Monthly Archives: May 2012

Episode 16 – Boss Guy Drops Stoof We Like!

27 Sunday May 2012

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Nevik, Breja, and Jen are all very excited about finally being able to play Diablo III! It was good to know that the game didn’t just end after you kill the Skeleton King. How many of you were still expecting to see text pop up on your screen after that kill, letting you know that you beat the Diablo III beta? ;)

Starting with this episode, we are including a new “segment”. Nevik, Breja, and Jen will be sharing what each of them have been up to in the Diablo III game. Don’t worry, we are being very careful not to reveal spoilers in our discussion.

Sponsor: Check out Audible for your FREE, no obligation 30 day trial including a free 1 credit book. audibletrial.com/diablo

In this episode:

* We read, and respond to, an amazing amount of listener email from LunarFisher, Floydman, Moogyver, and Ametous. We also go over a great comment that we got on the “Launch Night” blog post from Samuel Ma. We also got not one, but two, audio responses! Medros tells us how to find Development Hell, and Shawn clarifies about whether he is a runner or a clearer.

Send us your thoughts, comments, and Diablo III related stories to show@shatteredsoulstone.com. We will happily share them on the show!

* We quickly go over several new iTunes reviews from listeners. Big “Thank You!” to MrMistery, dws778899, Chad, and MMO4Life ! :)

* Nevik wrote a detailed blog post about his melee wizard on his blog, Nevik’s Notebook

* We talk a little about the Launch Night audio that Jen and Shawn recorded.

* Jen made a Diablo III Playlist for you to listen to. Shawn made it into a playlist on Spotify. (Thanks Shawn!)

* Jen finally got around to writing about the Diablo III 2012 wall calendar artwork for April. It’s about the Demon Hunter!

* Nevik and Jen were guests on Obscurecast! It is another show on the Dawnforge network, and we highly recommend you check it out.

* Please help out our good friend Skolnick! His Diablo III game is broken and won’t let him get in and start playing the game. If you have advice that can help him out, let him know @Skolnick_Who.

In Diablo news:

* Go get an Authenticator.

* Blizzard will help players in AU who didn’t get end up receiving their Diablo III game from GAME. Details here.

* The Real Money Auction House has been delayed.

* For more news, we recommend you check out Diablo Fans and Diablo Inc Gamers.

WE HAZ A NEW CONTEST!

Nevik is going to make a witch doctor. Yes, really! However, since he’s been calling the class “The Puke Doctor” for so long, he is now having difficulty coming up with a good name for him. Help Nevik come up with a name!

Whoever comes up with the best, funniest, or most appropriate name will win a Hard cover Diablo III Limited Edition strategy guide*. Send your best witch doctor name to @shatteredstone before Friday, June 8, 2012, (before we record episode 17).

* Unfortunately this contest is only open to our listeners within the US or Canada.

Email your questions to us at show@shatteredsoulstone.com

Show Links:

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Who Was “Ms. April”?

25 Friday May 2012

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The Diablo III 2012 wall calendar has some awesome artwork. Each piece that has been chosen for a particular month is definitely worth more than just the typical glance that people give their calendar’s when they need to add information to it. This blog is a continuation of the series I am doing about the artwork that is featured for each month in this year’s calendar.

I probably should have found time to write about “Ms. April” in April, but, clearly, that didn’t happen. You see, in April, there was this little thing happening that perhaps you heard about. It was called the Diablo III beta, and it took up all of my free time. I figured I’d have time to write this later on in the month, and it couldn’t hurt to play the beta for one more hour, one more night, one more level.

Once we learned that the beta was ending at the end of April, well, that became my focus. I’m certain I’m not the only one who couldn’t stop playing the beta. The class that I spent the majority of my time playing in the beta just so happened to be the one that was featured on the calendar in April.

There she stands, right in the center of the action, crossbows in each hand. Her eyes glow with hatred from beneath her black hood. On her back is a quiver filled with arrows, ready to be used to kill anything that crosses her path. This could be none other than the Demon Hunter.

Behind her, a demon with several arrows sticking out of him falls to his death. On her other side, a demon with two large, curved, horns on his head, screams in agony. He has been shot in the head with an arrow, and another sticks out of his shoulder. He might not be dead, yet, but his fate is sealed. Oddly enough, this demon seems to be wearing about the same amount of armor as “Mr. March”, the Barbarian who was featured on the calendar in March.

In the background, there is a bright orange glow. Is the Demon Hunter fighting in Hell, or, has her hatred colored the way she sees the world around her? Perhaps it is both.

The artwork you see at the top of this article is not, exactly, what appeared in the Diablo III calendar. What you see here is the same piece of artwork, however, it has been cropped into a rectangular shape that would not easily fit into the square shaped wall calendar. The cropped version does a pretty good job of capturing the action in the artwork.

Shortly before Diablo III launched, Blizzard did a countdown, of sorts, that included something called “Darkness Falls, Heroes Rise” For a limited amount of time, you could create a customized banner for each of the five playable classes of Diablo III. Blizzard started with the Demon Hunter class, and used the artwork that appeared in April in the Diablo III 2012 wall calendar as the background art for the Demon Hunter’s banner.

