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Original Diablo Dev Roper: Diablo 3 Art Style Doesn't 'Ring with Diablo'
by Nick Breckon, Mar 17, 2009 1:13pm PDTFormer Blizzard North VP and original Diablo producer Bill Roper has chimed in on the Diablo 3 art style debate in an interview with VideoGamer, stating that he prefers a "grittier" look to the series rather than Blizzard's current, arguably lighter approach.
"You know, I liked the darker, grittier [style]," said Roper, who chalked up the style of the sequel to the contrary philosophies of Blizzard's Irvine studio and the former home of Diablo, the now-defunct Blizzard North.
"It makes complete sense to me where they went because they basically took the Diablo universe and then approached it from the Blizzard Irvine stance for the visuals," he said.
"That's the way they approach things. It wasn't that I looked at it and went, 'Oh my god that looks terrible.' I was like, that looks like Blizzard. The guys in Irvine. That's what it looks like to me. Their interpretation of it."
Many fans have taken exception to the game's shift in art style, running petitions in protest of light beams and rainbows. The debate continued for months, with Diablo III lead designer Jay Wilson going so far as to pointedly respond to the complaints while refusing to make changes.
Though Roper understands the artistic choices behind Diablo III's look, he doesn't prefer it as a fan of the series.
"I think that one of the things that we always tried to get across was that Diablo was Gothic fantasy and I think there was just a need that was put in there from the visuals that I didn't necessarily get," he added.
"I got it from the architecture and to a degree from the character design, but not the feeling of the world. I can't say that I dislike it. I didn't look at it and go, 'Oh my god that's horrible.' But I looked at it and went, it's not really... to me as a player it just didn't really ring with Diablo."
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http://crankygamer.blogspot.com/2008/07/diablo-iii-world-of-warcraft-15.html
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When Blizzard fails, I'll start listening to the peanut gallery.
Actually, they'd have to fail a few times based on their track record of COMPLETE AND UTTER FUCKING OWNING OF THE GAMING WORLD FOR THE LAST FIFTEEN YEARS.
So, yeah.
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I'm jonesin.
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of experience beyond playing 360 in his mom's basement.
I agree with him (I'm a developer too)
However, why the hell are they using such low-resolution textures? At least add some *noise* to the screen, it looks way too blurry as it is! There's simply no excuse for this - even Starcraft 2, which was shown to us a full year before Diablo 3, completely eclipses it in terms of texture detail and, actually, just about everything that has to do with graphics. AND they have more stuff on the screen at any one point in time!
Seriously, I don't get it. There's such a huge technological gap going between screenshots of Diablo 3 and Starcraft 2. Why?
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Yes this game has greatly improved visuals over the previous games, that's a fucking given considering how much time has gone by. What this dude is saying, as are a lot of other people including myself is that from what we have seen in screen shots and videos this game has gone off in a completely WoW-ish art style direction. It's too shiny, colourful and down right cartoonish.
That's not to say I won't be buying this game, because despite what I just said it probably will be worth playing. It is just a shame that a world such as that in which Diablo is set has such fantastic potential for dark gothic fantasy as it had in the first two installments (the first Diablo especially) and yet this one has clearly gone for the World of Warcraft look, and I loathe that game.
But like I said, game will sell a fuck tonne as it is, and I will be buying a copy. In the end you won't be able to make an informed decision until you play the game.
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This isn't to say he is not entitled to his opinion regarding how the game has been presented. Blizzard intentionally provoked the sort of response they got regarding the visual presentation by choosing to show certain scenes. To criticize that though is to criticize Blizzard's PR department. Let the developers finish the game; then make your judgments.
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one week after the game ships there will be endless mods to tone things down. Move on, move on.....
I guess I can see the validity to the argument that it looks less "gritty" (for whatever that's worth); but that was never what drew me to the first two games. Near as I can tell, it appears to be a slight unification of art style with World of Warcraft and I doubt this is a coincidence.
If I enjoy the demo (and I'm referring to the gameplay), I'll buy it--rainbows and all. :)
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Diablo2 would not have looked the way it did if they could have done things like... dynamic lighting/shadows, AA/AF, hell MipMap's probably... get over it. There is no reason to expect Diablo 3 to look similar.
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It's a moot argument at this point and I'm more concerned about the game play. Diablo 2 built onto the Diablo framework. With ever new detail they release it sounds like Diablo 3 is an entirely new beast created from scratch and dare I say it, in the reflection of WoW. It reminds me of Turbine and Asheron's Call where they essentially made a sequel in name and not game play.
In the end I expect the game will be incredible fun that even the hardcore diablo fans will enjoy it immensely. However if the game play continues on it's current course I won't be surprised if those same hardcore Diablo fans enjoying Diablo 3 turn around to Blizzard and say. "Ok now where's the Diablo 2 sequel"?
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My only problem with Diablo III is that it's a 2010 or 2011 release. I am ready to play now.
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He can say whatever he wants, he just needs to realize that his unique position lends him a bit of clout that others don't have. In short ... it's not like he was wrong to say what he said, it was just poor form.
After the game is released? Fine, who cares.
I don't see nothing wrong with the colourful one. Looks great
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I also think the main classes just look really bland. No balls to the look of the game. I want a harder edge to the characters and world.
For a game called "Diablo", it has to invoke that. Well for me anyway.