It’s not just the fans anymore. Bill Roper is complaining that Diablo 3 isn’t Diablo enough.
Bill Roper is the producer of the original Diablo and Diablo II and he thinks that Diablo is a Gothic fantasy. He thinks the CLOWNs at Blizzard have took the game over and have repainted the graphics in their favorite cartoony colors.
I think that one of the things that we always tried to get across was that Diablo was Gothic fantasy and I think there was just a need that was put in there from the visuals that I didn’t necessarily get. I got it from the architecture and to a degree from the character design but not the feeling of the world. I can’t say that I dislike it. I didn’t look at it and go, oh my God that’s horrible. But I looked at it and went, it’s not really… to me as a player it just didn’t really ring with Diablo.
Admittedly, it could be that Bill Roper is bitter about the dismal failure of the Hellgate: London project. Frankly, though, I agree with him – we need MORE blood and guts and dark horrors, not LESS.
“…the CLOWNs at Blizzard have took the game over and have repainted the graphics in their favorite cartoony colors…”
-well thats because the original Diablo2/LoD was too religiously sensitive, even the name Diablo !!! ooohhh my ! -lets not upset the kiddies. -thats’ Blizzards’ excuse.
But mainly, its becuase, lets face it, Blizzard skruuuuued themselves and almost all the original D2/LoD devs,…, have LEFT LONG AGO to create such games as GuildWars.
-hey Blizzard!!!- how’s GW doin’ these days you CLOWNS’ !
…just get the game released already will ya’ ? !
at my 11 or 12 while i was going to school i saw 1st Diablo CD in a tech market. the cover was something paralel to my childhood fantasies and imagination. One year later my father bought me a computer. then, i first went to this market and bought it. it was fascinating to hold. then i installed and heard the Lord of Terror’s laughter and my blood went cold as hell. years passed and i am still playing it. and still finding new things in. 2 or 3 years later i heard the news of Diablo II and then Lord of Destruction. i could’t find its CDs. “what a terrible moment” i thought. in internet cafes i played it for years. in my own i became a master. and the stand of Paladin… o unholy undead! he was really brilliant, both himself and to play with him. and the images are hmm… not like wow or anything other but the design strategy was really clever. it was possible to be seen by us – Paladin’s arm’s dimension in his targe… and i am still playing 2nd game. and now for the 3rd game unfortunately my fears come true – World of Warcraft: Diablo Patch! i don’t think to play. Imitate shouldn’t take origin(al)’s place.
Ithinkimgonnabesick-
While I do agree that they are screwing themselves over, I want to bring some facts to light so you as well as others know this.
Diablo, Diablo 2, and Lord of Destruction were not created by the Blizzard as we know it, but as Blizzard North. Blizzard Entertainment cut that division soon after World of WarCraft was released (if I’m not mistaken, a year or two after). When this happened, many of the original creators took off to a few companies such as Flagship Studios, Ready at Dawn Studios, and ArenaNet.
Because this happened, the people who made it what I would call “The Greatest Game Franchise” aren’t there to develop the story the way that it should be, nor is the art direction there.
This game is a fictional world that is rated ‘M’. Activision Blizzard may care about the sensitivity of their customers, but Blizzard (and Blizzard North 2001 and before) didn’t. Activision Blizzard doesn’t care if people find the game crappy in the least. The new Activision Blizzard, is about profits, where the old Blizzard North was about creating THE game.
Diablo 3 will be great, don’t get me wrong, but they are making a weak game that has lost it’s original appeal.
Again, Diablo 3 isn’t World of WarCraft, and until they figure that out (if they do), they will continue with this cartoony feel.
Hi Siyat,
Thanks for the historical update about Blizzard North, I’ve read about some of that before but wasn’t exactly sure, anyway,
it sounds that Blizzard Entertainment canned Blizzrd North but no matter what, and even to this day, they can’t KILL Diablo(2/LoD).
If that doesn’t speak volumes to these present day !#@$!!-Blizzard CEO’s, et all…, then well, I don’t know what will ?
you’re right, its NOT WoW, so what can’t they see?
I’m just a D2/LoD fan, but ya I liked it ’cause IMHO it was darker, creepier, gothic,…the storyline and music was/is legendary,…, whatever.
I hope you’re right and D3 will be great, but I hope u’re wrong that it may end up a “weak” game.
And if D3 ends up a cartoon mock-up of WoW well thats ok, Blizzrd will lose my vote, and I’ll just throw it in the garbage, and continue playing D2/LoD and more so GW -> GW2 -> GW3.
Blizzard Entertainment should either change their name, or start up a new division and properly call it: “BUZZARD SOUTH”
’cause if they keep up this little paper-tiger marketing campaign of theirs’ then that suits’ them.
