"Darker" Diablo fan petition rejected News
PC News by Oli Welsh
Blizzard has stamped on the hopes of the 52,744 Diablo fans who have signed a petition asking it to change the art style of Diablo III.
Lead designer Jay Wilson unequivocally vetoed a change of course. "There's no going back now," he told MTV. "We're very happy with how the art style is.
"The art team's happy. The company's happy. We really like this art style, and we're not changing it."
No room for misinterpretation there. Blizzard unveiled Diablo III's colourful, hand-painted, stylised look at its Worldwide Invitational back in late June: check it, and our preview, out on the game page.
It is some way removed from the "macabre, dark and realistic style" the petitioners expected and wanted from this sequel. We think it's stunning, personally, but each to their own.
Wilson did conceded that it wasn't an easy decision. The game went through two versions with a darker, grittier look before Blizzard decided it just didn't work with the gameplay.
"It's actually the thing we struggled with the most," Wilson said. "When you have 30 creatures on screen - and four or five different types - target prioritization is a factor.
"You need to be able to tell those things apart fast, and you can't do that when your world is grey and your creatures are grey."
Plenty more interesting comments from Wilson on the reasoning behind the decision in the MTV interview, so be sure to read it.
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Poster
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FunkyRenegade
01/08/08 @ 14:10
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I understand why people will have done that, the dark, gritty style of Diablo and Diablo II were amazingly atmospheric, and still are, despite the dated graphics. But all things have to progress, and I personally really like the change in the art style. Roll on Diablo III LAN parties :)
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kangarootoo
01/08/08 @ 14:25
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Pah, a bloody good thing too. Some people just fear change. Petition indeed.
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kangarootoo
01/08/08 @ 14:45
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How many people signed the petition? And how many copies do they expect to sell? And most importantly of all, how many of those that signed will buy the game anyway and enjoy it despite their initial winging?
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@booner
"I like the way they say the art work team is happy.... I wouldn't be if 50,000+ fans said my art style sucked... I mean that is a large sample! " Yep it's a large number but when you consider that millions of people have seen D3 and didn't complain then it becomes only 50,000 or so people. Also as it was shown at the WWI to flesh and blood fans (rather than disembodied internet fans) they probably would have had a better idea of the percentage of people who like/dislike the new look. I personally love the way it looks. |
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Der_tolle_Emil
01/08/08 @ 15:36
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Uhm, what? This looks nothing like a comic approach or anything like that. Yes, I have seen a bit of blue and dark orange in the screenshots and actually some slightly green trees as well. Is this already too much color to justify petitions to make it look darker? I think it looks fantastic, I can't even picture Diablo looking more like, I don't know, Gears of War or whatever those petitioners were expecting.
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im not really sure how i feel. To be honest i was dissapointed with how bright and colourful it was. I dont know why everyone deals in extremes. Making it a bit more dark and gritty does not necessarily mean its going to be "dark and grey". There is no getting away from the real reason they have chosen this colour palette (we all know). The real thing that pissed me off was the health system, like from god of war. Diablo 1 and 2 were fine with the pots i dont know why everyone complained that they had to fill up all the time, its called preperation and a good social part of the game. Everything else looks good such as the destructible environment and classes and i will definitely be playing it. They have definitely made it more user frienndly and I hope they will not have lost the ambience and atmosphere that the last games had in bounds!!!
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well, *I* was one of those who signed the petition. Mainly because there are plenty of colourful, chirpy action RPGS out there that have carried the torch while we waited for Diablo 3. Silverfall, Titan Quest, Dungeon Runners... they're all bright. Diablo and Diablo 2 were so unique for their dark fantasy style, the grainy-looking, semi gothic-inspired visuals were a breath of fresh air, and had such character. But it was still fairly colourful, and some of the more comic critters - like the imps - gave a nice edge to the darkness.
I'll still buy Diablo 3. I'm sure it'll be great. But I will sorely miss the old art style, which I felt really embodied the Diablo world. These new stuff looks nice and hand-painted (rather like the new Prince of Persia, to an extent) but it doesn't feel like Diablo to me. So, there. |
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makeamazing
01/08/08 @ 18:01
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Ive actually been playing D1 and 2 recently (last week), and I also would like to know where these 50k of people have come from... what is wrong with people, complaining about the fantastic looking D3. I mean D1 and 2 have awful colours.. mostly to do with how old the games are... but its not really something someone can compare and complain about. I would ignore their complaints as well, its llike complaining that your not happy with the 3D graphics when compared to the spectrum version... Muppets ;)
These people (or was it the person who created the petition who voted 50 thousand times himself) are very sad indeed. |
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You don't get to say how films or TV shows look, what your favourite band's next album should sound like, or what the ending of your favourite authors book should be.
