D3 Will Stay Always Online

[Kelimbror]

So..yeah...wash that hope away of them completely making the game perfect.

We do not have plans to implement an offline mode. While the always-online requirement made the auction house possible, the auction house was never the driving factor in our decision to make the PC version of Diablo III require an Internet connection. The game was built from the ground up to take full advantage of Battle.net, which provides a number of important benefits, including persistent server-side character saves, a seamless PC multiplayer experience, cheat prevention, and Real ID and BattleTag social features

http://www.diablofans.com/news/2037-...paragon-20-qa/

LOL at the list of 'benefits' like 'seamless PC multiplayer'. I guess rubber banding and all those issues that still exist are seamless right? And what's that extensive list of RID/Battletag social features? Oh a friends list with quicker inviting and you can send them tells just like you can to strangers.

I'm really looking forward to RoS, but this announcement is laughable. Wasn't their original explanation that they had to be online because of the AH and now they are claiming it was 'never' the driving factor?

Uggh...I guess some things never change.

[Yuuki Asuna]

I'm not with or against DRM, but I think Blizzard would still keep it on the PC version to avoid the game being hacked and everyone decking out their gear in all legendaries without the use of an AH. That's my guess.

[stgeorge78]

Who cares about cheat prevention, social features and 10 character-limit saves? In offline mode, none of that matters.

They can keep the online mode for whoever wants it and multiplayer, just let people play on their own PC who want a lagless experience and don't mind using their own hard drive space! Exactly like the console players get.

[Dhrizzle]

They never said the AH was the driving factor, they made the whole thing online-only because that's how they wanted it. One of the things they mentioned were the number of people on D2 who started out with an offline character and later decided they wanted to play online only to be forced to start the game from scratch.

[Kelimbror]

They never said the AH was the driving factor

Pretty sure they did(not driving, but very important), but it would take a lot of time digging through this site to find the links., they made the whole thing online-only because that's how they wanted it.

One of the things they mentioned were the number of people on D2 who started out with an offline character and later decided they wanted to play online only to be forced to start the game from scratch.

Sorry, this is BS. They have some very talented programmers who I doubt would have much of a problem figuring it out. TL2 does it just fine. I've jumped between on and off without having to start a new character.

Or is Blizzard are so untalented that they can't outprogram a middling company that only has a couple of indie games under their belt?

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Who cares about cheat prevention, social features and 10 character-limit saves? In offline mode, none of that matters.

They can keep the online mode for whoever wants it and multiplayer, just let people play on their own PC who want a lagless experience and don't mind using their own hard drive space! Exactly like the console players get.

Yep...I was very excited to see the AH going away, b/c now I can play in self found mode more appropriately. However I get very tired of the first 5 minutes being plagued with performance issues and the rubber banding that can happen to anyone. Having such a fast paced game where death could be permanent rely on buggy connection is horrible design.

I love Blizzard, but DRM is crap. It's one thing to have to update things for the good of the game, but quite another to be forced to be online the entire time you're playing it.

[tehdef]

So..yeah...wash that hope away of them completely making the game perfect.

http://www.diablofans.com/news/2037-...paragon-20-qa/

LOL at the list of 'benefits' like 'seamless PC multiplayer'. I guess rubber banding and all those issues that still exist are seamless right? And what's that extensive list of RID/Battletag social features? Oh a friends list with quicker inviting and you can send them tells just like you can to strangers.

I'm really looking forward to RoS, but this announcement is laughable. Wasn't their original explanation that they had to be online because of the AH and now they are claiming it was 'never' the driving factor?

Uggh...I guess some things never change.

Dude, it's been a year and a half. Get over it. You need to learn how to be happy with what you DO HAVE, not with what you don't. They are making a ton of changes, and instead of commending them on those changes, and showing respect, you come in here and act as if nothing they did matters because of 1 feature that you imply is a personal affront to you. Stop.

Following that, please understand that if it's not always online, PEOPLE WILL CHEAT. End. Always online gives them greater control of the situation. The guys in their Battle.Net response team have an amazing amount of information available to them, and have done some amazing stuff across WoW/D3/SC2 to correct negative behaviour.

