Diablo 3 Closed Beta Hands-On: Part 3

[exfileme]

In this in installment, we take a look at two classes, the Barbarian and the Monk.

Diablo 3 Closed Beta Hands-On: Part 3 : Read more

 

[Harby]

In before "not buying it" for blabla reasons.

 

[maxinexus]

I'm so buying it for d1d2 reasons

 

[Guest]

After playing the Beta ive come to the conclusion its the Diablo sequel I very much wanted in 2003, but in 2012 the game fails. The graphics, the control scheme, the story setup, all would have been awesome in 2003, but in 2012 it does not cut it. Mouse clicking and isometric view should have been left to die last decade. Playing Diablo 3 after playing World of Warcraft feels like a giant step back for Blizzard. I want camera control, I want to really be able to see that new armor drop I get, I want to really be able to see those mobs im killing. I want character models that are lifelike and animated so well it sells the story as well as any actor. These are things other RPGs have been doing for years now, and it is a shame that Blizzard didn't bring Diablo into the modern age of RPGs. As it is they should port Diablo 3 to tablets, where it seems with its graphics level and control scheme would be great, but on a PC or a console it is an epic fail.

 

[Guest]

then you don't want diablo

 

[kyuuketsuki]

@stm1185: Mouse-clicking and isometric camera are not some kind of technological thing that has become obsolete. They are gameplay choices. People who like Diablo do not want to play a WoW-clone or third-person shooter or FPS in the Diablo universe. They want to play a Diablo game, which is an isometric, mouse-clicking game.

That being said, that's about the only thing they did right. Otherwise, Diablo 3 is looking more and more like a failure of a Diablo sequel.

Oh, and @ author of article: there's no reason for there to be character customization. The viewpoint, and the fact that you cover yourself head-to-toe with armor, would make that pointless. Also, this is an action hack'n'slash with light RPG elements, not an RPG, so don't compare it to one... although, character customization is not some mandatory feature of an RPG anyway.

 

[anacandor]

@stm1185, have you seen how popular Path of Exile is? It's still in beta too and thousands of people are crying over not getting a closed beta invite. These isometric dungeon crawler games are not dead yet. In fact, i prefer them. I still enjoy playing d2, i got bored of Dungeon Siege 3 after about 5 minutes.

[citation][nom]stm1185[/nom]I want character models that are lifelike and animated so well it sells the story as well as any actor.[/citation]
Have you ever heard the voice acting in d2? It is amazing, just like every other Blizzard game.

I cbf typing anymore but yeah... i think Blizzard knows what they're doing, and they're on the right path with the game.

 

[dragonsqrrl]

[citation][nom]stm1185[/nom]As it is they should port Diablo 3 to tablets, where it seems with its graphics level and control scheme would be great, but on a PC or a console it is an epic fail.[/citation]
Were you also one of the people complaining that the graphics in SC2 were indistinguishable from the original? And you think D3 type graphics could run on mobile hardware? Sorry dude, but you have a lot to learn about real-time rendering.

 

[Guest]

[citation][nom]dragonsqrrl[/nom]Were you also one of the people complaining that the graphics in SC2 were indistinguishable from the original? And you think D3 type graphics could run on mobile hardware? Sorry dude, but you have a lot to learn about real-time rendering.[/citation]

Internet smart guy right here. They could take the D3 assets and reduce poly count or texture size where necessary to make it work on next gen tablet hardware. They size of the models are so small on the screen it does not really matter if they did. It's not like you have camera control and are going to be able to zoom in and see it. They could port Id Tech 5, they could port Unreal, they could port this.

SC2 was an RTS, Diablo was an RPG. RTS is dependent on that view point, on that setup. RPG is not, mouse clicking and isometric made since in 2000 because they could not really do much else. Now they can do so much more and they should have for Diablo 3. It should have been as revolutionary as Grand Theft Auto 3, and moved the series into full 3D, full camera, open world. Heavily detailed normal mapped characters with HDR lighting and shadows that you could watch from any angle. Instead they just kept the archaic control and view setup and did the same old thing. Which is going to look very shitty in comparison to Skyrim or The Witcher 2, or many other RPGs coming out. Let alone MMOs like Guild Wars 2, which really is what Diablo 3 is, its a half assed MMO.

 

[Guest]

Every game Blizzard releases is played daily by most who own them for YEARS. Thats the objective of blizzard, and that should be the objective of making games, making people want to play them, time and time again. I am really tired of these so called games which are really just tech demos. Give me 60fps, solid gameplay mechanics and a captivating story line (optional) and I'm happy.

"Tech demo games" => "computer graphics card geeks". Otherwise angry birds wouldn't have had any success

Now there isn't anything wrong with great graphics, but every new game shouldn't forcefully have to be a technical breakthrough, give game developers time to develop games.

 

[dragonsqrrl]

[citation][nom]stm1185[/nom]Internet smart guy right here. They could take the D3 assets and reduce poly count or texture size where necessary to make it work on next gen tablet hardware. They size of the models are so small on the screen it does not really matter if they did. It's not like you have camera control and are going to be able to zoom in and see it. They could port Id Tech 5, they could port Unreal, they could port this.[/citation]
lol... nice save, or attempt at one. So in your original comment you weren't trying to say the graphics quality in D3 is antiquated, so much so that a port with similar graphics fidelity could run on mobile hardware. No, that wasn't the point you were trying to make.

