If they're planning on releasing SC2 in 2010...they've better get the ball rolling on that beta. I doubt Acti-blizz would want to have to push BOTH SC2 and Cataclysm to a holiday release, and Chris Sigaty I believe said that he wanted to have a 6 month beta period. Also, I'm getting impatient. #diabloiii
@ThisCharmingMan: They had beta signups (or rather opt-ins) a few months ago, right? Beta should be getting started soon, if not already under way (I think there's currently a very, very closed beta -- eg special invite only. This is sometimes referred to as focus testing, but I personally believe SCII is beyond that stage) #diabloiii
@RealmRPGer: I chatted with a few of the guys at Blizzcon...they still think the Zerg air units are terribly underpowered. The vibe there didn't seem like they were ready at all. I'm still under the opinion that the game is not done. #diabloiii
@ThisCharmingMan: That sounds like a balance issue and would typically be something that devs would consider perfect for beta testing. However, Blizz seems to have adopted the idea of "if it's not perfect, try a different idea" instead of a process of refining.
The Beta process is meant for this kind of process of refinement. A Beta is not "it's perfect, let's let people play it." A beta is meant to find bugs, improve quality, and balance the game. It's generally considered silly to "perfect" your balance internally, because developers are classically similar minded. You need a broader audience to run into cases of "huh, I didn't think of that."
Also, six months is an extremely long beta. If everything is supposed to already be perfectly balanced, I have no idea why they feel the need to spend so much time in it. #diabloiii
@RealmRPGer: I thought six months was a long period as well, but that's what they said. You're right about the balance issue being a perfect thing to tackle in the beta, but I think they're looking to have a completely balanced game internally, and then see how users exploit different options that they haven't noticed in their own offices. I mean, if THEY think there's a big balance issue I'm sure they don't need a beta to confirm it. #diabloiii
all the doom and gloom for diablo III is silly. like there could possbily be any doubt the game will release. diablo III is not ghost, by which i mean it's not not a spin off of a popular title in an entirely new genre. it's a straight up sequel, there isn't a chance in hell it won't come out short of the company failing.
also, i love that not only is WoW in all three categories it's in 2010 twice. blizzard knows where its bread is buttered.
@tetracycloide: Actually, I think it's on there three times for 2010. I think the last line says "China Online" which would mean them resolving the issues the country is having with keeping WoW on servers. #diabloiii
Whether you like Battle.net or not, you are going to have to use it. I highly recommend setting up a free email address to use as your login, though. Beloved did and is already getting spam from gold sellers and keylogger on this address which has never been used for anything else.
I'm still leaving it until the last minute. Given the recent problems for those that bit the bullet early and merged their accounts I feel better waiting. Once it's mandatory they'll be forced to keep right on top of those issues.
Wow a Penguin, woopie doo! It'll take more than that to win me over to transfer my account to battlenet. I haven't had a active account for over a year now, so unless I get free playing time then no thank you Bliz.
Only have the first WoW, no expansion and one character that's lvl 19 so NO BIG LOSS for me if I have to start over and buy a new account. Because by the time I'll get one is once they release the complete package with all the expansion for a REASONABLE price (which probably never in my life time).
@biggerx: I played the beta and I did own a account with higher lvl but for the life of me I can't figure out my user name and email that I used at the time. I think I used Excite email but I'm pretty sure that account is long and gone.
I'm just saying that it really should be a mandatory thing for WoW accounts to be integrated with Battlenet but a voluntary one and by doing that you'll get the penguin pet (which everyone will have :rolls eyes). By threatening that I'll loose my WoW account or can't play it if I don't. It doesn't fair well with me because then I'll be expected to do a another hassle in the future or lose my account again. Would I be upset because of this, well for this game not really but it's the principle of it and well because I didn't invest too much back into the game when I bought a new account. I know eventually someone will point out the stupid ToS clause. If it was something that was seamless like how STEAM did their upgrades then it wouldn't really matter but as a PC gamers with multiple accounts with multiple gaming log in, I do not feel that I need to create a new one for something I already did when I first created it.
Also calling me a scrub just because I'm not into WoW really shows your character as a person. I feel pity for you and hopefully you'll grow up in time.
@MikeRox: I'm not in the UK, I'm in the US. I might wait until the next expansion comes out and if it's still reasonably priced I'll get it. It's just that I'm not into MMOs like I was use to and I can't sit playing hours on end either, I must be getting old :p.
@Neko_Tech:
So you're complaining that you need to do a 5 minute registration process (for free I might add) if you ever want to go back to your crummy account. Just to note you won't lose it but simply won't be able to play til you merge.
Seriously big whoop, a quick signup is hardly a hassle.
@Covertghost:
@Odin:
Who cares if it's free, would you want HIV/AIDS if I offer it to you for free?
The Battlenet 2 was a optional thing before now it's mandatory. I don't care that it takes 1min or 5min to set up the account for something that I've already registered for. To set up another account that I have to keep track of just so Acti/Bliz makes sure that I don't sell my account (I don't but that's beside the point).
