DiabloFans

• 
  Dec 17, 2011
  ScyberDragon published the article Beta Up and Running
  Beta is Up and Running
  There has been some issues since Patch 8 went live but the beta servers are back up and running.
  

  
  

  Official Blizzard Quote:

  
  

  
  We've resolved a number of issues affecting players both in the game and during log in, and we feel the Diablo III beta is fairly stable at this point. While we expect conditions to remain stable, we'll continue to monitor the service closely.
  
  The Auction House should be functioning normally once again, though we will continue to monitor it carefully. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
  
  
  Posted in: Beta Up and Running
• 
  Dec 16, 2011
  ScyberDragon published the article A Look into the Opening Cinematic
  The opening cinematic to Diablo III was released earlier this week. A vision of Leah's flood the beginning of the stylized video. Many of the images depict particular angels like Imperius and Auriel who we have come to learn about thanks to the Book of Cain. The angels are fighting demons on Sanctuary.
  
  We also see Tyrael, whose presence and role are still unknown, is seen in the video. We know that the Angiris Council and angels will have a much bigger role in Diablo III but it is unknown just what role they will play in Sanctuary. However, in the boss windows we have seen, Imperius who is known to be against man's existence, appears to play a major role in the game.
  
  

  
  
  

  As far as demons, there was not a whole lot of specifics. Of course, we see Diablo at the end of the cinematic. We also get a glimpse of what could be Rakanoth who appears as one of the boos windows.
  
  

  
  
  

  Finally, at the end of the cinematic, we see Deckard Cain and Leah in Tristram Cathedral. Oddly, there is a giant stained glass window that depicts Imperius fighting a horde of demons. In fact, this same image is present in the Book of Cain. The image us odd given that Imperius is against mankind yet is depicted in the Cathedral. Is there a possible hint of foreshadowing as the mysterious comet crashes through the very image of Imperius?
  
  

  
  

  Here are some more images from the cinematic that depict more of the angels and demons fighting on Sanctuary.
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  Posted in: A Look into the Opening Cinematic
• 
  Dec 15, 2011
  ScyberDragon published the article More Simplified Tooltips, Spike VGA's, and Blue Posts
  More on the Simplified Skill Tooltips
  

  
  

  Official Blizzard Quote:

  
  

  
  Just a few counter points to some of the discussions this has raised:
  Simple tooltips benefit almost everyone. Just because they may not benefit you, they'll indirectly benefit you by helping non-gamers get into the game. Right now most of us are only thinking about when we play the game, but when the game is released, or quite possibly years down the road, you may want to be able to teach your dad, your daughter, your significant other to play. Simplified tooltips will certainly help when you walk away and they're trying to learn to play for themselves. And we can always hope they put stuff up on the auction house for way less than its worth! Mwahahahaa.
  
  The in-game reference guide/book idea for skill and game information has a number of UI issues, but as a player of the game it's not a great solution because:
  
  

  • You're not always in-game. More often than not when you're dissecting a skill at a massive level of detail you're on a website/forum discussing things, or you've got an excel spreadsheet open. Or you're getting in some extra Diablo time while at a friend's place. Or you're at work on your lunch break.
  • A web page lets us present far more organized detail than an in-game book would allow (without ceasing to look like a web browser embedded in a book which would just look silly). You want tick rates, scaling formulas, proc interactoins, etc.
  • A web site allows us to provide the most timely information. If questions come up on the forums, we make a hotfix, we find errors, or come across more information we'd like to pass along, we can get that information out to players immediately. If it was in-game it would require a patch. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)

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  Spike VGAs: Gamer gods Blizzard Entertainment
  Prior to the Spike TV VGA Awards and the Opening Cinematic Announcement, Game Hunters manged to steal Morhaime and Frank Pearce for a brief interview.
  
  

  
  

  Official Blizzard Quote:

  
  

  
  Game Hunters: Diablo will be big part of the awards show. It's up for most anticipated game and there will be a new trailer, right?
  

  

  
  Morhaime: Our cinematics team has been hard at work doing some really beautiful pre-rendered cinematics for Diablo III so I think this is the first one we are showing in its entirety. It's some pretty amazing work. We are really proud of that team. (Here's a link to the Blizzard site where the trailer resides.)
  
  Game Hunters: Do we have a release date for the game yet?
  
