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View Full Version : Diablo II rears its rupugnant face once more



Nominus Experse
03-06-2008, 04:46 AM
jhu

LunarWeaver
03-06-2008, 04:57 AM
Jesus fucking Buddha :jess:

Well, I agree with much of that. Although I would take away immunities completely. They didn't used to exist. They did it to make people work as a team, and to make some characters like the sorceress have a little more stress. But all it did was make me pissy. Especially in a single player mod. It's just a headache there.

Also, the X-Men Legends complete rip-offs let you pay money to reset your skills in case you mess up, each time you reset requiring more money to make sure you don't do it too many times. I wouldn't mind that.

I wouldn't mind being able to pay a set price for a unique item either. That way you aren't stuck with :skull::skull::skull::skull: equipment, hoping they drop something sooner or later because you're still using dagger from Act I.

I think most would disagree with all that. Make it too easy, etc. Bah.

Nominus Experse
03-06-2008, 05:04 AM
I could improve the starting equipment, and have a few quest items be cubable with particular items that you start with, thereby granting a random low-level unique or something to that effect.

Normal play should simply be fun. If it's easy in Normal, that's fine by me. As soon as Nightmare hits, things ought to become much more difficult, and by Hell... it ought to be Hell.

I've been considering making no enemies but a select few have complete immunity to X, but also raising their resistance. I think the point of complete immunity lies around 140, so raising that would make lowering their resists more plausible/fun with the increased implementation of items and skills that lower enemy resistances. They would still be immune for all intents and purposes for much of the time, but with enough skills or equipment, they wouldn't be completely immune except in a few cases.

But who knows.

KoShiatar
03-06-2008, 09:21 PM
I want to cast Teleport in town! I'm so lazy :D
And resetting skill for a price is also something I'd like to have. I'm tired of redoing my Sorceresses because of poor skill combinations.

Captain Maxx Power
03-06-2008, 10:51 PM
Tavrobel will talk your ears off about this subject, guaranteed. I still play Diablo 2 even now; when I can get the bastard CD to load.

Nominus Experse
03-06-2008, 11:00 PM
Well, here is a revised list of modifications I would like to perform:

EDIT: See top post for revised modification plans.

Tavrobel
03-06-2008, 11:57 PM
EDIT: Ohh, hi Maxx. You were right. I would talk peoples' ears off with this. I've been sitting here, eating and typing away for the last hour and a half.


What would you like or would have liked to have had in Diablo II?

A revert to pre-1.10 conditions, or a 1.11 patch that didn't just help the modding community, but also improved the quality on Battle.net.


New enemies and enemy skills.
New runewords
New uniques
New sets
Jewels can be combined to create Jewelwords
Increased stash size
Various new items that allow expanded cubing possibilities
Increased maximum character level
Increased maximum skill level
New areas with various side quests
Fully equip able mercenaries (Gloves/Belts/Helms/Shields/etc)
New mercenary skills and modified AI and stats.
Every item is socketable
A sort of craft system implemented


Yes.


New superior bonuses
New affixes
New/modified bonuses of ethereal items
New chests and keys
Reduced junk drops
Improved drops and quality

These all fall into the category of affix balancing. Though Blizzard is known for patching, they can't exactly patch everything. That being said, people are capable of finding new and more exciting ways to take advantage of things in the game.

You know as well as I know that there is a fine line between balanced and abusable. Unfortunately, we have to deal with these problems in exchange for a loss in crap. After all, the game was made in mind that there wouldn't exactly be runewords pre-expansion. So, either Magics, Rares, or Uniques would have to suffice. Though the Runeword system was well intended, 1.10 just added a very clear divide between uber and a waste. Runewords such as Sanctuary (Ko Ko Mal), Eternity (Amn Ber Ist Sol Sur), or Famine (Fal Ohm Ort Jah), pale in comparison and cost to such things as BotD, which has superior ED ranges for Vex and Zod. Spirit, cheapass (Tal Thul Ort Amn) defeats all other shields with the exception of possibly Dream and Exile; even then, the latter is used only for melee (if it weren't a Helm runeword), and the very last for Smiters.

