Got a netbook? You want to read this. (Torchlight)

[MinisterofDOOM]

The awesome is coming for your netbook. Without mercy.

One of the greatest game developers on earth, Cond...er Blizzard No...wait Flagsh...I mean Runic Games. Yeah. Runic Games is about to release what is without question my most highly anticipated game of the year. Torchlight.

Torchlight's a classic Diablo style ARPG with nice, sophisticated modern gameplay. It's got an isometric view and a really nice art style.

But the best part, for all you netbook owners, is that its system requirements are so low, your netbook will be able to run it without breaking a sweat.

It's singleplayer only (not even coop) because Runic have plans to take the Torchlight world into the multiplayer realm with another title down the road. So for this entry, the focus is on good old fashioned solo monster-wading.

Check it out. It's due out on the 26th, which is exactly 17 days too far away by my count. Initially it'll only be available as a direct download (very small, Runic says the whole client is only 300MB), but there might be a boxed version down the road.

One need feature of the game that should keep replay value high (as if replay value was in need of help in an ARPG with random loot and level generation and 3 character classes) is the "endless dungeon." No bottom. Keep going down for more challenge and more reward.

http://www.torchlightgame.com/

*(BTW, if you didn't catch my not-so-subtle hint at the beginning of this post, this game is being made by the original Diablo/DiabloII team. So it's going to be good.)

Oh, and the system requirements, so you can smile at the fact that your otherwise useless netbook can indeed run the game:PIII 800512MB RAMDirectX 7 compatible video card with 64MB RAM400MB hard drive spaceFeels like the turn of the century again, doesn't it?

[Eikon]

I loved the diablo games!

I'm hooked on Sacred 2 right now for the xbox 360.

I'm sure Torchlight will be cool.. but I think what I like the most about these games is the ability to play with my buddies. If it's just single player.. I'll wait until they bring out the sequel.

[bmike818]

I just downloaded my digital copy of Diablo2 for free from Blizzard. My copy was for a PC, I registered it and was able to download a digital copy for free for my Mac. Now I don't need the CDs

I have loaded Warcraft3, Starcraft, and Diablo2. I get to play all these with no CD.

...d/k if Diablo2 will run on a netbook

[MinisterofDOOM]

Yeah, I love that Blizzard has done that. I wish I could do it with the original Diablo, too.

[bmike818]

okay, you got me watching out for this title.

on a side note...direct2drive is having some crazy sale....games for $5....I wanted to get Supreme Commander...alas my PC is too weak to play it. Too bad it aint Mac compatible

[RCA]

Most anticipated....Really?

But my PC can't run this game...SOoooo, I am bitter.

[positron1]

I saw footage of this on Gametrailers...I'm tracking it, looks sweet!

[MinisterofDOOM]

Most anticipated....Really?

Gameplay > hype.

In fact, these days, the more hype a game gets, the lower my expecations become. Diablo is STILL one of the most fun games ever made. This will be Diablo with improvements. It will take one hell of a great game to beat that.

[positron1]

Believe it or not I've been sitting on a copy of Diablo II for like 4 years and have yet to play it.

[MinisterofDOOM]

INSTALL THAT BISH!

If you set up a Battle.net account (free) you can register your CD key and it allows you to download the game at any time and play that version without the CD.

DII is FANTASTIC. But if you don't have LOD (the expansion) it's definitely worth picking up, as it adds a lot even to the early game (new item types and items, etc.).

[RCA]

Gameplay > hype.

In fact, these days, the more hype a game gets, the lower my expecations become. Diablo is STILL one of the most fun games ever made. This will be Diablo with improvements. It will take one hell of a great game to beat that.

Hype = Anticipation that occurs before a game comes out...

Gameplay can only be judged after the game is released so how can Torchlight's gameplay cause "hype"?

Also what market is anticipating it? Maybe I missed it some how. I assume the PC community because I follow games in general but mostly console.

[HashiriyaS14]

I've never played any Diablo titles.

