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**veteris** · Tue, 15th-May-2012, 1:11 AM

Hello, The Diablo III News Bot will be posting in this thread the latest news from battle.net. This will allow us on SC2SEA to keep track with the latest ongoings from Blizzard, right here on SC2SEA! Please bear in mind that in the scraping of the Diablo III websites, not all the formatting may transfer over. If there are bugs or suggestions, feel free to PM veteris.

nirvAnA: To make it neat, this thread will only contain posts by the bot and be closed for posting. I guess people can still comment with the rep function. Big issues should still be discussed in their own Diablo 3 thread, just go ahead and make them! Also this is probably the only thread you can have fun with the rep system as its just a bot after all. Just don't start attacking the other people who are repping the bot randomly that still isn't tolerated.

Skynet shall take over the world >.>

Quick Comments

	nirvAnA:	<3 <3 <3
	Delraich:	good job!
	Bash:	cute idea, i like.
	TCPLemminks:	too much spam

**Bnet NewsBot** · Tue, 15th-May-2012, 2:23 AM

Diablo III: The Order by Nate Kenyon will be out in just a few short weeks. If you haven't preordered it yet, there's still time!

Premiere Collectibles is having a 40% off sale until Friday, May 11, for the hard cover book. If you enjoy listening to haunting tales instead, you can preorder a copy of the audio book here. Follow the link to check out a special preview of the Prologue as well, read by Scott Brick.

Deckard Cain is the last of the Horadrim, the sole surviving member of a mysterious and legendary order. As Cain searches for the lost members of his order, he is thrust into an alliance with an unlikely ally: Leah, an eight-year-old girl feared by many to carry a diabolical curse. What is her secret? How is it tied to the prophesied End of Days? And if there are other living Horadrim, will they be able to stand against oblivion? These are the questions Deckard Cain must answer . . .

. . . before it is too late.

Original Post Here

Quick Comments

	nirvAnA:	Boring!!!
	Asrathiel:	Does that sort of suggest that he's not really Leah's uncle?

**Bnet NewsBot** · Tue, 15th-May-2012, 2:28 AM

If you want to stay up to date on the latest Blizzard news, you’re in luck. Our web sites have web feeds that notify you of the latest news updates as soon as they appear.

Get a Reader

First, you’ll need to get a web reader, like Google Reader, Outlook, Yahoo, or the reader of your choice.

Subscribe

Once you’ve selected your reader, head to your chosen feed from the list below and follow the steps appropriate for your browser:

Internet Explorer 9 Users – Click the ‘Subscribe to this feed’ link at the top of the page.

Firefox 12.0 Users – Choose the application you want to use, and then click ‘Subscribe Now’ at the top of the page.

Google Chrome 18.0 Users – Install this Google extension and then click on the ‘Subscribe Now’ button at the top the page.

You’ll now be able to use your reader to see when we’ve updated our sites.

Blizzard Web Feeds

Diablo III

World of Warcraft

StarCraft II

Blizzard

Original Post Here

Quick Comments

nirvAnA:

Nice!

**Bnet NewsBot** · Tue, 15th-May-2012, 2:31 AM

The Darkness Falls, Heroes Rise 100% unlock has been revealed!
Long before the creation of Sanctuary, the Eternal Conflict between angels and demons raged on for untold millennia. Blizzard Entertainment teamed up with renowned director Peter Chung and acclaimed animation studio Titmouse to create this unique vision of a fundamental moment in the battle between the High Heavens and the Burning Hells.

Watch the behind-the-scenes interviews with Nick Carpenter, Chris Metzen, James Waugh, renowned director Peter Chung (of Aeon Flux fame), and Chris Prynoski, president and owner of Titmouse, Inc., to learn more about this short-length film and what it took to bring its story to life, from concept to creation.

Original Post Here

**Bnet NewsBot** · Tue, 15th-May-2012, 2:33 AM

All five hero sigils are now unlocked and waiting for you to claim them! From now until Friday, May 18, you can earn these exclusive in-game emblems to use on your character banners in Diablo III when it releases.
Don't miss out. Travel to the Darkness Falls, Heroes Rise launch site and create your barbarian, demon hunter, monk, witch doctor, or wizard Mark of Valor today! For more information, see the site FAQ and details post.