  Morhaime: As soon as possible. We have pushed it into 2012. Really at this stage, it's about completing the polish on the game and preparing it for launch. As with any Blizzard game, we really try not to rush these things out. We try to give them time to bake. We are in beta right now, so we have a lot of people out there helping us test the game. We have been getting great feedback. People are really excited about it. (Source)
  

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  Blue Posts
  

  
  

  Official Blizzard Quote:

  
  

  
  
  Diablo looks like a 2008 game
  Blizzard games are intended to be accessible, and that's seen through game design as well as system spec requirements. It's not going to be pushing too many people's systems to the limits, which is the intent.We also tend to spend time on a visual style that we believe will be timeless. While the cutting edge FPS' of a few years ago quickly fall to the glitz of newer technologies, our intent is to create a beautiful game that doesn't age because it's not attempting to be a representation of reality. Good thing too, because we expect people to be playing it for a long time to come. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
  
  Guaranteed movement button
  We just wanted to let you all know that this feedback that you have given on a dedicated click to move button is excellent, and we may implement this, the option for this would be unbound by default. Sadly, this option would not be ready for when the game is shipped. While it would not be ready for ship if we do end up implementing it, I hope that you are all glad to hear this news ^^ (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
  
  Durability Loss
  You won't start taking durability loss for a few levels, not until level 8 or so. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
  
  Log in and authenticator
  Authenticators aren't enabled in the Beta and won't be enabled until we launch D3 at retail. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
  
  Logged in waypoints and quests reset
  Waypoints are tied to quests, so when you reset your quest, you reset your waypoints as well. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
  
  Daily Quests
  The answer that we have for this right now is, no. There will not be daily quests in DIII in our current plans for the game
  
  Diablo is not a game where it is meant to feel like a grind, where you have to log in every day and do your chores. It is a game where you can play when it is that you want to, without falling behind the curve (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
  
  Inferno difficulty will be soloable
  Anyone know for sure ..if inferno will require a team to be able to kill all bosses and farm gear?
  Yes. Inferno mode will definitely be more difficult when soloing, but it can be done. We do not intend co-op to be a requirement :-) (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
  
  Blizzard And Europe
  Beta Keys Availability
  Beta keys are given out in the EU, they are distributed and given on as fair a basis as we can, as well as for the needs that we have for testing purposes. Please do note that not everyone in the US receives Beta keys for DIII, they are limited in the number they give out as well.
  
  No Blue Posts on EU Forums
  We post whenever we are able to, or if we have information pertinent for a thread that we spot. If we have no useful information for a given topic, then we will not comment; It's better to give no answer than a wrong one.
  
  We do understand that this is a topic near and dear to everyone's heart, but do note that we forward on as much feedback as possible to the US and reply to as many threads as possible. As you may know, one of our companies core values is "Every Voice Matters", and this is something we always ensure is the case.
  
  Paypal
  We are always looking into new payment methods to use, if a certain payment method is not available in a particular region, there is a reason for it. If we are able to make a certain payment method available, then we will try our best to make it so. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
  
  Letting EU post on US forums and vice versa?
  Sadly at this current point we have no plans to allow EU players to post on the US forums, unless they have a US account on their Battle.Net. This is because the forums are region-specific and just as you cannot play on the US servers for this reason, you cannot post on their forums either.
  
  We understand you would like to contribute to discussions on the US forums, but if there is something being discussed there that you would like to participate in, feel free to make a thread on the EU forums about the same topic (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
  

  
  Thanks to our new News Reporter doomscream for writing this up.
  
  Posted in: More Simplified Tooltips, Spike VGA's, and Blue Posts
• 
  Dec 10, 2011
  ScyberDragon published the article Server Update, Server Crash, Book of Cain Preview and Interview
  Server Update
  

  
  

  Official Blizzard Quote:

  
  

  
  We will be performing a small server update today at approximately 10:00 a.m. PST to implement the following changes to the currency-based auction house:
  

  • Players will now receive three free listings per week (rather than six per hour).
  • Items will now be listed for 48 hours instead of 12 hours. Stackable items will continue to be listed for 48 hours.

  We anticipate that downtime as a result of this update will be minimal, lasting for about 30 minutes. To learn more about the currency-based auction house, be sure to check out the FAQ: http://us.battle.net...n/blog/4024156/
  

  
  

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  Error 395000
  

  
  

  Official Blizzard Quote:

  
  

  
  Hey guys, It looks like one of the Battle.net servers crashed. We are aware of the issue and are working hard to fix it.
  No updates at this time, but please stop making duplicate threads on this issue.
  Thank you!
  
  

  
  

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  A Summary of the Book of Cain
  A letter from Deckard
  The book opens with a letter from Deckard Cain to Leah. In the letter, Deckard speaks of an impending doom that is coming to Sanctuary. The forward is used to set up a tone for the rest of the book. Deckard has written this journal to help inform and prepare Leah for what is to come next.
  
  The Dawn
  

  

  Creation of any universe is quintessential to creating any new world or IP. Diablo has finally been given its true origin. Not just for Sanctuary but the entire Universe in which Sanctuary exists. The emergence of good and evil, angels and demons, and mankind alike all now have a belief of where it all started. Without giving too much away, the classic battle of good and evil are at the forefront of this beginning. From the very start, the battle between good and evil result in the creation of angels and demons which in turn created mankind. This theme continues throughout the entire book and game as the cornerstone to the struggles in the Diablo franchise.
  