I'd be laughing my ass off if Battlenet 2 falls apart and they end up dropping it and revert to the old system.
I don't care for BN2, I'm not saying it isn't good and I'm sure it'll add many services that people will like. But I don't see why people like me who don't care to have the extra (mostly social networking) have to create a account again on something that already works. Why can't they have both is beyond me? I mean would it hurt you the gamers if it were a optional choice?
@Neko_Tech: "To set up another account that I have to keep track of..."
The point that you may be missing is that this does not give you one more account to manage, as it is simply replacing one you've already got. And if you ever plan to buy any Blizzard games in the future, it actually reduces the number of different accounts for you to juggle, by consolidating them into a single one.
@jesterspawn: I know if you have other Blizzard games it'll be easy to keep track of like how STEAM does it. Fine I got the idea (I never said it didn't, I just have WoW) but it seams that most of you replying back are just going with the flow. I'm not trying to get oh they should stop it, NO I never said that at all. It's great that they're doing something that might benefit most gamers but I don't see why that it has to be mandatory. Also note that I KNEW what Valve was doing with STEAM when they first started going all digital on how it may be great on how one account does all but yet severely limiting your rights as a gamer and consumer.
@pressstart: I never said I thought highly of myself. I'm just stating out that WE should have a CHOICE. If you haven't noticed that overall companies these days don't give us choices anymore.
@rageofthemage: After a good rest and coming back to read that made me LOL. Don't say that I don't have a sense of humor and I do understand both side of the coin but most have forgotten to look at it both sides and what it means to us as a consumer and as a gamer. People are just going along with Blizz just because most people think they can do no wrong (like STEAM).
I'm not afraid of change, but come one the new Battlenet2 only support 3 (4 if you count the new MMO they've been working on) games and that doesn't sound like it's worth it using a single account integration for. If they (Blizz) actually had more games and if somehow it uses not only Blizz games but Activision then I may see the point.
@To all the rest: I'm not trying to STOP Blizz at all but I was just speaking out my mind but apparently most of you readers take it way to personally. I know I have a choice to follow or not and most likely I wouldn't because it's not for me but I did not state that YOU and EVERYONE should do the same.
Here's my a point, let's say you have a WoW account and Diablo 3/Starcraft 2 also tied in (when released) and you have multiple computers. You bring one of your friend over and they want to try out D3 or SC2 since they're not into MMO. You let them try it and while you let them play, you wanted to play WoW, well since it's tied to your account only one of you can play those games. Yes I know that may not happen to a lot of you but for people who have siblings or significant others it will be a hindrance.
My only complaint about Battle.Net is the forced e-mail address as the username. I prefer actual usernames over e-mail addresses, in case I don't use a service for a while. Much easier to just type "bob42" or whatever then tons of old e-mail addresses trying to remember what one it was.
@drakino: I don't know about you but it's always easier for me to remember an actual email address rather than a username that I might have tweaked if the site I was using already had it taken...
At first I was going to be mad about ActiBlizzion forcing me to join their evil battle.net conspiracy. Then I saw that there was a FAQ, and all was fixed.
Diablo 2 is one of those games that I find myself reinstalling at least once a year. I've owned it since it first came out, and there is always something that brings me back. Within the past few reinstalls I find myself wanting to go through the entire game as if it were my first time playing, but I ultimatly realize that Battlenet contains no one who wants to experience the game. They just want gear and want to be rushed. Maybe because bnet's chat/friend system is awful, but I have never actually found a decent person to play with in my time on it. That then leads me to get bored playing alone and tired of trying. Rinse, repeat.
I decided to pick up Diablo 2 again just recently, and I was sort of surprised by just how simplistic a game it is. Click, click, click.....clickclickclick........clccilcclciclcclicilclciclclic...!!! Check items...clickclickclickclcickclcickcli....
@Quilt: And then [if you're like me] about halfway through the game you figure out that holding down left mouse button makes it attack continuously rather than needing to click constantly.
Actually Brian, I kind of felt the same way after playing Diablo III at Blizzcon. I waited patiently for my 20 minute session to begin, excited to see how this game felt, and I've gotta say, my experience was underwhelming. Diablo III isn't going to have much of a new audience, to say the least. I felt incredibly detached from all the cool stuff happening on the screen. I didnt really feel a part of the action, especially with three other buddies teaming up and taking care of mobs with me. Who knows how the actual finished product will feel though, considering this game is easily two years away. It just felt too much like 'click a bunch of shit and watch generic sword or generic boot fall on the ground.' I'm sure Diablo fans will love it, because it seems this game is really for them, and them only.
11/12/09
11/12/09
11/12/09
11/13/09
The Beta process is meant for this kind of process of refinement. A Beta is not "it's perfect, let's let people play it." A beta is meant to find bugs, improve quality, and balance the game. It's generally considered silly to "perfect" your balance internally, because developers are classically similar minded. You need a broader audience to run into cases of "huh, I didn't think of that."
