Custom/Diamond Avatars, and their stories.

Everyone that has done a Diamond pack....are you allowed to reveal your secrets? Its driving me bonkers, and I HAVE to know at least a few of them. Can everyone who has 'collaborated' and made their own custom in game item link it? And I would also like to see all the cool custom Avatars! I guess this could be pretty cool if I got maybe some background story too?

Avatar story/reasoning?

Item link and a little history?

Did you get any swag signed, and what was signed/by who?

I would LOVE to get to know the people that made this incredible game possible. If you know any of the other diamond supporters, let them know to come here and post please. You DONT have to post history/reasoning/stories if you dont want, but I think the community would REALLY like to know more, I sure as hell would.
'It is good to contact a moderator if you feel someone is being a twat' Charan, Forum Moderator

Sometimes, we have to cross a ditch.
Sometimes, we have to cross an ocean.-Rhys, GGG
Last edited by Zalm on Dec 3, 2012, 5:42:14 PM
Technically the avatar collection thread served this purpose, although it was less about discussing the diamond support process and more about showing off forum bling, as it were.

I'll be bumping it pretty soon.

A fair query about revealing the secrets, and the short answer is 'no'. In designing a unique, for example, sometimes you learn about mechanics that aren't in yet. That's clearly a nono for forum revelation. And while some diamond supporters are happy to chat with other diamonds about their ideas (it's good to gauge the field so to speak -- we all want to make something *unique* after all), I've known a few to be very secretive about their plans. And that's cool too.

I got everything signed, but I won't mind if all the devs don't sign it all. I'm not sure if mine is done yet -- the team knows I'm away from home and hopefully haven't sent my pack yet. As long as Chris signed everything I'm cool. I just relish the idea of causing him a little more strain for my buck. I'm a bit of a prick like that.

I'd be happy to tell you about the process of making a unique if you want. Might be handy for future diamonds to get an idea of what's involved. It's SO MUCH FUN and horribly addictive. Also, since my unique was one of the first, I'm certain I'll be making a few more in the future now that the standard has been raised so much further than my first.

Oh, the unique compendium in the beta general discussion board, created and maintained by the very awesome Facelicker, lists all the known uniques and who made them if it is known.

My avatar has a version of my item in it. It's very nifty and was the very first custom forum avatar, but like my item, has been clearly superseded by newer works. My envy will probably make GGG more cash sooner or later.

I think that this level of involvement with the game and direct contact with the devs is a *steal* at a thousand dollars. Of course, I'd hate to meet someone to whom a thousand dollars isn't a considerable sum of money, but...as I've said elsewhere, if I could back in time and spend a grand to create an item for Diablo 2, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Some of these uniques are build-defining stuff. People are essentially being given the chance to create a build *that the game didn't have before they put it in*.

Oh, and Maps? Creating a Map? Man, I WISH I had the level of creativity and...yes, sadism to create one of those. I know someone who is, and she's doing something *I cannot wait to play*.

It's not often I'm given the chance to seriously gush about the diamond level of support, but dude, it's freakin' awesome.

Probably the best part is that while you're technically paying GGG to do some of their work for them by helping fill the massive unique roster, they do their best to make it fun and not work. They are working for you and make it very clear. As much as I do not believe in using a financial position to 'buy' favour, it is inevitable that being a diamond will get you direct contact with the devs and thus you have their ear to some degree. Not abusing that ear can be a challenge in itself but they're just so stupidly friendly sometimes.

That all said, you CANNOT buy game experience or expertise, and there are beta members at all support levels who have and will change this game forever. Diamond is sort of a short-cut there, but it's still something you wouldn't do without genuine love for and belief in this game.
Warhammer 40k Inquisitor: where shotgunning is not only not nerfed, it is deeply encouraged.

Dogma > Souls, but they're masterworks all. You can't go wrong.

I was right about PoE2 needing to be a separate, new game. It was really obvious.
FANTASTIC...its kinda sucks you cant reveal the secrets of your special gear, since it involves indepth game knowledge and is kinda like a non disclosure thing, But I did betas for games that made me sign those before, so I understand. I was ACTUALLY hoping more for some backgorund, like stories. I KNOW some of the diamonds out there have got to have some FASCINATING stories about their perspective ideal they wanted in the game.