  The Burning Hells
  

  

  What would Diablo be without... well, Diablo. In the Book of Cain, the origin and existence of evil and demons themselves are explained. The book goes through detailed information of each of the seven demons and how they came to be. While most of the information is already known, there is expansion on both Azmodan and Belial. Another interesting addition is that each evil is given their own separate and unique realm in Hell that reflects the evil they represent. There is also explanation of why Terror is seen as the worst evil of all of them and why Diablo is the most powerful demon.
  
  The High Heavens
  To rival the evil that naturally exists in this world, good is also just as present. While the influences of angels have usually been kept a secret previously, the Book of Cain has finally shed some light on these beings. Just as the demons have spawned from evil, angels spawn from the good that originated the world. While not covering all aspects of angels, it goes into depth of the Angiris Council and the five angels that comprise it.
  
  

  

  Imperius, Tyrael, Auriel, Itherael, and Malthael are all given virtues that they represent. Each having its own place in comprising all that is virtuous and good. Each angel has also been given a relic that they use to help with their angelic workings. The fate of mankind is just as much as a part of their conflict as it is with demons. Beyond the angels, the book also goes into some detail about some locations in the High Heavens. The Silver City, Crystal Arch, and the Diamond Gates are all talked about.
  
  Sanctuary - Past
  Now that we know about the angels and demons, the book moves on to Sanctuary and the world we know. Most of this part is information we already know. Sanctuary exists because Inarius and Lilith left the eternal conflict and stole the worldstone to create their own paradise. Here, renegade angels and demons procreated which resulted in the Nephalem or mankind. From here, we find out about the origins of the many different groups that inhabit Sanctuary from Barbarians and Druids to the Necromancers and Mages.
  
  

  

  Then the book goes into the involvement of angels and demons in Sanctuary. From man's first encounter with demons to the realization to both sides that Sanctuary exists. This begins the long road of man's battle for their existence. From the Sin Wars to the Mage Clan Wars, the turbulent past of man is explained. Moving on to the hunt for the three prime evils, our first encounters with these demons is chronicled.
  
  Sanctuary - Modern
  After revealing the past history of the world, the Book of Cain goes into the lore of the games that we have played. Starting with the original story of Tristram and King Leoric, we get an expanded view of just what was going on during these times. Plenty or ret-con exists to help straighten out and expand the previous lore from the games. One of my favorite parts of this section is the telling of the events of the games through a more literary point-of-view. For example, Deckard recalls the joining of a Druid and Assassin to the original five heroes to help stop Baal. While not a lot of new information exists in this part, it was very informative to read in order to get the facts straight and get a clear understanding of the story we have played so far.
  
  Lands and Culture
  
  Now that the book has caught us up on the past, it now goes into more regions and cultures that exist in present Sanctuary. The world has been expanded greatly in this latest installment as new areas and people are introduced. The places of origin for the new heroes are expanded upon as we learn about Ivgorod, Kehjistan, Xiansai, and the Torajan Jungles.
  
  Conclusion
  

  

  The book ends with another letter from Deckard Cain addressed to Leah. In these concluding words, we get a sense of Deckard's mortality and fears. He speaks of the impending doom that is headed for Leah and Sanctuary. A precursor to what is to come in Diablo III, I can't help but get a feeling of despair. However, Deckard remains hopeful that his journal and Leah's abilities are able to overcome this inevitable tragedy that is about to fall upon us.
  
  

  ---

  
  Interview with Micky Neilson
  DiabloFans: First, I wanted to thank you guys for taking the time to do this. I know I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and I know there are plenty of people who are eager to get their hands on it. So, thank you for taking the time.
  
  Micky Neilson: Yeah, you're absolutely welcome. We are excited about it.
  
  

  

  DFans: What made you guys decide to write this through the perspective of Deckard Cain and his journal?
  
  Micky: Early on, we talked of different ways to tell the story. There were certainly a lot of different ways we could go. Ab'd Al Hazir was a possibility. Just going with an omnission narrator was a possibility. I think we even talked about Tyrael as being the voice of the book at one point. The more we talked about it in the various meetings we had, the more it really seemed to make sense that Deckard would be the one telling the story for many reasons.
  
  One reason being that he is the historian of the Diablo universe. Beside Ab'd Al Hazir, Deckard Cain really is the person who you think of who is collecting all information and putting all of this information and recording it from different sources. And also, he is more of a marquee character, there is really only a handful of names when you think of iconic characters from the Diablo IP. The final reason was that this really gave us the opportunity to present the book as an in-game artifact which we felt was really cool. To be able to promote it as Deckard Cain's actual journal, the same one you see in the cinematic.
  
  DFans: So, is there a chance I can get my Book of Cain in-game as well?
  
