It would hardly be a huge change to the core of what D2 is.
The core of D2 is its gameplay (and, I would argue also its itemisation, which makes the garbage D3 so bland and boring).
Shared loot is one of D2’s few flaws - it’s not needed, it rewards hackers (and whatever massively optimistic view Brandon has of Blizzard, there will be hackers in D2, from day one and always one step ahead of Blizzard), it rewards leechers (who would otherwise only obtain as little as 1/8th of the loot, but now will often get much more), and dis-incentivizes grouping (as you yourself have shown with your “just play solo” comments).
Some people here need to take the rose coloured glasses off, and admit that as fantastically great as D2 is, and as much as we’re all looking forward to it as we are, it wasn’t perfect and it can be improved.
Personal loot would be one of those improvements.
5 Likes
Micro and many others already went through this, but I really think you guys don’t understand how this (whether personal loot or instanced loot) works. You don’t get more overall loot from it, you don’t ‘split’ the loot in some automated process. ‘Split’ the loot means, 8 loot drops (for 8 players), system rolls a die to give each players random loot (1 loot each) from the 8 that dropped. No, it more is, the system rolls a die to give players 1 loot each from the whole item pool.
You may think it’s the same result, 1 loot for each player, it is, but your whole narrative of personal/instanced loot being some sort of icon of ‘division’, ‘unfair, inconsiderate distribution’ is simply thrown out (because it’s not). Didn’t you guys play games like WoW or something?
In case you guys never thought about this, trading is available. You don’t get to moan because you got a ‘useless’ item to you but others could use.
D2 is a 8 players max per room game. ‘Split’ is not what you think it means in a context like this. ‘Split’ means players are divided for good, they can’t interact with each other, total number of player pool is divided, making each game less likely to find players to play with. Not when they’re all in the same mode (only divided by SC/HC).
2 Likes
I addressed that too, which is just as bad as the other suggestions on how to destroy the current loot system. D2 looting is perfect as is, we don’t need to give each player one participation trophy rather than have them fight over the loot they can all see dropped. No way.
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Personal loot can be handled such that no more loot than would have dropped anyway is dropped (so no impact on the value of items), nor does it need to give players “participation trophies” either.
The game when dropping loot in multi-player games can simply conduct a quick, hidden dice roll for each piece of loot, and assign each piece of loot to the winner (it could even be configured to not include the winner of the last piece of loot in the next dice roll).
D2 shared looting is nowhere near perfect, it’s what was necessary (or just expedient) at the time for ease of programming and has no place in modern gaming, as even the games own creator acknowledges.
Blizzard would be mad not to take this opportunity to fix this basic flaw in the original game.
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Exactly, to have specific items that will drop regardless go to specific players randomly is silly. That’s a system for playing who think it’s too hard to compete for the drops that are going to drop regardless.
It’s not a flaw. A flaw would be fundamentally changing the loot system such as making loot instanced. The game has had an active playerbase for 21 years. Blizzard would be mad to change that now to appease casuals who find it too hard to play the game it’s meant to be played. If you don’t like it, wait for D4, or play D3. This is a D2 remaster, not a remake. Loot does NOT need to be altered in ANY way whatsoever.
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I’m pretty sure I’ve not called you any names, so I’d rather not be lumped in as a “casual” just because I think instance loot is far superior to shared loot.
As I’ve enumerated before, shared loot has the following flaws:
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All else being equal, proximity to the server (reduced latency) ensures more loot. Hardly a just system.
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Leechers will get more loot since they won’t be busy DPS’ing a mob down, they’ll just be hovering their mouse over the expected loot drop zone, while I’m actually killing the mob.
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Hackers will get even more loot than leechers if PickIt makes a comeback, as I would absolutely expect it to. Please don’t bother claiming the new Bnet is hack-proof, it’s not, as Wow Retail has demonstrated time and time again.
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It dis-incetivises co-operative play as many people arguing for shared loot have accidentally inferred by retorting “if you don’t like it, play solo games”, which, of course, is what shared loot is precisely going to incentivize many people to do.
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Instanced loot can be made optional in any event by the game creator so that purists such as yourself can continue to use shared loot, and those looking for (I would argue) a better system, can use instanced loot. You could only lose out on this system if you believe that some great percentage of players would choose instance loot, and if you believe that, then why argue for shared loot, eh?
2 Likes
Hackers and botters? I doubt the modern BNET integration would allow it. No where near the extent of what we see currently in D2. If you’re referring to current BNET, then don’t join baal runs ran by bots. Simple.
If it removed any incentive to play cooperatively then you would see that reflected in D2. You can create a game right now in D2 such as “Act 1 start” and have 7 real people join within 10 minutes. I’ve had this happen 2 days ago. That’s a silly argument regarding a game that’s been very alive for 21 years.