Like personally, I would have made a nice little wand and called it Zalm's Stick. It would have generally had normal mods, save for one mod that I've always been kinda partial to...Regen. I would have wanted it to have MASSIVE healing and mana regen, but otherwise lackluster stats. It would have been more of the idea to make you weak, but impossible to kill out of sheer sustainability. Maybe one day...I could get something like that.

But overall...I am more about the ideas behind your stuff, not exactly the process and details of the gear/avatars. No offense but I like stories, and honestly...who doesnt like talking about themselves normally, if asked at least?
'It is good to contact a moderator if you feel someone is being a twat' Charan, Forum Moderator

Sometimes, we have to cross a ditch.
Sometimes, we have to cross an ocean.-Rhys, GGG
Oh, that's easy. I wrote a manuscript a few years ago (one of those 'yes this took ten years but I HAVE A LIFE' deals) and it concerns Charan and his...sadomasochistic relationship with his possibly sentient sword.

(innuendo you ask? Why yes, yes indeed. Both ends.)

What, you thought I'd pay a grand and not be completely self-indulgent?

Another unique I'm working on is inspired by a survival/documentary show I like called 'Survivorman'. That's all I'll say there. :)
Warhammer 40k Inquisitor: where shotgunning is not only not nerfed, it is deeply encouraged.

Dogma > Souls, but they're masterworks all. You can't go wrong.

I was right about PoE2 needing to be a separate, new game. It was really obvious.
"
.sadomasochistic relationship with his possibly sentient sword.

(innuendo you ask? Why yes, yes indeed. Both ends.)


Thats a little....weird, but ok...so I suppose thats Charans sword in your avatar...Any reason its surrounded by a SLEW of dead bodies? or just for the hell of it, cuz you can?
'It is good to contact a moderator if you feel someone is being a twat' Charan, Forum Moderator

Sometimes, we have to cross a ditch.
Sometimes, we have to cross an ocean.-Rhys, GGG
"
Charan wrote:


I'll be bumping it pretty soon.



mmm looking forward to it :)
"
Zalm wrote:
"
.sadomasochistic relationship with his possibly sentient sword.

(innuendo you ask? Why yes, yes indeed. Both ends.)


Thats a little....weird, but ok...so I suppose thats Charans sword in your avatar...Any reason its surrounded by a SLEW of dead bodies? or just for the hell of it, cuz you can?


Well, it's surrounded by corpses but it's also broken, worn...and stuck there. I suppose I wanted it to represent that perhaps Charan's days of relying on it are past. At a greater level of remove, it represents that I'm no longer on a forum to cut people.

SO why AM I here? That may yet be revealed...

Jazzo: it's so awesome. ;)
Warhammer 40k Inquisitor: where shotgunning is not only not nerfed, it is deeply encouraged.

Dogma > Souls, but they're masterworks all. You can't go wrong.

I was right about PoE2 needing to be a separate, new game. It was really obvious.
"
Zalm wrote:
Did you get any swag signed, and what was signed/by who?


I confirmed that the GGG Devs had an enormous workload. Then I doubled it.

Everyone's apparently going to sign everything! :D
Former player moderator, valued poster, and early-adopter responsible for The Blood Dance.

GGG has forgotten where they came from. As a result, I no longer support the deceitful, corporate Tencent slave sellouts running this game.
"
"
Zalm wrote:
Did you get any swag signed, and what was signed/by who?


I confirmed that the GGG Devs had an enormous workload. Then I doubled it.

Everyone's apparently going to sign everything! :D


well thats cool. Getting everything signed by everyone...I was thinking you got like a list of devs and stuff they can sign, but I dunno...

COMEON DIAMONDS....I wanna hear some stories!
'It is good to contact a moderator if you feel someone is being a twat' Charan, Forum Moderator

Sometimes, we have to cross a ditch.
Sometimes, we have to cross an ocean.-Rhys, GGG
"
Zalm wrote:
COMEON DIAMONDS....I wanna hear some stories!
Open Beta is released 3 December 2012

Report Forum Post

Report Account:

Report Type

Additional Info