I can deal with junk drops. However, what I can't deal with a disproportionate allowance between investment and reward. Hell difficulty in 1.09 was a little on the easy side, but you didn't exactly have the world's most ungodly runeword ever (Enigma). Runes never drop, either. I prefer Median's rune drop rate, but even that is a little on the low side; fortunately, runewords suck in Median. In a sense that is a good thing, but runewords also have to be worth considering when compared to Uniques, which they are nowhere close.


Increased key ring size / Tome size
Increased Nightmare and Hell penalties (-Resists/exp/gold on death)
PlugY implementation

No. Resists are already hard enough as it is, and with the increase in Hell difficulty, Resist really does matter, much more than it used to. Median treats them as a given especially with all the sources of + resist, so it is obvious that you would die without them. PlugY though useful, defeats the purpose of the game; you are supposed to be able to know which items you do and don't get rid of. Unfortunately, with the inordinate increase in Hell, it makes almost any character that isn't twinked impossible to get through Hell. In Median, it is because the crafting system is so expansive.


Rare charms now possible
Quivers can be Magical, Rare, Unique, or Sets. Can also be crafted
New gems and runes
Elixirs and herbs implemented

These could get out of hand really fast. Though I do recognize that Quivers need a way to make up for the lost item that bow and crossbow users need, they also get the ranged damage advantage without excessive mana use or managing. Charms are just one big problem waiting to happen. Stat increases get out of hand, as well. I currently have a broken Amazon that I can't go back and break due to Laz's idea of inplementing the grail upgrades. Unfortunately, with the way Diablo treats numbers, any bonus that is worth implementing is abusable (the counter stops at 511; therefore, unlimited stats).


New elements (Wind/Earth/Dark/Holy/etc)

I would ordinarily be for this, but how elements are treated in Diablo II are as balances for elements. There's no particular bonus for using any of them besides the damage and effects, only disadvantages.


Better gambling chances.
Reduced cost of repairing items
Giving gold a purpose.

Category of gold. As it stands, it's pretty useful in Diablo II, but onyl marginally so. That being said, if one were to make it useful, you would have to lower the gold drop, forcing more twinking to occur, and other such things. If gold is apparently abundant, then the gambling should reflect that. As for gambling, I believe that there should be some kind of gambling-only fixes. This would differentiate between the need to fight PvM as a main sorce of wealth or just equipping two Beriths, and ranking up the gold from enemies outside of Waypoints. The formula for clvl and ilvl may be different, but it's just too easy as it is.


More colour implemented into the game and other cosmetic changes
Players/x increased

These two contribute to lag, which is always bad. However, a change in color scheme is always welcome; but it is a change, not an addition.


Zakarum Zealots don't flee after crushing the compelling orb

Plot device. Annoying, but in my opinion, we just have to deal with it.


New traps
New monster behavior
New/improved quest rewards
Act Bosses, Ancients, and Baal's summons do not spawn with FE

I'm not quite sure what to think about these. The implements would have to be done well. However, Median does have the problem of quests being replicated in Crafting, and therefore, lessening the need for quests. Hellforge needs to drop only certain runes in certain difficulties. That I will attest to. Getting 3 Fals in a row is not cool. Fire Enchanted is just gay, but random is random, and the only way to deal with it is either to stay away or survive the blow. The damage only needs to be more predictable.


Warcries, Teleport, etc castable in town

These were done to prevent abuses and TPPK. There's a whole bunch of problems with them, that were in my opinion, fixed.


New character screen and skill tabs screens
Creepers no longer automatically RIP
Hidden skills made viewable

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by these. I have this one idea of what you could mean, but I'm afraid that wouldn't respond to your concerns.


Diablo Clone event is implemented, but modified heavily

Another well meaning Blizzard fix that somehow goes horribly wrong. Yeah, it was meant to clean up duped SoJs, but then someone realized "hey, if this uber boss shows up with this awesome drop, I don't see why we can't keep duping, and get ourselves this awesome charm! Let's keep duping, so that way, we get to keep our SoJs, and nab some attributes, skills, and resist! Awesome!"

