Well, it's your decision, and I see your point. Maybe someday Blizzard will start being more consistent in their formatting, so then we could use the parsing app
But let me ask you, on behalf of the community (I hope), that if you ever lose the will to continue working on this app and keeping it up to date you will pass it on to someone willing, so it won't die
I think once we get out of beta and hit a few game balance changes, the data should be more consistent. At that time, I will consider implementing the "Update" button so users have control over getting the latest data and not depend on me releasing another timely update.
And as for keeping the app alive and up to date, I don't envision myself leaving this app any time soon. If I ever find myself unable to meet the demands and requirements for keeping Diablo 3 Handbook up to date, then I will open source it to the community and that's a promise.
I think the most exciting part about the app is having a community based knowledge base for fun/powerful builds (including items). I remember in Diablo 2, character builds was something I spent a great deal of time looking up on forums and websites. I'm hoping this app becomes that tool for Diablo 3, a central place for community approved builds that you can browse while commuting back from work/school.
I want to chime in on this myself. While working on my D3 armory app, I entered it all manually the first time so it was perfect/error-free. But, soon I indeed realized that they change their info a lot. However, I still wanted the app to work offline. The trade-off that I ended up doing was a parser for myself that would output blizz's data into something readable for my app. Just had to run it every time Blizz made changes, and then re-submit the app to Apple.
The problem became that Blizz's formatting on tooltips (of which I extracted info from, like cost and description) wasn't always consistent... so I had to go through every ability, rune, and passive to make sure things didn't get cut-off or incorrectly parsed. As well, had to re-DL every spell icon to make sure I had any new/changed ones. Well, with some more work (had the app not been taken down) it probably could have been improved.
But anyway, I think I posted with how I grabbed their data on another thread... forget where now lol.
Well, if their formatting is that messed up, then that's a problem, unfortunately.
But you're wrong about the app with parser having to work online. It can be done that the app would download and parse the data (on the first use and later, whenever the user pressed 'Update') and then store it so it would be viewable offline. I'm using a few apps that work that way myself, but I've never written an app like that myself. I guess, however, that SQLite database would work fine.
Well I didn't mention what you're saying specifically, because I would have no guarantee over the formatting. Like I said, I HAVE to go through and check my auto-parser did everything correctly. Blizz's tooltips posed some problems for my parser (though with more work I might have been able to iron those out).
An example: http://us.battle.net/d3/en/tooltip/skill/barbarian/weapons-master
That would be fine if I was just putting the html in a web-view in my app, but I wasn't doing it that way. I was extracting cost, level req, and description and then displaying them in their own labels. Sometimes Blizz's br's, div's, and p's were used differently if I remember right.
On top of this you have to make sure you grab all of the correct icons too (skills change and certain ones are added/removed).
I'm sure this all could be automated one day, but with an app that you want to run offline (with all of Glory's recent comments ringing very true), and to run without hitch... safer and quicker to just keep it static. Well, especially because in beta things change a lot.
v0.75 Update:
- updated all items data and images
- added artisans overview
v0.8 Update:
- added World -> Systems, which includes information on Crafting, Encounters, Followers, Health, PvP, and Runestones
v0.83:
- added World -> Bestiary, Environments, Lore
We're approaching v1.0, so please start sending in your builds. It'll be nice to have a few builds (even from Beta) when the app hits v1.0. Thanks DiabloFans and keep emailing/PMing us your feedbacks!
Update v0.9: - prompt user for exiting the app when pressing back from the highest level view of each tab - be able to drill down one additional level for Followers -> Skills - added Artisans -> Progression data
Quite the amazing app GlorytheWiz! If you follow through and implement all the information the current structure suggests, I believe this will be one of my favorite apps.
A suggestion: Instead of having to use the "back"-button on the phone to browse back from sub-menus, it would feel a lot more smooth (to me) if you could just press that previous menu instead. E.g. if I'm browsing in "Items > Armor > Head > Helms > Legendary" and want to browse another armor slot, say Torso, it would be just a click on "Armor" and then "Torso".
Works perfectly on my Samsung Galaxy S2 (Android 2.3.3) btw, no problems detected at all so far.
Quite the amazing app GlorytheWiz! If you follow through and implement all the information the current structure suggests, I believe this will be one of my favorite apps.
A suggestion: Instead of having to use the "back"-button on the phone to browse back from sub-menus, it would feel a lot more smooth (to me) if you could just press that previous menu instead. E.g. if I'm browsing in "Items > Armor > Head > Helms > Legendary" and want to browse another armor slot, say Torso, it would be just a click on "Armor" and then "Torso".
Works perfectly on my Samsung Galaxy S2 (Android 2.3.3) btw, no problems detected at all so far.
Thanks for the suggestion Bojer.
This is definitely a great idea and actually something I've started to implement. Also need to be able to drill 1 level deeper to see things like Durability and Crafting Materials. They are coming!
If you like the app, do rate it. The ratings really help get the app noticed.
Quite the amazing app GlorytheWiz! If you follow through and implement all the information the current structure suggests, I believe this will be one of my favorite apps.
A suggestion: Instead of having to use the "back"-button on the phone to browse back from sub-menus, it would feel a lot more smooth (to me) if you could just press that previous menu instead. E.g. if I'm browsing in "Items > Armor > Head > Helms > Legendary" and want to browse another armor slot, say Torso, it would be just a click on "Armor" and then "Torso".
Works perfectly on my Samsung Galaxy S2 (Android 2.3.3) btw, no problems detected at all so far.
Hey Bojer,
I've implemented the change you suggested. Check out v0.92.
