Diablo III --Impressions start on page 36 --

[leo8877]

May 15. Digital pre-sale avail now.

[Purge]

I was definitely planning to try the PvP as a side game type of thing, which is what I always presumed it was supposed to be.  It's kind of irritating at this point to hear the PvP might have affected the overall release schedule. 

Once it's gold, the devs will be right on it.

I expect PvP will be available within the first 6 weeks of release (if not sooner).

They just can't put it on the plate to meet the gold date - all the hooks will be there for them to put it in.

[Blackjack]

There was PvP in previous Diablo games?

Diablo I was like the Wild West. Get killed, your crap was all over the floor. If you left the game "open," some level capped dude would come in, kill you, take all your stuff, maybe take a crap on your corpse before he left.

Suffering that fate with another player did help me make one of my best online gaming buds ever (Ashanath, a guy named Mike Graham who ran a 7-Eleven in Texas). We both got waxed by this guy who had all the best stuff in the game, we laughed about it, and we ended up playing lots of Diablo for years.

But, I have no interest in that sort of wild west environment, generally speaking. And was it really "PVP" per se? I mean there was no PVP "meta game."

Most of my Diablo buddies were lost to Ultima Online's charms upon the latter's release (despite how technically disastrous UO's launch was). I knew gaming for me would take a turn for the worse when I heard a guy at EB describing UO as "it's like Diablo but you can kill people and take their stuff." I didn't point out to him that you could do the same in Diablo, depending on how the game session was set up.  

I still maintain Diablo "1" required more tactical thinking (unless you hacked it and had Godly everything as most of the playerbase did) than D2 or D3 will because you couldn't run. So you couldn't just dash your way out of trouble. You really had to think about what groups you could handle and what you were getting yourself into. And of course since all your crap was going to rain all over the floor when you died, how (with or without friends' help) you were going to get all that back. Really a different feel from 2 and 3 even if the fundamental "click" format was the same.

[Blackjack]

May 15. Digital pre-sale avail now.

I just wanted to say, for Purge's amusement, this game would rock so much more if it was on ORIGIN!  

Will the $99.99 CE have some ugly statue? It has to, right? Meh, I don't need no stinking Diablo skull on my desk, thank you very much. 

I guess I better start doing my wrist and right index finger flexibility exercises. I'm happy to say I experienced no return of my 2007 Titan Quest Tendinitis while playing the D3 beta to death.

[PR_GMR]

May 15. Digital pre-sale avail now.

Diablo III in May. Guild Wars 2 most likely in June. The Secret World also in June. Damn, this summer is gonna be a clusterfuck of potentially great gaming.

[naednek]

Don't forget Max Payne III on May 15th
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/developer-diary-max-payne-3/728084

I think I'd rather get that first

[Blackjack]

Don't forget Max Payne III on May 15th
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/developer-diary-max-payne-3/728084

I think I'd rather get that first

Though I loved both Max Payne games (and bought both), to me they're the kind of game you might enjoy for a few weeks at most, depending on what III's multiplayer plans are. If you're into Diablo, it could be the kind of game you're into for years.  

That's assuming that the RMT, all the changes made since beta, and its either courageous or foolhardly insistence on not being just Diablo II with a fresh coat of paint won't in the end just piss everyone off so much they don't want to play D3 very long.  

I liked Starcraft 2 but lost interest in it after just few months. I don't think I know anybody who was still playing it regularly even just a year after release. So you could argue the jury's out on whether the "new" Blizzard makes games as deeply addictive as the "old" Blizzard. Not that my weeny battle.net friends list is any significant data to base such an assumption on.  

My bud who was among those canned at Blizzard apparently has had a low view of Blizzard's management for years (in fact, he was apparently relieved to get out of there). I don't know if that's cause of Activision's involvement, or just the sheer bloat of the company in the wake of WoW's success, but this really isn't the company that did Starcraft or oversaw Blizzard North's development of Diablo II anymore  -- it's a different animal now. I certainly enjoyed what I played of the D3 beta, so I plan to prepurchase and full steam ahead. At the same time, I could understand some skepticism.

[jersoc]

sweet, time to click my fingers off

[rittchard]

BTW, for anyone interested, I'm planning on starting up a Hardcore league with some fellow Wanderers soon after the game is released.  This would likely be more of a side, longer term activity, not to take place of your "real" game playing in regular mode.

Here's the concept:

- You devote one hardcore character slot to the league.

- Character can only be played solo or with others in the league.

