For added difficulty, I recommend the mage play through. You will need to manage melee and magic while not missing out on a decent amount of health.
The game is quite replayable with the random quests. I would need to check how much time it took me but I'm guessing 5 nights of 2-3 hours get me similar numbers to you.
The game certainly has replay value up to 3 or 4 times. As for the "indie game" comment, it's basically totally accurate, as Condor was essentially just that before getting bought up by Davidson. In another timeline, you can see the first 4 levels of the cathedral being released as shareware, and having to send in money to get a code unlock for the other 12.
As it was, Diablo, along with Fallout a year later, changed everything for CRPGs, and led directly in many ways to the game which is the reason we all post on this forum.
Well, actually the -res thing is rolled between -7 to -15, so my rolls are between average to below average. But I'm still glad the item dropped at all. It has little use in PlugY, when I have access to ladder runewords (with Spirit, for example), but I think it will be useful when I carry on my saves to D2R. There ladder only runeworods wouldn't be allowed, making MSL much more useful under such circumstances.
I don't think PlugY saves can be continued in D2R as PlugY and D2 have different save formats. Not 100% sure about future behaviour, of course, but that is my understanding. It's similar to how your PlugY and D2 saves are separated.
I don't think PlugY saves can be continued in D2R as PlugY and D2 have different save formats. Not 100% sure about future behaviour, of course, but that is my understanding. It's similar to how your PlugY and D2 saves are separated.
I know and agree. However, it is feasable to put items from shared stash on normal character's inventory, which should work. So, theoretically, with a lot of mule characters I would be able to carry over all my stuff to D2R.
And in case anything goes wrong, I will have back up saves by that point.
I am actually okay with starting from scratch as long as they give good inventory management. Examples...
If they have the ability to send an item to the shared stash, that would be greatly helpful. Then I don't have to walk to town all the time.
Instead of the scrolls and books of identification and town portals taking physical space, make it an accessory and make them a right click skill.
And I would like it very much if they make a rune stash where they don't take physical space but it's like an alphabet with indicators of how much of each you have. Then allow drag and drop into inventory and sockets.
Then inventory is all about equipment and charms that you need while still having access to stuff you need later.
I am actually okay with starting from scratch as long as they give good inventory management. Examples...
If they have the ability to send an item to the shared stash, that would be greatly helpful. Then I don't have to walk to town all the time.
Instead of the scrolls and books of identification and town portals taking physical space, make it an accessory and make them a right click skill.
And I would like it very much if they make a rune stash where they don't take physical space but it's like an alphabet with indicators of how much of each you have. Then allow drag and drop into inventory and sockets.
Then inventory is all about equipment and charms that you need while still having access to stuff you need later.
But we will see.
AFAIK on D2 resurrected, this isn't going to be the case. From gameplay footage I saw and the interviews from the developers, they want to create a tab (or several tabs) in the stash, and you manage all that stuff just in the way you managed the old stash.
They even specifically said in an interview that they didn't want to mess at all with inventory size or any dynamic there as it would change the game. And I assume being able to teleport an item you pick up to the shared stash fits this. The inventory is supposed to be a limited space where you're making calls on keeping charms or keeping gear to ID. Being able to chuck stuff straight from the ground to the stash kills this dynamic. Same goes for eliminating some of the other items you've suggested.
As I said above, my suspicion is that *right now* they absolutely want to do everything they can to make the experience match the original one, save for a few unfair bugs. That means reproducing the same cycle of gathering some loot, then tp'ing back or, as some players preferred, carrying books of identify with them in the field. Even the addition of a shared tab of stash is a kind of attempt to reproduce how people played in online D2.
Personally, as someone who loves playing d2 on hardcore mode, i wouldnt like being able to insta tele gear to town. The game has a pretty nice cycle in typical play where you grind against the monster in an action-heavy stretch of the game broken up by nice bits of downtime where you're sitting in town, managing your inventory.
All that being said, I do think if the game enjoys some kind of success, I'd love to see some kind of significant patch and/or DLC. This would almost certainly be several years down the road. And that's something where they could justify a number of quality of life improvements.
For anyone interested in the lead-up in playing with PlugY and the mini-game of tracking down all Unique items, there is a handy website to keep track of everything. Keep in mind, this will take YEARS, not months to complete:
Some of this stuff I am on board with, but almost all of it is limited to what PlugY allows. Specifically, the stash space and ladder only runewords, which simply forces people to play online, which isn't a difficulty setting, just an arbitrary penalty for not being connected to the internet.
