Developer Update: Diablo 3 Two weeks After Launch

[Tyrmith]

http://us.battle.net/d3/en/blog/6018173

There's a lot of interesting analysis of where they think the game is, and where it should be.

I was pretty amused at them basically telling people complaining about inferno just being about 1 shotting people "yeah, it's cause your gear sucks".

I think the most encouraging thing about the whole thing however was this

From a high-level perspective, we think a more fundamentally fun way to approach difficulty in Inferno isn't seeing how much incoming damage you can avoid or mitigate, but rather to see how efficient you can be while voluntarily taking on a challenge that pushes you.

If it actually becomes true in how people play the game it'd be pretty neat, but I really don't think it's true right now, at least in group play.

[Tredje]

I was really looking forward to this post and seeing what Blizzard wants Diablo 3 to be. The amount of complaining has been ridiculous after release, and I think a company needs a strong idea of what the game should be to avoid responding poorly. That is why I was happy to read the comment you cited Tyrmith. If they can make Inferno feel like they describe (I've died several times chasing Treasure Goblins, and cursed/laughed every time), that would be great.

I also liked this quote:

We’re not particularly concerned with whether or not a boss is “beatable,” though it should feel epic and challenging to defeat it. We’re more concerned with ensuring that acquiring 5 stacks of Nephalem Valor and taking on as many Champions and Rares as you can remains the most challenging and rewarding way to play.

Getting the Nephalem Valor stacks and defeating bosses is something that I have found to be exciting. It doesn't give me the rinse and repeat feeling I got in Diablo 2 after doing Mephisto or Baal runs.

Regarding Inferno difficulty: Personally I'm not sure if damage is the biggest problem in Inferno at the moment. Yes, damage is very high, and should probably be lowered some, but I'm more inclined to saying that it is high damage on certain mobs, especially those that are fast or ranged that is the main problem (try surviving a group of Soul Rippers in Act 3 as a caster.) There is also the issue that some elites are next-to unkillable.

I think Inferno is a very difficult balancing act. This is where people will spend most, if not all, their time after getting to level 60. Right now it definitely favours glass-cannon builds and consequently the Wizard and Demon Hunter classes. I hope they can make some alterations so that more playstyles (and classes) become viable.

[Injera]

Regarding Inferno difficulty: Personally I'm not sure if damage is the biggest problem in Inferno at the moment. Yes, damage is very high, and should probably be lowered some, but I'm more inclined to saying that it is high damage on certain mobs, especially those that are fast or ranged that is the main problem (try surviving a group of Soul Rippers in Act 3 as a caster.) There is also the issue that some elites are next-to unkillable.

Exactly. There are lots of creatures that hit really hard that aren't a problem. But when you combine hitting really hard with unavoidable damage, something is broken. Naturally fast creatures with fast and minion immunity are basically impossible to defend against once their damage reaches a certain point relative to your health.

Still, I have to say having spent some more time in Inferno now I'm definitely feel much more comfortable around most packs, at least in Act 1. Act 2 is still brutal, but I've consistently found myself able to step up my game/build as the game throws new challenges at me, and hopefully that will happen here again. The difficulty curve in the game is really quite astounding and well done.

[Yazilliclick]

So glad to gear they're standing by that inferno should be hard and most of the complaints are from people with poor gear. Tired of all the whining about inferno difficulty from people who think they should be able to squeak by through hell and just move on casually to inferno and go right though it like the other difficulties. You're meant to have to stop and farm in later difficulties and build your equipment and yet people with no health, damage or mitigation complain that inferno is too hard and they die all the time and jump on the one shot bandwagon.

Really really hope they don't nerf things too much to appease those complaining though. I think there are very few problems so far. Don't even think nerfing the blacksmith cost is really necessary unless it happens to ramp up quite a bit soon. So far he's kept pace with me no problem.

Really just fingers crossed that they don't take all the difficulty, read fun, out of the game. I think it really brings something to the series and not sure I'll be able to stick around too long if it just turns into easy rinse repeat loot farming like D2.

[Dr.Disaster]

I can't help but parts of that statement are plain BS. For example: "Survival will still be important, but finding ways to maximize your damage while staying alive is more exciting."

This statement could make sense if regular mobs won't come along with 6 to 7 digit live bars and being able to 1-hit you with 5 to 6 digit dmg numbers.

Those not playing in Inferno and doubting these numbers there are enough videos out there showing exact this. What kind of dmg, dmg reduce and hp rates are people supposed to have to enjoy Inferno, especialy with melee classes? This is yet beyond me.

[Lewwyn]

For anybody who's ever died because they chased a Treasure Goblin too aggressively, you know what we mean; dying because you got greedy or overconfident can actually be a lot of fun.

Oh man, so fucking true. I see one of those guys and I just ignore everything else. Those things kill me all the time. And I love it. :neenernee

[Nitetales]

I lost my first hardcore char to a goblin, ran straight through a pack of nightmarish spiders and got perma-feared to death. Evil.

[KingOfPain]

You're meant to have to stop and farm in later difficulties and build your equipment...

I think it really brings something to the series and not sure I'll be able to stick around too long if it just turns into easy rinse repeat loot farming like D2.

Hehe, not sure what you are saying there. You are suppose to farm (naturally means rinse and repeat) for items, just don't make it too easy? Having to farm for items is a good thing?

Me think one hit kills are just sloppy lazy game design (it's a no brainer). I would give D3 a 9+ rating before I hit hell diff, and maybe a 7 out of 10 as is.

[Sullla]

Inferno sounds rather silly to me. So I'm just going to get one-shot killed by unavoidable damage until I spend X amount of hours farming up an entirely new set of gear, and only then do I now suddenly have a chance to survive? How does endlessly repeating boss runs for super-elite gear drops (or until you have enough gold to buy it on the auction house) form an interesting challenge? It's no different from those old JRPGs in their design: you can't beat the big boss, then you grind out a bunch of levels, and now suddenly the same tactics that failed before allow you to succeed. Sounds like poor design to me.

Note that this is the opinion of someone who hasn't even reached Hell difficulty yet, and could be completely incorrect. I don't think I'll be spending much time in Inferno though, not based on what I've heard thus far.

[Nitetales]

I've only been one-shot by avoidable damage, though that's speaking as a ranged.