- League will maintain its own economy (no AH and no outside trading).

- Goal is to play together and help each other get along as far as possible through teamwork/gameplay and saving money/items.

- Each time you die, post name and class/level and we'll keep a record of our fallen comrades and progress.

[EngineNo9]

According to RPS, May 15th.

Finally, a post in this thread that I care about!   

[crumsteel]

I am very interested in this game, but have not played Diable 1 or 2. Is it worth trying Diablo 2 now, or just want and play Diablo 3?

[CeeKay]

just got my update from Amazon with release date shipping for the CE.  may fire up D2 this weekend to finally finish the game.

[Orgull]

I am very interested in this game, but have not played Diable 1 or 2. Is it worth trying Diablo 2 now, or just want and play Diablo 3?

Depends on your age and nostalgia tolerance. The Diablo games are VERY outdated both technically and in gameplay conventions. But they are both hella fun. I've recently replayed and finished both of them. For a noob I'd recommend playing Diablo 2 or waiting for Diablo 3.

[Teggy]

Diablo doesn't allow you to hold down the mouse button like Torchlight? When I realized I could do that my fingers were very happy.

[leo8877]

Diablo doesn't allow you to hold down the mouse button like Torchlight? When I realized I could do that my fingers were very happy.

It does for both movement and attacking.

[Blackjack]

I am very interested in this game, but have not played Diable 1 or 2. Is it worth trying Diablo 2 now, or just want and play Diablo 3?

While it's not necessary, you'll probably get a bit more happy kick out of meeting Deckard Cain again, or visiting Tristram etc. if you at least play D2.

D2 is a 640X480 or 800X600 game, and honestly, the last time I tried to play, the sprite sizes hurt my eyes so much I just couldn't take it.  

otoh, D3's skills system is so different from Diablo II's, you might be better off not bothering with D2 at all. Then you won't be spending time in May 2012 posting here over and over about how much better D3 would be if its skill systems was exactly like D2's. Meanwhile, I'll still be bitching that the first Diablo was more fun than the followups, and yelling at you punk kids who never played the first Diablo to "GET OFF MY DAMN LAWN!"  

Which is what will happen here come May.   In other words, you won't drag the baggage of expectations and past experience into D3 at all. You'll be able to see it with fresh eyes, which could be pretty cool.  

If you're late to the D3 party, you can check out my D3 public beta videos here:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7551DC9110BA7328&feature=plcp

I'm pretty sure the Demon Hunter's gonna be my sweet spot. I loved the Chakram (spinning 4-point star discs) especially.
*Albeit, changes in the game since then may have rendered some of what's shown in these videos moot.

Every class I tried felt fun though. I'm sure I'll play everything, I just think the DH is what I'll wanna work on first.

[Blackjack]

btw, did anyone notice the message on the D3 site was:
"Prepurchase now and be ready to play when the servers go live."

While it doesn't really bother me I have to be online to play, imho they really oughta stop pretending that D3 is anything but a "session-based MMO," with all that goes into that, including regularly scheduled downtime for server maintenance.

[Purge]

"Session-based MMO" ???

That's like saying "Single user instance MMO".

Massively Multiplayer Online games kind of indicate that all users can interact with each other, en masse, in-game. This is not the case. You're restricted, much like CounterStrike, or any other MP game.

Attaching MMO is simply because the shadow of WOW is behind Blizzavision, and isn't correct.

This is a single player game with session-less coop (I use the term session to require that all gamers start and finish at the same time).

The only thing "Massively" would be the AH.

Otherwise, it doesn't vary much from games such as L4D2, Fable 3, etc.

[Blackjack]

You're wrong. And I love Origin. 

[Purge]

You're wrong. And I love Origin. 

Howso? How is this game "Massive"? Do we have thousands of people occupying the same game world, regardless of environment persistence?

[Soulchilde]

Anyone up for Hardcore co-op?  I need to unlock first then I will be good to go.   Sucks I need to level another toon to ten but should be easy enough I guess.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Misguided]

You're wrong. And I love Origin. 

Howso? How is this game "Massive"? Do we have thousands of people occupying the same game world, regardless of environment persistence?

No, Diablo isn't an MMO in the same sense as WoW, ToR, etc. then again, neither is Guild Wars. Not sure how it matters, though.

[Purge]

You're wrong. And I love Origin. 

Howso? How is this game "Massive"? Do we have thousands of people occupying the same game world, regardless of environment persistence?