Making it optional just splits the community between players who cant handle the game in all its glory, and players who want to play the game the way it’s meant to be played. No, just no.
Again, you can go back to D3 or wait for D4 if you want an entirely different game. Majority of Diablo TWO players, want a remaster that was promised, not a game with fundamental changes to the loot system. This game is clearly not for you.
Clearly it’s not a game for you since you’re in the D3 forums pushing for a fundamental change to D2. If you’re playing with people who are picking up drops before you can even read the text, report them. If its a public Baal run, find one that isn’t run by a bot. Changing the game due to a few bots for things that can be completely avoided is silly. This is a remaster, NOT a remake.
Again, if you want these kinds of changes, play some D3 or wait for D4. Most D2 players are VERY content and happy with the current looting system. You’re in a D3 forum, lots of D3 casuals who want D2 to be as bad as D3 are going to undoubtedly ask for such changes. If it’s an outdated system to you, then don’t bother playing a remaster of a CLASSIC ARPG. Simple.
And of course I’m going to be dismissive. You’re asking for a fundamental change to the looting system in a REMASTER of a game that was perfectly fine as is. QoL changes such as auto gold pickup and shared stash doesn’t change the looting system and muling with other characters was already a thing. If this was a REMAKE, it would be a different story.
Some D2 fans asking for a personal loot feature in D2R.
Another side of D2 fans: SHUT UP D3 fans!
D3 fans: WHAT?
6 Likes
this is not how it would work LOL.
in an 8 player party with instanced loot, you all would still compete over the same drops, some people would get items and some people would get none. just over a fair fight instead of the first one to spam click.
Also,
D2 fan who is in a D3 forum:
(points finger at other D2 fan) You’re in a D3 forum. You’re a D3 fanboi!!
D3 fans: What?
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Yeah. I mean you need to pre-order to post in the D2R forum, so most likely those posters that can post at D2R are pretty much D2 fans, right?
Even so, when D2 fans asking for a change/improvement in D2R in the D2R forum, other D2 fans still able to blame D3 fans (D3 Fans: WHAT?) for that heresy in D2R.
2 Likes
you would have to completely change drops rates, giving 8 players 8x loot and 8xmf to each player is just madness, imagine baal dropping 40 items…
This is not whst anyone asked for.
With global drops in a 8 player global loot game there are X number of total drops. If that same 8 player game was personal loot, each player on aversge would receive X/8 drops. Therefore, the total drop remains constanr at X = X/8 * 8.
Can you stop being disingenuous with this obvious strawman and misinformation? No one is asking for 8x the loot. The proposal was the same amount of loot drops and divided between the players by the game instead of who can click the fastest or has the loot bots.
Seriously it’s like non you have read the thread, even though you all have commented. No one is asking for 8x the loot.
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most the people i see in here are asking for personalized instanced loot, which means people will get all the loot that drops or some people wont even see a single item drop from a boss, both are bad
No to this as well. What ever would have dropped would still drop. The game passes out that loot. You still may get nothing, you still may get everything.
It looks like some people have never played mmos. It is all the same as the original drop but instead of kill each other for it there is a dice that rolls and distribute the loot.
In mmos you can also set the drop rules to define which type of items you want to roll in this fashon and which ones are free for all.
There’s already going to be changes from D2. People arguing about keeping it a pure remaster have already lost.
The three most important changes Blizzard needs to make to D2R for 2021 and the future:
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Larger stash 
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Personal drops 
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Permanent characters
They’ve checked 2 of the 3 boxes. They just need to check the last one.
Those of you arguing for a pure remaster, why do you even need a remaster if original D2 is so perfect? The whole point of updating the game should be to modernize it and fix the problems it has. And yes, shared loot was always a serious problem, and it will be a serious problem. Just go play Path of Diablo or D2: LoD if you don’t want any sensible updates and fixes to a 20 year old game.
You’re worried about the in game economy?
They don’t have to actually change the economy by making personal loot. They can tweak drop rates or implement a system where the economy doesn’t get “8x” the loot. They just need a system where when a player kills Mephisto and sees an Amulet drop, the player can actually get what drops on his screen.
Regarding the inflated economy… You do realize there is only going to be one server right? No more U.S. West & East and Europe and Asia. Everyone will be on one server. The economy will already be flooded. You’re not going to have your elite members only economy as it is. Between the botters, auto pickup players, and one server, you’re going to have in game inflation either way compared to what you think is pure.
Personal loot is one thing D3 got right.
Loot 2.0 was a mess. The graphics were a mess. 4 player multiplayer was a mess. Designing the game around console mechanics was a mess. Skills based too heavily on cooldown were a mess. No plans for PvP was a disaster.
Being able to collect items you fought for and earned? Not a mess.
2 Likes