So, do you have any *actual* reason for why the game is "too casual"?
Instant respecs.
I'll take that as a "no". You're clearly unwilling to engage in any sort of logical debate as evidenced by your complete inability to reply to any of my salient points. I declare victory in this debate and that you are simply trolling.
Now, the thing that bugs me the most is "It's still just act1!" I remember hearing that the reason there's next to no randomization in Act 1 is because it might confuse casuals. Yet Diablo 1 and to a much lesser extent Diablo 2 had little hesitation in throwing full randomization and (as I discovered personally), some very difficult monsters your way very fast.
Well, more importantly, it's the first third of Act 1. This part is effectively the "tutorial" part. D1 and D2 never really had a comparable section.
The above-ground parts in D3 will generally have less randomization than was in Diablo 2. Basically you get a skeleton outline and different puzzle pieces can be slotted into the various sections; as you've played the Beta I'm sure you know what I mean. It is said that there are more random puzzle pieces farther into the game; Act 1, particularly the beginning, is quite straight forward. Note that the above-ground areas in Diablo 2, while being randomized, weren't actually very interesting. The blood moor, cold plains, stony field, tamoe highlands were all basically big empty boxes with a few "themed" terrain pieces repeated over and over again.
As for the dungeons, hopefully they'll be a lot better as it progresses, as the dungeons we see in the Beta really do leave a lot to be desired.
I don't like the mindset that it "has to be easy because it's early". I'd prefer the monsters to, you know, be somewhat challenging early on.
Yes, the difficulty ramp up is definitely slower than Diablo 2 and Diablo 1 in particular, which is unfortunate. But really the opening of the game is just the opening; the extra difficulty levels are where you spend most of your time.
I went through the beta as a Demonhunter with nothing but damage reflect on my gear, and the health orbs alone kept me alive through all of the content up to Leoric. I never had to attack. Ever.
Not sure when you did this playthrough, but the balance in the beta has see-sawed around quite a bit. Apparently it is quite a bit more difficult now than it was initially.
Normal difficulty should be challenging to that gear level, Nightmare or whatever challenging to that gear level... it shouldn't just be piss easy just because it's normal. Then your first experience of the game is, like mine, extremely poor.
Yes, although as they're dead-set in having this 'tutorial' style section of the game so I think we just have to accept it. There's good reason for them to have it and while I'd prefer going back to Diablo 1 where from clvl 1 through 8 or so you had to really scrounge for all the gold you could, ultimately I don't think this is a huge cost to bear.
Now if it's a cake-walk through all of Act 2 as well, then I'll be upset.
None.