Top 10: Diablo 3 questions Blizzard needs to answer
The info we still need to know about Blizzard's hugely anticipated dungeon crawler.
Over the weekend Blizzard confirmed one of the worst kept secrets in gaming - Diablo 3 is in development. Five days after the event and the internet is still ablaze with excitement. Diablo is back. PC Gaming is back. While Blizzard's announcement came with a mass of information, including a mammoth gameplay video and a fact sheet, there are still plenty of unanswered questions just begging to be, well, answered. We trotted down to the pub, opened a tab and didn't leave till we had our Top 10: Diablo 3 questions Blizzard needs to answer etched in our table. Let the good times roll.
10. What the hell happened after the end of Diablo 2?
Blizzard has done a wonderful job of getting information out at the same time as announcing Diablo 3. Here it is straight from the horse's mouth: "It has been twenty years since the events of Diablo II. Of those who faced the Lords of Hatred, Terror, and Destruction in the battle over the fate of Sanctuary, there are few still living who can bear to remember the horrors that the Prime Evils wrought upon the world. And of those who did not witness the terrible events firsthand, most believe the stories to be little more than myth. But something evil is stirring once again in Tristram, and it may already have claimed its first victim: Deckard Cain." That's great and all, but there are befuddling story questions that have us stroking our beards feverishly. Following the destruction of the Worldstone at the end of Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction, why wasn't there a swarm of the demons? Where are Diablo's brothers, Mephisto and Baal? What happened to Diablo? Gaaaah!
9. How many players will Diablo 3 support in multiplayer?
We know that the game can support about eight players in multiplayer (although it plays better with around five), but we have no idea what the maximum number Blizzard will settle on. There's not much more to say on this one. Here's hoping Blizzard makes an announcement soon.
User Comments
mdg
AND THE PURPLE PINGUIN ??
Toast
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.
oliver Hicks
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
Mike
pallenda
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.
d3uS
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
Veiron
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.
Janitor Bob
ROe
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.
args
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.
a diablo fan
xcelsior
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.