The game still has some problems regarding disconnection/ chanelled skills/ lag, but with the feedback that the beta players are giving - myself included, posting as Intelect0 - the game will be released on its best state.
Blizzard is constantly releasing new patches. The patch #10 brought some big changes in system design and that's great to see they are sticking to quality instead of release a game that would need future patches to solve issues.
I tell ya what the beta is really fun.
I really didn't find it that fun 
Did you leave your feedback on the beta forums as to why you didn't think it was fun, or you one of those new it's fun to hate types? 
I'm definitely not one of those types! Diablo 2 was one of my favourite games when I was growing up, I spent a ridiculous amount of hours on it with my brother and cousin.
I didn't leave feedback though, as I couldn't really put my finger on why I didn't enjoy it. Just didn't feel 'fun' to me, felt very linear and I didn't like the skill system.
Quote from PogoPI tell ya what the beta is really fun.
I really didn't find it that fun
Did you leave your feedback on the beta forums as to why you didn't think it was fun, or you one of those new it's fun to hate types?
I'm definitely not one of those types! Diablo 2 was one of my favourite games when I was growing up, I spent a ridiculous amount of hours on it with my brother and cousin.
I didn't leave feedback though, as I couldn't really put my finger on why I didn't enjoy it. Just didn't feel 'fun' to me, felt very linear and I didn't like the skill system.
That's understandable.
At first when I got the beta I rolled a Barbarian and I thought meh this game doesn't feel as good as Diablo 2. Then after about 4-5hrs I went and played Diablo 2 and yeah Diablo 3 is far superior for a few reasons:
-It actually looks nice and not pixelated to look at
-The exposed stats in Diablo 3 are nice
-Gear makes sense, I never really knew in Diablo 2 what stat meant what
-The story and dialogue is really nice and fits the universe well
-Removing the skill tree and focusing on skills with modifiers was a really nice break from the old skill tree we've seen 100 times over
-The speed of the combat is a bit quicker compared to the start of Diablo 2, I assume when you have a level 60 character you'll be flying off the handles
-Having a blacksmith to craft items and a shared stash is super nice and fun to sink gold in to
-The combat feels very nice and satisfying, I've played all classes to level 13 and they're all very fun and unique
That's just my tidbit as to why I like it.
At some point I'll get all my notes and throw them on the forum for Blizzard to read.
Cool! I may give it another go and play as a different character. I too tried Barbarian, and they are pretty boring! It's just hack and slash. I'll try out one of the other classes 
Cheers dude!
I didn't enjoy the beta either, can't believe I'm agreeing with Pogo here. But it won't stop me from purchasing the full game of course. I expect it will be quite a different game by the time it is released.
Quote from duxI didn't enjoy the beta either, can't believe I'm agreeing with Pogo here. But it won't stop me from purchasing the full game of course. I expect it will be quite a different game by the time it is released.
Let's put aside our differences Dux. I agree, I'll probably end up buying it anyway 
My first play though as the barbarian, I was completely underwhelmed and disappointed. I gave it another go as a monk and explored a bit, crafted some items, etc and started to get into it more and more. I'd say just do your own thing and ignore the quest until you want to move on, the linearity of it thrust me through the beta without experiencing much the first time around.
Quote from BungloMy first play though as the barbarian, I was completely underwhelmed and disappointed. I gave it another go as a monk and explored a bit, crafted some items, etc and started to get into it more and more. I'd say just do your own thing and ignore the quest until you want to move on, the linearity of it thrust me through the beta without experiencing much the first time around.
The thing is, if you remember Diablo 2 and more so Diablo were very linear too. Instead of tight corridors you had large squares but you still went from A to B to C to D.
I wasn't so much criticizing the linearity of the beta, just that it didn't allow me to experience as much as I would have wanted it to. Granted this is just a beta and a small slice of the first act, so my opinions wouldn't really stack up if I had the entire game to play with.
I logged onto the beta again today and a lot has changed. As I’ve said in a few other responses I’m largely okay with removing attribute allocation and permanent skills. I see them as traps for newbies that promote cookie-cutter builds over experimentation. But man, this new new skill system is proper Fisher-Price.
