Why the love for Diablo 3?

[Elijah Newton]

I have been watching the videos for Diablo 3 and reading the comments people post. I feel like I'm looking at a completely different game from people who are excited by this and am honestly curious to hear what I'm missing.

This looks like the same gameplay, very lightly twiddled, as the original Diablo had a decade and a half ago - essentially a gussied up slot machine. The idea was reasonably novel then, but now? Procedurally generated terrain was, I think a feature of Diablo II, just over ten years ago. This one... I'm really not seeing what's new about it, what makes it worth getting excited by. Is it the moderately updated graphics? I mean, it's kind of keeping with the times, I guess, having progressed from sprites to 3D models but I've been watching videofootage and I haven't really seen anything that makes it not look like the original tile based 2D game. Points for consistency I guess.

I'm confused that people - particularly fans - don't find it insultingly stale. Isn't getting all excited by this basically the same as people who rush out to buy Madden NFL for full price every year, only with a ridonkulously long development cycle? Why all the love for the clickfest?

With that as a point of departure for this forum, let me state clearly - if you like Diablo 3, more power to you. Goodness knows I've got a place in my heart for games other people don't care for, to each their own, etc etc. I don't mean any insult and would really like to hear what you have to say.

Thanks!

 

[hermes]

Because its an updated look at the gameplay of what many people consider the best game ever made (and more people consider the seminal game of a genre).

Compare it with Street Fighter 4; many people would think its just the same old game with shinny graphics, but there was nothing wrong with the old game to begin with...

 

[BloatedGuppy]

I have been watching the videos for Diablo 3 and reading the comments people post. I feel like I'm looking at a completely different game from people who are excited by this and am honestly curious to hear what I'm missing.

Two things leap immediately to mind upon reading this.

The first is that not every genre of game play requires evolution to retain quality. Sometimes you don't need to reinvent the wheel if the wheel you've got works fine. Feature creep is just as likely to ruin a game as improve it if the game play is simple and elegant. Starcraft is an example of such a game. Sid Meier's Pirates another example. M.U.L.E. a third example. And some people likely feel Diablo is an example of a game that doesn't need improving on, it just needs a fresh coat of paint.

The second is that I kind of agree with you. A decade of MMO's that took the loot treadmill genre and ran with it have left Diablo's game play seeming quaint and curiously limited. Were it not for the promise of some quick and dirty co-op I can play with my girlfriend, I'd have next to no interest in it, and depending on just how magical I end up finding Guild Wars 2 and TOR I could very easily see myself skipping it entirely, which was unthinkable even a few years ago.

 

[SaikyoKid]

Because there really isn't necessarily anything wrong with taking something that was good to begin with and merely giving the people more of what they love. Think of it like delicious cake. If it really was some good pastry that you hadn't had in over ten years, wouldn't you be at least a little stoked to get a chance to enjoy it again?

But really though, they kinda have expanded a little more on it than just shinier graphics. It's a continuation of an actual plot line, they've actually added a few new classes, upgraded the ones they've already had before, and people who loved the Diablo series are probably glad to have another addition to love. I know I am. So I think it may be a tad unfair to compare this update to the update sports series gets.

 

[Togs]

Because the formula is solid, what changes would you have wanted?

 

[teisjm]

Well, apart from a new story, from what i've seen, we ge completely new skill trees, new classes, new quests, new forging system, new focus on tactical combat instead of just swarms of generic monsters, and as you mention new graphics.

It's still the same game, the same way every shooter in the same setting (say, WW2 or current setting) is the same game, you point at nazis/russians/terrorists and click and they die, you see the world from the same first person perspective, move the same way through the world, use more or less the same weapons.

TBH from what i've seen so far, D3 adds more new stuff to D2's formula than most shooter sequels, fighter sequels driver sequels, and obviously sports games.

 

[Danceofmasks]

What do you mean it's the same game?
You don't assign stats anymore. You don't pick skills, you get them all. Monsters often drop health upon death.

It's not the same game at all. It's prettier ... and "dumbed down."

 

[iLikeHippos]

No, they have introduced new elements towards the game, although whether or not it has worked in anyones favor is up for debate.

-- Real-money auction house.

-- Internet requirement.

I'll buy the game, most definitely. Because it's Blizzard. And in Blizzard, I trust. I damn well do, ever since Warcraft III, Diablo II and WoW and its expansions.
Feels good to be optimistic, although relying ignorantly, instead of being cynical, and judging before you leap.

 

[ccggenius12]

It makes zero sense for anyone to say that Diablo 3 is awesome/shitty, since the game isn't even out yet.

But, there's a closed beta for people to make rash, uninformed snap decisions based on...
Seriously though, If this does to D2 what SC2 did to SC, it will be a fantastic game. Ease the requirements for entry level play, while maintaining the quality of the highest tier of play. Besides, they added more custom options for your gear, and more options is more awesome.
Of note, I'm excited for the Monk class, because it has an ability that lets you pretend you're Kenshiro. That it can be upgraded to exceed that is just gravy.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well it's the daddy of randomly generated dungeon crawlers, some people like that sort of thing and some don't.

I liked it as a kid, now I need something with a thought and context behind it.

 

[Christemo]

Well, apart from a new story, from what i've seen, we ge completely new skill trees, new classes, new quests, new forging system, new focus on tactical combat instead of just swarms of generic monsters, and as you mention new graphics.

It's still the same game, the same way every shooter in the same setting (say, WW2 or current setting) is the same game, you point at nazis/russians/terrorists and click and they die, you see the world from the same first person perspective, move the same way through the world, use more or less the same weapons.

TBH from what i've seen so far, D3 adds more new stuff to D2's formula than most shooter sequels, fighter sequels driver sequels, and obviously sports games.

this.

D3 took the almost-perfect formula of D2 (took care of flaws like no actionbar, a weird mouse system that caused complete and total hammering of mouse keys, and the awful graphics) and fixes the flaws it had. didnt like that one spell you took to get the awesome spell in the first game? now you can skip it and create your personal super skill set.

it also adds unneccesary, but still awesome features like crafting, auction houses and accessories like the "sell items outside item cauldron" and a thingy that converts items into crafting scraps.

D3, by the looks of it, has no reason to NOT be awesome.

 

[GotMalkAvian]

Because its an updated look at the gameplay of what many people consider the best game ever made (and more people consider the seminal game of a genre).

Compare it with Street Fighter 4; many people would think its just the same old game with shinny graphics, but there was nothing wrong with the old game to begin with...

Actually, Street Fighter is a great comparison. The Street Fighter games of today are virtually unrecognizeable from Street Fighter II, what with all of the extra moves, characters, combo systems, graphical updates, and other tweaks.

The leap from Diablo to Diablo II was huge, and I'm sure the leap from II to III will be just as large, if not moreso. Since so many people still enjoy Diablo II, it makes complete sense for them to be excited about a new entry in the series.