Diablo 3 for PS4 uses touchpad for inventory management

The upcoming PS4 version of Diablo 3 will use the PS4 touchpad in some way, although Blizzard is being a bit coy about how it all actually works.

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Perhaps the most mysterious addition to the PlayStation 4 controller is its touchpad. Not quite a touchscreen, we're wondering how developers will utilize such a unique (and odd) addition to the DualShock.

The upcoming PS4 version of Diablo 3 will use the touchpad in some way, although Blizzard is being a bit coy about how it all actually works. "Diablo 3 has a lot of cool inventory things," lead console designer Josh Mosqueira said in a new video. "Just the possibility of the trackpad is really exciting and we can't wait to dive in and make it as awesome as we can."

"We don't like a lot of overload on the buttons; we want to keep it really simple so you can get to the things you want to get to really fast," production director John Hight added. "We think the touchpad will give us a lot more opportunity to make that interface easier."

But... HOW?! Unfortunately, that's still a big mystery. For now, enjoy watching this footage of Diablo 3 running on PS4:

Andrew Yoon was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    May 16, 2013 10:30 AM

    Andrew Yoon posted a new article, Diablo 3 for PS4 uses touchpad for inventory management.

    The upcoming PS4 version of Diablo 3 will use the PS4 touchpad in some way, although Blizzard is being a bit coy about how it all actually works.

    • reply
      May 16, 2013 10:45 AM

      The guy with the glasses needs to not be on camera anymore. He's not very good at getting a message across and he's very repetitive.

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      May 16, 2013 10:52 AM

      Is there any hope for local co-op? That would definitely mean a new sale for me.

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        May 16, 2013 10:58 AM

        I remember reading that local co-op is included.

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        May 16, 2013 11:14 AM

        Yes. Mix and match local/online co-op. So you can have two players on one system, two online, or four players on one system, etc.

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      May 16, 2013 11:15 AM

      This is great news for PS4 owners no doubt, cool, looks good.

      So a new feature and game mechanic dodge will not be patched in tot he PC version and will be exclusive to the PS4? Is it just me or does this just seem wrong, or are all the PC ARPGers playing PoE and Torchlight 2 and they don't care? I guess every one has played D3 to the point they have had enough?

      I suppose Blizzard could care less about the PC market after the AH melt down I suppose they have new udders to milk on the PS4. If there is a expansion on the PC I wonder if they would add the dodge?

      Interesting Blizzard is un aware that Game pads on the PC and dodge works with a tone of existing ARPG's and RPGs already on the PC that are controller with a M&KB control interface.

      To me the biggest disappointment about this vid is they go into great detail about how special a controller is on the console( even though they have been available on a PC forever) and how they are tapping into unique features, yet they never bothered exploit one unique features of the PC platform.

      Blizzard is truly a caring PC developer. How much money did Blizzard make off D3 on the PC, including all the AH profits?

      I suppose it is extremely complicated to implement dodge for a keyboard key or one of the extra mouse buttons on a mouse.

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        May 16, 2013 2:57 PM

        We actually had Dodge in Diablo II. It wasn't an animated thing, but a stat on gear. Tanks would get it, sometimes spam it and hold aggro on the boss/miniboss. Jay Wilson fucked Diablo III over and then left the project to rot because he didn't give a damn about the community out-cry for Diablo II. Need I take this conversation back to what he said to/about the original creator of Diablo.

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          May 16, 2013 3:18 PM

          I 100% agree with you " Jay Wilson fucked Diablo III over and then left the project to rot because he didn't give a damn about the community out-cry for Diablo II"

          Huh that is really interesting "We actually had Dodge in Diablo II" it actually seems that it be a decent game play mechanic is a ARPG. So I guess your guys dodge was a stat like effected the percent chance for the mob to hit you basically? And if that percent triggered the pseudo [Dodge] then you triggered the dodge animation. Cool idea, sure it is not dynamic on demand but it sounds like a cool stat.

          Where you part of the Diablo II team? If yes does it make you sick what they did to D3? What do you think of PoE? I really think personally PoE is a amazing ARPG. That dev crew has really good skillz and understand the genera and DII perfectly, my only beef they need a offline mode so you can play that game for decades to come if the servers ever go offline.

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            July 8, 2013 5:53 PM

            No, I was like 9 or 10 when Diablo II came out. It was just a really good game and left many memories for me.

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        May 16, 2013 3:12 PM

        I personally don't think dodge is needed on PC. I see dodge as a "quick out" of sorts. If i'm smacking a demon around and he drops desecrate on the ground I flick my wrist and click to get my character to run away. I believe you don't get the same amount of twitch play on a console, so something like this is needed.

        TLDR: Its to close the twitch gap and not the "cool feature" that they are trying to sell it as.

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          May 16, 2013 3:14 PM

          It would be nice in the situations where you're trying to click somewhere to move and click on a monster and start attacking instead.

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            May 16, 2013 3:29 PM

            That's what the 'move' keybind is for.

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          May 16, 2013 3:43 PM

          I dunno, I'm assuming the game is going with a twin stick approach. For an isometric game like that, a Dualshock should be able to move in any direction as quickly as a PC's mouse.

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