Mainly that character builds and strategies that work in Normal will be totally ineffectual in Hell/Inferno difficulty. The assumption that the game is designed to chiefly be played in Normal mode, with the harder difficulties only for fanatics being incorrect; the game is really being designed to be played in groups in Hell/Inferno, and everything is tweaked to make that the most rewarding experience.
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Tuesday, 22 May 2012 17:11 (twelve years ago) link
You can get through most of the first act as a wizard using whatever skills were mostly recently upgraded (runes granted). The thing is, that gives you a really messed-up set of skills that aren't all that complementary sometimes, and definitely doesn't help with any boss battles.
― mh, Tuesday, 22 May 2012 17:35 (twelve years ago) link
The stupid thing about D3 (and it was stupid about D2) is that the champion packs (blue titles) of monsters are often far harder/more annoying than the named bosses or minibosses. Spider Queen? No problem. Extra Strong Damage Reflecting Gibberbottom Pantsfiller and his pals? Makes me want to smash my keyboard into my monitor.
But I'm older now and have a lot less patience for it.
In normal, you could probably get by with just about any skills you wanted (assuming a couple defense and rest for blowing stuff up) and finish the game. Less so in Nightmare. Much less so in Hell, to the point where you have to take these skills if you want to get by (solo at least; group play is probably more forgiving.)
― Matt M., Tuesday, 22 May 2012 17:39 (twelve years ago) link
Is there a boss where the best wizard defensive skill isn't the one where you have fake copies of yourself? Seems like the best way to dodge getting damaged.
― mh, Tuesday, 22 May 2012 17:54 (twelve years ago) link
Mirror Image is pretty boss for bosses, specially if they just eat your Templar in two bites. Diamond Skin for OH SHIT moments (and for Prisms, which lets you disintegrate more.) Hydra and/or Blizzard for fire and forget damage.
― Matt M., Tuesday, 22 May 2012 18:06 (twelve years ago) link
It's true, the bosses are weirdly anticlimactic, especially *spoiler*.
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Tuesday, 22 May 2012 19:26 (twelve years ago) link
I am amused that this game has been in the works for so long and the plot and cinematics are so lame.
― mh, Tuesday, 22 May 2012 21:17 (twelve years ago) link
That is surprising, I generally assume that Blizzard will get them right - the meteor and dream cinematics both seemed A++.
― Andrew Farrell, Tuesday, 22 May 2012 21:31 (twelve years ago) link
I've been irritating my friend by repeatedly messaging him variations ofCOME, PLAY AWHILE AND LISTENfor the last couple weeks.
I'm happy they killed Cain off, but it's funny that his notes on stuff keep showing up regardless.
― mh, Tuesday, 22 May 2012 21:43 (twelve years ago) link
well that serves me right for coming onto this thread after playing for 2 hours
― that is a weird thing to bring up over lean cuisine (DJP), Tuesday, 22 May 2012 21:44 (twelve years ago) link
;_; sorry Dan
― mh, Tuesday, 22 May 2012 21:48 (twelve years ago) link
But that doesn't spoil much, he dies like 2.5 hours into the game!
― mh, Tuesday, 22 May 2012 21:49 (twelve years ago) link
lol so basically I'm like 20 minutes away from that
― that is a weird thing to bring up over lean cuisine (DJP), Tuesday, 22 May 2012 21:50 (twelve years ago) link
It strikes me that they got rid of a lot of the things that would glitch the multiplayer experience or otherwise make it difficult. I don't think there are any quest-specific items that you pick up, loot now appears separately for each player so it doesn't have to do any checking between clients to see if it's been picked up yet, and the gem merging is now a town person when it appears. Also, you can remove gems from items! I don't think you ever could in D2, could you?
― mh, Tuesday, 22 May 2012 21:54 (twelve years ago) link
Yeah, it's like "Come, stay awhile and.. AHH, I'm dyiiiing!"
loot now appears separately for each player
i'm fine with that! the last thing i want to do is race for loot with some 15 year old after every kill
― Mad God 40/40 (Z S), Tuesday, 22 May 2012 22:34 (twelve years ago) link
No kidding. It also solves a lot of game lag and synchronization issues! I'd imagine there's still a lot of logic involving what monsters are alive/killed and the player's actions, but keeping track of a lot of the on-screen objects can now be ignored.
