07-28-2004, 08:21 AM
Like Smoketest said, use the "/players X" command with varying values from 2 to 8 for "X" to simulate multiplayer games and gain more experience solo.
As far as the original 1.10 patch goes, well, it is just too difficult for single-player in Hell mode, even for very seasoned players. 1.10 brought even more items and rune words, and the interesting skill synergies, but the combined effect of much faster, stronger monsters, a lot more minor bosses/champions and the partly weird monster distribution in Act 5 Nightmare/Hell was a bit much of the good. While writing the Mod, I've learned especially one thing: it is VERY difficult to balance out a game like Diablo II for three difficulties and both solo- and multiplayer. I'm lucky that I could play the game with all classes and many character builds since it came out (I had six level 99 realm charcaters in 1.09), so that I could simply follow my feelings and instincts when I revised patch 1.10. I could not have done it without my experience. The original patch 1.10, although it has again some great ideas, would have required a lot more testing and final tuning in my opinion, but here lies a general problem with every commercial game: the programmers, who work on the games, neither have the time nor the vast experience of hardcore players for extensive balancing, and so the customers get often a mediocre end product.
There will be some more changes in my Mod to item and rune drops and the Druid's and Assassin's summons based on reports of players who have played through the Mod from Normal to Hell difficulty. I think I can upload the revised Mod by the weekend or next week. Stay tuned :)
As far as the original 1.10 patch goes, well, it is just too difficult for single-player in Hell mode, even for very seasoned players. 1.10 brought even more items and rune words, and the interesting skill synergies, but the combined effect of much faster, stronger monsters, a lot more minor bosses/champions and the partly weird monster distribution in Act 5 Nightmare/Hell was a bit much of the good. While writing the Mod, I've learned especially one thing: it is VERY difficult to balance out a game like Diablo II for three difficulties and both solo- and multiplayer. I'm lucky that I could play the game with all classes and many character builds since it came out (I had six level 99 realm charcaters in 1.09), so that I could simply follow my feelings and instincts when I revised patch 1.10. I could not have done it without my experience. The original patch 1.10, although it has again some great ideas, would have required a lot more testing and final tuning in my opinion, but here lies a general problem with every commercial game: the programmers, who work on the games, neither have the time nor the vast experience of hardcore players for extensive balancing, and so the customers get often a mediocre end product.
There will be some more changes in my Mod to item and rune drops and the Druid's and Assassin's summons based on reports of players who have played through the Mod from Normal to Hell difficulty. I think I can upload the revised Mod by the weekend or next week. Stay tuned :)
"Man only plays when in the full meaning of the word he is a man, and he is only completely a man when he plays." -- Friedrich von Schiller