DiabloFans

Quote from ssViolett

Why simple not to disallow gear swapping in combat as it is in WoW ?

Players asked a lot during development, why sky skill swapping would be on a cool-down instead of simply disallowed in combat. Blizzard always answered that there really is not an In-combat, true or false attribute in Diablo. There is no out of combat mode. The game treats you as always in combat.

Edeit: Oops, was going to point out a bashiok post, but it's actualy in Molster's original article.

Still, to reiterate for people who think there will be QQing because overall MF will go down:

For example we implement one of the options and could... maybe buff up NV stacks with additional magic find, which could/would compensate for MF lost due to any solutions. We don't want anyone thinking we're trying to take their magic find away. We're trying to help alleviate some of the complaints about tedium and loss of inventory space while helping you keep the benefits.

Quote from Reaperherpderp

Quote from Deathkiss

Quote from Reaperherpderp

PLUS makes it super easy for the scrubs/idiots who are to retarded/lazy/dumb to do it. WIN

No one is too retared or dumb to do it. It's a few button clicks. No ones too lazy to do it either.

The problem is that its an action game, and you shouldn't have to do tedious, clunky, menu driven stuff in middle of action based combat to play effectively.

Maybe people who can't understand that argument are the "retarded" ones. Or... maybe people like that hope throwing insults arround will cloud the issue and keep people from noticing that the current MF swap mechanics feel cheesy, sloppy, and a bit stupid.

And people like you will be the FIRST ones complaining on how this loot based game is not dropping good loot anymore. People that MF swap were unhappy about the bad loot drops before, but we kept farming and MF swapping, because this is a FARMING GAME.
its the people like you who dont put on the MF gear and dont put in the effort of farming that QQ the hardest. you expect to find 10 million gold items every half hour. the game doesnt work like that.

Actually, I completely understand that inferno is supposed to take ages to farm gear to complete. It was the purpose of it's existence. No matter what they do with magic find, they are going to keep tuning drop rates to set gear availability the way they want it.

What I am telling you, is that this is a sloppy system. For the last time, it is an action game, and action games do not feel right if you have to take up half yoru screen with a menu during combat to be effective. I can't make it more simple for you.

Quote from Reaperherpderp

PLUS makes it super easy for the scrubs/idiots who are to retarded/lazy/dumb to do it. WIN

No one is too retared or dumb to do it. It's a few button clicks. No ones too lazy to do it either.

The problem is that its an action game, and you shouldn't have to do tedious, clunky, menu driven stuff in middle of action based combat to play effectively.

Maybe people who can't understand that argument are the "retarded" ones. Or... maybe people like that hope throwing insults arround will cloud the issue and keep people from noticing that the current MF swap mechanics feel cheesy, sloppy, and a bit stupid.

Of the available options, I prefer option 2, because it feels less contrived and meddlesome than the others. This definitely needs fixed. The point of magic find as a gear option, is that you have to sacrifice combat affixes on your gear, to gain magic find and you have to find a balance. Being able to just swap out gear mid-combat takes away the challenge of finding that correct balance, and replaces it with clunky mechanics, requiring you to waste inventory space. Also it requires you to waste screen space with inventory in middle of combat, which feels stupid for an action game.

Some say people complaining about this must not have the skills to swap gear. Kiting out for a second, hitting "I" and clicking on an icon is not a skill. It is however, tedious, cheesy, and breaks the intended gear balance. People complaining about magic find swapping are mostly just people who like a game that feels refined and balanced, with good mechanics.

If anyone steps back and looks at this objectively, I can't imagine arriving at the conclusion that the current gear swappign situation is good design.

I think the repair costs will balance the inferno nerfs to an extent. It's pretty clear they aren't out just to make it easier, but to provide a better kind of challenge. Now, if you work at it long enough, you can find the gear in Act I that you need for Act II. Which is the way it should be. And instead of throwing yourselves at mobs over and over, 15 times at a row, repair costs will be enough that eventually you have to cut your losses, go back to an earlier point and build back up your gold, and farm more gear.

All in all, I think it is going to be slightly easier, but still a challenge. Plus, its going to be a more balanced, fair challenge that will allow more enjoyable playstyles and more build diversity. Well done!