  Micky: There are no plans to have it as such. I believe that the most you will be able to see it in-game is in the cinematic and there might be another instance of it in the game but not as something you would actually have. There are a number of journals that you find in the game that you can read.
  
  DFans: How much of the lore was expanded just for the Book of Cain or was it all originally present in the development of Diablo III?
  
  Micky: There was a decent amount of lore that was created for the book. One good example was the mage clan wars. We went through and filled out that section because there wasn't a lot of existing material. With the Sin War for instance, there was a lot of existing material in the Richard Knaak book in the trilogy he did for the Sin Wars. But for the mage clan wars, there was nothing like that. There was a few scattered mentions here and there of the mage clan wars but there wasn't a wealth information and so we came up with a lot of that.
  
  We also came up with a lot of the specific powers for the Angiris Council members. That was something that had not been fleshed out. A lot of the origin of the universe, the mythology of the creation of the universe had not been fleshed out. Throughout the process, we identified a lot of different areas where maybe there was only a little bit of information or even conflicting information and so we had an opportunity to really dig into that.
  
  DFans: Did any of that lore from the book then end up in the game?
  
  Micky: It certainly informed the game and continues to do so. We found that the creation of this book and the process of developing the book certainly was valuable to the development team for them to flesh out the history and the lore of the game. Even if its not readily apparent in the game, there are certain things that we figured out in the creation of the book that influenced decisions that were made in the game that may not be obvious to the player.
  
  DFans: Going off of that, what was your favorite part of the lore that you and your team got to expand upon?
  
  

  

  Micky: I have a lot of favorite parts. For me, probably the mage clan wars was really fun. Just because there was not a lot of information there and it was really fertile ground for us to brainstorm and come up with really cool ideas of how that played out. That was probably my personal favorite.
  
  As far as existing lore, I really dig the hunt for the three. There was already a lot of information there but that's another where we did expand, we added detail and we did a lot of clarification and that was a lot of fun.
  
  DFans: With the origin/creation myth with Anu and Tathamet, where did the inspiration for that come from?
  
  Micky: That came from Chris [Metzen]. As for where he got the inspiration, that would be a question for him. I know we talked about different ideas about what the creation myth would be and that was the one we settled on. The more we talked about it, we had brainstorming sessions. Early on, Chris had the seed of the idea of Anu being the one and splitting off and everything else. The Tathamet idea and the heads of the dragon becoming the evils evolved as we continued having those brainstorming sessions.
  
  DFans: Can you expand on any of the other ideas you had for the creation?
  
  Micky: I'm trying to think of anything specific. It has been awhile since we had any of those meetings. I'll keep thinking about and if I remember we will get back to it at the end.
  
  DFans: On that same idea, working as a creative team, I am sure there are tons of ideas bouncing around. Are there any times when you guys have conflicts on where you want to take things creatively or do you guys work well together towards one conscious flow?
  
  Micky: For the most part it was smooth. I mean, people are always going to have different ideas and everyone working on it is passionate about what they are doing. We always hammer it out, we figure it out. We sit down and hash out what is going to be best for the IP. Other things we have to take into account throughout the process is information that has already been made public and are we contradicting that. That is something we are always thinking about.
  
  For the most part though, it was a long process. There was a lot to figure out. Certainly, a lot of hours spent and getting to the point where everyone is tired and a long time staring at the page and writing and revising and going through all of that. Just like any creative process. But it was absolutely worth it and a lot of fun, looking back.
  
  

  

  DFans: What would you say was the biggest obstacle in writing this book?
  
  Micky: The sheer amount of information. What I mean by that is not only organizing everything so that it makes sense and if you look back before this book, at Diablo's history, there was a lot of information, there was information that at times was contradictory, there was a lot of information that was potentially confusing. Not only condensing that into 148 pages but making sure that it did make sense in clearing up any contradictions that may have existed.
  
  DFans: Speaking of condensing, was there anything else that you had originally expanded or added that did not make it into the final version?
  
  Micky: There were a couple of things. There was a timeline that we are still working on. We wanted to include the timeline in the book. We did not have time to add that in there, we are still working on the timeline. That will be made available sometime in the future.
  
  There was another section that we were going to do, as well, that was going to expand on key characters that we did not necessarily have a lot of time to go into. Adria, Magda, even more information on Tal Rash. We wanted to build out some specific key characters. We started that process but we did not have enough time or space to do that. So that is information that will most likely make its way out to the public in the future as well.
  
  DFans: Specifically talking about the content of the book, you guys have added that each evil has their own realm in hell, what made you guys expand on this idea?
  
  

  

  Micky: We talked about it and it was another one of those things that the more we talked about it, the more excited we got about the hook. So, to have a realm of sin, what did that mean? To have a realm of lies, what does that mean? To be able to really dig into that, that was another one where there was a small amount of information but we were able to expand on that. We had a lot of fun talking about, you know, the realm of lies, where everything looks a certain way but the more you dig into it, you find out that it is actually the opposite. That you are being misled down every path.
  
