The problem with just getting a really big monitor is if your doing anything other than gaming or watching a movie, it's pointless. I'd much rather have 3 independent monitors that one 30" running 2560 x 1600. Not to mention if you just buy a 40" or 50" TV it's only going to be running at 1920 x 1080. I'd honestly rather play on a 19" than a 40" if both are at 1920 x 1080 (although I don't know if they make a monitor that small with that high of a res). Buying a bigger monitor or a TV isn't worth it in my book. Especially if you go with a monitor, as 1x30" high res is going to be more expensive than buying 3x27" monitors at 1080p (and there would still be a couple hundred buck difference). Even with the bezel NV surround running at 5760x1080 is still pretty awesome.
However that being said unless you can move parts of the UI around (like the map) I can't see D3 being a game worth using NV surround or Eyefinity on, especially if you don't already have a computer capable of it. If you already do I can't see it being something you would want to do all the time, might be worth it for kicks and giggles to see what it looks like, but I don't see it being as fun of an experience. I for one will probably just use one of my monitors for D3, and use the other two to keep a browser and chat windows open.
Will you guys be pooling all the gems you find (perhaps see if any other beta players will contribute) so we can get an idea of the stats for each type of gem at each level. It may take forever for a single person to get a level 14 gem, but if you have 50 or 100 people working on it, you can probably get it done in no time at all. Just a thought.
And thanks, I'll be watching all the time if I don't get an invite
I'd mod D2, changing any logo, shortcut, etc with the name "Diablo 2" to "Diablo 3", drink heavily until I forget what Diablo 2 was like, and then play some "Diablo 3". I don't know how I would explain to myself the difference between video and images seen online with what I see in-game...
But anyway, I'm positive Blizzard is using version control software, every programmer working on it has a copy of the code on their computer. And if they are like me (and take their work home with them), they have a copy of the code on their computer at home as well.
But hypothetically speaking, if in an instant all the D3 code/assets were deleted, I think if anything the artist's would be the most hurt by it. Programming is logical. In rewriting it, it might not be the same, they still know what the code needs to do, and you can reproduce that. Art on the other hand is subjective. They have some rough ideas, but they may never remake it exactly as good as they had it to begin with. I might just be OCD/perfectionist, but that would annoy me to no end not being able to remake something as good as I had it before. There's no guarantee that any amount of time you work on it that it will be what you want it to look like it to be.
Idk, I feel it's too early to really even speculate about things like this. Even if you assume you will get 4 gems per hour (on average), and assuming they are all the same type of gem so you can actually upgrade 3 to the next level, you are still missing a big piece of the puzzle. The odds will be same that the other 5 types of gem that will have the exact same drop rate, and you will find the same amount of those in the same hour (on average). So if that is the case then in effect you can trade those (also assuming they all have the same trade value), for the gem you are trying to create a level 14 of. So you in effect have 24 gems per hour dropping, which will reduce the time it takes to get a level 14 to 1/6 of that, which is what?.. about 6 and a half months, give or take?
Furthermore we have no idea of whether gems will be attained solely by drops. Perhaps there is a quest that will give you a level 10 gem as a reward? Perhaps there are random quests where you can pick up a bag of a couple dozen gems? Since gems are stackable now, maybe they will drop like stacks of keys dropped in D2? Maybe you can get 5 at a time? Maybe in later parts of the game you get get a hundred low level gems in a single drop? As mentioned earlier, maybe gem shrines will be more common? Maybe gem shrines will randomly upgrade a gem 1-3 levels instead of just 1? If you wait to use a gem shrine on a level 13 gem, with the original formula of the OP. you would save yourself over a year of grinding. Although that is all assuming shrines are in D3, I though so, but I can't remember. Also, perhaps gem will be a salvageable item you can get when you break down other items. Perhaps from top of the line items you can get a high level gem (since it's not really a drop, it might not follow the current only up to level 5 drops mechanic).
Anyway, I think there are just too many factors still unknown that will determine how long this will take. I think beta will give us a somewhat better idea (particularly if people track how often they get a gem during beta) of how often gem drops will be, and if there are other ways to attain them than just finding in drops. Time will tell, but I wouldn't freak out about a hypothetical mathematics that are saying it will take 3.37 years (the assumptions of the variables being hypothetical, not the algebra :P)
I think Titan thought you wanted to forward a single email to 50 people, not 50 emails to one or more people.
As as far as I know there isn't no feature for that in Gmail. I did a whole lot of checking back a couple months ago. They may have implemented it since then, but I don't think they did.
I had to forward many more than 50, and didn't feel like doing it one by one. What I ended up doing was I logged into my gmail through a email client (thunderbird), and saved a copy of all the emails, and exported them to files. Zipped all the file, and used it as an attachment. That's the quickest way I could find to do it.
For some of my older games (mainly the ones that are getting scratched up and I can't count on the cd working in the future), I create an iso of the disk. I use a free program called "doIso". This creates an image of the disk that I can either burn to another cd so I have a backup, or I can just keep on my hard drive and load via daemon tools (as was suggested earlier). You'd still need a way to get it to the laptop, but once there it should work.
