Top 10: Diablo 3 questions Blizzard needs to answer

By Wesley Yin-Poole - 03/07/2008 - 3:35pm GMT

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8. What World of Warcraft gameplay features will be used in Diablo 3?

For many, Diablo 3 looks too much like World of Warcraft. But will the influence stop there? What gameplay features that we know and love from Blizzard's mega MMO will find their way into Diablo 3? Do we even want any? How about professions? In Diablo 2 you could socket items, but there were no professions as we know them from WoW. Might jewel crafting make it into Diablo 3? Or how about weapon crafting? Please, though, no flower picking.

7. How the hell am I going to pay for this?

You might think, what they hell kind of question is this? Allow us to explain. Diablo 3 is a single-player and multiplayer game for the PC with distinct MMO elements. While Diablo 2 and its expansion Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction doesn't require a monthly fee, could Blizzard employ such a business model for Diablo 3? The PC gaming landscape has certainly changed in recent years, with subscription fees proving increasingly popular for games with online functions. Even if Blizzard doesn't make gamers pay regularly for playing Diablo 3 online, might a micro transaction model be put in place? Could we be charged for entering certain areas or equipping in-game items? The sooner we know the better.

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Let me ask you this Wesley. Do YOU think Diablo 3 looks like World of Warcraft? Watch the gameplay video carefully. The look-and-feel resembles nothing like that of World of Warcraft. If anything, the only thing this game looks like WoW is the interface. Just because they change the art direction to less dark/gothic from the previous Diablo games, does not mean it looks anything like WoW. Hell, look at another game, Titan Quest, that tries to copy the Diablo series. It's more vibrant and less gothic than Diablo 3 is. And you say Diablo 3 employs "...

- xcelsior

xcelsior wrote at 19:46 on 03 July 2008

Let me ask you this Wesley. Do YOU think Diablo 3 looks like World of Warcraft? Watch the gameplay video carefully. The look-and-feel resembles nothing like that of World of Warcraft. If anything, the only thing this game looks like WoW is the interface. Just because they change the art direction to less dark/gothic from the previous Diablo games, does not mean it looks anything like WoW. Hell, look at another game, Titan Quest, that tries to copy the Diablo series. It's more vibrant and less gothic than Diablo 3 is.

And you say Diablo 3 employs "distinct MMO elements." Please tell me what these elements are. As far as I know, it's just like Diablo 2 where several players join a game and doesn't have a persistent virtual world where over 100 players interact in this world.
a diablo fan wrote at 21:03 on 03 July 2008

who ever made this is a idiot
args wrote at 04:20 on 04 July 2008

If you have played Diablo 2 you would know that whoever claims it's realistic and not cartoonish really needs to have psychoanalysis and years of it. Diablo 2 had several really cartoonish creatures and even Diablo I had moments where the realism suffered at the expense of gameplay. For instance the Fetish look really cartoonish in Diablo 2 and the fallen or Wendigo hardly are noteworthy for their realism. Act 3 in Diablo 2 was a disaster only exceeded by the first act. The monster selection in Diablo Act 3 was only noteworthy for Mephisto. Some of the levels in Diablo 2 were extremely repetitive and subpar. The worm levels were really boring. I mean how many Diablo 2 runs can someone take before they lock you in a straight jacket? The cow levels were also cartoony. How can someone classify bipedal cows as not cartoonish?

The other monsters in diablo 2 are the frog Deamon. Diablo 2 is cartoony as well. The most realistic Diablo 2 act is act 2 with the deserts and the tombs. Every other act besides act 2 deviates from reality into toonville. Even act five from the lord of destruction is not noteworthy and has numerous standins from the anime network or Nickelodeon. Diablo 2 is just as cartoony and isn't particularly realistic and if anyone states that they need to go to AA.
ROe wrote at 00:29 on 05 July 2008

You idjits, it is "cartoony"! D2 was more "cartoony" than it should have been. Thats why we dont like that aspect despite its greatness. Look at Diablo 1, its way more gritty and dread inducing than diablo 2. Now, thats the way its suppose to be.

Since blizzard is currently developing it and they are open to opinions, now is the time to tell them what we want. I dont think its all that hard for them to change the look of a Diablo 3. They can start by adjusting the color pallet (not to mention contrast/brightness XD). Its wayyyy harder to remake sprites in Diablo 2 i think...

If D3 were "cartoony" like in Warcraft 3 & WOW - over sized weapons, pretty colors and all... then they shouldn't call it Diablo 3! Whats the use of putting Diablo in the game if he doesn't creep you out.
Janitor Bob wrote at 05:30 on 05 July 2008

"Will it take the hardcore route, or will it take the softcore route?" Blizzard has yet to release a game with steep hardware requirements; I'd be shocked if Diablo III was an exception.
Veiron wrote at 06:13 on 05 July 2008

args... Shut up. Before you embarrass yourself some more.

