Diablo 2: Resurrected remaster

[Reinhardt]

d1 is slow dungeon delving gaem, like rpgs of old. no wonder it was planned as tb at first. d2 and later is coldsteel the hedgehog simulator.

 

[Great Deceiver]

RE: Builds - once they introduced synergies, all builds started revolving around 1 or 2 skills max, so just running around spamming a single skill that destroys entire screens of enemies isn't my idea of engaging gameplay.

Another great shit change were runewords. I spend shitload of time at release D2 and it was glorious. With runewords everything changed into "let me find x y z runes to make x runeword and skip 90% of game" so instead of playing and having fun you operate in "game will get good 50-100-150h when i get to end game"

Also there is a mod for D2R which can bring you to X patch version. So you can go back to game before runewords and synergies.

I'm playing D2R and my last playthrough of D2 was pre-runewords, or at least pre OP runewords.

I really dislike the idea. What's the justification for even having them?

 

[Hace El Oso]

I'm in the same boat, I was taken completely by surprise when I saw one drop for the first time. My response was to house-rule out runes and jewels in disgust.

 

[Great Deceiver]

I feel individual runes are fine, but the rune words are just completely, vastly overpowered and outshine everything else in the game pretty much, especially if you're not farming like a sperg, and I'm not.

I'd understand if they were a secondary path for people who weren't that lucky with drops or unwilling to farm that much, but they're a ridiculous overcorrection if that was the original intent. I really don't get it.

 

[Cael]

The concept is sound. The execution less so.

 

[Perkel]

I'm playing D2R and my last playthrough of D2 was pre-runewords, or at least pre OP runewords.

I really dislike the idea. What's the justification for even having them?

Both D1 and D2 were very early ARPGs that pretty much shaped whole genre. So they were just testing new ideas. Some stick some didn't. D2 also is pretty much where you have split in ARPG community. Those who think more is better and those who want basic gameplay first to be good before adding anything that can brake it.
D2 balances itself still on that edge.

 

[Thal]

I'm playing D2R and my last playthrough of D2 was pre-runewords, or at least pre OP runewords.

I really dislike the idea. What's the justification for even having them?

Both D1 and D2 were very early ARPGs that pretty much shaped whole genre. So they were just testing new ideas. Some stick some didn't. D2 also is pretty much where you have split in ARPG community. Those who think more is better and those who want basic gameplay first to be good before adding anything that can brake it.
D2 balances itself still on that edge.

OP runewords were added for the same reason why exceptional and elite uniques were added. Multiplayer players needed more loot. D2 added progressively more grind to the gameplay because players needed something to do.

 

[Iluvcheezcake]

Yeah runes really shat up the game :[

 

[SomeGuyWithAnOpinion]

I'm playing D2R and my last playthrough of D2 was pre-runewords, or at least pre OP runewords.

I really dislike the idea. What's the justification for even having them?

What the fuck is everyone talking about? Runewords are great, they shake up the "just grind more items bro" gameplay which is ALWAYS a good thing because D2 has one of the most boring core gameplay loops of all times. It's pure grinding and re-grinding the same high level areas looking for better items to make grinding those same areas easier next time.

Runewords are interesting because they allow you to assemble your own unique from a base weapon, which reduces the item grinding significantly as you can essentially build your own item. This on it's own is a good thing because it gives players more options for strategy and decision making (ie depth) rather than forcing them to build their character around dropped items. The problem is that some of the runes themselves are super rare, defeating the purpose, and by having "tiers" they are just reinforcing the same item grind all over again with none of the fun of random stats. I don't consider them super overpowered though, I don't think a single runeword item is considered best in slot for any item slot, and they generally fall out of favor compared to the higher end uniques.

I like the way Path of Exile went with this and allowed you to essentially build your own skill synergies and buffs in the same way using Gems (seriously, PoE is the best take on the D2 formula that exists), which is FAR more interesting than the boring "put 30 points into this skill because it gives stat bonuses to this other skill that you actually use" system of D2.

 

[Hobo Elf]

I'm playing D2R and my last playthrough of D2 was pre-runewords, or at least pre OP runewords.

I really dislike the idea. What's the justification for even having them?

What the fuck is everyone talking about? Runewords are great, they shake up the "just grind more items bro" gameplay which is ALWAYS a good thing because D2 has one of the most boring core gameplay loops of all times. It's pure grinding and re-grinding the same high level areas looking for better items to make grinding those same areas easier next time.