  It was just a lot of fun to dig into. The idea that these realms can overlap each other, there are no hard and fast boundaries. The borders between the realms are constantly shifting and expanding and contracting. It just seemed like a lot of fun, a really cool concept.
  
  DFans: Are there chances that any of these concepts that you guys have created for this translate into any part of the game? Whether we go there physically or talked about in the game?
  
  Micky: There is a possibility that information that was created for the book will make it into the game in some form or another or into future expansions.
  
  DFans: Moving on to the angels and the Angiris Council. You guys have really expanded upon that compared to previous games. What made you guys decide to expand on that and give them a full story?
  
  

  

  Micky: It was another one where the more we looked into that, the theme of each angel. You look at hope, valor, justice... the more we talked about it, the more excited we got about it. Their domains in the High Heavens, how they would operate in battle. Being able to reflect those avatars and how they would fight. It was just really exciting the more we got into it. And something else that will inform the fiction later on down the line as well.
  
  DFans: Something else that I really liked was that you gave each angel a unique item to help them use their powers. Is there any chance we will get to see any of these items in game or what was the purpose of that?
  
  Micky: That is something that you will see more of throughout the fiction. Not just the game but already, the comic book Sword of Justice. The first issue is already out. It's about a mortal who finds Tyrael's sword and is able to weild that on Sanctuary. So, that is just one example of how these items and artifacts will make there way into the fiction throughout the IP.
  
  DFans:So, is there any chance of me getting Itherael's scroll of fate so I can have 100% dodge chance since I can see the future.
  
  Micky: [hahaha] There is certainly the possibility that you will be seeing a lot more of these items.
  
  DFans: Expanding upon the angels, are we going to see a lot more influence from them in the game or was this just something you wanted to do for the book?
  
  Micky: They will certainly be extended throughout not just the games but the fiction as a whole.
  
  DFans: Going off of that, are there pans to other similar books for Diablo? Anything like a Leah's journal for Diablo III?
  
  Micky: We have been talking about, we have been getting a great reception for the Book of Cain, so we certainly have been talking about possibilities for the future and any follow-ups to the Book of Cain.
  
  DFans: My final question would be what was the most fun thing about this project that was different from anything else you have worked on?
  
  Micky: The book, as a whole, is certainly different and unique from anything we have done before. For me, the most fun was creating the new lore. Having those brainstorming sessions where we talked about the different angels abilities, the mage clan wars. Things like that that had not really been explored before that was just new territory. It was just really fun to dig our fingers into.
  
  Posted in: Server Update, Server Crash, Book of Cain Preview and Interview
• 
  Dec 6, 2011
  ScyberDragon published the article Artisan Update, Beta Invites, No Achievements, Book of Cain, and PC Gamer
  Artisan Pages Updated
  Blizzard has officially updated their site with any and all information regarding the Artisans.
  
  

  
  

  Official Blizzard Quote:

  
  

  
  As you adventure through the exotic expanses of Kehjistan and plumb the treasure-filled depths of the Tristram Cathedral, you’re going to attract the attention of townsfolk who hear of your destiny to combat the demonic invasion. Some of them will be inclined to help you in your fight for the survival of Sanctuary…and a select few will serve as long-time companions,taking to your caravan as you cross the world and ensuring you’re always well armored and supplied: the Diablo III Artisans.
  
  The Jeweler, Blacksmith, and Mystic are equipped to provide you with unique benefits and services. Each of these gifted crafters has received their own page complete with story, images of the visual progression of their camps, recipes, and key features.
  
  Find out about these valuable cohorts and other new Diablo III features here.
  

  
  

  On each page, you will find a general overview of each Artisan. The Blacksmith will be handling both repairing and forging weapons and armor for your hero. The Jeweler is able to combine gems, add sockets to items, and remove gems from sockets. The Mystic can enhance your items with magical attributes.
  
  Along with this general overview, the complete list of recipes has been added to each of the Artisans' pages. Here you will be able to find exactly what each Artisan will be able to learn, given you find the recipe, and the materials needed to craft these items. In addition to this, they have also listed the progression of each Artisan which maxes at level 10 or exalted. On the progression page you can see what level your artisan needs to be craft each item, the items they will naturally learn as they level, and the material and gold costs to gain the level for your Artisan.
  
  Finally, images of the Artisans' wagons have been displayed to show the visual improvement as your Artisans level up.
  
  

  
  
  

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  Beta Invites
  More beta invites have gone out today. It should be noted that some people have received their access without getting an e-mail from Blizzard stating so. If you have not already, check your Battle.net account.
  
