DiabloFans

I totally called it...

Quote from "SHibumi" »

I've actually been thinking about this for quite some time now. The whole idea of the chat system that will be in the game. I have a huge hunch that Blizzard is going to start following models like Steam, and along the same lines Microsoft is going with their Live program.

I have a feeling that Battlenet 2.0 is going to be all inclusive. I think that there's going to be one central login to battlnet that harbors your entire account. You can then link your characters from Blizzard games, and their subscriptions to your Bnet account. So for instance... if you played WoW and SC2, you could manage both from one central login account. Linking to a central profile with your stats and acheivements, rankings, and such from both games. Then when you buy Diablo 3, you just add that cd key to your account and now you can use your Bnet account to log into Diablo 3 and it will link all the characters you make to that.

Now as far as the social system goes. I have a feeling there is going to be a new overlay system that allows you to send and receive messages from buddies playing any blizzard games. So you could say... look at your buddy list while you're raiding, and see that your cousin is playing SC2 in some kind of tournament, and you send him a message you'll be done with your raid in like an hour, so he saves you a spot in the tourney. And then when you're done, you go load up SC2 and play. Meanwhile, you're doing the tourney and you get a message from your 2v2 partner that he's on and wants to play, so when you get knocked out of the tourney, you go back and play 2v2.

Something like that... I'm sure if they had a system similiar to this, there would of course be the ability to have chat channels and all that...


Barring all this, and I'm 100% wrong and Blizzard doesn't use a Steam-like model... I'm sure there will be the chat channels of old that clans, friends, and groups can make\moderate\use alike. I highly doubt they'd take away that element.

Delete this please.

I totally 100% agree with this idea... except I'd like to one up you.

I really love the idea of adding sub levels, or fame levels, or whatever you want to call them after 99, to show that you've gone higher. But what I would REALLY like, is to actually SEE that your characters is above 99.

What i mean is... say at fame level one... your character gets something simple added to it (optionally of course, like toggle on or off), such as maybe a title. Like how you got matriarch and patriarch for beating the game... now you get like Master, or Elite. w/e. Then level 2, you get a colored aura at your character's feet. Then at 3 you get like a better title, then 4, you get a different color aura, etc. etc.

100% completely cosmetic things that have ZERO impact on the game at all, and are of course all optional. That way your character would really SHOW that you're badass and leveled beyond the cap of 99. I would hate to see it give you stats, or skills, or new gear, but I would LOVE to make the visual distinction from a lvl 99, to a lvl 120.

I've actually been thinking about this for quite some time now. The whole idea of the chat system that will be in the game. I have a huge hunch that Blizzard is going to start following models like Steam, and along the same lines Microsoft is going with their Live program.

I have a feeling that Battlenet 2.0 is going to be all inclusive. I think that there's going to be one central login to battlnet that harbors your entire account. You can then link your characters from Blizzard games, and their subscriptions to your Bnet account. So for instance... if you played WoW and SC2, you could manage both from one central login account. Linking to a central profile with your stats and acheivements, rankings, and such from both games. Then when you buy Diablo 3, you just add that cd key to your account and now you can use your Bnet account to log into Diablo 3 and it will link all the characters you make to that.

Now as far as the social system goes. I have a feeling there is going to be a new overlay system that allows you to send and receive messages from buddies playing any blizzard games. So you could say... look at your buddy list while you're raiding, and see that your cousin is playing SC2 in some kind of tournament, and you send him a message you'll be done with your raid in like an hour, so he saves you a spot in the tourney. And then when you're done, you go load up SC2 and play. Meanwhile, you're doing the tourney and you get a message from your 2v2 partner that he's on and wants to play, so when you get knocked out of the tourney, you go back and play 2v2.

Something like that... I'm sure if they had a system similiar to this, there would of course be the ability to have chat channels and all that...


Barring all this, and I'm 100% wrong and Blizzard doesn't use a Steam-like model... I'm sure there will be the chat channels of old that clans, friends, and groups can make\moderate\use alike. I highly doubt they'd take away that element.

Tbh... I think you're all right really.

Here's what I honestly get out of the whole thing. Yes, the game has changed, and it has evolved whether you like it or not. But I think you guys don't see why its all linked together.

What I mean is... Diablo 1 especially was focused on the story, the Gothic element, and the sinister look of it all in order to keep you enganged. Why? Because of the limitations of the game at that time. You couldn't make fancy animations, spell effects, or insanely textured dungeons. So they went with what they had and made the focal point of the game on something else that they could go crazy with. The story, cusomization to an extent, and the feeling the game gave you with what little they had.