They are just using some animation trickery to make it seem like he is spinning faster. Basically they have a clone/additional instance of the barb when he is used the skill. It should be a clone using the same weapons he has equip as well.
I think in one of the Blizzcon panels last year (maybe the year before) they mention how they add a second instance of the barb to the animation.
For me I think some really nice in-game support would be:
1) List of members, their status as online/offline. If online what game they are in (with click to join), and the number of player in the game. I guess you can call it a glorified friends list, or even a filter. but I know in the past if I was in a clan, I didn't have every member on my friends list (or before that was around in gaming, on my buddy list for whatever messenger the clan used).
2) Guild chat while in a game, that would be linked to everyone in the guild no matter if they are in another game or just idling on b.net.
3) Guild stash would be nice, but also pretty hard to do. You'd either have to limit who has access or specify who can take an item out of it that you put in. But basically a place you can put an item for someone else to grab the next time they are online.
4) A way to leave a message to other members Not sure if that will be a feature of not, can't recall if you can message someone who is offline and have them receive it next time they are online in SC2. If you can do that in SC2, then most likely you can in D3 as well, if not, it probably won't be in D3 either.
5) Voice chat is another nicety. While they'll have it for the 4 people in a game, having a guild wide chat would be nice, but as I said in my other post, I wouldn't be using that anyway just because you can get higher quality voice chat elsewhere, and it's nice to be able to have other people who are not in the guild/clan join in the chat with you.
6) List of guids/clans and possibly their members (probably need some sort of privacy setting though)
Anyway, I think I can see what you are getting at, and yes there isn't a massive amount of guild type functionality needed in-game, especially for a game like D3 that isn't a MMO. It probably wouldn't have a huge impact on the game either. But having the features in-game allows people to stay stay in-game, they don't have to minimize to a website that supplements the lack of these tools in-game. It's just a nice feature to have to make things easier on people who enjoy the experience clans/guilds bring to a game.
That being said, it's not a huge deal to me if these features are not in D3, I'm certainly not complaining that Blizzard chose to focus their time and energy elsewhere, just saying that it's something nice to have. I don't think it's even an issue of whether or not guilds fit D3, because whether they do or not, guilds will still be apart of it. It's really just an issue of time and priorities. I'm sure Blizzard would be willing to implement some level of in-game support, but not if it means cutting out a feature in gameplay, nor should it (imo).
My view on the FDA is that their role should only be to inform the public of any hazards, but they shouldn't have any power to say... keep things off the market. With the exception of something that is contagious or could cause harm to others.. But if people want to drink unpasteurized milk it should be their right to do so, but on the same note, they should have to deal with the consequences of using something that they know can be dangerous (I guess basically how cigarettes are... you know the hazards of using them, if you choose to accept the risks, then you'll deal with the outcome later in life). Now that brings up the issue of should others share in the burden of someone's poor decisions (ie, insurance companies/tax payers), but that's a separate issue.
Lastly, I never get why people feel the need to harass the cops, it's not like the one they talked to had a devilish grin on his face like he was thoroughly enjoying what he was doing. Sure they don't agree with them, but the cops are just doing their job, they were given a warrant and ordered to serve it. Granted they should really have better things to do, but that's also a different issue.
I'd prefer to have clan/guild support in-game, but on the same note, even if they did have support in-game I think it's voice chat that instills the biggest sense of a community in a clan. And even if voice chat with an entire guild was a feature that was added I'd still be using a 3rd party VOIP client. That's not to say that having guild text chat, stashes, rosters, etc wouldn't be awesome features to have, I just don't feel that is what makes being a clan worthwhile. Talking to people (especially when most won't be able to be in the same game because of the player cap of 4 per game) it just what I think makes the guild worthwhile. I think clans and guilds will have their place in D3, but I don't see Blizzard trying to squeeze in support before release. They have had enough on their plate as it is. While it would be awesome to have it there at release, chances are it will have to wait for a content update or expansion down the road for any type of serious in-game guild support
So far I like the series. There have been one or two episodes that I was really disappointed in, but all in all it's been a series I watch every Sunday. I like the premise of having an alien invasion TV show instead of a movie that just last two hours. This actually gives time for character development. The only part I really don't like is the amount of commercials TNT air. I think it was two weekends ago there were 3-4 minutes of commercials, followed by 2-3 minutes of the show, and then another 5 minutes of commercials. But it's not that bad most of the time. It this point I'll be watching next season, assuming it doesn't go down hill.
http://www.speedtest.net/result/1497436092.png
However that being said unless you can move parts of the UI around (like the map) I can't see D3 being a game worth using NV surround or Eyefinity on, especially if you don't already have a computer capable of it. If you already do I can't see it being something you would want to do all the time, might be worth it for kicks and giggles to see what it looks like, but I don't see it being as fun of an experience. I for one will probably just use one of my monitors for D3, and use the other two to keep a browser and chat windows open.
Ah, darn, was not aware of that.
And thanks, I'll be watching all the time if I don't get an invite
But anyway, I'm positive Blizzard is using version control software, every programmer working on it has a copy of the code on their computer. And if they are like me (and take their work home with them), they have a copy of the code on their computer at home as well.
