Diablo 3 beta and release

[JocktheMotie]

Oddly my one real complaint of the game has to do with what they designed the game to revolve around: the AH. It's a pain in the ass to navigate and use, you don't get as useful equipment comparisons, and you have to log out of your game to use it. I honestly wish it was browser based, and it seems a little half baked considering their Real Money version isn't live yet. You've got millions of people leveling up but don't have your system in place to sell them virtual items, when a significant design goal was to implement a microtransaction warehouse? That seems extremely stupid.

Otherwise, my Wizard is a blast. Spamming Arcane Orb and watching the explosions never gets old.

 

[Randomnity]

Oddly my one real complaint of the game has to do with what they designed the game to revolve around: the AH. It's a pain in the ass to navigate and use, you don't get as useful equipment comparisons, and you have to log out of your game to use it. I honestly wish it was browser based, and it seems a little half baked considering their Real Money version isn't live yet. You've got millions of people leveling up but don't have your system in place to sell them virtual items, when a significant design goal was to implement a microtransaction warehouse? That seems extremely stupid.

Otherwise, my Wizard is a blast. Spamming Arcane Orb and watching the explosions never gets old.

The game better not revolve around the AH, I was under the impression it was an optional addon. Not a fan of those things in general, although to be honest I haven't even looked at the d3 one.

Hopefully the wizard has some kind of frost tree somewhere. <3 <3 cold sorcs

 

[JocktheMotie]

The game better not revolve around the AH, I was under the impression it was an optional addon. Not a fan of those things in general, although to be honest I haven't even looked at the d3 one.

It does in sort of a sneaky way. The Real Money AH is why you always have to be online to play the game. They made a lot of design decisions with player trading and real money for virtual items transactions at the core of those decisions. They don't take a risk in gameplay design, rather they plug in a very simple, fun, addictive, familiar gameplay experience to drive their new shiny real money auction house model.

You can very well go through the game without ever using the AH, but its importance is imprinted into the game design itself.

Hopefully the wizard has some kind of frost tree somewhere. <3 <3 cold sorcs

While no trees and the class definitely revolves around "Arcane" magic, you can definitely make Frost builds. Ray of Frost is a perfectly viable main skill, Frost Nova is wonderful with the Shatter rune, you can rune Meteor into Comet, and the Blizzard looks very good too. There's a ton of skill flexibility, which is very nice.

 

[swordpath]

I'm a big, bad level 11 now

 

[Randomnity]

I picked Kamikaze for my battle tag and it's far too appropriate - I've wasted so much time dying for no reason other than charging in too recklessly. yes, even when I can heal myself AND my templar is healing me AND I have a million +vit things. I'm a bit of a gambler, especially with the globes dropping constantly.

Can't wait to finish the storyline (if I can do it solo) so I can start multiplayer/check out other characters. Hopefully the servers will be cooperating tonight.

 

[JocktheMotie]

I picked Kamikaze for my battle tag and it's far too appropriate - I've wasted so much time dying for no reason other than charging in too recklessly. yes, even when I can heal myself AND my templar is healing me AND I have a million +vit things. I'm a bit of a gambler, especially with the globes dropping constantly.

Can't wait to finish the storyline (if I can do it solo) so I can start multiplayer/check out other characters. Hopefully the servers will be cooperating tonight.

Hah, sort of the same, which is odd considering I'm a wizard, though I've only died once while standing in those tree monster's poison wells like a dumbass. With all my AoE skills it's extremely easy to get greedy, rush into a whole group of mobs and just blow everything up. If you like that kind of insanity, you'll really like Wizard. Early on, you get lots of skills where on death, the monsters explode to do even more damage to their surroundings and you can start some pretty wild chain reactions.

Wizard seems a little OP at times, but this is still normal mode. I heard Act 3 gets tougher too, so I'm hoping for that.

 

[swordpath]

I've died only once myself and it was in those fields with the poisonous trees, but what got me was those big freakin mammoth things.

I hear the cinematic going into Act 2 is pretty B.A.

 

[Randomnity]

Hah, sort of the same, which is odd considering I'm a wizard, though I've only died once while standing in those tree monster's poison wells like a dumbass. With all my AoE skills it's extremely easy to get greedy, rush into a whole group of mobs and just blow everything up. If you like that kind of insanity, you'll really like Wizard. Early on, you get lots of skills where on death, the monsters explode to do even more damage to their surroundings and you can start some pretty wild chain reactions.

Wizard seems a little OP at times, but this is still normal mode. I heard Act 3 gets tougher too, so I'm hoping for that.

sweet! wizard will definitely be my next one in that case. I'm seeing a similar thing with aoe monk seeming OP, other than dying suddenly sometimes - I just started Act 3 last night so I'll have to see tonight whether it starts getting harder. The mobs do seem a bit tougher, now that you mention it.

I died all the time in diablo 2 too. I'm just too reckless/miserly with pots and heals.

 

[Eruca]

I hear the cinematic going into Act 2 is pretty B.A.

It is. Epic in a way only Blizzard cinematics can be!

 

[JocktheMotie]

It is. Epic in a way only Blizzard cinematics can be!

Yeah, that was superb. That's when I actually started to get in to the story. It was a little tough at first because I thought the dialogue was a little campy but after that cinematic I thought, "Holy shit" and was pretty invested.