Want to know more about “Ms. April”, the Demon Hunter? I recommend that you watch this video that Blizzard created about the story behind the Demon Hunter class.

Your Playlist for Diablo III

23 Wednesday May 2012

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The music in the background of the Diablo III game is absolutely amazing. It blends so well with the overall feel of the game, yet somehow remains unobtrusive. When you finally stop killing mobs of monsters, there is a moment of calm, and that is when the music sweeps over you.

As much as I love the music of Diablo III, there was something compelling about the idea creating an alternative Playlist, of sorts, for players to enjoy during those annoying times when you can’t play the game. You know, like when you are commuting to or from work, running errands, or waiting for the servers to get back online. The following songs capture the essence of certain aspects of the Diablo III game.

Disclaimer: Some of the videos I have included are disturbing, and a few use swear words. You probably shouldn’t be watching them at work, or if you are a little kid.

Drowning Pool “Bodies”

“Let the bodies hit the floor… Let the bodies hit the floor….”
Slay those zombies, skeletons, and bosses. Let their bodies hit the floor (instead of your character’s), as you work your way through Normal.

Avenged Sevenhold “Nightmare”

“Die (Die!), die again (die!)”….Will that happen to you, or the mobs of monsters around you?

AC/DC “Highway to Hell”

This one is for all the “Runners”, rushing through the levels of the game.
“No stop signs, speed limits…. Nobody’s gonna slow me down”

Symphony X “Inferno”

A guitar fast enough to keep up with the rapid fire of the Demon Hunter’s double crossbows.
“A time will come … When all will see. In the end – it’s just a game”. A super addictive game!

The Monk has incredible speed mixed with a sense of structure and rhythm.
The playing style fits nicely with “Monk Chant” by a band called The Monks!

How to Destroy Angels – “BBB”

As much as I love the ability to duel wield crossbows, we all know that with the Demon Hunter wouldn’t be the same without those big, black, stiletto boots.
“Listen to the sound … of my Big Black Boots!”

“Destroyer” – Twisted Sister

No class is better at destroying enemies, (or barrels), than the Barbarian!
“And he cleaved the air with his fiery stare rend all those there…. Destroyer, destroyer…”

“Every Little Thing She Does is Magic” – The Police

Clayton Vaught referenced this song when he was asked which class he would play first when Diablo III was released. I cannot think of a better song to represent the Sorceress, … I mean Wizard…. class.

“Voodoo” – Godsmack

The Witch Doctor uses zombie dogs, and can raise a zombie warrior, to fight enemies for him. That’s gotta be some powerful voodoo!
“Demons dreamin… breath in… breath in”… and blow some poison darts at the monsters ahead of you!
I like how the overall theme of this video fits nicely into the Diablo III “universe”.

Diablo III Launch Night Audio

19 Saturday May 2012

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Jen, one of the “co-joeys” of the Shattered Soulstone podcast, and Shawn, the amazingly talented editor of the Shattered Soulstone podcast, decided to make an audio recording of their experiences when Diablo III first launched. Like many of you, we were not expecting what followed.

It was frustratingly difficult to attempt, over and over again, to log into the game.

We saw a whole lot of this:

…over and over again…

It was getting ridiculous!

At times, we were certain that we would not be able to get into the game at all on launch night. This was both disappointing and aggravating!

Eventually, though, with enough determination, both of us were lucky enough to be able to actually play Diablo III.

In addition to being frustrated, Jen and Shawn talked about the new errors that popped up, and included a running commentary of what other people on the internet were saying about launch night. Stay a while… and listen… (and laugh).

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Episode 15 – Nate Kenyon, The Order, and the end is HERE!

14 Monday May 2012

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Nevik, Breja, and Jen somehow managed to make episode 15 appear right around May 15, the day that Diablo III is released. We assure you that this was nothing more than a happy accident. I mean, it’s probably obvious that we aren’t amazingly organized. ;)

We are excited to bring you an interview that we did with Nate Kenyon. His book, Diablo III: The Order will be released on, you guessed it, May 15, 2012. Lots of epic fifteens in this episode! We had a great time talking with Nate, and we think you will really enjoy listening to this interview.

You can find out more about Nate Kenyon, and the other books he has written, on his website.

Medros joins us in this episode, to help keep us on track. Some of us may or may not have been drinking… um, mana potions, yeah… during parts of this episode.

Sponsor: Check out Audible for your FREE, no obligation 30 day trial including a free 1 credit book. audibletrial.com/diablo

In this episode
* We read, and respond to, listener email from Chronic Fatigue and Chaos. There is also one from Jen (because it amused Nevik to put it in the show). We also read and respond to an amazing comment that Chad wrote on our blog. Thanks, everyone!
Send us your Diablo related thoughts and experiences right to our inbox at show@shatteredsoulstone.com.

