You're killing me, Smalls!

[Galerunner]

First off, let me say that I was never a huge fan of ARPGs. I played Torchlight 1, and thought it was great, but wasn't hugely pulled in.

Then the Torchlight 2 Beta happened.

Me and my siblings all signed up and got keys, started playing, and quickly fell in love with the game. I now plan to pre-order a 4-pack off Steam as soon as I can.

The problem, though, is that Runic Games is making a huge mistake by putting out such a fantastic, immersive beta... and then following it up with complete silence. No release date, no updates on changes, nada.

The end result of this silence? I'm itching to play a great ARPG again... but with no information/release date/anything to look forward to in the near future, it's an itch that's driving me to desperation; namely, Diablo 3.

I don't like Blizzard as a company, and I've openly mocked Diablo 3 since before it was released... but since Torchlight 2 is beyond my grasp right now, I'm nearly to the point where I'm willing to swallow my pride and buy it, just to play something similar to Torchlight 2. It's a crying shame, really, and well within Runic's power to fix. All I'm asking is that they throw us a bone every once in a while to tide us over while we wait.

Edited to appear slightly less desperate/hopelessly addicted

[Zidders]

Have fun in Diablo III, don't see why you can't get both. Just get Torchlight II later. Have you been following their twitter? Did you know that there's a soundtrack cd giveaway over on the Torchlight II facebook page (also announced on the Torchlight II website, btw? Or that they're at E3 right at this moment, where Max schaefer stated that they'll have a release date for us in a few weeks, and the game is still pegged for a late summer release?)

[amb2010]

I'm confused as to why you would go play D3 if you're looking forward to TL2 since..they are entirely different games that play entirely differently? That's like saying you're hungry for a deep dish pepperoni pizza and then go get a brooklyn-styled pizza with only green peppers on it. Sure, they're both pizzas but the contents of the pizza is entirely different and not comparable. Even more-so when you need 4 pizzas of which you can buy 4 pepperoni for the price of 1 green pepper pizza....

It's the silence before the storm, just sit and wait patiently. Soon enough you'll be getting clobbered on the head by baseball sized hail and 80 MPH winds.

[Galerunner]

I'm participating in the soundtrack giveaway right now, and I've been following all the hype/information they've been putting out.

But so far all they've done is say "Information is coming; stick with us, guys!" A soundtrack giveaway and a promise that eventually I'll get to know just how much longer I get to wait are hardly substantial bones.

They're next to nothing, really. If next Thursday's update on their site is nothing more than a blurry screenshot of something new ABOUT THE GAME ITSELF, then I'll shut up, sit down, and wait patiently.

But so far I've played a fantastic beta, and weeks later, I'm still waiting for ANY solid new information about the game itself.

I'm simply stating that Runic is shooting themselves in the foot by getting their player base all fired up to play a fantastic ARPG... and then giving us nothing else about theirs, while their biggest competitor is out and about.


amb2010: You're totally spot-on in a few areas here. Diablo 3 and Torchlight 2 are completely different beasts... and if I had to choose one, I'd absolutely go for the deep dish pepperoni pizza

But at the same time, it's as if I got one slice of the deep-dish, and then the waiter told me that in half an hour, he'd be back to tell me how much longer my pizza is going to take. And in the meantime, I'm hungry for pizza... even that brooklyn-style starts looking good after a while.

I'm also just hugely impatient

[Arlian]

First off, let me say that I was never a huge fan of ARPGs. I played Torchlight 1, and thought it was great, but wasn't hugely pulled in.

Then the Torchlight 2 Beta happened.

Me and my siblings all signed up and got keys, started playing, and quickly fell in love with the game. I now plan to pre-order a 4-pack off Steam as soon as I can.

The problem, though, is that Runic Games is making a huge mistake by putting out such a fantastic, immersive beta... and then following it up with complete silence. No release date, no updates on changes, nada.

The end result of this silence? I desperately want to play Torchlight 2 again... but with no information/release date/anything to look forward to in the near future, it's an itch that's driving me to desperation; namely, Diablo 3.

I don't like Blizzard as a company, and I've openly mocked Diablo 3 since before it was released... but since Torchlight 2 is beyond my grasp right now, I'm nearly to the point where I'm willing to swallow my pride and buy it, just to play something similar to Torchlight 2. It's a crying shame, really, and well within Runic's power to fix. All I'm asking is that they throw us a bone every once in a while to tide us over while we wait.

Please.

Release date isn't published because they don't know. They're doing end-phase polishes.

Now, let's say they put a release date on. Let's go with Amazon's lofty and already-defeated date of July 3 for release.

What if they're not done in time for the US's major political holiday? Push the date back? Upset even more customers than if they had not promised at all? The fact is, the wait is worth it.

For the releases, there is an art to presentation. You've already played the beta and that got you completely EAGER to play the game did it not? Some things are clear theatrics. They are saving this information so it will be revealed in the game and you will love it all-the-more for it. They have to keep some surprises .

[Galerunner]

What if they're not done in time for the US's major political holiday? Push the date back? Upset even more customers than if they had not promised at all? The fact is, the wait is worth it.

For the releases, there is an art to presentation. You've already played the beta and that got you completely EAGER to play the game did it not? Some things are clear theatrics.

If the end result is half as good as the Beta was, then you're completely right: it will be 110% worth the wait. My problem is simply with the here and now. Now that I've cooled down a bit, I think I can explain my point a bit more clearly. Simply put, it's this:

Runic has hooked a customer, not just for their game, but for a genre of games. Unfortunately, because of their total silence on EVERYTHING game related, I'm starting to look at other options within the genre.

