Witch Doctor Video and Build Diversity, Arena Area Previews, Account Security, Blue Posts

High Witch Doctor DPS in Inferno and Build Diversity
Bemis on the official forums posted a video of a Witch Doctor killing the Butcher in Inferno in only 9 seconds. You can view the video below the blue post.
Even more interesting in this post is some of the statistics Bashiok gave about builds. Only 0.1% of people are using this build at level 60 (and thats not even counting passives) and it's the 5th most popular build.

Originally Posted by Blizzard (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)

Hah! That was awesome.
Something in there could get nerfed at some point, I don't know, but we still think it's fun for players to try to find overpowered builds and... have a little fun for a bit. That's part of the fun of the game. The bigger issues tend to be the one-off skills that are just broken. Not everything needs to be in primal fear of an immediate hotfix nerf.

Seriously Bashiok thinks that is awesome? Was it awesome Bashiok when you nerfed Monks who are not doing that at all?
Was that awesome Bashiok? Really why is this guy a dev again?
Yes. I wouldn't say 'awesome'. Yes. I'm not.

Question Bashiok. You guys collect stats for other games that get sent back to Blizz. Is this the case with D3? For example, if someone never made a video of this and never said anything about it, would Blizzard know that there is a Witch Doctor out there somewhere killing Butcher on Inferno in 9 seconds?
Do you guys track average survival times of various classes through multiple difficulties, things like that?


We do! I can tell you the build in the video is used by 0.1% of level 60 witch doctors (not including passives), and that it's the fifth most popular build. I don't have any survival stats on me, though. :D





Arena Area Previews
Malu05 is back, and this time with some arena area previews. It's important to keep in mind these are by no means what the final product will look like. You can also check out his thread here to see a few more that are missing textures (but you can at least get an idea of the layout).







Battle.net and Diablo III Account Security
With the current account security issues flying around, now is a good time to catch up on basic information about account security. Blizzard has posted a new blog to get players up to date.

Originally Posted by Blizzard (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)

Some players are dedicated to collecting sets of epic gear while others prefer to make some quick coin in the auction house. No matter what play style you prefer, we want to equip you with the tools and knowledge you need to protect yourself against account compromise. To help get you started, below you'll find a series of tips and suggestions aimed at improving your account and computer security.

You may have already run across some of this information on our account security awareness page, in one of our support articles, or posted on the forums. We want to make sure that as many players as possible do everything they can to help ensure their accounts are secure, so take some time to read over this refresher, secure your account, and share these tips and resources with your friends and fellow players.

Basic Preventative Steps:
There are a few "golden rules" for maintaining a secure Battle.net account. They're simple and straightforward, but they can help ensure that your account information doesn't get into the wrong hands. Never give out your account information.
Sharing your account information with a family member, friend, or another player is an easy way to lose control of who has access to your account and increase the risk of compromise -- no matter how well you might know the person you’re sharing your login information with. Keep in mind that even if you practice optimum Internet security at home, you can't control how another person will make use of your account information…or how secure their own computer system might be.

Practice good email and password security.
Ensuring that your registered email address is secure is a very important part of keeping your Battle.net account secure. Your registered email address not only serves as a primary point of contact with Blizzard Entertainment, but it also functions as your Battle.net account name. For this reason, you may want to consider creating a unique email address for your Battle.net account, and we *strongly* recommend using a password that you don’t use for any other online service.

Be mindful of phishing scams.
Phishing scams are designed to trick you into giving out your account information, and they'll usually come in the form of emails or in-game messages that appear to be sent by Blizzard employees. Sometimes these messages encourage you to visit a malicious website (which might contain a web form for you to fill out or even embedded software that can steal your login information). In other cases, you may be asked to reply with your account name and password.

While most of these types of scams are easy to identify -- they'll frequently use poor grammar and spelling, or make outrageous threats about banning your account -- some can be difficult to distinguish from legitimate Blizzard correspondence, so it's important to be cautious of what you click on and when.

Learn more about how to identify these kinds of scams here.

Grab an Authenticator.
The physical Battle.net Authenticator and Battle.net Mobile Authenticator app* are easy ways to add an additional level of security to your account. They work by providing a secure authentication code on command that's unique to your Battle.net account. After one of these two Authenticators is associated with your Battle.net account, you will be prompted to enter an authentication code when logging into the game client or Battle.net Account Management, adding another layer of protection against account compromises. (Note that by default, after you've successfully logged in with an Authenticator a certain number of times from a certain location, you won't be prompted for an code every time you log in. However, you can require Battle.net to ask for a code every time via Security Options in Account Management here.)

Battle.net SMS Protect is another handy security option. It's a free opt-in service which allows you to use your text-enabled cell phone to unlock a locked Battle.net account, recover your account name, approve a password reset, or remove a lost Authenticator. Optionally, you can set up the Battle.net SMS Protect system to send you a text message whenever unusual activity is detected on your account, keeping you aware of important (and possibly unwanted) changes.

*Please note that the Battle.net Mobile Authenticator and the Dial-In Authenticator are *not* the same service, and do not offer the same types of protection. In addition, the Dial-In Authenticator is not currently supported for Diablo III.


