Monte Carlo

You will be delighted to learn that (Advanced) Fighting in Tunnels only has four character classes: Tunnel Fighter - doughty tunnel warrior and expert at killing things in tunnels Maze Mage - a magic-user, skilled in subterranean magic and bending the tunnel environment to their will! The Sapper - Engineer, scout, medic, hero! Prospect - roll a character with less than optimal stats, and not qualify for the main classes? Reach level 2 (if you dare) as a Prospect and choose any class (even if your stats are below those normally required) and get a boost to your prime statistic.

^ Yeah, just better drops would be a start. I beat a blue elite mob in NM and get a load of dreck. Sheesh.

I think creating a joke, unbeatable level isn't viable anymore. If you put it in, folks expect to be able to beat it.

Thanks. I'll have a look at that too, am in a strategy mood to Ying / Yang my fun (but utterly mindless) Diablo 3 fixation.

Have read all your comments and am grateful. It's a steep learning curve and the mish-mash of cultural ideas is, TBH, grating. I was expecting factions to have distinct flavours as opposed to the Bronze Age 'English' developing Buddhism. But onwards and upwards.

Actually, that article is one of the most informative, gamer-friendly and reasonable patch notes I've seen for a long time. It's not like I'm a Blizz fanboi or anything. @ LadyC, what do you think about the notes re. inferno... I like a lot of others thought that inferno was a joke but it looks like Blizz are treating it seriously as a viable level to beat...

Italy's problems are manifold: yes corruption, massive regional imbalances, a corporatist system, weak coalition governments and now an EU satrapcy in Mario Monti. Northern and Southern Italy are almost like separate countries. But corruption and organised crime are not as pronounced as Russia, where organised crime is a government department.

I've got a Bbn too, at level 43 halfway through NM. Come and give me a freakin' hand next time your on. My DH is on normal still.

The thing is building a high DPS / high armour / high UP tank is darn tough and predicated on grinding / farming and auction house pot luck. None of which I can be arsed to do.

Level 13 Demon Hunter. Those chakram things are the most OP, munchkin powaz ever. I love it. I started with the toughest class, thinking it might be like the D2 Bbn who was one of the easiest...

Religion = $$$ Who'da thunk it?

It's downloading now, am quite looking forward to it. I know this is a biiiggg question but any general advice for a compete n00b? I'm very used to strategy games but this is a new one on me.

I'm getting the snot kicked out of me at level 44 on Nightmare, second part of Act II. These flaming goblins ('flaming goblin' sounds like a c0cktail) keep burning me alive... damn the barbarian. Guess I need a monk. Tigs has a high level demon hunter who is a one man army, mebbe should level up one of those suckers.

Got the whole lot on Steam (game +3 exps) for

Sounds like a Civ IV bundle is the answer. Thanks all.

I can't wait for Scottish independence, frankly.

The Infinity Engine was mentioned, wasn't it? And Alex>Nikita. I think one of the new sports sims uses an 'infinity' engine.

Krezzie, you need to get on a plane out of the land of spiders and skin cancer. Italy is a first world country. Warsaw is more first world than Adelaide. I take your point about Russia, though, it's got a 100 AD political system, or is that unfair on The Romans?

Hmmm. The last episode was a bit meh IMO and I love GoT. Too much to tie up in an hour, so they didn't. SPOILERS --- and the sudden zombie invasion... WTF? All a bit sudden, wasn't it?

Wow the score for that is by LOL Slovenian band Laibach!

Rift still has a subs model. I tried it but couldn't get into it, I think MMOs aren't for me. I liked the look of the Conan one, though.

Hi guys As a strategy game sucker I am tempted to try out Big Sid's Civ games. Any pointers which one (s), as a complete novice to the series, I should be trying out? Cheers MC

Hurlie, you need to do something about that MMO habit dude. You're like Al Pacino in Scarface, but instead of mountains of Gak you surround yourself with more and more MMOs

Can't happen quick enough.

^ That was a good vid, I agree with a lot of it. I think Blizzard will make changes as the game goes on, especially re. the AH (which is still down for gold btw).