MMOish version of Torchlight was always the plan - but Runic put the breaks on that and instead of doing that Hob happened.
Hob was pretty mediocre for me, I'd rather have a worthy Torchlight successor.
I hope PWE doesnt F it up.
The big concern is multiplayer netcode. Torchlight 2's online multiplayer connectivity was questionable at best, and that will have to change if this is to be a shared world game.
Perfect World can handle the net code. If anything that's probably the least likely issue, unless they're not supporting development directly.
TL2 was really good for me because it could be modded. I didn't really like the vanilla game as much. It improved a lot on TL, but still felt confining.
Like Kano has pointed out a lot, shared world/MMO style ARPGs haven't been very good. People like PoE because they can play a game for free. Devilian, Guardians of Ember, and the rest have been... mediocre at best? Fun in some ways, but majorly lacking? Like PoE, not worth the time long term for me when there are better games.
Diablo 3 still does coop the best and smoothest. It needs to be at least as good as that. Or maybe they'll go for a persistent world like Secret World Legends where you have crowded hubs but limited population adventure zones (10 players in SWL).
And then there's the whole GaaS angle where they're going to milk a $60 game for a couple hundred a year forever.I'm skeptical, but I'll keep an eye on it.
I really hope it'll be more SWL than D3. I think ARPGs (defined as killing massive amounts of mobs and getting massive amounts of loot) are inherently skewed against MMORPG. I could be wrong here, but evidence seems to point to that conclusion.
Likely it has to do with how hard it gets to properly target once you get too many entities on-screen. If you've got three tanks piled on top of a boss mob, trying to click the boss instead of your beefy pals gets harder.
David Brevik recently mentioned that the Shaeffers and Travis got bored of Torchlight after the second game and wanted to move on before making the MMO they originally planned. It's nice that the studio is able to return to the series that kept them afloat.
Also, multiplayer with server side characers just enriches ARPG's even if you play solo. Having the option to trade, check the ladder, or see people running around towns without client-side hacks is something I expect from ARPG's now.
This game will largely live or die by its cash shop model though. Cosmetics only or meh.
yep. That's why I tend to quit non server based ARPGs after the first playthrough. Those types of ARPGs are much cheaper to make but only fit a tiny niche of the market and it's hard to keep them going even with new content.
I like Torchlight. I do not like Perfect World. My two loves, D&D and Star Trek, are no fun to play on their platform due to the monitization. Maybe they get it right with Torchlight, but Torchight being gear based, I bet a lot of microtransactions will be added to gear upgrading/enchanting.
I played the shit out of the original Torchlight. I haven't gotten around to playing the sequel much, but I don't doubt it's great like the first one.
But I can't get too excited about any MMO/Multiplayer experience being produced by Perfect World Entertainment. I really hate what that company did to Neverwinter.
If this is going to be their typical cash shop heavy free-to-play drek, where they push $40 reskinned mounts on a bi-weekly basis, I'll never bother downloading the game.
Lets hope they shoot to retain players and make better decisions than neverwinter.
Torchlight I & II were so solid I'm going to give them a chance just off the credit of those. I'm sure Perfect World will ruin it, but they deserve a look.
"As far as the forum code of conduct, I would think it's a bit outdated and in need of a refre *CLOSED*"
I hope Perfect World doesn't have too much control, as they will really ruin this game if they get the opportunity. They didn't mention if it was F2P, that will be the real tell.
Either way I'll try it. I love ARPG's and I really love Torchlight. Hope it's good.
Yea, I would love to have a Torchlight that includes drop-in/drop-out shared world like Destiny. Bonus points if they include robust group tools.
Robust group tools should be required for entry into the multiplayer sphere, not bonus points XD
Alas . . .
A couple of people mentioned Hob, whatever happened with that? I'm not totally sure if that game ever came out.
People should just abandon hope on how this game will turn out as long as PWE owns it. If there was any chance of anything positive happening with this game we would have seen some kind of improvement among their other games, but since that has not happened . . . .
I played the shit out of the original Torchlight. I haven't gotten around to playing the sequel much, but I don't doubt it's great like the first one.
But I can't get too excited about any MMO/Multiplayer experience being produced by Perfect World Entertainment. I really hate what that company did to Neverwinter.
If this is going to be their typical cash shop heavy free-to-play drek, where they push $40 reskinned mounts on a bi-weekly basis, I'll never bother downloading the game.
The first Torchlight is garbage compared to Torchlight II.. and that's saying something because the first one is good.
I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
The whole "City Hub with instances" thing seems built into the storyline, judging by the trailer (with the hub being civilization and the action parts representing the "Frontiers"). You even see a cut scene of everyone heading into the portal to take them out of the instance to the action (Presumably) at the end.
I hope that means they can have robust summoner builds then (those don't work with fully open world MMOs due to 10's to 100's of summoners in an area being a baaaad thing)
A couple of people mentioned Hob, whatever happened with that? I'm not totally sure if that game ever came out.
People should just abandon hope on how this game will turn out as long as PWE owns it. If there was any chance of anything positive happening with this game we would have seen some kind of improvement among their other games, but since that has not happened . . . .
It was finished and released. It is sold by Perfect World, along with Torchlight and Torchlight II, and is available from other sources as well.
Comments
I can't stand PWE either. When i think of them i think of lootboxes and text scrolls across the screen saying someone won something every two minutes.
Likely it has to do with how hard it gets to properly target once you get too many entities on-screen. If you've got three tanks piled on top of a boss mob, trying to click the boss instead of your beefy pals gets harder.
Lets hope they shoot to retain players and make better decisions than neverwinter.
Take the Magic: The Gathering 'What Color Are You?' Quiz.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Robust group tools should be required for entry into the multiplayer sphere, not bonus points XD
Alas . . .
People should just abandon hope on how this game will turn out as long as PWE owns it. If there was any chance of anything positive happening with this game we would have seen some kind of improvement among their other games, but since that has not happened . . . .
I do love Torchlight though but Perfect World yuck!
I hope they surprise me.
I'll be giving this one a miss (along with Fallout 76).
I hope that means they can have robust summoner builds then (those don't work with fully open world MMOs due to 10's to 100's of summoners in an area being a baaaad thing)