Dear D2:R dev team,
D2:R is everything the D2 community wished for, but the needs of both “new” and “old” (i.e. still active) players should be borne in mind equally in order to make D2:R a great experience for everyone.
There are ways to bring D2:R to a new audience and simultaneously show veteran players that their 20 years’ efforts were not in vain.
►►► Update: A short clarification due to some misunderstandings in the discussion ◄◄◄
In simple words, the whole thread could be summarized as follows:
"Please give us ANY option to play “old D2 closed battlenet characters” in new D2:R graphics, at least offline in D2:R singleplayer" => Export of save files required
(or on any other isolated D2:R realm, thus not in conflict with new players’ fresh/clean start of D2:R)
For detailled information, how this could be executed, please read on!
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A fresh start for all new players on modern battlenet
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No bots/dupes/hacks from “old D2” contaminating their D2:R experience
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An option for today’s D2 closed battlenet characters to continue their journey in D2:R graphics without violating point 1) and 2).
These points have to be harmonized and I want to show that this is possible!
Option A) “The Retirement Home”
Moving/converting today’s closed battlenet characters to a separate D2:R server, with no connection of any kind to the rest of the new D2:R universe (i.e. no trading, not even access to the same games).
[Identification or unambiguous assignment to BattleTags could be achieved by using the e-mail address attached to your BattleTag and comparing it with the e-mail address deposited “in-game old D2”, originally used for password recovery purposes]
Option B) “Local Heroes”
Exporting/transfering today’s D2 closed battlenet characters to D2:R singleplayer, with no access to D2:R closed battlenet.
[e.g. by sending the exports to the e-mail address deposited “in-game old D2”, originally used for password recovery purposes. Alternatively, there could be a browser-login, where players can find and download their character saves, simply by entering their D2 in-game Account/Password]
Ideally, there might also be a multiplayer option for D2:R singleplayer characters again, similar to today’s “D2 Open battlenet”.
Note:
In order for Option B) to work, Ladder Runewords need to be enabled for D2:R singleplayer, as they also are part of “old D2” closed battlenet.
This would be a logical step anyway, as Ladder Uniques are available in singleplayer mode, too (and the reactions to the BlizzCon Q&A show, that the majority of players would like to see Ladder Runewords in D2:R singleplayer)
Please keep in mind, that closed battlenet players spent years and thousands of hours improving their characters and that’s the one important thing that hasn’t been addressed in D2:R so far and really should be solved.
Many veterans will rather skip D2:R with a heavy heart or quit, than lose everything.
There’s probably many players on the realms, who are still of two minds about D2:R, only waiting for this single feature to be confirmed, so they can place their order without worries.
All they want is to play their cherished characters in shiny D2:R!
There simply has to be an option for them.
Hopefully, it has become clear, that this request isn’t contradictory to a “fair and fresh start”, if well executed.
You’ve come so far and everything revealed about D2:R until now, aside from this one missing feature, is absolutely mind-blowing.
This is so important for us, so please make sure, that the release of D2:R will be a great day for everyone, both “old” and “new” players.
Please give this matter a careful in-depth consideration.
Thank you for your time and attention!