As for people whining that this is going to make inferno to easy, you are missing the point. Before you had to hit Act I, then farm gold until you could hit the auction hosue for gear good enough to do act 2. Or alternatatiely, you could go to II without adequate gear and die over and over trying to get enough ddrops to raise your survivability. It was not really about skill either way, but just an unenjoyable time sink, less fun than a traditional, more even difficulty and gear advancement curve. Plus, tanks will not be forced into overly defsnive roles at all times, and grouping will be a valid option.

What's to complain about?

I actually won a key! Didn't think I cared anymore, but the message caught me off gaurd and now I'm extremely excited about it. Thanks DiabloFans! Will be cool getting to see what the game feels like a bit early, and how it looks on my computer.

MF fixing sounds easy to me. Add every player's MF value, divide the total by the number of players and apply that value to everyone. If someone tries to gear up exclusively for MF and doesn't contribute fairly to damage output, you get the advantage of their MF.

People 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.

I think having a chi/martial arts based character summoning physical objects is a bit cheesy. The skills should be martial and energy based. A monk summoning physical material makes no sense to me.

Especially pillars falling from the "sky" in enclosed dungeons. LOL! It feels more like a super-ultra-hyper-turbo-gauge move in a Capcom tournament fighter than something from a Diablo game. It just misses the dark, gothic vibe the series has traditionally went for. Plus, with just one pillar, it misses the temple aesthetic they were going for completely too.


Now, if the original 4 pillar one broke the floor and rose slowly out of the ground, throwing dirt and rock all over the place; then the columns exploded when enemies touched the floor section, that would be a little better. Though, not much.


At any rate, it needs a long cool down, so that fights don't look like this...

Calavera666:

Today, 11:25 AM GMTHeh, this is my take on the Pillars issue http://www.diablofan...ematic-pillars/

Quote from falcompsx

Quote from superfula

Quote from succubus_queen

Jan is too soon. They would have announced it at Blizzcon if it was that soon.

I agree. That is barely two months away and they are still deciding exactly what to do with runes. That seems like more of a core system than a finishing touch. The idea of discs being manufactured and sent to stores in less than 10 weeks from now seems really unlikely to me. Maybe I'm jsut a pessimist.

They'll probably have a patch available for download upon release of the game, regardless of when it's released.

Exactly, they are probably manufacturing disc's now, if not complete and ready to ship to stores already. The core game assets are and have been complete. All the polish and changes are easily applied with a patch.

I hope you are right, but I am doubting they have master discs yet. Even if they do, some of the system changes they are still playing with in beta seem very broad for a game near completion. (Things that will require balance and play testing, plus maybe docuemntation changes.) I know they can and will tweak the game often, and there will almost certainly be a patch at release but they are going to want the game to feel ploished at launch. It is not good for customer satisfaction if large ammounts of patching are required on release day, or if game systems feel sloppy and require sweeping changes constantly after release. Also if you look at Starcraft II as an example, it was nearly three months before the release date when the announcement came out. We are barely 2 months from January 3, and just went through Blizzcon, which would have been the perfect time for an announcemet if they were that close to completion. The beta hasn't really ramped up to the size needed to stress test the servers has it?

I do take it as a good sign that they finally announced the contents of the Collector's Edition (and that the pictured items look like production items.) Still, if I had to guess, I would say the game discs are not even in production yet, and that we probably won't see the game for a few months. I do hope I'm wrong though. I'm anxious to play.

Jan is too soon. They would have announced it at Blizzcon if it was that soon.

I agree. That is barely two months away and they are still deciding exactly what to do with runes. That seems like more of a core system than a finishing touch. The idea of discs being manufactured and sent to stores in less than 10 weeks from now seems really unlikely to me. Maybe I'm jsut a pessimist.

Definitely a fake. Whoever put this together tried to hard to make it look legit and it feels very suspicious. Even it were a real slide, the date was not actually announced at Blizzcon. Changing their minds about announcing it would probably mean they decided releasing by that date was unlikely or completely impossible.

And then the Thanksgiving thing. Yeh right. LOL!

