I remember a while ago...I want to say it was zhuge back when he was really leading up putting together wiki sections for mods...we had talked about what a cool idea it would be if D3 came out with mod support, or even a map builder and players could share/play each others maps. I'd imagine this would be pretty doable with how Diablo functions by using map chunks and setting them together. Oh well.
Rebjorn - I think that's a fantastic idea and one that would truly benefit the community and the players. Thinking about this makes me wonder why Blizzard hasn't done something along these lines (though, I suppose I wouldn't consider them particularly supportive to mods, unlike other developers like Bethesda). If Blizzard is truly as profit-driven as it seems to us, that leads to the question: if there were a profitable way to do this, why haven't they done it?
Certainly, there is a degree of risk involved in greater support for modding / releasing source code, but I imagine the potential for profit could easily outweigh these risks, especially considering D2 is an older property. Perhaps, then, the potential for profit isn't as significant as we believe. I find it doubtful they haven't at least considered possibilities like this - so perhaps they have done analysis and found that the profits just aren't there for some reason (or the risks are larger than we have considered).
Maybe, for example, they are concerned about drawing attention away from their newer properties (i.e. D3, D4, Diablo Immortal, etc) by shifting player focus back onto D2 - cannibalizing some of their own audience. This could make sense, considering they are surely aware of the legacy of D2 compared to the somewhat lukewarm perception of D3, D4, and Immortal.
They also may simply prefer to maintain greater control over their properties - something which supporting modding on an older title might undermine. It's harder to justify DRM, paid DLC's, and micro transactions on a new title if you're actively supporting modding on an older (arguably, more popular) title. This higher level of control and propriety over games is, unfortunately, gaining in popularity. It may be less beneficial for players, but it is a safer bet for the developer and shareholders.
Ultimately, I think that your idea is great - arguably, better than Blizzard attempting a remaster / remake (as I agree that the fanbase and modders are more likely to put in the effort to crafting a more soulful and honest experience) - but it would likely require a major shift in Blizzard's direction... something which isn't likely to happen if they're content and profiting off of their current model.
In short, this is a great idea but, if Blizzard is as greedy as it seems, I doubt it will happen (sadly). Not enough control over the product, maybe too much doubt about losing audience from their newer games.
With regards to a remaster, you guys all hit on several different nail heads. The first is that it was definitely said that essentially all the working parts are all lost to time. There's certain things modders can and do tinker with, but it's not enough to rebuild a game from. That's in that quote above, and I remember back in 2010 or 2011 when I went to Blizzcon this was confirmed by... I can't remember his name. At the time, the legacy "team" was literally 1 full time guy (for all legacy games) and one other guy that was usually at a different campus.
Making the assets "available" like that to anyone isn't likely in their style. They very much went out of their way with WC3R to stipulate that any and all content created with their editor is their property, or at least can't be used in the way that led to a certain moba being born.
I really, really wanted a remake. I remember when I was in line in 2019 before the con doors opened some guys were passing around a blurred screenshot that we all assumed was a D2 remastered character select campfire. I was losing my mind. It turned out it was a leak of the D4 character select campfire.
But honestly, if they really pull through on D4 (and it looks like they will), I'm not sure I need a remaster, anymore. D4 feels to me like what D3 was missing. I know it's silly to rail on cosmetics, but honestly that vibe that the first games gave off are part of the reason for their campy following. D3 just felt like a high fantasy epic. I enjoyed the gameplay and so much else about it, but it didn't feel in the same universe for the most part until ROP.
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Blizzard has no other games on the horizon? OVW 2 , wow shadow lands event to the summer game festival, and there are job posting for other 2 games mobiles Unannounced Project and we don't konw if leaked Diablo 2 resurrect is real or fake .
another Lead artist for another blizzard game Unannounced project https://careers.blizzard.com/en-us/openings/oSIFbfwa
Not really surprise If warcraft franchise take mobile title after DI.
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Cab be A Remake start from 0. Remake don't need source code.
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Not chance diablo IV in 2020 . Wow shadowlands is scheduled for december 2020. 2 games blizzard is crashed system of Bnet. spring 2021 or later
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=87&v=8CzpX77iBNg&feature=emb_logo&fbclid=IwAR107SizGkSwV-jOKIdzynrDfDHFXwvQn-lsb2Res0x01u3K8t3cCsNe32Uhttps://www.reddit.com/r/Diablo/comments/e3xiw2/the_pale_summoner_is_rathma_blizzards_leak/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
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Diablo 4 incoming , much artworks diablo IV check https://www.facebook.com/marco.rufini.9 or https://twitter.com/Marcazzo81
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Big surprise here for Diablo IV go to check . New images the art of diablo ( diablo 4 images ) no in the web net https://www.facebook.com/marco.rufini.9 or https://twitter.com/Marcazzo81