Discussion of Daily Rewards in Diablo III
More details from the developers about the next patch, and a fix for AH errors lands on Tuesday
Read on for all the details on that, and why we won't see dailies in Diablo III anytime soon!
Server Maintenance
First up are details for the server maintenance on Tuesday:
Post by Blizzard (Blue Tracker, Official Forum)
We will be performing scheduled game maintenance for Diablo 3 on Tuesday, March 19th. Maintenance will begin at 5:00 AM PDT and is expected to last for 6 hours. During this time Diablo 3 will not be available for play. In addition, many web services may be unavailable.
Thank you for your patience.
Thank you for your patience.
Auction House Errors Fixed
That maintenance is scheduled to include a fix for the Auction House errors 0 and 31048, that have caused so much grief for players trying to sell items.
Post by Blizzard (Blue Tracker, Official Forum)
[UPDATE 3/18] Thanks for everyone’s patience while we've investigated the issues regarding errors 0 and 31048. I know that these bugs have caused a lot of player frustration, and the process of figuring out, fixing, and testing the bugs took longer than we would ideally like to see. The multiple bugs causing Error 31048 and 0 were complex, but we have managed to zero in on what we believe will fix these issues.
With the 1.0.7a patch, we deployed a partial fix. This fix corrected a problem where some players were erroneously receiving the wrong error (0) instead of the correct error (31048). After the patch, players no longer receive Error 0 and instead receive the correct error (31048) when the bug is encountered.
We have now completed fixing and testing the rest of the issue -- the error 31048 itself -- and we are currently scheduled to deploy this fix with tomorrow morning's (3/19/13) maintenance. If you continue to experience this problem after tomorrow's maintenance, please post on the forums to let us know.
We are very sorry for the inconveniences these errors have caused and once more thank you for your continued patience and understanding.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are active investigations as to all of the causes of these errors, and we are working as fast as we can to deduce and fix any possible causes for these errors. We're aware that a good number of posts on this forum specifically have been posted regarding these issues, but I just want to put this post up here to make sure you all know that we are looking into fixing them asap.
I cannot give specific times as to when these fixes will be implemented and/or patched/hotfixed into the game. Please do not post asking for updates on the progress of fixing this issue. I will keep you updated as often as possible as to the statuses of these issues.
Thanks everyone for the reports!
With the 1.0.7a patch, we deployed a partial fix. This fix corrected a problem where some players were erroneously receiving the wrong error (0) instead of the correct error (31048). After the patch, players no longer receive Error 0 and instead receive the correct error (31048) when the bug is encountered.
We have now completed fixing and testing the rest of the issue -- the error 31048 itself -- and we are currently scheduled to deploy this fix with tomorrow morning's (3/19/13) maintenance. If you continue to experience this problem after tomorrow's maintenance, please post on the forums to let us know.
We are very sorry for the inconveniences these errors have caused and once more thank you for your continued patience and understanding.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are active investigations as to all of the causes of these errors, and we are working as fast as we can to deduce and fix any possible causes for these errors. We're aware that a good number of posts on this forum specifically have been posted regarding these issues, but I just want to put this post up here to make sure you all know that we are looking into fixing them asap.
I cannot give specific times as to when these fixes will be implemented and/or patched/hotfixed into the game. Please do not post asking for updates on the progress of fixing this issue. I will keep you updated as often as possible as to the statuses of these issues.
Thanks everyone for the reports!
Dailies in Diablo III
Developer Wyatt Cheng provided some thoughts on whether Diablo III should have "dailies", bonuses that you get for completing something each day in the game. He discusses how the developers view Diablo III, as a game that people can leave and return to as they like; players shouldn't feel that they are "missing out" for not playing at a specific increment of every day, every week, etc.Post by Blizzard (Wyatt Cheng on Reddit)
This is something that comes up from time to time internally. Rather than talk about any specific solution, I'll share our general philosophy on these sorts of systems so you guys know where we're coming from.
The main arguments in favor of a "daily" system is to provide a little extra reward for logging in every day, and to narrow the progress gap between players who put many hours into the game and players who only play a few. Despite these positive benefits, there are also downsides to implementing a daily incentive system in a game like Diablo 3.
