D3 on Consoles - Potential Seasons

[Kelimbror]

So with the recent possibility for a form of seasons on consoles, would anyone primarily play on console?
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I just picked up the Ult. Evil edition on PS4 and from the second I moved an inch with the controller I was hooked. The UI, controls, and better looking game just instantly overshadowed the PC game for me. It was intuitive and responsive and just felt really, really good to play.

The only thing I'm missing is seasonal play. I know they didn't go that route b/c of cheaters/modders and the difficulties with that, but I would be completely open to having seasons force online only while leaving the rest of the game the same. If they put seasons on console I will never play the PC version again.

Does anyone else have a good experience with the console version?

[Djriff]

I wouldn't mind seasons on PC, D3 is a great couch game. However some builds that work great on the PC wouldn't work quite as well on a console due to controller vs mouse accuracy. It's a PITA to use Epiphany accurately on console while on PC it's a breeze. If they managed to fix that I'd move over in a heartbeat.

[Kelimbror]

I wouldn't mind seasons on PC, D3 is a great couch game. However some builds that work great on the PC wouldn't work quite as well on a console due to controller vs mouse accuracy. It's a PITA to use Epiphany accurately on console while on PC it's a breeze. If they managed to fix that I'd move over in a heartbeat.

Do you mean using it for the teleport? I'm currently playing a monk with teleport builder and it feels really good/works well for me. I haven't gotten gear for an epiphany build, but I feel pretty confident it will feel the same. What system do you use? I'm on PS4 and the controllers are really accurate at hitting the direction I'm going. I don't think I would feel the same if I was using a PS3 controller.

I thought my favorite feature would be the dodge, but I find that the stick are so accurate that I've played just like on the PC and use dashing strike to evade danger.

I'm more concerned with how some ranged builds work in targeting things like Blizzard...but it would be interesting to see if a different meta evolved in a console version of seasons similar to the differences we see in the East vs. EU/NA.

[Djriff]

I play it on PS4 as well. I was speaking about the teleport, with PC I can control exactly which mob I want to, with console it's basically a direction which can make grouping up mobs for Uliana's difficult. I do have to say it's much easier to play a WW barb on Console as I don't need to just hold down a mouse button.

I would be interesting to see how they develop differently however without ladders nothing can really be compared.

[Kelimbror]

I would be interesting to see how they develop differently however without ladders nothing can really be compared.

Hrm...I seem to have pretty decent accuracy but I guess it's layering that makes it a problem. Can't pop through the wall of mobs b/c it's targeting the front line. Once you are on the front line, I find it's easy to jump really far away, but still not as easy to control as PC.

To perform the same Uliana setup I would have to rely on dashing strike to move and apply EP like you need to. I'm thinking to have higher Grift clears in a normal environment you'd need much more perfect rifts than on PC. I started with a monk on PS4 b/c of my familiarity with the builds/class and the thought that it would be the easiest to transition to. A barb might be even easier, but it's the only class I haven't maxed out in the game before.

I don't know why, as I should like it, but every time I'm on one I just feel slow and awkward and want to go back to my monk.

[Coldkil]

While PC community is plagued by botters, console community is plagued by cheaters. A lot of sppedhack/maphack and other kind of stuf running around that kinda ruined the game for me when i tried on a firend PS4.

However is a great couch/coop game to play with friends, just don't go in public games

[Kelimbror]

However is a great couch/coop game to play with friends, just don't go in public games

Oh yeah..I have no intention of ever doing that. I will play solo and then with my brothers if they want to come over. It would be nice to have an online mode that is routed through Bnet so they could do seasons with leaderboards, but it sounds like they are just going to go for the local seasonal play which still keeps track of records, has new loot, etc etc.

I would still play seasons if the only difference was no leaderboards. I'm never on leaderboards on PC so it wouldn't even be different to me.

[Coldkil]

I would still play seasons if the only difference was no leaderboards. I'm never on leaderboards on PC so it wouldn't even be different to me.

Due to the new meta (paragon grind to the extreme) the leaderboards competition is a no competition. As it happened in D2, you find at the highest sposts botters or people who play 24/7 on their accounts and there is basically no chance to beat them cause there's only a limited amount of time you can play. As a side note, this kind of meta favors a lot game botting.

