>> ^RedSky:
@mentality
D2 felt like a huge leap on D1. Randomized dungeons, huge increase in class and especially item variety, introduction of a vast swathe of new environments. In comparison critically looking at D3, while it does have an expanded skills system, at the end of a prodigious 11 year development cycle, D3 has far less item variety at launch, and arguably simplified gameplay mechanics on a number of levels.
Personally, I happen to also think the story is a let down, the tone of the game has been inappropriately been made cartoonish (art design non-withstanding).


D1 had randomized dungeons. Item variety in D2 was very limited because there often was one set of unique item that was 'THE' item for a specific build. The expanded environments in D2 were also very cartoony compared to the dungeons of D1, and calling D3 cartoonish with levels like the Halls of Agony is outright ridiculous.

The fact of the matter is that the grass is always greener, and we all look at the past with rose colored glasses. History repeats itself, but it seems like few people remember all the problems, controversy and bitching surrounding Diablo 2's launch.

@lv_hunter

Normal difficulty compared to D2 simply feels far too easy. I recall D2 Act 1 was also quite easy, but from Duriel, really through to the end of normal, the game picked up substantially. I found almost the opposite here, while it is fair for them to ease players in early on, for me the difficulty spiked towards the end of Act 1, maybe early Act 2. From there the game was just a complete steamroll through to Nightmare.

Sure you get to replay it 3 more times, but plunging through the game at this pace for first impressions really ruins the gravitas of the stakes the story is trying to paint.

@mentality

I've heard this notion bandied around, but combining ideas from multiple games and perfecting them is still a form of innovation. And even on that measure they played it far too safe on D3.

D2 felt like a huge leap on D1. Randomized dungeons, huge increase in class and especially item variety, introduction of a vast swathe of new environments. In comparison critically looking at D3, while it does have an expanded skills system, at the end of a prodigious 11 year development cycle, D3 has far less item variety at launch, and arguably simplified gameplay mechanics on a number of levels.

Personally, I happen to also think the story is a let down, the tone of the game has been inappropriately been made cartoonish (art design non-withstanding).

SO let me get this straight, after ten years of not watching the show this question is still in the air? ?

Did they not have a whole multi-episode debacle with clues as to what the state the town was supposed to be in ? that never gave an answer ? I hate that about tv, its always some drawn out bullshit.

After this long and there be no answer is just a let down.

anyone else think the new Wake was a let down

that video is very cool>> ^Jinx:

>> ^surfingyt:
im kinda let down the helicopter wasnt turned on fully

I remember seeing a video on the sift where somebody does that (only looking out, not in). You get a really wierd effect because of the way the camera samples. Turned the landscape into a sort of sine wave. http://youtu.be/EnrwrwMfNSs
Assuming you could mount the camera to the blade tip so it wouldn't fly off, balance the blades and then spin them up to a multiple of the cameras refresh rate I'd wager you'd get a similar effect. You might be able to see the front and back of the Helicopter simultaneously

I have a thing for chicks with Tats...never had a tat, no real desire to get one...but DAMN they're hot to me.

EDIT: Sequel is a total let down...the characters felt tacked on, none of the emotion from the first.

>> ^surfingyt:

im kinda let down the helicopter wasnt turned on fully

I remember seeing a video on the sift where somebody does that (only looking out, not in). You get a really wierd effect because of the way the camera samples. Turned the landscape into a sort of sine wave. http://youtu.be/EnrwrwMfNSs

Assuming you could mount the camera to the blade tip so it wouldn't fly off, balance the blades and then spin them up to a multiple of the cameras refresh rate I'd wager you'd get a similar effect. You might be able to see the front and back of the Helicopter simultaneously

im kinda let down the helicopter wasnt turned on fully

They do eventually move from the farm to another location (I'll try to keep spoilers at a minimum) in the graphic novels, but they've also veered off from the novels quite a bit, so who knows what Kirkman and the writers have up their sleeves. I have a feeling that they're taking the cookie cutter approach though; one whole season on the farm, the next season in the next location. Probably to save on budget. So they'll be fartin' around on the farm for a few more episodes, probably to let Randall escape, then involve the other group, forcing them to move onto the next location.

