That is what companies are for and I'm more then happy to let them make the most of their own hard work because, at the end of the day, it's still a job for these people. I work for the paycheck before anything else, that's for sure. -
May 2, 2011
_incarnate_ posted a message on Clarification on BoE Removal and Set ItemsPosted in: NewsQuote from Dolaiim
It seems to me that since full sets will be dropped as one single recipe while leveling, that will basically mean we'll just be going from set to set until we hit max level.. my instinct is to assume everyone will basically wear the same thing given their level range/class throughout progression. Not sure how I feel about that..
I think that's reading into it a bit too much.
I think it's possible that many people will be wearing the same sort of things at the same levels, but that's also excluding the fact that there are other types of items to use. Granted, the benefit of the sets is in having more of their pieces, I distinctly remember not really caring for the sets in d2 exclusively. I think it's just as likely that people will be wearing the same combinations of uniques and rares (or close to the same combination) because they are combinations that meet a certain need or want.
This is Diablo and there are going to be a *ton* of options at every level, I think. -
May 2, 2011
_incarnate_ posted a message on Clarification on BoE Removal and Set ItemsTo jump back on an earlier point - Yes, I think eventually people will have huge stockpiles of stuff. It's inevitable, I think, given the nature of the game. But, realistically, how long is that going to take? I think, for the most part, amassing that sort of in-game wealth will take far more time in d3, then in d2. Just my take on the way everything seems to be stacking up.Posted in: News
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Apr 28, 2011
_incarnate_ posted a message on Diablo III in the New York TimesPosted in: NewsQuote from carnage665
'we're on the home stretch': I just missed 27 heartbeats! Like more have said already; dont make it another SC2 stretch plz blizz plz!!!
I have nothing to look forward to anymore: Lost my father to cancer in just 6 weeks time (thats between them finding out he was sick and his actual 'demise'), found out my 2yo son is epileptic, lost my job because of the recession! and to top it all off my wife just lost or second unborn child.
So plz blizz, give me some good news for a change! You're all ive got left to smile once again.
That's terrible, carnage - I'm sorry to hear you've had so much trouble. I can only hope things get better for you soon.
The way I imagine an auction house in D3 working would be something like the trade windows we had from d2 where you can drop one or more items in a "box" set a gold price or allow for counter/barter offers then post the auction. It would show up in a list where people could search for various items, names, prices, etc. Then, when people make offers they too have an "inventory box" where they can put items up as an offer and/or gold. I would hope there would be a section for notes too.
But hey, what do I know - they could totally go a different direction.
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Apr 18, 2011
_incarnate_ posted a message on AtomicGamer Interviews Kevin MartensI think overall they have made the right decisions on the way to go with DIII and this interview sheds some light on their reasoning. I'm a bit of an optimist but it would take some effort for these guys to come out with something that I would utterly despise. They have a challenge to keep me playing DIII as long as I have DII, but if anyone is up to the task it's them.Posted in: News
I think having the random quests and what not setup the way they do may actually allow them to release content updates easier. They could literally focus on creating random content "tiles" and drop them into the available pool. Granted this is speculation, but I could see something like that happening easier. At worst, it will keep people like me interested for a long time.
Ultimately i'm super-happy about them sticking with the isometric view and despite the long, somewhat loosened, debates about how the game looks; I think it looks amazing. I can't stop drooling over some of the environments we see in the various movies and screens.
Just as a side note regarding the quests: Diablo isn't really known for having quest failures. I'm sure it's something they could, and may have, implemented. But quests in the Diablo games have always been a matter of do until complete or die trying. I'm not sure how a quest failure (like an NPC dying) would fit into the ARPG model anyhow - but I suppose we will see. - To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
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Then you're operating on a different language, i'm afraid, because cheating, in the english language and in the context of this discussion is breaking the rules of the system to achieve something that you normally wouldn't be able to. It means bypassing the structure of the system, or it's intent, in a manner in which was not inherently apart of that system.
