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I am a little sad about the lack of pet control. I am sure with an improvement to AI they will be much better than they were in D2 but I was still hoping for at least a movement or targeting system. Oh well.

As for the NDA, I am glad that as soon as beta drops, the flood of Diablo information will come forth.

With the zombies, how can anyone complain about having zombies? There a must in any "horror" game.

The laser thing to me is more of an aesthetic than function issue. I would just like to see some sort of whippy motion when twirling it around.

Something less smooth in general would make it more aesthetically pleasing to me, personally. Some more bits of arcane fire, a few sparks, some dust and tiny rocks. It would be cool if when it blasted in to an enemy, it sent a high amount of blood trailing behind, or body parts. It just looks too anime-esque to me right now. It didn't feel too powerful when I played it, either, although I guess that's a slightly different issue.

Quote from ScyberDragon

I am a little sad about the lack of pet control. I am sure with an improvement to AI they will be much better than they were in D2 but I was still hoping for at least a movement or targeting system. Oh well.

As for the NDA, I am glad that as soon as beta drops, the flood of Diablo information will come forth.

With the zombies, how can anyone complain about having zombies? There a must in any "horror" game.

The laser thing to me is more of an aesthetic than function issue. I would just like to see some sort of whippy motion when twirling it around.

Yes, I agree! I'm not too concerned about pet control though, I think it will be worked out just fine and I will probably not miss targeting features that much.

I too think a whip effect to Disintegrate could improve the feel of the spell a lot. Although that could make it maybe too weak against fast moving creatures, depending on how responsive you make it. They could probably balance that as well though. We'll have to wait and see how it plays out with runes and such.

Zombies & no NDA <3

how would every1 like if disintegrate acted like inferno or ice blast? where you could "bend" it by moving.

Quote from maka

I don't know about you, but a "short range cone attack that it super strong" sounds like an extremely interesting proposition to me.

same thought here. I like how they're encouraging "melee wizard" what with certain skills, and now with runes

Well the post about pet control leaves a lot of possibilities open. It almost seems to contradict itself. How can you plan and strategize about your pet if you can't control its actions? The first part of the post makes it seem like you just basically put whatever rune you want in your pet skill, and summon them and let it go, but in the second part he makes it seem as though its not as simple as that. Pretty vague, but whatever it is at least you'll be able to do more than just mass summon.

And as far as Disintegrate goes, it never struck me as OP. Having to stand still and its low damage, (it was ticking for 15-20 on targets with 800+ hp in those PvP videos) makes it a pretty situational skill. Like Bashiok said, its easy to get out of line of site in those arenas. The only thing that struck me as a problem with it is that if you're a Disintegrate Wizard, what do you do during a boss fight other than avoid damaging stuff and sit there casting Disintegrate? Like if its your most damaging still thats the only way I see it working out. I'm sure thats not the case though, and if it is, I'm avoiding that boredom at all costs.

I'm pretty sure the reason that the Zombies aren't attached to Hell anymore is because of Mephisto (I think he was the undead leader) is dead/gone. Bashiok is obviously trying to imply something though, or at least carefully choosing his words to let us know something weird is up. Maybe its whoever is the Act 1 boss?

Quote from Jackzor

And as far as Disintegrate goes, it never struck me as OP. Having to stand still and its low damage, (it was ticking for 15-20 on targets with 800+ hp in those PvP videos) makes it a pretty situational skill. Like Bashiok said, its easy to get out of line of site in those arenas. The only thing that struck me as a problem with it is that if you're a Disintegrate Wizard, what do you do during a boss fight other than avoid damaging stuff and sit there casting Disintegrate? Like if its your most damaging still thats the only way I see it working out. I'm sure thats not the case though, and if it is, I'm avoiding that boredom at all costs.

Keep in mind that bosses are going to be a lot more interesting than they were in D2. Blizzard said themselves that they want to make bosses more like a Zelda boss, and from what we've seen so far, there is going to be a lot more happening in a boss fight that just a simple attack/dodge scenario. Couple that with the number of skills and rune variances, I find it hard to believe you will want to just use one skill.

Quote from Ophion

I think Disintegrate should work more like a laser burst. When you start charging you get a very clear thin laser line, and over the next 1-2 seconds it rapidly increases in size, strength, and cost. The thin line can be rotated easily and can be used to harass. The big beam can be used as a serious damage dealing ability, but it is much easier to avoid because you rotate much slower. I think this will make it feel more natural and less like a laser pointer, but it will at the same time fill a very similar function.

