Got back from Paris a few hours ago. The D3 announcement was freaking sweet.
Mike Morhaime was all ''we've been working on a new game''
and then the guitarist comes on stage and starts strumming the classic diablo tune, and everyone's all 'wooooooooo'
'wooooooooooooooo'
Then the trailer and cinematic.
Also, I stood next to morhaime as he played 'I am a murloc' on GH3, on bass, him being the bassist of L70ETC, and thus that being his song and his instrument.
Oh yeah. Autograph too.
thejazzman on
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
0
Kevin CristI make the devil hit his kneesand say the 'our father'Registered Userregular
edited July 2008
I really like the design of the logo. Heaven on top, Hell down below and Diablo right in the middle.
An idea that I had was the last two times Diablo was living on the mortal plane he wasn't as strong has he could be because he didn't have so much time to gather his strength with his host. In D2 you forced him into action before he was ready by summoning him in Act 4, for example. But with the 20 year jump between D2 and 3, he could have a lot longer to get back up to speed, depending how the story brings him back.
It was all pretty rad.. but will that happen while we're playing? Like, I'm assuming it'd only happen to NPCs and the like since you can't really instakill the character like that in Diablo..
I'm thinking they're extra killing-blow animations, like from the Dawn of War series. Which were totally awesome in those games, and would be totally awesome in Diablo 3.
You would be correct! During a panel they said they have implemented "critical death" animations. When you do it to a monster, their body practically explodes in a shower of gore/limbs/whatever. When they do it to you... you get your head bitten off.
EDIT: And speaking of the loot, I took a look at the barb's inventory screen in the video and noticed those little bag items in the corner - so are we going to be able to have up to four pages of loot, each with up to 30 spots (seems kind of wierd they'd limit it to 12 spots per page given the page dimensions)? That is gonna' be a lot of shit you're going to be able to hoard and sell.
The inventory screen didn't look finished to me.
Or at least I hope they don't ditch the grid. I really love the grid.
I don't know why everyone is complaining about the art direction:
1) The world has had 20 years to recover from the last fights with demons. Only recently have cultists and monsters started to venture from the woodwork.
2) The only areas we have seen have been the cathedral--which I would be SCHOCKED if they didn't reuse art assets from WoW. It would make perfect sense to re-use art from their own title as a placeholder (or simply co-opt some of it to save time and money).
3) and an outdoor area, which is only the first part of the game. As you move through the acts, I'm positive you will see gloomier and more desolate areas.
So why all the fuss? If it really bothers you whiners that much, just turn the gamma down on your monitors, and save me a headache while I'm playing the game.
I don't know why everyone is complaining about the art direction:
1) The world has had 20 years to recover from the last fights with demons. Only recently have cultists and monsters started to venture from the woodwork.
2) The only areas we have seen have been the cathedral--which I would be SCHOCKED if they didn't reuse art assets from WoW. It would make perfect sense to re-use art from their own title as a placeholder (or simply co-opt some of it to save time and money).
3) and an outdoor area, which is only the first part of the game. As you move through the acts, I'm positive you will see gloomier and more desolate areas.
So why all the fuss? If it really bothers you whiners that much, just turn the gamma down on your monitors, and save me a headache while I'm playing the game.
prepare to be shocked. I sincerely doubt they would re-use any art assets from a completely different franchise.
also to add on to the 20 years thing. even 20 years ago the world was largely untouched by demons. most people never knew there was even a threat. basically the only places you had demon troubles were the paths diablo and his brothers took. arraet was largely affected, but nobody ever went there to start with.
I don't know why everyone is complaining about the art direction:
1) The world has had 20 years to recover from the last fights with demons. Only recently have cultists and monsters started to venture from the woodwork.
2) The only areas we have seen have been the cathedral--which I would be SCHOCKED if they didn't reuse art assets from WoW. It would make perfect sense to re-use art from their own title as a placeholder (or simply co-opt some of it to save time and money).
3) and an outdoor area, which is only the first part of the game. As you move through the acts, I'm positive you will see gloomier and more desolate areas.
So why all the fuss? If it really bothers you whiners that much, just turn the gamma down on your monitors, and save me a headache while I'm playing the game.
