SP Diablo 2 players

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My son has been online with my old PC and he had terrible lag. We made some changes, which have improved the situation a lot. Apologies if you have already tried them.

1. 640x480
2. Lightning Quality - LOW
3. Blended Shadows - OFF
4. Perspective - OFF

We had to quit/re-start the game for them to appear to take effect properly.

If not, then just wop in a new gfx card.

 

Definitely take 2D mode rather than 3D, as the game looks horrible with that "half-dimensional" scaling.

Saves CPU too, if that is what you need.

**EDIT**

Okay, today went a bit awry from my behalf, as the lines were quite stuck when we started, forcing me to lag horribly and quit. Seems to be fixed now (someone hacking my ISP, probably, or zombie machine spamming the network).

We agreed that by Friday everyone would have "normal" difficulty completed and we would start completing "nightmare" -Act 1 again. Should be getting a lot more interesting, as monsters are a lot toughter than now. Friday, same time, same name.

[ September 14, 2004, 21:43: Message edited by: Wirhe ]

 

@ Bard

Yep tried all those - the main problem seems to be when everyone's spells are being cast simultaneously, or when there are too many things on the screen. I heard there was a Diablo 2 accelerator which speeds the game up for slower machines.

 

@Wirhe: lag was really bad for everyone on Battle.net today. Friday is a go. Slayer sp_BARDzon will be there (L34) and ready to rock.

@Tassadar: don't know about that. The other thing my son did was put a limit of 4 players on the games and asked Necros/Druids to unsummon some stuff if it was too bad.

Sometimes, just quitting out and re-starting will connect you to a faster server which might help. If not, maybe we should try and find a time to play that isn't so busy?

@Wirhe: my strange message to you earlier was because my son was online so I couldn't start straight away and he wanted to join in as he's been watching our exploits.

 

Bard you started overnew with an Amazon? What kind of?

 

She's a Javazon. I wanted a tank, plus some protection from a shield. I tend to use PJ and Jab more, but LF is building up. She can't kill anything very quickly with Jab as she only has a Throwing Spear (or whatever it is). I really do like her though and has survived much better than my Barb at the same level.

My Barb is doing NM Baal Runs now and is on L65 - doing very nicely now. When he first went into NM at L43 he just got his ass kicked by the monsters there.

I think we are going to have to do some Cow/Baal runs to try and boost our levels a bit - if even only 38-40. Before jumping feet first into NM, as the xp penalty starts getting a bit much if you die all the time.

I might do a couple of Cow runs this week as I could do with a Javelin type weapon that does more weapon, especially as I am the only tank now. Don't want an uber one (yet) but I could do with a decent magical one with increased stack and more damage.

I am L34 at the moment and won't go above L35 before friday. If either of you guys are going online to complete Norm, then look out for me as I am happy to come and help and I might find my Jav that way.

Are you two guys against receiving any gear I find along the way that you might find useful. It's not proper twinking as it's certainly not going to be uber stuff. Let me know anyway, as if you don't want things then I will pass them on or sell them.

Still have skill 7pts to spend. Hmmm......

 

Don't mind taking gear from a char who's part of the team and found it in another game. It's hyper powerful stuff you get from level 90 chars I won't accept.

I hang on to stuff I know you guys can use.

 

It is difficult with a purpose: to force the players stick together and use some teamwork. Thus far anyone of us could had cleared the levels alone, but as the amount of monsters increase and they get toughter, it forces players to think a bit further. Thus I believe doing "runs" of any kind and twinking works against this (rather good) purpose. Single-player mode is a different matter alltogether, though.

Besides, I just wish that we could play on without having to do some boring EXP-hunts a lâ Final Fantasy.

(But I have Wirt's Leg. Anyone feeling like massacring a big bunch of cows? )

 

Sure thing Wirhe but to beat this game we will need some nice gear and we won't get them fighting fallen ones in act 1. We have to at least do some Meph runs in nightmare.

 

The beauty of doing Baal runs is ...
1) you need to work as a team
2) they go very quickly
3) you can gain 2-3 levels in a session
4) you get the occasional decent drop (like Cathans Ring, hehe)

... my reasoning is to give ourselves a chance in NM. While I feel ranged characters, don't need to worry so much about their levels (as they use skills and can run away easier), the melee character does. I am happy to continue onto NM at L36 - my char is pretty robust, a slow melee killer but a killer with LF.

