It seems like all this information is a regurgitation of everything that was shown at Blizzcon. Minus the Changeling, which is quite interesting. Sigh, they sure are taking their sweet time with this one. Although it's driving me completely insane, I hope they polish the hell out of this game.
@SublimeAndEtc: You mean Diablo 2? Didn't that come out in 2000? Four years after the original? It seems like the wait for D3 is going on 10 years...just like the pains us Starcraft fans are dealing with haha
@ThisCharmingMan: Yeah this is true. I guess it was the fact that they were teasing D2 right after the first one came out. SC2 has been behind the scenes for the most part (although still obviously coming if you played the secret mission at the end of the first one) until the past couple years, but it probably has been the same amount of time by now.
I guess I've just had other games to satisfy me, but I was a Blizzard fanatic back in the day.
If they're planning on releasing SC2 in 2010...they've better get the ball rolling on that beta. I doubt Acti-blizz would want to have to push BOTH SC2 and Cataclysm to a holiday release, and Chris Sigaty I believe said that he wanted to have a 6 month beta period. Also, I'm getting impatient. #diabloiii
@ThisCharmingMan: They had beta signups (or rather opt-ins) a few months ago, right? Beta should be getting started soon, if not already under way (I think there's currently a very, very closed beta -- eg special invite only. This is sometimes referred to as focus testing, but I personally believe SCII is beyond that stage) #diabloiii
@RealmRPGer: I chatted with a few of the guys at Blizzcon...they still think the Zerg air units are terribly underpowered. The vibe there didn't seem like they were ready at all. I'm still under the opinion that the game is not done. #diabloiii
@ThisCharmingMan: That sounds like a balance issue and would typically be something that devs would consider perfect for beta testing. However, Blizz seems to have adopted the idea of "if it's not perfect, try a different idea" instead of a process of refining.
The Beta process is meant for this kind of process of refinement. A Beta is not "it's perfect, let's let people play it." A beta is meant to find bugs, improve quality, and balance the game. It's generally considered silly to "perfect" your balance internally, because developers are classically similar minded. You need a broader audience to run into cases of "huh, I didn't think of that."
Also, six months is an extremely long beta. If everything is supposed to already be perfectly balanced, I have no idea why they feel the need to spend so much time in it. #diabloiii
@RealmRPGer: I thought six months was a long period as well, but that's what they said. You're right about the balance issue being a perfect thing to tackle in the beta, but I think they're looking to have a completely balanced game internally, and then see how users exploit different options that they haven't noticed in their own offices. I mean, if THEY think there's a big balance issue I'm sure they don't need a beta to confirm it. #diabloiii
all the doom and gloom for diablo III is silly. like there could possbily be any doubt the game will release. diablo III is not ghost, by which i mean it's not not a spin off of a popular title in an entirely new genre. it's a straight up sequel, there isn't a chance in hell it won't come out short of the company failing.
also, i love that not only is WoW in all three categories it's in 2010 twice. blizzard knows where its bread is buttered.
@tetracycloide: Actually, I think it's on there three times for 2010. I think the last line says "China Online" which would mean them resolving the issues the country is having with keeping WoW on servers. #diabloiii
Maybe I'm wrong, but wasn't the last new Blizzard IP...Starcraft? That's kinda scary...Not that I have a problem with different takes on the same relatively rich game worlds, it's just strange. #starcraftii
If history repeats itself --
they cancelled a Warcraft game in the 90s and the lead character from that game is now deep-rooted in warcraft lore. They're definitely trying for that with the assets from Ghost.
Perhaps the next decade will be kinder to Starcraft. Diablo will probably have to have a cancelled game before it gets there, probably in the 2020s. #starcraftii
@WhatTheFrag: I really don't think that Blizzard is using much material from Ghost in SC2. I think there was a book that detailed much of the Ghost story though.
I doubt there will be a future Diablo title that will follow in the footsteps of Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans and Starcraft: Ghost -- at least not one the public hears about. I remember an interview relating once that Blizzard has killed many, many projects at various developmental stages due to their strict quality requirements.
As for the two publicly canceled games, Starcraft: Ghost and Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans? The former was a victim of bad timing, Blizzard's inexperience with console development, and Blizzard's inability to develop a game in what is considered a sane time-frame to other developers. The latter can be chalked up to a dying adventure game genre, too strict a timeline, and poor outsourced work.