Original Post Here

**Bnet NewsBot** · Tue, 15th-May-2012, 2:34 AM

If you enjoyed Christina Sim's stunning representation of the female monk, then you'll be sure to love the diabolical design efforts of the Spiral Cats.
Jay Wilson and our Korean community team were joined by three members of this epic cosplay troupe last month in Seoul, South Korea: Tasha, the demon hunter, Myungseon, the witch doctor, and Miyuko, the monk. Check out a group snapshot from that event, as well as studio photos of the monk and demon hunter below!

Tasha

Miyuko

Be sure to follow Tasha and Miyuko on Facebook for more Spiral Cats cosplay.

Original Post Here

Quick Comments

	nirvAnA:	wow!!!!
	Asrathiel:	Annoys me that they're both wearing stupidly high heels! DH does but I don't think Monk really does...
	Cyanide:	fap fap fap fap fap

**Bnet NewsBot** · Tue, 15th-May-2012, 2:34 AM

The last round of Hero of the Day contest winners are in! Each day, based on your votes, we select a new Mark of Valor submission to become the Hero of the Day, and we're ready to reveal the champions for the wizard.
Check out last week's winners below, or head on over to the Hero of the Day gallery to see them all for yourself.

Week Five: Wizard

The Hero of Day contest has concluded, and we'd like to thank all of our participants for their submissions. While the contest is now over, you can still create own customized banner to earn all five exclusive hero sigils to use in Diablo III. Travel to the Darkness Falls, Heroes Rise promotional site and claim your sigils today!

Original Post Here

**Bnet NewsBot** · Tue, 15th-May-2012, 2:35 AM

Diableard growers! Stand and be counted, for your face’s rebirth is at hand. If you’ve been one of the strong, one of the proud to grace all those around you with the sumptuous sight of untamed whiskers, your day has nearly arrived.

Almost nine months ago, we challenged you to grow your facial hair until the release of Diablo III. For those who didn’t have the chops (or the necessary physiology) to handle the unadulterated awesomeness that is a Diableard (or Mephistache), we asked you to craft a mock-beard and display it proudly for all to see. Your efforts astounded us...again, and again, and again, and again.

Then tragedy struck. With the game delayed to 2012, we feared for your hygiene, and offered you a reprieve from the shackles of your crumb collectors. But some of you exclaimed “Nph!” (which we assume was a “No” muffled through your overgrown soup strainers) and held your ground. To those of you brave enough to continue defending your follicular extrusions against the outcries of your significant others, we want you to know that you’re not alone. We will join you in your exaltations as your Diableard is shorn from your face at midnight on May 15.

The hour of reckoning approaches, my bristly comrades. Even if separated by great distance, we will stand together, clean and smooth and bare to the wind. Stay strong, for the Diableard Hack-and-Slash is nigh!

Original Post Here

**Bnet NewsBot** · Tue, 15th-May-2012, 2:36 AM

We understand that picking out the appropriate desktop wallpaper to fit your tastes and complement your d?cor can be an arduous task. To that end, we'll be offering you help every Friday (...roughly) by featuring a new downloadable Diablo III, StarCraft II or World of Warcraft wallpaper image on our community sites.

Here's what we have for you this week. Enjoy!

Original Post Here

Quick Comments

nirvAnA:

**Bnet NewsBot** · Tue, 15th-May-2012, 2:40 AM

After seeing so many spirited discussions on fansites, forums, and social media channels regarding which class everyone will be playing when Diablo III launches, we decided to pose the question to our own Diablo III development team. While it was clear that the whole team loves all of the heroes in Diablo III (naturally), we wanted to dig a little deeper and find out what actually influenced these choices. Locating enthusiasts for each class, we gave five of our developers free reign to make the case for why the class they chose to play at launch was the best.
Here's what Jay Wilson (Game Director), Clayton Vaught (Software Engineer), Wyatt Cheng (Senior Technical Game Designer), Jill Harrington (Senior Technical Artist), and Matt Panepinto (Production Assistant) had to say.

