Diablo 4 (+Early Release)

[Jamescrs]

Bought an Xbox Series X at the weekend that came with this game bundled, probably only spent 30 mins on it so far and never played a Diablo game before but seems quite interesting and hopefully give it some more serious time later on this week when i'm off work

[axel1990chp]

I must say I am a little dissapointed with D4. I absolutely loved D3 once they updated the game with the Nephalem Rifts. The replay ability of that game and the instant gratification of dungeon clearing was what kept me going back time and time again. D4 seems an absolute slog to get through, the story is great, and the changes to an open world map with interesting side quests is a nice change of pace, however, the end game is mind numbing.

Nightmare dungeons have barely any mobs in them, spread apart, poor elite monsters; completely disengaging.
Random events are good, but the loot system is poor, I shouldnt be getting level 52 items drop on T3 as a level 60!
Helltide events are good at first, but after a while it becomes a little desperate, logging in to hopefully improve 1 item of my gear with boring content.

D3 was instant dungeon, amazing fun, high loot options.

I hope Season 1 addresses some of these short comings, I heard Season 2 is pegged as the big game changer.

Ill return for S1 end of the month but I havent had my playstation on since i stopped playing almost 3 weeks ago!

Ill roll barb for S1, its always been my go-to class in WOW and Diablo, Melee all the way for me

[GnuBee]

Breakdown of the Season 1 and pre-patch notes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoX8DkO2bnQ&t=...

Some interesting decisions in there...

[jongkong]

Sycamore said:

Bought this over the weekend.
Never played Diablo before, but I think it's great fun

its super fun game!

[Sixsixtysix]

I played the new season for about 5 minutes and then realised I just don't want to go back to the start again, even if the story is slightly different. I rarely make alts so I'm happy to stick to the eternal server.

I'm only tinkering for a bit until Baldurs Gate 3 comes out in a few weeks - can't wait for that!

[axel1990chp]

Sixsixtysix said:

I played the new season for about 5 minutes and then realised I just don't want to go back to the start again, even if the story is slightly different. I rarely make alts so I'm happy to stick to the eternal server.

I'm only tinkering for a bit until Baldurs Gate 3 comes out in a few weeks - can't wait for that!

If you finish the campaign on the eternal realm you can then skip the campaign forever more on any new character! If you have a "main" I would rush to complete the campaign asap, from there any new character, seasonal or not, can skip the campaign at the title screen. You can even start a new character, complete a few hours of the campaign to help you get items and XP, then skip the campaign!

I played a few hours on Thursday&Friday evening of season 1. Absolutely love it compared to the eternal realm.

The caged hearts offer me nothing as a leveling barb but the new features etc are enjoyable, having a challenge board and rewards via the battle pass is encouraging to devote a few hours into it, and the new items etc are quite fun.

Definitely given me a boost for the game and hopeful for the future seasons to come.

Hope they add set items in a few seasons time!

[Sycamore]

How is the seasonal realm different to the eternal one?

I'm level ~40 and playing as a rogue which I'm really enjoying. It'll probably become my "main" character, although when I complete the campaign and play seasons I'll try out a different class. I've no idea what I fancy yet though - Probably Necromancer as I always love big AOE/clusterfk builds, so having a bunch of dead guys fighting for me will be cool.

[Jamescrs]

jongkong said:

its super fun game!

Picked it up again this morning having not played it for a little while and I'm definately getting into it now, I can see.me enjoying playing it through

[Sixsixtysix]

axel1990chp said:

If you finish the campaign on the eternal realm you can then skip the campaign forever more on any new character! If you have a "main" I would rush to complete the campaign asap, from there any new character, seasonal or not, can skip the campaign at the title screen. You can even start a new character, complete a few hours of the campaign to help you get items and XP, then skip the campaign!

I played a few hours on Thursday&Friday evening of season 1. Absolutely love it compared to the eternal realm.

The caged hearts offer me nothing as a leveling barb but the new features etc are enjoyable, having a challenge board and rewards via the battle pass is encouraging to devote a few hours into it, and the new items etc are quite fun.

Definitely given me a boost for the game and hopeful for the future seasons to come.

Hope they add set items in a few seasons time!

I have a 74 Sorcerer and completed the campaign some time ago, so I can skip it again, but I don't enjoy starting from 1. I've been that way with most games where you can have multiple characters - I rarely have any alts. I played Everquest and WoW for a long time with only 1 character on each game

[MickC]

Sixsixtysix said:

I have a 74 Sorcerer and completed the campaign some time ago, so I can skip it again, but I don't enjoy starting from 1. I've been that way with most games where you can have multiple characters - I rarely have any alts. I played Everquest and WoW for a long time with only 1 character on each game

I played EQ2 for ages and had a half dozen alts. But just for messing about, always one 'main' for main quests and raiding. Still playing the sorc in D4, lvl58 but I'm still doing all the sidequests, I don't much like 'helltide' or the tree stuff, its just repetitive grind, although if it is right next to me i might have a go - Diablo is still all about the chance of getting that next item upgrade and that's the addiction for me. I don't see the point of seasons, and starting again. Just doesn't really interest me. The paragon board too is a bit much 'gamified' for me, 'radius' effects etc. Just weird.

[axel1990chp]

Sycamore said:

How is the seasonal realm different to the eternal one?

I'm level ~40 and playing as a rogue which I'm really enjoying. It'll probably become my "main" character, although when I complete the campaign and play seasons I'll try out a different class. I've no idea what I fancy yet though - Probably Necromancer as I always love big AOE/clusterfk builds, so having a bunch of dead guys fighting for me will be cool.

Theres new questlines, dungeons are different, theres new enemies and dynamics. It seems to flow more dynamically! My fave is always barb/melee characters and I avoided at the start of D4 and played sorceress, hated it!

