[X] My Assistant

[Yerameyahu]

If you read the full statement, it's clearly true. He's saying that everyone is playing D3 online (because that's the only way it exists); 'single player' means offline in this context. Not the best wording, but his meaning is obvious.

You can play D3 *solo*, but you're still online and interacting intensely with the server the whole time. No offline option exists, because the game (apparently) requires the server for, yes, things like monster generation, loot generation, even (I heard) monster AI. There's probably a source out there, but I don't know it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Glancing around at some google hits for server emulators, it sounds like two things are true: 1) the server is doing a ton (as you say, perhaps everything but image and sound); 2) none of the emulators are close to full-featured or stable so far.

[StealthSigma]

If you read the full statement, it's clearly true. He's saying that everyone is playing D3 online (because that's the only way it exists); 'single player' means offline in this context. Not the best wording, but his meaning is obvious.

Single player means you have no means of playing with other players. Avoiding public games or setting up your game so your friends need to be invited to join your game hardly equates to single player. The terminology for that is solo play.

You can play D3 *solo*, but you're still online and interacting intensely with the server the whole time. No offline option exists, because the game (apparently) requires the server for, yes, things like monster generation, loot generation, even (I heard) monster AI. There's probably a source out there, but I don't know it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Undoubtedly the AI is ran server side. The game is too fluid with players joining and leaving for it to be any other way (read swapping AI controller) and if you run it client side for everyone then you run the risk of fragmentation between players of what monsters are doing let alone any sort of cache hacking that might work. If just a single player ran the AI then it would be a complex system to offload the AI to a new player each time the "host" left. No, the simpler answer is that monster AI is ran server side and it just sends commands to the client to run X AI action.

Glancing around at some google hits for server emulators, it sounds like two things are true: 1) the server is doing a ton (as you say, perhaps everything but image and sound); 2) none of the emulators are close to full-featured or stable so far.

Unsurprising.

[almost normal]

He's saying that everyone is playing D3 online (because that's the only way it exists); 'single player' means offline in this context. Not the best wording, but his meaning is obvious.

Which has nothing to do with the false statement that no one is playing the game singleplayer. You can interpret that to mean something else, but as stated, it's completely, and obviously false.

[StealthSigma]

Which has nothing to do with the false statement that no one is playing the game singleplayer. You can interpret that to mean something else, but as stated, it's completely, and obviously false.

Or not false at all unless you completely screw up the definitions of single player modes and games.

A single player game is a game that contains no multiplayer or cooperative elements. It is strictly a single player.

A single player mode is a mode within the game that cannot interact with other players.

Solo play is a method by which someone plays a multiplayer mode while electing not to interact with other players.

Diablo III has a solo play option since you can bar friends from joining you game, never take part in a public game, and completely avoid the AH. However the ability to willfully avoid that which is permissive does not a single player mode make.

[Tanegar]

You wanna split that hair a little finer, SS? I think it's still measurable by electron microscope. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[StealthSigma]

You wanna split that hair a little finer, SS? I think it's still measurable by electron microscope. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

Let me guess, you often utter the phrase "It's just semantics".

[Yerameyahu]

Whatever phrase he chose, it was clear what he meant: offline play doesn't exist, solo play does, because there is major server-side processing. To get around this, you'll need a significant local server-thing, which is difficult and currently doesn't exist.

[nezumi]

Wow, that's ... a little crazy. Impressive, but crazy. I guess I'm not playing then.

[Shortstraw]

Wow, that's ... a little crazy. Impressive, but crazy. I guess I'm not playing then.

I've already stopped.

[Yerameyahu]

Patch 1.0.3 is today, I think. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[StealthSigma]

Patch 1.0.3 is today, I think. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I've been waiting on that to come out before getting back into my monk too much. Having Hell Act2 drop iLvl 61/62/63 is going to reduce some of the pain farming gear to successfully run Inferno. Also, it will be nice to upgrade all the gems I've been sitting on to tier 8.

[Yerameyahu]

Yeah, I started saving gems a little while back; the cost change to them is just huge. It's appropriate, though, because gems are much more effective for the lower levels. What I'd like is lower crafting costs (in gold). As it stands, the level of investment coupled with the total gamble of crafting makes it just not worth it (even to try and sell, which can be a pain).

[StealthSigma]

Yeah, I started saving gems a little while back; the cost change to them is just huge. It's appropriate, though, because gems are much more effective for the lower levels. What I'd like is lower crafting costs (in gold). As it stands, the level of investment coupled with the total gamble of crafting makes it just not worth it (even to try and sell, which can be a pain).

Flawed: 3 Chipped + 500g -> 2 Chipped + 10g
Normal: 3 Flawed + 750g -> 2 Flawed + 25g
Flawless: 3 Normal + 1250g -> 2 Normal + 40g
Perfect: 3 Flawless + 2000g + 1 page -> 2 Flawless + 55g + 1 page
Radiant: 3 Perfect + 3500g + 2 pages -> 2 Perfect + 70g + 2 pages
Square: 3 Radiant + 7500g + 1 tome -> 2 Radiant + 85g + 1 tome
Flawless Square: 3 Square + 20000g + 2 tomes -> 2 Square + 100g + 2 tomes

I have over 30 square of each type right now and that's not including the Tier 6 and lower gems. So dumping another 15 or so Flawless square gems is going to make it much nicer for my leveling characters.

