Because there is one very precious resource that cannot be added to : time.
A lot of development at Blizzard has been shown to be iteration based. They try something, see if it works, takes whats good or chuck it if it doesn't. All this takes time. As with many projects this large just throwing money and people at it doesn't necessarily make it happen faster. Just look at many government or government agencies. Add more people and invariably stuff actually slows down, as eventually there are just to many heads in the room.
Also note that this game sold 12 million + copies. There is no way whatsoever that everyone is going to be pleased with every decision. Just look at all the D3 vs PoE threads for that. Hell just look at all the bitching for wow, SC2 and hearthstone. Yelling at blizzard seems to be a pastime to people. Not to mention that a change can get praise from some people and hate from others.
On topic of the OP:
At the end of the day Blizzard seems to have decided that D3 is going to be a very open, easy to understand game that is very accessible. That means stripping away a lot of the barriers that new players have to enter the genre. Talking to a lot of my friends (and some where and are die hard D2 players) I keep having to tell them its OK not to like this version if something like PoE is what they are looking for. It doesn't make D3 bad it just makes D3 different and to fill a different niche in the gaming world 12+ years after d2. Cause lets be honest most games were "better" back then.
It's like, those people enjoy the game, but they fear it's not hype anymore, so if they admit they are still playing, all their hipsters friends will sudenly shun them. So they ask for confirmation to other people " Is it still fun? Because i'm playing and it feels like i'm having fun but i'm not sure until someone else tells me it's fun. Preferably someone cool... "
Your dissent is misplaced, sir. Allow me to redirect ur intellectual prowess:
What in the way of new content would lure gamers back to D3?
Could D3 ever live up to its predecessors?
Why on earth would anyone give a sh*t about paragon 100?
My main problem with comparing it to its predecessor is that hardly works for ANY game that started 10+ years ago. Wether is FF, Dragon Quest, Diablo, Warcraft, whatever. One of the largest issues is the cost that goes into constructing the graphics and physics in these games and making sure they all work within the confines of a game.
How big was Doom2. It was hailed as a marvel of shooting design and for all its failures is still a fun game. But now we have shooters that are frankly vastly superior but 1/10th the length because constructing the game worlds are just so complicated now.
In terms of in game complexity D3 is a more complex thing in the way it interacts with itself. The sad part is that making a direct comparison to D2 is just hard. Let alone D2:LoD. There are so many changed variables that you need to dig down into it and in the end it is a personal thing that every player just needs to decide themselves. As was said there are other games (closer to D2 even) then D3 is and no one should feel bad about switching. The greatest thing in this gaming market is choice (assuming the other choice doesn't last for 3 hours).
Paragon 100. Is it necessary to reach. no. Will people do it because they find it fun. Hell yes. Its something else. And it doesn't really impact the everyday player, its just there and a nice extra. To the hardcore who cares its something else to aim for.
As to weather it is dying, frankly it doesn't matter. What constitutes dying. Frankly they dont really need that many people to be running the servers. The only clear thing i can agree on from my perspective is battle.net in its current incarnation is abysmal. If some good changes come down the path the make it better (for all Blizzard games - especially SC2) then great.
In the end I am having fun. And for a game thats all i care about.
there is two main problems with disintegrate as is (and i love this spell and keep trying to make it work).
One is that you need to be stationary and frankly you need enough life return and resistances to make it work. The other problem is AP. You will need a solid amount of APoC so your beam can continue to function.
If you can do these two things then MP10 no problem. The catch is if you gear is that good then most other major builds (archon - which is glorified disintegrate so try that, WWCM, etc) will probably be stronger.
As i am playing archon right now i kinda get my fix for both (but at high MP levels its just a massive burst spell with a >2 minute cd because of CM).
The only other build i used was a teleport disintegrate build which allowed me to bounce back and fire/repeat but AP regen is the major issue again. eventually you'll need to kite for a bit to regen that AP.
The build was basically, arcane hydra, disintegrate - chaos nexus, teleport fracture, diamond skin - crystal shell, prismatic armour (storm armour for lower MPs), and magic weapon (either blood magic for health regen or force weapon for dps). Passives were the AP regen one, Temporal flux (more time to fire and works with the hydra), I tended toward blur for the last but illusionist works also. honestly the last one is up for grabs (I've used the AP on orbs as well cause well, more ap is more blasting.
GL with the build... while MP10 farming is very hard with disintegrate lower MPs its just sooooo much fun.
the key thing about teleport is that it functions like any fast movement ability in the game (leap, vault, etc...).