I also play for the cosmetic rewards and that's it. i find fun to have a long-ish term objective in seasons, and it appears current one has a really good balance. Hope it stays like this for a long time.

[Kelimbror]

I also play for the cosmetic rewards and that's it. i find fun to have a long-ish term objective in seasons, and it appears current one has a really good balance. Hope it stays like this for a long time.

Yeah me too. I love the 'challenge' system or whatever they call it. Getting pets, paragon portraits, and transmog...it just feels like a nice way to play how you would have anyways, but provide more goals to aim for with decent rewards.

That sort of design would go just fine on the console as well. Since there aren't more than 2-3 seasons a year and they will have to patch the game anyways, it seems like a no brainer. Hoping they pull through with it b/c I'm really enjoying it on the PS4.

[Davemetalhead]

Not I - I am terrible, I mean God-awful, with a controller - I even have problems playing any Lego game on my PS4 because I'm soooooo bad.

Mind you, I grew up with computers not consoles - Vic-20, C64, Amiga, PC - and tend to favour flight-sims and MMOs, so I'm far more comfortable with mouse/keyboard/joystick/throttle/rudders.

[Kelimbror]

Not I - I am terrible, I mean God-awful, with a controller - I even have problems playing any Lego game on my PS4 because I'm soooooo bad.

Mind you, I grew up with computers not consoles - Vic-20, C64, Amiga, PC - and tend to favour flight-sims and MMOs, so I'm far more comfortable with mouse/keyboard/joystick/throttle/rudders.

I grew up with a Commodore 64, but also had a nintendo, super nintendo, N64, etc. Most games when I got into them 'seriously' were always PC and I only owned a PS3 because my wife had one already. Otherwise I wouldn't have had a console since the PS2 generation.

But for some reason, I started getting back into controller play via a 360 windows wireless and it felt really god for many RPGs and things I thought I would always play on M+KB. Now that I have the PS4 controller, I feel like I could go controller for everything. Funny how all us dinosaurs can evolve differently haha.

[Dread Pirate Phayde]

I'd like to see some sort of seasons on the console version, I almost bought it for ps3 until I read that Blizzard wasn't supporting old gen anymore, but I'd definitely pick it up for ps4. I got my start on consoles with Atari and arrived on the PC scene relatively late, so I'm more comfortable with a controller.

[zito]

I don't think there is anything wrong with putting them on consoles if given counter measures to prevent cheating. However seasons in general are lackluster garbage imo. They add nothing to game play unlike PoE "seasons" where they specifically introduce a mechanic. D3 seasons are literally just a race from starting with nothing and it's boring.

I would rather have console be up to date patch wise with PC seasons. Meaning all the new gear put into seasons gets put into console at the same time and maybe do something else for console that cheating wouldn't help.

[yasiru]

I don't think there is anything wrong with putting them on consoles if given counter measures to prevent cheating. However seasons in general are lackluster garbage imo. They add nothing to game play unlike PoE "seasons" where they specifically introduce a mechanic. D3 seasons are literally just a race from starting with nothing and it's boring.

I would rather have console be up to date patch wise with PC seasons. Meaning all the new gear put into seasons gets put into console at the same time and maybe do something else for console that cheating wouldn't help.

All the gear from seasons on PC IS in the console patches, due to the lack of season play...

[Kelimbror]

I don't think there is anything wrong with putting them on consoles if given counter measures to prevent cheating. However seasons in general are lackluster garbage imo. They add nothing to game play unlike PoE "seasons" where they specifically introduce a mechanic. D3 seasons are literally just a race from starting with nothing and it's boring.

I would rather have console be up to date patch wise with PC seasons. Meaning all the new gear put into seasons gets put into console at the same time and maybe do something else for console that cheating wouldn't help.

People keep saying that, but I've played PoE and it doesn't feel any different to me either. The challenges or whatever is very cool and a great idea, but the overall season changes don't do anything. Oh look, there's going to be random packs of elite monsters....b/c you know...that never happens already.

So while the timed events they have are an awesome feature in seasons, their overall seasons are really no different. D3 seasons change gameplay far more b/c the new sets and legendaries unlock builds that have never been used. There isn't incentive to such a dramatic degree in PoE.