Diablo and Diablo 2 were both presented with a more realistic style; that doesn't mean some the monsters can't be disproportionate, though. The Blunderbore, Yeti, Fallen, etc. are all examples of this, but you can't forget the elements that Diablo 2 managed to emulate realistically (Weapons, armor, lighting, etc.).

My only 'complaint,' if you can call it that, is the use of the blue-green ambient lights with no visible sources. Granted, they can come from tainted glass, but there's no reason for this to appear every where through out that first dungeon. Use the light radius from the previous Diablos and I'll be happy.
d3uS wrote at 10:44 on 05 July 2008

interview with rob pardo from 1up.com

1UP: Speaking of the WOW experience, other action-RPG games have attempted a subscription model of sorts, can you talk at all about that for Diablo III?

RP: Well, ultimately, we'll decide on the final business model of the game in the future, but I don't think you're going to see a subscription model in the realm of WOW. It's a boxed product game, it will be more similar to say, the Diablo II or the StarCraft II model.

i guess this means no monthly fee?

also, everyone needs to shut the **** up about D3, it looks fine, the gameplay is fine, its going to be different because the new geeks are not originally from Blizzard North. you guys are going to buy it anyways so no point of arguing about how it looks. blizzard is blizzard and make great games
pallenda wrote at 11:00 on 05 July 2008

Who ever started this anti-d3 gfx petion is stupid. They fail to remember a few important things:

1. They have seen maybe under 5% of the graphics.
2. There is a LONG time till release.
3. Maybe the gameplay show is the beginning of the game, and things happen that change the look.
4. If EVERYTHING was tone done to dark/moody how would Blizzard make contrast in different areas.
5. Adding some post effect in photoshop might work for a still image, but they also lots tons of defitition to the characters/monsters. Making it hard to see things.

And most importantly.

6. Blizzard have made top quality games for 15 years. Most likely most of these anti new gfx style has never even been involved in game/software development, or even taken art classes.

I trust Blizzard, and they have yet to fail.
Mike wrote at 00:20 on 06 July 2008

One of my main concerns, probably along the lines of WoW implementation is an aggro mechanic. Will bosses have aggro? Maybe a more developed system then WoW that implements distance. They say they want to steer away from the potion spamming aspect of D1&2, and they want to focus more on cooperative play. They should make a healing class, possibly the paladin. That way you can actually make a party that benefits eachother other than auras and sorc enchants. Just my 2c.
oliver Hicks wrote at 15:50 on 06 July 2008

the fact is that they need to go over the fill of gothic an dark,

why go away from that, we want to see diablo 3 to the edge of perfection, as i under stand color an contrast will make it more eye catching an i love that, but you can tell of the looks of statues an castles, tree's an even the classes an monsters have a really cartoonly look

the fact as in holding true to a title an what fans fell in love with is that diablo 1 grim look

i mean you could put the hole look of d1 with the new engine d3 is on an i would die for it

i just want to give full respect an love an passion to what i fell in love with

prove to us that you can keep your 3 true amazing titles over powering each release

starcraft 2= a master peice
world of warcraft= you have over 10 million people playing i dont like it for the cartoon thing but its an amazing game

diablo.. the fill the play the sound the story plot is the greatest thing ever made

i mean its a master peice

go more dark an evil

if anything

but i say tone the cartoon fill all the way down

put some more detailed areas such as statues, an characters

an just stay strong to the hell an heaven fill
Toast wrote at 15:58 on 06 July 2008

I really think you should. A. Research the game you are writing about, and B. REally think about your questions. This read like a top 10 article, when you didn't actually have 10 questions you felt needed to be asked. None of these questions are really valid at this point in the game, or are pointless and already answered.

The fact that you mention that it is obvious that WoW had influence on Diablo 3 is pretty rediculous. WoW basically is Diablo without Random Dungeons, a 3d camera, less painful inventory management, and the fact that it is un-soloable. If DIablo 3 takes a few elements from WoW it is because WoW refined aspects of Diablo 2 and Blizz wanted to keep them because they just worked.
mdg wrote at 21:41 on 06 July 2008

WHAT ABOUT THE _____COWLEVEL______ !?!?

AND THE PURPLE PINGUIN ??
Saggo wrote at 20:14 on 11 September 2008

Looks very nice.. also read at http://www.diablo3x.com that the diablo 3 release probely will be Q3 2009..