Good news on this hot topic, the "fun" thing will NOT be a wallpaper! However it will most likely not be a release date.
Hardcore PVP - Final Death?
One again, pikke has pointed out some good blue posts from the Italian forums. Remember these are roughly translated, so please keep this in mind.
Official Blizzard Quote:
Simply we still have no definitive version of how the characters will be handled Hardcore PvP.
We have in mind the interest that some players, as you are showing, they have towards the Hardcore mode.
During BlizzCon Jay Wilson had said that we are considering various hypotheses, including a small arena for 1v1 and so on. Our aim is obviously to offer you the means to satisfy the desire of players interested in adrenaline mode.
How, we have not definitively decided.
Currently we have no plan to permanently kill the PCs in the arenas for teams, but only in PvE (intended to be: only in areas of the game dedicated to PvE, if a character is killed while on a stroll of course counts the same as final death).
I will keep you updated.
Isn't not dying in hardcore pvp a contradiction?
I honestly can't see how an arena could work with the final death activated.
Each character would have an average life expectancy of 1 match likely, given the ease with which a character might die if the opposing team focus on it.
I understand the adrenaline, but it would be counterproductive for the fun.
That said, we have not yet taken a final decision, our intention is to put some PvP mode that allows the final death, be it by duel, by 1v1 arena, or something we have not yet thought of.
We are evaluating the pros and cons of various options
Wizard - Meteor Runed
We have put together a video of the Wizard's runed Meteor spell. Please keep in mind this is put together from the beta and does not reflect how it will look live.
Book of Cain Signing
For anyone who has or wishes to get a copy of the Book of Cain, now is a good time. On January 7th you can get it signed!
If you have been keeping up with the Big Blue's news lately, then you may have heard about a little product called the Book of Cain. This definitive Diablo source book compounds the franchise's major lore with stunning artwork provided by many of the industry's greatest illustrators.
Heavyweights like; John Howe, Alan Lee, Gerald Brom, Ian McCaig and Adrian Smith to name a few. And also our very own Red Knuckle Welshman, Mark Gibbons!
To celebrate the release, the authors of the book (Chris Metzen, Micky Neilson and Flint Dille) together with artist Mark Gibbons have set up a panel and signing in a Los Angeles book store. Here are the details:
Date: Saturday January 7, 2012
Time: 2:00 PM
Location: Book Soup - 8818 Sunset Boulevard - West Hollywood, CA 90069
Want to meet the Thundergod and the Red Knuckle in person? Here's your chance!
Beta Screenshots
Today we have a Wizard casting Disintegrate into a group of skeletons, a group taking on a Harvester with Grasp of the Dead and Firebomb, and an unlucky Barbarian about to meet his maker after an exploding Grotesque.
This could be cool - I would definetly buy it for both although I could see it going to xbox rather than ps3 which would annoy me a bit
2. I dont live in freak'n USA so.. No, I cant get my book signed. Thats really BAD NEWS for me.
3. The "No Wallpaper surprise" was nice, I actually think they will announce a highly limited beta invites, so we can be disapointed once again.
Can someone buy me a book of cain in USA, get it signed and ship it over to me?? (Yes Im serious).
Discount for pre order?
Maybe something available only for Diablo 1 and Diablo 2 owners?
I found this with quick search on youtube:
Diablo 3 Beta - Wizard: Hydra Runed
Diablo 3 Beta - Wizard: Teleport Runed
Yep,I just added those, got a lot more coming as well
oh see, something like that would be a blast... but ... Would be a blow to people without beta (and nothing datamined to show something like that =( ) But I wish they would have done something like that.
Most of the hydra's rune effects are not right. The only ones that looked OK were the fire ones (normal and crimson.)
The Big one works...ish. the trail of fire should grow out, not just appear.
Arcane one, the balls should blow up.
Electic one.. well.. it dosnt shoot.
and the poison one works other than the poison on the ground,
but that one dosnt matter to much as we saw them all at blizzcon.
You're only hurting yourself... Seriously, don't.
It will be some contest / website update / diablo legacy anniversary related event, and you know it.
We ALL know it.
Another confirmation : Release date won't be warned by Twitter,
Another confirmation : Release date won't be warned by Twitter,
Another confirmation : Release date won't be hinted by Twitter.
And also, how do we properly quote a bluepost ?
Third button from the upper left corner (Special BBCode) --> Blue code
Put the link in Option and what was said in Content.
Official Blizzard Quote:
I was so extremely confused everyone was saying "super news" and I had no idea why. I guess I quickly misunderstood the question I was being presented. It was on the 31st, which was the Diablo 15 year anniversary, and we'll have our anniversary celebration kicking off early this week.
We're not announcing a release date, nor would I hint at such an announcement on Twitter.
No, Bokus actually.. Amazon next try I guess.
Thanks!