Barbarian

Wizard

Demon Hunter

Witch Doctor

Monk

Jay SMASH!
by Jay Wilson, Game Director
When Diablo III unleashes itself on the world there is only one choice for me when it comes to the first class I will play. While I enjoy playing all of the classes, one in particular really speaks to the soul of who I am. Each of the heroes of Sanctuary has been blessed with powers and abilities that allow them to right the wrongs of the world. Some use magic, others are skilled with a bow, but the class I’m going to play at launch excels at one thing above all others: breakin' stuff. That’s what speaks to who I am, and that’s why I’m playing the barbarian at launch.

The barbarian is all about destroying enemies with overwhelming power, and he has a host of awesome abilities to do just that. He can cut through groups of nearby enemies with Cleave, devastate scores of enemies as a spinning Whirlwind, and shake the very ground with abilities like Seismic Slam and Earthquake. If he gets "really" angry he can activate Wrath of the Berserker, transforming himself into a red, fury-filled giant that crushes everyone around him. Crushing things makes me happy.

We spent a lot of time working on making sure that this feeling of massive physical power was relayed in all of the barbarian's actions. When the barbarian hits enemies, they fly further and explode bigger. The barbarian will hit you so hard your grandchildren will get headaches, and that's conveyed in the massive physics that come into play when he attacks. For those who like the core meat and potatoes of taking down demons with trusty axes and a strong arm, there is no substitute.

Being a barbarian means never having to be afraid. You aren't some skirt-wearin' caster, hiding behind spells and pets. You're tough enough to take a ton of damage, and you have a host of powerful mobility skills, including Leap, Furious Charge, and Sprint, all of which get you to the enemy fast. If you'd rather the enemy come to you, then harpoon them with Ancient Spear and drag them into chopping distance. The barbarian gets up close and personal, and when he does, it's the Lord of Terror who should feel fear.

The barbarian is a fantastic class to play in groups as well. All Diablo III classes deal damage in equal measure, so you don't take a back seat to anyone, but as one of, if not the toughest class in the game, you can use your mobility and resilience to lead the charge against your foes and keep enemies off your more fragile allies. Everybody likes to be first, right? Just look back at your team and tell them, "It's OK, I’ve got this." You also have several powerful war cries that can bolster the defenses of your party or weaken incoming monsters, making them easy pickings. Also, you'll be the biggest and most imposing person among your friends

In the unlikely event you do run into something you can't handle, you have a host of different control and defensive abilities unique to the barbarian. Stomp the ground to shake and stun all the enemies nearby. Steel your resolve with Ignore Pain, allowing you to shrug off the worst enemy attacks, and use abilities like Revenge to turn incoming damage into healing for you -- and pain for your enemies.

The final and best reasons I have for wanting to play the barbarian are the glorious armor and weapon choices available to him. Whether you are a dual-wielding berserker or a two-handed hammer swinging juggernaut, the massive melee weapons you get to wield, from axes, to swords, to maces, are awesome to behold. The barbarian is the only class that has access to the ‘Mighty Weapons’ category of items. These weapons are so massive that no mere mortal could heft them, but to a barbarian they’re just the right size.

While I can't wait to level every Diablo III class up to and into Inferno, the class I will be playing first is the barbarian.

Head on over to PC Gamer to see which classes other game industry professionals will be playing when Diablo III hits shelves on May 15.

This is my BOOMstick!
by Wyatt Cheng, Senior Technical Game Designer
When Diablo III comes out I'll be playing a demon hunter. I know I'll eventually level all five heroes to 60, but the demon hunter will be my first. From a pure fantasy point of view, I like the archetype of the demon hunter -- she's a vigilante of sorts, a protector of the innocent, a slayer of evil -- but I love the gameplay even more.

