Blue Posts
Official Blizzard Quote:
Restricted Beta Access - Open beta is "unlikely"
We're restricting beta access because the intent is to test specific features, updates, and changes with specific amounts of testers. Inevitably we will want, at times, 'stress' testing with larger groups of testers allowed in, but it's unlikely we'll have an open beta or an invite included with the purchase of the game. (Source - Blue Tracker)
Diablo 3 Trial Version
Ah, ok. Yeah we'll probably have a trial version similar to WoW and SC2 have sometime around or shortly after release. Our trial versions are a bit more involved than normal game demos, I'd say, in a good way! (Source - Blue Tracker)
Diablo 3 Collector's Edition WoW Pet already available
Diablo III was originally shooting for a 2011 release. No reason to hold the bonuses back too though if they're done and ready. (Source - Blue Tracker)
Individual loot in co-op games and people stacking Magic Find
MF takes up potential item slots that could be +dmg or other useful stats. so the more magic find you have, the less utility and damage you are contributing, yet you get the most loot.
It's a recognized issue, just not one that has been attacked and a final design solution proposed/implemented.
We have short list of primary design values for Diablo III, and one of them is 'Do no harm to co-op.'
Whatever solution we end up at it cannot compromise the desire to play with others, either through literal disadvantages, to social situations that cause frustrations through griefing, mistrust, people 'pulling their own weight', etc.
Some of that we simply cannot control. It's an online game. You're going to end up in some undesirable situations no matter how hard we try, but we can at least try to minimize them to being inconsequential by ensuring the game mechanics do not allow inherent misuse at a detriment to the co-op experience. (Source - Blue Tracker)
Wiki Digest #3 (by PhrozenDragon)
Sinate has continued to update the items that had their stats changed in the last patch, this week changing all
Daibo weapons. Electrified, Mortar, Frozen, Teleporter and the other unique attributes found on monsters in Diablo III have been either added or updated by Apoc. http://diablowiki.com/Illusionist" class="wiki-link">Curse has added the math extension to the wiki, which will allow us to add formulas to wiki pages. While it hasn't been used on any pages yet, expect to see it in the future.
The item lists are also in the process of being updated, and you can see how the new pages are supposed to look by checking out
Helm List.What's Being Discussed?
Nothing of importance to mention here this week unfortunately, though the previously mentioned main page remake is likely to be put in place in the near future.
Weekly Tutorial
Since this article is a little short, I'll take this opportunity to showcase/explain a nice feature in the wiki. This first time it'll be http://diablowiki.com/the category system" class="wiki-link">
If you clicked the above link, you'll see a list of major categories, such as games, images, classes, lore etc. These are intended to help you find your way in the wiki. Let's say you're looking for a quest icon from Diablo II, but you don't remember the name of the quest. If so, you can click on http://diablowiki.com/Images" class="wiki-link">
You can use the categories to find any number of things in the wiki if you don't know exactly what you're looking for, but have an idea of what kind of information it is.
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Posted Nov 29, 2011Im glad we will be seeing a demo, hopefully they can join others in the demo though.
And very sad about the no open beta, even though we kinda new that already.
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Posted Nov 29, 2011-
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Posted Nov 29, 2011Right now in the beta Gold Find is by far the best way to get your items. I've +197% gold find and can farm +or- 12k gold in one leoric run. In a few minutes of farm i can buy anything in the AH.
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Posted Nov 29, 2011I'm not sure if such a statement can be made at this time.
I'm not sure how AH is done in Beta, but won't live have a gold to money currency (ratio) and if there is a large flux of gold it basically changes the conversion rate. Even if this mechanic doesn't exists simple economics will take over, "oh hey it’s easy to get gold so I'll see items for more money" and then everyone will use the same gold find. Then people will likely think “well since I have so much gold now I'm just going to sell everything on the RMAH”. Gold won't be very valuable IF there is a form of gold to money currency in place. Plus who knows how large the gold sinks will be by hell mode.
EDIT: Typing
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Posted Nov 29, 2011People who build MF equipment sets would probably be displeased with it. But really, why should you be able to use underpowered gear and get better drops than the people who are actually killing things? In DII, you didn't get exclusive advantage of your MF either, because anyone could pick up the loot.
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Posted Nov 29, 2011I think the elephant in the room is that just about everyone will put having on MF gear as a very high priority in comparison to most other affixes because doing so could very well be the best way to make money on the RMAH and let's face it, RM motivates people in the real world more than anything else.
That being said, Blizzard seems to have gone out of its way to make finding the best items a part of actually playing the game for more than finding the best items. In Diablo II, you did specific runs to specific monsters to try to get the gear you wanted. If Blizzard is successful to a certain degree in taking the motivation for doing these runs away from players through the game design for Diablo III, then how does a MF motivated player know how to find the best party in a public game with which to tag along to get the most/best drops?? I think the bigger question being raised is: How easy will it be to get in a game with people who have the same objectives that you do and not in games with those that don't? If it is easy for players to find other players with common goals and to keep out those that don't, the MF "problem" along with many other problems created by not being able to build such a party really aren't problems at all. Facilitating solid party creation ability is the best solution to this problem.
Averaging the MF/GF for all party members sounds like a fair solution on the surface. However, if the problem you have with the current setup is that someone wearing MF/GF gear can't (in theory) kill as fast then averaging it for all party members still doesn't solve that problem. It just allows you to derive a benefit from a party member's decision to wear certain gear. As far as I know, there would be no other affixes that allow party member to derive a benefit from someone simply by being in a party with them even if they aren't actively trying to help you kill anything. Is that really better than MF/GF being the only affixes that don't directly aid in a group's ability to kill? Maybe, but neither situation is perfect. As the blue post response in the official thread indicates, you're just solving one problem to create others.
Also, gear is only one factor in a player's ability to kill. The player's skill level in playing the game as well as the build chosen for the player's character also have a HUGE impact. To say that just because a person has a lot of MF gear on that they will be a drag on the team's ability to kill isn't necessarily true.
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Posted Nov 29, 2011-
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Posted Nov 30, 2011Make the monsters do more overall damage.
Why is that? Well, because smart players will see MF guys on their team as an asset to their team, by being the guy that increases the chance of better loot dropping. Smart players will also see them as deadweight in damage dealing potential. So... if they make monsters more dangerous, risk and reward will be maintain. You wouldn't consider having a full team of MF equipped players in a difficult area. You may opt to only bring one or two instead.
MMO players don't see healers or CC classes as a "problem". They see them as utility and as tools that benefit the team, while also holding back a raid's damage. If the raid boss poses a significant threat, a team decides on hoe many healers they should bring to a fight, while making sure the raid can bring the deeps!