Diablo 3 Beta / Actual Game

I luckily checked the Diablo 3 website the weekend that Blizzard decided to do an open Diablo 3 Beta stress test, the test lasted for three days over the weekend and most of monday but since the test was a stress test the servers didnt really come up until 4-6 hours after they were launched. I played for most of the weekend and found that the expectations i had of the game were right, I found the game really fun and very easy to get into, this is what the designers of the game wanted, shown in this designers interview I also had a look at.

 

I find these behind the scenes of games videos very useful and its nice to know how the people behind the games I play so much, work and think.

I think that with playing a beta of a game it is useful for feedback which compares the beta to the changes they have made in the real game and if they were good changes or not. I think everything that had been introduced into the game as a result of feedback from earlier beta and alpha tests have been primarily good ones. Players have said that the difficulties for example are a little easy and that there is not a great challenge in the game, i had to agree with this until i played the hard mode of the game, it brings an entirely new dimesnsion of gameplay and teamwork that i think Blizzard have incorperated in very well (looking forward to inferno difficulty).

Another thing that had been changed (or rather not changed) based on feedback would be the death penalty, unlike the earlier game where if a player died they would lose all their armour and a bit of experience the new death penalty is a measly 10% armour durability reduction, this has made many players question is there actually any reason to try not dying, this makes the game overall a little more casual, something a hardcore gamer may find displeasing.

Overall though i think Blizzard responded to feedback very well and have without question created one of the most memorable games that will come out in a long time.