2) The only areas we have seen have been the cathedral--which I would be SCHOCKED if they didn't reuse art assets from WoW. It would make perfect sense to re-use art from their own title as a placeholder (or simply co-opt some of it to save time and money).
So why all the fuss? If it really bothers you whiners that much, just turn the gamma down on your monitors, and save me a headache while I'm playing the game.
Oh come on. There is no need to be ridiculous in your defense of Blizzard. Are you seriously suggesting that companies should reuse other games' assets in 20 minute long gameplay videos for worldwide announcement?
It's also not just about the gamma. Your other points were fine, but there's no need to stoop to this kind of crap. Other people have opinions and they are valid. Trying to imply that the criticism they have is fixed by turning the gamma down on their monitors doesn't do your arguments any justice at all.
One of my favorite RPGs was Diablo 2. I had played electronic RPGs since Nintendo, but Diablo 2 was groundbreaking for me because I was able to play it socially, with a group of friends. Yes, I made friends. No, I did not pay them. I swiftly realized that I had become engrossed in a far deeper world than I had ever expected. I wasn't fully expecting a D3 after the story of D2 wrapped up so nicely, but I would say that I am pleasantly surprised that Blizzard has decided to make another.
Idiosyncratically, I have a few concerns.
Firstly, I wondered about the Arab song they used in the trailer. This agitation of mine mainly springs from my growing discomfort in the cliche use of Arab themes by rock musicians. Perhaps, it is unfair of me to criticize Blizzard for this because their Lut Gholein act was so well done. I genuinely felt that way. I like the music at their promotional web-page, and particularly the music for their world map (I rate it a cross between Conan and Empire Strikes Back), but I was disappointed to learn that the composer for D2, Uelmen, had left Blizzard, and can only hope for the best.
Secondly, I am not certain that I like the concept of skill balance. Call me odd, but I have a strange Blizzard-caused inclination to finding a master skill or two and commencing to hack and slash. I was somewhat impressed with the new skills. I wonder which skills will be ultimate. I mean, come on, there has to be some formulaic way to master the characters in D3, just like I so greedily did in D2.
So, I will be canning my problems and buying the game when it comes out. I'll have to buy a new computer, but by the time the expansion has been released I should be able to save up enough money.
I don't know why everyone is complaining about the art direction:
1) The world has had 20 years to recover from the last fights with demons. Only recently have cultists and monsters started to venture from the woodwork.
2) The only areas we have seen have been the cathedral--which I would be SCHOCKED if they didn't reuse art assets from WoW. It would make perfect sense to re-use art from their own title as a placeholder (or simply co-opt some of it to save time and money).
3) and an outdoor area, which is only the first part of the game. As you move through the acts, I'm positive you will see gloomier and more desolate areas.
So why all the fuss? If it really bothers you whiners that much, just turn the gamma down on your monitors, and save me a headache while I'm playing the game.
My concerns are described by one word:
Pauldrons.
Pauldrons have always been fucking huge in Diablo. Go back and look at the manual for Diablo 1, the art for the warrior.
I wonder: since they're now making loot player-locked on drop and there's thus no more mad dash to try and nick whatever awesome items drop, I wonder if blizz will go an extra step to keep the game action-oriented and impliment some kind of an auto-looter, perhaps even give you the option to be unable to pick up loot without holding another key. Maybe have it so that it's filterable by things like value, item type, whether or not it's restricted to a certain class, and so on. It'd be great considering that:
A) When shit really starts to hit the fan and you've got craploads of drops on-screen you'll no longer waste time meandering over to pick up that Festering Staff of Turgidity instead of beating the fuck out of something munching on your arm, and
I don't want a Festering Staff of Turgidity. I don't want an elongated ass-scratcher that shoots lightning bolts. I don't want the compound bow that can shoot supersonic chickens instead of arrows. I want one-handed swords, plate mail, heraldic shields, crowns, rings, amulets, charms, runes, skulls, gems, health potions, and anything that is of substantial-enough value that I can then hark to get the aforementioned desired items. And I'm sure each and every one of you has a list of shit that you absolutly hate to pick up, even if it's only going to occupy one space in the inventory at this point, since that's one inventory space that could be used for something good instead.
