Yeah game prices have stayed pretty static for a looooong time. Halo 2 was $50 twenty years ago. You're just now seeing $70 become more standard.

Especially since older gamers are so antagonistic toward micro transactions, loot boxes, and cosmetics (I think younger gamers are more accepting), it seems a little crazy to expect AAA titles to expect prices to stay the same.

I don't mind paying more as long as the devs keep supporting the game with new content which I'm guessing D4 will since it appears they are going to have seasons with various cosmetic rewards.

Also very happy with the glamour system for d4 where you can set an outfit and it stays without you having to alter each piece you equip. Been playing FFXIV and it was painful playing D3 this past week and reexperiencing its horrible system with the enchanter having to alter every piece.

During the end game, it is definitely all about finding the perfect Rare item and imbuing it with a power you've already found at that tier.

AliasMan02 said:

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Yeah game prices have stayed pretty static for a looooong time. Halo 2 was $50 twenty years ago. You're just now seeing $70 become more standard.

Especially since older gamers are so antagonistic toward micro transactions, loot boxes, and cosmetics (I think younger gamers are more accepting), it seems a little crazy to expect AAA titles to expect prices to stay the same.

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I've been saying this for a while. Especially with how games have grown so much more complex and requiring more specialized developers in a lot of roles.

One thing is that games while staying similarly priced are getting much better distribution. With the same technology behind pcs and consoles, sales are many times what they were before. Diablo 2 did good, but Diablo 3 had way more sales.
A $50 game in the past selling 5 million copies vs a $50 game now selling 30 million copies.

That's true, but there's also more risk in the market. Devs develop a game up front and if the first reviews are bad it might completely tank. And game studios are still relatively small companies (though often rolled up into bigger companies like Blizzard, WB, EA, etc.). A AAA studio might spend the better part of a decade on a game and only have a few in development at any given time.

Look at what happened after the trailers and first looks at the Suicide Squad game. They thought they had something people would love, but based on a few minutes of gameplay footage they (it seems, anyway) are going to have to completely revamp the mechanics of the game and push the release. Rocksteady is a highly acclaimed studio and this is a follow-up to one of the most beloved game series of all time. It's their first real game in 8 years.

The economics are complicated, is all I'm saying. And given even the shortest AAA games clock at 20+ hours, $70 is something I'm willing to pay without thinking much of it.

That's going away, though. The current games in development look like they'll be the last that forego the subscription model, anyway.

Do we know if our characters from this open beta will carry over to next weekend?

I'd guess not but would be cool if they dd

Yes they do

I didn't pre order so I didn't get to play last weekend but looking forward to trying it out this weekend

I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait for full release in June. My biggest concern at this point is still the loot which I mentioned in a previous post. Diablo is all about the iconic loot so you've got to get that right.

Something else that stood out to me and it wasn't a major issue, I got used to it pretty quick... but did any of you feel like you were zoomed in a tad too much at the maximum zoom out? It just felt like we were more on top of our character than ever before in a Diablo game. There's a spot in the Act 1 playthrough where the isometric view zooms out a bit and I found myself going now THAT'S how far zoomed out I want my camera permanently fixed.

Yes, I kept trying to zoom out more but it wouldn't let me.

WGann3 said:

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I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait for full release in June. My biggest concern at this point is still the loot which I mentioned in a previous post. Diablo is all about the iconic loot so you've got to get that right.

Something else that stood out to me and it wasn't a major issue, I got used to it pretty quick... but did any of you feel like you were zoomed in a tad too much at the maximum zoom out? It just felt like we were more on top of our character than ever before in a Diablo game. There's a spot in the Act 1 playthrough where the isometric view zooms out a bit and I found myself going now THAT'S how far zoomed out I want my camera permanently fixed.

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Loot and endgame content. Gotta keep adding and improving, or else things get stagnant fast.

The later seasons in D3 finally started getting things right... switching up sets, adding mechanics, etc. But in the world of POE, where new content rotates in and out every 3 months, you can't rely on 1 expansion pack 2 years later to fill the gap.

The beta experience was definitely positive, and I'm looking forward to release.

edit: the altar in the current D3 season is a stupidly amazing QOL upgrade. More bounty caches, pet salvages items on ground, pet picks up DB...

If it doesn't get added to the core experience, the game is going to realllllly suck after it rotates out

Surprised no more chatter on this with the open beta. I'm trying to log in on my non-gaming laptop while working, but will have more luck on my Xbox later I'm sure. Texags handle is my Battlenet handle.

You will notice game threads go dead when we all start binging it.

Necro is pretty easy mode compared to rogue.

Will try a Druid a some point

How are queue times and stability so far today? Won't be able to hop on until this evening.

Thinking I'll try Rogue to start. Is Barb the easiest to just run out without much thought, I assume?