― mh, Tuesday, 22 May 2012 22:43 (twelve years ago) link
(sorry, thinking like a programmer all the time at work)
Also, could the reveal at the end of Act II be *more* telegraphed? Christ. At least have the Rogue acknowledge how totally obvious it is.
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Wednesday, 23 May 2012 01:11 (twelve years ago) link
plot IS hella dopey here
― phooey and nuts and phooey (forksclovetofu), Wednesday, 23 May 2012 15:20 (twelve years ago) link
Diablo II was very well-served by being so spare in terms of dialog. The incidental stuff in D3 just makes me cringe, it's such boilerplate fantasy BS. We're killing undead and Leah starts talking about how she wants to OPEN AN INN after this is all over? FUCK OFF. Also I suppose Blizzard North might have just had better writers.
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Wednesday, 23 May 2012 16:09 (twelve years ago) link
it's also repetitive. i've heard the same bit of dialogue six times already. can you turn that off?
― phooey and nuts and phooey (forksclovetofu), Wednesday, 23 May 2012 16:13 (twelve years ago) link
"bt dubs, why did you leave kingsport, since we're about to descend into hell and slay one of the prime evils?"
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Wednesday, 23 May 2012 16:17 (twelve years ago) link
COME STAY AWHILE AND LISTEN
― mh, Wednesday, 23 May 2012 18:22 (twelve years ago) link
This game is so much more fun when you have a good online co-op partner or partners. i must have lucked out when i first started, because everyone was great to play with, but the last two sessions have been an endless parade of people so bad that i feel the need to taunt them (normally something i avoid at all costs) 6th grade style
great job back there
not
― Mad God 40/40 (Z S), Wednesday, 23 May 2012 18:33 (twelve years ago) link
not bad in the sense that they're not using their skills properly or something, but bad in the sense that for some reason i'm always fighting alone while they spend an extra 30 seconds aimlessly wandering around the site of a battle that took place 5 minutes earlier, across the map.
― Mad God 40/40 (Z S), Wednesday, 23 May 2012 18:34 (twelve years ago) link
i did play with a nice young man from thailand who told me early on that his english wasn't very good, but typed "looooool!!" everytime i said something like "wait just a second, i need to level up my skills"
― Mad God 40/40 (Z S), Wednesday, 23 May 2012 18:36 (twelve years ago) link
Yes, or the dude who is like "I just want to get to the end of this quest!" and tries to run all the way across the level and gets killed horribly by demons. Which is just kind of comical for a while, until you forget he does this and use his banner to teleport to wherever he is which is IN THE MIDDLE OF A HUNDRED DUDES
― mh, Wednesday, 23 May 2012 18:37 (twelve years ago) link
thai dude otm
looooooooooool.
I don't want to join any public games with people I don't already know at least tangentially. XBL and dungeon finder on WoW have long soured me on that.
/misanthropic
― Matt M., Wednesday, 23 May 2012 18:41 (twelve years ago) link
I'm right with you Matt. I'd rather solo than play with randoms.
― EZ Snappin, Wednesday, 23 May 2012 18:42 (twelve years ago) link
I sent friend requests to everyone on this thread, but no one likes me
http://www.sadtrombone.com/
― Mad God 40/40 (Z S), Wednesday, 23 May 2012 18:43 (twelve years ago) link
I have had good luck joining public games for the most part! Dude I just described was kind of ridiculous in that aspect, but was pretty good overall. He was very complimentary, although maybe he was used to playing with morons.
― mh, Wednesday, 23 May 2012 18:43 (twelve years ago) link
I am your friend Z S!
I have been playing around 8pm central time
I didn't get a friend request Z S (or at least I haven't seen one). Send me another!
― EZ Snappin, Wednesday, 23 May 2012 18:47 (twelve years ago) link
Oh! Hmm, it always says "0" next to the friends icon in the lower left, I guess that means number of friends online, duh. I was thinking it was like "you have zero friends". which reminds me, when i first started up the game i took this screenshot because it's a useful reminder:http://i49.tinypic.com/1zfmy4y.png
― Mad God 40/40 (Z S), Wednesday, 23 May 2012 18:49 (twelve years ago) link
sad old man, died alone and unloved.
― EZ Snappin, Wednesday, 23 May 2012 18:50 (twelve years ago) link
Helped a friend with a low-level character yesterday and I forgot how you can just steamroll through things when there's a huge level disparity. I wished for a pair of boots to make me super-fast more than anything.
