12-19-2007, 04:02 AM
I guess everyone knows about levels, or more specifically, two levels in a row, being sometimes generated with exactly the same layout - the most notorious example being 13-14 (noticed most often due to being visited most frequently by most players i guess), but sometimes it happens also in caves (9-10(-11)) and elsewhere (3-4, cats).
But then what happened just a few hours ago to me (and never before AFAIR).
I was having another nice little hell/caves + hell/hell stroll with my st(u/a)ffed arty mage. Lvl 12: vortex lords + cave vipers. Nothing extraordinary to report. Lvl 13: vortex lords again and snakes being fire drakes this time. A ring drop near the stairs downwards, then a blue full plate from a regular vortex. An id trip due to full inventory, and it revealed...a saintly plate of sorcery (75+127%+19). Woohoo - what a gift for my rogue who has been basically doing nothing for years serving as an equipment hanger.
But then - stairs to 14, a few reconnaisance screens, and - well you guessed it, vortex lords AND fire drakes again. And the more I was advancing through the level, the more I was getting an eerie feeling: this level is EXACTLY the same as 13 (well except Gorefeast at least) INCLUDING treasure and monsters - after i got a ring drop near the stairs downwards, there was mute anticipation. Well - blue full plate from the same regular monster in the same location, the same basic ac -75. ID, and, you guessed it again, the SAME saintly full plate of sorcery (no I did not check it by having them both drop on ground :-)) but they ARE exactly the same to both diablosaver (same id) and diablostash (you already own...).
Conclusion: BOTH monsters (AND drops) + lvl layout being EXACTLY the same in two levels in a row, except the boss naturally and the town stairs in 13 (though i do not remember what type of ring near the stairs it was as i sold and forgot about the first one immediately, nothing special).
In my experience sometimes two identical magical (even unique) items can be generated in the same level - or in two levels in a row, but afair this never happened combined with identical layout, monsters and drop locations.
Makes me wonder about how really the game content is generated at the game start / seeding peculiarities.
Comments and explanations welcome.
And, oh, I got an awesome plate of sorcery 60+150%+17 to dispose of.
But then what happened just a few hours ago to me (and never before AFAIR).
I was having another nice little hell/caves + hell/hell stroll with my st(u/a)ffed arty mage. Lvl 12: vortex lords + cave vipers. Nothing extraordinary to report. Lvl 13: vortex lords again and snakes being fire drakes this time. A ring drop near the stairs downwards, then a blue full plate from a regular vortex. An id trip due to full inventory, and it revealed...a saintly plate of sorcery (75+127%+19). Woohoo - what a gift for my rogue who has been basically doing nothing for years serving as an equipment hanger.
But then - stairs to 14, a few reconnaisance screens, and - well you guessed it, vortex lords AND fire drakes again. And the more I was advancing through the level, the more I was getting an eerie feeling: this level is EXACTLY the same as 13 (well except Gorefeast at least) INCLUDING treasure and monsters - after i got a ring drop near the stairs downwards, there was mute anticipation. Well - blue full plate from the same regular monster in the same location, the same basic ac -75. ID, and, you guessed it again, the SAME saintly full plate of sorcery (no I did not check it by having them both drop on ground :-)) but they ARE exactly the same to both diablosaver (same id) and diablostash (you already own...).
Conclusion: BOTH monsters (AND drops) + lvl layout being EXACTLY the same in two levels in a row, except the boss naturally and the town stairs in 13 (though i do not remember what type of ring near the stairs it was as i sold and forgot about the first one immediately, nothing special).
In my experience sometimes two identical magical (even unique) items can be generated in the same level - or in two levels in a row, but afair this never happened combined with identical layout, monsters and drop locations.
Makes me wonder about how really the game content is generated at the game start / seeding peculiarities.
Comments and explanations welcome.
And, oh, I got an awesome plate of sorcery 60+150%+17 to dispose of.