What you were actually trying to say is a reworked, mobile-optimized port of D3 could run without a problem on mobile hardware... wow, that's profound. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Guest]

You either like point and click action RPGs or you don't so I really don't see the point of the argument here. So stm1184 is saying he used to like point and click RPGs but now he doesn't and all of those game should turn to something else?

For your information point and click action RPGs are still at a very good place and if you don't believe me you can check out games like Torchlight, Bastion and others that have been out the past years.

If you don't like the genre don't play it, I see no reason why you would ask for it to go away though. There are still people that like it and I bet when D3 comes out you will count them in the millions.

 

[ghnader hsmithot]

gamers are left playing one insanely large but ugly dude.

The second paragraph last line should be changed to "butt ugly dude".

 

[fakie]

Mantra of Retribution will cause the Monk and all allies within 40 years to reflect damage.


overpowered..

 

[reggieray]

Constant connection required to play (Draconian DRM) no thank you Activision/Blizzard.
To many better games out and soon to be released that I will spend my gaming budget on.
Dues Ex, RAGE, Battlefield 3 and SkyRim, all without your draconian DRM.
Just picked up Call of Duty GOTY for under $20 (PC of course), money well spent.

 

[SuckRaven]

I can't help it. When I look at the polygonal crap graphics, all I can see is World of Warcraft, which was the first Blizzard game I never played. I think the bitmapped graphics of Diablo II, and hell....for its day, the graphics of Diablo looked much better. Add in the lack of customization, and the big brother always connected requirement, (which by the way I think will eventually lead to a paid subscription model), and you have a perfect recipe for me to not get the 3rd installment of one of my favorite games of all time. Way to go Activision. (Notice I say Activision, because their influence is all over this. Before they muddied the waters, Blizzard and Blizzard North were very fine franchises.) Just my two cents.

 

[dragonsqrrl]

[citation][nom]reggieray[/nom]Constant connection required to play (Draconian DRM) no thank you Activision/Blizzard.To many better games out and soon to be released that I will spend my gaming budget on.Dues Ex, RAGE, Battlefield 3 and SkyRim, all without your draconian DRM.Just picked up Call of Duty GOTY for under $20 (PC of course), money well spent.[/citation]
BF3? lol, from what I've seen so far BF3's DRM is far more convoluted and cumbersome for the user then D3. Have you actually tried BF3 or D3 yet, or are you just speaking on principle? Well, you're a self-proclaimed man of principle reggie, I'll give you that much.

 

[jn77]

I think there was a real gap between the tech in the engine used for Diablo II and Diablo III, Diablo 3 should have come out about the time that Guild Wars did with a similar type engine. Now Guild Wars 2 will be out and still have a better engine in the back end then Diablo 3

 

[michalmierzwa]

Auto-leveling and lack of character customization and skill focus is my determining reason for not purchasing the game when it arrived, unless they make changes.

 

[envymert]

I agree 100% with dragonsqrl ..... Many things about this game will be great and the excuses people come up with are AWFUL.

People bitching about graphics .... I see this for every game including D3 and BF3. People who bitch about graphics are morons...look at the screens above. They look pretty solid...and if blizz did what they did for SC2 they will improve quite a bit before launch. Also as stated people who bitch about graphics then play/game on a laptop or have an outdated video card .....330M or 260 shutup. You care about graphics but cant even crank up the goodies on a trivial resolution.

People complaining about this constant internet connection...two conclusions these were people whom duped,hacked or used trainers to level up and are pissed their whole Bnet account including WoW accounts can get banned for one of these makes people agree. If you want to use DRM as an example of why you are buying this game DO NOT use BF3 as an example I will be buying both games but origin as stated in the ToS will go through files which are NOT needed for gameplay....essentially invading privacy in areas they shouldnt have access. O well heres to the whiners who dont have ground to stand on.

 

[of the way]

[citation][nom]envymert[/nom]People complaining about this constant internet connection...two conclusions these were people whom duped,hacked or used trainers to level up and are pissed their whole Bnet account including WoW accounts can get banned for one of these makes people agree.[/citation]

I will most likely buy D3, at some point anyway. But I don't get a lot of time to play, so I'll usually just be playing single player. Now, I probably will almost always be connected to the internet, but if I'm playing single player, why should I have to be online? It won't bug me too much (although I'd be extremely mad if I was a travelling without internet sort), but I can fully understand why people wouldn't want to always be connected.

 

[richgoose]

props to dragonsqrrl for pwning all the anti-d3 troll-types. I think there is a disproportionate amount of hating here, since 90% of the people that would buy this game are on battle.net playing WoW or SC2.

@stm1185 It's a safe bet the ToS could require you to chop off a leg and it would sell a million copies. Why try to dissuade? Is your time not better spent elsewhere?

I'm just hoping the AH won't have fees like ebay's =0