And thay can finally be what they are afterall now, just a bunch of “nickel ‘n dime monthly” vultures.
-put that in your new D3 patch Buzzard.?
gawd, I need a life.
These motherfuckers at blizzard need to realize that everything in life is not all glamorous and flashy, as a matter of a fact it is quite the opposite. “This is not fucking WoW” This is not street fighter (Barbarians new ability) And this is not my little pony. If it was these things we would be naming it WoW.. This game ..is gay. Get with the fucking program blizzard i will pay $200.00 for the game and pay 15 dollars a month if you rehire the old team and start from scratch, i do’nt give a fuck how long it takes just make it right….. Do you realize that by them being out there making their own games you are loosing millions and millions of dollars because its not you the people like its the fucking games, infact i’m pretty sure nobody at all likes you penny pinching motherfuckers that try to go every route of delaying gameplay so that you can get that extra 15 dollars. seriously, look at the sorceress it looks like some Anime bullshit that does not belong in the realms, and their abilities? wtf is that little fucking blue scratch mark ability? Do you call that “iscrachuu”? it is fucking fail on so many levels so far, i hope you realize this… “Hey guys it would be cool to take all of the old classes out and start all over again? except we will leave a few classes just so we do’nt get bitched at to much by the people playing the game.” It just irks me the way that you fucking change shit i mean honestly the little orbs that you pick up off the ground to heal and gain mana is a cool concept…… NOT…….. You guys are fucking idiots, dont do that shit, throw a fucking priest in there if your gunna do anything and eliminate all the medding bullshit. (not all but you know what im saying.)But at any rate this game is getting a “F” so far and no it does not stand for fail it stands for “Fuckups” because thats all you really are…. oh and those little orbs that drop, doesnt that remind you of devil may cry? “O M G, your right! we are idiots! thanks so much for pointing that out Galgaron we are morons how could we have done that!??!!?” yeah blizz no problem just fucking quit being morons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sigh……..
-Love Galgy
-P.S. Bah…. its not even worth it……
Everyone here is talking about D2 like it’s the shit… no one remembers D1? D1 started the trilogy… If anything, it’s because of that game that everyone’s favorite D2 exists.
And To the dumbfuck above… D1 compromised of a Warrior, a Rogue, and a Sorceror. D3’s chars compared to D2 are like D2’s chars to D1. Blizzard’s been doing this for all their games. Get with it you dumbfuck. Just cuz they’re changing it it won’t mean it’ll suck.
I’m not too sure as to whether the game will actually turn out cartoonish, but if it does, I will strongly be disappointed. The graphics of BNet2 will impress me more then the graphics of D3 itself.
Although, I have to try to see it profit-wise, too. Blizzard might lose or get 1,000 to even 100,000 dissatisfied customer if they make it more cartoonish, but in the end, they will probably gain 500,000 to 1 mil new ones. Even if what Siyat said is true, and D3 turns out cartoonish, and people like ithinkimgonnabesick stop palying it… that will only be so few compared to the number who will actually keep playing and like it. Doesn’t matter what you will think then… the opinion of the mass will matter.
the graphics remind me of prince of persia. a game meant to be playful and entertaining… nothing more.
i can say… real Diablo players (don’t separate it like D1 players, D2 players because real Diablo players play all real Diablo Games) won’t play this “D3 (!?)” but trend lovers, unconscious consumers will do. and the intrablizzardian problems and arguments, as a customer and a Diablo player, are not my concern. “because of these arguments we will do it cartoony.” is this the excuse or the reason? as a Diablo player i just care with the result – whether it is real Diablo Game or not.
…trend lovers and unconscious consumers forgot to discuss – what they always do.
Personally, I think it’d be cool to get some color up in here. As a gamer, I can say that if they never changed the style of the game, if they just did the same thing over and over…it’d get pretty stale.
As a writer, if I look at what I’m turning out over a decade from now, and turns out that it’s exactly the same crap I’m turning out now, that’s bad. It means there has been absolutely no creative growth.
Let’s face it: epic battles can, in fact, be fought in broad daylight.
Blizzard’s created my favorite games. I’m willing to bet a few bucks that they won’t disappoint me now, either.
The key words there being “a few.” Unlike Galgaron, I’m not willing to drop several hundred dollars based solely on stylistic differences.
As far as needing more blood and guts and dark horrors…aren’t they adding features such as special grisly deaths for characters? Getting ripped in half, and so on? I’m pretty sure that’s some blood and guts we didn’t get in previous Diablo installments.
Well, atleast Bill tried and he “released” Hellgate-London, and he obvisouly took the flak for it. Thats the blood n guts, from the seat of your pants, Diablo was made out of.
