I'm sorry to have to say this, but the fact that you're talking about "not regretting" that you bought a product that doesn't actually exist/isn't on the market yet says something about your consumption patterns. You haven't played the game yet and it hasn't been released yet. Now is not the time to be talking about whether or not you regret it.
Well, there is a little more too the story then what I let on.
The pre-order was a gift from my girl friend on our anniversary that i asked for. In terms of this, i do not regret it (I didnt want to say this info off that bat as it may of come off odd, also this is information i wouldn't share normally). This is also the first time I was 'involved' in buying anything that hasnt come out yet. It felt odd when I found this information out.
Also, the reason I said "I do not regret buying it" was just a way I could clarify my position in the start of my thread. Sure, I could of used other avenues to express my position, but I felt saying anything else wouldn't of been synergistic to the title of the thread about "buying it".
That's because, quite frankly, character stats in Diablo 2 were a complete joke. A poor implementation doesn't mean the entire concept is bad.
True. I can't think of any good games that used the stats idea well at the moment, but I am sure its possible. Maybe Blizzard was not able to think of a good way to use stats correctly.
How does that prevent it at all? Having to be online all the time is pretty much the same as realm play before, which had exactly the problems you're describing.
Good point.
I am not sure what technology is involved, but I know in a game like World of Warcraft duping is simply impossible and changing your stats on your character is impossible as well.
I would think that they would apply the same item and character checking as World of Warcraft has in a game like Diablo 3. I think when I made my reply, I was thinking in terms of how a player is always connected and playing in the same realm. IN Diablo 2 though, you were reconnected to a game every time you started a new game.
I do think there should be an offline mode at least for players, there is not any reason I can think of that an offline mode would be a bad idea.