Changes to the skill system
We've talked about the skill changes in previous posts, but to recap, the gist is that there isn't a 'tree' per se. Skills are made available for investment by level ( just as they were in the tree ), but their unlock level is no longer determined by vertical positioning in the tree, which gives us more flexibility to place them where we want them. In addition, you receive specific bonuses to each skill ( apart from standard investment bonuses ) at every 5 point mark, or tier, which are hopefully a good enticement to continue investing in a skill.
I'll take the Engineer's Machinegun bot as a quick example (subject to change, of course). At 5 points, his shots begin ricocheting. At 10, they pierce, and at 15 they are tripled. So, a level 15 machinegun bot skill has triple, piercing, ricocheting shots. Way cooler than level 1. Of course, damage, and other properties are improved with every point of investment, but there's a bigger jump every 5.
I'll take the Engineer's Machinegun bot as a quick example (subject to change, of course). At 5 points, his shots begin ricocheting. At 10, they pierce, and at 15 they are tripled. So, a level 15 machinegun bot skill has triple, piercing, ricocheting shots. Way cooler than level 1. Of course, damage, and other properties are improved with every point of investment, but there's a bigger jump every 5.
Other changes include refinements to the lobby system and other changes too numerous to mention. They do state that the game's Acts are finished but the polishing stage is still very much being worked on. At present, the polish is taking place on Act 3 and Act 2 of the game, which just happens to be a desert act (please let it be more enjoyable than Diablo 3's Act 2 which was also a desert act).
Frankly, Baldree's post contains a great deal more information than we can possible re-write here in any worthwhile shortened form. If you have any interest in Torchlight II at all, you really owe it to yourself to read his post and see what the team is working on based on user feedback since the beta.
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