The demon hunter is fundamentally a ranged class and, although I'm sure a lot of players will explore melee options, I fully intend to exploit this natural strength, focusing on one-handed pistol crossbows. These signature weapons are both versatile and powerful (and look incredibly badass). I can dual-wield them when I want to pump out extra damage or drop the off-hand crossbow and replace it with a shield when I need a little extra survivability. Pistol crossbows are also the fastest weapon in the game, and can be combined with a quiver for even more attack speed. Quick attack speed isn't just about damage, though -- the fast-action nature of the demon hunter means superior hit-and-run mobility.

I love kiting enemies with my demon hunter. One of my favorite things to do in StarCraft II is "stutter-stepping" marines, and it turns out you can stutter-step a demon hunter too! Being able to reposition myself on the battlefield in between shots lets me kite enemies when I'm solo, or position myself perfectly in co-op play. Played well, I can dodge projectiles or get out of fires with little to no loss in DPS. The demon hunter can truly shine in the hands of a skilled player, but you need a good strategic sense to manage your resources responsibly, excellent micro to maximize your damage, and intimate knowledge of your skills to wreak maximum havoc on your enemies.

In terms of mobility, the demon hunter's ability to escape damage is unparalleled, and is perhaps best exemplified by Vault. Not all of my builds use Vault, but most of them do, and what's not to love? Most of the mobility skills for other classes bump up against cooldown limitations, but Vault is an on-demand button that gets me out of trouble in a pinch. If I Vault out of danger, and then three seconds later a Vortex monster pulls me back in, I can use Vault again to avoid incoming attacks -- no other class has that kind of escape tool. When I'm not running Vault on my bar I'm usually using Smoke Screen (or sometimes both). Smoke Screen is also an incredibly versatile skill. I can use it defensively to avoid a big attack, break CC effects, or I can use it to attack while stealthed ,which is incredibly powerful in the right situation.

Speaking of Smoke Screen, one of my favorite combos is Smoke Screen with Rapid Fire. Rapid Fire has an up-front cost, so you want to stand still as long as possible to maximize your damage output. When danger approaches, I cast Smoke Screen, which doesn’t break my Rapid Fire channel, allowing me to attack nearby enemies for a few more seconds before I need to move out of harm’s way. In reality, the demon hunter has an offensive skill for almost every situation: Strafe when high mobility is needed, Cluster Arrows for burst damage, or Multishot when you want to clear a room quickly. When paired with tactical maneuvers (like Smoke Screen), these abilities can make the demon hunter a near unstoppable force.

The demon hunter brings fantastic group utility as well. On top of doing amazing damage and providing a ton of personal survivability, Marked for Death increases the damage dealt by entire group, and Sentry can be runed to provide group benefits (such as Healing or Damage reduction).

So, when it comes to combining raw damage potential with strategic options there is no question -- my first class will be the demon hunter.

Jay SMASH!
by Jay Wilson, Game Director
When Diablo III unleashes itself on the world there is only one choice for me when it comes to the first class I will play. While I enjoy playing all of the classes, one in particular really speaks to the soul of who I am. Each of the heroes of Sanctuary has been blessed with powers and abilities that allow them to right the wrongs of the world. Some use magic, others are skilled with a bow, but the class I’m going to play at launch excels at one thing above all others: breakin' stuff. That’s what speaks to who I am, and that’s why I’m playing the barbarian at launch.

The barbarian is all about destroying enemies with overwhelming power, and he has a host of awesome abilities to do just that. He can cut through groups of nearby enemies with Cleave, devastate scores of enemies as a spinning Whirlwind, and shake the very ground with abilities like Seismic Slam and Earthquake. If he gets "really" angry he can activate Wrath of the Berserker, transforming himself into a red, fury-filled giant that crushes everyone around him. Crushing things makes me happy.

We spent a lot of time working on making sure that this feeling of massive physical power was relayed in all of the barbarian's actions. When the barbarian hits enemies, they fly further and explode bigger. The barbarian will hit you so hard your grandchildren will get headaches, and that's conveyed in the massive physics that come into play when he attacks. For those who like the core meat and potatoes of taking down demons with trusty axes and a strong arm, there is no substitute.