You've probably already heard my rants about how much 1.11 screwed Battle.net for eternity. I'm not a big fan of 1.10's implements, either, but for the sake of modding, this patch was a godsend. I don't know why they put back the damage cap, amongst other problems. Those idiots.

Nominus Experse
03-07-2008, 12:17 AM
Hmm, I see what you mean with the balancing issues inherent of rare charms and the like.

One thing that I really want to aim for in this is to make everything much bigger, faster (in terms of selecting skills, movement - overall action of the game, not the quests or ability to gain levels), and cosmetically prettier.

Of course, one cold ask, "What's the point of having 130k damage and 35k defense and 24k life, etc... if you simply up EVERYTHING ELSE in order to balance it, thereby making it like normal Diablo II, but with bigger number?"

My answer would simply be:
"Because bigger numbers are more fun, and may actually allow certain variants that lower numbers wouldn't."

I don't plan on having people play this mod with others, but that is definitely something to consider. Diablo, by its nature, is made more fun - sometimes - when playing with others. But there is a part of me that wishes to make this mod reflect a more single-player oriented dungeon crawl.

And yeah, I'm certain I'll use the 1.10 version. The damage cap and other things are definitely a nuisance, and will inevitably create issues since much of this mod - as I plan it - is to make everything bigger and faster.

A problem I've seen with a lot of mods is that there are either far too easy, or are mind-bogglingly hard. Even Median suffers from this, as the current version is, simply put, a cakewalk.

As for exploits... I'm sure most of the exploits - as there inevitably will be some - will appear once (if) I am finished with it, but most of what you mentioned will definitely be taken into account when planning this.

Maybe I could implement a system that allows the player to use utility skills in town OFFLINE, but once online, they are disabled as usual? I think that would prevent TPPK and the like.

A lot of Diablo II is chance, so keeping the possibility of FE may be best. It sucks, but hey, Fanaticism/Stone Skin/FE Lister also sucked, and we got by it.

IronOcean
03-07-2008, 02:27 AM
I personally would love a reason to keep playing this game. Actually i still play but i really dont know why. i get to hell act 5 and all that is left is baal runs you spend all this time setting up this char and you get to use the items once your done with the game. i know there is pvp and blah blah but getting to use somethign at 75+ the game is over with i just wish there was soemthing to do when you reach that point. Sadly i have no suggestions. i give you *sad face*

CimminyCricket
03-07-2008, 02:58 AM
I'm just going to say go ahead and do whatever it is you have planned, I'm really too tired right now to take a look at anything that's typed in here above the first few sentences. rawr

IronOcean
03-07-2008, 03:21 AM
oh i have one minor one take off the once you kill cow king you cant make again its annoying. just fun slaughtering the cows.

Nominus Experse
03-07-2008, 03:34 AM
Oh, of course. I could either add a waypoint or make it so that you could summon the portal an infinite amount of times.

Alternatively, I could make a completely new area that held cows.

Either way, there will be cows that are always accessible (as long requirements are met first, of course).

IronOcean
03-07-2008, 04:09 AM
i like hat requirments need to be reached and not everyone can go in there.....maybe add a quest for the cow level and get some sort of prize for clearing or something along those lines. just a thought.

Nominus Experse
03-07-2008, 04:23 AM
Updated what I have planned again:

Markus. D
03-07-2008, 09:21 AM
I want all skills (custom? zomg I hope :3!) to be effective (in some way or form) post act I.

Flying Mullet
03-07-2008, 01:27 PM
I always thought the ability to create hybrid classes, or selecting your own skill trees, would make fore some interesting character builds.

KoShiatar
03-07-2008, 03:40 PM
I always thought the ability to create hybrid classes, or selecting your own skill trees, would make fore some interesting character builds.

I'm afraid characters built with such skills could be weak. A character becomes really strong in D II only when he's hyper specialized.

