Source: http://us.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/3424683612
Earn Achievements:
-Play-Through Progression
-Extreme Behaviour (level 60 HC character)
-Absurd Shenanigans
-Achievements unlock visuals for banner
-Banner = Instant teleporter to friendly players
New items added:
-Stone of Recall: Town Portal Scroll/Hearthstone effect
-Cauldron of Jordan: Sell items out of inventory
-Cube of the Nephalem: Convert items to crafting components
Crafting: NPCS are shared across the account
The Mystic: Item Enhancements
-Adds enhancements like Goldfind, Magic Find, Stats, class related stats
-Enhancements are RANDOM, but can be re-applied
-Allows you to make Aberrant Builds
-Levels up (10 levels), getting more powerful in the progress
The Jeweler: Gemcrafter
-Combines Gems
-Adds sockets to items
-Removes gems from items (does not break the item or gem) (Still unsure if you have to choose between keeping the item or gem)
-Levels up (10? levels), getting more powerful in the progress
The Blacksmith: Item Crafter
-Crafts Legendary & Set items, as well as sets found from mobs in game
Trading in Diablo
Loot = Big Part of Diablo
-Item drops are random
-Low odds for a given item
-Trading = Important way to find items
Auction House
-Convenient, secure, easy
-Gold or real money
-Items, gold, and components can be sold
-Participate for FREE
-Every week you get a small amount of free listings on the RMAH
Auction House - New Features
-Smart Search, filters
-Advanced Search, even more filters with stats you want
-Stackable Items (Gold, Gems, Crafting, Dyes, Tomes, Pages)
Monster Improvements:
-New Affixes
-Difficulty improves
Passive Skills: Making passives good
-Insctructional
-Flavorful or interesting
-Supports unique builds
-Synergy, but not too much
Barbarian Tuning
-Overall in a good place
-Fury Generation, better balance between skills
-Survivability (Gets harder on higher difficulties)
Wizard Tuning
-Overall in a good place
-Lots of tuning adjustments
-Weapon-based skill damage (% of weapon damage)
-Cast Speed is based on attack speed
Witch Doctor Tuning
-Mana (Passives, Runes & Gear to improve regeneration)
-Mana isn't really an issue at lower levels
-New Passive: Circle of Life - Summons zombie dogs when you kill things
Monk Tuning
-Improved Survivability (fairly weak at lower levels)
-Mantras
-Combo Attacks
Demon Hunter Tuning
-Hatred/Discipline - Hatred Generators & Hatred Spenders
-Snares strengthened
-'Cranked up the awesome'
Diablo Difficulty Levels
-Four Difficulties: Normal, Nightmare, Hell, Inferno
Normal Difficulty
-Act 1 is the tutorial
-Monsters have low awareness
-Dont attack fast
-Limited Skills/Abilities
Each act adds more challenges
-More responsive monsters
-More monster skills
Higher Difficulties
\Game Depth
-New Item Affixes (New attributes in higher difficulties)
-New Attributes
-Rares and Champ powers (2 in normal, 3 in nightmare, 4 in hell/inferno)
-70% of items are post-normal
Inferno Difficulty
-Will be solo-able
-Multiple Tiers of items
-Rares & Champs reward the best loot (no bossruns and they'll try to avoid specific 'best' areas
-Crazy Builds
Crazy Builds
-Wow focuses on optimal builds
-Diablo has no:
--Guild to answer to
--Raids to optimize for
--Roles to perfect
-Diablo's Co-op is optional for fun
-Diablo focuses on viablo builds (Melee Wizard! Pet-less WD)
Viable over Optimal
-Customization = Self-expression
-2.8~ TRILLION builds
-Our job = Lots of viable builds
-There will probably be 'Best Builds'
-Best builds are fine
-...as long as they don't shut down viable builds
-Make the character you want to make!
Skill System issues:
Hot Swapping Skills
--Not Fun, less build commitment
-Solution: In-Town-Swapping
-Alternate Solution: Out of combat swapping
Follower issues
Not viable past normal
-Solution: Followers will be end-game viable
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I have no idea how many people are actually in the beta, but it doesn't really concern me too much, as long as they give feedback and help Blizzard get the game in a good state to be released! Though I think a lot of people who play in betas don't bother to give feedback anyway.
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