Ok, where do I start ? Firstly, Terror Zones create the same problem that already exists with Baal and Diablo runs. These types of game exist for a couple of minutes and then everyone piles into the next one. All terror zones do is create the same game type, but this time, they offer vastly more experience and all for very little effort. It wouldn’t be so bad if they were difficult, but they offer very little challenge in comparison to any other area.
Secondly, at least Baal and Diablo runs focused a group of players in one place, where as most Terrorized areas are either way too large or too small to be effectively farned by multiple pkayers. So you end up with the same old pattern of mainly one of three builds soloing Terror Zones. The areas dont lend themselves to party play at all.
That leads me to my third and worst problem and that is Terror Zones give far too much experience. As it’s been stated by Blizzard, they make reaching level 99 more achievable to most players. So basically, any player can achieve level 99 now and there’s nothing special about it.
Prior to Terror Zones been implemented, most people who had higher level characters were more mature players (for the most part), who knew what they were doing. As older players we’d gather together in games with level restrictions set upon on them, and generally not be disturbed by younger players who would rush around like ‘headless chickens’. This slower place allowed us to create our own little social club, where we’d play at own pace, chat inbetween and farm areas properly. There was no rush and that’s how we leveled, we accepted it would take a few months to reach level 99 and that’s what made it special.
It feels to me, as though Blizzard has employed some young upstarts and who’ve applied what they’ve learnt at college to Diablo 2. I can imagine them saying, “We need to target the biggest audience possible and that’s the kids!, That’s where the money is! This game is too slow for them and we should make it faster and more exciting! Espeically with Diablo 4 coming some!”. Well done lads, as far as I’m concerned, you’ve managed to break a game that’s sucessfully run for 20 odd years, in the space of a singular patch. If I think this is how Blizzard operates now, then do you think I’m going invest further?
Sometimes, it’s not a good idea to give the kids what they want. Children imitate, what they think is cool, that’s how they learn. You don’t alter a sucessful game, to match the existing abilities of your players, you make space and allow them to learn and develop their own ideas and that’s what made Diablo 2 special. With the introduction of Terror Zones, you’ve bored the kids and driven off many of the older players. There’s no room for us anymore and there’s nothing ‘special’ left to achieve in the game.
Everyone loses.