For out of context definition of cheating refer here: Cheating
Since the AH is built into the game, it's certainly not cheating.
But I get that you're frustrated by the fact that your friend might buy a set of armor that took you months to find. Just because you're frustrated doesn't mean the system is broken. Ultimately your "friend's" decision doesn't affect you in anyway. The game still functions as intended.
Ok, so you don't want people to mess up - fine. But that's effectively the only difference between the new system and the old. Basically with the old system you would pick the skills you want to use and then apply the points appropriately to those skills. The strength of those skills would be dependent on your relative character level (number of points) and whether or not you choose to put points into a the skill. So, on a basic level, you have the option to make your characters skills weaker by choice. So the system you want is a system that allows routine mathematical mistakes.
The customization your talking about is simply the option to make your characters suck more then others.
In the new system you still have to choose which skills you want, but now you don't need to worry about which skills you want weaker then others. You just use all of your skills with the same amount of relative strength (your character level).
The depth of the system isn't dependent on the allocation of the skill points. It's dependent on the active skills chosen and why. You still need to think about how each of the skills affect your build and how they will interact. That's not to mention the fact that you will have runes, gear and passive skills to deal with too.
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Eh it wouldn't be the first time I've said it today, but what really is the difference between the skill system as it was and it is now?
OK, so people can't make mistakes as easy, yet they have the opportunity to play a much broader set of skills more effectively. Oh noes. So basically you want the ability to click a button to apply skill points, instead of just having it do it for you automatically? People must really like pressing buttons. You want the opportunity for other people to "mess up" so you can feel like you have the best build for an internet minute. Really?
EDIT:
Uh, I think they are inherently different. A cheat is something that gives you an advantage over a system or person that they cannot achieve otherwise. The AH is simply another way, (mind you not the *only* way as people seem to be implying) to get the same equipment you can by simply playing the game. It's just another trade system.
But if we're into generalizing arguments for the sake of it, what you're basically telling me is that I'm "cheating" because I choose to shop at a grocery store instead of growing my own food. That sound about right?
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100% agreed. It can be fully optimized, but it still need to load something.
IN any case the only benefit you're going to get from SSD is faster load times. You're game play won't really be affected. If you want to insure the best quality game play you're going to need a setup with good RAM, a good processor, a good graphics card and a good internet connection. Though, i'm sure most people already know that.
EDIT:
Oh, and your load times will be slowed down if you have a slower bus RAM, by the way, even if you have a SSD. All of that data still gets loaded into the RAM at the speed of the RAM bus.
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It's hard to say. I think that kind of stuff comes down to balancing before, during and after beta.
My feeling is that you're probably right in that there will be a skill (or skills) that cater to the resources of each class, either extending or expanding it in some way.
I'm also assuming gear will have a big impact on your resources as well.
Lastly I suspect that the barbarian and monk will have a "minimum" resource pool that they keep around, so they can start into a battle with some of their skills (but that's speculation). To me, something like that seems like common sense, but who knows.
Either way, i'm totally stoked to play the monk, myself!
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Monk first, I think. But i'll make a point to play all of them relatively quickly to see what I like the best.
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Well these are old news tbh from discussions long past. But I will say they don't much make a difference to me. I really like the way d3is looking. The changes don't look bad but I like to see varying environments and Color and don't think they impact the 'tone' Of the game. Besides if you really want change the settings on your monitor lol.
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I'm a web developer for a successful start up.
LOL - I hear you. We have another little one (boy) on the way due September 1st. My daughter is turning 2 in 2 weeks. We don't get nearly as much sleep as we did 2 years ago!
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Why does it have to be one way or another? I'm not the first to say it but they could try and balance them into the game so they are usable at all difficulties. That doesn't mean they are essential to end game (they weren't in d2) but they were certainly another tool to be used. I'm sure it takes some work, yes, but I doubt it's beyond considering.
