Though patch 1.0.3b will not be hitting servers this week, we will be seeing some of its features hotfixed into the game tomorrow.
Originally Posted by Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
(In general we tend to not provide release dates or specific timeframes for patches due to the complexity of the updates, and the possibility that we’ll discover an issue that keeps us from releasing it on time. We discovered a few such issues late into the testing of 1.0.3b, which means it won’t hit this week as previously mentioned.
However, we know that a number of changes in 1.0.3b have been highly anticipated, and so we spent the better part of today pulling specific changes that did not run into testing issues out of 1.0.3b, and turning them into hotfixes. These include the Inferno drop increases among a couple others, and will be applied with off-peak rolling restarts tomorrow morning. We’ll also be updating the June hotfix blog with specific changes (including new drop rates) tomorrow morning after we manage to wrangle up a cup of coffee.
However, we know that a number of changes in 1.0.3b have been highly anticipated, and so we spent the better part of today pulling specific changes that did not run into testing issues out of 1.0.3b, and turning them into hotfixes. These include the Inferno drop increases among a couple others, and will be applied with off-peak rolling restarts tomorrow morning. We’ll also be updating the June hotfix blog with specific changes (including new drop rates) tomorrow morning after we manage to wrangle up a cup of coffee.
200k Gold Inferno Act 2 Challenge - Monk Edition
Jipptomilly has taken on a rather interesting challenge, clear Act 2 Inferno as a monk with only 200k gold worth of gear. Not only is he able to clear Act 2 this way, he does it while only skipping three elite packs and killing 27 others. He also ends with a rather nice sized profit at the end.
Natalya's Wrath to Remain Untouched
Bashiok hits the forums to give an update on the Natalya's Wrath bug we reported a few days ago. After some serious discussions they have decided to keep the bonus as is.
Originally Posted by Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
(We're not going to change/correct the set bonus of Natalya's. It will remain as-is.
It's one of a few cases recently that made us really sit and look at how we were approaching a game system, have some serious discussions about what they mean for the game, and where we want it to go. Sure it's one set and set bonus, but allowing it to continue existing, and even now beginning some work to embrace the concept, probably wouldn't have happened if the unintended change to Natalya's hadn't occurred, and maybe more importantly if you didn't offer your feedback (constructively and in calm and reasonable tones, of course).
We are working on Legendary item changes for a future patch, as I'm sure you know, which could change the set in any variety of ways. I don't know what those changes could be yet, but I do know there's no desire to "fix" the set, even in the updated version. But regardless those changes will only affect items that drop after that patch. They aren't retroactive. Any Natalya's items that drop before that patch (ie the ones dropping now), and the set bonus, will remain unchanged regardless of future Legendary item updates.
It's one of a few cases recently that made us really sit and look at how we were approaching a game system, have some serious discussions about what they mean for the game, and where we want it to go. Sure it's one set and set bonus, but allowing it to continue existing, and even now beginning some work to embrace the concept, probably wouldn't have happened if the unintended change to Natalya's hadn't occurred, and maybe more importantly if you didn't offer your feedback (constructively and in calm and reasonable tones, of course).
We are working on Legendary item changes for a future patch, as I'm sure you know, which could change the set in any variety of ways. I don't know what those changes could be yet, but I do know there's no desire to "fix" the set, even in the updated version. But regardless those changes will only affect items that drop after that patch. They aren't retroactive. Any Natalya's items that drop before that patch (ie the ones dropping now), and the set bonus, will remain unchanged regardless of future Legendary item updates.
Blue Posts
Originally Posted by Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
(Developer's Blog
Magic Find Gear Switching
I wanted to jump in quickly to say that this is one of many topics we’ve been discussing with the developers recently, and that we have a juicy blog post coming up that will delve a bit more into some of the MF swapping solutions we’re considering. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
Fanboys
One of the worst things currently going on in these forums as far as I'm concerned is seeing anyone with anything positive to say about the game being labelled a fanboy.
These forums are here for people to dicsuss our games, and for that you need differing opinions. Seeing people shut down and dismissed as a fanboy for saying they actually like an aspect of the game is, quite honestly, pretty low. If you don't have a valid argument other than resorting to name-calling, please refrain from posting.
We're all for people having their say on the game, good or bad, but petty behaviour has no place here. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
Any ETA on the developer's blog on 1.0.4 or information on the Act 3/4 loot adjustment? Thanks
Drop rates are being increased in 1.0.3b, and ... SOON. (Source)Magic Find Gear Switching
I wanted to jump in quickly to say that this is one of many topics we’ve been discussing with the developers recently, and that we have a juicy blog post coming up that will delve a bit more into some of the MF swapping solutions we’re considering. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
Fanboys
One of the worst things currently going on in these forums as far as I'm concerned is seeing anyone with anything positive to say about the game being labelled a fanboy.