Sorry, but I don't want cheaters playing games with a competitive aspect at all. Period. End. I don't care if you bitch and moan about it all day and night (which many of you D2 kids have done). Always online is the way of the future, and it's one of the FEW ways to make sure people can't magically go offline and come online with stupid amounts of gear. Especially if they push forward with a PvP aspect. Yeah, no. Sorry. No cheating.

[Kelimbror]

Dude, it's been a year and a half. Get over it.

Ah yes, thank you for your insight and wisdom. I expected people like you to post in this thread. If you'd like to have an actual discussion, be my guest.

1) What competitive aspect did D3 have? Oh wait, none.

2) There were still item dupes, so not sure what kind of cheating you thought this prevented.

3) Programming can prevent characters that have used a modified game from joining normal multiplayer and/or being a part of a ladder system (if they do implement one like they said)

Other games have done this already, so yeah...you don't really have a leg to stand on.

[bals]

Sorry, but I don't want cheaters playing games with a competitive aspect at all. Period. End. I don't care if you bitch and moan about it all day and night (which many of you D2 kids have done). Always online is the way of the future, and it's one of the FEW ways to make sure people can't magically go offline and come online with stupid amounts of gear. Especially if they push forward with a PvP aspect. Yeah, no. Sorry. No cheating.

what sort of competitive aspect exists in d3?

[tehdef]

Other games have done this already, so yeah...you don't really have a leg to stand on.

And this isn't other games. Stop being an entitled tool and acting like their decisions on the game revolve around you. You sit here and arm chair design all you want, but you aren't there, and you aren't making the decisions. You can either shut up and enjoy the changes you are getting, or continue to be a contemptuous child about the whole situation and further degrade your experience.

I'm assuming you're going to remain a contemptuous child, so whatever. I'll be enjoying the game, and you can cry about how Blizzard didn't code the game how you wanted. Enjoy!

[Jtbrig7390]

--snip--

First they make me smile with the post about removing the AH then make me cry with this...arrggg.

I think if I stick with D3 I am moving over to the Ps4 version once it release's so I can play how I want when I want.

[tehdef]

what sort of competitive aspect exists in d3?

http://www.diablowiki.net/Player_versus_Player#Brawling
http://us.battle.net/d3/en/forum/8705191/

You obviously haven't played recently.

[traen]

Sorry, this is BS. They have some very talented programmers who I doubt would have much of a problem figuring it out. TL2 does it just fine. I've jumped between on and off without having to start a new character.

Battle.net is not "online". Battle.net is DRM.
The "feature" you are talking about was called "open games" in d2. And no one used them...

TL2 is an amazing game and I really liked it more than d3.
But the biggest disadvantage of TL2 is lack of server-side mode. The lack of environment free from cheaters. The environment where you can compete with other players.

Farming is cool, but it's not so cool when you know that you can get all the items you want by copying a file to the game directory from the official forums.

Or is Blizzard are so untalented that they can't outprogram a middling company that only has a couple of indie games under their belt?

Like diablo2 for example? Read tl2 credits, don't you recognize some names from the list?

[Kelimbror]

First they make me smile with the post about removing the AH then make me cry with this...arrggg.

Yeah, same feeling I had. I mean just the announcement about the AH and I'm like, yes...they care about the player experience again. Then I see, will still be always online...oh...you don't completely care, you just had to remove the AH to sell boxes?

They seem all over the place sometimes.

[Repefe]

The only issue with online only I have is hc deaths due to lags and disconnects ... but since paragon levels will be bound to account rather than characters this issue will not matter as much once the patches hit.

[Kelimbror]

Battle.net is not "online". Battle.net is DRM.
The "feature" you are talking about was called "open games" in d2. And no one used them...

No I'm talking about TL2

TL2 is an amazing game and I really liked it more than d3.
But the biggest disadvantage of TL2 is lack of server-side mode. The lack of environment free from cheaters. The environment where you can compete with other players.

