Contents of the box are:

Diablo III Full Game
DVD Behind the scenes
Diablo III Soundtrack
Artbook of Diablo III
Skull of Diablo
4gig USB Soulstone Flash Drive containing the full game of Diablo II & Diablo II: Lord of Destruction
Special digital bonus features in Blizzard games:
“Aesthetic Artifacts” in Diablo III: Two special glowing dyes and glowing Tyrael wings
World of Warcraft Fetish Shamen pet
Starcraft II Battle.net character portraits

Shortly after Amazon posted this I pre-ordered it, knowing I’m going to get the game once it comes out. Plus, how can anyone say no to a statue of Diablo’s skull?

*Images and information gathered from http://www.diablowiki.net/Diablo_III_Collector’s_Edition

It’s only been a few days since Blizzcon announced the new Wizard class for Diablo 3, and since they made the announcement that apparently, the world seems to think someone came into the night, robbed your house, stole your baby, raped your family (yes, even the pets) and then said “Don’t worry, we never loved you.”

Why the outcry? Well if you’re asking, you don’t care about Diablo, so it probably won’t bother you anyway. However, Blizzard made the statement that Diablo 3 will be using auto-stat assignment. Which has brought forth a huge debate amongst people saying how they are taking away the uniquness of the game. Turning the game into WoW 2.0, Being lazy so they don’t have to program extra stuff. It all comes down to, 1/3 of the people making their argument are saying they will no longer be able to create an Axe Wielding, Plate Armor donning Sorc. (Honestly, this was the ONLY thing I read on the forums, no one said anything else about altering another class. Only Sorc, wearing plate…. wielding a huge axe)

The other 2/3 of the people shouting out for the love of their beloved franchise, had this exact statement. “With auto-stat assignment, I won’t be able to put just enough points in the skills I need to equip items, while I dump the rest into Vit.”   Dump the rest into Vitality…  let’s sit back, and think for a moment.

If everyone claims they are great at HC PVP (which they all did) and they all stated they put enough points to use their gear, while using other gear to help achieve this goal I might add, so they could then, dump the rest of their points into Vitality.   Where is the difference here of EVERYONE doing that, to everyone having auto-assigned stat points?! Honestly people, have they not understood what they were saying? If every one’s stats where coming out the same when you could assign your own stats, I don’t see what the difference is when everyone has their stats auto-assigned?  I just want to find these people and as my professor says “Punch them in the throat!” as he follows up with a quick jab across the air

I can see the argument coming from those that made their axe wielding sorc donned in plate armor. Yet again, let’s face the facts on this one people. You only made that class for two reasons. The first, you’ve beat the game multiple times and where bored. Yeah it was a way to make the game different and fun, but that’s probably a small portion of the community that did that. And it was just to see how well you did.

Second, I remember when the melee sorc started appearing. People where getting the items like the sword that gave +6 to the fire enchant skill. (Sorc only skill) So if Blizzard put these items in the game, didn’t they intended for you to try to make these characters? Why make an item and have 100% no use for it.  So isn’t there a chance, just a small fraction, that maybe in D3 they can do the same? Maybe make some items that could affect your character in different ways then it was meant to be played?

That’s it for my ranting for right now, as for me, I’m good with the game either way, auto or not. My love for the game was the reason the game ever became popular. Random Generated Dungeons, Random Generated Loot. I love the treasure hunt, as long as my character can still go kill random mobs with some friends and acquire some phat loot. I’m a happy customer. Everything else I’ve read about the game so far seems more appealing.

Plus, I often found myself sitting there with over 100 skill points and thinking “I wonder what I should do with those?”

Just a quick rant about an article I read. (After I was directed there by John)

Tis a sad day when all the beloved characters we have all known and love, shall just disappear into the evil world known as B.Net. I had some good times with you Sorc!

Remember that time we were rushing a friend? You teleported so much and so fast, you went right off the map, into darkness!! I mean, you couldn’t even see the actual game map any more.  Then that time you had that ethereal occy? You cast frozen orb on a cow, accidentally smacked him in the face and shattered him to bits, but lost a point of durability?  That point wasn’t lost in vein!!

How could I forget you my Amazon? Back in the days when guided arrows could penetrate a target as many times as it could? Diablo had about 4 guidded arrows going through him in multiple directions… good times, good times.

Memories…

They have added some new ways to switch your attacks and new ways to make doing attacks easier. You can now use the mouse wheel to roll between different melee attacks and at the bottom where the potion bar use to be, now you can place your skills for easier use. (Now where have I seen that done before…)

As with all old titles being brought to new, the game play, point of view and everything else we loved from the previous titles will look exactly the same, but with fancier graphics! However, from the game play video I saw, there does appear to be much more gore…. much more! I’m talking during the boss fight, the boss picked up one of the players, ate his head right off the body, tossed the body.  The original Mortal Kombat would be proud.

There are some new classes, although as of right now they have only stated Witch Doctor and Barbarian. Along with apparently the option to finally make either sex of any class. As they showed off the female Barbs and Witch Doctors standing next to the males for the boss fight.

Environment looks to have a play in the game play now, as they exampled the Barbarian hitting a wall and watching it come falling down on top of a group of monsters.

So my final thoughts? Does it look good? It looked just as I said, Diablo 2, better graphics, more lighting. But I loved Diablo 2 and the graphics, so yes I think it looks good.

Game play? Once again, looks pretty solid, although I’m not so sure I’m a fan of the new easier skills.

Will I go to the midnight sale of Diablo 3 like a crazed little kid?  Duh!

Oh… one last thing.  One of the Witch Doctors spells, Wall of Zombies!  That’s right, a whole fucking wall of Zombies going for your brains!