Supporter newsletter 30

Issue
This is a copy of Eternal and Diamond Supporter Newsletter #30, published by Grinding Gear Games.

Hey Diamond, Eternal and Unique Item Creator Supporters,

Over the last week we have been making the changes in the internal balance tool to add the Act 3X areas to the game.

The main tool we use on the game design side is called the Game Data Tuxedo. This is a tool made in C#, which generates the balance tables used in game. We make changes for balance in this tool, which it stores the information in XML, and this is then converted into binary tables for use in the live game.

It is called the Game Data Tuxedo, as the original version was misnamed the Game Data Suit, instead of Suite when it was first made (by a non-native English speaker). When it was upgraded and improved, it made sense to upgrade its name from Suit to Tuxedo.

The data includes all the items (over 1000 base types), monsters, active skills, passives, quest data and world areas.

This is the primary tool Rory and I work with to create uniques and item mods, and it allows us to quickly trial balance changes and items.

0.11.6

We're looking at four uniques for 0.11.6 The GGG uniques will be trap-centric, while the supporter uniques will give new ways to think about offense and defense on an end-game character.

Insider Info

This week, we have another excerpt from our lore:

The Purity Chronicles, Book 5: The Emperor is dead. Long live the Emperor.

"On the last day of Divini 1334 IC, High Templar Voll laid siege to Sarn. Commander Adus of Highgate soon joined Voll, bringing his legion and a horde of miners to bolster the Army of Purity’s ranks. Thus surrounded, Emperor Chitus rallied his gemlings for a desperate defence of the capital. His efforts were cut short by Lord Mayor Ondar who, on the 2nd Kaso of Derivi, stabbed Chitus to death on the steps of the Sceptre of God.

With Victario’s help, Ondar was able to flee through the sewers and escape to Voll’s encampment. But Ondar’s term as the Hero of Purity was a short one. Two weeks later he was found by Victario’s men in the Sarn sewers, seated and cross-legged, with his severed head in his lap. It was later discovered that the Perandus family had hired Coralito of the Silent Brotherhood to pluck Ondar from Voll’s camp and deliver their vengeance for Chitus’ murder.

Yet despite their desperate efforts, Chitus’ mourners were unable to save their city. Faced with Victario’s uprisings in the Slums, Docks and Warehouse District, and constant attacks from without, Lord Cadiro Perandus met with Voll on the on the 1st Sacrato of Phreci and offered Sarn’s unconditional surrender.

Voll and his Army of Purity marched through the gates of the capital and less than a week later Voll of Thebrus was crowned Emperor.”

- Garivaldi, Chronicler to the Empire