Greetings fellow nerds, it is May 23, 2012, and welcome to episode #8 of the Instagib podcast, the one stop shop for multiplayer gaming goodness.  My name is Jason Thomas and I'm joined, as always, by the perpetual player 2, Aidan. “I’m plugged in and ready to play! (Aidan)” “That’s what I like to hear. (Jason)”

We’ve got some great stuff for you this week,all of which will make you want to stay a while and listen..

Show Updates, Feedback, Emails

Other Happy Nerd Media partners

The Guardian Tank

Lore Stories

Recap of previous week (Minecraft)

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CONTEST: show outro

Preface

What have we been playing this week? (MP terms, of course)

Actually...better question...has anyone played anything BESIDES D3????

Multiplayer Game News

News item #1 - Black Ops 2 release date

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2012/05/treyarchs-futuristic-black-ops-sequel-leaked-for-nov-13-release.ars

News item #2 - TOR dying?

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2012/04/is-the-old-republic-becoming-an-old-ghost-town-openforum-gamers-debate.ars

News item #3 - Portal 2 PTI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U38n3OmiDCc&feature=youtube_gdata

Classic Game of the Week: DIABLO 1 & 2

D1: 1996 - D1 Hellfire: 1997 - D2: 2000 - D2LOD: 2001 - Action RPG from Blizzard

Isometric adventure/RPG

The story so far

The Diablo plot has been a straightforward one. The world of Diablo is set on a planet called Sanctuary.  The first game begins when the player arrives at Old Tristram. The player discovers the nearby Cathedral and must fight his way into the depths, killing stronger monsters with every level. The player saves Leoric’s soul by slaying the his corrupted form, the Skeleton King, and later kills the old Archbishop Lazarus. Finally, the player kills Diablo (but only his physical form), leaving the devil himself trapped within a magical soul stone. In an attempt to end this evil once and for all, the player embeds the soulstone into his own skull, convinced he is the one who will be able to endure Diablo’s essence without becoming corrupted by his evil whisperings. Surprise, surprise, Diablo takes over the body of the player and corrupts the world once again, setting the groundwork for Diablo 2.

The second game begins at the Rogue Encampment where the villagers tell tales of an evil and vile force. Just like the first game, the player must enter a Monastery and slay a corrupted force. This time, that evil comes in the form of Archbishop Andariel, a rogue corrupted by “The Dark Wanderer”. The player moves into the desert in search of Tal-Rasha’s tomb, but they arrive too late. Baal has escaped the tomb and has been used by The Dark Wanderer to form a new mortal body for Diablo. Before leaving the desert sands, the player defeats Duriel, who is serving as the jailer of the archangel Tyrael.  Following the Dark Wanderer past the deserts, the player finds Diablo’s portal deep within the jungle and kills his demon guard Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred and one of 3 Prime Evils encountered in the game. Finally, with Tyrael’s help, the player enters Hell and kills Diablo, shattering his soul stone. In the expansion to Diablo 2, Tyrael informs the player that the Worldstone, a magical barrier preventing the forces of Heaven and Hell from entering Sanctuary, has been corrupted by Baal.  The player chases Baal to a dark stronghold in the Barbarian lands of Arreat Summit in the north and destroys both Baal, the Lord of Destruction and his enabler, Elder Nihlathak. After this, Tyrael destroys the corrupted Worldstone, not knowing the ultimate consequences, but stating that it must be done.

The plot of Diablo 3 opens as the player discovers New Tristram, a small village built by the same Cathedral from the first game.

Talking points

Loot grab multiplayer dungeon crawler