But hypothetically speaking, if in an instant all the D3 code/assets were deleted, I think if anything the artist's would be the most hurt by it. Programming is logical. In rewriting it, it might not be the same, they still know what the code needs to do, and you can reproduce that. Art on the other hand is subjective. They have some rough ideas, but they may never remake it exactly as good as they had it to begin with. I might just be OCD/perfectionist, but that would annoy me to no end not being able to remake something as good as I had it before. There's no guarantee that any amount of time you work on it that it will be what you want it to look like it to be.
Furthermore we have no idea of whether gems will be attained solely by drops. Perhaps there is a quest that will give you a level 10 gem as a reward? Perhaps there are random quests where you can pick up a bag of a couple dozen gems? Since gems are stackable now, maybe they will drop like stacks of keys dropped in D2? Maybe you can get 5 at a time? Maybe in later parts of the game you get get a hundred low level gems in a single drop? As mentioned earlier, maybe gem shrines will be more common? Maybe gem shrines will randomly upgrade a gem 1-3 levels instead of just 1? If you wait to use a gem shrine on a level 13 gem, with the original formula of the OP. you would save yourself over a year of grinding. Although that is all assuming shrines are in D3, I though so, but I can't remember. Also, perhaps gem will be a salvageable item you can get when you break down other items. Perhaps from top of the line items you can get a high level gem (since it's not really a drop, it might not follow the current only up to level 5 drops mechanic).
Anyway, I think there are just too many factors still unknown that will determine how long this will take. I think beta will give us a somewhat better idea (particularly if people track how often they get a gem during beta) of how often gem drops will be, and if there are other ways to attain them than just finding in drops. Time will tell, but I wouldn't freak out about a hypothetical mathematics that are saying it will take 3.37 years (the assumptions of the variables being hypothetical, not the algebra :P)
Just my thoughts on the issue
As as far as I know there isn't no feature for that in Gmail. I did a whole lot of checking back a couple months ago. They may have implemented it since then, but I don't think they did.
I had to forward many more than 50, and didn't feel like doing it one by one. What I ended up doing was I logged into my gmail through a email client (thunderbird), and saved a copy of all the emails, and exported them to files. Zipped all the file, and used it as an attachment. That's the quickest way I could find to do it.
Hope that helps
I'm glad others are liking the idea.
I think in one of the Blizzcon panels last year (maybe the year before) they mention how they add a second instance of the barb to the animation.
Edit:
Actually I found the video, it was in fact Blizzcon 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rmcth0J5jRg&t=19m30s
1) List of members, their status as online/offline. If online what game they are in (with click to join), and the number of player in the game. I guess you can call it a glorified friends list, or even a filter. but I know in the past if I was in a clan, I didn't have every member on my friends list (or before that was around in gaming, on my buddy list for whatever messenger the clan used).
2) Guild chat while in a game, that would be linked to everyone in the guild no matter if they are in another game or just idling on b.net.
3) Guild stash would be nice, but also pretty hard to do. You'd either have to limit who has access or specify who can take an item out of it that you put in. But basically a place you can put an item for someone else to grab the next time they are online.
4) A way to leave a message to other members Not sure if that will be a feature of not, can't recall if you can message someone who is offline and have them receive it next time they are online in SC2. If you can do that in SC2, then most likely you can in D3 as well, if not, it probably won't be in D3 either.
5) Voice chat is another nicety. While they'll have it for the 4 people in a game, having a guild wide chat would be nice, but as I said in my other post, I wouldn't be using that anyway just because you can get higher quality voice chat elsewhere, and it's nice to be able to have other people who are not in the guild/clan join in the chat with you.
6) List of guids/clans and possibly their members (probably need some sort of privacy setting though)
Anyway, I think I can see what you are getting at, and yes there isn't a massive amount of guild type functionality needed in-game, especially for a game like D3 that isn't a MMO. It probably wouldn't have a huge impact on the game either. But having the features in-game allows people to stay stay in-game, they don't have to minimize to a website that supplements the lack of these tools in-game. It's just a nice feature to have to make things easier on people who enjoy the experience clans/guilds bring to a game.
That being said, it's not a huge deal to me if these features are not in D3, I'm certainly not complaining that Blizzard chose to focus their time and energy elsewhere, just saying that it's something nice to have. I don't think it's even an issue of whether or not guilds fit D3, because whether they do or not, guilds will still be apart of it. It's really just an issue of time and priorities. I'm sure Blizzard would be willing to implement some level of in-game support, but not if it means cutting out a feature in gameplay, nor should it (imo).
Lastly, I never get why people feel the need to harass the cops, it's not like the one they talked to had a devilish grin on his face like he was thoroughly enjoying what he was doing. Sure they don't agree with them, but the cops are just doing their job, they were given a warrant and ordered to serve it. Granted they should really have better things to do, but that's also a different issue.
Just my two cents
If your interested in out of game guild/clan support, my thread here might interest you http://www.diablofans.com/topic/26504-d3clanscom/
And yeah, The Walking Dead IS awesome