DiabloFans

First! Cool update

this sounds promising. monsters with AI are always more fun to fight, because they feel like more of a threat. they feel like they have a (after)life of their own, and are actually seeing you as an enemy rather than as a magnet.

the inventory sounds cool too. diablo 2's inventory can get annoying, and WoW's inventory is too easy to lose items in. ("i need such-and-such potion for this part, if i could just FIND it in this mess of trash items!") so larger icons would be cool. i just wonder how they're going to balance large icons with managable space.

Indeed!

I'm happy to hear they're going for a middle-ground between the Diablo and WoW inventory systems. As mentioned by archtypezero - they are two extremes and not for the better essentially.

Also happy to hear that monsters are going to have a more realistic outlook in DIablo 3 instead of just being put there for your slaughtering pleasures. There'll be a sense of character about them- I hope they give more focus to monster pack/swarm AI ala the skeleton warriors outlined in the gameplay video (Shielded ones up front - protecting the archers behind).

Good News is Good!

For the Mon vs Mon thing, I think it's about damn time . This will really add a whole new level of realism in D3 and in the action/RPG genre. I mean it's not like this concept hasn't been around for a long time, even Baldur's Gate 1's enemies often friendly fired themselves with fireballs and poison clouds, etc. I understand the fact that area effect spells and direct friendly fire is slightly different, however the outcome is the same.

Glad to see Blizz still pushing the standards up on ARPGS this time around.

For the Inventory system, what I'm imagining is something really simple kinda like (again Baldur's Gate2) where they had this one slot item system with a tiny partial icon of an item and when you pointed the cursor over it, it popped up a floating menu with a whole array of information such as; Artwork, Description, History/Fluff, stats, etc....

It's feasable and hell, shouldn't be too hard to do since they've been doing it for nearly 10 years.

It may sound weird, but it starts for feel like we're not fighting demons anymore. It's more like a "fantasy world" with weird animals. The Dune Thresher for example... he's body structure was meant to allow him to burrow in the sand - It doesn't really sound like a demon from hell (sand? in hell?) and with creatures starting to attack each other... like, aren't they suppose to be in the same side? Isn't it their common goal to make things hard for humans? Imagine Diablo summoning a bunch of demons and they all start fighting each other >.< I know it's alot more interesting like that, but it just doesn't fit in the lore.... but who am I to judge? :/

Yeah ,I'd imagine that Sanctuary being a different world from our own would have its own native flora and fauna. There's no reason why each and every one of them has to be demonic.

Well you have to keep in perspective that maybe not all creatures in Sanctuary are from hell. Essentially you have your "Archetype" enemies classes such as; Undead (skellies, zombies) who aren't from hell but just hellish souls posessing the bodies of the dead, Demons (Fallen, Balrogs) who are your typical straight outa hell monsters and then I'm thinking that (and in accord to Sol Invictus *by the way did u take ur name frmo akhenaton's album*) the animal spectrum which has been corrupted to a certain degree by the presences of the Prime Evils on earth would resemble what we are seeing now such as Dune Threshers or Scavengers.....

So I mean, instinctivly there would still be a food chain amongst the beastiary population of Sanctuary...On the other hand, monster Friendly Fire might not necessarily be from monsters actually directly assaulting each other but more like a side effect of frenzied or ravaging monsters joining the fray.....
As an analogy: Try doing a jig in a crowded nightclub while holding a 30 Pounds Sledgehammer and not hit anyone then you'll get what I mean...:D

The monster quote could perhaps also mean that we'll be encountering other humans when we're out slaying demons, much like in Act 5 in D2. Although if that's the case, I hope they'll be more of a help this time around.

Quote from "Romak" »

like, aren't they suppose to be in the same side? Isn't it their common goal to make things hard for humans? Imagine Diablo summoning a bunch of demons and they all start fighting each other >.< I know it's alot more interesting like that, but it just doesn't fit in the lore.... but who am I to judge? :/

Demons are only on the same side because they're forced to. We've seen many times in the books how demons make pacts with anyone and betray each other if it will help them achieve greater power.
Of course, if a bunch of demons were summoned by Diablo himself, none of them would have the guts to challenge him, so they'd all be fighting you in that situation. However out in the field, with no Prime Evil watching over them, or any demon of any great significance for that matter, it would seem possible.

If this is implemented however, I imagine it will mostly be indigenous monsters fighting beasts from Hell. What I mean is that I don't expect Fallen to fight Fallen, but certainly Fallen fighting Wendigos. If they appear in D3 that is.

