been booted twice in 15 minutes.

Just so I understand, when I get the message that my server is being shutdown in 4 minutes, unless I can get to a new check point in 4 minutes, I might as well stop playing, right? I may be stupid, but I haven't found a way to save it, not even in town.

5/16/2012 9:32:01 PM

If you travel back to town that might be a way to autosave at least what items and experience that you have accumulated since your last checkpoint/save. I am just guessing this.

5/16/2012 9:36:19 PM

yeah your last checkpoint is where it will put you.

You _shouldnt_ lose any gear/xp/etc that you get up to the point where you leave the game though; regardless of checkpoint.

5/16/2012 9:36:53 PM

What is everyone using as far as skills and weapon types for the barbarian? It seems like to me the right click attacks are pretty weak and the ones for hotkeys 1 and 2 don't add too much value either. Haven't gotten far enough to unlock 3 and 4.

5/16/2012 9:41:58 PM

I'm playing witch doctor so far (still Act 1). Its kind of fun, but I've got to say that every skill feels like a gimmick that would be more functional if they didn't try to add so many effects to each spell.

5/16/2012 9:49:08 PM

For barb I use bash w stun rune in group. Cleave w explode solo. The right click shockwave plus chance to stun seems like first good right click skill for barb since it has good range and lets me free up 1-4 for survival skills.

5/17/2012 1:33:04 AM

got my shit pushed in by belial several times now

5/17/2012 1:38:00 AM

finished. Overall pretty straightforward and boring, but decent. On the last level answer in negative the first 2 times, then positive and you'll get the biggest reward (plus best battle)

5/17/2012 3:11:47 AM

you cleared inferno?

5/17/2012 8:18:00 AM

I had trouble with belial then i just joined a public game and it was 1000x easier. I am undecided on whether or not it is harder or easier in a group... Sometimes it seems that shit will spawn around you and 1 shot you, other times I go like 20 minutes without taking any damage at all regardless of whether i'm in front of the group or in the back

I'm Krallum and I approved this message.

5/17/2012 8:22:04 AM

^It feels both. I think it hurts more when one of your group members has a bad build or is under-leveled.

Nightmare is turning out to be more fun for me than Normal was. It's definitely more challenging. I like that I can't just rampage through, steamrolling everything, and that I've got to really plan/adjust to mob packs.

Also, it's crazy how much Gold you get when you've got your blacksmith/jeweler leveled up as far as you can. I had both maxed out for Normal (where I needed pages to proceed) and went back to help a friend clear Acts 3 & 4. Sold most of the blues, and made it out with ~90k gold.

5/17/2012 8:29:11 AM

you sold blues? Are the mats you get from normal difficulty blues just not needed anymore?

Also, i find solo play, especially in nightmare, more difficult that group play.

Love me the templar though; dude is hilarious.

[Edited on May 17, 2012 at 8:48 AM. Reason : lol, nightmare]

5/17/2012 8:45:03 AM

yeah, I was DE'ing blues through Normal, but I've got a full stack of the essences (99?) and then some, so I decided to start just cashing them out.

Through Normal, there is really zero point to picking up White items, as they only vendor for 5-10 gold. Blues consistently vendor b/t 50-300 gold. Just pick up pots, gold, gems, and Blues+. It'll save you countless trips back to town.

I've been saving all my rares that have dropped. Rather than spend the money on bank slots, I just created a couple of alts, and let them hold all the Yellows. I'll use them when I start other characters, or I'll start vendoring the ones I don't think I'll need.

Had a Legendary drop Tuesday night for me. Level 24ish 2h axe that looks like the Arcanite Reaper from WoW when equipped. Too bad what I was already using was better.

5/17/2012 8:54:53 AM

rofl arcanite reaper holy shit forgot about that

I'm Krallum and I approved this message.

5/17/2012 9:04:50 AM

odd, belial was a p big pushover in our game. my witchdoctor friend couldnt do much, but as a barbarian you can just sit there and hit him with iron will (or whatever that thing is called where you take no dmg) and roll.

5/17/2012 9:18:37 AM

yeah the group i was in had 2 barbs and someone else in melee range. they took 0 damage the entire time. his hitbox is too big as ranged to get close so you end up running along the back and get fucked by that poison.

I'm Krallum and I approved this message.

5/17/2012 9:28:13 AM

woot just sold a rare amulet for 55k. sold quick, maybe i underpriced.

5/17/2012 9:45:40 AM

I think I shall purchase this Sunday.

5/17/2012 10:04:18 AM

Add my battletag then! It'd be nice to get back in touch through Diablo.
---------------------------------------------
I would complain about the server downtime last night but we found something else to do and then came back when the servers came up.

I was annoyed that I was having lag playing a game with my wife sitting 6 feet away from me. Also, her computer (C2D 2.6Ghz, GTS250) plays this game like shit. Gonna upgrade her graphics card and hopefully it'll help. Can't do much about the processor at this point w/o upgradng the whole tamale.

5/17/2012 10:10:05 AM

Sure thing, boss!

5/17/2012 10:22:21 AM

Quote :

"woot just sold a rare amulet for 55k. sold quick, maybe i underpriced."

i have no idea what to price stuff at, haha.

