Diablo 3...

[madmax1012]

i think I'm kinda disappointed with the monk. I'm only level 7, but I think I'm gonna start over. Definitely leaning toward wizard or demon hunter

[jfrey]

For anyone with hacking concerns, just get an authenticator... Like seriously. It's free, and there hasn't ever been a single case of anyone that uses an authenticator getting hacked. It's kind of old news that you should have one.

[behndy]

very cool that there's an easy solution....... but still....... i know my vote is probably a useless drop in the bucket, but this whole idea that they can force you to play single player only if you have a good internet connection AND they are up and running well.... i don't want to support that. i don't want manufactorors to think that's ok and it to become industry standard. i play like .02% of all games i buy online with other players, i don't want the inconveniences that come with gaming online to slew over to my single player version that is what i'm buying a game for practically every purchase.

i don't pirate games. i pay for my consoles and software near the release part of the cycle. why do i have to get fucked with?

[jfrey]

Is it really getting fucked? I mean, is a good internet connection still rare anywhere? Good internet connection should be an assumed standard. Same thing with a modern computer (at this point modern being quad core, 1-2 gb dedicated video memory, etc.). Companies shouldn't make their products for outdated standards. I don't think companies should even make physical copies of games anymore. It's just a waste. So much materials go into packaging, as well as fuel for delivery and distribution, etc. It's just not needed.

As for problems on their end, expecting there to be absolutely no problems is kind of ridiculous. They didn't expect over 6 million users online within the first week. There isn't any system in the world that would take that all at once without a hiccup. Granting that, I haven't even had any issues with connection or lag since day 1 which is pretty phenomenal.

[yallerhon]

I mean, is a good internet connection still rare anywhere? Good internet connection should be an assumed standard.

Come to Australia, then ask about good internet connections..

Most of our network is still over 30, 40+ year old copper wiring, and all the issues that entails.

There is effectively a telecommunications infrastructure monopoly over here and they are fighting tooth and nail to prevent the 'National Broadband Network' being rolled out (basically fibre to the node or home, depending which political party wins the next election), because they won't own it and thus can't charge ridiculous premiums for it. They want to keep everyone on their failing old lines and squeeze every possible dollar that they can. Thanks privatization.

I had a faster, cheaper and more consistent internet connection in a mountain village in rural Thailand in 2005 than I get here.

Fuck always-online requirements.

[jfrey]

That sounds horrendous. To be honest though I kind of see that as the same issue. It's people standing in the way of progress. People and companies shouldn't "enable" that kind of mentality or policy.

Of course, there's a "meantime" where that sucks, before things change, but i've always taken a long run approach to things. I rarely think of much beyond the day to day except in terms of ten or so years from now.

[behndy]

naw, of course i want game/music gear/whatever makers to leverage the newest technology available. and sure, at my HOUSE a reliable internet connection is available. but what if i want to load up a game that i bought for the express purpose of NOT playing with others onto a laptop and go somewhere? then the expensive hardware (laptop) and expensive software (game) are at the mercy of forces i don't control to work. and THAT is fucked. same goes for relying on Blizzard to always have enough servers up for me to game by myself. that SHOULDN'T be necessarry.

the analogy is a tad of a stretch, but what if my pedalboard or bass or microwave at my house work fine as long as i have electricity but shut off if there's no internet connection? why is it any different than a game? and really, there is NO BENEFIT TO ME to have to use their servers at all times.

i just don't want to say i'm ok with ANYthing being so under control of a company after i spend my money on the illusion of it being mine. which sucks, 'cause it looks like a fun game.

[jfrey]

It's a trade off. If you want a good product, then the company has to make money off it - especially in this case, where the previous game was pirated like crazy. And if you want a good online community, then you need to prevent hacking as much as possible - Blizzards only online games have an excellent reputation for not getting hacked (the one weak point in this is on the user end, but they even solved that with authenticators). The online community part is necessary for a company like Blizzard that is marketing themselves as an "esports" company.

If you do want to be sure you can play anywhere, you can use most smart phones as wireless hotspots - you just need to contact your provider to activate the feature.

[veteransdaypoppy]

quit bein an angry old man and get the game. if you want to play it as bad as you say you do, you're really not teaching anybody a lesson by holding out.

blizzard isn't going to be like "aw shit, behndy&co didn't buy our game" because they've probably dramatically boosted their profit by eliminating a ton of piracy. it's a really good idea. the consistent internet connection thing can be frustrating in some ways but i don't know too many people who try to play diablo 3 while jogging. i know even fewer people who would get pissed that they can't do that.

there's always going to be something you don't like about a game, a band, a song, a guitar, pedal, whatever. but in this case, Diablo 3 is a fun, addictive game, and it's worth all the bullshit that Blizzard had to do to keep their game from being exploited on eBay or pirated by wacky Swedes and distributed to spoiled nerdy suburban kids.

however, i don't know why it took blizzard so long to make a game that feels so short.

[behndy]

nope. i'm gonna be all crotchety and Get Off My Lawn on this one. i completely disagree with this method of releasing software and yeah, i get that just my non-purchase is realistically immaterial to Blizzard, but that's the only vote i get in this. whether it ends up making a difference or not i'm not comfy supporting somebody pushing forward a tactic i despise.

i buy my software, games, gear, music. sorry if they're losing money over uncsrupulous practices, but really.... are they hurting for cash? they seem to be doing all right. i'm not okay with the burden being passed on to the people that purchase software legally. so.... i'll pass.

now stop listening to that hippie rock and roll rap stuff so loud. i need my mid-day nap.

[veteransdaypoppy]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_Pbx9mvWPY[/youtube]

[behndy]

man. i WISH i could roll hard enough to be Howard Hughes crazy and get away with it.

and if i had that much money i'd burn Blizzard TO THE GROUND for the bullshit they're pulling.

RARRRRRR.

[veteransdaypoppy]

[Achtane]

Maybe I'm not meant for Diablo-like games. I dunno.
Game's short and you have to play it on Normal mode, which is too easy. To get any challenge you have to beat the game and then you get to do all the same stuff over again, but the enemies can actually hurt you now. I wanted that the first time around.
After I beat it, I don't really want to keep leveling and getting better gear, because there's nothing after that other than the cycle of better gear - more money - better gear. It's like START.....ENDGAME. Like the shortest MMO ever.
Pretty sure I'm complaining about a core element of the entire series though, so...

[Boxbie]

I HATE micro transactions, let alone a game based off of them. I just started playing on a Niller WoW private server. Molten Core and BWL anyone? haha it has well over 2,000 daily players and increased leveling speed. Oh yea and free, perfect for my life right now.

Massive blast of nostagia for those lost years!

How do I sign up??