I actually liked the D2 Inventory system. It was annoying to manage at times, but I think that was part of the fun.

In regards to the monster AI, I agree with Romak in regards to the Demon Vs Demon aspect being dumb, but I also agree with mattheo_majik perspective about not all enemies being from Hell. Perhaps only the "wild" creatures will behave this way... assuming that this idea lasts at all.

Hmmm yeah, PhrozenDragon, what you say actually makes sense. Also I don't have the books... didn't know that.

Quote from "mattheo_majik" »

(and in accord to Sol Invictus *by the way did u take ur name frmo akhenaton's album*)

I took my name from the god of the Romans, which is the same source from which Akhenaton derived their album's title.

I actually liked the D2 Inventory system. It was annoying to manage at times, but I think that was part of the fun.

It was a novel idea a decade ago but it's just bad now. They tried to implement it into Titan Quest and it was annoying there. In Hellgate: London it was a nightmare to deal with the 'tetris' inventory. I'm glad Blizzard is moving away from it towards a better interface with unique artwork.

Quote from "Romak" »

Hmmm yeah, PhrozenDragon, what you say actually makes sense. Also I don't have the books... didn't know that.

Well suffice to say, they're not the most loyal bunch of allies

Except for the Three themselves, they're pretty tight. It was discussed extensively here. If you don't mind spoilers, or don't plan on reading the books, you may want to read it.

Quote from ""Bashiok"" »

... being able to reach a happy medium between single slot and having nice big item images is something we're striving for.

THIS...


IS...

GREAT!!!

:thumbsup:

Well keep in mind that as far as we know, theres a civil war going on in Hell between Belial and Azmodan so this makes perfect sense, this was also eluded to in the tale of the Dune Thresher vs Scavengers; Like in other games, guess you can sit back and watch them duke it out and then pick off the survivors, or just jump into the fray

Quote from "Anderonine" »

Well keep in mind that as far as we know, theres a civil war going on in Hell between Belial and Azmodan so this makes perfect sense, this was also eluded to in the tale of the Dune Thresher vs Scavengers; Like in other games, guess you can sit back and watch them duke it out and then pick off the survivors, or just jump into the fray

That is true, however I wonder to what extent the civil war would have reached Sanctuary, if it has at all. While it's certain both Belial and Azmodan would like to conquer Sanctuary, they would be fools if they did not take into consideration what has unfolded there over the last few years, with Diablo having been defeated twice and Baal routed by human forces alone, even when he had an army.

However if we do get to Hell again, which would be a fair assumption I think, then we would probably see some of the civil war. Unless it has been settled at the time of our arrival.

Quote from name="Sol Invictus" »

First up, a response to a question regarding Monsters:

It would be naive to think that with all of the creatures, demons, and monsters in the world of Sanctuary that they'd all purely be concerned with killing you and you alone.

Hinting that the player may discover monsters who fight each other in the wilderness!

Wooooohoooo! I was so hoping something like that might happen. Just the wendigos not occasionally taking a swipe at and/or eating the blood hawks seemed so unnatural!

I look forward to people leading mobs of opposing monsters to each other for a
brawl/laugh/bunch of easy XP (depending on how the XP system works) =D

Oh how I want to pull a mob of goatmen into a fallen camp ...

I cannot wait to see a mission in which you run into a den of some native wildlife that you need to defend from the invading demons attempting to destroy this particular "endangered species", like the last uncorrupted wendigos perhaps, they were pretty badass in D2 lol.

Quote from "Romak" »

It may sound weird, but it starts for feel like we're not fighting demons anymore. It's more like a "fantasy world" with weird animals. The Dune Thresher for example... he's body structure was meant to allow him to burrow in the sand - It doesn't really sound like a demon from hell (sand? in hell?) and with creatures starting to attack each other... like, aren't they suppose to be in the same side? Isn't it their common goal to make things hard for humans? Imagine Diablo summoning a bunch of demons and they all start fighting each other >.< I know it's alot more interesting like that, but it just doesn't fit in the lore.... but who am I to judge? :/

If you were in a world full of ravaging hell spawn, it wouldnt be perfect. If what we are going to be fighting is demons then they wont be pretty. A demon or demonic creature would get angy easily and kill anything in its path to get to you. Demonic creatures have no soul so they would do anything to kill you. No life = No remorse. :mad: =

This is perhaps the next most useful news since the announcement.