poiumty said:
Heh. All the people saying Torchlight 2 is "better" and a "better experience" are kinda funny. If I had to choose between D3 and Torchlight 2, it'd be D3 in a heartbeat.
It's just a more polished game. And I don't mean as in right now, I mean I'm confident that when Torchlight 2 will come out it will still be less polished than D3. Have any of you even played the beta and noticed the amazing soundwork and enviroment design? The smoothness of the flow and pacing of the gameplay, the streamlined gameplay elements, the seamless transition between single and co-op? It's like every single person who hates Diablo 3 is only bitching about the always-online and the auction house. What about the actual game, guys? You know, there's still a game in there somewhere.
And at the end of the day, always-online never stopped you from playing MMOs, did it. Oh it's a deal breaker now because everyone suddenly has shitty wifi that magically fixes itself whenever they play a multiplayer game or an MMO.
And oh no, the auction house. It's like, people can sell items for real money now! This has never happened in any game ever through illegal means!
Since the items available in the AH are acquired through legit gameplay means by actual players, there is no "pay to win" (besides, there isn't even any pvp yet). And you can still trade normally, with gold.
But oh no, Blizzard is taking cuts and charging money! How dare they profit from their business!
Yet people still ignore that no matter how much money Blizzard takes, the fact that they are taking money means you are MAKING money. Legitimiately, from a game. Why is that a bad thing, again?
All in all the RMAH is a convenient solution to illegal item trading for real money which happens in pretty much every popular MMO and was bound to happen in Diablo 3 as well. As for what effects it will have on the overall game, it might still turn out as a bad thing, but the experiment was worth it.
I played the beta. Extensively. With friends AND by myself.
And you know what? Even if I put aside my thoughts on the bullshit Always-On DRM, the obnoxious, unnecessary RMAH (whose only existence is to make Bliz-Activision money), and all my other grievance, I still say Diablo 3 is a mediocre game at best.
Blizzards "solutions" to Diablo 2s "problems" basically involved just removing those "problematic" features and replacing them with dumb-downed MMO mechanics.
Sure, the art-style of Diablo 3 is good. Artful creativity has never been a failing on Blizzards part. (originality on the other hand...) However, simply having art-styling that "looks good" does NOT a good game make. The engine itself is, whether on a technical level or not, very dated. It just does not look, or even feel, like a modern game. In fact, it doesn't even feel like an old game. It's like they took a half-finished, clunky, awkward game from years ago and shifted it over to a half-finished new engine.
The game-play itself just doesn't "feel" like Diablo. It feels more like a limited, far-more linear MMO. Right down to the word design, skill progression, and pseudo-checkpoint system.
The single-player and co-op are
FAR from seamless. I've had nothing but hiccups, time-outs, lag spikes, and glitches throughout. In fact, I usually expect things to NOT go smoothly as opposed to working "seamlessly". It's also a rather big annoyance when, after a few of us have already joined up in a game, a 3rd or 4th friend can't join us because the "server is full". (Tell me again why Always-Online is a good thing?)
I'm not quite sure how you can claim it's more polished than Torchlight 2. From what I'm gathering of your post, you've only played Diablo 3. So it seems a tad pointless (and egregious) to pass judgment on a game you haven't played as you compare it to a game you have.
I've played the beta for both games, as well as the final product of Diablo 3, and I can tell you right now that Torchlight 2 is almost exactly what Diablo fans were hoping for; whereas Diablo 3 is basically Diablo for World of Warcraft fans. One feels like a true ARPG while the other feels like an MMO-lite.
As for the RMAH, it is most definitely "pay-to-win". Someone with a low level character can go in and buy the best gear possible. Giving them a leg up on anyone who can't afford to buy the same gear. That's the very definition of "pay-to-win". I'm not sure how you think it's different for Diablo 3.
Likewise, the RMAH is not new or innovative. As quite a few defenders have claimed. Several developers have implemented similar marketplaces in their own games. Hell, even Valve has it in Team Fortress 2. But, do you know where the differences lie between those other markets and Diablo 3s? Those other markets don't take a cut of any transactions between players. So the question is, despite your defense of the system, why does Blizzard take a cut? Those other systems work just fine, and even bring in funds for, the other companies. (as a side note, when most players realize they can sell their items for real money, how many of them do you really think will be selling ANYTHING for in-game gold? I mean, really. Come on.)
You are right, though, that the RMAH is
A solution to item duping and "illegal" trade. However, it's a bad solution. There is no reason...
NONE WHAT SO EVER...that Blizzard couldn't have kept a single-player component, as well as LAN/TCP/IP, in the game; while forcing online characters to be played on the Battle.net servers. At least, no legitimate reason beyond wanting more control over how, when, and where players are "allowed" to play the game. (as well as giving Blizzard complete control over the rarity and popularity of items; so that they can artificially inflate RMAH prices (thus turning them a bigger profit))
Oh, and don't try to tell me it's Always-Online to prevent pirating. That's bullshit and you know it. It's never worked before and likely won't until all game code is stored on the servers. Likewise, don't tell me Diablo 3
isn't an MMO in one sentence, and then tell me I should like it if I like MMOs in another. I've seen that argument from far too many people on this topic. It shocks me they don't realize the hypocrisy of it.
So, go ahead and continue to dismiss legitimate complains, such as mine, as if I'm just "hatting on Diablo 3". Most of the time it just ends up sounding like people are crying, "Stop not liking what I like!!"
If Diablo 3 were actually an MMO, being Always-On wouldn't be a big deal. But the fact that it's essentially a dumbed-down Diablo 2 with a new coat of paint, there's no legitimate reason for any of us to have to be online to play solo. Or, even co-op for that matter.
I've been a long-time fan of Blizzard; and a rather avid fan of Diablo; for years. As such, I went in to Diablo 3
wanting to like it. I really did. Even knowing all the crap I'd have to put up with. But after this mediocre sequel full of BS, and the bad taste Starcraft 2 left in my mouth, I think I'm done with Blizzard.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to continue eagerly awaiting the release of the (likely) vastly superior Torchlight 2; hoping it can help wash away the regret of paying sixty dollars for a game that I refuse to call a sequel to Diablo 2. (oh, and as a side note, I got 4 copies of Torchlight 2 and Torchlight 1 to share with friends for the same price I paid for Diablo 3)
Okay, rant over. If it seems like I'm personally attacking you, I'm not. I'm just so annoyed at how "non-Diablo" Diablo 3 ended up being. I really don't like the direction it went in and I dislike even more the bullshit that's been tacked on by Blizzard. For example the DRM. (also REALLY sick of people defending it with tenuous excuses at best; simply because it's Blizzard)
So many awesome builds... So little points...