Maybe I should get on that.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Runic recently updated their news page to say that the game'll be available on Steam on launch day (vs some time after launch).

[positron1]

I've never played any Diablo titles.

Maybe I should get on that.

I beat the first Diablo way back when and it was awesome!

[MinisterofDOOM]

I still recall my first fight with Diablo more vividly than almost any other gaming moment. By today's standards it's not all that great a fight (the room's layout is kinda plain) but back then it was incredible.

[positron1]

I'm bound and determined to beat Diablo II before III comes out so I've got like 10 years or so......

[RCA]

Really cool thread about Torchlight's Developers...

http://forums.runicgames.com/v...t=686

CLIFF NOTES:A gamer has a medical condition that doesn't allow her to play game with camera shake effects and she posts about it. A Torchlight developer responds by adding an option to turn it off.

Awesome people at Touchlight.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Hype = Anticipation that occurs before a game comes out..

By hype I meant media attention and marketing. Because I long ago learned that marketing and media attention are usually strongest for the most mediocre games, while the best games tend to either come out of nowhere, or have more "unofficial" attention (fan sites, etc.). Not always the case, but look at things like Prototype...TONS of marketing for AGES, TONS of gaming sites talking it up. And it turns out to be complete garbage. When was the last time you played a game that was advertised on TV that was awesome? Yeah, I can't remember when that happened either. But I can remember lots of games I never saw any ads for outside gaming magazines that were amazing.

There's a reason for that, too:When you have a huge publisher with enough cash to run TV spots, they're generally the kind of publisher who tells you what kind of game you can make.

[ka24boos13t]

So it released two days ago (since it's like 12:45 am right now).

I have to say it's an awesome game. I've enjoyed every minute of it on my desktop. As far as my netbook...well that's not quite the same story haha. I actually haven't gotten it to even run so far. Albeit I haven't tried very hard. It complained at me about the visual c++ run time library's. Unfortunately I don't have direct internet access (damn everyone around me and their "secure" wireless networks) so I can't update that right now but we'll see how it runs when I do.

I like the endless dungeon system, And the fact that I always feel like I can be more powerful, despite the fact that it's single player. Plus...20 bucks to get it, you can't beat that.

A+ in my book.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Yeah, you need the latest VC redistributable. If you bought through steam, it should install that for you. Otherwise, you can just google "MS VC redistributable" and download it.

In the game options there's a "netbook mode" checkbox which I believe disables shaders to make it more netbook friendly.

I finally got to play it this morning. I'm playing with a Rogue-spec Vanquisher (though I have a pair of pistols that do get used pretty often). I really like the build and class. Dual wielding fastest-attack blades combined with needle arc is DEVASTATING. I LOVE Needle Arc.

The game basically took everything great about Diablo and refined it. Everything is done well, and there are a lot of little "man...that's a convenient addition" features like the fact that you can load up your pet's inventory then just click a button to send the pet to town to sell your stuff for you...no more wasting town portal scrolls and interrupting your dungeon hacking just to make more space in your inventory. I also like that the pet can wear rings and amulets...perfect way to put those +gold find rings to use without having to sacrifice stats.The use of tab to switch your right-click spell is BRILLIANT.

It's great. A TON of fun.

The only complaint I have is that I can't play it with friends. As much as I love borderlands, that game wouldn't even get looked at next to Torchlight if Torchlight had multiplayer. But that's a small complaint, considering how much fun the game still manages to be in solo play.

[ka24boos13t]

I saw the netbook mode, I'm anxious to see how it performs. If only I had enough ambition to unplug the Ethernet cable from my desktop and plug it into my netbook...Oh well.

Overall the game has been exhilarating. Aside from very hard, it's been extremely easy but it's a nice challenge at this level.