  

  
  

  Official Blizzard Quote:

  
  

  
  Psyqo72: Got my beta key today, thank the gods! #Diablo3
  
  Diablo: @Psyqo72 Congratulations. The #AngirisCouncil see potential in you. Do them proud and protect the lands with honor. #D3Beta #D3
  

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  No Achievements
  Achievements will be temporarily turned off for the next beta patch. This is being done so the team can continue working on the system. Blizzard also said to expect the next beta patch sometime next week.
  
  

  
  

  Official Blizzard Quote:

  
  

  
  In the next beta patch (currently scheduled to hit sometime next week), we will be turning off achievements to facilitate further service testing. During this time, characters will be unable to earn new achievements or complete any additional objectives of achievements already in-progress.
  
  Please note that this will only be a temporary change, and that achievements will be available again in a later patch. We don't have an ETA for the release of the patch that re-implement achievements, but we’ll be sure to provide an update in the coming weeks.
  
  

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  Book of Cain
  The Book of Cain is now officially available for pre-order. The Australian Blizzard Twitter also released that the book will be out on December 13.
  
  

  
  

  Official Blizzard Quote:

  
  

  
  ...On a semi related note http://ow.ly/7PIs0 is coming out on the 13th December. I now know what I want for Christmas
  

  Tomorrow, I will be interviewing Micky Neilson about the Book of Cain as well as reporting a detailed preview on what you can expect from the book.
  
  

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  PC Gamer Interview
  PC Gamer recently sat down with Wyatt Cheng and asked some questions about Diablo III and its hardcore fans. You can check out the rest of the interview here.
  
  

  
  

  Official Blizzard Quote:

  
  

  
  PC Gamer: Did anything the players were doing in the beta surprise you? Did some guy just run around and kill stumps for an hour?
  
  Wyatt Cheng: Some of the Skeleton King trips were pretty fast. We knew that the first time you kill the Skeleton King, you get a yellow item, and we’re not concerned, in the big picture, because later on you’ll be able to get yellow items from just about anywhere. But it definitely became the predominate way to try and farm (yellow) items. I think I saw somebody do a giant killstreak on the Jar of Souls event to get a huge XP bonus. He kited all the monsters from the entire dungeon into the Jar of Souls room, then started the JoS event and killed all the monsters from the level AND the JoS to get a huge killstreak bonus. That was pretty ridiculous.
  
  Posted in: Artisan Update, Beta Invites, No Achievements, Book of Cain, and PC Gamer
• 
  Dec 6, 2011
  ScyberDragon published the article RMAH, Micah Whipple's Life, Contests and Blues
  Real Money Auction House
  The Real Money Auction House (RMAH) was introduced into the beta during beta patch 7, it allows people to sell and buy items in Diablo III for real money.
  
  In order to buy items on the RMAH, real currency will be turned into Blizzard e-balance and for beta testing purposes, everyone in the beta was given 50 free beta bucks, a currency that is only being used to test the system. Players are currently able to both sell and buy items from each other with these beta bucks, player can also sell gold that other players can buy with beta bucks.
  
  Players are able to buy and sell items through both bidding and buyout options, once an item is purchased, the money will automatically added to your beta bucks/cash balance of your account.
  
  

  
  

  
  

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  Blue Posts
  
  

  
  

  Official Blizzard Quote:

  
  

  
  Currency-Based AH now live
  The currency-based auction house is now available with the release of Beta 7! This new auction house has replaced the gold one for now.
  
  For more info and how to use the auction house, please visit: http://us.battle.net...opic/3196339628
  
  For information on the currency-based auction house, please visit: http://us.battle.net...-12_1_2011#blog
  
  To help us keep everything together we'd appreciate you post any and all auction house bug reports in this thread. If you have any feedback on the currency-based auction house, please visit the Beta Feedback forums.
  
  Thank you, and happy testing! (Source - Blue Tracker)
  
  Multiple dyes on one item
  Unfortunately, placing say, red with black and gold on a single item is not possible. You will only be able to use one single dye on an item at a time. (Source - Blue Tracker)
  
  CE item questions
  

  • The skull is used as something for housing your USB key. It's not necessarily practical, but I happen to think it looks wicked
  • The dyes that you receive as a part of the Collectors Edition have unlimited usage, so feel free to use them as much as you want.
  • The wings are actually just an item that sits in your inventory which you can enable or disable at will. They have no timer and do not need to be equipped (Source - Blue Tracker)

  Killed during Skeleton King
  If you release your body during a boss fight and it is still in-progress when you return, you cannot enter until after the fight.
  
  What you can do next time is wait for your partner to resurrect you by clicking on your cross without you releasing your body, or stay dead until the fight is over (Source - Blue Tracker)
  
  

  
  

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  A Day in the Life of CM Micah Whipple (Bashiok)
  Micah has offered a view into his daily life working for Blizzard as one of their community managers. Here is just a piece of what that day looks like.
  