From the writings of Abd al-Hazir
Journal Entry 420:
*Revised Again. It took out spaces when I pasted the first revision out of Word*

Finally, my journey carried me to the mist enshrouded jungles of Kehjistan in search of the storied amphibian, Binkles the Frog. The subject of many a bard's tale, scholars have failed to confirm his existence through the ages. I started my search among the ancient vine bound walls of Kurast... with more skepticism than hope, I confess. For weeks I conferred with the most affluent, the most traveled, and most wise of the jungle city’s inhabitants, learning nothing. Most scoffed at my inquiry, fervently denying that the myths held any truth. Others were more civil, but had little knowledge to offer.

Then upon the night I planned to depart the city, my fortune took a sudden turn. At the time, I thought for the better. As I sat in the common room of the inn, contemplating my notes, a bard began to play softly. Then he sang "The Ballad of Binkles." It is quite an old song, and practically nothing within it was substantial enough to help me, even if it contained a grain of truth. Still for a moment I thought to ask the bard of my quarry. After all, when in pursuit of a myth, is a bard not more likely aid than a sage?


At the very moment I rose to approach, there was a piteous cry from one of the patrons."Please, no! Don't sing of it! No!" I was startled, and yet hopeful. This was not the cry of some child frightened of fairy tales, but of a rugged and fierce man, who had the look of a traveler. I was immediately certain his fear was based not on stories, but upon some dark and terrible memory. The other patrons laughed at his outburst and began to harass the man. He rose hurriedly and pressed through the jeering crowd, still weeping as he went. I followed him outside, where I found him curled up and cowering on the street, wracked with tremors. His eyes held a llost and vacant look. I introduced myself as a scholar and asked him what he knew of Binkles. "I came upon his lair accidentally. Those eyes... I’ll never forget. The stories are all true. All of them. You do not want to find Binkles..."

A week later, I reached the object of my search. I had found the foul creature's very den. The point marked on my map by the traveler was precisely correct. I had no doubt even as I stood outside. The entrance gaped dark in the rock, like the mouth of some ancient tomb, and a sense of foreboding permeated my very soul. Tendrils of fog reached out as if to beckon me onward, but reason and fear compelled me to turn away. Still after a harrowing journey through Kehjistan's wretched swamps, how could one turn, just steps from such a discovery. I gathered my wits and stepped forward into that bleak crack. Long contemplation was out of the question. It does not pay to tarry in such macabre surroundings.

With each step into the nightmare, my terror grew, and yet my resolve held. Further and further I went, until I was in tunnels untouched by the light of the sun in eons. Yet I could see. The walls were covered with grotesque algae that emitted an eerie green glow. The air felt hot and strangely moist. I felt almost as though I were drowning in this oppressive atmosphere. Yet I persisted, slipping and scurrying along the rock.
Then I reached the final chamber. A subterranean lake, covered with thick, roiling algae and strange black lily pads. I know not how to write of the dread this place held for me.

My resolve finally crumbled and I turned to run, unwilling to face he who dwelt there. But it was too late. I felt the algae entangling my legs and fell forward. The plants moved as though alive, pulling down my arms and legs, holding me fast. Then, the diminutive monster approached, hopping from pad to pad. I expect most of my readers will laugh at this point, for he looked like a most ordinary frog. Yet for reasons completely intangible, you would never mistake him for such. Never before have I sensed such dark malice, such hatred in a being. Power radiated from it perceptibly. A bleak and cursed intellect stared unblinking from behind those black and glossy eyes.

"Binkles...of the Horadrim..." I greeted him.

The frog coughed a strange laugh. "..Of the Horadrim... I have not heard that in a long time. So, my story is still told then?"

"With occasional embellishments and inconsistencies, yes." I replied, trying to keep my voice from trembling.

"I was once the greatest of the sages. And if they had listened to me, the world would not be on the brink. Power such as that held by the prime evils cannot be hidden away in soulstones!" The frog croaked. "Such power is immortal, and it cannot be contained. It can only be harnessed!"