Being a barbarian means never having to be afraid. You aren't some skirt-wearin' caster, hiding behind spells and pets. You're tough enough to take a ton of damage, and you have a host of powerful mobility skills, including Leap, Furious Charge, and Sprint, all of which get you to the enemy fast. If you'd rather the enemy come to you, then harpoon them with Ancient Spear and drag them into chopping distance. The barbarian gets up close and personal, and when he does, it's the Lord of Terror who should feel fear.

The barbarian is a fantastic class to play in groups as well. All Diablo III classes deal damage in equal measure, so you don't take a back seat to anyone, but as one of, if not the toughest class in the game, you can use your mobility and resilience to lead the charge against your foes and keep enemies off your more fragile allies. Everybody likes to be first, right? Just look back at your team and tell them, "It's OK, I’ve got this." You also have several powerful war cries that can bolster the defenses of your party or weaken incoming monsters, making them easy pickings. Also, you'll be the biggest and most imposing person among your friends

In the unlikely event you do run into something you can't handle, you have a host of different control and defensive abilities unique to the barbarian. Stomp the ground to shake and stun all the enemies nearby. Steel your resolve with Ignore Pain, allowing you to shrug off the worst enemy attacks, and use abilities like Revenge to turn incoming damage into healing for you -- and pain for your enemies.

The final and best reasons I have for wanting to play the barbarian are the glorious armor and weapon choices available to him. Whether you are a dual-wielding berserker or a two-handed hammer swinging juggernaut, the massive melee weapons you get to wield, from axes, to swords, to maces, are awesome to behold. The barbarian is the only class that has access to the ‘Mighty Weapons’ category of items. These weapons are so massive that no mere mortal could heft them, but to a barbarian they’re just the right size.

While I can't wait to level every Diablo III class up to and into Inferno, the class I will be playing first is the barbarian.

Monkey Business
by Matt Panepinto, Production Assistant
When Diablo III is unleashed on the world, I'll be facing the Lord of Terror's minions with the iron fists of the monk. The day I found out we were doing a monk class was the same day my class choice was made. I was happier with my choice after playing the class for the first time, and more so after witnessing the excitement for the monk at BlizzCon 2009. Since then, I've grown a "diableard" and, because I also shave my head, I've been told that I look like the male monk. People have even asked if it was modeled after me. It's like we were made for each other.

I primarily play melee characters in most RPGs, including a death knight in World of Warcraft, or the fighters, barbarians, and monks I've played in D&D. I love being in the center of a battle, but also agile enough to control the engagement while still doing lots of damage. Playing a monk feels faster and smoother to me compared to the other classes, and I love that. This is due in part to the variety of skills the monk has that close the distance between you and your enemy, as well as flurries of punching and kicking attacks. Of course, this may be mainly due to the fact that the monk is the only class with a passive ability that increases their base movement speed.

The monk's combo skills feel very much like a fighting game to me, and the ability to mix and match those skills makes it really fun to experiment. For example, I can use Way of the Hundred Fists with the Fists of Fury rune, which adds a short dash to the first attack, to quickly get to my foe. Throwing myself into the center of a huge group of enemies, I can then use Blinding Flash to disorient them, while weaving in Sweeping Wind with the Cyclone rune, which has a chance to spawn vortexes that sweep outward, decimating all in their path. If anything is still alive after that, I can clean them up with a well-placed Seven-Sided Strike. There are so many different styles of play for the monk -- even while I'm writing this, I'm remembering other ways I've played my monk, and thinking of new ways to alter my build.

I also like having a little bit of "magic" or support skills to complement my melee attacks. For example, I enjoy having pets, but I don't like having to manage them. Fortunately, since Diablo III is designed to be fast paced, we've designed it to accommodate this style of play. Mystic Ally fills this role perfectly for the monk. Slotting Mystic Ally with the Air Ally rune variant makes it even more powerful, surrounding the Ally with a constantly damaging aura and providing a huge amount of Spirit recovery when it hits. I can also use any of the Mantras to bolster my group with more dodge, healing, or damage, and use Breath of Heaven to heal my group when things get rough.

