Diablo II Expansion Announced

Fiwer wrote in with some interesting news with the only game I'll run windows for (god I wish they'd release a Linux port). They've announced an expansion pack that will probably be out next summer. Will feature Act V, as well as 2 new classes: Asassin and Druid. You can read the story on DiabloII.net or the Game Center Version (which has more screenshots, but requires you to click through one page-at-a-time. I hate that. I'm still wandering around as a sorceress named CmdrTaco (currently in Hell Act 3) and running into quite a few Slashdot folks out there. Not that its got me a stone of jordan *grin*

Comments

Ah, lovely /. hypocrasy..

[Rombuu]

Hmmm... Taco bitches and moans about every QuickTime piece of media that come out 'cuase he can't see it on Linux, but somehow gets his Win32 version of Diablo II running under Linux?

Real war is not fun

[eclectro]

I know that many are familiar with these arguements made by "prudes" like myself. And maybe I am a wet blanket, in the minority. So be it.

After listening to the history of the "great war" (WWI) on PBS, I really got a sense of the immensity of lost life and human suffering. It was really 'hell' on earth for for those fighting it. 'Hell' is not a playground.

The problem I have with Diablo is that it trivializes murder and mayhem. Maybe it is a morality play between 'good' and end 'evil', but it doesn't place battle in the right perspective - something that could (and likely) have an ultimate finality. In real war there are no 'spells', 'magic potions', or reincarnation for a second life.

Maybe they could make a game that if you character dies, then your computer kills you. Maybe there could be a wrist/leg strap that you need to put on before you can play the game. Then, if your character dies, your computer sends 1000 volts of high amperage current through you. Do you think that they would sell a lot of titles?

There will always be war and rumors of war. But there needs to be reflection on the values that are taking place in a game like 'Diablo'. Maybe if there was more respect for human life, we could improve the 'real world' relationships we have around us. And live in peace with our enemies. Now that's something to be valued.

Re:The one big logic flaw in Diablo 2

[weave]

Get real jack-ass, its a game!

No shit. If you can't see the intentional humour in my post, you need to lighten up...

Re:The one big logic flaw in Diablo 2

[Chelloveck]

My favorite is when my Paladin finds something labelled "Undesecrated Grave". So whaddaya think the first thing he does is? :-)

Diablo II is a good game, but if it had any sort of real role-playing (IMHO, a Paladin should not get rewarded for this sort of behavior!) it'd be tons better.

Ah, whaddaya want from a glitzy Rogue clone?

Re:Diablo II?

[lewp]

People without hours a day to play soon find hours a day to play. Your family, job, and friends will all be there when you finish, scout's honor.

Re:How much time spent on games?

[dragonfly_blue]

I play games all the time, after work, during work, before work. Mostly Tribes. It's a great stress-reliever, and I find (in the case of Tribes) that the contact with other computer geeks is sometimes nice.

I know what you're thinking...

"If he's playing video games he must not be doing his job very well"

and

"how can anybody mistake playing a computer game with other people for actual human contact?"

To that, I say;

• If you're good at your job it shouldn't take you forty hours a week. If you're really good it shouldn't take you more than twenty.

• Of course it's not the same as meeting face-to-face, silly. But it is the closest thing I have to being able to hang out with my friends at work.

As for getting sick of computers because of my job, well sure. Don't we all? The fact is, I can't avoid them, so I might as well try to enjoy them.

Re:How much time spent on games?

[dragonfly_blue]

I know what you mean about taking structured chunks of time to do things. If it's something like writing Perl or doing dev work that takes actual concentration, I usually have to take 9-12 hours of uninterrupted time (no phone calls, Tribes, or emails) to accomplish anything. Most of my projects don't require that much focus, but some do.

Re:Loki

[Fervent]

How is this a troll? It's a true statement.

Have any of you PLAYED Diablo II in Windows? System crashes? Other problems? I didn't think so.

Diablo II?

[LaNMaN2000]

I usually stick to FPS, but any game that CmdrTaco would support MS to play must be good. How does Diablo II compare to other MMP online games like Everquest and do people without hours a day to play get anything out of the experience?

Re:Diablo II?

[Fester213]

It's different from MMP games like EQ and UO because it does not take place in one persistant world. Your character goes with you from game to game. Each game can have 1-8 people in it, and the world map is randomly generated. In short, D2 is more centered around character advancement and item collection than impact on the world. (because there is no single "world")
-- Fester

How much time spent on games?

[rongen]

Maybe this should be an "ask slashdot" question but I was wondering how much time the average gamer who mainly works with computers spends playing games after work (or during work)? (this is the second games-related story on slashdot lately, isn't it?).

I'll be the first to admit that I am "on the computer" too much already so even when I find a game I like that I can run on Linux (I don't have a 3d card or anything) I ussually don't end up playing it too often.

What do you people think? Do those who work with computers all day find they play these games all night or is it mostly people who are in non-computer related jobs that spend hours gaming?

