2014/9/19: Playstation 3: Diablo III

[Sudz1]

[QUOTE=Sudz]With Halloween around the corner I figured this would be a good time to try to load D3 back up on my PC to see if they've finally done away with that rancid, nasty, despicable 'always connected to Blizzard servers' requirement.  Right off the bat I was forced to log into my battle.net account (not a good sign), and now it's downloading what it claims is 10G worth of a patch!  I'll have to post back later to let everyone know how this turned out, since it appears it'll be awhile before I'll be able to play.[/QUOTE]

Quick follow up - the update took over 2 hours and I had to accept not one, not two, but THREE different EULA's before I could continue my game.  Mind you, this is for a game that was already install years ago.  By the time all that was done, I no longer had time to actually play the game.

[ptdebate1]

[QUOTE=Sudz][QUOTE=Sudz]With Halloween around the corner I figured this would be a good time to try to load D3 back up on my PC to see if they've finally done away with that rancid, nasty, despicable 'always connected to Blizzard servers' requirement.[/QUOTE]

First of all, any of us on the forum could have told you that the always-online requirement was here to stay. Secondly, there's a great reason for this requirement--namely, to prevent hacking and save editing, both of which are so rampant on the console versions as to make online play (with anyone other than trusted friends) a sure path to disappointment. The PC version is the only version where cheating is absolutely unheard-of, something I value deeply. I fully respect Blizzard's approach with this game.

[Sudz1]

[QUOTE=ptdebate] First of all, any of us on the forum could have told you that the always-online requirement was here to stay. Secondly, there's a great reason for this requirement--namely, to prevent hacking and save editing, both of which are so rampant on the console versions as to make online play (with anyone other than trusted friends) a sure path to disappointment. The PC version is the only version where cheating is absolutely unheard-of, something I value deeply. I fully respect Blizzard's approach with this game. [/QUOTE]

I'm sorry, I should have been more specific in my original post; I was referring only to an offline option for those who wish to play the game solo.  I realize why Blizzard has the always-on-our-servers requirement for multiplayer and I have no issue with that... but if I want to play on my own, as I did with both Diablo and Diablo II, why not give me the option?  The only real reason of course was because they wanted to try to force people to use their "auction house" and nickel and dime their customers.  Nothing else makes any sense.

[ptdebate1]

[QUOTE=Sudz][QUOTE=ptdebate] First of all, any of us on the forum could have told you that the always-online requirement was here to stay. Secondly, there's a great reason for this requirement--namely, to prevent hacking and save editing, both of which are so rampant on the console versions as to make online play (with anyone other than trusted friends) a sure path to disappointment. The PC version is the only version where cheating is absolutely unheard-of, something I value deeply. I fully respect Blizzard's approach with this game. [/QUOTE]

I'm sorry, I should have been more specific in my original post; I was referring only to an offline option for those who wish to play the game solo.  I realize why Blizzard has the always-on-our-servers requirement for multiplayer and I have no issue with that... but if I want to play on my own, as I did with both Diablo and Diablo II, why not give me the option?  The only real reason of course was because they wanted to try to force people to use their "auction house" and nickel and dime their customers.  Nothing else makes any sense.[/QUOTE]

That's simply not the case. If people are allowed to use the same save files offline as online, the possibility of save-editing

[ptdebate1]

Whoops! Accidentally hit the "reply" button. Anyway, the reason there's so much cheating in multiplayer on the console versions is that people can take their save files offline (i.e., they're stored locally and not on a server somewhere). The reason a Diablo game would need special protections against this sort of thing is that cheating (in the form of stat editing and item duplication) is particularly injurious to the RPG genre, which is based far more on equipment and experience points than pure skill. Cheating in an online FPS? Now that's a much more complicated matter since it's not a simple question of number-manipulation.

[VideoGameCritic]

I would think that the on-line saves would be stored on a server, and off-line would be stored on your local console.  This isn't rocket science.  It's just easier and more lucrative to force everybody on-line.

Plus they figured they'd take some flak now, so by the time the next big game came out people would be used to the model.

[ptdebate1]

Critic--that would create a situation where players offline cannot take their characters online and vice-versa.

What is more lucrative about having a higher server load?

[ptdebate1]

Also, in reference to what Sudz was talking about regarding the Auction House: this was not a way for Blizzard to make money--it was basically an in-game Craigslist for people to buy and sell items acquired during the course of play.

[Sudz1]

[QUOTE=ptdebate]Whoops! Accidentally hit the "reply" button. Anyway, the reason there's so much cheating in multiplayer on the console versions is that people can take their save files offline (i.e., they're stored locally and not on a server somewhere). The reason a Diablo game would need special protections against this sort of thing is that cheating (in the form of stat editing and item duplication) is particularly injurious to the RPG genre, which is based far more on equipment and experience points than pure skill. Cheating in an online FPS? Now that's a much more complicated matter since it's not a simple question of number-manipulation.[/QUOTE]

I'm not sure I fully get your post, so if I missed the point of your argument please let me know. 

What you appear to be saying is that on the console people can take their local save files, edit them, and then use them later in an online multiplayer game is that correct?  If that's your argument it's an engineering mistake by Blizzard, not an issue that necessitates everyone everywhere logging into their servers.  Why not allow solo players to save locally, and if they wish to play online multiplayer later they'd simply log into Blizzard account and only be able to play with characters/save files saved there (on the Blizzard servers, where they wouldn't be able to manipulate their save game files).  Blizzard could easily have allowed for dual save systems, online players save to their servers solo players save to their local machine.

[ptdebate1]

[QUOTE=Sudz] What you appear to be saying is that on the console people can take their local save files, edit them, and then use them later in an online multiplayer game is that correct?  If that's your argument it's an engineering mistake by Blizzard, not an issue that necessitates everyone everywhere logging into their servers. [/QUOTE]

Unfortunately, this is no "engineering mistake" on Blizzard's part--save-editing is and has always been very common in online RPGs where the user's save data is stored locally (Diablo II, Phantasy Star Online, Dark Souls).

[QUOTE=Sudz] Why not allow solo players to save locally, and if they wish to play online multiplayer later they'd simply log into Blizzard account and only be able to play with characters/save files saved there (on the Blizzard servers, where they wouldn't be able to manipulate their save game files).  Blizzard could easily have allowed for dual save systems, online players save to their servers solo players save to their local machine.[/QUOTE]

Could they have? The number of players who have no interest in playing online with others--the game's defining feature--is very, very insignificant. What those few players would have greeted as a saving grace, others would have seen as a needless complication. [i]Entirely separate[/i] characters, items, and gear for offline and online modes? I'm sure someone at Blizzard thought about this idea and then rapidly dismissed it on the grounds that it's inelegant and only caters to a very small part of their audience anyway.

Whence all this dread for signing in to the Internet when you play certain games? Diablo is a series designed with this kind of play in mind. Is it the fear that, someday, the servers will shut down and you won't be able to play your game anymore? I say to you that that day will be pandemonium for players like you! Anyone will be able to mod and edit their no-longer-monitored software product to their heart's content. When the heyday of Blizzard has passed (like this is ever going to happen), you can finally have your PC game on your terms, played the way you originally wanted to--offline.