Update v0.92:
- overhauled app navigation. Instead of pressing the back button multiple times to jump to previous levels, simply press that level's header. Ex. Weapons -> Two-Handed -> Maces -> Legendary, press "Weapons" to jump back to the Weapons view.
- thanks Andrew and Bojer for making this suggestion!
- added an exit button to the menu
Update v0.94:
- minor bug fixes and UI tweaks to Followers -> Skill Calculator
- removed the hardware requirement of screen -> portrait that was preventing some devices from downloading the app (thanks Bent for pointing this out!)
Update v0.95:
- reduced app size to <30 MBs for older Samsung and HTC devices
- updated skills data based on Patch 10
- implemented core system changes: removed mystic and scrolls of identification, common items will no longer be salvageable
- performance improvements for loading class and follower overviews
Just wanted to give a shout out to GlorytheWiz for his app! I've been using it since its first posted here and it's been updated constantly to the Diablo 3 beta. Currently because of the simplified tool tips in the beta, his app changed to this as well in the skill calculator. I e-mailed him on possibly changing this on his app back to the advanced tool tips for the calculator. Wasn't really expecting a response but he did! So Not only an awesome Diablo 3 app for android, but Glory is open to suggestions.
If there's enough interest from the community, we'd certainly like to make one for Windows phones as well. So if you have a Windows phone and would like to have D3 Handbook on your phone, shoot me a PM.
I think once we get out of beta and hit a few game balance changes, the data should be more consistent. At that time, I will consider implementing the "Update" button so users have control over getting the latest data and not depend on me releasing another timely update.
And as for keeping the app alive and up to date, I don't envision myself leaving this app any time soon. If I ever find myself unable to meet the demands and requirements for keeping Diablo 3 Handbook up to date, then I will open source it to the community and that's a promise.
I think the most exciting part about the app is having a community based knowledge base for fun/powerful builds (including items). I remember in Diablo 2, character builds was something I spent a great deal of time looking up on forums and websites. I'm hoping this app becomes that tool for Diablo 3, a central place for community approved builds that you can browse while commuting back from work/school.
Well I didn't mention what you're saying specifically, because I would have no guarantee over the formatting. Like I said, I HAVE to go through and check my auto-parser did everything correctly. Blizz's tooltips posed some problems for my parser (though with more work I might have been able to iron those out).
An example:
http://us.battle.net/d3/en/tooltip/skill/barbarian/weapons-master
That would be fine if I was just putting the html in a web-view in my app, but I wasn't doing it that way. I was extracting cost, level req, and description and then displaying them in their own labels. Sometimes Blizz's br's, div's, and p's were used differently if I remember right.
On top of this you have to make sure you grab all of the correct icons too (skills change and certain ones are added/removed).
I'm sure this all could be automated one day, but with an app that you want to run offline (with all of Glory's recent comments ringing very true), and to run without hitch... safer and quicker to just keep it static. Well, especially because in beta things change a lot.
D3 Channel: OnetwoD3
- updated all items data and images
- added artisans overview
v0.8 Update:
- added World -> Systems, which includes information on Crafting, Encounters, Followers, Health, PvP, and Runestones
v0.83:
- added World -> Bestiary, Environments, Lore
We're approaching v1.0, so please start sending in your builds. It'll be nice to have a few builds (even from Beta) when the app hits v1.0. Thanks DiabloFans and keep emailing/PMing us your feedbacks!
- prompt user for exiting the app when pressing back from the highest level view of each tab
- be able to drill down one additional level for Followers -> Skills
- added Artisans -> Progression data
- App is now Android 2.1 friendly
Please continue to send us feedback so we can work with the community to improve the app. Thanks DiabloFans.
A suggestion: Instead of having to use the "back"-button on the phone to browse back from sub-menus, it would feel a lot more smooth (to me) if you could just press that previous menu instead. E.g. if I'm browsing in "Items > Armor > Head > Helms > Legendary" and want to browse another armor slot, say Torso, it would be just a click on "Armor" and then "Torso".
Works perfectly on my Samsung Galaxy S2 (Android 2.3.3) btw, no problems detected at all so far.
Thanks for the suggestion Bojer.
This is definitely a great idea and actually something I've started to implement. Also need to be able to drill 1 level deeper to see things like Durability and Crafting Materials. They are coming!
If you like the app, do rate it. The ratings really help get the app noticed.
Hey Bojer,
I've implemented the change you suggested. Check out v0.92.
Update v0.92:
- overhauled app navigation. Instead of pressing the back button multiple times to jump to previous levels, simply press that level's header. Ex. Weapons -> Two-Handed -> Maces -> Legendary, press "Weapons" to jump back to the Weapons view.
- thanks Andrew and Bojer for making this suggestion!
- added an exit button to the menu
- minor bug fixes and UI tweaks to Followers -> Skill Calculator
- removed the hardware requirement of screen -> portrait that was preventing some devices from downloading the app (thanks Bent for pointing this out!)
- reduced app size to <30 MBs for older Samsung and HTC devices
- updated skills data based on Patch 10
- implemented core system changes: removed mystic and scrolls of identification, common items will no longer be salvageable
- performance improvements for loading class and follower overviews
Hardly, by the time the game hits he'll have the foundation laid and perfected.
Battle.net Profile / Diablo Progress Profile
- updated skills data
- skills now display advanced tool tips as opposed to basic tool tips. Thanks Josh and Kim for this suggestion!
If there's enough interest from the community, we'd certainly like to make one for Windows phones as well. So if you have a Windows phone and would like to have D3 Handbook on your phone, shoot me a PM.
- added background music, which you can turn on/off in options