* Jen shares what happened at the end of the Diablo III beta.

* Chaos asked us: “Are you a runner or a clearer?

* Breja shares an amusing “May 15th” story from his wife.

* We have an exciting interview with Nate Kenyon! :D

* Jen wrote a review of Diablo III: The Order. Nate Kenyon said “it’s pretty damn good”.

In Diablo News:

* Things to know about the Real Money Auction House.

* Exciting stuff is coming in the Diablo III Character Profiles!

* Diablo: Wrath, animated by Peter Chung.

* Need advice about what to do before you start play Diablo: III? Blizzard has a Launch Day Preparation Guide for you.

* What class will you play? This article has what Jay Wilson, Clayton Vaught, Wyatt Cheng, Jill Harrington, and Matt Panepinto will be playing when the game launches.

* There are 6 Blue Posts that you should read before Diablo III is released.

* Did you get invited to the Diablo III beta? Then you are One of the Chosen. Enjoy your Feat of Strength.

* The Diableards are about to disappear! Check out this wonderful gallery of some really interesting ones. Reading the comments makes this even more fun!

Other Randomness:

* “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic

* Leeroy Jenkins. (Warning to those who care, there are swear words said in this video).

Email your questions to us at show@shatteredsoulstone.com

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Book Review – Diablo III: The Order

05 Saturday May 2012

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Coming soon, in fact, coming out the same day as the Diablo III game, (May 15, 2012), is the very first novel that was written with a connection to the newest version of the game we all are waiting for. The book is called Diablo III: The Order and it was written by Nate Kenyon This is not the first time he has written for Blizzard. He is also the author of Starcraft Ghost: Specters. However, Diablo III: The Order is his first foray into the Diablo universe, and, in my opinion, he gets it exactly right.

The beta for Diablo III ended just a few days ago, (and I miss it so!) When I first heard that the title of this book was “The Order”, it immediately brought to mind the NPC follower called The Templar. Those of you were in the beta, or who jumped in on the open beta weekend, probably played far enough into the beta to find him. You quickly learn that his name is Kormac, and he has quite a bit to say about “The Order”. Initially, I though this new Diablo book would be about his background.

My guess was wrong, though, and I am actually quite happy about that. Instead, the book is about Deckard Cain, and “The Order” refers to the Horadrim, (which Cain is the last surviving member of). Readers get to view the world of Sanctuary through Cain’s eyes, and listen in on his thoughts about the past, the potential future, and the current situation he is in. What could possibly be better than a novel where the illustrious Deckard Cain is the main character?

Readers get a glimpse of Cain’s past that you cannot discover simply by playing the Diablo games. We first find Cain when he is a pensive eleven year old boy, who doubts what his mother is trying to tell him about demons, angels, and his destiny. Later, we learn more about his family, what happened to them, and how that has deeply affected him.

In addition to learning more about Cain, readers also get the full story about exactly how he ended up taking care of Leah. In the beta, she refers to Cain as “Uncle Deckard”. What happened to her parents? How come Cain raised her, and not some other relative? Why did he decide to raise Leah himself, instead of placing her in an orphanage, or something? The answers are revealed in The Order. Kenyon also touches on something many Diablo players suspected… there is something a bit “off” about Leah. Readers get a glimpse of some of the ways that Leah is different from everyone else.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Diablo book without a “Big Bad” to fight against. Kenyon gets this exactly right, too. Part of Cain’s quest in this book is to try and discover if there actually are more Horadrim out there, and if so, where they are hiding. Without giving away any spoilers, I will say that there is a very scary “Big Bad” in this book, who controls creatures that are incredibly nightmarish. There are battles fought, and it is like you are right there with the combatants.

Those of you who come to this book after having played Diablo and/or Diablo II will recognize some of the scenarios that Cain refers to, (and the characters that were involved). If you happen to be someone who has read many of the other Diablo books, then you just might find a few familiar faces within this story. Also, those of you who had the opportunity to play the Diablo III beta will definitely recognize a particular creature when it appears in this book. For me, these little “easter eggs” made the book that much more special.

What if you are brand new to the Diablo “universe”? Maybe you are someone who has never played the previous versions of the game, and only have a vague understanding of what this is all about. Perhaps you are someone who got the Blizzard Annual Pass and is considering maybe giving Diablo III a try, since you will get it for free. If this describes you, then I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of The Order. It is a great way to get introduced to some of the background storyline before you start playing Diablo III. It is also an excellent way to catch up on much of the lore that was established in the first two games that you missed out on.

Personally, I think this is an excellent book. I read it in one night because I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. Kenyon really captured Cain’s personality and did an excellent job of rounding out Cain’s past. It now makes perfect sense to me why an old, scholarly, man like Cain would end up becoming the surrogate parent to a strange little girl like Leah, and also why the two have bonded so strongly. The book has a definite ending that ties together all the loose ends, and it includes a great, big, battle, and nightmarish creatures that will haunt your dreams. You have to read this book!

The Order will be coming to Audible on May 15th, narrated by Scott Brick