It is designed so you can cover x distance instantly. There is a range and there are limitations. This is done as these abilities could easily break the game.
The basic limitations are that they must be on the same level of 3d space as you unless it crosses paths with stairs directly ( you need to teleport through that space). The target destination must also be a maximum range from your current position (this is about the same range as a disintegrate).
If it would bypass the 3d space omg the champ packs I could kill with absolute ease. as for the range well I think it could go a little farther but again its in tune with other abilities of this type.
edit: Also there are terrain bugs similar to the old blink bugs in wow. Sometimes when there is a terrain change or you are on the edge of a randomized square in the area you will teleport that far and stop.
I think most of what need to be said has been said but as a person involved in the development of software I can tell you first hand many companies just don't understand second hand sales or pirated copies of their software. I've seen it time and time again. Please remember that many companies (especially large ones) are run by business type people and not (as i'll put it here) "computer people" (this is how i was referred to once when trying to make a point about software piracy to a CFO).
The simple fact is many of these decisions are about their bottom line (which is fine). They see a segment of the market that they wish to get in on and increase their profits. Now lets take an extreme example, if they get 5 % of the used/pirated copies to buy new thats a 5% increase in sales (assuming no loss from people disagreeing with their tactics). Now also lets take into account that while video games have a high used/pirate rate they are but a drop in the bucket for software or items in general (books is my favourite example here). Some software has a 99%+ piracy rate. This just happens and is a cost of doing business. And as i mentioned above it also has to do with an understanding that not everyone who will buy used or pirate will buy the game at full price.
The problem is when it becomes illegal to sell used. Thats just crazy. Some would like it that way. If you disagree with it, honestly, talk to your representatives in office and make your case. Many stores would like to say that you cannot return games, well when those policies infringe on your rights as consumers guess which one has actual priority.
Guess what, there are a lot of gamers out there. Online petitions and forum talk is great but if you don't like the path the RIAA and other groups are trying to head it down, get involved. There are quite a few of us who are against them and if enough of us get involved things change. I saw the results of the backlash against many of the new laws in the US. It made politicians think (and not all of them are evil and two faced). The key point is talking their language and showing them that these types of practices and paths will be fought.
Oh and as a last point I buy most of my games new (over 95%) and the ones I got used were console games that were not on the shelf any longer. It would be great if we could get all the old games we want new but sometimes thats just not the case (hell making sure they work,*cough nes flashing screen cough*, is hard enough).
The most important thing i can say out of all this is get the real facts. Don't believe mine or anyone elses. Go read the reports, go look at the data and try to come to a decision that is based on data and then act on it. Cause we all know that 99% of all facts said on the internet are made up and the amount of garbage information or prose is insane.
1
A lot of development at Blizzard has been shown to be iteration based. They try something, see if it works, takes whats good or chuck it if it doesn't. All this takes time. As with many projects this large just throwing money and people at it doesn't necessarily make it happen faster. Just look at many government or government agencies. Add more people and invariably stuff actually slows down, as eventually there are just to many heads in the room.
Also note that this game sold 12 million + copies. There is no way whatsoever that everyone is going to be pleased with every decision. Just look at all the D3 vs PoE threads for that. Hell just look at all the bitching for wow, SC2 and hearthstone. Yelling at blizzard seems to be a pastime to people. Not to mention that a change can get praise from some people and hate from others.
On topic of the OP:
At the end of the day Blizzard seems to have decided that D3 is going to be a very open, easy to understand game that is very accessible. That means stripping away a lot of the barriers that new players have to enter the genre. Talking to a lot of my friends (and some where and are die hard D2 players) I keep having to tell them its OK not to like this version if something like PoE is what they are looking for. It doesn't make D3 bad it just makes D3 different and to fill a different niche in the gaming world 12+ years after d2. Cause lets be honest most games were "better" back then.
3
My main problem with comparing it to its predecessor is that hardly works for ANY game that started 10+ years ago. Wether is FF, Dragon Quest, Diablo, Warcraft, whatever. One of the largest issues is the cost that goes into constructing the graphics and physics in these games and making sure they all work within the confines of a game.
How big was Doom2. It was hailed as a marvel of shooting design and for all its failures is still a fun game. But now we have shooters that are frankly vastly superior but 1/10th the length because constructing the game worlds are just so complicated now.