--8<--

d2

[MattW]

And hopefully, battle.net will actually work normally by then. I'm probably not the only one who would pay to get reliable service there. Not only am I tired of lag (on a fast box and a T1), but I'm annoyed at their architecture, which lets Duriel mow you down before the tomb of tal rasha even loads.

If you were concerned you might not have a life because you play it too much, check out the auctionwatch info about what in-game items are selling for on E-bay.

Only one new act?

[gdulli]

What the hell? Act 4 only had three quests. I don't think I died once. We're supposed to wait six more months for only one act? It had better be hard.

I hope Blizzard is working on something damn cool besides this. Diablo 2 is just our Pac Man or Asteroids... fun & addicting, but just as shallow, compared to what we're capable of.

wine works fine

[coolo]

I'm playing Diablo II only using wine
and it works perfectly (the single player
mode I'm using at least - the multiuser
mode was fixed two weeks ago though).

I wanted to post this once, but abstained
as you need a crack - wine can't get the
copy protection to run. Other than that,
it works just great.

BTW: I'm using the stock wine that comes
with the Caldera LTP ;-)

Re:wine works fine

[CoolVibe]

Interesting. Would this be a legal way to use a crack? Because it makes interoperability happen between operating systems :)

BTW, you just gave me a reason to try that game. Thanks. I will be looking forward to sacrificing most of my free time for this :)

(Oh yeah, moderators, mod the parent up please)

SPOILER ALERT

[scrytch]

Watch out, the CNet review contains pretty much a complete giveaway of the ending of Diablo2, so if you haven't finished it yet (e.g. Taco) then I'd hold off on reading the review. As for screenshots, only thing that's going to look different is the cinematics anyway ... and snow on the rigidly square-tiled square-walled "outdoor" environments.

The one big logic flaw in Diablo 2

[weave]

Here you are, going out into all kinds of shit, and risking your ass, to save those pathetic villagers.

And are they grateful? Oh yeah, maybe giving you a trinket or something or a whopping 10% discount in their shops. Oh boy...

I mean, like, I retrieve a tool for the blacksmith in act 1 and she imbues it and that's it. Just once. Oh, thanks a lot. Er, how about making me whatever I want so I can save your friends and family while you sit here nice and comfy in your village, eh??

Oh, and gee wiz. My stash is a bit small so I'm forced to sell all the great stuff I find at rip-off prices. Nice of you to profit from me almost getting myself killed and hauling this great loot back. How about allowing me to rent a PS Storage Shed for my loot for free?!

But seriously, what a GREAT game. I mean, who really needs logic? Without having it the way it is, it wouldn't be the same!

Re:The one big logic flaw in Diablo 2

[Tk42!]

Yeah, but they allow you to slaughter nameless baddies without questioning your morals. Imagine if the villagers made you get a hunting license and only allowed you to take out demons based on what season it was. And luckily there is no CNN standing by to show the villagers the unethical treatment of the poor little carvers as your Necromancer mercilessly explodes their corpses or raises them from the dead without so much as a release form... Get real jack-ass, its a game!

Re:The one big logic flaw in Diablo 2

[Benjamin Shniper]

Then you could be playing warcraft. Or Warcraft 3.

Too bad the games don't combine.

How's the Sims?

-Ben

Re:The one big logic flaw in Diablo 2

[scrytch]

'course, consider the fact that you're about the umpteenth "adventurer" to come around their camp. they sell you stuff, but you make them buy back what was probably their old weapons, and they don't raise an eyebrow when you loot their crypt, mausoleum, and what's left of their monastery.

personally i just wonder how i manage to kill a cloud of gnats with a spear, then they drop a chain mail. strong bugs.

Re:The one big logic flaw in Diablo 2

[nomadic]

Hell, I didn't want the help of the one I got, but there was no way to get rid of her. Well, eventually she fell in battle. My point was just that she shouldn't offer help if she's not going to give it for free; she should have said "I'd send some troops with you, but we're hard pressed to defend the camp as it is" or something like that...
--

boring

[Arcanix]

Was it just me or was Diablo II incredibly boring and repetitive after a few hours? I couldn't bear to actually finish it because it kept lulling me off to sleep...

And how exactly did they spend all those years from when the original released? It was nearly the same game!

The best way to brown nose your boss...

[weave]

I am in charge of a 25-person computer support department at a large 2-year college..

So I'm playing away at d2 and set my ICQ away message saying what server I am in.

So in pops one of my staff that is two levels of supervision below me, walks up to me, and out comes flying a whole lotta great shit. 40,000 gold pieces, great armor, weapons, gems, etc, etc... It was a shower of goodies just pouring out from his character!

What a PERFECT way to brown nose the big boss! I always have hated it when staff tries to talk to me like they care and roll on the BS compliments and all. But THIS dude, yeah baby. It worked.

Then again, he still ain't getting a raise, but I *was* appreciative! :-) :-)

...sorceress named CmdrTaco...

[dieMSdie]

... does this mean we will see you on the Jerry Springer show soon?

Re:Loki

[Fervent]

I don't recall Diablo II being touted for Windows 2000....