Runewords are interesting because they allow you to assemble your own unique from a base weapon, which reduces the item grinding significantly as you can essentially build your own item. This on it's own is a good thing because it gives players more options for strategy and decision making (ie depth) rather than forcing them to build their character around dropped items. The problem is that some of the runes themselves are super rare, defeating the purpose, and by having "tiers" they are just reinforcing the same item grind all over again with none of the fun of random stats. I don't consider them super overpowered though, I don't think a single runeword item is considered best in slot for any item slot, and they generally fall out of favor compared to the higher end uniques.

I like the way Path of Exile went with this and allowed you to essentially build your own skill synergies and buffs in the same way using Gems (seriously, PoE is the best take on the D2 formula that exists), which is FAR more interesting than the boring "put 30 points into this skill because it gives stat bonuses to this other skill that you actually use" system of D2.

Some of those bases are as rare as any other hard to find items, plus you'll still need the runes on top. There's some good stuff about runes, mainly the early ones that you can sort of target farm on Normal and Nightmare Countess runs. But the high level ones are pretty gay due to the extreme low drop rates. And there really isn't anything special that Runewords do that Uniques already didn't. It's just new "uniques" with extra steps to make them, with obscene levels of power or utility to compensate.

 

[Dadd]

Jewel(s) and/or gem(s) + rune(s) = Runeword would've been better

 

[coldcrow]

Not super OP... Wtf have you been drinking? High Runewords are way more powerful than uniques and sets. Auto-auras (inf, dream, faith etc), oskills (enigma) or other OP modifiers (grief, even CoH).

"I don't think a single runeword item is considered best in slot for any item slot"

This is a flat out lie. Some Runewords define Builds (Dream, Chaos, Infinity, Grief), some have unmatched utility/stats (Enigma, CtA, Spirit, HotO).

 

[Average Manatee]

There's sort of 3 separate concepts Diablo 2 runs with

1. Game that wants to be a roguelike where what you find determines everything. Characters that rely on their weapon play by this rule. This is basically what Diablo 1 did (aside from rerolling the merchants forever), and is by far the hardest to play and requires lots of grinding every 5-15 levels depending on how good you are and what you find.

2. Game that wants to let you control what your character is. Characters that rely on skills play by these rules. This is far easier and most characters only need survivability equipment even in Hell (they'll be slow without +skills or -resist or teleport but still doable). They can also often play for 20+ levels between needing to get new equipment or even play naked.

3. Game that wants you to farm items but wants you to build up crafting materials to make your stuff, so you're not relying on RNG as much since you'll always amass these things over time. Diablo 2 doesn't really go that far in this direction but runewords kind of do it.

These 3 systems don't really work well together unless you are ready to accept that game balance is fucked and some characters requires 50 hours to finish hell even by a pretty good player while others can be casually speed run there in 5-10 hours even by a novice player.

IMO the biggest problem with runewords is that there is so few of them that there's only 1 or 2 valid options for characters at any level/difficulty range. There really needs to be like 10x as many runewords (ontop of a better crafting system in general so you don't have to refer to a wiki). And high level runewords are gay as fuck, its the low to mid level ones that are more interesting. Anything related to farming after you've beaten hell is gay as fuck anyway.

 

[SomeGuyWithAnOpinion]

There's sort of 3 separate concepts Diablo 2 runs with

1. Game that wants to be a roguelike where what you find determines everything. Characters that rely on their weapon play by this rule. This is basically what Diablo 1 did (aside from rerolling the merchants forever), and is by far the hardest to play and requires lots of grinding every 5-15 levels depending on how good you are and what you find.

2. Game that wants to let you control what your character is. Characters that rely on skills play by these rules. This is far easier and most characters only need survivability equipment even in Hell (they'll be slow without +skills or -resist or teleport but still doable). They can also often play for 20+ levels between needing to get new equipment or even play naked.

3. Game that wants you to farm items but wants you to build up crafting materials to make your stuff, so you're not relying on RNG as much since you'll always amass these things over time. Diablo 2 doesn't really go that far in this direction but runewords kind of do it.

These 3 systems don't really work well together unless you are ready to accept that game balance is fucked and some characters requires 50 hours to finish hell even by a pretty good player while others can be casually speed run there in 5-10 hours even by a novice player.

