Impressions of D3 patch 1.0.4?

So, I've been playing a bit more D3 since the patch, after not playing for a few weeks, and I must say, it feels better. I feel like inferno is still an immense challenge, but there's far less of the brick wall feeling. You know, where you just see an elite mob with an impossibly cheap set of affixes, so you just leave the game and start again, thinking "better luck next time".

As for the loot, I think I'm definitely noticing the buffs to drop rates, and items' power. Basically, before the patch, I had spent easily 30 to 40 hours farming act 1 and 2 inferno after reaching level 60, and didn't find sh!t. I had been geared up with all gear bought on the AH, and never found anything even in the same league as what I was already using, and not a single legendary. Pretty much just farmed for gold, to buy better gear.

But, since the patch, I spent probably 4 hours or so the other night, farming the same areas of act 1 that I had before. And in that time, I replaced half my gear with new stuff I found myself, including a legendary shield that dropped from an elite mob before I even hit 5 NV stacks.

Plus I gained my first paragon level. Which was, pretty much just another level. But I don't mind that. Essentially, they just nearly tripled the level cap, and after level 60, the next 100 increase base Magic and gold find. Just seeing the XP bar moving again is extra motivation to keep playing, and eventually, magic find rates will get much better, with more paragon levels, to the point that there's no need (or even benefit) to having MF gear. So you can change to gear that has all its stats focused on making you kill faster.

All in all, I feel pretty good about the patch, and I think it's a big step in the right direction for the game. I'm pretty sure it'll keep me playing long enough to get PVP, and then that'll be a whole other thing. Anyone else been playing again, post-patch? How do you guys feel about it?

flopped.

I have also enjoyed it for all of the reasons you mentioned. They even reduced repair costs again which was really needed.

And the best part is it isn't over. They will be doing more and more.I'm looking forward to getting back into it.

Jake, you are a dick. You've always been a dick. Then you went to ottowa and got radiation poisoning and now you're a giant dick.

I have also enjoyed it for all of the reasons you mentioned. They even reduced repair costs again which was really needed.

And the best part is it isn't over. They will be doing more and more.I'm looking forward to getting back into it.

Amigro

That's right, they did reduce the repair costs. I don't think they're as low as they were before they raised them the first time, but they're not ridiculous anymore, which is great. Besides the better loot I've been finding, I'm also making a solid gold profit again. Very nice indeed.

flopped.

jakes456

So, I've been playing a bit more D3 since the patch, after not playing for a few weeks, and I must say, it feels better. I feel like inferno is still an immense challenge, but there's far less of the brick wall feeling. You know, where you just see an elite mob with an impossibly cheap set of affixes, so you just leave the game and start again, thinking "better luck next time".

As for the loot, I think I'm definitely noticing the buffs to drop rates, and items' power. Basically, before the patch, I had spent easily 30 to 40 hours farming act 1 and 2 inferno after reaching level 60, and didn't find sh!t. I had been geared up with all gear bought on the AH, and never found anything even in the same league as what I was already using, and not a single legendary. Pretty much just farmed for gold, to buy better gear.

But, since the patch, I spent probably 4 hours or so the other night, farming the same areas of act 1 that I had before. And in that time, I replaced half my gear with new stuff I found myself, including a legendary shield that dropped from an elite mob before I even hit 5 NV stacks.

Plus I gained my first paragon level. Which was, pretty much just another level. But I don't mind that. Essentially, they just nearly tripled the level cap, and after level 60, the next 100 increase base Magic and gold find. Just seeing the XP bar moving again is extra motivation to keep playing, and eventually, magic find rates will get much better, with more paragon levels, to the point that there's no need (or even benefit) to having MF gear. So you can change to gear that has all its stats focused on making you kill faster.

All in all, I feel pretty good about the patch, and I think it's a big step in the right direction for the game. I'm pretty sure it'll keep me playing long enough to get PVP, and then that'll be a whole other thing. Anyone else been playing again, post-patch? How do you guys feel about it?

the_bi99man

As far as gameplay systems are concerned, this is a big step in the right direction towards Diablo 3 living up to the legacy of the Diablo name. However, in my opinion, there are certain things about this game that will never change, such as the dumb story, lackluster soundtrack (compared to D2 anyway) and the loss of the dark, occult tinged atmosphere of the first 2 games. It's because of these that I believe D3 will never be quite as good as it's predecessors, but eventually I think the game will perfect it's game mechanics and become an awesome game in it's own right.