Anyway, I really don't see the Blizzard of now having the same problems as the Blizzard of yesteryear. I'm sure they will still start and stop projects and cancel things internally, but I'd put money on every game they announce from now on seeing a public release. #starcraftii
@Senpuu: Well they have plans for the character, a friend of mine was commisioned for some art a few year's back (it's not surfaced as yet) and it was related to the character. There's also a new game that they had been working on for about 2-3 years now, though I've no clue what's the status of that.
Of course they have loads of games that never made it off the dev shelf, it's natural in pretty much all types of production companies.
It was partly a joke, also partly a pattern. I don't think they made these games to cancel them, just victims of circumstance. If it fits then yeah we might see the same happen with Diablo. Also you really can't say, if they stick to the PC then yes there would be no problem but if they try a console venture they have to start pretty much at its inception considering their long dev cycles. It's too late at the moment for them to make one for the current generation which is why they said in an interview they aren't right now. Next generation if they get details early, perhaps. Still you can't say what will happen. #starcraftii
@WhatTheFrag: Well, I think I have to disagree about that. Most green-lighted projects are expected to make it to store shelves and to make a return on investments.
As far as canceling an announced game? I just don't think it can happen with a Diablo game at this point in Blizzard's life. I'm not claiming to know the future, but Blizzard has some amazing resources these days and knows how to budget and produce (albeit slowly). They also tend to listen well to fans and learn from mistakes (mechanic and business-wise). I'm just saying that they're not going to announce a high profile game and kill it before release, like the case would be for your example. There'd be rioting on the interwebs for sure! #starcraftii
@Senpuu: That really varies from project to project. A product can be in pre-production and greenlit but need not see the day of light. Unless you belong to the company you're not going to hear about it unless someone decides to speak up about it. It's quite common practice in like I said a 'production-based industry'.
Rioting on the interwebs is over-rated :). Honestly it's success rate is 50-50 or less, taking for example all the boycotts it works if they realize it's profitable .
@SwissArmyKnife: It's not improbable, they have had a starcraft MMO idea for a while, dunno how far it actually is or if it's been shelved.
@Johnny: Yeah I think I remember reading about that. They have wasted a lot of resources into that character and want something to come of it. #starcraftii
Warcraft ended innovation for the PC and has been slowly killing it ever since it came out. Only Warcraft itself has prospered. It is akin to a heroin dealer in all aspects. #starcraftii
@FillionSmythe: What's killing PC gaming is that developers insist on utilizing the very most extremely newest technology for every single game. There are very few gamers with the drive and the resources to keep up with the recommended specs. That's what forced me out of PC gaming, I just couldn't afford the upgrades anymore. #starcraftii
@codepage9: a 'save' that neither encourages additional software development nor drives hardware demands can hardly be considered a 'save' in any real sense of the word. sure, there are a lot of people playing WoW on the PC but it's not really doing anything to help the industry as a whole. #starcraftii
@TheMightyEthan: no, that IS PC gaming. it's like fasion. no one actually buys 500,000 shoes they see on a runway but vogue runs a photospread of them which inspires other designers to try similar themes and elements in their works and this cycle repeats itself over and over until, eventually, you've got a $30 pair of shoes you can pick up at payless that look reasonably stylish. without the original catalyist, the source of the original innovation, this process would never be possible.
no one needs to keep up with the most extremely newest technology but the fact that a small subset of the population choses to is what drives the innovations that keep mid range boards cheep and powerful (like the ones in consoles). i shudder to think what the GPU world would look like if the innovations where only made with each new console. i imagine it a dark and dismal place. #starcraftii
@tetracycloide: I'm not saying that no devs should require the newest of the new technology, because you're right. The problem is that most of the new games require it. If you don't keep up you're relegated to playing games that released years ago.
Maybe that is the current definition of PC gaming, but that doesn't change the fact that that's what's killing it. #starcraftii
@TheMightyEthan: or, and heaven forbid i know, you play them on less than max settings. a PC that plays every game at the equivilant of 1080p and console settings simply doesn't cost that much more than a console costs. #starcraftii
11/20/09
Is that Raynor?
11/19/09
11/19/09
11/19/09
What do you mean, "this one?" It's a Blizzard game, isn't it?
