I will not relitigate the argument that I have made in regards to split playerbase. I’ll simply highlight some key points of note. D2 on PC is currently split in 4 game modes on 4 servers (Total of 16 divisions). For D2R in my example, it will only be 8. Therefore, my suggestion has less splits and presumably there will be far more total players in D2R in 2021 and beyond, than the number of current D2 players. Therefore, player density with my splits would be much, much higher than what is observed currently for D2.
I do not play hardcore, but I like the idea that other players have that choice. I do not advocate for the removal of hardcore since it splits the playerbase. Having seasons splits the playerbase. I do not advocate for its removal either. Options and freedom of choice are good things.
Blizzard will sell the game on 3 consoles, irrespective of whether or not this splits the playerbase. The idea that D2R should be PC only so that the playerbase is not split demonstrates a fundamental lack of understanding.
The other key point is that it is not about divisions per se. Simply put, you need to also consider the total number of players. 100 players split evenly 4 ways is 25 players per split. 200 player split evenly 8 ways is 25 players per split. Since instanced loot is not the standard in modern aRPGs, sales will diminish, if players are not given an option. Sales will also diminish if D2R is not offered on consoles.
Loot the way it is now is much better. It makes loot feel more valuable, and more exciting.
Say what you want, but that Ber rune dropping in Chaos and having 6 people run to pick up at once gives you such a nice adrenaline rush. Even if you don’t get it.
While I put a lot of weight on David’s opinions and am a huge fan, I disagree with him on this.
That is why my suggestion keeps global loot as an option for those that prefer it. My suggestion just adds another item to the menu for those who prefer instanced loot.
I don’t like it. It will stray too far from what D2 is. If you’re not fast enough to pick up loot and can’t handle someone taking a drop before your eyes, you should stick to private games imo.
That is fine. Don’t play with the option selected for instanced loot. I do not like to play hardcore, I select softcore at character creation. I do not advocate for the removal of hardcore. I respect that others prefer something I dislike.
It is not about whether I can handle it or not. Global loot promotes ninja looting and leeching. Global loot also creates issues due to server ping.
Do you agree that server ping/lag (assuming the same quality of home internet) increases on average the further that you get away from the server? How can I pick up loot that has not even appeared on my screen due to lag? D2R on PC is on a global server.
What if someone wants to play with you in a public game but they see that it’s instanced loot and it discourages them from joining? You’re dividing the community more than it already is.
Also, comparing HC vs SC against how the way loot drops is a strawman. If Skill trees are the heart of the game, and itemization is the brain of the game, Loot drops are the backbone, and changing it will change the entire essence of what D2 is. Once you implement this drastic change, more D3 fans will come out and ask for more changes like unlimited respec/level 99 in a day/remove hostility/remove immunity/etc. This will lead the game to become D3 lite, which will be a disaster.
This is something you have to accept if you make a public game. I’ve had noobs loot big drops from me in Chaos runs while i was leveling them, and I got upset for maybe 10 seconds, and I moved on. Once again, make a private game.
Can you explain to me what is being eradicated if one can choose global loot or personal loot on a per game or alternatively at character creation?
This is something I have to accept if I play D2 (2000). For D2R, I can advocate for another option.
I have gig internet. It does not help for those in other parts of the world if they need to contact a server in the US. For example, login to D3. Play a few games on the Amerca, EU, and Asia servers. Check your ping. I bet you ping will vary.
For me, the lowest to highest ping are the America then EU then Asia servers.
The mechanism of loot drops is not the backbone of the game. This is irrelevant to solo and only applies to multiplayer. Are you saying solo players do not play D2, because that player gets all the drops?
As some argue the stamina bar is pointless after the first few levels, why not adding e.g. a stamina drain like for resistences. Then managing stamina will also be a thing on nm and hell. Why not going this way?
On the personal loot discussion, I am not even sure it can be that easily implemented. As d2r is basically “just” a graphic layer on top of d2, the question is if d2 code is actually allowing such a change that easily. I would imagine personal loot would work differently then you are used in d3. More like everyone gets the same item but can pick up only one, like the standard of heros, which is actually a personal loot if you will.
I’m not usually the person to say this… but… if u want personal loot or non shared loot… go play D3 or POE.
its one thing to add a loot filter, or a charm inventory, things that don’t affect balance in any way and are simple QOL changes.
Even increasing the drop rate of vex+ runes so its something actually reasonable, for an economy that’s not inflated with a million bots.
but you want to change so i cant pick up a loot that drops even though im right next to it or i killed the monster?.. umm HELL NO
Your comment is a logical fallacy. It would be like me arguing that since D2 has global loot, you should just play that and leave D2R for instanced loot. Both are invalid arguments.
A happy compromise is to have both available at character creation similar to how we select softcore versus hardcore and seasons versus non-season. You can still choose the old way while others choose instanced loot. You lose nothing. Your game remains the same. Other player can choose a separate option. I do not play hardcore and yet I do not advocate for its removal. It is a choice.
umm and how the hell would that work? if i choose global and u choose instanced?
would i still get loot for a /player 2 game?
if i dont, then you just nerfed MY drop rates.
if i do… then you just BUFFED overall drop rates if i play with a friend and we share items.
then look at another scenario
lets assume you make a game and everyone player is forced to have instanced or shared loot.
is my loot visible to you? , if it is what if u find an item i want and you don’t pick it up? do i scream at you all game?
if your loot invisible to me… what happens if u find an item i want and you ignore it. and i don’t know you even found it.
you don’t think that is going to affect the economy?