So why the fuck should game developers let you decide how to make their game? You get what you're given - take it or leave it. If you want to decide how a game looks then make it yourself.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 01/08/08 @ 20:22
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TriggerHippie
01/08/08 @ 19:37
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Unbelievable. Blizzard have perhaps the most consistently excellent art departments in the business. Personally I think they know what they're doing. You'd think they'd have earned the benefit of the doubt by now. Whats next? Petitioning a maximum resolution of 800x600?
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I don't like a lot the actual art: seems a WoW meets Paper Mario meets Yoshi's Island.
And the Doc Soc isn't a Diablo character: is a WoW/Warcraft III horde character. I don't known what Blizz is thinkinsg, but old Necro fits x1000 better in Diablo than the grotesque new adition. I think that Blizzard fears to render scenes like the torture chambers and jails in Andariel's acts in truly gore 3D, because maybe they expect to sell alot this game to children and ancients, like Nintendo with his products. For sure, I will bought this game the day one as long as Paladins exists, but taking in consiferation how actual rt's from Relics crushes his old Starcraft in terms of innovations and gameplay, if I were Blizzard I would make some changes in the art department... fast. |
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@ Stoatboy- "You don't get to say how films or TV shows look, what your favourite band's next album should sound like, or what the ending of your favourite authors book should be.
So why the fuck should game developers let you decide how to make their game? You get what you're given - take it or leave it. If you want to decide how a game looks then make it yourself. " In a way, you do, actually. Film companies, TV companies, musicians and authors always have to be aware of their core fans likes and dislikes, or they risk alienating consumers and of course losing sales. That might not matter so much for a small show that doesnt cost much to make, or a band that doesnt expect to reap a lot of profit from its record sales, but for the big players, these projects cost money, and you damn well better be aware of what your audience wants before you plough cash and time into making something. And the whole "if you want to decide how a game looks then make it yourself" line is old and lame. Just because I don't make my own videogames doesn't mean I don't deserve an opinion on them. Thats the same as idiots who say 'I bet you couldn't do any better'. Chances are I probably couldn't, since I lack any technical programming knowledge. But I do know my art and art styles, and right now Diablo 3 looks, to me, to have about as much character as the overwhelming generic Stronghold Crusader Extreme character graphics currently adorning this site. Not as bad, perhaps, but about as interesting and imaginative. |
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Don't worry, leave it to the focus groups.
With that being said, the indoor environments look pretty gloomy to me, although the light sources have a somewhat larger radius than in the predecessors. I'm sure a mod or two can take care of these light radii if needed. Also, there should be a brightness setting on your monitor, I'm sure. The outdoors looks rather bright and sunny during daylight (possibly due to sunlight) - maybe this will contrast nicely with nighttime scenes? I've played a lot of Diablo, yet I don't see the dramatic changes the petitioners complain about. Little things, yes, but not something I'd get internet raged about. Sorry.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 01/08/08 @ 23:06
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@berelain: I never said you're not entitled to an opinion. You clearly have one. You've expressed it. Blizzard have wisely exercised their right to ignore it, in exactly the same way I hope they would ignore mine if I suggested it needed more happy pink unicorns in it. There's a difference in having an opinion on how you think a game should look, and having a say in how it WILL look. You're entitled to one and not the other, unless you're working on the game in question.
This entire story could be better summed up with the phrase "Extraordinarily successful gaming company decides not to trust the future of a multi-million pound project to the whims of 50 000 internet-empowered strangers with their own agendas." Never going to happen.
Edited 2 times,
most recently on 01/08/08 @ 23:14
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@Stoatboy - fair point.
I think what I'm trying to get at, though, is this: games, unlike most other mediums, are the products of their fans. At least, to the extent that if an original game isn't popular or liked, it won't get a sequel. A company like Blizzard grew huge from the success of people who played the original Diablo and Warcraft games, and whilst they've quite wisely stuck to the same style and setting for Warcraft and Starcraft spinoffs and sequels, they don't appear to be showing the same kind of respect to their second-oldest franchise by changing its style. And the worst part is, everyone -myself included- will buy it, and they'll think its ok to do it, and next thing you know Starcraft will be invaded by those fluffy pink unicorns you mention. Ok, so that's never going to happen. But I think you see what I mean. Don;t get me wrong, I'm not too bothered about it, I do actually quite like the new art style in its own way - relative lack of character aside- but it just feels different to me, and I can't help but feel saddened by that just a little. And its not the colour, and not the lighting. Its just... something. Meh. words not working. Brain entering involuntary sleep mode. zzzzz. |
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I am not sure what people are complaining about, the art in the other two Diablo games is a bit bland and they relied on sound and light radious to maintain atmosphere. From a puirely asthetic standpoint such as the amount of detail the art in D3 looks much much better. It also has more 'atmosphere' than the D2. In particular it reminds me of the barrow downs and I have not played many games or read literature that can capture the feel of Tolkein's world. So grats to Blizzard for succeeding in creating a great looking colorful world but at the same time seems to capture more of the horror atmosphere of the original.
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