5/17/2012 10:24:56 AM

I wish the AH how some sort of "price compare" feature where you could pull up all the same items you are about to list.

I've just been throwing things up and randomly putting prices. I figure nobody wants to bid on anything though, by the time you win it you'll most likely have leveled past and found something else.

I have been stacking magic find like crazy, not sure if it helps or not or how much. I think I'm up to like 60%.

5/17/2012 10:42:13 AM

all items are randomly generated so theres no way to search for items that are the same.

Just search for the same 'type' of item and list its primary stats. Thats what i did for the amulet. There were some that were in my ballpark but had better str or more vitality. So I adjusted the price according to those.

5/17/2012 1:01:23 PM

so let me get this straight, you can't fast travel in between acts in Diablo 3?

If this is true, I swear I am gonna consider just dropping this game.

5/17/2012 1:11:10 PM

yeah i got to act 2, then started a game in act1, but didnt try to get back. im assuming there has to be an easy way to do so.

5/17/2012 1:47:11 PM

Nah, brah, it ain't.

5/17/2012 1:55:11 PM

So here we are two days later. I would simply like to hear from someone who spent 1000+ hours on Diablo 1 and/or 2: Does it still feel like Diablo?

I'm reading about health orbs, boss "events" (wtf?), checkpoints, and a severe lack of character customization due to the oversimplification of the skill system.

I've been able to talk myself up to looking beyond the "no offline play" debacle of a design mistake, but a lot of these mini-reviews beginning to surface really don't sound like a very complex game. I fully admit that I really just want more of the same, so will I get that, or is it a radically different experience?

5/17/2012 2:05:26 PM

^Also curious.

Most of the reviews make it sound eerily similar to Dungeon Siege 3 (all skills earned by max level, no stat distribution, items affect stats, linear, health/mana orbs, limited replay). The only thing it has going for it over DS3 is item variety, which DS3 simply didn't have.

I'm kind of the opposite, I can almost talk myself past some of the DS3 similarities but not the no offline play.

5/17/2012 2:27:45 PM

No, it's not radically different. Click abilities, kill things, get loot. Repeat. It looks nicer, and I have no idea what people are complaining about with the skills. What kind of character customization was there in D2 outside of picking your skills? I don't feel like it's an oversimplification; it's more a distillation. There are far fewer useless skills and I find myself enjoying different combinations and am glad I don't have to reroll a god damned character to try them out. (they thankfully added respec'ing very late in the game)

Events are a welcome edition IMO. They're just like Champion+ encounters with a little scripting. I'm not sure what there is to complain about health orbs or checkpoints.

When it works and is not laggy it's the tits. This is coming from an original diablo, hellfire, D2 and LoD player with max level characters in every game. The abilities feel powerful, some have great synergy and multiplayer is a blast.

---------------------------------------------------------------
Explain "Limited Replay" to me. Replay value in Diablo has always been, "let's do another clear and hope something awesome drops."

[Edited on May 17, 2012 at 2:31 PM. Reason : .]

5/17/2012 2:28:52 PM

What is a Champion+ encounter?

5/17/2012 2:32:57 PM

Quote :

"boss "events" (wtf?)"

don't remember baal?

5/17/2012 2:33:34 PM

Of course I do. By event I mean I read that you cannot re-engage after dying? You have to restart the fight?

5/17/2012 2:34:33 PM

Champion+ was just shorthand for Champion + a little more.

Quote :

"Of course I do. By event I mean I read that you cannot re-engage after dying? You have to restart the fight?"

All Diablo 2 boss fights were the same way. If you died fighting Diablo you didn't just get to run back and pick the fight back up from where you left off. Also, stop dying.

[Edited on May 17, 2012 at 2:42 PM. Reason : .]

5/17/2012 2:39:56 PM

^^
Oh. Not sure about that since I haven't died yet

[Edited on May 17, 2012 at 2:40 PM. Reason : .]

5/17/2012 2:40:39 PM

Quote :

"Explain "Limited Replay" to me. Replay value in Diablo has always been, "let's do another clear and hope something awesome drops." "

You answered your own question. You had to reroll in order to try all the skills in D2. Ie lets see what different thing I can become next time. Plus: mods.

[Edited on May 17, 2012 at 3:02 PM. Reason : -]

5/17/2012 3:00:08 PM

1. Orbs - the health orbs don't break anything since you can't spam potions. i think it actually makes it HARDER and more fun because you can't just rapidly spam potions as you get hurt. i've actually had to run away as a barb quite a few times to avoid dying.

2. Boss Events - the events are fun. i could see people not liking them since they are a little more WOW-ish, but as stated they mostly are just a bit more scripted with plenty of hack and slash thrown in. just more style.

3. Skill simplicity - I wouldn't say it is that simple. You have 6 skills you can use (after you level up enough to get all 6) and each has something like 6 "runes" that can alter the way it is used.