As for the Governor (who is the main baddie of the next group) it could be Merle. Hell, they could twist it and have Shane wind up defecting and coming back with a vengeance. Or it could be a new actor.

As for Dale dying, I get now why they killed him off. Look at the uproar its caused. What better way to introduce drama and drive up ratings? I'll miss Jeff DeMunn on the show though; he's a great actor. Been a fan since he played Capt. Esteridge in The Hitcher.

@Ryjkyj But if they are going to take the series in different directions, then in order to remain at least similar to the comics, all characters must be fair game at all times. Not only that, but the idea of important people dying for stupid, pointless reasons is also central to the books.

In fact, if the books have one major through-line that would be essential to the TV series if it was supposed to be similar at all, it's this: Every single chapter needs to be an exercise in how you can make a situation worse than you thought possible. Any positive improvement in the situation of the characters should be just positive enough so that you can be let down again by the next major catastrophe.


Good points.

Dude @dystopianfuturetoday Read the effing books. If you have any interest at all, you're doing yourself a great disservice by just watching the show. I'm serious, read the books. Every episode you watch is going to ruin the experience of the books a little bit more.

Now that I've had some time to think about it, I guess I'm comfortable with the major event of Dale's death at least. I would like to have seen the comic narrative played out by real actors but I guess we just all have to accept that it's not going to happen. But if they are going to take the series in different directions, then in order to remain at least similar to the comics, all characters must be fair game at all times. Not only that, but the idea of important people dying for stupid, pointless reasons is also central to the books.

In fact, if the books have one major through-line that would be essential to the TV series if it was supposed to be similar at all, it's this: Every single chapter needs to be an exercise in how you can make a situation worse than you thought possible. Any positive improvement in the situation of the characters should be just positive enough so that you can be let down again by the next major catastrophe.

And that's why TV might not be a good medium for this show. Because according to tradition, TV absolutely must have some bullshit, touchy-feely message at the end of every bullshit episode. And must never-ever-ever-ever broach even semi-serious subjects like the relationship between a nineteen-year-old and a sixty-year-old, and certainly never one so serious as how to treat a child who has committed murder.

>> ^longde:

I guess if I was an artist or a film aficionado, I would highly resent Sandler.
But noone makes people shell out money to see that drek. Maybe Sandler loyalists are paid for Jack and Jill tickets, but actually went to see a different movie?


If it's as cynical as they say I'd imagine many people would feel a bit let down. It's rated at 3.2 out of 10 on imdb so maybe that's something.

If a living Prothean isn't "HIGHLY significant" to the story, then someone dropped the ball. The direction Bioware has been going in quality recently is a factor. Dragon Age 2 was a half-hearted sequel that had a "B-Team" quality to it. The Old Republic is just as disappointing as the movie prequels. So yes, this blatant money grab has absolutely compounded my lack of faith in ME3 being a good game.

As for Origin, EA lost my trust in providing a good service back with EA Downloader and its limited time to download. Let's not forget their several online game servers that it has shut-off.>> ^CrushBug:

>> ^HugeJerk:
However, ME3 is looking like it will be a total let down. Requiring their online service for the PC version, tacking DLC onto everything remotely associated with the series (Figurines and Art Books), as well as having day-one DLC that costs $10 and unlocks a character that should be HIGHLY significant to the storyline. If the demo for ME3 is any indication, they've dropped the ball on bothering to animate facial expressions as well.