11/19/09
#speakup
11/20/09
11/20/09
11/20/09
I guess I've just had other games to satisfy me, but I was a Blizzard fanatic back in the day.
11/19/09
"Sir, they're called 'Zerg'"
"Who cares dammit! They're dirty!"
"Uhm, okay, sir. Actually, though, our biggest concern right now are the Protoss."
"Proto-Ass? Are you talking about Jane Fonda? I'm not sure if she was the first, but you're right, that was one fine ass."
"Nevermind, sir, we'll handle it."
11/13/09
11/12/09
11/12/09
11/12/09
11/13/09
The Beta process is meant for this kind of process of refinement. A Beta is not "it's perfect, let's let people play it." A beta is meant to find bugs, improve quality, and balance the game. It's generally considered silly to "perfect" your balance internally, because developers are classically similar minded. You need a broader audience to run into cases of "huh, I didn't think of that."
Also, six months is an extremely long beta. If everything is supposed to already be perfectly balanced, I have no idea why they feel the need to spend so much time in it. #diabloiii
11/13/09
11/12/09
11/12/09
11/12/09
also, i love that not only is WoW in all three categories it's in 2010 twice. blizzard knows where its bread is buttered.
11/12/09
11/12/09
10/27/09
10/27/09
10/27/09
they cancelled a Warcraft game in the 90s and the lead character from that game is now deep-rooted in warcraft lore. They're definitely trying for that with the assets from Ghost.
Perhaps the next decade will be kinder to Starcraft. Diablo will probably have to have a cancelled game before it gets there, probably in the 2020s. #starcraftii
10/27/09
I doubt there will be a future Diablo title that will follow in the footsteps of Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans and Starcraft: Ghost -- at least not one the public hears about. I remember an interview relating once that Blizzard has killed many, many projects at various developmental stages due to their strict quality requirements.
As for the two publicly canceled games, Starcraft: Ghost and Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans? The former was a victim of bad timing, Blizzard's inexperience with console development, and Blizzard's inability to develop a game in what is considered a sane time-frame to other developers. The latter can be chalked up to a dying adventure game genre, too strict a timeline, and poor outsourced work.
Anyway, I really don't see the Blizzard of now having the same problems as the Blizzard of yesteryear. I'm sure they will still start and stop projects and cancel things internally, but I'd put money on every game they announce from now on seeing a public release. #starcraftii
10/27/09
Of course they have loads of games that never made it off the dev shelf, it's natural in pretty much all types of production companies.
It was partly a joke, also partly a pattern. I don't think they made these games to cancel them, just victims of circumstance. If it fits then yeah we might see the same happen with Diablo. Also you really can't say, if they stick to the PC then yes there would be no problem but if they try a console venture they have to start pretty much at its inception considering their long dev cycles. It's too late at the moment for them to make one for the current generation which is why they said in an interview they aren't right now. Next generation if they get details early, perhaps. Still you can't say what will happen. #starcraftii
10/27/09
As far as canceling an announced game? I just don't think it can happen with a Diablo game at this point in Blizzard's life. I'm not claiming to know the future, but Blizzard has some amazing resources these days and knows how to budget and produce (albeit slowly). They also tend to listen well to fans and learn from mistakes (mechanic and business-wise). I'm just saying that they're not going to announce a high profile game and kill it before release, like the case would be for your example. There'd be rioting on the interwebs for sure! #starcraftii
10/28/09
Rioting on the interwebs is over-rated :). Honestly it's success rate is 50-50 or less, taking for example all the boycotts it works if they realize it's profitable .
@SwissArmyKnife: It's not improbable, they have had a starcraft MMO idea for a while, dunno how far it actually is or if it's been shelved.
@Johnny: Yeah I think I remember reading about that. They have wasted a lot of resources into that character and want something to come of it. #starcraftii
10/27/09
10/27/09
10/27/09
10/27/09
10/27/09
no one needs to keep up with the most extremely newest technology but the fact that a small subset of the population choses to is what drives the innovations that keep mid range boards cheep and powerful (like the ones in consoles). i shudder to think what the GPU world would look like if the innovations where only made with each new console. i imagine it a dark and dismal place. #starcraftii
10/27/09
Maybe that is the current definition of PC gaming, but that doesn't change the fact that that's what's killing it. #starcraftii
10/27/09
10/27/09
10/27/09