I’ve been watching a lot of footage of D2R and I think the game looks gorgeous. There are a few things here and there that aren’t aesthetically my preference, I still think the Amazon needs a lot of work, but those are minor cosmetic things. What I’m concerned about is the automap.
I haven’t actually looked it up to see if it’s possible to change it, but it seems to me like it’s stuck in a small corner of the screen. That’s something I really don’t like in D3. With the D2 automap, I can center the little cross exactly where my character is and it makes navigating on the map very intuitive, it’s something I got used to. I still prefer the D1 automap which had cleaner/thinner lines and was less intrusive, but I think D2’s one is the second best.
However, if the automap is in the corner of the screen, while it’s still not a huge deal, it does make you take your eyes away from the screen to be looking at the corner.
As far as I know, PoE allows you to choose between a fullscreen automap similar to D2’s, or a small one in the corner of the screen. If that option is made available in D2R, so that I can use my BEEG automap again, I would be a slightly happier individual.
In D2 you could put the minimap in the corner or over the entire screen. You could also change the level of transparency of the lines so you might have been able to get it more like the map in D1 that you liked even more. From what I’ve seen watching streamers during the tech alpha, D2:R has the same options, but with the addition of allowing you to select the other corner as well. There are some bugs and things that could be cleaned up with the map though, like some things not standing out as well as in D2, and the map doesn’t stay centered on the character if inventory or character screen is opened.
Current D2 we can switch between top left, top right and overlay. I haven’t watched other than what we talked about yesterday. Is the map in a box like in D3?
I also didn’t like seeing the little box pop up telling Rhykker he has a skill available. One of the iconic aspects of D2 is the TING! when leveling up, which I didn’t listen for in his stream. I hope they didn’t remove that sound.
I also didn’t see his character level on the character tab.
Something else I don’t like is the experience bar on the hud. Too D3 for me, I love watching my little xp bar creep alone and using the textured art of the hud as goals and milestones to aim for.
From what I can tell, the sound wasn’t changed. It also shows a black box saying “You leveled up, apply skill points”, or something of the sort.
Man, I’ve played the game since I was a baby who could barely read and legit didn’t know that. I always use the default fullscreen overlay and love it. The more you know.
The map isn’t in a little box thankfully, it’s only in the top right corner of the screen. So my worries seem to be unnecessary.
It does look exactly like D3’s. Not something that bothers me (I do play that game a lot after all), but I definitely see where you’re coming from. The whole hud is basically like the D3 hud with a D2 skin and a different layout of things.
I also think the fonts overall are a little bit too “clean”. I do like that the fives now look like proper fives though
Then I worried for nothing
I don’t mind the default transparency, I just prefer the aesthetic of the D1 automap, with a clean top down “blueprint” style rather than an isometric “projection”. It reminds me a lot of Doom, Star Wars Dark Forces, and other 90’s shooters like that. I’m fairly sure that was where they took the idea from, actually.
Okay, if we are being honest and demonstrating our noobness, I did know we could right click to top off tombs, keys and the belt until about 5 years ago. Further more, when I was killing Diablo with throwing potions I didn’t think to sell my potions to top them up so I wouldn’t run out.
I still don’t know 100% how the telekinesis skill works (what things it can interact with and what things it can’t). I know you can open chests, activate waypoints, and I believe you can get shrines with it as well (not sure), but there are occasionally moments when I expect it to work and it doesn’t (can’t name any right now but it did happen)
Ah duh. I’m a bit dyslexic, didn’t get that.
Well, I am okay with it being an option. That kind of reminder should be helpful to newbies, but I like to disable that kind of stuff. Most games I know let you do that. So yeah, Blizzard, make that optional.
My most embarrassing moments with telekinesis, still, is when I try to click on a barrel or pot while having show item activated and I scream at the screen “why aren’t you working!”.
It’s a really weird skill. Still, super useful and underrated.
Another thing I only noticed a few years ago, even though I play assassin a lot, is that she has a special dialogue line when you get that kunai in act 3 (I can’t spell the name of that thing), calling it a delicious blade.
Edit: I can spell it now, the Gidbinn. If I attempted without googling it, the result would probably be something like the Gibbdim
TK works on a lot of stuff… it used to work on items, but they patched that early on. It is still very useful, working on keys, portals, waypoints, seals, gold, potions, wells, shrines, and some things I’m probably forgetting. It can also be spammed to stunlock mobs while your merc kills them.
Interesting, I have a collection of Japanese throwing knives, and reflecting on the Gidbin, you’re right, but none of the actual throwing knives in the game closely resemble them.
Interestingly enough (you probably know this since you collect them), even though anime and media popularized Kunai as some sort of ninja weapon, it was actually more of a tool, used to dig holes, or used along with a rope for climbing.
Shurikens are even more niche, they were only used as a distraction, because in terms of damage, you would be better off just throwing a rock at your opponent.
I saw this in an interview with a Japanese old man who is one of the few people alive who know traditional ninjutsu (as in, the one passed hereditarily). Fun stuff
Update: Watching more footage of D2R, I noticed a little QoL addition that I like. They put a refresh button on the gambling and vending NPCs. Saves the time from going out of town and back to reset his wares.
I can’t run at all due to an injured knee, but I can cover “Running With the Devil” on guitar :v
He’s my favorite rock guitarist’s favorite guitarist.
My favorite rock guitarist is Paul Gilbert and Paul himself is a huge EVH fan.
I love EVH though, although I appreciate him for different reasons than most people. His technique and shredding are surely impressive, he invented the type of guitar that I play (the superstrats, guitars with a strat shape and humbucker pickups/floyd rose bridges), he also popularized tapping, but what I really like are his riffs. As a riff writer, he is rivaled by few (I’d say I equally love Dimeb*g Darrell and Tony Iommi in that department).
I can’t believe I had to censor Dime’s name lol. Thanks, Blizzard. Hard to believe this is the same company that made Rock and Roll Racing.
Further more, when I was killing Diablo with throwing potions I didn’t think to sell my potions to top them up so I wouldn’t run out.