These forums are here for people to dicsuss our games, and for that you need differing opinions. Seeing people shut down and dismissed as a fanboy for saying they actually like an aspect of the game is, quite honestly, pretty low. If you don't have a valid argument other than resorting to name-calling, please refrain from posting.
We're all for people having their say on the game, good or bad, but petty behaviour has no place here. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
Curse Weekly Roundup
Mists of Pandaria opens heir doors for raiding, ArenaNET wants us to break their servers, LoL players get a bonus, and Abraham Vampire Hunter comes to 8 bit; all on this weeks Curse Weekly Roundup.
Noted thanks, I'd like to think a lot more people here could achieve this compared to the official threads. Combined with farming and some AH spending (under 200K) Act 2 is doable for a WD as well, I guess the confusion here is more people "here" are accepting that inferno can be done reasonably.
indeed, but its also helpful for say, monks having issues in inferno atm, they now see the type of gear they can get for cheap, and progress now, so its a rather nice video all around.
But because one thing is more impressive, does not mean this can't be impressive in other ways.
Just saying "farm all you gear" won't help someone who eagerly just wants to start progressing, while showing them the cheap gear to look for, will give them a little head start.
Not everyone wants to use the AH in a Item farming game, and that makes a lot of sense, but some do.
The easy access to good loot via the AH has pushed the loot curve forward; making the act of finding items meaningless. The game may as well not drop loot at all. It's just garbage collection for gold to be used to purchase an upgrade at a vendor. Which is really what this is, isn't it? The AH is just a vendor in town where you buy loot to upgrade. Progression isn't about skill or effort. It's about how much money you've invested. Hell, may as give players "valor points" for each boss they kill and let each upgrade cost 500 valor points at the in-town vendor for items. Guess that cuts too close to WoW; but that's really what it is, isn't it?
And I was a fan of the AH before this game was released. But it's 100% retarded that your only time-wise good path to upgrade is by the AH.
Remember, before (and early on!) this game was released; it was all about time investment and how long it'll take to get good gear before clearing inferno. How many Act 1/2 runs will I need? Then, it was about how much gold can I purchase from gold farmers to progress. Now, it's about how can I clear Act 1/2 on a budget? Really? Really?
I never played D2, but I've understood that more time played meant you'd eventually get really good items. D3 means the more gold/cash you've invested means you'll get really good items. While I'm not a huge fan of D2-nostalgia; it seems like a better method.
Finish D2 without any trading. You will take months farming probably. Just the much you would take farming D3.
The game is about farming and trading. Not using AH is just saying you don't want to trade.
And the "challenge" of beating Act 2 with 200k doesn't mean that you should beat it with 200k. If he found those items for 200k and you are thinking that they were underpriced, than why don't you use 1kk to buy not underpriced items and save your time? Its pretty common to have 1kk when you reach Inferno.
im not arguing the points in what you just posted (Some of it I do agree with).
I should maybe make it more clear why I think it's impressive.
1) If you look at the official forums, and you see the countless posts about needing the millions of gold because class X is weak...or Inferno is to hard there will be people that say "this is not true" but that's it.
This guy went and did something about it, he took 200k gold, and proved that it could be done, with something to show.
2) as I also said, its a rather nice video that helps newer monks that do just want to get in, and don't want to spin millions, A lot of people don't know all the AH tricks, so in that way its also helpful. They also don't know that cheap gear can be good (thats a key thing right there)
I think the main reason our views differ on the video is just in how we are looking at the point of the video, as the things you said are also true.
If any idiot can do it, why people whine on the forums saying that the act 2 Inferno on is impossible?
This is diablo. You kill LOTS of monster to get very little good loot. It has always been this way. That's what make every upgrade so special. It was just like this in D1 and even more in D2. Anyone can farm and find good items so they can trade for other good items.
Yes. How many Act 1/2 runs you need to find items or gold so you can progress? Just like before. You are missing the point.
In D2 the more time you played you'd eventually get good items that chances are they wouldn't be good for your class. So you would spend hours/days/weeks farming trading games and forums so you could trade them for some gear for you. The AH is pretty much the same in seconds/minutes. Stop staring at the AH thinking it is something evil that makes people spend money instead of farming, it is just a trade facilitator.
There's a bit of a difference between trading items that are exceedingly rare (hey, I have 2 andariel's helms and I want a butcher's sickle, let's trade!) and trading your average piece of junk. Which, let's be honest, is what the AH is pretty much full of.