[QUOTE="the_bi99man"]

So, I've been playing a bit more D3 since the patch, after not playing for a few weeks, and I must say, it feels better. I feel like inferno is still an immense challenge, but there's far less of the brick wall feeling. You know, where you just see an elite mob with an impossibly cheap set of affixes, so you just leave the game and start again, thinking "better luck next time".

As for the loot, I think I'm definitely noticing the buffs to drop rates, and items' power. Basically, before the patch, I had spent easily 30 to 40 hours farming act 1 and 2 inferno after reaching level 60, and didn't find sh!t. I had been geared up with all gear bought on the AH, and never found anything even in the same league as what I was already using, and not a single legendary. Pretty much just farmed for gold, to buy better gear.

But, since the patch, I spent probably 4 hours or so the other night, farming the same areas of act 1 that I had before. And in that time, I replaced half my gear with new stuff I found myself, including a legendary shield that dropped from an elite mob before I even hit 5 NV stacks.

Plus I gained my first paragon level. Which was, pretty much just another level. But I don't mind that. Essentially, they just nearly tripled the level cap, and after level 60, the next 100 increase base Magic and gold find. Just seeing the XP bar moving again is extra motivation to keep playing, and eventually, magic find rates will get much better, with more paragon levels, to the point that there's no need (or even benefit) to having MF gear. So you can change to gear that has all its stats focused on making you kill faster.

All in all, I feel pretty good about the patch, and I think it's a big step in the right direction for the game. I'm pretty sure it'll keep me playing long enough to get PVP, and then that'll be a whole other thing. Anyone else been playing again, post-patch? How do you guys feel about it?

mynameisjosh657

As far as gameplay systems are concerned, this is a big step in the right direction towards Diablo 3 living up to the legacy of the Diablo name. However, in my opinion, there are certain things about this game that will never change, such as the dumb story, lackluster soundtrack (compared to D2 anyway) and the loss of the dark, occult tinged atmosphere of the first 2 games. It's because of these that I believe D3 will never be quite as good as it's predecessors, but eventually I think the game will perfect it's game mechanics and become an awesome game in it's own right.

Don't forget the idiot-proofed leveling and the combat mechanic that doesn't actually let you use your weapons.

It's great. No more brick walls! No more pack regen! I'm happy with the new loot. I like that items drop again from breakable items. Squirt moving to the upper camp is the cherry on top.

Now all they need to do is apply MF to chests...

flopped.

jakes456

YOU FLOPPED.

Loving the new patch. My pets (WD here) are no longer useless :)

[QUOTE="jakes456"]

flopped.

Whiteblade999

YOU FLOPPED.

We're going to look back on this years from now and find that these two words were the cause of the entire global catastrophe. Well done.

I've jumped back into it after a month off and am finding it a tonne better. Still has a lot of problems but this is a great step in the right direction.

As far as gameplay systems are concerned, this is a big step in the right direction towards Diablo 3 living up to the legacy of the Diablo name. However, in my opinion, there are certain things about this game that will never change, such as the dumb story, lackluster soundtrack (compared to D2 anyway) and the loss of the dark, occult tinged atmosphere of the first 2 games. It's because of these that I believe D3 will never be quite as good as it's predecessors, but eventually I think the game will perfect it's game mechanics and become an awesome game in it's own right.

mynameisjosh657

Agreed. The music is not as good as it could be (probably because Matt Uelman only worked on some of the Act 1 music), and the story and atmosphere is quite castrated. Actually, while playing with a friend of mine the other day, he mentioned that the way the Prime evils are always popping in and talking sh!t before you kill them really takes away from their "scary" factor. Said that's why Diablo 1 was so spooky (at least one of many reasons). And not just the Act bosses, but just random monsters, as you're fighting, are always giving stupid commands to the others, saying somthing sh!t like, "seize him!" (cue cobra commander voice). So, after thinking about that, I went into the options and turned "voice" volume totally off. 5 minutes like that, and it already feels more like diablo. The voice volume will not be getting turned back up as long as I play this game, unless they do an expansion that adds a new Act. In which case, the voice volume will come back long enough for one playthrough of the new content.

I like it for the most part. Act 3 doesn't feel hard anymore, aside from the bosses though. It does seem like more high-end items are dropping. Haven't tried out all the retweaked skills for Wizard yet.

its much better, definetly moving in the right direction