Forum

If the serial number was extracted from the game or a keygen was used, but everything else remains the same, does it automatically become "garbage"?

As a rule, a ton of repacks are released, and only a few are made the way you describe. Many amateur enthusiasts try to add something of their own and claim that their repack is the best. And sometimes, this very enthusiast is not even 15 years old. They mess around and don't even understand what they're doing. I didn't immediately ban him, but after several of his unsuccessful experiments. Thank goodness, it didn't come to reinstalling the system, but a considerable amount of time was spent cleaning his computer of this junk.

Everything is shared and for the people. I'm for communism on the internet. And let the bourgeois pay for the games.

I'm kind of for communism too.
It's just that there are games that are special. Don't take it as pretentiousness, I just don't know how to explain it.
And I'll pay for them even just out of gratitude to the developers.
I also have a licensed copy of D2, as well as G2NV.

Are they only available on Battle.net servers, or in some version of the single-player game as well?

Of course, I'm talking about Battle.net.
They are not needed in single-player, because there is PlugY, which provides almost unlimited storage.
But isn't single-player interesting?
It's much more fun to play with a friendly group and compete.
And you can create a character using an editor in single-player, because there everyone is their own evil Pinocchio.
But here, game characters are stored on the server, and you can already judge the player's level.
However, I repeat, the auction REALLY spoils this picture.
Some, having barely reached a new level, rush to the auction to upgrade their gear, choosing the best for that level, and then complain that the game is too easy.
So, play it yourself, so to speak, in offline mode.
I completed the normal difficulty and was pleasantly surprised that the game is challenging, right on the edge. Not too easy, but not too difficult. Just right.
IMHO, of course.

Added

What are these "mules" (character-storage) for storing items?

Yes, these are level 1 characters created specifically for storing items