IMO the biggest problem with runewords is that there is so few of them that there's only 1 or 2 valid options for characters at any level/difficulty range. There really needs to be like 10x as many runewords (ontop of a better crafting system in general so you don't have to refer to a wiki). And high level runewords are gay as fuck, its the low to mid level ones that are more interesting. Anything related to farming after you've beaten hell is gay as fuck anyway.

Yes

D2 should have probably focused more on being a solid fun-to-play ARPG with proper player progression and less of an item simulator.

As bad as D3 is, I feel like some of it's mechanics were a step in the right direction - artisans that essentially level with you (although implementation could have been way better), more configurable skills that synergise with others proper, rather than flat bonuses for picking other skills, health orbs so you aren't just endlessly chugging rejuvs all the time, etc.

I just want a good hack-n-slash roguelite dungeon crawler of old-Blizzard quality. Is that too much to ask?

 

[Great Deceiver]

Yes, it's far too much to ask. In the grim darkness of the present, there's only dangerhair.

 

[Artyoan]

Not an expert by any means but imo: Runewords should have been less powerful than uniques on the whole and sets should have given not only stats for completion but a unique active spell/skill or two only obtainable by the set. I would always push for gear that can change the way the player plays, not just efficiency increases to the same routine.

After playing D2 with a controller for a while I no longer buy the idea that capping player skill slots makes any sense at all just to be console friendly. Modifier keys work just fine.

 

[Zlaja]

Regardless of what you think of runewords, at least you aren't force to use any of them to beat hell mode with any character class. I think the best way to play, IMO, is to either just use certain runes for their properties (as you would gems), or be ok with making some lower tier runewords, but make them a bit later on in the game when they no longer feel OP.

Multiplayer players needed more loot

It's always the multiplayer fags fucking everything up.
You wanna play with friends? Go outside!

After playing D2 with a controller for a while I no longer buy the idea that capping player skill slots makes any sense at all just to be console friendly

After trying D2R with a controller for a while, I stuck with it. Easier using my shouts with a Frenzy Barb, without having to switch back & forth all the time.

 

[SomeGuyWithAnOpinion]

After trying D2R with a controller for a while, I stuck with it. Easier using my shouts with a Frenzy Barb, without having to switch back & forth all the time.

This python script will allow you to use QWER for quick-casting. Press the button the change to the skill, cast it, then switch back. All of this is instant.

You will need to bind the Q,W,E,R keys to your ability slot keys in-game (or change the script to use Key.f1 through Key.f4), and F7 and F8 keys to be your "default abilities", that is, what it will change back to after using a skill (the slot for your right click skill).

I wrote this in like an hour right after D2R came out, then I stopped using it because PD2 is better and has quick-casting built-in, so I don't need it anymore.

This is probably VERY crusty, it might not even work at all. Use it at your own risk.

from pynput import keyboard as KB
from pynput.keyboard import Key, Listener
from pynput.keyboard import Controller as KController
from pynput.mouse import Controller as MController, Button as MButton, Listener as MListener

enable_wheelmouse = True
default_ability_key1 = Key.f7
default_ability_key2 = Key.f8
ability_key_1 = 'q'
ability_key_2 = 'w'
ability_key_3 = 'e'
ability_key_4 = 'r'
ability_key_5 = '['
ability_key_6 = ']'
#ability_key_1 = Key.f1
#ability_key_2 = Key.f2
#ability_key_3 = Key.f3
#ability_key_4 = Key.f4
#ability_key_5 = Key.f5
#ability_key_6 = Key.f6
#ability_key_7 = ''
#ability_key_8 = ''
shift_key = Key.shift_r

default_ability = default_ability_key2

keyboard = KController()
mouse = MController()

held_shift = False

def getKeyIgnoreCase(key, value):
    return key.upper() == value or key.lower() == value