Moving on to Diablo 2, they chose to stick with a 2d environment because it gave them a lot more breathing room to play with things, rather than doing it in a 3d environment where it would be yet again limited. So this time, animation got a little more improved and they concentrated hard on what they could... armor, and customization. With the improved resolution, the extra frames in the animation, and some more bit depth per texture to work with, of course they added something different to it. And I agree with what they've said before about making certain things stand out, in order to make something a focal point you have to make the object next to it contrast. So obviously some variations are going to come in, and god forbid... that means color seeps in. Now considering they're still limited by graphical effects, and animations, they obviously didn't go over the top on anything else.

However, I'd like to make a side argument about epicness for a sec... If you watch the Cinematics, particularly the LoD one with Baal's army, you can't for one second tell me that the entire Act V is based on 'epicness'. Sorry, but having things look crazy has been a long time coming in the Diablo series if you paid attention to what LoD added as far as dungeons\cinematics were concerned.

And finally we come to Diablo 3, we're working in pure 3D with fluid animation, all the particle effects and shaders we could as for, but in order to cater to lower end machines we're still using sprites and 2d images on somethings... mobs when they die for instance. So.... we have the basis of one of the coolest stories ever, tons of customizations have already been done (Diablo 2), so now we get to bring in some BadA animation, spell effects, and a grand world. I will admit that some of the Spell Effects are a little more flashy than I would like, almost to the point of cheesy, and some of the dungeon shots seem a little odd with the like 40 ft.+ drop offs, but I really have to say I can't blame Blizzard for it, and I really think it has nothing to do with WoW at all. I think it has to do with the fact that they've wanted to focus on something new for a long time, and they've been restrained from going crazy on spell effects, animation, and the environment with full color, 3d, and depth that they're going hog wild on it.

Its like waiting x-mas after x-mas askign for that brand new console and never getting it.... wiating and waiting and waiting, and you keep saving up your money. Then all of a sudden this x-mas rolls around an even newer console comes out and you have tons of money saved up for it now. Hell yeah you buy it and go crazy playing it with all the cool new games.

If i was a blizzard artist I would be DYING to explore all the things in the diablo world that has had to be off limits due to technical limitations. Along with that, yes the style has been affected because they've never been able to do any of it before. As well as previous point... you're also going to be seeing places of the world that were untouched by Diablo's minions and of course they're going to look bright, and cheery. Evil hasn't beena round for quite some time. I'm cool with that.

So really in the end, you're all right. The art has been affected, not the way you think it has, or for the reasons you thought. But all in all, whether they went over the line a little bit with it or not, its a brand new game and they're obviously going to be pushing the envelope somewhere, in some part of the game.

If you don't like it when it releases, just turn up the contrast on your monitor and turn down the brightness It'll all be ok =)


EDIT: Off Topic I know, but no light radius = lose. I'm really going to miss the whole aspect of the game where after like 10 ft. there could be a huge 500 strong throng of monsters and you would have no idea it was there. I really wish the whole 3d thing didn't screw performance as far as dynamic lighting with a light radius is concerned.

lol. If you go to the forum that it was origionally posted, he says on.... page 6? I dunno, been a while since I read it, that it was a lie. That's your proof. If that's not proof enough for you, go find the thread yourself and read through the pages and you'll see his post where he says he made it all up.

It was very amusing, and very intricate, I laughed quite hard when I read it, and even harder when I saw the droves of people who believed it. Anyways... its fake, but one heck of a job =)

Hi, I'm new to these forums, been reading them for over a week now. I managed to capitalize the H in my name by accident, disregard that. Anyways... I really don't think half of you understood what he was going for.

The council members were not turned of their own free will, they discovered Mephisto and he forced them to serve him and corrupted them. What Num3n is saying is that it would be cool if there were some like named dudes who upon Hell's invasion decided they would trade their mortal lives for power. Basically men who may have been evil in the first place on Sanctuary and saw the time of Hell's invasion as the perfect time to give in to their darker side. So in exchange for their soul to Diablo or whoever, they're granted demonic power and their body's are "enhanced" or w/e you want to call it.

It'd be like say we're running around the sanctuary and all of a sudden we come up on a red skinned 13 foot tall fire breathing version of Charsi, only to find out it really is Charsi, and she gave up her soul to Diablo so she could throw hammers of fire and command an army of minions. Ya know, something badA like that. Not that Charsi is secretly evil or something, just saying for example's sake.

Anyways... I like the idea, it'd be cool to see some turned humans as smaller commanders or sub-bosses instead of it always being straight up demons like we always see. Would be strange to see someone who willingly went to Hell for pure power.