11-12-2006, 11:38 AM
Quote:I have yet to see anything I like better about D1 than D2, even after playing both for over half a decade. D2, for me, simply outdid its predecessor in every possible category.
D1 isn't item-dependant? PUH-LEASE. Ten minutes after starting my first Bnet character, I was virtually invincible thanks to the omnipresent dupers. At level TWO, only the mightiest enemies in Normal could even slow me down. And every spell comes from a book or scroll that you have to find or buy. I'd say D1 is just as item-centric, if not more so.
Cheating aside, this is only because you're using equipment that you will not even be able to find until Hell if it exists at all. Diablo II solved this by imposing level restrictions so a few well-placed rings of Atlas wouldn't bust the sucker wide open. But it wasn't originally like that. Back before 1.07 and Lord of Destruction, unique items had no level requirement. Many were the level 4's wielding Steeldriver, Silks of the Victor, and whatever other ridiculousness could be obtained through some strength additives. And yes, it was every bit as stupid as Godly Plate of the Whale and a King's Sword of Haste in the church.
That, my friend, is not a function of item-dependence; it is rather a function of non-linearity and what people will do to interfere with it. Diablo has no item dependence (though having good items makes the game a hell of a lot easier). You want to take that naked Sorceress through Hell in Diablo II? Good luck. Only the best of the best of the best can even think about it. What if you restrict her to only clvl 6 required spells? Firebolt and Lightning could get ya through hell in the original if you played smart.
Any game that has any kind of role-playing element will be absolutely destroyed in terms of balance if you start importing stuff from the end into the beginning. Even common stuff. If a level 3 Amazon could used a non-magical Hydra Bow, I'm pretty sure she could clear out Act 1 without even picking up more arrows.
But the scaling in Diablo I does NOT go the other way. Hence all of the naked and low-armor characters you see. SNOBs were popular as well. How far would a SNOB-esque character make it in Diablo II? Andariel, maybe? If they're lucky. To play any sort of variant on Diablo II, I typically have to item hunt, browse trades, and save pennies for weeks until I have the proper setup if I plan on taking said handicapable character through hell without mooching off a party, depending on how crippling the restrictions are, and just how goofy I wanna get. Compare that to the Hardcore Naked Mage I made a little while ago.
Diablo II made improvements in the following areas:
Graphics (goes without saying, can't refute, and I really don't think it should be listed in the positives)
Run, not Walk (genius)
Character classes (there are more to choose from)
(level restrictions--but these were not originally implemented, so I hesitate to add them)
-A ladder
Here are some other changes that I feel do not really elevate Diablo II, but are worth mention
-More items (most of which are garbage, compared to that Strange Short sword of Speed which you can still use in Hell Mode)
-Party system (has its ups and downs)
-Mercenaries (neat at first, but are now little more than walking aurae)
-Scaling factors are all higher, more numerous (speed/haste/quickness, thousands of damage late game vs. maybe a few hundread)
-Longer game (but most people only care about two or three map zones anyway--Diablo I just didn't have the filler)
-Skills vs. Spells (Could write a novel on this one, so I won't try to summarize)
There's probably a bunch I've forgotten, but what do you guys feel are the plusses for the sequel? Aside from looking sexier, there isn't that much I feel is superior. If you look at the original selling points, how many are still valid? Still get excited about set items? Have a character that even WEARS them, beyond maybe the occasional Sigon's? What about the seperate acts? Most people just get rushed right through them. Class division? Unlimited attribute points per class? Energy Barbarians aren't seeing a hell of a lot of play.
--me