EDIT: And speaking of the loot, I took a look at the barb's inventory screen in the video and noticed those little bag items in the corner - so are we going to be able to have up to four pages of loot, each with up to 30 spots (seems kind of wierd they'd limit it to 12 spots per page given the page dimensions)? That is gonna' be a lot of shit you're going to be able to hoard and sell.
dungeon siege had a summonable loot gatherer which worked out fairly well and kept the flow of the game moving.
Pauldrons have always been fucking huge in Diablo. Go back and look at the manual for Diablo 1, the art for the warrior.
I don't have the manual in front of me, but I'm looking at random mooks in the D2 chat channel and I haven't seen a thing that gets anywhere close to those barrels the demo barb was wearing on his shoulders, and while the pauldrons in Cain's Journal on the site are kind of biggish that's due to the spikes/winglets that are jutting off to the sides/back. It's really obvious in the dialogue between the barb and Cain, where they're nearly as high as his scalp and look like they're just floating around his shoulders.
EDIT: OK, I downloaded the manual from replacement docs and I see what you mean about the Warrior's prtrait, but those in the Rogue's shot are normal-sized and the sorceror has this crazy robe-thing going on so it's forgiveable, but as I said, in-game stuff doesn't show any of that hugeness, and neither do the animated portraits from the character creation screen: the craziest it gets is with the druid (who appears to have an animal's entire head and jaw for a pauldron) and the necromancer's spike, and those are still rather modest.
Pauldrons have always been fucking huge in Diablo. Go back and look at the manual for Diablo 1, the art for the warrior.
I don't have the manual in front of me, but I'm looking at random mooks in the D2 chat channel and I haven't seen a thing that gets anywhere close to those barrels the demo barb was wearing on his shoulders, and while the pauldrons in Cain's Journal on the site are kind of biggish that's due to the spikes/winglets that are jutting off to the sides/back. It's really obvious in the dialogue between the barb and Cain, where they're nearly as high as his scalp and look like they're just floating around his shoulders.
Edit: Lulz sick and tired means not thinking about things.
God-fucking dammit. Watching the video made me really want to play this game, which made me want to play the closest thing I could find to it which means I'm running a new assassin in Diablo 2. Tiger Strike FTW I guess.
Has Blizzard announced a writer for Diablo 3? Like the guy from games workshop they have writing Starcraft 2.
I'd personally like to see more Christian mythology in the Diablo universe, less toklien-esque stuff. Makes for a unique fantasy setting. Though that gets you in trouble equally from the insanely religious and the crazy anti-religious.
The lead world designer is Leonard Boyarsky who helped make Fallout, and one of the dudes who founded Troika. There's an interview with him over at 1up that's pretty interesting.
This is something we've only vaguely touched upon here but some people are apparently really upset over the D3s artistic direction. Over at petitiononline.com they've even started a petition called Renewed artistic direction for Diablo 3. The petition is a protest against... well I'll just paste what they're saying.
This petition is being made as a way to express the disappointment of us, the Diablo fans, about the way Diablo III artistic direction is being done.
There's a long discussion about this matter happening in http://www.diablofans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9283 , there's thousands of comments in there so if you have any comment or suggestion feel free to do it there.
The main objective of this petition is to show Blizzard that there's a significant number of players that dont agree with the current art style of the game, with this petition we hope to make Blizzard ear our voices, our opinions and our suggestions and we seriously want some changes in the artistic direction of the game so it could be more coherent and familiar with the Diablo universe.
It is our opinion that the graphic elements that characterize the Diablo universe are not fully present in this sequel, Diablo universe is made of:
- Gothic and obscure scenarios, cryptic, dark and shadowy dungeons
- Graphically realistic world with realistic, dirty and muddy textures
- Realistic armory and weaponry without over-sized and exaggerated proportions like big shoulder guards
- A macabre, dark and realistic art style
- Light radius, as all of you can remember, Diablo dungeons were characterized by the combination of a light radius system with shadows, everything that resides outside of the character vision sight is shadowed.
What we got in Diablo III:
- Cartoon'ish art direction, obviously influenced by the Warcraft universe, Diablo isnt Warcraft.
- Hand made, pastel looking textures with bold lines, defined contours, smooth colors and clean shapes.