  

  
  

  Official Blizzard Quote:

  
  

  
  1:45 PM
  We also begin collecting questions for the Diablo III design meeting tomorrow. While we're constantly emailing and chatting with the developers, we also have dedicated weekly meeting time set aside to go through community-submitted questions and to get a sense of how the players are feeling. Answers are great, but getting the devs’ candid take on design and the game allows us to actually converse with the community, and not just copy and paste answers.
  

  
  

  

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  Blizzard's Holiday Dessert Contest
  
  

  
  

  Official Blizzard Quote:

  
  

  
  Most people enjoy the holiday tradition of sharing a meal with family and friends -- and delicious desserts are a big part of the reason why. This year, we're hungry to see you spread holiday joy from your kitchen by cooking up sweet culinary creations -- and finishing them off with a Blizzard touch.
  
  Simply prepare and decorate a Warcraft, StarCraft, or Diablo-themed dessert. Take a picture of your creative confection and submit it, and you might just find something special under your tree from Greatfather Winter!
  
  Posted in: RMAH, Micah Whipple's Life, Contests and Blues
• 
  Nov 15, 2011
  ScyberDragon published the article Book of Cain, More Beta, and Fan Art
  Book of Cain Update
  

  It appears that there is still some confusion on the actual release date for the Book of Cain. Some claim that it could be available as early as November 30. Personally, I pre-ordered the book the day it appeared before it was removed and my release date claims to be within Nov. 18 - 22. There have been other confirmations of an early December release when Amazon sent out product updates for the book for pre-sales. While the date is still not set in stone, when asked if the book was planned for release this month on Twitter. Bashiok responded:
  

  
  

  Official Blizzard Quote:

  
  

  
  @CherubDown I'm pretty sure it won't.
  

  Speaking of lore, if you missed it this weekend, be sure to check out PhrozenDragon's Birthright Lore and Quiz Reference. Test your knowledge of the book and its Diablo lore at large.
  

  
  

  Beta Invites and Errors
  

  Another quick mention that there appears to be more beta invites going out through both the Facebook contest as well as opt-in accounts.
  

  For those of you lucky enough to be in the beta right now, be on the look out for the dreaded 24000 bug that has been finding its way into people's account, mine included. The bug seems to be telling servers that your account has been banned when it actually has not, and it will not allow you to play. The Blizzard team is well aware of the situation and is working hard to fix the error. The good news is that because it is being banned server side, once they figure it out, everyone that received the error will have their games fixed since they do not have to change anything per account. However, the Diablo team is asking for help to track this nasty bug down.
  

  
  

  Official Blizzard Quote:

  
  

  
  Hey guys,
  

  I have a special request from the Battle.net development team. We are hunting for logs to help track down a Battle.net account problem.
  

  There is currently a bug where testers are having their accounts locked by Battle.net, either by playing or using the Auction House. This is NOT a wide-spread issue, but still an annoying one. Now that we have a lot of logs that show testers' accounts broken, I was wondering if anyone could post logs that were generated when the game WORKED and the became corrupt from this bug.
  

  
  As a reminder, D3Debug.txt re-writes itself every time you start a new game, so here are the steps to get the perfect logs we are looking for:
  

  1. Log into the Beta with an account that works.
  

  2. Play the Beta and use the Auction House.
  

  3. If you encounter the Error_24000 or other issues, IMMEDIATELY copy the D3Debug.txt file to your desktop and post it to pastebin.com. Don't forget to remove your e-mail address
  

  Thanks for your help with this guys. Having logs of broken accounts and accounts that became broken would be very helpful. Please post your links to pastebin.com at the end of this thread:
  

  http://us.battle.net...opic/3566337737
  

  
  

  
  

  Parental Problems
  

  In case you have not heard, Blizzard is giving Diablo III away for free if you sign up for a year's subscription of World of Warcraft. However, it was noted that if your WoW account has parental controls on it, you may miss out on the deal. An e-mail has been sent out to those who fall in this category warning them that due to the mature nature and rating of Diablo III, there account will not be given free access unless the parent on the account approves it. So, if any of you are in this situation, make sure not to miss out on free Diablo III.
  

  Fan Art
  

  
  

  While we unfortunately do not have any new Fan Art here on DiabloFans to show you guys, there was an update on the Diablo III community site.
  

  
  

  
  

  Official Blizzard Quote:

  
  

  
  Diablo: We've updated the #D3 Fan Art gallery to feature Izual the betrayer, Duriel, and the awesome ladies of Diablo III: http://t.co/vllyxXxb
  

  
  

  
  
  

  If you have any fan art to show the rest of us and would like for it to be shown here on the front page, you can always upload your images through the DiabloFans gallery and post them in the fan art section. We're always happy to have new, enthusiastic artists join our members!
  