With this the frog’s eyes began to glow red, and I knew the legend was true in its entirety. When Diablo was captured, Binkles, had warned against hiding the soulstones away, and advocated trying to use the power instead. Some stories say his ideas were concocted by the stone's dark influence, twisting his mind in such close proximity. Others, that his thoughts were prophetic. He devised a ritual to attempt to harness the power of the stone, and stole it away from the other mages. During the end of the ritual he was interrupted by his Horadric brethren, who had found him just in time. The ritual was intricate, and the interruption came as the spell began to coalesce, altering the energies subtly. Instead of draining Diablo's power into himself, he was turned to a frog. Yet the evil power of the stone did strengthen him and twist his powers to evil. The dread frog had then carved a swath of destruction with his wrathful magic until he reached Kehjistan and settled into his lair never again to venture into daylight.

Now all that storied magical energy was twisting around me. To what ends I did not know. I feared death would be merciful compared to what the dread frog held in store for me. Then with a heart rending ribbit, his spell was complete and I was portaled away. I awoke weeks later, deathly sick, upon a bed in Kurast. I had found the subject of my search, yet I took no pleasure in it, nor anything since. Even in his mercy, Binkles affected me terribly. A weakness harries me now, and my health is fading. His grating croak and red gaze haunt my every dream. The sight of stagnant water or algae feels me with fear.

Binkles the frog is a horrible frog indeed...

From the writingsof Abd al-Hazir

Journal Entry420:

*Revised Again. It took out spaces when I pasted the firstrevision out of Word*

Finally, myjourney carried me to the mist enshrouded jungles of Kehjistan in search of thestoried amphibian, Binkles the Frog. The subject of many a bard's tale,scholars have failed to confirm his existence through the ages. I started mysearch among the ancient vine bound walls of Kurast... with more skepticismthan hope, I confess. For weeks I conferred with the most affluent, the mosttraveled, and most wise of the junglecity's inhabitants, learning nothing. Most scoffed at my inquiry, ferventlydenying that the myths held any truth. Others were more civil, but had littleknowledge to offer.

Then upon the night I planned to depart thecity, my fortune took a sudden turn. At the time, I thought for the better. AsI sat in the common room of the inn, contemplating my notes, a bard began toplay softly. Then he sang "The Ballad of Binkles." It is quite an oldsong, and practically nothing within it was substantial enough to help me, evenif it contained a grain of truth. Still for a moment I thought to ask the bardof my quarry. After all, when in pursuit of a myth, is a bard not more likelyaid than a sage?

At the verymoment I rose to approach, there was a piteous cry from one of the patrons."Please, no! Don't sing of it! No!" I was startled, and yet hopeful.This was not the cry of some child frightened of fairy tales, but of a ruggedand fierce man, who had the look of a traveler. I was immediately certain hisfear was based not on stories, but upon some dark and terrible memory. The otherpatrons laughed at his outburst and began to harass the man. He rose hurriedly and pressed through thejeering crowd, still weeping as he went. I followed him outside, where I foundhim curled up and cowering on the street, wracked with tremors. His eyes held alost and vacant look. I introduced myself as a scholar and asked him what heknew of Binkles. "I came upon his lair accidentally. Those eyes... I'llnever forget. The stories are all true. All of them. You do not want to findBinkles..."

A week later, I reached the object of mysearch. I had found the foul creature's very den. The point marked on my map bythe traveler was precisely correct. I had no doubt even as I stood outside. Theentrance gaped dark in the rock, like the mouth of some ancient tomb, and a senseof foreboding permeated my very soul. Tendrils of fog reached out as if tobeckon me onward, but reason and fear compelled me to turn away. Still after aharrowing journey through Kehjistan's wretched swamps, how could one turn, juststeps from such a discovery. I gatheredmy wits and stepped forward into that bleak crack. Long contemplation was outof the question. It does not pay to tarry in such macabre surroundings.

With each stepinto the nightmare, my terror grew, and yet my resolve held. Further and further I went, until I was intunnels untouched by the light of the sun in eons. Yet I could see. The wallswere covered with grotesque algae that emitted an eerie green glow. The airfelt hot and strangely moist. I felt almost as though I were drowning in thisoppressive atmosphere. Yet I persisted, slipping and scurrying along the rock.

