LadyCrimson

Oh, I'm notoriously slow when it comes to going thru any game the 1st time, sometimes even the 2nd time. It's just my nature. I don't mean to imply that the game can't be completed in 10-15 hrs or whatever, if you just go from point A to point B as the plot/quests dictate, using what you pick up. It most certainly can. I spend a fair bit of time testing things out when I level up, or get a new item I'm curious about, so I'll stay in one area and beat up on respawning monsters for a bit to check numbers/effects with various gear set-ups (for both me & the companion) before I continue following the plot. A lot of time spent in the gear menus, or the skill menus, thinking about those percentages etc. and what path I want to take with those. That sort of thing. I'm a number cruncher. Well, sort of. Used to be more of one, not so much these days. (edit for more clarity)

The save game timer (on PC anyway) doesn't seem to take into account all the times you're in your inventory/menu screens (paused). For me save game said 18hrs but I know I was "playing" for closer to 25 total. But if you don't spend lots of time staring at item menus etc. doesn't add too much I'd think. I agree with a lot of your general assessments, except I think the replay value is a bit higher. I'm playing Anjali a 2nd time and it's actually been more fun than the 1st. But that's subjective....also, for me, the original games didn't have tons of replay either (the campaigns that is, DS1 had a separate multiplayer world that I did play in a lot for a while). To me campaign-replay feels about the same for all three. I'll play it 2-3 times, maybe test a few things to the half-way point in the game a couple times, and that's about it until I have an urge to replay it a year from now, perhaps. Which doesn't mean I don't like them. I like all three very much.

Woke up early. Did stuff. Did different stuff. Now it's time for a nap, and then I'll do yet more stuff. The Voice finale was pretty decent, too. Dia's solo and her duet with Blake was the awesome/adorable. Cee Lo & Vicci's duet was a cheesy 80's blast. Beverly is cool and because she's an older lady who American Idol would never even let audition, I almost wish she'd win...but my gut says Dia. And Dia would deserve it I think.

Because it's blue. Borderlands did this too and it drove me crazy. Seeing items with fair worse stats sell for more because of lvl requirement or rarity color. (Vulcan hat on) Highly illogical.

Dapper is as Dapper does. I wanted his outfit. Could someone explain to me the logic of why the sword on the left sells for more than the sword on the right? And this is the vid of the Drakomir fight, which I'm linking to here not because it's a shining example of interesting l33tness, but because at about the 1 minute mark is where you can see the Lucas flame sword being glitched onto my Anjali. I'm guessing that 3 points in Live by the Sword is where it starts to flame for Lucas...but me having it at the one spot is still a (very minor) glitch.

I think Crispin Freeman's going to be the voice of the male wizard in Diablo3, too. Awesome.

Judging from the slight, renewed snugness of my jeans I should stop eating pizza for a while again. Going to rustle up some warm grub (cold sandwich on rainy day just doesn't cut it...) and then watch The Voice. Then snuggle with my teddy bear.

I loved the causeway too....really cool when you first enter it.

LT=left trigger on gamepads I think. But on PC it's the spacebar. Also, Anjali (and I assume Reinhart? haven't played him so not 100% on that but I think so) can teleport via spacebar+movement (l-mouse button)

I know there's the general catch-all screenshot thread in the other forum but it's still early-ish & many DS3 screens would have visual spoilers. I'm not finding this game to lend itself to tons of screenshot/video opportunities (besides boss fights) so I don't expect this to be a busy thread....still, once in a while I like posting some random stuff. Hope it's ok to put this here. So share your fave DS3 combat/NPC moment/item/whatever screens, or even your YT vid of an epic boss fight if you're so inclined. Here's a few: Hardcore, where even grinding extra levels + high stamina may not save you if you miss your dodge/teleport/block. Knock 'em down, Lucas. One of my fave bit-lines in the game. I just find the detail of the armor's cloth "tails" sailing upwards in the down-elevator funny.

That would be sad. But probably likely, yes. I'll have to make do with what I can get from videos...

Rain and thunder. Sheesh. Global warming indeed.

On the wagon for a soundtrack download/release/whatever. There hasn't been a single piece of the soundtrack that I like as much as the original DS1 "theme", but I definitely like DS3's overall atmosphere that's generated by the sound. Like, when you reach the tree in Mournweald forest...that's a nice bit of sad music for that bit. Combat music too. I find it all to be nicely placed, not over-bearing or overwhelming, and good at creating a mood.

Yeah, that's the jist of what I meant. A large random phone poll would be a little better, because at least the sample wouldn't be culled from places where hordes of angry gamers specifically go to vent. I'm terrible at being concise and at getting my point across, seems like, most of the time.

Haven't done this myself but I know early on I certainly tested whether blocking/standing in the aura would work. It does work in the lower levels but I never wanted to invest enough in Block (and could never seem to get good Amor rating w/other stats I wanted) to find out how viable it remained against later bosses, and I wasn't convinced it would work when surrounded by an actual mob for a long time. I may have to try it more seriously now, tho. I agree about Pillar of Fire too...it sounds great in theory but most of the time enemies don't stand still/you don't stun or whatever and by the time you're done with that relatively long-arse animation & cast it, they're past it, wasting your time/focus. It has it's uses in certain conditions but for my style doesn't work well.