  And, while not exactly fan art, someone has out together a nice Diablo-themed design for the Google Chrome web browser. If you happen to use Chrome, you might want to check it out and make your everyday browsing that much more Diablo-esque.
  Posted in: Book of Cain, More Beta, and Fan Art
• 
  Nov 12, 2011
  ScyberDragon published the article PC Gamer, Starcow, Contests, Comics and Beta Down
  PC Gamer
  
  

  

  This month's PC Gamer had a nice six page spread about the upcoming Diablo III. Covered in the article were familiar topics like the Real Money Auction House. However, the meat of the story focused on Jay Wilson's and the rest of the development team's inspiration and love for the Diablo franchise. Jay Wilson went into the project with a giant mess of a game to fix. A fine line was then walked to keep the feel of Diablo while innovating the game to new heights. Many options were thrown around, such as the Demon Hunter being able to hop the Barbarian's shoulders and shooting arrows while he walks around. While the options were endless, the team had to choose just enough Diablo feel with a dash of new inspiration. While many complained originally about the newer art direction and more open world, Jay holds strong on his game design and feels that these changes will only improve the iconic franchise that has become the cornerstone for the Hack N' Slash genre. If you would like to read the entire article or check out more of the images from the magazine, you can check out the latest issue of PC Gamer or check out here(special thanks to stickydan).
  
  StarCow
  
  Many had speculated on the ominous cheat code area found on the Diablo III beta page on Battle.net. Once brought to Blizzard's attention that the mysterious field had been found, rumors and clues were abound trying to figure out what this was for. One of the latest clues to help solve the mystery was given by Bashiok earlier.
  
  

  
  

  Official Blizzard Quote:

  
  

  
  “My cow… it’s full of stars!” —New Tristram farmer
  

  After numerous people entered countless options, robbucke discovered the magical StarCow.
  
  

  
  

  Once the code is entered into the field, you are treated to a fun little video of StarCow flying through the sky with a trailing rainbow behind him; much akin to a certain toaster pastry kitty you may have seen before. Once the video runs, your account will replace the image of the Diablo III beta box with the comical StarCow box. While there is no real reward to this cheat, it is certainly good for a laugh. It also remains unclear on whether or not any other code works in this field for some other cheat. So, if you have tons of time on your hands, feel free to keep plugging in random Blizzard-themed obscure phrases.
  
  3D Capable?
  
  While not exactly new, sleeplesscynic noticed today that NVidia's 3D graphics card listed Diablo III as one of the supported games for the card. While there has been no confirmation by Blizzard about 3D support, there is no doubt that monster torsos flying at your screen would be awesome. Of course, with an isometric view, the technology could only be used for so much but at least the option may remain for those who have both the card and monitor needed for it.
  

  NVIDIA 3D Vision
  
  

  • The 3D Vision Controller (USB) driver is included in this driver package. Users are no longer required to install the 3D Vision CD driver or a separate 3D Vision Controller driver. For more information, please view this knowledgebase article.
  • Adds support for viewing 3DVisionLive.com and YouTube 3D with NVIDIA SLI PCs. Please view this knowledgebase article for more information on 3D Vision Window Mode.
  • Window mode is now the default viewing option for the 3D Vision Photo Viewer.
  • Added the following 3D Vision game profiles:
    • Aion
    • Diablo 3
    • Dead Rising 2: Off The Record
    • Defense of the Ancients (DOTA) 2
    • From Dust
    • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 2
    • Last Remnant Benchmark
    • Men of War Assault Squad
    • Stock Car
  • Update the following 3D Vision game profiles:
    • Dirt 3 – updated rating to Excellent

Official Blizzard Quote:

Diablo Fans
The Making of the Black Soulstone Cinematic - http://www.diablofan...lack-soulstone/
Diablo III Open Q&A - http://www.diablofan...lo-iii-open-qa/
Diablo III Lore Panel - http://www.diablofan...iii-lore-panel/
BlizzCon 2011 Diablo III Gameplay & Auction House Panel - http://www.diablofan...on-house-panel/
Diablo III Themed Costume Contest Entries - http://www.diablofan...ostume-contest/

Official Blizzard Quote:

It would depend on the retailer you're purchasing it from and their shipping procedures.

Official Blizzard Quote:

We’ve added 110 new photos to our BlizzCon media gallery. Head to the gallery now to click through some fantastic fan- and professionally-captured shots of all the revelry and fun that BlizzCon 2011 had to offer!

Official Blizzard Quote:

The Beta is currently down.

Love the Elder Scrolls series and can’t wait for Skyrim? We do and we’re looking for mod authors to help us in making creative, useful, and imaginative mods to play with after the game launches! With the new skyrimforge.com, unleash your creativity with loads of development tools meant to streamline your mod-sharing process.

The first 35 uploaded Skyrim mods that meet our approval guidelines in each of the four main categories, will earn some phat loot to line the pockets of their authors!

Fan Art

Finishing up today, I would like to share with you calavera666's news Diabolesques comic strip. You can also check out his previous strips in the Fan Art section as well as read an interview with him held by magistrate.