Blizzard says if you want to be the best you have to trade

This post from Blizzard Community Manager Bashiok hits the nail on the head with what we've been saying about loot. If you want the good stuff you have to trade or buy and sell.

Diablo has always been a random number generator. You walk into a dungeon and it's randomly generated into a configuration. You pick up a piece of loot and it's randomly generated with a set of stats. This is how it was in Diablo 1 and 2 and in 3 it's a much greater beast. We have far more variety in stats than we did in the original Diablo and so the chances of you getting what you need from a random loot drop is so rare that if you set up your character with only random loot drops, and you were then able to complete higher level dungeons, if I were you I'd go and buy a lotto ticket!

Trade forums in Battlenet were nuts in Diablo 2 but I got a lot of my gear back then by monitoring for things in the chat and jumping into games with people to trade. The Auction House just provides an easy way to do that now.

This is what Bashiok had to say on the matter ...

Diablo III Tips

Finding help and tips on Diablo III is nothing short of painful. The amount of gold spam sites trying to convince you to click on buttons in order to sell you crap is pathetic. So what we've done is gathered all the useful tips and information we could find in the forums and also in the fabulous Reddit Diablo III community. There is more out there but this is a very good start.

If you've got a tip, or any useful information that might help other players please leave a comment on this post or on the Tips page and I will add it.

Workaround: Unsupported graphics card error in Diablo III

So, you've downloaded and/or installed Diablo III. You've got your Red Bull, your comfy slippers and track pants on and you're all set for a marathon first sitting of the game ... but what's this? The night is shattered when you load up the game and get an error:

"Unsupported graphics card error"

Why?

This rather generic error signals that your video card isn't powerful enough to play Diablo III very well. It might run it, but the performance won't be great. This isn't Blizzard's fault, it's your finances - time to upgrade if you can dude. But there is hope.

GAME FACE Episode 10: First Impressions of Diablo III beta.

Hillary Nicole: I got to play the Diablo III beta so these are my first impressions of it. I played the Demon Hunter and Witch Doctor.

Diablo 3 Beta Test Key! I Want it!!!

Diablo 3 beta announcement;

Countless hours of consulting the ancient prophecies and poring over dusty tomes have resulted in the unearthing of new information about Diablo III. The upcoming Diablo III beta test will introduce a treasure trove of exciting new features, including a new Auction House that will provide a powerful new way for your characters to acquire the implements of war. Prepare yourselves!

With the upcoming launch of the Diablo® III beta test, the armies of the Burning Hells will march forth from their forgotten lairs to besiege the mortal realms anew.

To prepare for this renewed demonic invasion, the Blizzard Insider has secured an exclusive interview with Lead Content Designer Kevin Martens as he shares his thoughts and insight on Diablo® III's upcoming beta test. So read on, and prepare yourself for the next chapter in the Diablo® saga.

Insider: Aside from the story elements, how are you tuning the game's combat encounters?

Kevin Martens: We want the game's difficulty to hit a range of "peaks" and "valleys" as the player progresses from battle to battle. During the "peaks", the challenge level spikes and players will be tested to their limits. In the "valleys", the difficulty relaxes and players can build up their health and energy again. From a gameplay standpoint, valleys are important because they allow players to learn and experiment with their abilities without too much fear of failure or death. It's the skills and techniques developed during the valleys that enable players to survive the peaks, which tend to be much tougher encounters, like ambushes, large groups, rare monsters, or even bosses. The peaks will require players to think quickly, spend their resources carefully, and move around the battlefield to avoid getting surrounded. Read on