- Dungeons with a blue/green environment lighting, technique used in cartoons to depict a dark, creepy and scary feeling but once again, this is Diablo, a mature game, dungeons should have a dark aura with the occasional lights from candles, just like we got in the previews Diablo's.
- Character models defined by cartoon characteristics like over-sized and exaggerated parts, vivid colors and unrealistic elements, almost directly taken away from World of Warcraft and pasted to Diablo.
- Outside scenarios with vivid colors, beautiful forests with colorful vegetation, shinny and beautiful waterfalls where even rainbows take place.
- Cartoon'ish and unrealistic weaponry and armory, over-sized and stylish armors, over-sized weapons, items that look pasted directly from World of Warcraft.
- Blocky, cartoon'ish graphic elements like big, over-sized fire braziers in dungeons, heavily influenced by the World of Warcraft art style, over-sized and cartoon'ish scenario decorations like smiling statues, Warcraft styled architecture and decorations.
What we want:
- A darker, gothic, cryptic and creepier environment.
- A more realistic artistic direction, more independent from the Warcraft universe art direction.
- Darker dungeons without a blue/green environment, Diablo dungeons are dark and shadowy.
- The return of the light radius / shadow system from Diablo 1 and 2, a concept modified picture made by me roughly shows and suggests how the shadow system should work on Diablo 3: http://i31.tinypic.com/2zta5o7.jpg
- Slightly less colorful and less vivid outside scenarios, they are too heavily influenced by the World of Warcraft ones.
- And most importantly: An independent and renewed artistic direction, not a recycled art direction taken from the Warcraft world, Diablo never was meant to be as cartoon'ish as Warcraft, they shall have independent and distinct styles, this isnt happening in Diablo 3, at first sight it looks like a remake of World of Warcraft, graphically and artistically speaking.
Edit: On their page there's also a lot of argument back and forth on what it should be like and I have to say their "Environment suggestions" really does make sense.
This has already been discussed, some of us, including me do not like the artstyle, some do. I don't think we will get anything else out of that discussion.
I said the same thing until I watched their "suggestions" which IMO does look a bit more appealing than the original design.
Doesn't really matter wheither they are appealing or not. Nobody cares about thier retarded petition, this game would sell like crack if it took place in carebear land.
And you know the dickheads who wrote this list will be camping out on release day.
Children on
360 tag: A Blue Mushroom
skate, halo 3
0
kaleeditySometimes science is more art than scienceRegistered Userregular
edited July 2008
diablemo amirite?
I'm not right-brained enough to care about the art style. I'd be happy playing diablo type games if they were styled in pretty much any reasonable way.
Why is everyone so quick to blame the change in style on WoW?
Maybe it's just, you know... Blizzard's style? Their art department's style?
This is a Diablo II druid drawn by Samwise Didier BEFORE Lord of Destruction's release:
Samwise has had a much larger role at Blizzard from Warcraft III on, fucking deal with it.
I think its fair enough to critizise the artstyle if you don't like it, I will still play the game but that dosn't mean I won't think it is a bad artstyle they have choosen and that it clashes with the earlier games.
I didn't like Warcraft III or World of Warcrafts artstyles either, didn't stop me from playing and liking the games, although I definitly would have loved different artstyles there aswell.
I said the same thing until I watched their "suggestions" which IMO does look a bit more appealing than the original design.
Yeah, while I disagree with the fact that the art style is "cartoony" or too inspired by Warcraft, I have to admit that the blood decals are a nice touch.
This has already been discussed, some of us, including me do not like the artstyle, some do. I don't think we will get anything else out of that discussion.
Good job the game doesn't come out for 2 years and almost every suggestion they make will be addressed when they add in light radius again and a few environmental effect filters for dust, fog and smoke.
