Necromancer Beta Test Live now!

[Kontinuum]

Necromancer Beta Now Live
https://us.battle.net//d3/en/blog/20698502

Necromancer Skill Overview
https://us.battle.net/d3/en/blog/20682541

[Seifa]

And we all can expect for the first beta keys to be given out to current and former content creators of Diablo 3 and few to regular players.

As much as i dislike how D3 became, i'm curious to give a try to the Necro, but i'd doubt it will tip the scale and make me buy it.

... Yeah, it's best i don't get access to the beta, it could be "wasted".

[zito]

why the fuck is there a closed beta and beta keys for a new class

like just put it on the PTR and let everyone test it, it's not a fucking expansion

and how's long is this going to be? It's already been forever, springs almost up too so I guess a summer release

[Jester Joe]

why the fuck is there a closed beta and beta keys for a new class

like just put it on the PTR and let everyone test it, it's not a fucking expansion

and how's long is this going to be? It's already been forever, springs almost up too so I guess a summer release

Probably because it's content that needs to be purchased.

Same like with WoW expansions, they'll let anyone test the patches, but the expansions themselves are invite only.

[Iamanerd]

Cool meanwhile they still fail at adding a good amount of content frequently while a f2p game called Path of Exile offers a ton more content, frequent actual content updates and doesn't charge for it. I've long since given up on Diablo, granted I long for the day it becomes good again.

[Eleccybubb]

Probably because it's content that needs to be purchased.

Same like with WoW expansions, they'll let anyone test the patches, but the expansions themselves are invite only.

Not really an excuse. It's paid content but still just a patch at best.

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Cool meanwhile they still fail at adding a good amount of content frequently while a f2p game called Path of Exile offers a ton more content, frequent actual content updates and doesn't charge for it. I've long since given up on Diablo, granted I long for the day it becomes good again.

Honestly I'm just waiting for PoE to come to PS4. I prefer ARPGs on console personally.

[Coldkil]

why the fuck is there a closed beta and beta keys for a new class

like just put it on the PTR and let everyone test it, it's not a fucking expansion

and how's long is this going to be? It's already been forever, springs almost up too so I guess a summer release

Well, easily because it's a) still not completely developed and want more "filtered" feedback and b) if everyone plays the necro on PTR who will buy it later?

Not the best reasons for sure.

Honestly? No reason to be upset - also next to zero reason to buy the necro but they literally have to monetize stuff out from the game in a short time (read: expansion is not viable) to grant the game some revenue and justify additional support.

People expect D3 to be treated like WoW with constant new content and patches while being B2P and it's just wrong. It's not like D2 had this humongous content patches and it had only one xpack - it's literally the same as now (while being a better game granted).

Also the "PoE argument" is silly. PoE isn't free - they get lots of revenue from microtransactions, otherwise stuff like the next xpack wouldn't be possible and game would be dead right now.

Again: i'm not talking about the games quality. No "X > Y". It's just sheer money needed to grant long-ish term support, and atm D3 has next to zero apparently given the content draught and the barebone dev team.

[Segus1992]

Cool meanwhile they still fail at adding a good amount of content frequently while a f2p game called Path of Exile offers a ton more content, frequent actual content updates and doesn't charge for it. I've long since given up on Diablo, granted I long for the day it becomes good again.

Because PoE has a vastly superior business model. D3 should try to incorporate it asap.

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Well, easily because it's a) still not completely developed and want more "filtered" feedback and b) if everyone plays the necro on PTR who will buy it later?

Not the best reasons for sure.

Honestly? No reason to be upset - also next to zero reason to buy the necro but they literally have to monetize stuff out from the game in a short time (read: expansion is not viable) to grant the game some revenue and justify additional support.

People expect D3 to be treated like WoW with constant new content and patches while being B2P and it's just wrong. It's not like D2 had this humongous content patches and it had only one xpack - it's literally the same as now (while being a better game granted).

Also the "PoE argument" is silly. PoE isn't free - they get lots of revenue from microtransactions, otherwise stuff like the next xpack wouldn't be possible and game would be dead right now.

Again: i'm not talking about the games quality. No "X > Y". It's just sheer money needed to grant long-ish term support, and atm D3 has next to zero apparently given the content draught and the barebone dev team.

PoE IS free, just because they've got lucrative microtransactions doesn't mean the game isn't free. The creators of the game were just way smarter when deciding on a business model.

[Coldkil]

PoE IS free, just because they've got lucrative microtransactions doesn't mean the game isn't free. The creators of the game were just way smarter when deciding on a business model.

No, it isn't. There's just someone paying also for you - the same that happens with WoW tokens. But that's discussing on semantics.

What i fully agree with you is that PoE business model works really well. Hell, Overwatch is B2P and has microtx and works really good, to the point they're "overwatch-ing" also HotS with the 2.0 patch. So it's not like Blizzard is oblivious to this kind of thing.

D3 is changing business model - they're opting for free content patches with paid DLCs for new classes that are not mandatory to play the game. And honestly to me it doesn't look that bad while again i agree that a PoE-like model is superior given the success of the game.