The armor themes that our artists made for the monk further solidify how insanely amazing this class is. I cannot wait to load up the game on May 15 and start finding those armor sets for my monk, making him look like the total demon-killing badass that he is. I will definitely be using the class-specific fist weapons the monk has available to him, too. While there's nothing wrong with the other weapons he can use, I think the monk really shines when he uses his fists as his weapons.

My name is Matt Panepinto and I am the Monk. Feel the wrath of Ytar!

You Do That Voodoo That You Do
by Jill Harrington, Senior Technical Artist
Reasons to play a witch doctor at launch:

Most armor is made of organic, renewable resources
What happens in the spirit realm stays in the spirit realm
Zombie dog needs to be walked? Sacrifice it instead
Gargantuan has surprisingly lovely singing voice; gives good backrubs
Toad phlegm is excellent moisturizer
Zombie bears don’t smell all that bad
Batman? Does he summon clouds of bats engulfed in flames? Didn’t think so

Reasons not to play a witch doctor at launch:

Acid pools damage hardwood floors
Fetishes occasionally lose control; will chase casters around home attempting to stab them
Hexing boss generally considered a terminal offense
Too awesome; other players jealous
Spiders

If that isn't quite enough information for you...

While I have been playing a barbarian lately in our internal builds, and I love the visceral combat and sheer fun of seeing zombie corpses fly through the air when I smash them with a hammer, the witch doctor has a certain flavor that just can't be matched. Anyone can run around hitting things with swords, but can anyone else summon acid-vomiting disembodied heads or hurl jars of spiders at their foes? Besides, why do the dirty work yourself when you can send your minions in to do it for you?

It's very satisfying to know that your damage-over-time abilities will spell the inevitable doom of your enemies, even when you've retreated out of range of their claws and teeth. A well-built witch doctor can also be almost unbeatable in PvP. Combining passive skills such as Zombie Handler with skill runes such as Life Link on your Zombie Dogs can make it very frustrating for your opponents to try to harm you.

In short, if you're looking for a ranged caster with a lot of survivability, a pet class with a lot of options, or you just think toads are really cool, the witch doctor might be for you!

Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
by Clayton Vaught, Software Engineer
When Diablo III comes out, I'll be playing a wizard. Why, you may ask? Who doesn't like the ability to call down fiery meteors from the heavens, summon beams of ice, and unleash tornadoes of pure energy at a moment’s notice? (Hint: No one.)

In short, I just really enjoy the archetype. I climbed the ladder as an orb sorceress in Diablo II, PoM Pyro’d my way to victory as a mage in World of Warcraft, and played and PvPed as a ranged caster in any game that would let me. Additionally, of all the classes, the wizard brings together an awesome set of skills for support, survivability, and raw damage, which appeals to me.

I love that the wizard's ability to kite is second to none. Too many things chasing you? Shield yourself with Diamond Skin or knock them away with Wave of Force. Need to outrun a pack of things slowly gnawing away at your important bits? Slow Time and move out of range. Or, if the rest of the group is down and death is looming close, simply Teleport away and heal up. A prepared wizard is rarely caught in a situation that they can't turn in their own favor -- a trait that is very useful in both PvE and PvP!

The wizard also provides excellent group utility. When I'm playing with my friends, I get to excel as a "glass cannon." Combining monster control abilities with the awesome power of Disintegrate and the ability to transform into a being of pure energy with Archon, I can lay waste to almost anything threatening Sanctuary in short order, literally reducing them to ash. Wizards also have great synergy with the other classes. With a barbarian or monk to tank large packs, wizard area of effect (AoE) damage is fantastic; pretty much all of my builds contain Blizzard or some other type of AoE skill for this reason. Why smite only one minion when I can smite all of them?

Another thing I have grown to love is the lack of Arcane Power cost of Signature abilities. This means that there's never a moment when you can't be melting demon faces off. Whether you're standing your ground or on the move, the wizard can always deliver monster-smashing damage, which is something I'll definitely look forward to doing in group games, PvP, and solo play.

And that's why when Diablo III comes out, I’ll be playing a wizard.