I REALLY like this. it makes a lot of sense. +1

Lots of thanks for the person who asked the question.

There're so much excitement in me now for knowing there's more to it than exploding my pets brains out when they are looking fried. Just the thought of now minions are being dealt in more depth, I can calmly execute any further worrisome comments that has been swimming in my mind ever since the first zombie dog revealed its inners in great purple clouds. Hey, whatever. As long as they're "having a lot of thought" for any sense of pet controls. Great post.

Quote from duffman

Keep in mind that bosses are going to be a lot more interesting than they were in D2. Blizzard said themselves that they want to make bosses more like a Zelda boss, and from what we've seen so far, there is going to be a lot more happening in a boss fight that just a simple attack/dodge scenario. Couple that with the number of skills and rune variances, I find it hard to believe you will want to just use one skill.

Oh of course, but if my go-to attack is one where I hold down RMB and a laser comes out and i just stand there with it charged until the boss does something that makes me have to move, it would be kinda boring. I'd personally much rather be using multiple attacks in that time, and what I was pointing out is that since Disintegrate takes up all your time, I don't see how it fits into a skill rotation or anything. I mean I'm sure I'm oversimplifying it, but it just doesn't seem like a terribly interesting skill to me. Which is fine because theres plenty of other skills to choose from.

Quote from BarlowEnter

Official Blizzard Quote:

Does diablo 3 allow player to micro pets like in titan's quest?

Sort of. Direct control of their actions, no, but there's a lot of thought and strategy that can go in to pet control far beyond just summoning new ones when the old ones die.

Lots of thanks for the person who asked the question.

There're so much excitement in me now for knowing there's more to it than exploding my pets brains out when they are looking fried. Just the thought of now minions are being dealt in more depth, I can calmly execute any further worrisome comments that has been swimming in my mind ever since the first zombie dog revealed its inners in great purple clouds. Hey, whatever. As long as they're "having a lot of thought" for any sense of pet controls. Great post.

Man, they know how to speak to a naive crowd. Yes, I'm sure you'll be really happy when you realize that this extremely inaccurate comments, translated to: "Well, I hoped that we would, but I can't say exactly how it is because it might just not happen. And here the game is released and you get some lame ass options. But hey, people we're happy about it until they bought it. Win!"

They shouldn't even be allowed to talk if they're going to be so stupidly vague.

Quote from duffman

Keep in mind that bosses are going to be a lot more interesting than they were in D2. Blizzard said themselves that they want to make bosses more like a Zelda boss, and from what we've seen so far, there is going to be a lot more happening in a boss fight that just a simple attack/dodge scenario. Couple that with the number of skills and rune variances, I find it hard to believe you will want to just use one skill.

I see all positive things coming out of this direciton as well. Cannot remember when was this being established by Jay Wilson though, but it is an important aspect of Diablo 3 for us to look forward to.
The real step up would've been any possible D3 world editor release from Blizzard. Unfortunately it's been decline gently by the development team themself.

Quote from SFJake

Man, they know how to speak to a naive crowd. Yes, I'm sure you'll be really happy when you realize that this extremely inaccurate comments, translated to: "Well, I hoped that we would, but I can't say exactly how it is because it might just not happen. And here the game is released and you get some lame ass options. But hey, people we're happy about it until they bought it. Win!"

They shouldn't even be allowed to talk if they're going to be so stupidly vague.

That's a bummer, it's true though.

I was going for a fan comment reinforcement to Bashiok's statement with stronge approval. But it's true the depth will never go into a real "instruction" we hope to be specific with.

Why do I really feel that way though? Probably the same as you do. The sense of pet "micro" doesn't theme to the kind of game they're going for? God I hope that's not true. But there is an idea oh sir we all know that very well, and the right for us to handle creative minion micros are not favored, too much "brain" to be gifted into the world they're going for.

Therefore I can only applaud to whatever additional features to be add into a summoner's deal.

We never had ANY pet control before, and we did fine. I'm pretty sure we'll do better with just the "Aggressive", "Defensive" and "Passive" options. Besides, if you have time to control your pets instead of enhancing/exploding/resummoning/throwingbombs then you're doing it wrong.

Quote from Don_guillotine

This is indeed a very good argument.

While someone might argue that having no ability to micromanage your pets is detrimental to one's ability to play the kind of WD they want, I think that it is exactly the other way around.