So I just can't agree with anyone's assessment on that front, because it sounds like people who do not play D3 seasons. But, at the end of the day if all D3 seasons were is a timed gear reset that unlocked cosmetic rewards for your account....that's perfectly fine. Some people like resets on their own, but definitely when there are cosmetic rewards.

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I think removing the leaderboards is the best way to do seasons on console anyways as some builds won't be as effective due to targeting. I still haven't played something like a wizard or WD yet to know how ranged spells really work, but I could see things like Blizzard being difficult to use effectively meaning that any builds using it or items to support it would be devalued on the console side.

I'm not sure that's really problematic given the variety of items and builds, but I certainly don't expect them to create anything specific to consoles as that's a waste of resources to me...and I plan to only play on consoles from here on out.

[yasiru]

@Kelimbror,
Being a predominantly console player I can tell you from my own experience that I never had much trouble aiming skills like Blizzard, Rain of Toads, and other similar spells, BUT yes I have made some mistakes due to targeting with other skills that require more target-focus, such as Leap or Falling Sword.....if you get my drift.

It is obviously easier on the PC but it isn't really game breaking or anything on the console version... As anything just takes getting used to playing with a different method, namely a controller

[Kelimbror]

It is obviously easier on the PC but it isn't really game breaking or anything on the console version... As anything just takes getting used to playing with a different method, namely a controller

Yeah that's what I thought, but I haven't tried it yet beyond aiming dashing strike. I have noticed I'm a little bit derpy in tight corridors, especially caves, but otherwise it feels really organic to aim with the controller. Good to hear another console player's experience though.

Would you be open to seasonal play on the console as well, either with or without leaderboards, if they made that game mode always online and had some way to prevent cheating? I would be ok with leaderboards removed just so we have some additional challenges, goals, and rewards.

[yasiru]

Yeah that's what I thought, but I haven't tried it yet beyond aiming dashing strike. I have noticed I'm a little bit derpy in tight corridors, especially caves, but otherwise it feels really organic to aim with the controller. Good to hear another console player's experience though.

Would you be open to seasonal play on the console as well, either with or without leaderboards, if they made that game mode always online and had some way to prevent cheating? I would be ok with leaderboards removed just so we have some additional challenges, goals, and rewards.

Honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about seasons coming to console. I'm kind of spoiled now having all the gear come straight into the game with the patch....lol. But I do like the idea of the seasonal journey offering a goal as I play, which can break up the monotony a bit... I think I would appreciate the journey as much or more as the leaderboards. I know I wouldn't be pushing high into those, plus I often like playing builds that aren't necessarily optimal but feel right to my game style.

[Mormolyce]

It's a shame that the console version misses some features IMO. Ideally all versions of a game should be the same. Even playing on the same servers. Admittedly that's difficult sometimes for technical reasons.

I grew up with a Commodore 64, but also had a nintendo, super nintendo, N64, etc. Most games when I got into them 'seriously' were always PC and I only owned a PS3 because my wife had one already. Otherwise I wouldn't have had a console since the PS2 generation.

But for some reason, I started getting back into controller play via a 360 windows wireless and it felt really god for many RPGs and things I thought I would always play on M+KB. Now that I have the PS4 controller, I feel like I could go controller for everything. Funny how all us dinosaurs can evolve differently haha.

I feel like controllers work great for third person perspective type games, but for FPS and probably RTS I always feel crippled not having M+KB.

[Kelimbror]

I do like the idea of the seasonal journey offering a goal as I play, which can break up the monotony a bit... I think I would appreciate the journey as much or more as the leaderboards.

Yeah that's the primary reason I want seasonal play b/c the new journey system with new goals and rewards feels really nice. It also offers more goals for Co-Op players to tackle together.

I feel like controllers work great for third person perspective type games, but for FPS and probably RTS I always feel crippled not having M+KB.

I used to feel the same for FPS games, but this generation's controllers finally feel responsive enough to be ok for me. I haven't played anything beyond Destiny, but my accuracy is almost as good as it would be on the MKB. I don't think I could ever play an RTS on a controller unless it was single player only, which paused the game when you entered menus. If designed right, I could see it still being enjoyable.

For ex, I could see myself playing the WC3 and TFT campaigns in that way, but only on a default easy setting with the pauses. It would feel more like a RTS/Turn based hybrid but could work. Definitely couldn't be the pure genre though.