NO, your idea of “i lose nothing” is false
am i supposed to get lower drop rates in an 8 player becuase you choose “personal loot"personal loot”
am i going to be force to have to play with my friend and have 1 player choose one of each drop rate for better efficiency?
how many items are being dropped that no one is picking up that other people might want and are being instantly removed from the economy as soon as they are added.
YOU dont think of the consequences of a change like this…
Yeah, and make a drastic change that will damage what the game is supposed to be.
Too bad. I wish I could play with other servers across the world too, but high ping is what I will have to deal with and accept. Not everyone can have everything. You don’t change how the game works because some people have high ping.
It absolutely is the backbone. Trading/Loot mechanics are the backbone and what people make excited. What you’re proposing will effect the economy drastically because people will get 8x loot rolls on countess kills, 8x loot rolls on Baal kills, 8x loot rolls on Nihlathak kills, and it will be a mess. Imagine 8 people in 1 game getting loot rolls on Keys of Terror/Hate/Destruction. Torches would be worthless. If you were to fix that in a different way such as if everyone gets their own fraction of the total loot that drops, then nobody will play in public games then. You are creating a disgusting mess either way.
I have explained this already. Please see my earlier post. The total number of drops in a multiplayer global loot game would be similar/identical to an instanced loot game. Assume there are X total drops in an 8 player, global loot game. In an instanced loot 8 player game, each player gets X/8 drops. The total number of drops remain constant.
The way I personally play over battle net is, that once I beat Baal on Hell once, I usually MF alone and trade, till I get my BiS… and only then do I join public exp Diablo and Baal runs, with zero expectation of picking up any loot.
Although I’m a purist in many regards, I wouldn’t care if there’s instanced (personal) loot.
However, I would like to remind David Brevik, as well as other players, that Diablo 2 is a game, where the party does not necessarily need to stay together (unless they are farming exp).
So if Blizzard were to implement instanced loot, they would have to account for scenarios such as one player killing Andariel in Act1, while 7 others are killing Baal in Act5 and figure out, whether the 7 players should have loot from Andy waiting for them or not.
As to the stamina bar, I’d say it doesn’t need to be removed.
The interface needs an update, and the stamina bar can become a stamina ring:
xxhttps://i.imgur.com/3SmAvyJ.jpg
The thing I find pretty funny, is that 1.10 was supposed to promote party based progression. Instead, it really destroyed it. The original core of D2 was unique classes that had their own identity, as well as toolkits for party play (Paladin auras, Barbarian shouts, etc). The synergies that promoted more of self dps play with less room for party based skills and OS runewords that took away from some of the individual uniqueness of each class (Enigma, CtA, Infinity, etc).
Instanced Loot I feel would add some variety back into party play again. Imagine other public games other than “HELP!” or “Baal run 10,009” like, giving groups incentives to make public key runs, etc. It would be a breath of fresh air for public play to have a loot system that didn’t promote greed over need, even if they found a more fair way to distribute global loot. Just telling people to play in a private game as many have, does nothing to promote party play, and splits the online playerbase.
I keep seeing this comment and wanted to give my feedback on it. This is actually a good thing for the game. D2 is on the extreme end when it comes to rarity in drop rates when compared to other diablo games. The drop rates do need to be adjusted in my opinion, but the devs said that this is not currently something they can do at this time. Right now the reason why D2 drop rates work (somewhat) is because of two things; Bots and trading. If we eliminate bots we are left with trading. My opinion is that the more players playing this game the larger the economy and the cheaper the prices will get allowing the average/casual player to have access to better gear or materials(runes).
I hope that millions of players will get this game I really do. But based on the odds of some of the most coveted items in this game (not just 87 TC), its not likely that the average/casual player will ever get to the high end gear they want to experience with shorter seasons. So having more loot drops will artificially increase the economy to allow for cheaper price trade especially if they plan to make the season 2-3 months long.
On a side note to a few other posters with sardonic remarks, this is not D2, its D2R and it wont be the same game.
I really am enjoying reading this posts thread. I see a lot of passionate players discussing good arguments. I hope that people continue to inform/educate the vocal minority who consider themselves purist and want absolutely no changes at all. In my opinion, the D2R team won’t do anything that will hurt the game in the long run.
Yeah no, it sounds like a mess and the game will turn into D3 lite.
This is what the game always is, though. You’re not supposed to get far if you’re a casual player. You get further the more you play and put time into it, and it’s what D2 players like about it, and this is why Path of Exile is the most popular ARPG on the market right now.
You don’t get far if you don’t work hard, that applies in both the real world, and games. If they cater to you D3 players, the game will be another failure on what it’s supposed to accomplish for the D2 fans. I say leave the game alone and go back to D3, and that’s not meant to be an insult towards you. D4 is looking to be D3 with a darker atmosphere, so you can play D3 until it comes out and let us play D2 the way it’s supposed to be played.