I also loved that Tyrael's response to Leah's "What would you know about sacrifice" was the ultimate "BITCH PLEASE."

 

[swordpath]

Yeah, that was superb. That's when I actually started to get in to the story. It was a little tough at first because I thought the dialogue was a little campy but after that cinematic I thought, "Holy shit" and was pretty invested.

I also loved that Tyrael's response to Leah's "What would you know about sacrifice" was the ultimate "BITCH PLEASE."

I still haven't gotten to Act II yet, but you're definitely right that the dialogue is pretty campy (and generic/predictable). It is slightly killing the mood for me.

 

[Randomnity]

beat normal. wizard time, maybe.

 

[William K]

I still haven't gotten to Act II yet, but you're definitely right that the dialogue is pretty campy (and generic/predictable). It is slightly killing the mood for me.

I'm still in Act I too. Just finished off Leoric, but then I'm a "leave no Loose Stone un-turned, leave no corner of the map unexplored" kind of player. In fact I think I unlocked an achievement for that...

I'm not expecting Oscar winning scripts, but the banter between my char and the follower is a bit annoying. I know they're trying to copy what NWN and Dragon Age did, but the writing just isn't as good.

 

[Patches]

Level 59. God, the 50's go slow.

MUST NOT SLEEP UNTIL 60.

 

[swordpath]

Level 59. God, the 50's go slow.

MUST NOT SLEEP UNTIL 60.

15 here... But I tend to value sleep over games

Can you post an updated screen shot of your hero?

 

[swordpath]

Ok, so I'm a Diablo noob and have only played a tiny bit of Diablo 2. I guess what I'm most confused about in these games is how to decide on what to equip your hero with. Does a rare item trump a magical item automatically? Should I look more at the big number? Do the little numbers like the dexterity, etc. matter much?

What do you do with all the excess gear that you don't use? Do you sell it or give it to the blacksmith?

 

[swordpath]

Ok, so I'm a Diablo noob and have only played a tiny bit of Diablo 2. I guess what I'm most confused about in these games is how to decide on what to equip your hero with. Does a rare item trump a magical item automatically? Should I look more at the big number? Do the little numbers like the dexterity, etc. matter much?

What do you do with all the excess gear that you don't use? Do you sell it or give it to the blacksmith?

 

[Patches]

I just hit 60. Ill screenshot my char when I log in tomorrow, because right now I need to get my panda ass in bed. So tired.

[MENTION=1330]swordpath[/MENTION] Rare items do not always trump magical items. The stats matter a lot. You're going to pick up gear that is itemized for other classes, and theyre useless to you. Basically for you, Dexterity=Damage, Vitality=Life. Some people build it tankier and focus Vitality, while some like to do more Damage and focus Dexterity. But a lot of pieces will have both Dex and Vit. Its really up to you how to build it.

Stats like Intelligence are Wizard/Witch Doctor gear.

The pieces you dont use can be vendored, sold on the Auction House, or given to the blacksmith. The materials you get from the blacksmith can be used to craft pretty decent items at your level.

 

[JocktheMotie]

beat normal. wizard time, maybe.

Damn you and [MENTION=10780]Patches[/MENTION] are quick. I'm still level 22 trying to put some wizard back together.

Ok, so I'm a Diablo noob and have only played a tiny bit of Diablo 2. I guess what I'm most confused about in these games is how to decide on what to equip your hero with. Does a rare item trump a magical item automatically? Should I look more at the big number? Do the little numbers like the dexterity, etc. matter much?

What do you do with all the excess gear that you don't use? Do you sell it or give it to the blacksmith?

As Patches said, you'll want to worry about +damage, +dexterity, +vitality and perhaps armor. On your character pane [press C] you'll have some stats and when you equip stuff, as long as your Damage number goes up it's usually a good idea. Rare items tend to have other useful stats too like magic find [increases your chance to find good items], +health after kill, etc. So just mix and match.

The extra stuff I salvage at the blacksmith, or if I know it'd be enticing to another class, I throw it on the Auction House for lower buyouts. The 10 items at a time thing kills me though. I can't buy all the useful shit and relist at jacked up prices :<

 

[William K]

Ok, so I'm a Diablo noob and have only played a tiny bit of Diablo 2. I guess what I'm most confused about in these games is how to decide on what to equip your hero with. Does a rare item trump a magical item automatically? Should I look more at the big number? Do the little numbers like the dexterity, etc. matter much?

What do you do with all the excess gear that you don't use? Do you sell it or give it to the blacksmith?

I tend to opt for a balance, with each item giving a certain stat boost or special bonus. For example, my weapon is not the one with the highest damage but the one with the highest attack speed. I also have armor and stuff that give bonus to gaining experience, finding gold, magic items, health globes and health regeneration.

In Diablo II, I used to have different sets of equipment for different purposes but you'll need to make your stash bigger for that. I'll have a set of equipment for tanking final bosses, one for looking for items, one for high resistance against certain magic, etc. Not sure if that strategy will be useful in DIII.

Money isn't a major issue at the moment so most of the excess magical items are salvaged and then used to craft items. Some of the random magical effects can be better than your existing equipment