Yeah. I agree, crafting needs to be balanced a bit. I think a bit of the problem comes from material games beyond gold cost. You average return on materials is somewhere around 30:1, I think. So you need to craft 30 bad items to get enough material back to craft another item.

[Yerameyahu]

The main thing is the new gold prices, which are just hugely lower. Really, though, gems drop so fast that you *could* just throw away the bad ones entirely… it just feels wasteful. And like I said, the power curve of gems levels off so fast that they barely matter at higher levels. It seems like they'll just have to add other gems/socketing things back into the game. I know they removed a lot of stuff for the release. :/

See, I'm fine with the material costs. It's the gold cost that matters. It's not like selling those items instead of grinding them into powder is making you very much gold.

[StealthSigma]

The main thing is the new gold prices, which are just hugely lower. Really, though, gems drop so fast that you *could* just throw away the bad ones entirely… it just feels wasteful. And like I said, the power curve of gems levels off so fast that they barely matter at higher levels. It seems like they'll just have to add other gems/socketing things back into the game. I know they removed a lot of stuff for the release. :/

See, I'm fine with the material costs. It's the gold cost that matters. It's not like selling those items instead of grinding them into powder is making you very much gold.

It's both that's the problem. My 30:1 ratio was just assuming that I grinded for dust. That figure probably jumps to around 60:1 or higher to craft an item if you sell magic items to supplement the gold cost.

I need to get about 800k together so I can craft the Hell version of the Staff of Herding. I'm not sure whether that or Act IV of hell will be better for items for Inferno.

[Yerameyahu]

No, I'm saying I'm fine with the dust-grinding (30:1 or otherwise). I'm saying the alternative (selling) isn't worth doing, so you might as well be collecting materials. All I care about it is the huge gold cost of crafting, which leads you to just AH things instead of bothering to craft. If they were very cheap (but still limited by materials, and not *unreasonably* cheap), you'd have a reason to gamble instead of just AH-ing.

[X-Kalibur]

I do hope that 1.0.3 is a huge change, as it was even act 1 inferno was about as much fun as playing the 7th Saga... actually I take that back, the 7th Saga was more fun.

[StealthSigma]

No, I'm saying I'm fine with the dust-grinding (30:1 or otherwise). I'm saying the alternative (selling) isn't worth doing, so you might as well be collecting materials. All I care about it is the huge gold cost of crafting, which leads you to just AH things instead of bothering to craft. If they were very cheap (but still limited by materials, and not *unreasonably* cheap), you'd have a reason to gamble instead of just AH-ing.

Ultimately, that meant that cashing in your blues and crappy rares was better than salvaging them. Even more so now that they're raising repair costs. It feels like the blacksmith is a bit better for hardcore, but only a bit.

[Yerameyahu]

That's true. I did start selling them after I got 'enough' dust. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[StealthSigma]

That's true. I did start selling them after I got 'enough' dust. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

And unfortunately, without some changes to blacksmithing, it's always going to be better to sell magic items and rares instead of dusting them to craft. You get to select what you buy via the AH, even if the gold cost is significantly larger.

[Yerameyahu]

So I checked the release notes, and these were the highlights for me:
• Monks get 2h axes, maces, and swords
• The gold and material crafting costs for all items level 1-59 have been reduced by 50% to 75%
• Herald of Pestilence tentacle attack damage has been reduced
• Soul Ripper and Soul Lasher damage has been reduced and both monsters will now run away less often
• Wasps in Act II, Mage Constructs in Act II, and Winged Mollocks in Acts III and IV will now run away less
• Succubus monsters will now run away less and for a shorter distance

So that's good: monsters less annoying, some crafting is cheaper, and some minor love for monks.

[StealthSigma]

So I checked the release notes, and these were the highlights for me:
• Monks get 2h axes, maces, and swords
• The gold and material crafting costs for all items level 1-59 have been reduced by 50% to 75%
• Herald of Pestilence tentacle attack damage has been reduced
• Soul Ripper and Soul Lasher damage has been reduced and both monsters will now run away less often
• Wasps in Act II, Mage Constructs in Act II, and Winged Mollocks in Acts III and IV will now run away less
• Succubus monsters will now run away less and for a shorter distance

So that's good: monsters less annoying, some crafting is cheaper, and some minor love for monks.

Everything in there is love for monks. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

Also, reducing the training cost for Blacksmith to 1 Tome of Secrets per upgrade rather than 5.

Remember, monks are melee rather than ranged so not having to deal with running away type enemies as often is a huge gain.

[Yerameyahu]

Believe me, my monk knows that. I hate chasing the bastards *so* much. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[almost normal]

More stupidity. Blizzard is now stopping advancement past the skeleton king in act 1, and any level gain past 13 for people who bought the game.

Because Pirates.

Anonymous really needs to hack the hell out of these greedy dumbfucks.

[Yerameyahu]

That's a very selective description of what's going. Not that I care either way, cuz I have no Blizzard stock and my account is already established. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)