Skill Calculator and Diablo III In-Development -- Class Skills, blue posts

update - added blue posts

Diablo 3 Skill Calculator Updated For Patch 13
The Skill calculator has also been updated with patch 13 skillrunes, make sure to check it out!




Battle.net 2.0 is Ready for Diablo III
Bashiok commented today that the current state of Battle.net 2.0 is just about how we will see it at release.

[blizzquote author='Blizzard' blue='http://www.diablofans.com/blizz-tracker/topic/218026-any-news-on-the-state-of-battlenet-20/' battle='http://us.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/4081813178#7']Just about everything is set as it will be at release. There will certainly be tweaks here and there, and some small improvements, but no, we don't have any current plans to change the chat channel interface.

We understand the requests, and have seen some of the creative suggestions, but we're in the home stretch and aren't looking to delay the release of the game further. Honestly speaking only a small portion of players will care if the chat channels are like they are, or if they're more like the huge screen-dominating feature in D2. We have to apply value to the additional time it would take to address a small amount of requests for a change, and it just doesn't outweigh releasing the game.[/blizzquote]



Skill Runes Continued
Yesterday, we reported some conversations going on about the reasoning behind the Rune system change. Conversation continues with Bashiok.

[blizzquoteauthor='Blizzard' blue='http://www.diablofans.com/blizz-tracker/topic/217949-what-is-the-point-of-the-skill-rune-system/' battle='http://us.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/4079839650?page=31#605']I'm asking because I'm having a hard time understanding how exactly this new system is more beneficial to both parties then the old one?
Well runes weren't a good addition to the item hunt because once you had six of one type, you never needed any more. Unless you mean the attuned system, which wasn't a bad system out of context, but its an inventory nightmare.
Ranks were not compelling or powerful, and they certainly had no impact on customization. They might make you feel cooler because you got lucky and found a higher rank, or bought one, but thats not a good enough pro to outweigh the cons. They were gradual increases in power, and only a few of them actually changed the mechanic as they got more powerful. Magic missiles is the one example... and it's one of only a few. Also not all rune variants scale well. It's more important to us to have a lot of variety with big impactful changes to a skill than gradual upgrades. It was almost requiring us to remove some rune effects and try to think of new ones that were more like other rune effects because they just couldn't scale well.
With the measured unlock we can guide a new player through their skill, passive and rune unlocks in a way that eases them in to more and more complex mechanics. That doesn't compromise the end game when everything is unlocked, and for the aforementioned reasons, big 'concentrated coolness' changes to your skills is a bigger pro than the few smaller pros, and even more cons, the other systems offered.

So why not at least give us a choice of what runes to earn while we level, instead of awarding them in the same static order?

Fundamentally we don't think that's a bad idea, but the guided structure has far more value for more players. Instead of building two different UI's, one of which will really only appeal to the hardcore players and require more development time, we go with the guided structure because the hardcore players are only in that guided structure for what will be a short window of their total amount of play time. It's a bang for the buck decision, which aren't always popular but have to be made. We do want you to play this game at some point, and we think you'd rather do that than wait longer but be able to pick rune unlock order while you're leveling.

We're trying to be smart about rune unlocks, and ideally hardcore players (knowing more about the mechanics) wouldn't even want to pick the runes we're not unlocking. Sure you could choose to pick a mana regen variant at level 2... but you wouldn't. Also, it's an awesome way to reward players all the way to 60, and putting some of the more impressive rune effects at the later game could encourage more people to keep playing past Normal.

I do think it's weird that people want to be restricted, but then don't like it when we have restrictions. Obviously not necessarily the same voices, but it is a rather mixed message. :) I think the answer is of course having restrictions where they make sense... but ... just a slightly interesting observation. Maybe? Im tired.

Hey Bash, just wanted you to know that some of us understand why the design decisions on skills/runes were made, and some of us actually understand that not everyone is going to be running around at 60 with the exact same skill/rune/gear loadout.
Cool! It'll be fine. It's fine!

I don't want it to feel like I'm fighting with anyone... I hope it's a helpful discussion ... in some way. I'm not sure how it may be for everyone, especially those that are in complete opposition... but... maybe someone will read it and get some good info. :)[/blizzquote]



Diablo III In-Development -- Class Skills
Blizzard has just posted a blog for showing off some new skills, the links are currently not working.

[blizzquote author="Blizzard" blue='http://www.diablofans.com/blizz-tracker/topic/218045-diablo-iii-in-development-class-skills/' battle='http://us.battle.net/d3/en/blog/4488897']Starting today, we're going show off some new, some improved, and some previously unseen class skills that you'll use to slaughter your way through Diablo III's acts.

The skills we’re spotlighting are drawn from a variety of classes and levels, and most of them aren't available in the Diablo III beta. We've decided to showcase only "base" skills, unaffected by runes, but their rune variants are no less explosive (there are just a few too many of them to display here).

You can find each skill video we've posted on the appropriate skill page in the Game Guide, or simplyclick the links below to watch them in action. Keep your eyes on the environments that these demon-slaying displays take place in, too — you'll notice a few unfamiliar, exotic locales.

In the future, we'll release more videos on this blog exhibiting different skills you'll unlock throughout Diablo III. Remain vigilant.


Barbarian Demon Hunter Monk Witch Doctor Wizard
[/blizzquote]

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