Nominus Experse
03-07-2008, 04:17 PM
I want all skills (custom? zomg I hope :3!) to be effective (in some way or form) post act I.
Through synergies, I hope to make this so. Although I plan for 60 skills per class, I hoping to have enough intelligence/creativity to make it so that each one is useful and powerful enough if properly invested.



I always thought the ability to create hybrid classes, or selecting your own skill trees, would make fore some interesting character builds.

I'm afraid characters built with such skills could be weak. A character becomes really strong in D II only when he's hyper specialized.
Sadly, KoShiatar is right. Although it would be quite fun, I don't think that it would quite be tangible.

However, it is possible to make new skills somewhat based on existing ones of other classes, such as making a Whirlwind-like skill for a Sorceress or some such thing. Also, there will be a number of o-Skills that may or may not allow the player to create awakward/interesting builds (such as the existing Bear Sorceress ofvanilla Diablo II).

IronOcean
03-08-2008, 05:59 AM
so wait are we talking about mixing the characters skills here? that weould defeat the purpose of choosing a class. ya every char woukld be great with another classes skills but thats what makes it fun thier limitations and what you can do with those limitations to make the best char you can. i think the hybrid idea would defeat the whole purpose of the game although fun i agree that it would be inifitaiant and then all you would be doing is choosing a male or a female.

Nominus Experse
03-09-2008, 10:19 PM
What types of enemies (in terms of begaviour, skills, how much Health, colours, size, shape, etc) would you guys like to see?


I was thinking of adding a level that incorporated statues breaking themselves off the walls to fight you. I think having enemies like these would add an element of surprise (rather than just wandering until you find a pack of idle enemies). These stone statues would have strong Defense and Elemental Resistances, hit hard with Knockback or Stun or Crushing Blow, but would move very, very slow.

Having an enemy that borrowed under the ground, like the Druid Vines, would be an interesting enemy, too.

Trees that swung at the player might be fun as well.

I want to add a creature that erupts out of treasure chests/wells/shrines/etc.

A morphing monster would be quite interesting, I think. Say, one that changed its elemental resitances, attacks, behaviour/etc...

Enemies that had both ranged and melee attacks has been something I've wanted to see in Daiblo II.

And lastly, enemies that summon others, not simply raising them.

Markus. D
03-10-2008, 05:46 AM
so wait are we talking about mixing the characters skills here? that weould defeat the purpose of choosing a class. ya every char woukld be great with another classes skills but thats what makes it fun thier limitations and what you can do with those limitations to make the best char you can. i think the hybrid idea would defeat the whole purpose of the game although fun i agree that it would be inifitaiant and then all you would be doing is choosing a male or a female.

They pulled this off perfectly with GW.

By having 1 certain attribute limited to being used by that certain class (for example, an Elementlist can use Energy Storage and associated skills to full!... but all other classes can only use skills within it at level 0... making a majority of the skills unusable).

Flying Mullet
03-10-2008, 02:47 PM
I was thinking of adding a level that incorporated statues breaking themselves off the walls to fight you. I think having enemies like these would add an element of surprise (rather than just wandering until you find a pack of idle enemies).

Trees that swung at the player might be fun as well.

I want to add a creature that erupts out of treasure chests/wells/shrines/etc.
These would definitely be fun, just as long as they were random, so not every statue would attack you, only some of them. It would help add to the surprise if you couldn't tell which were going to attack.

Nominus Experse
03-10-2008, 08:07 PM
I was thinking of adding a level that incorporated statues breaking themselves off the walls to fight you. I think having enemies like these would add an element of surprise (rather than just wandering until you find a pack of idle enemies).

Trees that swung at the player might be fun as well.

I want to add a creature that erupts out of treasure chests/wells/shrines/etc.
These would definitely be fun, just as long as they were random, so not every statue would attack you, only some of them. It would help add to the surprise if you couldn't tell which were going to attack.
Yeah, most definitely. Having every single one attack you would quickly become annoying, which would lead to frustration, and then you simply not giving a :skull::skull::skull::skull: about the damned level.

I think I'll have a sound play or a subtle shift in the surrounding elements to act as a means of warning the player - though the warning will be minimal and the attack will ensue only moments later. I want to surprise the player, not simply cheapshot the player - especially in Hell mode, when everything hits hard.