Get this darn D3 out already will ya Blizzard !? -you’ve had over 6 fukin years now. Don’t worry “BUZZARD”, -your Diablo fans themselves will be your judge, jury, and executioners’. !!!
Oh wait, I see now, they(Buzzard) never had intended to bother with a D3 ? -which is why its now taking 3 generations too release ?
I’m just worried all this marketing-B.S.-hype from Bllizzard is now going on what ? -well over a year+ and guess what, this ALL may lead to this worst-case scanario.
-from BLIZZARD Marketing CEO’s.
1./ They KNOW ($$$$$) probably millions will buy D3
2./ They KNOW they can’t charge monthly fees here
3./ becuase of 2./ above then why not hype this D3 to impossible promises and heights of trend-setting glory’s, blah, blah , blah.
-I see maybe $99 here flat out price tags. ? mmmm.
4./ because of 3./ above “who cares” just get as many “SUCKERS” as you can to buy it their piece of shite, its a no-brainer, and an instant killer cash cow.!
5./ promise these folks the world and give ‘em nuthin, I mean, they can blame it on Wall Street after -like every other corp.
Best-case scenario:?
-all the above is hopefully wrong, and it will be a success, atleast on par with, or even BETTER than Guild Wars!
a Lofty height for Mr. and Mrs. Cartoon faces indeed.
To:12 IthinkImGonnaBeSick_again …
…
Guild Wars sucked, dude. Yea, I said it.
You all need to get some facts straight about Blizzard HQ and Blizzard North event. HQ wasn’t happy with the direction that D3 was going aka not meeting the bar and going above it like blizzard always does with video games, so they shut down blizzard north and offer contracts to 46 out of 48 Blizzard North employees to move to Blizzard HQ and continue working on D3 with additional staff from HQ. Moving them to HQ allowed them to communicate better among each other to nail down what they want. Currently 1/3 of the developers working on Diablo 3 are from Blizzard North and 5 of which have lead roles INCLUDING art. Bill Roper wanted to be #1 of the project, yet after 2 1/2 years working on it, Blizzard wasn’t happy with the direction he was taking it. They wanted a fresh mind leading the team of developers, simply because Bill Roper was stuck on old designs which wasn’t evolving the series. D2 was a great game, it brought a lot to RPGs/action but it also had a ton of flaws.
I’ll just let you on a litle secret: check out “Torchlight” is made by your precious Blizzard North employees. Now THAT is a dumbed down clone of Fate-meets-Diablo. THAT was what Diablo 3 was going to look like if Blizzard HQ hadn’t “canned” them.
Diablo 3 is looking to be the best game ever. Just STFU and enjoy!
I cannot believe the massive amount of retardation at this website. It’s astounding.
D2 isn’t that great compared to D1 in terms of atmosphere or even graphics. When I first played D2, I thought it looked absolutely atrocious but it was really fun. The atmosphere was completely gone, though.
Seems the f-tards here don’t realize that Blizzard North is gone for a reason. The current Diablo 3 is the newest incarnation…there’ve been two D3s before it which were scrapped for complete lack of quality, and they were made by Roper’s team, and then the team lead by Seis.
We currently have a team lead by a guy who made to INCREDIBLE games – Dawn of War and Company of Heroes – and they actually think about what the players want, do research, care more about lore and atmosphere.
Then again, you people are so stupid that I doubt you can understand words more than one syllable long so here – lol u suk.
@depoetics
sooo, its’s not the same sh!t, it’s the same sh!t in purple? How’s that a satisfying change? Diablo morphed into Hello Kitty – Well, atleast it’s a change!!1
Well sir, that it is… That much we noticed… That’s why we complain.
Odd details like brutal deaths are ok, i suppose, but i still don’t wanna feel like playing some other game whos name i won’t mention, seeing as it seems to be ALL the devs have on their mind, and talk about, during D3 interviews.
wow so many angry people over graphics >.> i miss the days where it was still gameplay > graphics. frankly i could care less if it looks cartoony or not, if its not fun then i will return the game, simple as that.
also on a personal thought
D1 graphics > D2
D2 gameplay > D1
WOW Wtf is with almost everyone here, so the game is more vibrent and colurfull, at least its diablo..its taking this long becouse they want the story to be great, for all the classes.
so with the cartoonie graphics, your willing to not play it, to not enjoy the great game?
I mean if you think about starcraft 2 is also a little cartoonie but its gonna be beyond great.
get over the fact that its not LoD get out of the past, Its new, Its 3-D, it has a new game engine, all im trying to say is that the game is a diablo game, its going to be awsome!