By default you can’t even pick what skills you want in each slot; the game has an ideal control layout and puts constraints on what abilities can go where. This massive clunky system only seems to exist to undermine character customisation in the name of “accessibility.” You can turn this off in options (“elective mode” – you will want to do this) but that won't stop its other characteristic of locking out abilities 15 seconds after they’re assigned (to stop hot-swapping). So, for example, if you want to swap two abilities around on your hot-bar it will take you 30 seconds, and then you’ll have to wait another 15 to use the last skill you assigned. This lock happens in town, too.
They’ve also added in Runestones now but you can’t experiment with them in beta because they’re all no-brainer upgrades. The other big change this patch are new item affixes based around status effects, so the chance of getting a useable item has dropped again.
Quote from TaylorI logged onto the beta again today and a lot has changed. As I’ve said in a few other responses I’m largely okay with removing attribute allocation and permanent skills. I see them as traps for newbies that promote cookie-cutter builds over experimentation. But man, this new new skill system is proper Fisher-Price.By default you can’t even pick what skills you want in each slot; the game has an ideal control layout and puts constraints on what abilities can go where. This massive clunky system only seems to exist to undermine character customisation in the name of “accessibility.” You can turn this off in options (“elective mode” – you will want to do this) but that won't stop its other characteristic of locking out abilities 15 seconds after they’re assigned (to stop hot-swapping). So, for example, if you want to swap two abilities around on your hot-bar it will take you 30 seconds, and then you’ll have to wait another 15 to use the last skill you assigned. This lock happens in town, too.
They’ve also added in Runestones now but you can’t experiment with them in beta because they’re all no-brainer upgrades. The other big change this patch are new item affixes based around status effects, so the chance of getting a useable item has dropped again.
I haven't experienced the clunky feeling of where you can't allocate skills? Maybe that's a setting I had turned off from the start.
I quite like the simplified skill system. Being quiet a big wow player it's a nice change of pace of not having 20 abilities to use all the time.
Cooky cutter, maybe for the beta, but I have tried quite a few different Barbarian builds including 2 handed, shield with 1h and the always fun dual wielding. With each build using different combinations of skills. (not forgetting gear I was playing around with strength and agility for different specs)I never had this freedom in Diablo 2 and the fact you can change your skills is pretty awesome. it's only because of the last patch in Diablo 2 that you can reset your skill tree, once.
Having the 30 second cool down is fine for balancing. During the early phase of the beta you could swap your skills at as you pleased so you always ran around with the skill window opened, not really a good way to play the game to be honest. Then they introduced the skill reset shrine so you had to find one of them to change your skills, I think they've found a nice in between.
Rune stones have been there for some time that'll really add to the customisation of characters.
I have nothing against a penalty for swapping in new skills, I was even happy with the penalty when it took 30 seconds! My problem is, unless I’m gravely mistaken, the previous two-second process of swapping around existing abilities has turned into this:
Unless I'm completely missing something. I tried right clicking slots (the old method), dragging stuff, all combinations of mouse clicks, all menu options, etc.
The only supposedly positive change with this overhaul is prescribed skill slots, which you admit to turning off immediately! My post praised Diablo 3’s skill system for stepping away from the cookie cutter build promoting system of Diablo 2, my problem is it's now attempting to hide this for no good reason.
Runestones were completely changed this patch.
Oh i haven't played for 3 days. I didn't realize patch 13 was out.
Now I've been talking out of my arse
I'll have to update and try it out at some point and give some notes on it. That does look like a quickly slapped together UI for the skill system, I prefer the previous version.
Has anyone else experienced the addition of lag after updating to patch 13? I can't even play because it's so bad... I read they're stress testing the servers so I'm hoping it has something to do with that.
EDIT: Looks like it's because I run in full screen windowed mode... Now I have to figure out how to apply my monitor settings to D3 in full screen mode.
Diablo III release date announced!
15 - May - 2012
http://us.battle.net/en/int?r=d3
OMFG yes!
Quote from BungloMeh
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