I do not use Ignite nor does Lucas (or Anjali) have any Empowered defensive ability at this time. I think I have 3 "points" in Live by the Sword, it's not maxed. I've been going for high clvl gains (grinding a bit) so we're lvl 14 during this fight and Lucas' Repose is getting close to Mastery - but it's not there yet. It did occur to me I might have accidentally pressed the ignite hotkey, but I'm not casting anything but the normal attack 'mini-fireball' and in the video you can see that when I gain the weird effect, I'm not in Defensive stance mode nor do I lose no focus or Power Orb until I cast Jackal not long after. It's definitely Lucas casting it since he does it other times during the fight, w/the sparklies around him etc. Watching the vid again, at another point in the fight I can see the blue glow/Repose has worn off (no blue glow), he casts it again/blue glow & flaming sword come back. So perhaps the glitch is that Repose is showing the full Live By The Sword effect + Empowered even tho neither are maxed yet.

Since I don't play Lucas (only use as companion), I'm not familiar with what graphic effect goes with what ability. I know the blue aura is the healing repose one since he casts it every time I switch him w/more stamina gear etc. but... During a boss-fight, I heard a noise, there were graphic sparklies around me, & suddenly I had this flaming "sword" that moved around when I cast my fireballs. Looking at the video, Lucas apparently casts something that makes his sword all flame-y, and for some reason he gave it to me. Subsequent times he cast it I did NOT get the flame sword myself, so it must've been a brief glitch...but wondering which skill it is that he's using. I'm guessing Live By The Sword & that it only shows up in actual combat (no flame sword when he casts Repose in non-combat). Thanks in advance for satisfying/humoring an idle inquiry.

The other way is to avoid killing any "extra" enemies when possible, perhaps, so you're lower level longer. I finished my first game at level 28 & I wasn't trying to avoid exp at all. But the way the game is designed, seems like it'd be hard to purposely avoid enough to slow leveling very much. You'd have to skip most side quests and such & just rush to the main plot points or something. On the flip side, I think you could reach max level long before the endgame, which does/would make everything up to that point a whole lot easier even on HC. And yeah, I thought the healing when you save was kind of strange. Not usually a huge advantage, but still odd.

Well, Battle:Los Angeles wasn't anything like I expected. Not that I'm sure what I was expecting. It played more like a "follow the cut off & besieged military unit, hoo-rah" war movie....except the enemies were aliens. Up until the very end, I was actually kind of enjoying it because of that - vs. it being more ID4 like, say - but the ending was weak. Nothing special, but a lot better than Skyline, imo.

Since I'm a one-game-at-a-time person I'm still on DS3 too. I think I'll do a total of 3 runs & that'll probably be about it. Then I'll be back to "nothing interests me." Wish I could get into the Diablo3 beta when it happens. I'm really starting to believe it may be out in (late) 2012. *fingers crossed*

Yeah, I agree with this too. I love their writing and characters but the games often feel a bit rushed or unfinished etc. Still, the ones I've played (haven't played all of them) I've either loved to death (FNV, Kotor2) or at least liked a lot (DS3), even with the warts of bugs/glitches & gameplay mechanic choices that I personally may not always favor. Just something about the overall effect/package of their games that I end up liking. I really hope they can break through with something.

Shopped, cleaned, played. Now about to watch Battle of Los Angeles. Not because I expect it to be a great movie...but just because we can.

I just attacked every inch of wall space in the entry hall and didn't find a secret room (normally they show up on the minimap). Did I just fall for something? Heh...no. It's one of the walls in beginning, where the 4 small areas w/stairs are (and the stone bats/gargolyes attack you). Edit: It's always possible that one may crack it open it by accident while fighting the bat thingies & not notice it was breakable wall. 2nd Edit: Since I have nothing better to do here's screens of the wall itself: Before After

Over the many years I've loved many games. I have yet to ever go to some website and write a user review for one, positive or negative. It wouldn't surprise me if a great many purchasers are the same. I won't claim it's a majority (how would I know) but if something sells 1,000,000 copies, judging from a few hundred user reviews each from several/dozens of popular websites may not be the best indicator. Note I say "may not", rather than an absolute, since I'm not a mind-reader, nor have I talked to every single soul who purchased any game. There could also be many disgruntled buyers who never use the internet to express themselves, too. Point was only that I think it's hard to prove one way or another, in most cases.

I paid $50 and I'm having a ball with the game, even on my 2nd playthru with the same player-chr choice. But then, I'm playing single-player. And while I'm not even close to being rich, I don't have to watch my pennies either, so my perspective re:price is different than some perhaps. I fail to see how you can even come close to proving that. Forums are not a good place to judge by, since the large majority of ppl who post are (usually) not the ones who are pleased with the game. Sadly. Now if you want to say that based on sales (I don't know what unit sales are for any of the games), DS3 might not be as big a hit/sales machine as the first ones, that I might buy, once enough time has passed to get better sales figures. Whether that means lack of pleasing or just lack of interest overall, who knows. I think a lot of people are waiting for Diablo3 and have little interest in trying ($$) something else in the meantime, especially with the D3 beta coming so soon. I also know a lot of Diablo fans who are/were not Dungeon Siege (even the originals) or Titan Quest fans etc.