def on_press(key):
    global ability_key_1
    global ability_key_2
    global ability_key_3
    global ability_key_4
    global ability_key_5
    global ability_key_6
    #global ability_key_7
    #global ability_key_8
    global shift_key
    global held_shift
    global keyboard
    global mouse
    print('{0} pressed'.format(
        key))
    try:
        if getKeyIgnoreCase(key.char,ability_key_1) and held_shift == False:
            press_ability_btn(ability_key_1)
        if getKeyIgnoreCase(key.char,ability_key_2) and held_shift == False:
            press_ability_btn(ability_key_2)
        if getKeyIgnoreCase(key.char,ability_key_3) and held_shift == False:
            press_ability_btn(ability_key_3)
        if getKeyIgnoreCase(key.char,ability_key_4) and held_shift == False:
            press_ability_btn(ability_key_4)
        if getKeyIgnoreCase(key.char,ability_key_5) and held_shift == False:
            press_ability_btn(ability_key_5)
        if getKeyIgnoreCase(key.char,ability_key_6) and held_shift == False:
            press_ability_btn(ability_key_6)
    except AttributeError:
        #handle keys which aren't alphanumeric
        #This is a horrible hack!
        if key == ability_key_1 and held_shift == False:
            press_ability_btn(ability_key_1)
        if key == ability_key_2 and held_shift == False:
            press_ability_btn(ability_key_2)
        if key == ability_key_3 and held_shift == False:
            press_ability_btn(ability_key_3)
        if key == ability_key_4 and held_shift == False:
            press_ability_btn(ability_key_4)
        if key == ability_key_5 and held_shift == False:
            press_ability_btn(ability_key_5)
        if key == ability_key_6 and held_shift == False:
            press_ability_btn(ability_key_6)
        #if key == Key.shift or key == Key.shift_r:
        if key == shift_key:
            held_shift = True
            print('Setting shift {0}'.format(held_shift))

def on_release(key):
    global held_shift
    global keyboard
    global mouse
    print('{0} release'.format(
        key))
    #if key == Key.shift or key == Key.shift_r:
    if key == shift_key:
        held_shift = False
        print('Setting shift {0}'.format(held_shift))

def on_scroll(x,y,dx,dy):
    global default_ability
    global enable_wheelmouse
    
    print('Scrolled the mouse {0}'.format(
        'down' if dy < 0 else 'up'))

    if enable_wheelmouse == False:
        pass
    else:
        #swap our default ability
        if dy > 0:
            default_ability = default_ability_key2
        else:
            default_ability = default_ability_key1

        #change to ability - press ability button
        #keyboard.press(default_ability)
        #keyboard.release(default_ability)

def press_ability_btn(key):
    global keyboard
    global mouse
    global default_ability
    global held_shift

    print("ABILITY BUTTON {}".format(key))

    #if we aren't holding shift, we need to in order to cast abilities properly
    #when we are hovering over or highlighting an object
    #This should probably be optional
    #if held_shift == False:
    #    keyboard.press(Key.shift)
    #    shifted = True
    #else:
    #    shifted = False

    #change to ability - press ability button
    #keyboard.press(key)
    #keyboard.release(key)

    #click right mouse button
    mouse.press(MButton.right)
    mouse.release(MButton.right)

    #return to previous selection
    keyboard.press(default_ability)
    keyboard.release(default_ability)

    #release shift
    #if shifted == True:
        #keyboard.release(Key.shift)

def on_click(x,y, button, pressed):
    print("Mouse button {0} was pressed (state {1})".format(button,pressed))


# Collect keyboard events
klistener = Listener(
        on_press=on_press,
        on_release=on_release)
klistener.start()

# Collect mouse events
mlistener = MListener(
        #on_move=on_move,
        on_scroll=on_scroll,
        on_click=on_click
        )
mlistener.start()


while True:
    pass

 

[Arbiter]

D2R is on sale again.

 

[Average Manatee]

Is Diablo 3 worth the $6.60?

 

[Atlantico]

Is Diablo 3 worth the $6.60?

Debatable. But eh why not. If you get an hour or two's worth of entertainment out of it

 

[Ryzer]

You should get 6$ for playing Diablo 3 tbh.

 

[Average Manatee]

Does the Prime Evil pack include everything or are there in-game purchases you need to be competitive?

You should get 6$ for playing Diablo 3 tbh.

Maybe but then $6 to let me more accurately shit on the game.

 

[Atlantico]

Does the Prime Evil pack include everything or are there in-game purchases you need to be competitive?

I think it includes all expansions and everything, D3 is end-of-life

 

[Average Manatee]

Wasn't sure whether it was one of those games where they nickle and dime you for crap like inventory space or something. Only knew that it's , not how far down it went.