For instance, I can use Bash (single target), Cleave (multitarget), Frenzy (quick hitting single target), etc as my LeftClick skills, but each of those has 6 alternatives. For example, Bash can be used normally, have a stun % added to it, have a knockback + more dmg, etc. This makes me choose which I prefer and alter my play style accordingly (I use the stun chance because I add stuns/lifesteals to my other skills so it gives me great dmg vs single target + a lot of survivability). When I solo, however, I use Cleave + an AOE rune so I can deal with many mobs at once, which my Bash build simply doesnt work with (thus causing me to die).

Ultimately i have to change which skills i use depending on what fight im in and what team im working with in multiplayer. Yes, you have less skills to pick for your "build," but you end up using MORE skills in the end if you want to maximize damage/survivability for a particular situation (groups of mobs, boss, etc). I'd say it has more complexity tham "im a vengeance pally, i only cast 2 spells, BUT HEY at least i had to pick to be a vengeance pally."

[Edited on May 17, 2012 at 3:01 PM. Reason : 6 skills at a time, not 6 total]

5/17/2012 3:00:34 PM

Still haven't got a sense of what a boss event is (never played WoW)... other than it is fun and scripted and something like Baal in D2. You mean you sit there and stare at a boss a while mobs spawn?

[Edited on May 17, 2012 at 3:09 PM. Reason : -]

5/17/2012 3:05:27 PM

it's really just a boss fight with a brief cutscene. nothing more, nothing less.

5/17/2012 3:06:30 PM

not that i didn't type /words, but i wanted to make sure ppl got a good sense of the game.

i think it feels more epic and crazy to me than d2. i like the crafting too personally since now money is only partially worthless for those of us who just play with friends.

5/17/2012 3:07:21 PM

and the game shat the bed again. Sigh

5/17/2012 3:35:30 PM

Um....

Damage Per Second
Damage
Attacks Per Second

What the hell does this mean? Shouldn't I only need two of the three?

Weird.

edit: How can damage per second be a constant number if the Damage itself is variable?

[Edited on May 17, 2012 at 4:13 PM. Reason : ]

5/17/2012 4:01:07 PM

I think DPS is based off of max possible damage. It's just a number to give you an overall feel for your damage output so if you tweak shit like your relevant stat, faster or slower weapon, etc you don't have to do the calculations yourself.

Would you honestly prefer to have to calculate whether a slower weapon with higher damage is better than a faster weapon with less damage depending on the ratio of speed to damage of each? Are you complaining about being given more information?

[Edited on May 17, 2012 at 4:19 PM. Reason : .]

5/17/2012 4:17:53 PM

^ aye. i think items only give you +damage or +attack speed. they do the calc that says weapon base damage + extra damage / weapon base attack speed + % increases from items. then you quickly can tell what's what.

5/17/2012 4:21:27 PM

^^ Actually yeah I am. But maybe I'll get used to it. Just a bit of a strange system, very different from the first two games that's all.

---

Okay help me understand something else. I'm a wizard but it seems that my base attack damage seems to increase when I hold an axe. But I'm not attacking with the axe, nor have I found a way to? I don't understand how weapons work at all.

[Edited on May 17, 2012 at 4:37 PM. Reason : ]

5/17/2012 4:30:09 PM

Quote :

"I would simply like to hear from someone who spent 1000+ hours on Diablo 1 and/or 2: Does it still feel like Diablo?"

yes

it feels like the most epic Diablo experience you can imagine

nitpicking over things like health orbs, potion changes and boss events is retarded, these things don't take away from the game at all

oversimplification of the skill system? are you kidding me? Lets take the Wizard for example: 6 of 25 different skills, each with 5 different runes, and 3 of 20 different passive skills. I don't know how to do the math on that, but I'm willing to bet it equals a metric shit-ton of possible combinations. That shit is not "oversimplified". And yes, you will be constantly switching your skills around.

[Edited on May 17, 2012 at 4:38 PM. Reason : constantly switching your skills around]

5/17/2012 4:37:27 PM

Quote :

"I don't understand how weapons work at all."

Your skills are based off weapon damage. Not the DPS number that appears on the item info, but the damage range listed under it. The weapon speed is also factored into your "cast time".

5/17/2012 4:40:10 PM

Ok...but, so then how do I actually use the weapon?

5/17/2012 4:43:31 PM

^^^ aye that was the point of my huge paragraph. it is pretty sweet each level to look at the new runes and say "hmmm man i need to rethink what i want to use normally as my attack...but wait, if i do that then i wont have a ranged attack so i better swap this other skill..." and so on.

[Edited on May 17, 2012 at 4:45 PM. Reason : d]

5/17/2012 4:45:08 PM

Quote :

"Ok...but, so then how do I actually use the weapon?"

I'm not sure why you ever would since your basic abilities do more damage and are free but if you really want to you can switch to "elective mode" in options then drag magic missile or whatever off your left click skill slot.

5/17/2012 4:48:17 PM

So...what's the point of having weapons in the game?

---

Really not trying to troll, btw. Character identity is largely driven by equipment. If the weapon is just a way to boost some totally arbitrary skill like other items, then it could just as well be something other than "weapon."

As a barb (or non-wizard class), do you actually use your weapon regularly??

[Edited on May 17, 2012 at 5:01 PM. Reason : ]

5/17/2012 4:54:01 PM