Original Post Here

Quick Comments

nirvAnA:

need deL's formatting

**Bnet NewsBot** · Tue, 15th-May-2012, 2:41 AM

Irvine, CA Launch Event
Californians and other more ambitious adventurers, join us at 8 p.m. PDT Monday, May 14 at the Giant Wheel Court at the Irvine Spectrum Mall. Blizzard Entertainment and GameStop will be hosting an event-filled evening celebration leading up to the Diablo III midnight sale, including an exciting selection of Diablo-related videos, cosplayers, exclusive reveals, and multiple Diablo-themed giveaways, including four Limited Edition Diablo IIIlaser etched systems powered byIntel and ASUS.In addition, members of the Diablo III development team will be on site to meet with you and sign your copies of the game. For more information on where to go and what to do when you get there, see the event flyer.

For those that can't attend, Intel and ASUS are giving away another four Limited Edition laser-etched Diablo III systems online. To see the machines, and a chance to win one from four custom PC manufactuers, click here.
Across North America
If Irvine is a little far for you, fear not! There are launch events happening all across the United States and Canada. For a list of participating stores, check out the websites below:

This isn’t necessarily an exhaustive list of retailers hosting midnight launch events, so check with your local retaileras well asour Midnight Launch Events site.
We’ll be providing global launch event coverage throughout the day. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and chat with the rest of the world using #D3launch. I’ll be sharing my own perspective as well from the Irvine launch event, and while monitoring global happenings with the rest of the team at the Blizzard lair. Follow me at @CM_Zarhym.
Attending a midnight launch in your area? We want to see your pictures! We’ll be hosting midnight launch pictures from around the world, and some of them could be yours. Send your midnight launch photos to promotions@blizzard.com and share them on Twitter using #D3launch.

Original Post Here

Quick Comments

nirvAnA:

No SC2SEA!!!

**Bnet NewsBot** · Tue, 15th-May-2012, 2:43 AM

Shortly after the launch of Diablo III, we’ll be adding a new feature to our official site. Profiles will let you review all of your character information at a glance, share it with others, and check out the accomplishments of the other heroes out there.
You’ll be able to look at your heroes (or your friends’ heroes) from any page on the Diablo III site through our personalized menu. If you’re curious about the exploits of your fellow forum posters, it’ll be a simple matter to click over to their profiles and feel envious of their gear or how long they’ve managed to keep their Hardcore characters alive.
Our first profiles release will include these two elements:

A career tab that displays all of your heroes, how far you’ve progressed in the Diablo III campaign, how many foes you’ve slain, the names and playtimes of your fallen Hardcore heroes, and more.
A heroes tab that shows off your equipment (including dyes, socketed gems, all equipment bonuses, etc.), your attributes and skills, the skills and equipment of your Followers, and more.

We’re planning to add tabs that’ll show off your artisans and achievements as well. Profiles will be available on the site sooner rather than later, but you should feel free to share your suggestions and thoughts in the comments section below or in the Website Features forum.
We’ve also been hard at work on a ton of other website content, available to help you sharpen your knowledge and prepare to face the forthcoming onslaught. On Monday, May 14, you’ll be able to browse an updated Items section, which will include Legendary and Set items, as well as some specific hand-crafted items. In addition, you can:

Watch the new gameplay overview video – What Is Diablo III?
Experiment with class builds using the Skill Calculator.
Discuss the game on the Diablo III Community forums.
Pre-purchase Diablo III.

See you in Sanctuary!
- Blizzard Web Team

Original Post Here

Quick Comments

nirvAnA:

This is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!

**Bnet NewsBot** · Tue, 15th-May-2012, 2:43 AM

As we near Diablo III’s long-awaited May 15 launch date, we have some additional details to share on what to expect, how to prepare, and when you’ll be able to begin installing and playing.

Purchase the Game
If you haven’t already purchased Diablo III you can acquire it directly from Blizzard through the digital presale. You can also preorder the game at most major retailers and fine purveyors of high-quality gaming products worldwide. If you’re interested in the Diablo? III Collector’s Edition, please be aware that this physical retail-only edition is printed in limited quantities and has already sold out in most places that take preorders on games. We recommend calling around and checking if your local retailers will have the Collector’s Edition available.