― mh, Wednesday, 23 May 2012 18:51 (twelve years ago) link
i will post my name and friend everybody here next time i log in
― jump them into a gang - into the absurd (forksclovetofu), Wednesday, 23 May 2012 19:26 (twelve years ago) link
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-05-23-going-hardcore-in-diablo-3
The fact that I haven't died yet should also tell you something about Hardcore mode: it's not that hardcore. Which is actually a wonderful discovery. This isn't Dark Souls or some roguelike, where punishment is inevitable. Instead, the only inevitability is fear and rigorous engagement of the player (which is to say, the best part of Dark Souls).
― jump them into a gang - into the absurd (forksclovetofu), Wednesday, 23 May 2012 19:43 (twelve years ago) link
Currently trying to collect items for the XXXXXX XXXXX. Some are very easy, some are quite annoying.
― Matt M., Wednesday, 23 May 2012 21:11 (twelve years ago) link
I am friends with you Z S! It just seems we've never been on at the same time. :(
― EZ Snappin, Wednesday, 23 May 2012 22:12 (twelve years ago) link
hey there, i am still hoping for a guest pass code so i can try before i buy. mh? anyone? thnx
― Roberto Spiralli, Wednesday, 23 May 2012 22:17 (twelve years ago) link
Sending via ilx now.
― mh, Wednesday, 23 May 2012 22:29 (twelve years ago) link
awwwwwwesome, received. thanks so much dude.
― Roberto Spiralli, Wednesday, 23 May 2012 22:33 (twelve years ago) link
np
― mh, Wednesday, 23 May 2012 22:39 (twelve years ago) link
Why is Diablo III still a work in progress?
If you were one of the 6.5 million purchasers that made Diablo III the fastest-selling PC game of all time last week, you should know that Blizzard now admits the game you were playing was broken in some significant ways. I don't just mean broken in ways that prevent you from playing the game (though the company is still fixing many server and programming issues that continue to cause connection problems), but broken in ways that made certain character skills unintentionally powerful.Blizzard has now posted a list of hotfixes that were applied to the game yesterday, and aside from a few obvious usability bugs, all of them significantly scale back the power of certain key class abilities. Basically, if you were using any of these abilities before the patch, you were unintentionally taking advantage of skills that made the game much easier than Blizzard apparently intended.Take the Monk class's Boon of Protection rune, which let a player's party absorb a good deal of damage for ten seconds. Community Manager Bashiok admits on the forums that this ability "was approximately ten times over its budget on the benefits it provided" and has now been "nerfed to the point of obsolescence until we can implement a new rune in its place in a future patch."We don't intend to take these quick and drastic measures often, but considering the severity of the issue, we felt it important to correct it swiftly," he continued.Players on the forums have been quick to complain that the newly downgraded abilities will make it practically impossible to beat the game on the highest difficulties, where the enemies are downright ferocious. I can't comment on the substance of those complaints, as I'm still slowly working my way through Normal difficulty and finding it almost insultingly easy for my Demon Hunter.
Blizzard has now posted a list of hotfixes that were applied to the game yesterday, and aside from a few obvious usability bugs, all of them significantly scale back the power of certain key class abilities. Basically, if you were using any of these abilities before the patch, you were unintentionally taking advantage of skills that made the game much easier than Blizzard apparently intended.
Take the Monk class's Boon of Protection rune, which let a player's party absorb a good deal of damage for ten seconds. Community Manager Bashiok admits on the forums that this ability "was approximately ten times over its budget on the benefits it provided" and has now been "nerfed to the point of obsolescence until we can implement a new rune in its place in a future patch.
"We don't intend to take these quick and drastic measures often, but considering the severity of the issue, we felt it important to correct it swiftly," he continued.
Players on the forums have been quick to complain that the newly downgraded abilities will make it practically impossible to beat the game on the highest difficulties, where the enemies are downright ferocious. I can't comment on the substance of those complaints, as I'm still slowly working my way through Normal difficulty and finding it almost insultingly easy for my Demon Hunter.
(article continues at link)
― H.P. Hovercraft and the Vini Reilly Invasion (Elvis Telecom), Wednesday, 23 May 2012 23:53 (twelve years ago) link
Ars Technica used to write relevant, interesting things.
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Thursday, 24 May 2012 04:58 (twelve years ago) link
And Slashdot used to be worth looking at!
― "Holy crap," I mutter, as he gently taps my area (silby), Thursday, 24 May 2012 05:10 (twelve years ago) link