At its core, any system based on a bonus tied to real-world time can quickly begin to feel mandatory, and after the initial enjoyment wears off, it can leave some players with a sense of obligation. Ultimately, we don't want playing to feel "mandatory" on days you're not excited to log in. This applies on any time scale, as we don't want the game to feel "mandatory" on a weekly or monthly basis either.
Another issue is if you set the game aside for a while it can feel like you are "missing out". There are lots of good games out there, we get that - we like to play them too! :) Our philosophy is: play some Diablo 3, check out other good games that come out, and return to Sanctuary again when you're ready. When you do pick up D3 again, we don't want it to feel like you're signing up for a commitment. If your buddy says "Hey - the last patch added XYZ, come play with me," we don't want your first thoughts to be "Sounds fun, but I really don't have time to play every day"
This isn't a definite yes or no to such a system, but more just sharing where we're coming from, and why I'd label us "cautious" when it comes to features such as this.
The main arguments in favor of a "daily" system is to provide a little extra reward for logging in every day, and to narrow the progress gap between players who put many hours into the game and players who only play a few. Despite these positive benefits, there are also downsides to implementing a daily incentive system in a game like Diablo 3.
At its core, any system based on a bonus tied to real-world time can quickly begin to feel mandatory, and after the initial enjoyment wears off, it can leave some players with a sense of obligation. Ultimately, we don't want playing to feel "mandatory" on days you're not excited to log in. This applies on any time scale, as we don't want the game to feel "mandatory" on a weekly or monthly basis either.
Another issue is if you set the game aside for a while it can feel like you are "missing out". There are lots of good games out there, we get that - we like to play them too! :) Our philosophy is: play some Diablo 3, check out other good games that come out, and return to Sanctuary again when you're ready. When you do pick up D3 again, we don't want it to feel like you're signing up for a commitment. If your buddy says "Hey - the last patch added XYZ, come play with me," we don't want your first thoughts to be "Sounds fun, but I really don't have time to play every day"
This isn't a definite yes or no to such a system, but more just sharing where we're coming from, and why I'd label us "cautious" when it comes to features such as this.
Broadcast to Friend's List
In another thread about communication via the Friends List feature, Mr. Cheng mentions another feature being added in patch 1.0.8, to help the multiplayer experience.
Post by Blizzard (Wyatt Cheng on Reddit)
The ability to set a broadcast similar to SC2 and WoW is currently one of the features planned for 1.0.8, along with other features to improve multiplayer.
Vendor Prices with Lower Drop Rates
Developer Travis Day replied to a question about the cost of selling items to vendors, when the item drop rates are lowered in a future patch.
Post by Blizzard (Blue Tracker, Official Forum)
As designers part of our job is to understand and be aware of the ripples caused by changes we make. Reducing the drop rate of items in the future will certainly impact the rate at which players acquire gold and crafting materials and we will adjust values where necessary to compensate for this.
This week will bring even more news from Blizzard, first with the Ask the Devs answers about itemization, and then the big PlayStation 3 display at PAX East this weekend. Check back with us for all the details as they arrive!
Recent News
Server optimizations are being tested on the Public Test Realm
Official patch notes and server changes for Season 7
An overview of the patch that is arriving this week, and bringing Season 7
A look at the rewards in Season 7, and the journey to achieve them
A weekend Diablo III bonus buff on the PC, PS4, and Xbox One
Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition
The console Diablo III edition includes all of the Reaper of Souls content, and special social features!
PlayStation 3
Xbox 360
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
Hot Topics
Official patch notes and server changes for Season 7, including new Torment difficulties and a nerf to group buffs.
An overview of the bigger changes and additions in patch 2.4.2.
A look at the rewards in Season 7, and the journey to achieve them.
Diablo III: Reaper of Souls Ultimate Evil Edition Strategy Guide
A guide for the console edition of Diablo III. Includes details on all the classes, crafting, monster lore, and much more!
Track Your Diablo III BattleTag
Use the BattleTag Locator to view a Diablo III account and characters, including heroes and Paragon Levels for Season 3!
