Reviving old times

[evasion]

Well, after much, much fun including re-naming my PC, installing and re-installing Diablo, copying old save files, patching and re-patching I finally managed to get my archived characters working in v1.09 (last played in v1.07, dated 26 June 1999). I've forgotten how damn good the original game is.

I am slightly puzzled that I can't find my warrior as he was last time I remember - level 46 with a Kings Bastard Sword of Speed and the Helm of Spirits but the version I do have is pretty well equipped (I've included the (un-edited) output from DiabloSaver from my warrior for your viewing pleasure). It's a damn shame that I can't easily archive my Realm Diablo 2 characters as easily.

I also found my folder with printed out guides, including Jarulf's v1.20b and (this will make you laugh!) version 1.10 of Bolty's High Level Warrior Guide (dated 8/07/98 (Is that August
or July? I am assuming August as I think Bolty is American).

Apart from reminiscing the point of this post was to ask where (what Channel) I can find some Loungers to play with? I've logged on at various hours, never finding more than 2 people in my home channel (Diablo GBR-1). I'd also like to find someone who can replace my lost Helm of Spirits, but that might be a long shot...

Anyway, here's my namesake in all his glory!

Evasion
Warrior Experience 172418911
Level 40 Next Level 210720231
Gold 10000
Attribute Base\Now
Strength 250 300 Damg 128 146 +Bonuses Mods
Vitality 100 168 Life 295 295 472 472 (-3) (298)
Magic 50 100 Mana 89 89 179 179
Dexterity 60 110 AC 269 (-3)
Add 0 Shrines 90 (180)
Resistances: 75% Magic, 75% Fire, 75% Lightning

Helmet 02:DC370B23D5:34 Royal Circlet 40_40 +10a +40bm +10%Lr
Armour 00:DC3C3107CA:46 Awesome Plate of the stars 65_90 +147%ac +8a R90s
<-Hand 08:1E62847143:79 Master's Sword of haste 4<12_50 +49%th +117%h FA3 R40s
->Hand 08:1E02463C2C:4B Awesome Shield of the tiger 20_50 +138%ac +41L R60s
Amulet 00:DE579C0308:UD Amulet of the zodiac +20a
<-Ring 01:197E232E82:UC Obsidian Ring of vigor +18v +40%ra
->Ring 01:1D7D0D6C12:UC Obsidian Ring of the heavens +12a +35%ra

14 Blood Star 13 Bone Spirit 13 Chain Lightning 15 Charged Bolt
13 Elemental 15 FIRE BALL 14 Firebolt 15 Fire Wall
15 Flame Wave 13 Flash 11 Golem 12 Guardian
15 Healing 15 Heal Other 15 Holy Bolt 15 Inferno
15 Lightning 15 Mana Shield 15 Phasing 15 Stone Curse
15 Telekinesis 13 Teleport 15 Town Portal

Pack01 08:1E18798BC7:4C Awesome Shield of the wolf 16_60 +138%ac +33L R80s
Pack02 08:1C3E025F4E:79 Soldier's Sword of blood 4<12_50 +18%th +72%h +5%sh R40s
Pack03 00:DC5D29DF74:UD Obsidian Amulet of precision +18d +34%ra
Pack04 01:187CD06943:UC Garnet Ring of the tiger +49L +46%rf
Pack05 20:10334AB99E:U0 Book of Teleport
Pack06 01:182AC4C7F9:UC Obsidian Ring of precision +20d +34%ra
Pack07 08:1E7AEAE6EB:46 Awesome Plate 75_90 +134%ac R90s
Pack08 01:041D2582DD:UB Gold (5000g)
Pack09 01:1731BA1410:UC Ring of sorcery +20m
Pack10 01:1A053D5A51:UC Ring of sorcery +18m
Pack11 00:DE3443F5A4:UD Crystal Amulet of the lion +53L +42%rm
Pack12 01:1C68BBD10A:UD Jade Amulet of giants +17s +25%ra
Pack13 01:1C02B91111:UC Ring of the lion +54L
Pack14 00:DC39237822:UC Ring of the lion +51L
Pack15 01:1C67A86E95:UC Ruby Ring of the stars +10a +58%rf
Pack16 01:1C4B0E2744:UC Obsidian Ring of precision +17d +40%ra
Pack17 01:1A03401928:UD Ivory Amulet of titans +24s +33%rm
Pack18 08:1E29CD8637:79 King's Sword of the heavens 4<12_60(50) +83%th +158%h +15a R40s
Pack19 01:02105AD556:UB Gold (5000g)
Pack20 10:2762DA3033:35 Godly Helm of the whale 12_60 +189%ac +88L R50s

Belt01 01:1A179B861E:U0 Elixir of Vitality
Belt02 01:1C50D60346:U0 Elixir of Vitality
Belt03 01:1C644EC4C7:U0 Elixir of Vitality
Belt04 01:0B678A8256:U0 Elixir of Dexterity
Belt05 20:10255FF025:U0 Elixir of Dexterity
Belt06 20:101D46AE23:U0 Elixir of Dexterity
Belt07 40:104657B706:U0 Potion of Full Rejuvenation
Belt08 40:10731E7C1E:U0 Potion of Full Rejuvenation

[hell-bringer]

You are like me Evasion, I played on the Europe gateway but you are more likely to bump into a lurker on us-west gateway in the channel Diablo dsf-1 (thats where i bumped into alot of lurkers :P).

[evasion]

I will check and see, thanks!

I played my warrior last night, jumping straight into Hell / Hell. Now either:

a) I am out of practise
B) From v1.08 it got harder
or
c) I suck without Helm of Spirits

Because damn, it was hard!

The patch readme for v1.07 says it increased the difficulty (Beware.), so I am guessing it is a combination of a) and c).

I will have to keep looking for my level 46 backup though, because those 6 levels will be hard to get back again!

[evasion]

Well, I finally found some other backups. I now have a level 42 version of my warrior, complete with a Kings Broad Sword of Haste, plus a Helm of Spirits. I also found a screenshot of my warrior at level 44.

Still, I did find that just re-naming the .drv files to the new multi_#.sv format and putting them in the Diablo directory was enough. My .drv files came from the v1.07 version and I am now playing v1.09 quite happily.

I think you still have to know your machine name and the network (workgroup) name. As a tip, I am sure the default for Windows 95 (maybe 98/98SE?) is default (for the computer name) and WORKGROUP (for the workgroup). It might be worth trying those if you are having problems.