Then I reachedthe final chamber. A subterranean lake, covered with thick, roiling algae andstrange black lily pads. I know not how to write of the dread this place heldfor me. My resolve finally crumbled and I turned to run, unwilling to face hewho dwelt there. But it was too late. I felt the algae entangling my legs andfell forward. The plants moved as though alive, pulling down my arms and legs,holding me fast. Then, the diminutive monster approached, hopping from pad topad. I expect most of my readers will laugh at this point, for he looked like amost ordinary frog. Yet for reasons completely intangible, you would nevermistake him for such. Never before have I sensed such dark malice, such hatredin a being. Power radiated from it perceptibly. A bleak and cursed intellectstared unblinking from behind those black and glossy eyes.

"Binkles...of the Horadrim..." I greeted him.

The frog coughed a strange laugh. "..Of the Horadrim... I have not heard that in a long
time. So, my story is still told then?"

"Withoccasional embellishments and inconsistencies, yes." I replied, trying tokeep my voice from trembling.

"I was oncethe greatest of the sages. And if they had listened to me, the world would notbe on the brink. Power such as that held by the prime evils cannot be hiddenaway in soulstones!" The frog croaked. "Such power is immortal, andit cannot be contained. It can only be harnessed!"

With this thefrog's eyes began to glow red, and I knew the legend was true in its entirety.When Diablo was captured, Binkles, hadwarned against hiding the soulstones away, and advocated trying to use thepower instead. Some stories say his ideas were concocted by the stone's dark influence,twisting his mind in such close proximity. Others, that his thoughts wereprophetic. He devised a ritual to attempt to harness the power of the stone,and stole it away from the other mages. During the end of the ritual he wasinterrupted by his Horadric brethren, who had found him just in time. Theritual was intricate, and the interruption came as the spell began to coalesce,altering the energies subtly. Instead of draining Diablo's power into himself,he was turned to a frog. Yet the evil power of the stone did strengthen him andtwist his powers to evil. The dread frog had then carved a swath of destructionwith his wrathful magic until he reached Kehjistan and settled into his lairnever again to venture into daylight.

Now all thatstoried magical energy was twisting around me. To what ends I did not know. Ifeared death would be merciful compared to what the dread frog held in storefor me. Then with a heart rending ribbit, his spell was complete and I wasportaled away. I awoke weeks later, deathly sick, upon a bed in Kurast. I hadfound the subject of my search, yet I took no pleasure in it, nor anythingsince. Even in his mercy, Binkles affected me terribly. A weakness harries menow, and my health is fading. His grating croak and red gaze haunt my everydream. The sight of stagnant water or algae feels with fear.

Binkles the frog is a horrible frog indeed...

From the writingsof Abd al-Hazir
Journal Entry 420:

*Revised*

Finally, my journey carried me to the mist enshrouded jungles of Kehjistan insearch of the storied amphibian, Binkles the Frog. The subject of many a bard'stale, scholars have tried and failed to confirm his existence through the ages.I started my search among the ancient vine bound walls of Kurast... with moreskepticism than hope, I confess. For weeks I conferred with the most affluent,the most traveled, and the most wise of the jungle city's inhabitants, learningnothing. Most scoffed at my inquiry, fervently denying that the myths held anytruth. Others were more civil, but had little knowledge to offer.
Then upon the night I planned to depart the city, my fortune took a sudden turn. At the time, I thought, for the better. As Isat in the common room of the Inn, contemplating my notes, a bard began to playsoftly. Then in a soft voice he sang "The Ballad of Binkles." It is quitean old song, and practically nothing within it was substantial enough to helpme, even if it contained a grain of truth. Still for a moment I thought to askthe bard of my quarry. After all, when in pursuit of a myth, is a bard not morelikely aid than a sage?