Also, six months is an extremely long beta. If everything is supposed to already be perfectly balanced, I have no idea why they feel the need to spend so much time in it. #diabloiii
11/13/09
11/12/09
11/12/09
11/12/09
also, i love that not only is WoW in all three categories it's in 2010 twice. blizzard knows where its bread is buttered.
11/12/09
11/12/09
10/14/09
In other words, Battle.net is not secure.
10/14/09
10/14/09
Only have the first WoW, no expansion and one character that's lvl 19 so NO BIG LOSS for me if I have to start over and buy a new account. Because by the time I'll get one is once they release the complete package with all the expansion for a REASONABLE price (which probably never in my life time).
10/14/09
10/14/09
I'm just saying that it really should be a mandatory thing for WoW accounts to be integrated with Battlenet but a voluntary one and by doing that you'll get the penguin pet (which everyone will have :rolls eyes). By threatening that I'll loose my WoW account or can't play it if I don't. It doesn't fair well with me because then I'll be expected to do a another hassle in the future or lose my account again. Would I be upset because of this, well for this game not really but it's the principle of it and well because I didn't invest too much back into the game when I bought a new account. I know eventually someone will point out the stupid ToS clause. If it was something that was seamless like how STEAM did their upgrades then it wouldn't really matter but as a PC gamers with multiple accounts with multiple gaming log in, I do not feel that I need to create a new one for something I already did when I first created it.
Also calling me a scrub just because I'm not into WoW really shows your character as a person. I feel pity for you and hopefully you'll grow up in time.
@MikeRox: I'm not in the UK, I'm in the US. I might wait until the next expansion comes out and if it's still reasonably priced I'll get it. It's just that I'm not into MMOs like I was use to and I can't sit playing hours on end either, I must be getting old :p.
10/14/09
10/14/09
So you're complaining that you need to do a 5 minute registration process (for free I might add) if you ever want to go back to your crummy account. Just to note you won't lose it but simply won't be able to play til you merge.
Seriously big whoop, a quick signup is hardly a hassle.
10/14/09
@Odin:
Who cares if it's free, would you want HIV/AIDS if I offer it to you for free?
The Battlenet 2 was a optional thing before now it's mandatory. I don't care that it takes 1min or 5min to set up the account for something that I've already registered for. To set up another account that I have to keep track of just so Acti/Bliz makes sure that I don't sell my account (I don't but that's beside the point).
I'd be laughing my ass off if Battlenet 2 falls apart and they end up dropping it and revert to the old system.
I don't care for BN2, I'm not saying it isn't good and I'm sure it'll add many services that people will like. But I don't see why people like me who don't care to have the extra (mostly social networking) have to create a account again on something that already works. Why can't they have both is beyond me? I mean would it hurt you the gamers if it were a optional choice?
10/14/09
The point that you may be missing is that this does not give you one more account to manage, as it is simply replacing one you've already got. And if you ever plan to buy any Blizzard games in the future, it actually reduces the number of different accounts for you to juggle, by consolidating them into a single one.
10/14/09
@pressstart: I never said I thought highly of myself. I'm just stating out that WE should have a CHOICE. If you haven't noticed that overall companies these days don't give us choices anymore.
@rageofthemage: After a good rest and coming back to read that made me LOL. Don't say that I don't have a sense of humor and I do understand both side of the coin but most have forgotten to look at it both sides and what it means to us as a consumer and as a gamer. People are just going along with Blizz just because most people think they can do no wrong (like STEAM).
I'm not afraid of change, but come one the new Battlenet2 only support 3 (4 if you count the new MMO they've been working on) games and that doesn't sound like it's worth it using a single account integration for. If they (Blizz) actually had more games and if somehow it uses not only Blizz games but Activision then I may see the point.
@To all the rest: I'm not trying to STOP Blizz at all but I was just speaking out my mind but apparently most of you readers take it way to personally. I know I have a choice to follow or not and most likely I wouldn't because it's not for me but I did not state that YOU and EVERYONE should do the same.
Here's my a point, let's say you have a WoW account and Diablo 3/Starcraft 2 also tied in (when released) and you have multiple computers. You bring one of your friend over and they want to try out D3 or SC2 since they're not into MMO. You let them try it and while you let them play, you wanted to play WoW, well since it's tied to your account only one of you can play those games. Yes I know that may not happen to a lot of you but for people who have siblings or significant others it will be a hindrance.
10/13/09
10/13/09
10/13/09
10/13/09
10/13/09
To clarify, I approve of Kadin's comment.
10/13/09
10/13/09
10/13/09
10/13/09
10/14/09
10/13/09
It's good to see that Blizzard is confident enough for a full fledged switcheroo to battle.net.
But would it be weird to see battle.net turn into steam? Include games other than ones developed by Blizzard?
10/13/09
10/13/09
Competition isn't a bad thing.
I was able to register all the cd keys for all the blizzard games I have and they let you download the game files from the website which was cool.
08/27/09
Hopefully the new system doesn't reek.
08/26/09
08/27/09
08/26/09