No, Diablo isn't an MMO in the same sense as WoW, ToR, etc. then again, neither is Guild Wars. Not sure how it matters, though.

Blackjack was intimating that Diablo III is basically "session-based MMO,", based on the fact that their servers need to be up and you to be able to connect to them to play.

It isn't an MMO though, and even less so a "session-based" one. You can have people hop in and out of your game, effectively "session-less", and since it isn't Massively Multiplayer, the only letter that is remotely accurate is "O".

Diablo III's software is certainly a client and not a full install (based on the online-only setup). I don't have a problem with this so much as I have a problem with the changes to the rune system.

[Isgrimnur]

I, for one, find it odd that the hotness of computing has swung back from client/server computing to desktop and back to client/server models. 

[Soulchilde]

I, for one, find it odd that the hotness of computing has swung back from client/server computing to desktop and back to client/server models. 

Cheating caused this...

[rittchard]

Anyone up for Hardcore co-op?  I need to unlock first then I will be good to go.   Sucks I need to level another toon to ten but should be easy enough I guess.

Forge, go check the Wanderer forums, I'm planning on starting a Hardcore league if you are interested.  But it may be more restricted than you like; if so we can certainly alter some rules.

[Purge]

Post a link. I was once a wanderer in the days of FFXI and early WoW.

(Stabbetty - NIN/THF blink tank XD ).

[rittchard]

Post a link. I was once a wanderer in the days of FFXI and early WoW.

(Stabbetty - NIN/THF blink tank XD ).

Yeah we might have moved since then.  If your access is off, I think there's a thread to post in to try to get it restored.  I'll go sniff around and see what I can find, presuming you were Purge there too.

http://www.the-wanderers-guild.com/phpbb/index.php

[Purge]

Post a link. I was once a wanderer in the days of FFXI and early WoW.

(Stabbetty - NIN/THF blink tank XD ).

Yeah we might have moved since then.  If your access is off, I think there's a thread to post in to try to get it restored.  I'll go sniff around and see what I can find, presuming you were Purge there too.

http://www.the-wanderers-guild.com/phpbb/index.php

Against my better judgement, I registered.

I remember Orgull a whole lot. Very helpful.

[Bullwinkle]

This guy appears to have predicted the date two months ago using math.

SOURCE

[Qantaga]

BTW, for anyone interested, I'm planning on starting up a Hardcore league with some fellow Wanderers soon after the game is released.  This would likely be more of a side, longer term activity, not to take place of your "real" game playing in regular mode.

Here's the concept:

- You devote one hardcore character slot to the league.

- Character can only be played solo or with others in the league.

- League will maintain its own economy (no AH and no outside trading).

- Goal is to play together and help each other get along as far as possible through teamwork/gameplay and saving money/items.

- Each time you die, post name and class/level and we'll keep a record of our fallen comrades and progress.

   
That sounds very cool Rittch.
   
May 15 seems so far away.

[jersoc]

can't believe the beta is still down. wonder what happened :|

[Soulchilde]

Servers are up but you will need to update the friends list again

[CeeKay]

May 15 seems so far away.

we could always put you into a coma; rittchard could dust you occasionally.

[Soulchilde]

latest update has fubared the game.  Seems to be a problem with Win 7 64 bit, but Blizzard has been mum on the issue.  Pretty damn frustrating, but I think I will go on hiatus till game releases. 

[leo8877]

latest update has fubared the game.  Seems to be a problem with Win 7 64 bit, but Blizzard has been mum on the issue.  Pretty damn frustrating, but I think I will go on hiatus till game releases. 

I haven't played since last update, but I have that setup...what happened?

[Soulchilde]

Game either hangs at updating the launcher or hangs updating the install files.   Most people traced it to the Agent*32 file that launches in the sys tray.  Some have posted workarounds but it's hit or miss.   Funny thing is that I can run the game on my  Win 7 64bit laptop.  Weird bug

[CeeKay]

I was just playing around with a monk (my new favorite class) under Win 7 64 bit on my main rig, no issues other than it saying it detected my video card drivers were old.  it's been awhile since I played though, maybe they pulled the update?

[leo8877]

I was just playing around with a monk (my new favorite class) under Win 7 64 bit on my main rig, no issues other than it saying it detected my video card drivers were old.  it's been awhile since I played though, maybe they pulled the update?

I think that drivers thing is a new feature.

[jersoc]

i've been playing all week with 7 64bit w/o issues.

playing now in fact.

have you tried compatibility mode?