You can not group with people who have modded games, which you want to call 'cheating'...last I checked anyways.

Farming is cool, but it's not so cool when you know that you can get all the items you want by copying a file to the game directory from the official forums.

Really? It doesn't change how I play the game at all. Not sure why other players affect your personal experience. Me and my wife have just as much fun playing TL2 without giving ourselves free gear. Not sure why other people would feel differently.

Like diablo2 for example? Read tl2 credits, don't you recognize some names from the list?

I know Runic is ex blizz, just like every other game made in every genre now. It was a rhetorical statement.

[Jtbrig7390]

Yeah, same feeling I had. I mean just the announcement about the AH and I'm like, yes...they care about the player experience again. Then I see, will still be always online...oh...you don't completely care, you just had to remove the AH to sell boxes?

They seem all over the place sometimes.

Thats how I feel about it and I have gotten to the point to where I am deciding if I even want ROS even if I go console D3...

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I know Runic is ex blizz, just like every other game made in every genre now. It was a rhetorical statement.

To be fair only about 3 or 4 people on there 30+ team are from blizzard they even came out and said it awhile back.

[Kisho]

Pretty sure they did(not driving, but very important), but it would take a lot of time digging through this site to find the links., they made the whole thing online-only because that's how they wanted it.

Without proof, this is just going to devolve into 'you're wrong' 'nuh uh, YOU'RE wrong' etc. You've made the claim that the AH was the driving/most important factor: prove it. The AH was certainly a factor, sure, but Blizzard have always given the myriad of other reasons as equal or more important, e.g. cheat/hack prevention, social features, etc.

Sorry, this is BS. They have some very talented programmers who I doubt would have much of a problem figuring it out. TL2 does it just fine. I've jumped between on and off without having to start a new character.

It's not about programming or a lack of talent. Of course they could allow offline chars to go online; they just choose not to. The reason for this is the same as for 'always online': you could hack the offline character easier, then take it online with an unfair advantage.

Yep...I was very excited to see the AH going away, b/c now I can play in self found mode more appropriately. However I get very tired of the first 5 minutes being plagued with performance issues and the rubber banding that can happen to anyone. Having such a fast paced game where death could be permanent rely on buggy connection is horrible design.

I always find these claims of performance issues and rubber banding to be exaggerated. Whenever I played, sure, I experienced lag sometimes... But nowhere near the levels of what people describe. For the most part, the game worked flawlessly and was a ton of fun.

I love Blizzard, but DRM is crap. It's one thing to have to update things for the good of the game, but quite another to be forced to be online the entire time you're playing it.

DRM isn't the only reason, but even if it was then DRM is an unfortunate necessity. Games are ridiculously expensive to make; to then have a bunch of selfish morons pirate the game is just painful. So yes, they need to take steps to prevent losses due to piracy. They are a business, and they have families to feed.

Besides, an always online requirement is a fine version of DRM. Could be a hell of a lot worse.

[Kelimbror]

Thats how I feel about it and I have gotten to the point to where I am deciding if I even want ROS even if I go console D3...

I'm still going to get it. I love Blizzard to a fault. Sometimes I hate them, but I'll always come back. I've played their games for decades now. I just know the DRM issue was very huge to people on here and it would be natural to assume with no RMAH/AH that it would have an offline mode.

Just letting people know now so they don't get their hopes up.

[Deleted]

Meh, never lagged in the game personally. not even once. Honestly would forget it was online half the time.
My internet connection is good though, sucks for those who are less fortunate I guess

[Jtbrig7390]

I'm still going to get it. I love Blizzard to a fault. Sometimes I hate them, but I'll always come back. I've played their games for decades now. I just know the DRM issue was very huge to people on here and it would be natural to assume with no RMAH/AH that it would have an offline mode.

Just letting people know now so they don't get their hopes up.

I haven't liked blizzard since Cata personally and they have yet to do anything to get me to like them.

It just seems like each time I can go "Well blizzard finally learned" they prove me wrong.