You can't make a charm tab. It would change the whole game. The trade-off of filling EVERY inventory slot with a charm is that you can only pick up items by putting them on your belt (potions) or in your Cube. As for unlimited arrows.......yeah, no. This would make Infinity Engine games less interesting, and it would make this less interesting as well. Christ, even Skyrim forces you to carry arrows. Some of this is going off the deep end imo.
Some of this stuff I am on board with, but almost all of it is limited to what PlugY allows. Specifically, the stash space and ladder only runewords, which simply forces people to play online, which isn't a difficulty setting, just an arbitrary penalty for not being connected to the internet.
You can't make a charm tab. It would change the whole game. The trade-off of filling EVERY inventory slot with a charm is that you can only pick up items by putting them on your belt (potions) or in your Cube. As for unlimited arrows.......yeah, no. This would make Infinity Engine games less interesting, and it would make this less interesting as well. Christ, even Skyrim forces you to carry arrows. Some of this is going off the deep end imo.
Yep, it also exposes the danger of polling audiences imo. The charm one is a perfect example. Changes that make your character more powerful and the game easier will tend to be popular. Especially changes that strip away difficult tradeoffs you have to make. Giving charms a dedicated item slot makes them functionally no different than rings imo, just in a more dispersed way. It kills the precise thing that gives them a unique role.
Audience feedback has its uses, but, imo, they're very limited.
Some of this stuff I am on board with, but almost all of it is limited to what PlugY allows. Specifically, the stash space and ladder only runewords, which simply forces people to play online, which isn't a difficulty setting, just an arbitrary penalty for not being connected to the internet.
You can't make a charm tab. It would change the whole game. The trade-off of filling EVERY inventory slot with a charm is that you can only pick up items by putting them on your belt (potions) or in your Cube. As for unlimited arrows.......yeah, no. This would make Infinity Engine games less interesting, and it would make this less interesting as well. Christ, even Skyrim forces you to carry arrows. Some of this is going off the deep end imo.
Yep, it also exposes the danger of polling audiences imo. The charm one is a perfect example. Changes that make your character more powerful and the game easier will tend to be popular. Especially changes that strip away difficult tradeoffs you have to make. Giving charms a dedicated item slot makes them functionally no different than rings imo, just in a more dispersed way. It kills the precise thing that gives them a unique role.
Audience feedback has its uses, but, imo, they're very limited.
I am a FAN of downsides to certain characters (hence why I much prefer 2E kits to 3E classes). I have no problem with people having to make difficult decisions while playing this game 20 years ago with inventory space. But you shouldn't have to choose between keeping your Windforce and Immoral King Set piece. And no one did. They just used third party programs like ATMA or created mule accounts, even at the time. It became more of an official part of the game than the 1.0 patch itself did.. Eliminating that is a good thing.
The inventory space is fine. Only the stash is the problem. And we KNOW it's a problem because it's the one thing they changed without asking anyone. These people have certainly played Torchlight 2, Grim Dawn and Path of Exile. They understand it can't compete without it.
The consensus on the technical alpha is a grand-slam across the board. Everyone seems to basically agree it's a fantastic visual upgrade, the toggle feature is cool as hell, the quality of life upgrades are minimal but enormously welcome and impactable on enjoyment, and the rest of the game is EXACTLY the same. There really isn't any way this gets screwed up. It's gonna be a massive success, and 20 years later, will once again knock all it's clones (even the really good ones) to the side to reclaim it's throne.
It's all super-exciting. I wish it was coming out tomorrow. It's also going to allow them to really take their time on Diablo IV, and, let's face it, that games is at least two years away at this point.
Ya was thinking about posting some links to alpha reviews but seems like everyone is getting the gist. Honestly, my only concern is that they make sure ladder play is clean. But from my own experience between playing Starcraft and then its sequel, they did a tremendous job of policing cheats on the second. So I'm extremely optimistic as well.
I'm down with playing ladder hardcore mode with some folks if they're interested, once it hits release.
It is kinda weird, a "technical alpha" is usually something that implies a demo of what you can kinda expect. This was nearly half the campaign fully playable with nearly half the classes. I would bet we see full release by September. Pre-purchased today, didn't see any reason to hold off any longer.
