Dear Blizz,
If you haven’t already, go read the DH Balance Proposal:
Done? Ok, good. Let’s talk.
Look, I get it. There’s a lot to take in. A lot of changes suggested, a lot of numbers to consider. And furthermore, I would understand if your opinion was basically that dmkt, the DH community, not to mention me, Free, and every other two-bit-backseat-driving-wannabe-game-designer “doth protest too much”.
After all, most of us paid roughly $50-100 six to eight years ago, and have in return received several thousand hours of entertainment. Quite a bargain!
I also get that at this point, this game is basically like some ancient city, new edifices built over last year’s ruins. And that planning new additions in such a city can be complicated, if not downright treacherous, since you’re never quite sure what you’re building on top of.
But: we’re all here- still here- because we love this game. Somehow, it scratches that itch that nothing else quite gets at. And what most of us really want is just to see this game become the best version of itself. D4 is coming- we all know that, too- and when it gets here, D3 will probably be largely abandoned. When that happens, it would be a great thing if what remained was something keenly felt, finely forged, and well balanced.
After all, there are so many items - so many!- that are triumphs of design, both aesthetically and in terms of gameplay, that have fallen completely out of use simply because the numbers associated with them are 1/2, 1/10th, or 1/100th of what they need to be, or because the mechanics involved are just slightly out of step with what is needed.
That’s a tragedy.
I get it: fixing this problem may be more difficult than it seems. There are systems within systems that people on the outside, like dmkt or I, cannot see or reckon with. Fine.
If these are the wrong numbers, then give us the right ones. If the mechanics suggested here are too complicated, then create something simpler. In the end, it is really not about the particular numbers. It is about the desire of most players to be able to make use of more of the amazing stuff in this amazing game without feeling like they’re walking through concrete or beating their heads against the wall. It is about people wanting to compete on a playing field that is, if not nearly level, at least not a vertical cliff.
Let me conclude by saying: if D3 were abandoned today, it would still be a great game. Sometimes confusing? Yes. Often frustrating? Hell, yes! Full of sadly untapped potential? Obviously. And yet great in spite of all this (and occasionally, because of all this). But there’s really no reason that the end state of this game has to be a “beautiful mess”. A broader sense of balance is possible, and I think if such a thing is achieved, it will guarantee that people will still play this old game for many years to come.
Best Wishes,
Rage