I'm sure if you asked Blizzard right now they would say "Yeah, the graphics aren't even finished yet, theres lots of fancier stuff to add. Your looking at the basic palette right now"
My god man, it was just a fucking demo, stop all your whining and bitching and wait for the game to be done! Maybe the place outside looked nice because *omg* it had been 20 years and the demons were gone, so maybe it was getting better outside, also, the graphics being better, makes the game looks more vibrant, obviously they could make it look darker if they want, very easily so, but theyre going for something with this, so just deal with it, theyve shown TWO goddamn areas and everyone is already complaining, jesus man, Blizzard woulda been better off not showing diablo 3 at all with all these crazy fans who think they own the series >.>
Edit: yes, I see what you mean by that Warcraft shit, its true, the graphics are definitely going that way, but then again, thats the type of graphics they do at blizzard, it isnt bad, sure it is a bit annoying but this will in every way be a diablo game, forget about how it looks compared to other games and just suck it up, give em time to actually finish the game and Im sure youll be pleased, because if what Im hearing is correct this wont be out for another year or two, they have a little bit to work on it if need be.
Oh and in my opinion the graphics and the areas shown looked great, nice change of pace from the other Diablos, maybe itl add more to the environment.
mastrius on
"You're like a kitten! A kitten who doesn't speak Japanese." ~ Juliet Starling
Why is everyone so quick to blame the change in style on WoW?
Maybe it's just, you know... Blizzard's style? Their art department's style?
This is a Diablo II druid drawn by Samwise Didier BEFORE Lord of Destruction's release:
Samwise has had a much larger role at Blizzard from Warcraft III on, fucking deal with it.
I think its fair enough to critizise the artstyle if you don't like it, I will still play the game but that dosn't mean I won't think it is a bad artstyle they have choosen and that it clashes with the earlier games.
I didn't like Warcraft III or World of Warcrafts artstyles either, didn't stop me from playing and liking the games, although I definitly would have loved different artstyles there aswell.
I'm just tired of people blaming it on WoW when the style has been present in Blizzard's art department for quite some time now.
You have every right to not like the style, and I in fact agree that the interior areas of Diablo III (or at least the dungeon under Tristram that we've seen) could use some harsher / darker lighting and perhaps a grimy / dingy "film" over the camera. I did disagree with their mock ups for the outdoor environments, however. There's no need for a dingy film in a open jungle ruins setting with a waterfall in the background.
I'm just tired of people blaming it on WoW when the style has been present in Blizzard's art department for quite some time now.
You have every right to not like the style, and I in fact agree that the interior areas of Diablo III (or at least the dungeon under Tristram that we've seen) could use some harsher / darker lighting and perhaps a grimy / dingy "film" over the camera. I did disagree with their mock ups for the outdoor environments, however. There's no need for a dingy film in a open jungle ruins setting with a waterfall in the background.
I fully agree, it seems Starcraft 2 is going for the same vibrant palette aswell, it is just blizzards style, dosn't mean I have to like it though .
I'm just tired of people blaming it on WoW when the style has been present in Blizzard's art department for quite some time now.
You have every right to not like the style, and I in fact agree that the interior areas of Diablo III (or at least the dungeon under Tristram that we've seen) could use some harsher / darker lighting and perhaps a grimy / dingy "film" over the camera. I did disagree with their mock ups for the outdoor environments, however. There's no need for a dingy film in a open jungle ruins setting with a waterfall in the background.
I fully agree, it seems Starcraft 2 is going for the same vibrant palette aswell, it is just blizzards style, dosn't mean I have to like it though .
I do think it fits Starcraft 2 though. I mean, it's space. It doesn't have to be realistic. I'm down with neon Terran signs and shiny alien spaceships. DIII.... eh, vibrant jungle ruins is fine, but I don't want all the environments to be quite so bright and colorful.
I will say though, I actually am a fan of Samwise's proportions, the big shoulders and so forth. I'm a sucker for that sort of almost comic book-like design, something I know a lot of Diablo fans aren't fond of.
I will say though, I actually am a fan of Samwise's proportions, the big shoulders and so forth. I'm a sucker for that sort of almost comic book-like design, something I know a lot of Diablo fans aren't fond of.
I like that too! It's, just as you say, the colorful dungeons (and for me also the colorful jungle) that I don't fancy.
Please don't carry any of that idiotic garbage over from the B-Net forums to this forum. Let's keep it positive until we have some really defined elements to criticize. Because we really have no idea what stage of completion it's at and I belive that until you get some hands on time then you don't really get to have an opinion.