The problem lies in the fact that maybe it's just too late. There's definitely stuff running "underground" and i have some signals that devs aren't actually ignoring the game issue - the fact is that D3 is so set in stone right now that changing/overhauling stuff may be a lot of effort for bad results, given how it's nto guaranteed that changes will make everyone happy.

[Segus1992]

No, it isn't. There's just someone paying also for you - the same that happens with WoW tokens. But that's discussing on semantics.

What i fully agree with you is that PoE business model works really well. Hell, Overwatch is B2P and has microtx and works really good, to the point they're "overwatch-ing" also HotS with the 2.0 patch. So it's not like Blizzard is oblivious to this kind of thing.

D3 is changing business model - they're opting for free content patches with paid DLCs for new classes that are not mandatory to play the game. And honestly to me it doesn't look that bad while again i agree that a PoE-like model is superior given the success of the game.

The problem lies in the fact that maybe it's just too late. There's definitely stuff running "underground" and i have some signals that devs aren't actually ignoring the game issue - the fact is that D3 is so set in stone right now that changing/overhauling stuff may be a lot of effort for bad results, given how it's nto guaranteed that changes will make everyone happy.

First of all, PoE IS free - it is not comparable to tokens in WoW because those require gold and someone to buy it. You can play PoE entirely without paying OR spending ingame resources in any way. The game is free, like any (I think they're all free) MOBA these days.

I don't know for sure if applying the HotS/OW business model to D3 would work, as both of those games are almost entirely about playing against other people whereas in D3 it's about playing against yourself, but if HotS' business model change can breathe life into a dying game, it should be considered about D3 as well. And DLCs is not (afaik) the best way to do that, since that requires everyone that wants to play it to pay, rather than being free for everyone with optional MTXs.

[Deleted]

Huge Diablo fan here and I really hope Necromancer pulls me back into the game, until then, PoE all the way.

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First of all, PoE IS free - it is not comparable to tokens in WoW because those require gold and someone to buy it. You can play PoE entirely without paying OR spending ingame resources in any way. The game is free, like any (I think they're all free) MOBA these days.

I don't know for sure if applying the HotS/OW business model to D3 would work, as both of those games are almost entirely about playing against other people whereas in D3 it's about playing against yourself, but if HotS' business model change can breathe life into a dying game, it should be considered about D3 as well. And DLCs is not (afaik) the best way to do that, since that requires everyone that wants to play it to pay, rather than being free for everyone with optional MTXs.

PoE is exactly the same system as HotS in terms of microtransactions, I don't see why they can't add that to D3 as well, ... I would love to buy special skins or pennants and wings in D3, I quite honestly don't understand why they still don't make and sell them ...

[Segus1992]

PoE is exactly the same system as HotS in terms of microtransactions, I don't see why they can't add that to D3 as well, ... I would love to buy special skins or pennants and wings in D3, I quite honestly don't understand why they still don't make and sell them ...

It's not, no - not even close to exactly the same. In HotS you get currency after leveling up, after winning, etc. In PoE it's very literally just a cash shop with no way around it.
HotS' system is not one that would work for D3 I feel, because the gameplay is entirely different and because since you don't interact with other players as much, skins and other aesthetic MTX wouldn't sell as well.

For PoE's system to work, a lot of things that already exist in the game almost for free (stash tabs, transmog, banner stuff, portrait borders) would have to become MTX, which would obviously be a problem. The game would also have to become free (if it wanted to match PoE), which also is a problem because D3 is one of the most sold video games of all time - chances are that everyone who would ever be interested in the game already has it.
As such, if they made the cosmetic things that are already ingame into MTX and made sure that everyone that already had them got to keep them, most people would just already have everything.

It's definitely not that simple, and I'm sure they're hard at work trying to figure something out. Diablo is one of their biggest franchises after all, I'm sure they don't want to earn nothing from it.

[Deleted]

It's not, no - not even close to exactly the same. In HotS you get currency after leveling up, after winning, etc. In PoE it's very literally just a cash shop with no way around it.
HotS' system is not one that would work for D3 I feel, because the gameplay is entirely different and because since you don't interact with other players as much, skins and other aesthetic MTX wouldn't sell as well.

For PoE's system to work, a lot of things that already exist in the game almost for free (stash tabs, transmog, banner stuff, portrait borders) would have to become MTX, which would obviously be a problem. The game would also have to become free (if it wanted to match PoE), which also is a problem because D3 is one of the most sold video games of all time - chances are that everyone who would ever be interested in the game already has it.
As such, if they made the cosmetic things that are already ingame into MTX and made sure that everyone that already had them got to keep them, most people would just already have everything.

It's definitely not that simple, and I'm sure they're hard at work trying to figure something out. Diablo is one of their biggest franchises after all, I'm sure they don't want to earn nothing from it.

What are you talking about ... In HotS you need real money to buy a lot of skins and mounts ... ok, 2.0 will change that, but for now it was you needed real money to buy a lot of stuff. In PoE you also get some armor look just by playing the game ...

Don't complicate things so much. The game is a bit different yes, but when it comes to microtransactions people blow shit out of proportions ...