Additional Steps:
In addition to following the security basics above, you'll also want to make sure your computer is protected against malicious programs, including "keyloggers." Keyloggers are pretty serious, and they're capable of snagging information directly from your computer, either by monitoring your keystrokes or by gaining access to important applications like your clipboard.
The advice listed below will help you combat this type of security risk and maximize your computer's security. Install antivirus and anti-spyware software.
There are a number of programs that can help you identify and remove any viruses, Trojans, and/or keyloggers that may sneak onto your computer. If you're unsure of what software might be best for you, check out our support site for a list of recommendations.
Keep in mind that most antivirus and anti-spyware programs will regularly issue software updates to ensure that they're able to identify the latest malware threats, so be sure to install the most recent updates before beginning any new system scans.

Keep your operating system up-to-date.
If you're using Windows, you can check for the most current updates at any time by visiting the Microsoft Windows Update page, or by clicking Windows Update in the Start menu. If you're a Mac user, you can check for software updates at Apple.com; Apple security updates are also available here.

Keep your browser and browser plug-ins up-to-date.
As with your anti-malware software and operating system, you'll want to keep your web browser as up-to-date as possible. In addition to providing more tools and functionality, browser updates can also include new security definitions and a more comprehensive phishing filter (detailed further below).

Using the most recent versions of your browser plug-ins and applications (like Adobe Flash Player and Adobe Reader) and regularly checking for security updates is also important, because they can sometimes become targets for certain types of malware. A lot of plug-ins and applications will prompt you to update automatically, but it's still a good idea to check the distributor websites on occasion to make sure you're running the latest versions.

Turn on your browser's phishing filter.
Phishing filters work by comparing the websites you visit against a massive database of legitimate (secure) websites and websites that have been identified as potential security risks. If you happen to visit a website that's flagged by your browser's filter, you'll be alerted and given the opportunity to continue onto the page or -- in most cases -- navigate to another site completely. Most popular browsers have built-in phishing filters that are turned on by default, but you can always double-check filter settings/availability in the Tools menu. Additional information about popular phishing filters can also be found here:
Internet Explorer Phishing Filter FAQ
Firefox Phishing and Malware Protection
Opera Fraud Protection
Chrome Phishing and Malware Detection


What If...
While following these tips will go a long way to keeping your Battle.net account secure, no account-security method is 100% foolproof. If you ever find yourself affected by an account compromise, don't panic. Our in-game, account, and technical support representatives will work with you to restore your account. Our Help! I got Hacked! guide goes into all the details, and for more information be sure to review our restoration process for Diablo III. Rest assured that we've got your back (and your lewtz) should you need us.


Account security is incredibly important to us, and we hope that it's important to you, too. If you have any additional security recommendations to add to this list, please feel free to share them in the comments!





Blue Posts

Originally Posted by Blizzard (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)

Account Security
We've already made a statement here: http://us.battle.net...opic/5149181449

1) Hacking via SQL injection as stated in the article, not an issue with unprotected home computers as some have suggested.
We're well aware that someone posted an idea once and it has been picked up and reposted as fact by more than a few people. It's unfortunate.

2) Accounts with authenticators have still been compromised.
We have yet to have a single report of account compromise in which an authenticator was attached beforehand, this is absolutely false. While an authenticator does not guarantee 100% protection, one has not been found on a single account that has reported a compromise. We'd appreciate people stop spreading rumors.

5) You might want to remove any authenticator you have, because even those have proven not to work as a full proof security measure.
6) If you are really paranoid, drop your valuable items somewhere that a hacker wouldn't know to look if they gained access to your account, not really recommended.

I don't honestly even know what to say to either of these.

If you want to improve your account security please visit www.battle.net/security and follow the steps there, ensure your battle.net email address and password are unique (you're not using them in other places), you have an authenticator attached, and in the event you have been compromised please follow the instructions in the thread I linked above. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)

Dyes and More
I bought Vicous Peak on the auction house and it is a black hood. I hit level 21 just now on my demon hunter and I put it on... last owner dyed it pink.
Thankfully you'll be able to change the color. :)

Nethaera comes to save the day, yet again!
I know. I just swooped right in to save the day right?

Just to follow-up, yes the dyes get stripped when they are put on the Auction House. If you bought it pink, it most likely dropped that way (yes they can drop that color).

Nethaera is a Community Manager, he deals with the community on the forum, not a game designer/producer/etc. He has no say in the game matters and only replies to them if he has been given an official answer...or the answer is an obvious one.
Considering you play/played WoW, you should of known this already, you should of seen Nethaera casually posting on the forums like this before.

She. ;) We have "say" though in that we relay community feedback and thoughts on a regular basis and the company believes in "Every Voice Matters". We answer what we can as we can and work with the development teams to get information out on a regular basis.

Hey Neth how do you feel about the game in it's current state? With all the issues with Balance, itemization and stat's in general, game mechanics such as enormous Hitboxes? I haven't seen a blue reply to ANY of these things, I am beginning to think you don't care.
On a personal level, I'm enjoying the game. I'd enjoy it more if I got to play more. ;) (And yes, I played Diablo and Diablo II.)

Outside of that, we're working on having some additional information and insight from the developers that we'll be providing you all "soonish" that touches on some of the topics that we've seen being discussed. We aren't going anywhere though and will continue to address concerns or topics as needed. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)

Celebration
A toast to the launch of Diablo III! #d3‬#diablo3‬ #diablo‬ #blizzard‬ #etc‬ @ Blizzard Entertainment HQhttp://instagr.am/p/LD5z9OG1Yv/ (Source)

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