@ Red
First of all, if you don’t like our complaints about the game, why read the article. What you are getting is another form of WoW. It’s as simple as that. Sure, there are things that I do like about the game. Even if I can’t stand the game, I’ll probably play it anyway just for the story. Diablo and Diablo 2 had some of the best game mechanics for the genre, and yet, you think that turning this game into Gauntlet is a better way to go? Get your facts straight.
@ the_architect
Yes, you are right, Runic Games is working on a title called torchlight and they have been at least since the beginning of the year. But on the flip side of the coin, if you want a game that mimics other games, go play those games.
Otherwise, I do enjoy some changes, but don’t ruin the game that brought your fans Blizzard. Next, I want to bring up an issue because the writer hasn’t brought it up, I’m sick of the bashing for other points of views. I’m not going to call the people out, but if you have a problem, you should bring the facts to the board. Maybe then you can persuade some people to your view.
No news lately on D3, I wonder if they are putting their effort into the new MMO and StarCraft 2.
@ Madrox8
I agree with the rating of the games. My issue is that it’s turning into WoW. Look at the skill system that WoW has (ripped straight from D2) and now D3 has a system ripped straight from WoW. Don’t get me wrong, I like both games, but I don’t want to play the same game twice. The cartoon feel is just another thing that I’m irritated with (mainly because it is a gothic fantasy). It’s like the story writer forgot to tell Blizzard that.
@Siyat
What I meant by mentioning Torchlight is that the team that is working on it is mainly the Blizzard North team and if you go check it out you will see that most of the skills from its skill trees are the same from D3, like Seismic Slam or Hammer of the Ancients and with a even more childish and “WoW-ish” feel to it, my point being that torchlight might actually be what D3 would look like if Blizzard had not fire all those guys.
Probably they got fired under the terms of being able to use the ideas they had had so far on whichever other game they would work outside Blizzard.
So what I have to say here and I think I back it with some facts and fairly accurate deductions is that attribute this “WoW-ish” feel to the new team is not fair or accurate.
I do not believe it to be “WoW-ish” to begin with, and I think it translates well into a dark and gothic feel even if sometimes is a fantasy gothic instead of a architectural correct gothic, but that to me is quite ok since it is not Earth but Sanctuary that we will be playing in.
The only think I dislike so far is the green and purple mists they use to fade out the backgrounds. I would be ok with them if they were poisoned or magical(arcane) dungeons, but not if they are normal ones. I much prefer the gray fog of the “outside at night” screenshots. That said I trully believe that while this green and purple take their toll on the screenshots while immersed in game they will pass by without much ado.
So for me the game looks terrific! And just wait for the promised darker dungeons at later levels that Blizzard has hinted at.
PS: Blizzard has also explained that a completely mono-coloured game in all its span has much less of a darker and gore effect than a game with colourful outsides that completely shocks the gamer by entering a dark claustrophobic and gore filled dungeons with ooze and guts dripping from the walls. You get the picture! And I have to say I completely agree with this art direction approach.
I don’t really mind the direction that blizz is taking Diablo 3. However the color palets, its so bright! Sure lets just turn down the brightness but the game wasnt made to be played on the darker setting yet it is ment to played on the normal gamma such as diablo 1 & 2.
I just don’t think that we will get the same eerie feeling from Diablo 1 & 2. Such as the only sources of light are the torches and your light raidus. That eerie feeling that your get is just so great! Especially when you go into a new cave in d2 that you havent explored yet and everything is just DARK.
Yet from Diablo 3 the gameplay trailer that they made, was so light and full of color in the cave. Yet you do notice the way better graphics, you just wont get the same authentic eerie feeling from D1 & 2.
Don’t get me wrong I will love and enjoy D3 when its realeased and I get to hold it
<33.
I just guess the 2nd coming of darkness will be a gay demon that sheads evil light across the world and breeds demon babies that want to rape you! This 2nd coming will be much easier to vanquish even if the graphics might make him look like a 3headed rapist. (Not flamming
callin like i seez it).
I hope andariel returns too. I like the bathtub chains they got wrappin around her nipples in the earlier diablo.
I don’t think it’s all that cartoony, and as someone who plays WoW, it’s a completely different game…
I get that it’s an easy tag to apply because it’s the same company, but seriously, where’s the similarities that go WoW -> Diablo as opposed to vice versa.
WoW took the skill system from Diablo. Diablo didn’t take it from WoW. Saying “look at the skill systems, they’re the same!” is pointless.
I mean honestly:
Diablo Screenshots: http://us.blizzard.com/diablo3/media/screenshots.xml?rhtml=y
WoW Screnshots:
http://www.wow-screenshots.com/screenshots/img_11598_1024px.jpg
One is slightly less architecturally gothic, the other is a Napoleon Dynamite riding a purple chicken. Stop the meaningless comparisons.