That's horrible for them, because if I try Diablo 3 and get hooked just like I did on Torchlight 2, they've lost 4 sales.

Does that mean they should tell me everything about their game this very instant? Of course not. I'm excited to see the changes they make and the polish they've been putting on once it's properly done. I simply believe they could be doing SO much more than they are right now to keep people like me (very emotional, very excited, very impatient) invested in THEIR product, and not eying their competitor.

That's all

[Galerunner]

I've been re-reading my posts here, and I just have to say...

I come off as incredibly addicted/desperate... which is not what I was hoping to portray here

I mostly meant to illustrate that as a young, impatient gamer, this total silence from Runic is beyond frustrating... and I found myself looking at their competitor for the solution.


I could be wrong, but that sounds like a business disaster... and I REALLY want Torchlight 2 to blow Diablo 3 out of the water when it arrives.

[Waffletime]

Just so you know, pre ordering any number of copies of Tl2 on steam also nets you an equal number of the first Torchlight as well, for free. That should help scratch that itch.

[JBeck]

Galerunner, love the enthusiasm.
We had a small presence at E3, which just wrapped up, and some articles/interviews/write ups are already starting to surface.
I'm sure in future Thursday treats we'll unveil more info as well.

The beta feedback was incredible...and we got a ton of it. It takes time to go through it all, decide what is going to be addressed, how it can be addressed, and then implement it to the point where we feel solid enough sharing the changes with our fans.

That said, I'm granting you 3 questions. Ask anything you want and I'll answer what I can. (Don't waste one on asking for a release date, because I can't answer that)

[gazm]

Galerunner, use your 3 wishes wisely...

[pekbro]

Krater and Drakensang online are other options, Drakensang is f2p and amazing for a java game. Very pretty but no builds or anything like that just good'ol hack & slash. Krater is more
akin to Dawn of war 2 as it squad based. Both are fun imo and good fillers until this game comes out. Worth a look anyway =)

[Aeydon]

Galerunner, use your 3 wishes wisely...

[Seer]

I'm confused as to why you would go play D3 if you're looking forward to TL2 since..they are entirely different games that play entirely differently?

No offense, but I'm tired of reading this, they're both ARPGs driven by loot. It's not like one if an FPS and the other an RPG.

[amb2010]

I'm confused as to why you would go play D3 if you're looking forward to TL2 since..they are entirely different games that play entirely differently?

No offense, but I'm tired of reading this, they're both ARPGs driven by loot. It's not like one if an FPS and the other an RPG.

And I never understand people like you that have this mentality that because X game has the same genre as Y they're automatically the same experience and therefore interchangeable. I don't see people saying a Hummer and a Pickup truck offer the same features and driving experience because they're both heavy duty vehicles nor do I see people saying a pistol and a rifle are the same because they're both guns yet *two* ARPGS? By golly they're the exact same and therefore you only need to play the one that hits first.

Battlefield is different than CoD, Gran Turismo is different than Need for Speed, Terraria is different than Minecraft and TL2 is different than D3. While the premise is the same, the presentation and process of achieving that premise are entirely different therefore I see no reason for anyone to make a claim as silly as "They're the same because they're in the same genre", that is aside from blatant ignorance.

[Sudocrem]

You are probably not up-to-date. Every Thursday the main website is updated, also they have groups in two social networking sites which are update most of the time.

Don't forget to follow their @facebook and @twitter.

@BrianW is always in @twitter by the way! xD

[Zidders]

I think calling it 'horrible' and a 'business disaster' is a bit much. I mean, the pre-order sales have been in the Steam top ten for weeks, and considering just how many people have probably gotten a pre-order, we have maybe a small percentage of that coming here and complaining about lack of updates/news.

I can understand how those that do feel. It can be very hard sitting around waiting for something you're really excited about, but the fact that they've been as silent as they are is very telling to me. I've been here for almost three years. The devs have always been very chatty with us. Really, they've spoiled the community in a way because you don't see a lot of developers really communicate with their community the way Runic does.

That's why the fact that they've gone so quiet is a rare and good thing. I know they've got good stuff on the way. I also expected it to show up around late September. Travis said last November that in order to make it really epic, it would probably take another 14 months. Sure, he also stated he didn't plan on taking that long..but back then, I kinda hoped they would take that long, or at least take as long as they need to make the game truly incredible.

I think they've given us a taste of awesome in the first game and in how they behave as a company, I think we gamers deserve a game company that respects us as consumers and as fans and I think Runic deserves to make this game awesome for their own sake. I think they deserve to have a truly epic, memorable game under their belts. I think they're working on that right now. If that means late summer, so be it. Truly epic games take time and a lot of effort and they're a really small team. Even so, we get some really good updates from them it's just telling us every teensy detail might be awesome to some but most people just aren't going to get it and then people would complain about that and just think Runic was trying to blow smoke up everyones tailhole.

They're kinda damned if they do and damned if they don't. I think they're doing fine, all things considered.

[ouri]

That said, I'm granting you 3 questions. Ask anything you want and I'll answer what I can. (Don't waste one on asking for a release date, because I can't answer that)

I love you Runic hahaha

[HumbleEwok]

Have they changed the difficulty?

Have they added anymore selections when creating a character?

What major thing have they added or removed since beta?

[eVilocity]

Have they changed the difficulty?

Have they added anymore selections when creating a character?

What major thing have they added or removed since beta?

You do realise he granted those 3 questions to galerunner right?

[HumbleEwok]

Have they changed the difficulty?

Have they added anymore selections when creating a character?

What major thing have they added or removed since beta?

You do realise he granted those 3 questions to galerunner right?

Yea I just posted it cause gunner has not responded... Giving him some ideas on what to ask..