As far as playing with friends, I'm not sure what to think yet. I know that they plan on coming out with TL as an mmo but I don't know if that's going to be god or bad. I mean I can't imagine it being bad but as far as it coming out after the single player comes out...I just don't know what to think yet. If your character can be the same (or even derived from) your character(s) in the single player TL than...well I'm not sure if that's good or bad haha. I sure hope it's good because It's easy to brag in this game, and having someone to brag to and compete with would be great.
Modified by ka24boos13t at 1:30 AM 10/29/2009

[positron1]

Thanks for the reviews, I been waiting for someone who played it to say something about this game, gonna add this to my list.

[MinisterofDOOM]

One thing I really like about Torchlight is that the character classes are more open. The original Diablo basically had 3 classes that were different only in their starting stats. They all had the same pool of spells to draw on, and you could build a warrior into a wizard or a wizard into a rogue or whatever. As long as your stats met the criteria, your character could use any armor or weapon, regardless of class.

As action RPGs have progressed over the years, there has been more and more isolation between classes...much of it artificial for the purpose of making them seem more unique than they really are. Diablo II: LoD had lots of class specific items...that has become the norm. Armor only wearable by paladin, etc.

What you end up with is such a clutter of overspecific gear that drops are never "for you." You also end up losing a lot of versatility in character options.

Torchlight combines set skill trees with class-free gear and spells. Spells are separate from skills, and can be found or bought by any class. It really keeps gear drops more valid more often, and adds a lot more depth to what you can do with your characters.

Part of this, I'm sure, is also due to the singleplayer only nature of the game. The issues of combat and support balance between the classes is not there, so there's no reason to fit their strengths and weaknesses together like puzzle pieces. So that gives more freedom in individual class designs.

I like that the rogue (melee dual wielder) focuses on armor improvement. Most games cast the rogue as the squishy bouncy retard who kills fast but dies faster. Rogues in Torchlight are tough AND deadly.

[ka24boos13t]

I agree, the unspecified character development adds to any type of game for me but so far it has only been possible in a single player environment. In multiplayer ( like mmo ) I think developers have to cater to the majority, where most people like a diverse set of characters that act as puzzle pieces to create a successful and efficient team.

I wish that developers would get out of this nook of thinking though. I can think of a couple of instances where an "efficient" team doesn't prove true as far as having different types of characters ( as opposed to a team of one class of characters ) just because of the simplicity of it. Yeah it's neat if you go in with a full team consisting of someone who blocks, a couple who attack, and someone who heals. But honestly if you go in with a bunch of guys who deal a ton of damage...you're going to annihilate anything before it can cause sufficient damage to anyone.

I think that Champions Online is somewhere in the right direction. You can get some relatively open character development in it but I feel like the dev's ideas still have to cater to what many people think "should" be right.

I hope that Runic can keep their scheme of character development as it is come the release of the Torchlight mmo. If things can keep on being "be who you want to be" without hindering cooperative gameplay then it could very well be a hidden gem within the realm or mmorpgs.

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

Game seems to be a steo up from the titan quest series...which I still play, Actually..the gameplay between the two looks identical in some aspects/

[Kalypso]

bottomless dungeon ftw

[Kalypso]

great concept art fo sho

[MinisterofDOOM]

New post for a few reasons:

First, the official editor has been released. More info here. I have a strong desire to make a Cow Level.

Second, Max Schaefer has revealed that the Torchlight MMO will, as I suspected, be free to play. He indicates it's about two years out and is not yet in development; pre production will begin once Torchlight is where they want it to be as far as patching (which isn't likely to be long considering there's no multiplayer to complicate things).

Third, the boxed, in-store release date has been announced as January 5th. Which is cool. Considering how cheap the game is, how much I respect the developers, and how much I enjoy the game, I will probably buy a boxed copy just to have the box around.

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

Have you given Titan Quest and it's expansion a try yet MoD? It's also a spiritual Succesor to DII and is ton's of fun. More than 50 class combinations and a robust mod community adds to the replay value. The gameplay can drag at spots and it's been said to be too easy (I dont beleive that) but I give it an 89% in my book.

[MinisterofDOOM]

I haven't played that one. Can you still buy it?