I don't have much more to say on this that I haven't already earlier in the thread, but I'm getting the overall feeling that most people don't like this system the way it's currently implemented. There is a lot of negative feedback, whether or not it's constructive, on this and other threads and many other forums.
But, if it comes down to having d3 sooner or waiting for a system like this to be revamped for another month, or whatever, I'd rather have the game as is. It's not a terrible system, just one that will be wasted on many players including myself.
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No, it's not really a "punishment" since you're not losing anything you wouldn't have normally. You're just not being helped any more. I argue there is a difference in that.
Apparently they think they've done the right thing and, hey, it's their game to do what they want with. We wouldn't even have the joy of talking about it if it wasn't for Blizzard. Overall they're making great decisions, even if they missed the mark on this one (in my opinion). My only issue with the system is it seems sub-par compared to D2's merc system and I'm a bit surprised at that.
I still can't wait until this game comes out so I can see how little sleep the human brain can work on. Between a new baby, a 2 year old, a tired wife, work and d3 I should get no more then 2-3 minutes of solid sleep a night.
Wait, did you just slip a yoda-ish saying in there at the end? lol.
I have to point out one issue on your statement above. You don't have to be knowledgeable about how a system is implemented to be knowledgeable on how it should work. I buy a car and I might not know *how* it works, but I know that when I push the gas pedal it should go, the break pedal and it should stop, the wheel makes it turn, etc.
The same applies to most things in life. The way things work is far more complicated then the interfaces that are used to control them. So to assume that we (we being a broad term for those of us who are discussing the follower's system) know nothing of how the system should or could work is pretty bold.
Oh, and believe it or not, being an avid gamer is a requirement for a lot of game development positions for a reason.
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oops, forgot to type anything on my post.
I have to disagree with the "time estimate" here. As you can see by my post above i'm not all that happy with this system either, but generally you can't get an overall feel for the effort on a project in the amount of time it takes from start to finish but rather the "man hours" it took. Because it could have taken 6 months from start to finish, but that doesn't mean everyone was working on that one thing the whole time. Heck, it may have only been something like 60 man hours, which is a few hours for several people across weeks of time.
Since we don't have *any* of this information it's clear your statement is purely conjecture.
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Then why not just go and create a "tutorial" system instead of taking a system from the previous game and hacking it apart. I have yet to be disappointed in something blizzard has done with D3, but I'm definitely in that crowd on this one. Overall that's a great track record and I'll be playing this game the day it comes out, but I feel shorted on the follower system. I was expecting something as cool as the D2 mercs at minimum, not something 1/3 as cool.
Just my 2 cents.
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That is a pretty major change from D2 and one i'm not particularly happy with. I guess it's hard to understand how the game is going to be balanced against the much smaller party sizes, but I'll miss having a bunch of characters with all of their hirelings running around with them...
Overall the followers sound cool, but it seems odd that we can't have them with other people in the game. I'm convinced I won't even really use my followers that much because I intend to play with my friends. It's basically a game system that I won't get to play with nearly as often...
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That being said i'm considering building another system in the next year or so. More because I need another system to run a web server here at the house, not because I feel I need a more powerful gaming rig. I'll likely just build one from the ground up and i'm aiming at around $2,000.00. I'll reconfigure this one for my wife and take hers for my impromptu web server. I fully expect my next investment to last me just as long (6+ years).
When I built this system back in 2005 it cost me about $1,400.00 and then I upgraded the graphics card a year and a half ago for another $190.00.
*shrug*
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LOL wow *is* a cash cow. This is a company first and foremost and a publicly traded one at that. Don't let all this talk about quality and making sure it's right get you thinking it's just for us. Don't let it fool you. They want quality products so that they can make more money. The balance sheet is what matters most before anything else.
I don't mean to put that in a negative context either. That is what companies are for and I'm more then happy to let them make the most of their own hard work because, at the end of the day, it's still a job for these people. I work for the paycheck before anything else, that's for sure.