The level of whining over on those B-Net forums is really out of control and I reject all efforts to drag any of that crud over here and get it all mixed up with our crud.
Posts
Mike Morhaime was all ''we've been working on a new game''
and then the guitarist comes on stage and starts strumming the classic diablo tune, and everyone's all 'wooooooooo'
'wooooooooooooooo'
Then the trailer and cinematic.
Also, I stood next to morhaime as he played 'I am a murloc' on GH3, on bass, him being the bassist of L70ETC, and thus that being his song and his instrument.
Oh yeah. Autograph too.
An idea that I had was the last two times Diablo was living on the mortal plane he wasn't as strong has he could be because he didn't have so much time to gather his strength with his host. In D2 you forced him into action before he was ready by summoning him in Act 4, for example. But with the 20 year jump between D2 and 3, he could have a lot longer to get back up to speed, depending how the story brings him back.
Steam: YOU FACE JARAXXUS| Twitch.tv: CainLoveless
You would be correct! During a panel they said they have implemented "critical death" animations. When you do it to a monster, their body practically explodes in a shower of gore/limbs/whatever. When they do it to you... you get your head bitten off.
The inventory screen didn't look finished to me.
Or at least I hope they don't ditch the grid. I really love the grid.
They ditched the grid. :P During the first panel thing they said they replaced it with a "one-off" system, I don't know what that means really.
1) The world has had 20 years to recover from the last fights with demons. Only recently have cultists and monsters started to venture from the woodwork.
2) The only areas we have seen have been the cathedral--which I would be SCHOCKED if they didn't reuse art assets from WoW. It would make perfect sense to re-use art from their own title as a placeholder (or simply co-opt some of it to save time and money).
3) and an outdoor area, which is only the first part of the game. As you move through the acts, I'm positive you will see gloomier and more desolate areas.
So why all the fuss? If it really bothers you whiners that much, just turn the gamma down on your monitors, and save me a headache while I'm playing the game.
that means every item takes one space
prepare to be shocked. I sincerely doubt they would re-use any art assets from a completely different franchise.
also to add on to the 20 years thing. even 20 years ago the world was largely untouched by demons. most people never knew there was even a threat. basically the only places you had demon troubles were the paths diablo and his brothers took. arraet was largely affected, but nobody ever went there to start with.
Pauldrons.
Oh come on. There is no need to be ridiculous in your defense of Blizzard. Are you seriously suggesting that companies should reuse other games' assets in 20 minute long gameplay videos for worldwide announcement?
It's also not just about the gamma. Your other points were fine, but there's no need to stoop to this kind of crap. Other people have opinions and they are valid. Trying to imply that the criticism they have is fixed by turning the gamma down on their monitors doesn't do your arguments any justice at all.
Idiosyncratically, I have a few concerns.
Firstly, I wondered about the Arab song they used in the trailer. This agitation of mine mainly springs from my growing discomfort in the cliche use of Arab themes by rock musicians. Perhaps, it is unfair of me to criticize Blizzard for this because their Lut Gholein act was so well done. I genuinely felt that way. I like the music at their promotional web-page, and particularly the music for their world map (I rate it a cross between Conan and Empire Strikes Back), but I was disappointed to learn that the composer for D2, Uelmen, had left Blizzard, and can only hope for the best.
Secondly, I am not certain that I like the concept of skill balance. Call me odd, but I have a strange Blizzard-caused inclination to finding a master skill or two and commencing to hack and slash. I was somewhat impressed with the new skills. I wonder which skills will be ultimate. I mean, come on, there has to be some formulaic way to master the characters in D3, just like I so greedily did in D2.
So, I will be canning my problems and buying the game when it comes out. I'll have to buy a new computer, but by the time the expansion has been released I should be able to save up enough money.
3 cheers for D3!
Pauldrons have always been fucking huge in Diablo. Go back and look at the manual for Diablo 1, the art for the warrior.
White FC: 0819 3350 1787
What? Why? The grid was fun. It lets you relate to your loot via its shape.
dungeon siege had a summonable loot gatherer which worked out fairly well and kept the flow of the game moving.
