One thing funny I saw someone bring up: Dark Souls makes better use of the online component but even there it was completely optional.
Just like how in Borderlands, it's optional if I want to take 3 other players with me online to play the game with. The game feels like a SP-style game, it should be able to be played as one.
I like optionality - it's a good thing.
So looking forward to Dark Souls PC, regardless of all of the "PC port" rumors floating. I've had instances here and there where I just cannot get a Net connections - especially back in my DSL days. Even of late, Comcast has been having issues for me here and there [maybe once for a half hour to a few hours, every now and then], my connection's gone. Give them a call - yup, they're saying they are fixing a server issue they had.
When a game requires the Internet and it plays like it doesn't need it, then there's a problem. D1 and D2 can be played offline. HGL can be played offline. Sure, all of those games are BETTER online - but at least if I want, I can ALSO play them offline; especially if I can't hit the Net. D3 just doesn't look like the kind of game that needs to require the Net.
I can see w/ Torchlight 2's much cheaper entry $20 price-point, LAN plan, Offline Play, Modding - all things Blizzard's chucking away w/ D3 - this being VERY attractive to many gamers. Gives me even more reason to wait for D3 to price-drop to something more reasonable; especially given the "Always Online" requirement. I'm sure D3 is going to be awesome - but, I think I can wait for it...
Well... I will vouch for Blizzard when I comes to the quality of their games. But I agree, they are making some development choices in their games where they could have made compromises for the players sake. I played the Diablo 3 beta, and I am really enjoying it, everything feels just right in terms of quality but the online requirements.. just isnt necessary. I wouldn't mind it as much if the game was always available for play but from what it looks like, all access to the game will be down when the servers are down and like WoW, this could be a once a week thing. But this is not an MMO which is the only exception I make for that case. I really hope they implement an offline feature in the future, hopefully enough player reaction will appeal to Blizzard's... hopefully more accommodating face.
An offline feature added in a patch would be a great idea.
I just don't understand why for the SP, they don't do what they did w/ SP and MP with D2 - keep your character-profiles separate for both with SP stored local, MP stored on the cloud - if they're worried about online cheating.
Actually, they're probably more worried about straight-up piracy...which is why the "Always Online" requirement would try to attempt to solve that problem. Once the game's older and cheaper, they could always put that "offline patch" in.
Runic Games are going to win a lot of people over if they keep their positive attitude toward the community and game support.
Agreed 100%.
Hell, you could buy Torchlight 1 at Retail Box on Disc, which was the only place it was DRM-FREE.
