So I would like to have a SEN equivalent for Diablo 3. Unfortunately google keep refering me to either blizzard-owned sites, or general video game sites like IGN with Diablo sub forums.

I want a real DIABLO 3 fan site, just about D3, where players can speak honestly about the game.

Who are the big boys in this arena?

I don't really know one, but...maybe try looking for D3 wikis (there is at least 1 I think) and check if there's any links to any forums on there? ;o

http://diablo.incgamers.com/ one-stop shop.

If you want a fawnsite run by fanboys, http://www.diablofans.com/

Yer I've been following incgamers for years they definitely are the best.

The owners of that site are actually on talking terms with the developers.

Hah, not really. They *used* to be on talking terms with Blizzard North. But Blizzard PR went all strange about something they posted about Starcraft 2 once, and ever since then the relationship has been strained. They also aren't part of the official fansite program, because that requires them to promise not to say negative things about the game, not talking about other games and other such restrictive crap. Flux and Elly pride themselves on giving honest news and opinions on the game, so they won't sign up to the fansite program under those conditions.

I know that Flux has Bashiok on IM, and I wouldn't be surprised if he had other Blizzard reps as well, but he's never alluded or hinted that he has direct contact with the actual developers (any more).

For the record I used to be quite involved with them back when they were diabloii.net. That's how I got an Act 5 mercenary named after me: http://diablo2.diablowiki.net/Mercenaries#Barbarian_Merc_Names

Well that's what I mean if they are naming chars in-game after people on this fansight than they must be (been) on good terms with them.

Definitely 'been'. dii.net was always closest to the Blizzard North developers, who went on to do Hellgate and more lately Torchlight and Torchlight 2. They were never particularly close to the Irvine crew, and that's all who is left now (and who developed D3).

Quote from Lanthanide

For the record I used to be quite involved with them back when they were diabloii.net. That's how I got an Act 5 mercenary named after me: http://diablo2.diablowiki.net/Mercenaries#Barbarian_Merc_Names

I remember you mentioning this to me a time back. Pretty cool.

Now if you enter Act 4 in D3 you'll see I also have a modest reference. :3

Quote from IskatuMesk

Now if you enter Act 4 in D3 you'll see I also have a modest reference. :3

Elaborate plox?

Quote from IskatuMesk

Quote from Lanthanide

For the record I used to be quite involved with them back when they were diabloii.net. That's how I got an Act 5 mercenary named after me: http://diablo2.diablowiki.net/Mercenaries#Barbarian_Merc_Names

I remember you mentioning this to me a time back. Pretty cool.

Now if you enter Act 4 in D3 you'll see I also have a modest reference. :3

Oh yes, I killed you yesterday.

Would have been able to finish the game but the servers went offline. I shall finish it tonight.

While watching the credits I notice they had a segment for everyone who worked on the old version of D3 back at Blizzard North. Names like Bill Roper and the Schaefer's popped out.

Thought that was a nice touch.

But hey Blizzard is basically a beacon of moral fortitude after this.

Quote from TiKels

Quote from IskatuMesk

Now if you enter Act 4 in D3 you'll see I also have a modest reference. :3

Elaborate plox?

There's a miniboss and an entire event for me. In fact, there's a horde of youtube videos on people just killing me. It's heart-warming, really.

Somewhere, someone's a fangirl.

/edit Here's the video I saw. Spoilers, of course. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ebnRnSVzW8

Quote from Oh_Man

While watching the credits I notice they had a segment for everyone who worked on the old version of D3 back at Blizzard North. Names like Bill Roper and the Schaefer's popped out.

Thought that was a nice touch.

There are some direct art assets (monsters, environments) from the BlizzN version that we know have been used in D3 and I suspect the overall storyline is similar.

I just got a malware warning from Google Chrome when I tried to access their site... anyone else getting this?

Me too, on Firefox, but I ignored it and apparently it's a false positive.