It'd be an easy cop out for them to just have a pet bar similar to what WoW has, with commands such as "attack", "follow" and "stay. Then they wouldn't have to bother making a decent AI for the pets.

There's got to be more to it than stay/defensive/offensive. Sorry if I'm completely obsessive with this thread, for I'm subconsciously driven to the idea that one of Blizzard's staff is reading this post, and Bashiok's interest was meant to see how the community reacts.

Here I'll say this, even if most players will focuse on solo activities to one's builds pontential, the "instructions" creation doesn't really hurt the format infact the two dementional world of Diablo encourages it, and I think a true summoner is something decent to be looking forward to in the new Diablo.

I think some people's blood can get real pumped up for this possibility. A Witch Doctor. Obviously this can be dealt with without making it as dramatic as RTS standard. Maybe I'm battleing alone here, but I see summoners as something that was eventually going to evolve out of Necro. And it could allow summoners pvp viable as well.

Why not take considerable care into what this system can accomplish? Is there really no one out there wants to see a Diablo version of a summoner? The angle of its world really can give a clear picture of what a summoner should look like.

Quote from Don_guillotine

I have a feeling Necromancer might return in an expansion (two expansions is a real possibility). This is because WD isn't an archetype summoner, but bit of a hybrid.

Wouldn't that be nice. That will be a recapturing of something important for me actually (defnitely not talking about pet mechanics this time :>)


I learned the word "necromancer" because of the need of knowing why my character look so weird. This was in my six grade? Fifth? No clue, remove my father's big-whale-stomache dictionary from the study and check on the whole deal of necro myself. Quite satisfying.

Can we look forward to the dev team annually expanding the game's content? Do you think that's possible?

Quote from cas89_6080271

(sort of off topic)
It was my thought that the Hell's never commanded undead. The dead were rising from their graves by themselves because of the effect that evil has on its surroundings. So they were just a side-effect of the demonic presence...
Not a part of the Hell's army...

Don't remember where I read this though...

Well, there was a slew of hellish minions that were undead in e.g. the River of Flame who were definitely under Diablo's command. Mephisto was also I believe called the Lord of the Undead or something like that since undead minions were his specialty. As far as the regular undead like zombies and skeletons are concerned, however, I find it interesting that Bashiok only mentions Tristram as the place where the undead are not raised by Hell. One has to ask what is in Tristram that could make the undead rise from the grave? I think he's hinting at King Leoric (about whom we already know). Leoric is, true, controlled by Hell to some extent (...prepare yourself, mortal, to serve my MASTER for eternity) but it is in fact he who can make undead rise from the grave. So even though Hell (or one of the Prime/Lesser Evils to be exact) is responsible for Leoric's presence in New Tristram, it is Leoric who raises the undead from the grave. Ooor...I'm completely missing the point and there is another story about all this which we still have to hear. If that's the case, you can merrily disregard everything I just said as nothing but ramblings of a new poster :biggrin:

So one of two:

1. The NPCs are wrong the undeads are caused by cultists or other.
2. Or the meteor came from Heaven. Angels conjuring zombies is kind odd rofl.

I don't know that the cultists are powerful enough to summon a huge meteor. Whoever is behind the cultist's rise to power probably is though. I don't see how someone that evil isn't somehow connected to Hell though.

And we should keep in mind that the Angels in Diablo are much more sinister than the angels in the Bible. Not to mention that God/Jesus raising the dead is part of the Apocalypse, so its not out of the question that the Heavens are commanding the dead in D3.

As for the zombies, I say necromancer commanding them, I fucking called it!

Quote from Jackzor

I don't know that the cultists are powerful enough to summon a huge meteor. Whoever is behind the cultist's rise to power probably is though. I don't see how someone that evil isn't somehow connected to Hell though.

And we should keep in mind that the Angels in Diablo are much more sinister than the angels in the Bible. Not to mention that God/Jesus raising the dead is part of the Apocalypse, so its not out of the question that the Heavens are commanding the dead in D3.

My freak juice is flowing just by you contributing such fun facts. Angels in Diablo are sinister? (mmmm monsterous elemental beings?)

No argument with bible's reference; and I simply feel joyful for how literal can the dev team be with the activities of angels in Diablo.

I really should start paying attention to Diablo story content. And of course I'm prepared to take considerable focuse in D3's storyline. While I've never taken a serious notion to Diablo plotwise in the past, I'll admit much of it has to do with the age when I engaged in D1 on playstation platform. Mmm, but such facinating knowledge for the activities angels played in the story of Diablo.