No longer do you need to stack MF/GF to find good items. Just spend $2 at a website and get 1 million gold. Boom. Fully loaded for inferno. But for what? This is the other problem I'm having. People saying they are bored (cleared inferno! no upgrades!), yet you look at their other threads and they just spent 50 million at the AH for the best gear. Gee, wonder why you don't get upgrades?
Now, granted, I'm coming at this from the stand point of a person who does not buy a lot of stuff off the AH. (weapon is my only AH purchase and it's pretty average - I've found better in Act 1 but just no intelligence on them so I DE them), so I confess to being slightly irritated by people ripping thru Act 4 inferno while I spend my days struggling with Act 2 cuz I can't find gear with resists/int/vit/MF/GF on it that'll get me further while not sacrificing my ability to find items.
Getting good rolls is near impossible. I know the demoralization of getting 3 yellow rings off an elite pack and all of them sucking. I've spent 2 million at the BS and used up a thousand materials for a chest piece. And didn't get anything off 50 attempts. Then you get videos from people, "Oh look at me! I cleared Diablo inferno in 2:49 and only had to spend 100 million at the auction house." Congrats?
But then, on the back end, when I do get a good drop (got a kick ass necklace the other day), it's sweet as hell.
I get molster's point; but I cannot see purchasing your way thru the game as much of an achievement. I bargain shop at the super market for donuts, I don't play Diablo for that.
Woah woah woah. You're just being too obvious and logical here, making it incredibly difficult for that guy to keep completely missing the point. How's he supposed to take a big dump on someone else proving a point if you keep making it clear that he's side-stepping it entirely to make his own, entirely irrelevant point.
On a related note, everyone talking about how using the AH is "cheating" or "unimpressive" is clearly lacking in either Diablo experience, or common sense. In Diablo 2, you had three (3) ways to trade or sell goods:
1. You sat in chat and spammed like a goober. This was inefficient, and usually resulted in other spam overwriting yours.
2. You made a game with a very compressed title, hoping someone caught it in a refresh, and farmed while praying your item was wanted. Additionally, you could join "trade games" which were huge cluster*^$#%s and someone usually got scammed.
3. You sold or traded via third-party websites (often illegally), hoping it was a legit trade.
#2 is no longer available, unfortunately, as it was probably the most efficient way to legitimately trade in D2. Instead, we have the AH, where you can post an item and people can search for it using their own metrics. This saves time, it saves effort, and it makes it MUCH easier to get the item you want in return (because you get a liquid asset called gold that you can spend on whatever you want).
Seriously, stop acting like the AH is evil incarnate. It's simply an easier way to trade items and commodities.
That number is 0 (well, at least 1 I guess ). You can buy everything you need to get thru Act 2 with, apparently 200k gold.
This is exactly my point, isn't it? People claim to have loved playing D2 forever trying to get good items. And now that you can get them instantly - people are now in the forums saying "D3 won't last." Go figure. You're making my point for me. If that's your goal, great. Both cannot be true - you cannot both love the item hunt and then pay to complete the game so quickly.
I dunno. Ask them? Act 2 isn't impossible. Unfun and irritating. Yes. Impossible? Nah.
I'd bet the people on the forums complaining as such are trying not to progress thru the AH. And I bet most people who cleared Act 2 (esp. prior to 1.0.3) did so with Act 3/4 gear so they simply overgeared it. Each Act becomes trivial eventually once your resists/damage/health gets high enough.
Your hyperbole is fantastic. You're also still missing the point, but that's not a big surprise either.
It's obvious you have your own idea on how this game should be played, and unfortunately continue to confuse the general, whiny public's opinion on why this game isn't fun to why this guy made the video in the first place.
Keep treating Diablo 3 like a single-player game, and the rest of us (who actually understand how Diablo works, ignoring the general mass of people who will cry about anything and everything) will keep enjoying the game for what it is - different trading schemes and all.
You are just begging for a worse trading interface? I don't get it.
You don't get the items instantly, you get the gold to get items. Someone got those items from drops. If everyone just got the items for no work there would be no items. You can get many of the items the video-owner did buy in the AH the time you reach Inferno (at least comparable items) and the ones that wouldn't be good for you you would just sell in the AH for gold to buy the others. This is still grinding, updating your gear and trading. And for better gear (and killing monsters more efficiently) you will have to farm more, get better items, sell them for more gold in the AH so you can buy better gear.
This is perfect, is everything everyone playing D2 ever wanted. It was very sad to keep farming until you could get one of the best items so you could start trading for gear for progressing. The AH just brought trading for EVERY level.
But you still have to farm to use it. You farm itens, gold and your own gear. Then you sell good gear you don't use and buy good gear you want to use. But you won't get frustrated because you got a very good upgrade for your level in Nightmare, but it has Int instead of Dex.