Now running a barb (currently 36) and while its clearly the worst class to play currently, I am thoroughly enjoying it!

[Aces_High]

I’m at my (half-) wit’s end.

Lvl 46, trying to beat Lilith but can’t quite manage last phase, so I teleported out to visit a blacksmith to repair weapons, do side quests (in other towns…so maybe I lost a portal back?) to earn cash to buy elixirs and look for rubies to help with fire resistance (if only I hadn’t dropped loads to save space….!).

Then I try to teleport back in….only to find I can only start at Caldeum again, in the Imperial Palace. I need to do the entire final level again?! That’s pretty galling.

I do find getting around the map, closing down at the right time etc, a bit fiddly. I probably back-track through completed dungeons when I could teleport, or assume I can teleport when I can’t, all the time. This is my first Diablo game. Should I be able to teleport closer to that final phase? Maybe I missed opening a waypoint . Must admit doing all the hard yards in ****, one more time, is a bit off-putting.

Have enjoyed the game a lot, though Elden Ring definitely on top for me (and Witcher 3 best of all….). Playing on PS5. Not sure if I’ll go for the New Season once/if I complete this, though tempted.

Edited by Aces_High on Tuesday 25th July 09:07

Edited by Aces_High on Tuesday 25th July 09:08

[MickC]

'Saving' the game (or basically just quitting) half way through a dungeon/quest has always been a bit of a bugbear in Diablo games - because of the shared world in previous games it would ALWAYS reset and you had to go to the nearest waypoint and start from there again. But in D1 and D2 there were waypoints in the dungeons. Not so much in D3/4 (well I've never found one in D4 yet), you just have to complete it before you quit for the session.

So yes its a slog and you cant just save, quit and go for your dinner half way through a dungeon and not even during important quest areas or you have to start the area over again. OTOH, you get more gear that way.... and yes the portal only works to one town, you cant leave that town or it is lost! Its still designed just for emptying your bags/repairing your gear.

On the subject of bags, why don't they just give us more space (and a bloody gem pouch!). I hate wasting stuff but really you should not even bother picking up lower tier gems or less than rare gear after lvl30ish. Even rare eventually you could do without, but you'd risk running out of mats eventually.

[Sycamore]

A gem pouch is on the way they have said. Thankfully..

[axel1990chp]

Aces_High said:

I’m at my (half-) wit’s end.

Lvl 46, trying to beat Lilith but can’t quite manage last phase, so I teleported out to visit a blacksmith to repair weapons, do side quests (in other towns…so maybe I lost a portal back?) to earn cash to buy elixirs and look for rubies to help with fire resistance (if only I hadn’t dropped loads to save space….!).

Then I try to teleport back in….only to find I can only start at Caldeum again, in the Imperial Palace. I need to do the entire final level again?! That’s pretty galling.

I do find getting around the map, closing down at the right time etc, a bit fiddly. I probably back-track through completed dungeons when I could teleport, or assume I can teleport when I can’t, all the time. This is my first Diablo game. Should I be able to teleport closer to that final phase? Maybe I missed opening a waypoint . Must admit doing all the hard yards in ****, one more time, is a bit off-putting.

Have enjoyed the game a lot, though Elden Ring definitely on top for me (and Witcher 3 best of all….). Playing on PS5. Not sure if I’ll go for the New Season once/if I complete this, though tempted.

Edited by Aces_High on Tuesday 25th July 09:07

Edited by Aces_High on Tuesday 25th July 09:08

When you teleported out, did you use the town portal? (Down on the control pad I believe) or did you select map and then select a waypoint?

If you use the town portal it leaves the return portal open to go back to the exact location you left!
It’s been a while since I did Lilith now so I can’t quite recall the specific location or how the fight went to be honest!

If you scale down the world level, and max out your renown in all the areas you firstly increase your potion capacity which greatly helps, at 45 you can increase the strength of these too, but secondly, you gain extra skill points which you could use for survivability without your class

[Aces_High]

Thanks Mick and Axel. I think I must’ve t-ported to a waypoint, so I have to repeat the whole H*** level again. Just can’t face it. Maybe the weekend will bring added inspiration.

Roll on Elden Ring DLC! First game I’ve completed twice, though wow, what a time sink!

[axel1990chp]

I believe in you bud!
Its worth knocking it out the park just so you can roll a different class if youre not enjoying what youre playing currently, and skip the campaign and get into the seasonal stuff, which is so much more enjoyable!

[MickC]

Aces_High said:

Thanks Mick and Axel. I think I must’ve t-ported to a waypoint, so I have to repeat the whole H*** level again. Just can’t face it. Maybe the weekend will bring added inspiration.

Roll on Elden Ring DLC! First game I’ve completed twice, though wow, what a time sink!

Yup one of my issues with D4 is that often i only have 30 mins or so to play. That should be fine you'd think. But if you go into a dungeon there is no way of saving that progress and you really have to finish it - and a dungeon could be big, or it could be small, could be easy for you class/spec, or could be a right nightmare. no way to know before you start (unless you google it I suppose, but that's not really in the spirit...)

I never do any main questline unless i know i can play 2 hours or so if i need to... often its done in 30 mins, but just in case...

[MickC]

Sycamore said:

A gem pouch is on the way they have said. Thankfully..

But when? Too little, too late, I'm done with the questline.

[Sycamore]

MickC said:

Sycamore said:

A gem pouch is on the way they have said. Thankfully..

But when? Too little, too late, I'm done with the questline.

The main one, sure. But there are still hundreds of side quests, dungeons, cellars, events that you won't have done, and then there'll be new quest lines in future.
It should've been added on release however. Silly oversight