In terms of in game complexity D3 is a more complex thing in the way it interacts with itself. The sad part is that making a direct comparison to D2 is just hard. Let alone D2:LoD. There are so many changed variables that you need to dig down into it and in the end it is a personal thing that every player just needs to decide themselves. As was said there are other games (closer to D2 even) then D3 is and no one should feel bad about switching. The greatest thing in this gaming market is choice (assuming the other choice doesn't last for 3 hours).
Paragon 100. Is it necessary to reach. no. Will people do it because they find it fun. Hell yes. Its something else. And it doesn't really impact the everyday player, its just there and a nice extra. To the hardcore who cares its something else to aim for.
As to weather it is dying, frankly it doesn't matter. What constitutes dying. Frankly they dont really need that many people to be running the servers. The only clear thing i can agree on from my perspective is battle.net in its current incarnation is abysmal. If some good changes come down the path the make it better (for all Blizzard games - especially SC2) then great.
In the end I am having fun. And for a game thats all i care about.
1
One is that you need to be stationary and frankly you need enough life return and resistances to make it work. The other problem is AP. You will need a solid amount of APoC so your beam can continue to function.
If you can do these two things then MP10 no problem. The catch is if you gear is that good then most other major builds (archon - which is glorified disintegrate so try that, WWCM, etc) will probably be stronger.
As i am playing archon right now i kinda get my fix for both (but at high MP levels its just a massive burst spell with a >2 minute cd because of CM).
The only other build i used was a teleport disintegrate build which allowed me to bounce back and fire/repeat but AP regen is the major issue again. eventually you'll need to kite for a bit to regen that AP.
The build was basically, arcane hydra, disintegrate - chaos nexus, teleport fracture, diamond skin - crystal shell, prismatic armour (storm armour for lower MPs), and magic weapon (either blood magic for health regen or force weapon for dps). Passives were the AP regen one, Temporal flux (more time to fire and works with the hydra), I tended toward blur for the last but illusionist works also. honestly the last one is up for grabs (I've used the AP on orbs as well cause well, more ap is more blasting.
GL with the build... while MP10 farming is very hard with disintegrate lower MPs its just sooooo much fun.
1
It is designed so you can cover x distance instantly. There is a range and there are limitations. This is done as these abilities could easily break the game.
The basic limitations are that they must be on the same level of 3d space as you unless it crosses paths with stairs directly ( you need to teleport through that space). The target destination must also be a maximum range from your current position (this is about the same range as a disintegrate).
If it would bypass the 3d space omg the champ packs I could kill with absolute ease. as for the range well I think it could go a little farther but again its in tune with other abilities of this type.
edit: Also there are terrain bugs similar to the old blink bugs in wow. Sometimes when there is a terrain change or you are on the edge of a randomized square in the area you will teleport that far and stop.
1
The simple fact is many of these decisions are about their bottom line (which is fine). They see a segment of the market that they wish to get in on and increase their profits. Now lets take an extreme example, if they get 5 % of the used/pirated copies to buy new thats a 5% increase in sales (assuming no loss from people disagreeing with their tactics). Now also lets take into account that while video games have a high used/pirate rate they are but a drop in the bucket for software or items in general (books is my favourite example here). Some software has a 99%+ piracy rate. This just happens and is a cost of doing business. And as i mentioned above it also has to do with an understanding that not everyone who will buy used or pirate will buy the game at full price.
The problem is when it becomes illegal to sell used. Thats just crazy. Some would like it that way. If you disagree with it, honestly, talk to your representatives in office and make your case. Many stores would like to say that you cannot return games, well when those policies infringe on your rights as consumers guess which one has actual priority.
Guess what, there are a lot of gamers out there. Online petitions and forum talk is great but if you don't like the path the RIAA and other groups are trying to head it down, get involved. There are quite a few of us who are against them and if enough of us get involved things change. I saw the results of the backlash against many of the new laws in the US. It made politicians think (and not all of them are evil and two faced). The key point is talking their language and showing them that these types of practices and paths will be fought.
Oh and as a last point I buy most of my games new (over 95%) and the ones I got used were console games that were not on the shelf any longer. It would be great if we could get all the old games we want new but sometimes thats just not the case (hell making sure they work,*cough nes flashing screen cough*, is hard enough).
The most important thing i can say out of all this is get the real facts. Don't believe mine or anyone elses. Go read the reports, go look at the data and try to come to a decision that is based on data and then act on it. Cause we all know that 99% of all facts said on the internet are made up and the amount of garbage information or prose is insane.
K