Most impressive thing in the footage to me are the animation frames. Everything from walking, to attacking, to spellcasting, to hit recovery just looks a lot more realistic. But it also messages a lot better to the player what's going on. One of the issues with the old game is it could be kind of hard to decipher the action in such a precise way, due to the cruder animations. And yeah, I agree, I suspect almost everyone except maybe a handful of hardcore nostalgia fans will dump the legacy mode.
Comments
The game is quite replayable with the random quests. I would need to check how much time it took me but I'm guessing 5 nights of 2-3 hours get me similar numbers to you.
Btw, my end game look is similar to yours
As it was, Diablo, along with Fallout a year later, changed everything for CRPGs, and led directly in many ways to the game which is the reason we all post on this forum.
End game snippet of my Rogue run
But I am posting here to share my joy. I dropped one of the rarest items in the game (in D2, anyways), Mang Song's Lesson!
You can appreciate it here in Polish, complete with translation error (should be "Archońska Laska" instead of "Archoński Łuk"
I never found that item and I played probably a decade....
I know that feeling. This is the first time in my life I actually dropped this thing.
I know and agree. However, it is feasable to put items from shared stash on normal character's inventory, which should work. So, theoretically, with a lot of mule characters I would be able to carry over all my stuff to D2R.
And in case anything goes wrong, I will have back up saves by that point.
If they have the ability to send an item to the shared stash, that would be greatly helpful. Then I don't have to walk to town all the time.
Instead of the scrolls and books of identification and town portals taking physical space, make it an accessory and make them a right click skill.
And I would like it very much if they make a rune stash where they don't take physical space but it's like an alphabet with indicators of how much of each you have. Then allow drag and drop into inventory and sockets.
Then inventory is all about equipment and charms that you need while still having access to stuff you need later.
But we will see.
AFAIK on D2 resurrected, this isn't going to be the case. From gameplay footage I saw and the interviews from the developers, they want to create a tab (or several tabs) in the stash, and you manage all that stuff just in the way you managed the old stash.
They even specifically said in an interview that they didn't want to mess at all with inventory size or any dynamic there as it would change the game. And I assume being able to teleport an item you pick up to the shared stash fits this. The inventory is supposed to be a limited space where you're making calls on keeping charms or keeping gear to ID. Being able to chuck stuff straight from the ground to the stash kills this dynamic. Same goes for eliminating some of the other items you've suggested.
Personally, as someone who loves playing d2 on hardcore mode, i wouldnt like being able to insta tele gear to town. The game has a pretty nice cycle in typical play where you grind against the monster in an action-heavy stretch of the game broken up by nice bits of downtime where you're sitting in town, managing your inventory.
All that being said, I do think if the game enjoys some kind of success, I'd love to see some kind of significant patch and/or DLC. This would almost certainly be several years down the road. And that's something where they could justify a number of quality of life improvements.
https://d2-holy-grail.herokuapp.com/
Source
You can't make a charm tab. It would change the whole game. The trade-off of filling EVERY inventory slot with a charm is that you can only pick up items by putting them on your belt (potions) or in your Cube. As for unlimited arrows.......yeah, no. This would make Infinity Engine games less interesting, and it would make this less interesting as well. Christ, even Skyrim forces you to carry arrows. Some of this is going off the deep end imo.
Yep, it also exposes the danger of polling audiences imo. The charm one is a perfect example. Changes that make your character more powerful and the game easier will tend to be popular. Especially changes that strip away difficult tradeoffs you have to make. Giving charms a dedicated item slot makes them functionally no different than rings imo, just in a more dispersed way. It kills the precise thing that gives them a unique role.
Audience feedback has its uses, but, imo, they're very limited.
I am a FAN of downsides to certain characters (hence why I much prefer 2E kits to 3E classes). I have no problem with people having to make difficult decisions while playing this game 20 years ago with inventory space. But you shouldn't have to choose between keeping your Windforce and Immoral King Set piece. And no one did. They just used third party programs like ATMA or created mule accounts, even at the time. It became more of an official part of the game than the 1.0 patch itself did.. Eliminating that is a good thing.
The inventory space is fine. Only the stash is the problem. And we KNOW it's a problem because it's the one thing they changed without asking anyone. These people have certainly played Torchlight 2, Grim Dawn and Path of Exile. They understand it can't compete without it.
I'm down with playing ladder hardcore mode with some folks if they're interested, once it hits release.
They won't. What I would appreciate, though, is that the info about breakpoints should be added to the character screen.