Tavrobel
03-10-2008, 08:40 PM
My answer would simply be:
"Because bigger numbers are more fun, and may actually allow certain variants that lower numbers wouldn't."

And yeah, I'm certain I'll use the 1.10 version. The damage cap and other things are definitely a nuisance, and will inevitably create issues since much of this mod - as I plan it - is to make everything bigger and faster.

A problem I've seen with a lot of mods is that there are either far too easy, or are mind-bogglingly hard. Even Median suffers from this, as the current version is, simply put, a cakewalk.

Maybe I could implement a system that allows the player to use utility skills in town OFFLINE, but once online, they are disabled as usual? I think that would prevent TPPK and the like.

A lot of Diablo II is chance, so keeping the possibility of FE may be best. It sucks, but hey, Fanaticism/Stone Skin/FE Lister also sucked, and we got by it.

Higher numbers are inherently more difficult to balance, simply because there are those times when those big numbers simply must become smaller: Lower Resist, Decrepify, Weaken, and the like. Bigger numbers are also more difficult for a computer to process, which leads to lag, but that, in my opinion, becomes a moot point as most computers can do WCIII-size calculations in a flash.

Additionally, bigger does not mean better. You have to control how fast those numbers scale, and there is a fine style of math that must be maintained in order to keep everything balanced. I like seeing 65k, as well, but what is the sacrifice if I can't do anything with against an enemy that spawned multiple large defense multipliers?

That'd require a code change. Open plays more like Single than Closed does.

The worst is Magic Resist/Stone Skin/Multiple Shots/Lightning Enchanted.


oh i have one minor one take off the once you kill cow king you cant make again its annoying. just fun slaughtering the cows.

The Cow King Set come to mind? Unfortunately, the drop rate is even lower than Zod.


i like hat requirments need to be reached and not everyone can go in there.....maybe add a quest for the cow level and get some sort of prize for clearing or something along those lines. just a thought.

Thus far, it's basically a dropping place for gems, white items, and other items, simply because there are so many. Boss runs are more effective for uniques and such. In this way, the Cow Level is both an end-game treat, but it only prepares you for the next difficulty. After that, it is insanely easy. However, the post-end-game, where vanilla crafting shows up, it drops all the items you need: low runes, gems, and magic items from level 80 enemies.


I'm afraid characters built with such skills could be weak. A character becomes really strong in D II only when he's hyper specialized.

Not pre-1.10. Before this patch, there was a system of need and character building. Skill based characters didn't really need items, but it helped. Some characters that were hybrids relied a little more on weapons. The truly esoteric build relied only a single skill or a set of skills that worked together to fulfill a niche, and all items. A balance had been struck among skill use and leeway. Then 1.10 came out, added synergies in an attempt to make under-used skills usable, and it all somehow went horribly wrong (and I can tell you exactly why).

That being said, Median caters more toward the post-end-game type of player. You've played vanilla to exhaustion, and you need something that goes past it. Median is you for you in this case; Crafting, uber-levels (which is what the game is ultimately balanced for), and a revamped difficulty that supports and scales with players. It is a niche that must be filled, but when the new Median version comes out, be assured I'm going back to those insane numbers again. At this point, even Median has dried up.

Nominus Experse
03-11-2008, 06:33 AM
Does anyone know where to find a complete list of differences between v1.10 and v1.11 Diablo II LoD? And I'm not simply speaking of minor class skill fixes, but more along the lines of what the various caps are, how damage works, etc...

???

Nominus Experse
03-13-2008, 07:39 AM
Finished brainstorming ideas for the Necromancer Skills.
Tell me what you guys think, if you would.

And yes, the icons are from other Blizzard games.

Flying Mullet
03-13-2008, 02:36 PM
I love playing summoners and the summons look tasty.

Tavrobel
03-23-2008, 08:16 PM
And yes, the icons are from other Blizzard games.

Sup, Warcraft III edited icons? One of them is Heartstopper Aura in DotA.