AliasMan02 said:

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Thinking I'll try Rogue to start. Is Barb the easiest to just run out without much thought, I assume?

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I played a ranged Rogue last weekend and loved it. Bosses were reportedly tougher for melee so I dunno about Barb being easiest. Didn't have a chance to play any melee myself but from my experience with the ranged rogue I could totally see it being trickier.

Think casters seem the easiest right now.

Melee rogue was squishy dunno about Barb.

Sponge said:

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One thing is that games while staying similarly priced are getting much better distribution. With the same technology behind pcs and consoles, sales are many times what they were before. Diablo 2 did good, but Diablo 3 had way more sales.
A $50 game in the past selling 5 million copies vs a $50 game now selling 30 million copies.

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I mean, yes, but it goes a lot deeper than that, and D2 to D3 is actually a great example of how it has changed.

D2 had 1 expansion and 28 patches, most of which were only a couple of bug fixes. D3 had close to double the number of patches, plus the expansion and the additional Necromancer release, plus many of those patches included new content for each season, whether in the form of new areas, items, balance changes, etc. D2 was made by about 40 people, while D3 was closer to 400. Plus D3 was developed and maintained on consoles in addition to PC, which has additional overhead, not to mention maintaining more (and more powerful) servers to manage that kind of player load.

These are just a few differences. There's a lot that goes into it, especially with games that are supported for years after the fact.

Got a Sorc and Barb to 25 last weekend, started a Druid for this beta. I'll work on Necro after getting Druid to 25.

Finally got to jump into the open beta. Chose a sorc to start with and it feels great and is fun to play. The game has been fun so far! I may have to pre-order but definitely want to see more of end game

Both the chain lightning sorc and hydra have been fun to play. Loving the necro early, too.

Madmarttigan said:

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Think casters seem the easiest right now.

Melee rogue was squishy dunno about Barb.

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Learn2Rogue

Chain lightning sorc has been fun for the little bit I've played so far. Queue was 12 min as of 12:30 on PS5

As long as you have good CC. With the level cap only being 25, all the beta players will truly not get a chance to really see what the end game play is like.

For example, melee rogue revolves heavily around usage of the barriers, regenerating the barrier, etc. At level 25, there aren't a whole lot of ways to even get a barrier going.

In PVP, if you aren't CCing, you die EXTREMELY fast.

My first death of both weekends... Damn butcher *******...

My poor lvl 10 necro got flattened in his very first dungeon. Is it a bug that the butcher ignores minions/pets and just directly chases the player the whole time or is that garbage of a mechanic intended?

Only time i found the butcher was last weekend as barb I think so didn't have any minions. Got him like 2/3 but he killed me and ran away.

Playing necro today and corpse explosion is OP as F. I just cleared the lvl 25 stronghold at lvl 17 easily lol

Played all the classes except rogue to level 20+
Necro is OP ezmode, with sorc a close second.
Druid was underwhelming.
Barb is decent.
Didn't play enough Rogue to form an opinion, but see people playing it saying it is good.

bbattbq01 said:

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Only time i found the butcher was last weekend as barb I think so didn't have any minions. Got him like 2/3 but he killed me and ran away.

Playing necro today and corpse explosion is OP as F. I just cleared the lvl 25 stronghold at lvl 17 easily lol

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Definitely, bone spear into group, get 1 kill and then boom, boom, boom etc. till all dead. Boss are a little tougher with the CE build but i need to optimize my skills to get some that produce corpses even without kills. Especially for healing minions in boss fights

Playing a ranged Rogue and it's a good time. At level 6 now so just getting started.

Coming from a tabletop RPG designer background, I always ask myself if I think the choices I make in character builds matter, and I think they do in D4. When spending skill points I feel like I really have impactful decisions to make as to how to distribute points. I'm always picking between two or three things that would really help me, where a lot of games really funnel you into some preset channels of progression.

What's wild is how easy it is to level the ranged classes vs melee. It took forever to get a barb to 25, but only a few hours to Emperor Palpatine my way to 25 with Sorc

Pre-ordered this week and finally jumped into the open beta this morning. Started a rogu, as the ranged type is geberally what I play as. Thoroughly enjoying it so far. Up to level 5, so obviously not too far in, but can't wait for the full game!

wangus12 said:

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What's wild is how easy it is to level the ranged classes vs melee. It took forever to get a barb to 25, but only a few hours to Emperor Palpatine my way to 25 with Sorc

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Yeah I did those two first, part of it is just knowing where to go and what to do, but then…. Sorcerer just rips stuff apart.

Necro leveling speed is definitely way faster as well. Rogue picks up once you get imbuement. Barb is a little painful.

Heard Druid is rough too but haven't tried.

Since I normally play Sorc and Necro, I'm definitely excited. Both just go through everything like butter in the early game.