EDIT: OK, I downloaded the manual from replacement docs and I see what you mean about the Warrior's prtrait, but those in the Rogue's shot are normal-sized and the sorceror has this crazy robe-thing going on so it's forgiveable, but as I said, in-game stuff doesn't show any of that hugeness, and neither do the animated portraits from the character creation screen: the craziest it gets is with the druid (who appears to have an animal's entire head and jaw for a pauldron) and the necromancer's spike, and those are still rather modest.
Edit: Lulz sick and tired means not thinking about things.
White FC: 0819 3350 1787
D1 Warrior from manual.
The lead world designer is Leonard Boyarsky who helped make Fallout, and one of the dudes who founded Troika. There's an interview with him over at 1up that's pretty interesting.
Edit: On their page there's also a lot of argument back and forth on what it should be like and I have to say their "Environment suggestions" really does make sense.
haaaaahahahaha
skate, halo 3
I said the same thing until I watched their "suggestions" which IMO does look a bit more appealing than the original design.
Maybe it's just, you know... Blizzard's style? Their art department's style?
This is a Diablo II druid drawn by Samwise Didier BEFORE Lord of Destruction's release:
http://www.sonsofthestorm.com/viewer.php?artist=samwise&cat=diablo&art=2
Samwise has had a much larger role at Blizzard from Warcraft III on, that's just how it is.
EDIT: Image was borked, I'm just gonna link it.
Doesn't really matter wheither they are appealing or not. Nobody cares about thier retarded petition, this game would sell like crack if it took place in carebear land.
And you know the dickheads who wrote this list will be camping out on release day.
skate, halo 3
I'm not right-brained enough to care about the art style. I'd be happy playing diablo type games if they were styled in pretty much any reasonable way.
I think its fair enough to critizise the artstyle if you don't like it, I will still play the game but that dosn't mean I won't think it is a bad artstyle they have choosen and that it clashes with the earlier games.
I didn't like Warcraft III or World of Warcrafts artstyles either, didn't stop me from playing and liking the games, although I definitly would have loved different artstyles there aswell.
Yeah, while I disagree with the fact that the art style is "cartoony" or too inspired by Warcraft, I have to admit that the blood decals are a nice touch.
Good job the game doesn't come out for 2 years and almost every suggestion they make will be addressed when they add in light radius again and a few environmental effect filters for dust, fog and smoke.
I'm sure if you asked Blizzard right now they would say "Yeah, the graphics aren't even finished yet, theres lots of fancier stuff to add. Your looking at the basic palette right now"
Edit: yes, I see what you mean by that Warcraft shit, its true, the graphics are definitely going that way, but then again, thats the type of graphics they do at blizzard, it isnt bad, sure it is a bit annoying but this will in every way be a diablo game, forget about how it looks compared to other games and just suck it up, give em time to actually finish the game and Im sure youll be pleased, because if what Im hearing is correct this wont be out for another year or two, they have a little bit to work on it if need be.
Oh and in my opinion the graphics and the areas shown looked great, nice change of pace from the other Diablos, maybe itl add more to the environment.
I'm just tired of people blaming it on WoW when the style has been present in Blizzard's art department for quite some time now.
You have every right to not like the style, and I in fact agree that the interior areas of Diablo III (or at least the dungeon under Tristram that we've seen) could use some harsher / darker lighting and perhaps a grimy / dingy "film" over the camera. I did disagree with their mock ups for the outdoor environments, however. There's no need for a dingy film in a open jungle ruins setting with a waterfall in the background.
I fully agree, it seems Starcraft 2 is going for the same vibrant palette aswell, it is just blizzards style, dosn't mean I have to like it though
I do think it fits Starcraft 2 though. I mean, it's space. It doesn't have to be realistic. I'm down with neon Terran signs and shiny alien spaceships. DIII.... eh, vibrant jungle ruins is fine, but I don't want all the environments to be quite so bright and colorful.
I will say though, I actually am a fan of Samwise's proportions, the big shoulders and so forth. I'm a sucker for that sort of almost comic book-like design, something I know a lot of Diablo fans aren't fond of.
I like that too! It's, just as you say, the colorful dungeons (and for me also the colorful jungle) that I don't fancy.
The level of whining over on those B-Net forums is really out of control and I reject all efforts to drag any of that crud over here and get it all mixed up with our crud.