At the very moment I rose to approach, there was a piteous cry from one of thepatrons. "Please,no! Don't sing of it! No!" I was startled, and yethopeful. This was not the cries of some child frightened of fairy tales, but ofa rugged and fierce man, who had the look of a traveler. I was immediatelycertain his fear was based not on stories, but upon some dark and terriblememory. The other patrons laughed at his outburst and began to harass the man.He rose hurriedly and pressed through the jeering crowd, still weeping as hewent. I followed him outside, where I found him curled up and cowering on thestreet, wracked with tremors. His eyes held a lost and vacant look. Iintroduced myself as a scholar and asked him what he knew of Binkles. "Icame upon his lair accidentally. Those eyes... I'll never forget. The storiesare all true. All of them. You do not want to find Binkles..."
A week later, I reached the object of my search. I had found the foul creature's very den. The point markedon my map by the traveler was precisely correct. I had no doubt even as I stood outside. Theentrance gaped dark in the rock, like the mouth of some ancient tomb, and asense of foreboding permeated my verysoul. Tendrils of fog reached out as if to beckon me onward, but reason andfear compelled me to turn away. Still after a harrowing journey through Kehjistan's wretched swamps, how could oneturn, just steps from such a discovery.I gathered my wits and stepped forward into that bleak crack. Longcontemplation was out of the question. It does not pay to tarry in such macabresurroundings.

With each step into the nightmare, my terror grew, and yet my resolve held.Further and further I went, until I was in tunnels untouched by the light ofthe sun in eons. Yet I could see. The walls were covered with grotesque algaethat emitted an eerie green glow. The air felt hot and strangely moist. I feltalmost as though I were drowning in this oppressive atmosphere. Yet I persisted,slipping and scurrying along the rock.

Then I reached the final chamber. A subterranean lake, covered with thick,roiling algae and strange black lily pads. I know not how to write of the dreadthis place held for me. My resolve finally crumbled and I turned to run,unwilling to face he who dwelt there. But it was too late. I felt the algaeentangling my legs and fell forward. The plants moved as though alive, pullingdown my arms and legs, holding me fast. Then, the diminutive monsterapproached, hopping from pad to pad. I expect most of my readers will laugh atthis point, for he looked like a most ordinary frog. Yet for reasons completelyintangible, you would never mistake him for such. Never before have I sensedsuch dark malice, such hatred in a being. Power radiated from it perceptibly. Ableak and cursed intellect stared unblinking from behind those black and glossyeyes.

"Binkles... of the Horadrim..." I greeted him.
The frog coughed a strange laugh. "..Of the Horadrim... I have not heardthat in a long time. So, my story isstill told then?"

"With occasional embellishments and inconsistencies, yes." I replied,trying to keep my voice from trembling.

"I was once the greatest of the sages. And if they had listened to me, theworld would not be on the brink. Power such as that held by the prime evils cannotbe hidden away in soulstones!" The frog croaked. "Such power is immortal,and it cannot be contained. It can only be harnessed!"
With this the frog's eyes began to glow red, and I knew the legend was true inits entirety. When Diablo was captured, Binkles, of the Horadrim had warnedagainst hiding the soulstones away, and advocated trying to use the powerinstead. Some stories say his ideas were concocted by the stone's darkinfluence, twisting his mind in such close proximity. Others, that his thoughts were prophetic. Hedevised a ritual to attempt to harness the power of the stone, and stole itaway from the other mages. During the end of the ritual he was interrupted byhis Horadric brethren, who had found him just in time. The ritual wasintricate, and the interruption came as the spell began to coalesce, alteringthe energies subtly. Instead of draining Diablo's power into himself, he wasturned to a frog. Yet the evil power of the stone did strengthen him and twisthis powers to evil. The dread frog had then carved a swath of destruction withhis wrathful magic until he reached Kehjistan and settled into his lair neveragain to venture into daylight.

Now all that storied magical energy was twisting around me. To what ends I didnot know. I feared death would be merciful compared to what the dread frog heldin store for me. Then with a heart rending ribbit, his spell was complete and Iwas portaled away. I awoke weeks later, deathly sick, upon a bed in Kurast. Ihad found the subject of my search, yet I took no pleasure in it, nor anythingsince. Even in his mercy, Binkles affected me terribly. A weakness harries menow, and my health is fading. His grating croak and red gaze haunt my everydream. The sight of stagnant water or algae feels with fear.
Binkles the frog is a horrible frog indeed...