It doesn't matter if the game is PvP or PvE ... most people use skins they like, because it makes the characters look more cooler in their eyes.

Fact is though that if you make money by doing something, you make it better, that's why microtransactions are great, they put effort into making them because they earn money, it's simple logic. And by doing so, they make the game live longer. Not just by making profit but having more content players like.

[Segus1992]

What are you talking about ... In HotS you need real money to buy a lot of skins and mounts ... ok, 2.0 will change that, but for now it was you needed real money to buy a lot of stuff. In PoE you also get some armor look just by playing the game ...

Don't complicate things so much. The game is a bit different yes, but when it comes to microtransactions people blow shit out of proportions ...

It doesn't matter if the game is PvP or PvE ... most people use skins they like, because it makes the characters look more cooler in their eyes.

Fact is though that if you make money by doing something, you make it better, that's why microtransactions are great, they put effort into making them because they earn money, it's simple logic. And by doing so, they make the game live longer. Not just by making profit but having more content players like.

I'm naive enough to not believe everyone is that simple, and as such I treat different games as what they are; different. People will buy different things for different games. I would, and I expect others to put as much thought into it as I do, simple as that.

[Coldkil]

It's definitely not that simple, and I'm sure they're hard at work trying to figure something out. Diablo is one of their biggest franchises after all, I'm sure they don't want to earn nothing from it.

Basically this. To run any game you need money - atm D3 is making zero. A change in business model is needed, and to me class DLCs are fine (though personal opinion).

Point is that imho you cannot at this point just slap some cosmetic microtx to D3 and hope people will buy them, since the game has nothing major new to offer.

[Deleted]

People thinking the introduction of a new class will breathe life into a stale game again. Sure, for 3 weeks before you realize that all you're doing is running the same old rifts, the same old grifts, the same old bounties and chasing the same old gear, cursing RNG from start to finish.

Blizzard is marketing a new class like a full fledged expansion.

The Necromancer is a final attempt to suck money out of an extremely loyal and blind fanbase that falls into the same hype traps every time. While I'll probably have fun for another week in Season 10, this game is dead and done.

[Coldkil]

While I'll probably have fun for another week in Season 10, this game is dead and done.

Well, i don't see entirely your points, but that's a degree of thruth.

Anyway it's fun that for a game "dead and done" everyone complaining is having "fun for another week in Season 10". So basically everyone keeps returning every single time even after all the complaints.

It's true that the game has become pretty much stale at this point. But still lots of people flock to it for 2 weeks avery three months like it's completely new - so there's still to be something good into it (while it could have been much much better).

[Deleted]

Can't remember seeing people so vehemently demanding micro transactions before...

Diablo 3 is in a pretty good place considering its age, its a good amount of fun, even if the player base comes and goes and the Necromancer pack seems like a good way to offer something fresh to the mix without huge financial investment by either Blizzard or players.


Seems this beta will be pretty small to start of with but it is nice to see there is no NDA and that they are actively encouraging people to stream/share info about it, a lot of games companies could learn from that.

[Deleted]

Well, i don't see entirely your points, but that's a degree of thruth.

Anyway it's fun that for a game "dead and done" everyone complaining is having "fun for another week in Season 10". So basically everyone keeps returning every single time even after all the complaints.

It's true that the game has become pretty much stale at this point. But still lots of people flock to it for 2 weeks avery three months like it's completely new - so there's still to be something good into it (while it could have been much much better).

A game that only has an audience for 2 weeks every 3 months is a dead game, no matter how you slice that cake. The formula is bankrupt and I hope Blizzard manages to either reinvigorate it, or design something new that manages to captivate the attention of players for a longer time than 8 weeks/year.
Diablo 2 did not suffer from this phenomenon, not in its specific timeframe of the early 2000's, nor would it now. Just like PoE manages to attract a stable following that is seemingly interested on a continuous basis.

The main issue with Diablo 3 is in the high degree of repetitiveness of the content and the limited options of different, relevant content. Diablo 2 was also highly repetitive, hell people ran Mephisto for weeks at sub 30 seconds per run, but you had more content to run because you actually kind of needed to in order to acquire the different sources of gear for your toon (runes, gear, charms, ...).
The second issue is in RNG. When you got a Shako in D2, you got a Shako. When you get a Manald Heal now, it contains a high variability not only in its unique affix but also in the almost complete randomization of primary and secondary affixes. Primal Ancient solves this, but it's so rare that many people won't see one for their entire season (I'm P611 now, don't have one yet). Farming better versions of the same isn't fun (my opinion).

[Shiny212]

Because PoE has a vastly superior business model. D3 should try to incorporate it asap.

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PoE IS free, just because they've got lucrative microtransactions doesn't mean the game isn't free. The creators of the game were just way smarter when deciding on a business model.

Their business model is superior to a small time indie studio maybe, that cant rely on game sales alone. Blizzard and D3 can, and have had exorbitantly much profit come out of their game. D3 shattered records at release and was re-released on console at full price.

I'm sure POE would've loved to be able to do that, just like every publisher in the world. But blizzard are uniquely situated as we know.