I have some items we can sort-of twink. These are just normal uniques, that may or may not be any better than rares you are using. They are not uber-items by any means. They were found with a low-30s char so I think they are acceptable

3 x Armours
Rockfleece - damage reduction (i might go back to using this)
Heavenly Garb - good for caster with mana/resists(currently wearing)
Boneflesh - good for physical damage dealer (currently on my merc)

1 x Bow
Blastbark

1 x Crossbow
Doomslinger

1 x Wand
Blackhand Key (i think?) - this is exceptional

Other ...
3% Lifesteal Ring
All Resists Amulet (i made it with PGems)
2-Socketed Bone Helm (have Sol rune)

I did have some other fairly nice Necro stuff (wall of eyeless and ume's lament), but I passed this on to BARDjr.

I've got myself some very nice rare equipment from gambling. God it costs a lot of money, but can't it be worth it My circlet has dual life/mana leach, plus other things. I just got a new bone shield with increased blocking, resists and 1-socket - so I wasted a rare jewel in it to boost the resists a bit, until I can get my 3-socket Tower.

When we are questing, keep an eye out for the following for me ...
1. 3-socket tower shield
2. Magic/Rare Throwing Spear or Exceptional Jav type

My char is developing really well. Each level is roughly S+1, D+3, V+1, E+0. 1=point in all pre-reqs with my main skills being ...
Jab - 1
PJ - 1
LF - 8
CS - 7
D/A/E - 4/2/1
Pen - 1
P - 1
Valk - 8
... i'll get LF and Valk to 10 each and then i'll work on my passives and possible some extra points in Jab (not sure on this). I'll then max LF and PJ, get Valk to 17+ with items. Then put the remainder in Passives and synergies.

No idea on end equipment yet, as this is a work in progress, but i'm gonna have to think about it as it has a bearing on what i put my stat points in to.

So, how are your characters coming on and do you want any of this equipment. Don't worry about using it Wirhe, NM is going to be really tough so any help is good, but not too much obviously.

My Javazon, shows that it is skills (esp. LF) that makes clearing levels fast, rather than just concentrating on equipment. The Bowazon is a different story though - I believe you need a good bow first and foremost as a bowazon. The Necro can work without great equipment as well, as he relies on his skills and minions more than anything.

@Apeman: Wirhe has completed Baal now and is all set for Friday. We had a good gaming session this afternoon (Moo Moo Moo). If you need help completing then give me a shout or look for me on Battlenet.

Give me an update on your chars guys, plus some idea what your main skills will be and any thoughts about equip we should be looking for.

 

Nightmare isn't that difficult at all; you're just exaggerating it to get yourself twinked up. If a necromancer can play the game through with all difficulties, then surely our party can do it too.

But when we reach 'hell' difficulty, you can start twinking as much as you want. I doubt any of the bosses manages to trash us before that.

 

Does that mean I can rejoin you when you beat NM?

 

If you are about 5 levels from our average; yes. At that difficulty everyone and everything is welcome, as you are supposed to have ûber-character by then (and still not making it a walk in the park). If you still manage to clear all the levels left-handed for us, you have my salute.

 

What will your average be then? I'm planning on 77 for my 'ûber' stuff.

EDIT: I'll probably die a lot even then, because i do not expect to have great resists. (maybe 50ish)

 

Well, IIRC my necromancer was about level 86 last time I reached ancients in the hardest difficulty, so my bet is that we will be about level 70 after finishing NM. Apeman and Bard will quite likely be a few levels ahead of me, so your char isn't that far off.

 

Great! Where are you lot now, when is next session, when do you expect to start Hell, and so on. I am in late Act 2 NM right now, level 54.

 

If you read above, we will start NM this Friday and our average level is ~31. How long it will take to clear it, I have absolutely no idea... I suspect you will be rushing past it in a matter of days whereas it can take some weeks from us.

 

@Wirhe: yeah, but you can hide behind a wall of bone. Talk about twinking up

 

Yeah, I would try that, especially to be on par with Bard's barb, but now that I'm accepted again (yay!) I might postpone it, though you probably wouldn't want to play with me through NM. So yeah, I'll probably power through, then start a new char, and who knows, if I'm really fast, he/she might be where you are before you're through NM... He/she'd probably be an equal level to SP_XeiWinToh, so you wouldn't want him/her either. Might do one for solo play instead.

Damn, this became a bit of a ramble... I'll stop now.

 

Just killed bhaal and reached level 33. Strafe hit level 7 and I'm planning maxing that one. A few points in pierce and penetrate and I can begin with putting points in the cold synergie tree.