There is a lot of misinformation around these items. Much like Steam, the Origin service can be run in offline mode, so you don't need to be online to play, except for the initial game activation, just like ME2, so not much has changed there.
The DLC thing has been confusing. Those physical goods do not include main game, singleplayer DLC. What is included is a multiplayer-only unlock. A little bit of free microcontent as a "reward" for buying and registering your ME3 physical statue and such. None of these items are for main game. The $870 comment is an overstatement and misleading.
We have had DLC available on the first day for our past 3 games. You are assuming that it is "HIGHLY significant", but you can play and complete the game with or without it, much like Kasumi from ME2. The only decision you have to make, is it worth your $10. If you don't think so, then don't purchase it. Wait for some reviews or talk to trusted friends that have it and get their opinion. Don't let the Omnidirectional Internet Rage Machine guide you .
And regardless of the above, what it comes down to is the story. If you enjoyed the story in Mass Effect 1 and Mass Effect 2, then Mass Effect 3 is going to blow your mind. It is simply the finest story-based game we have released. If you are invested in your Mass Effect characters and companions like I am (~255 hour played in ME2 over 8 playthroughs) then everything is there for you. All those stories and conflicts across the galaxy from the past 2 games all come to a head while your are dealing with the Reaper invasion. Half-way through the game, I was an emotional wreck. So much had happened. I was so thrilled to go off and do a side quest of pure combat, just to blow off some steam.
If you are unsure about the game, try the demo or wait for the reviews. If you like the Mass Effect world and games, then this is the game you have been waiting for.
Keelah Se'lai

>> ^HugeJerk:

However, ME3 is looking like it will be a total let down. Requiring their online service for the PC version, tacking DLC onto everything remotely associated with the series (Figurines and Art Books), as well as having day-one DLC that costs $10 and unlocks a character that should be HIGHLY significant to the storyline. If the demo for ME3 is any indication, they've dropped the ball on bothering to animate facial expressions as well.

There is a lot of misinformation around these items. Much like Steam, the Origin service can be run in offline mode, so you don't need to be online to play, except for the initial game activation, just like ME2, so not much has changed there.

The DLC thing has been confusing. Those physical goods do not include main game, singleplayer DLC. What is included is a multiplayer-only unlock. A little bit of free microcontent as a "reward" for buying and registering your ME3 physical statue and such. None of these items are for main game. The $870 comment is an overstatement and misleading.

We have had DLC available on the first day for our past 3 games. You are assuming that it is "HIGHLY significant", but you can play and complete the game with or without it, much like Kasumi from ME2. The only decision you have to make, is it worth your $10. If you don't think so, then don't purchase it. Wait for some reviews or talk to trusted friends that have it and get their opinion. Don't let the Omnidirectional Internet Rage Machine guide you .

And regardless of the above, what it comes down to is the story. If you enjoyed the story in Mass Effect 1 and Mass Effect 2, then Mass Effect 3 is going to blow your mind. It is simply the finest story-based game we have released. If you are invested in your Mass Effect characters and companions like I am (~255 hour played in ME2 over 8 playthroughs) then everything is there for you. All those stories and conflicts across the galaxy from the past 2 games all come to a head while your are dealing with the Reaper invasion. Half-way through the game, I was an emotional wreck. So much had happened. I was so thrilled to go off and do a side quest of pure combat, just to blow off some steam.

If you are unsure about the game, try the demo or wait for the reviews. If you like the Mass Effect world and games, then this is the game you have been waiting for.

Keelah Se'lai

ME2 was great... if you exclude the resource scanning and the silly final boss. ME1 is easily top 5 games of all time for me because of its solid story, gameplay, and having Lance Henrickson.

However, ME3 is looking like it will be a total let down. Requiring their online service for the PC version, tacking DLC onto everything remotely associated with the series (Figurines and Art Books), as well as having day-one DLC that costs $10 and unlocks a character that should be HIGHLY significant to the storyline. If the demo for ME3 is any indication, they've dropped the ball on bothering to animate facial expressions as well.

I fucking hope so, do want...

Then again it reminds me of the trailers for District 9. I had such a woody for that movie from the trailers and it was a bit of a let down.