Create Your BattleTag™
We expect that on launch night both the game service and website will be under very heavy strain due to the immense number of people excited to be among the first playing Diablo III. With that in mind, we highly recommend you create your BattleTag now, as it’s required to play Diablo III. Please keep in mind that this non-unique nickname is a permanent choice, and will display both in-game and on the website, so be sure to choose one you like! (What is a BattleTag?)

Regional Launch Times
As previously mentioned in the announcement of our midnight launch events, the launch time of the game is broken down by region.
The Americas (U.S., Canada, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, and South East Asia) servers open at: 12:01 a.m. PDT, May 15

Digital Presale Download
If you’ve purchased a digital copy you can begin downloading your client right now, and we highly encourage you to do so. We also have a Diablo III presale visual guide available that may be helpful. As it may take you some time to download the full game, it’s best that you begin early. This may afford you additional time to troubleshoot any downloader or installer issues you may encounter.

Early Install
We will be unlocking the game's installer at 8:01 a.m. PDT on May 14. This will allow you to begin installing the game, troubleshoot any issues you run into, download and install the launch day 1.0.1 patch, and be ready to play as soon as the servers come online.

Global Play Launch Time
We’ll be turning on Global Play when the game has launched in all regions. This means that you will not be able to play in a region outside your home region until after the Americas’ midnight launch at 12:01 a.m. PDT on May 15. We’ll provide an update once Global Play is enabled, and you’ll then be able to change the region you connect to through the game’s options. Please note that characters, items, and friends lists donottransfer across regions and players who use Global Play to connect outside of their home region will only be able to access the gold-based auction house. More information can be found in our Global Play introduction article.

Launch Night Login
As we’ve unlocked the Diablo III installer early, many people will be ready to log in right when the servers go live at midnight, so we’re going to be closely monitoring the impact on the service. It’s possible we’ll need to adjust the rate at which we’re logging people in to ensure a stable experience, and if we do you may see a delay when attempting to login. Please be aware that a delay of up to 40 seconds is possible while the game attempts to connect you. If your connection doesn’t succeed in 40 seconds, you’ll be presented with an Error 37 message and asked to try again. If you see this error it does in fact mean that you should try again. We’ll be working around the clock to keep you informed of any issues that are occurring through the in-game breaking news window, as well as the official forums.

Original Post Here

Quick Comments

nirvAnA:

This looks very familar. Haha!

**Bnet NewsBot** · Tue, 15th-May-2012, 10:30 AM

// Watch the Irvine Diablo III Launch Event Online //
Join the Machinima crew as they stream the Diablo III launch event live from the Irvine Spectrum in Southern California!
Machinima Realm personalities Hundar and Joel will be interviewing developers and joining in with fans to celebrate the release of Diablo III, and you can join them online to watch the festivities unfold. Don't miss out! The stream begins at 7:45 p.m. PDT on May 14 (04:00 CEST and 10:45 a.m. CST on May 15), and you can catch all the action at www.machinimalive.com.

// Diablo III Gameplay Streams //
In addition to the event stream hosted by Machinima, you can also hang out with our fansites as they countdown to the midnight launch. Join D3Sanc, Force Strategy, Sixen, and Day[9] for Diablo III commentary, gameplay discussion, and more. To find out who's streaming and when, check out the table below -- and be sure to share additional live streams in the comments!

Who

Where

When
D3Sanc
http://www.twitch.tv/D3Sanc
May 14, 10:00 p.m. PDT
Force
http://www.youtube.com/user/ForceSC2strategy
May 14, 11:00 p.m. PDT
Sixen
http://www.twitch.tv/onemoregametv
May 14, 10:00 p.m. PDT
/r/Diablo
http://www.twitch.tv/rdiablo
May 15, 12:30 a.m. PDT
Diablo Sanctuary
http://www.twitch.tv/diablosanctuary
May 15, 9:00 a.m. PDT
Day[9]
www.twitch.tv/day9tv
May 15, 9:00 a.m. PDT

Original Post Here

**Bnet NewsBot** · Tue, 15th-May-2012, 6:00 PM