New Blizzard game to be announced at Blizzcon?

[Simond]

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=14691

Talking to Gamasutra, Frank Pearce, founding member and senior vice president of product development for Blizzard revealed that the company has a third team hard at work on a new title, separate from World of Warcraft and StarCraft II.

The comment came amid discussion of the company's current workforce. "Our global headcount is 2,700," said Pearce, "And most of that is customer service for World of Warcraft! In terms of development staff it’s probably around 350. World of Warcraft is about 135 people, 40 for Starcraft II, 40 for team 3, our cinematics team is about 85 guys. Then there’s sound and Q/A and that sort of thing."

When pressed for details regarding the new project, Pearce was cagey. "Team 3 is working on something really awesome. I can’t give you any hints, but it’s totally awesome."

All attempts to extract additional information were understandably met with looks of shock and horror from Blizzard's director of global public relations, who also attended the meeting.

Gamasutra was able to confirm that, in spite of Rob Pardo's comments at Hollywood and Games that they weren't giving up on StarCraft Ghost, this Blizzard project remains something different. With Blizzcon coming up in mere weeks, it's possible that additional information could be revealed at that time.

*cough*Diablo 3*cough*

[Oban]

WoS

[Signe]

But they already announced that one!

[Miasma]

Wow, 85 guys to put together maybe ten minutes worth of cinematography a year, crazy.

[Yegolev]

Cush job.  Also, if that's not the Diablo 3 team, there will be cats and dogs living together.

[cmlancas]

Actually, they scrapped Diablo 3 and moved straight to 4. Surprise move by Blizzard, releasing Diablo 4 before 3. It'll set a new precedent in the industry!

[MrHat]

Actually, they scrapped Diablo 3 and moved straight to 4. Surprise move by Blizzard, releasing Diablo 4 before 3. It'll set a new precedent in the industry!

Blizzard doesn't set precedents.

[Murgos]

Actually, they scrapped Diablo 3 and moved straight to 4. Surprise move by Blizzard, releasing Diablo 4 before 3. It'll set a new precedent in the industry!

Blizzard doesn't set precedents.

Heh.

85 guys for cinematics?  They obviously have one of the best cinematic teams in the industry but that seems a bit much to support three projects.  Do they hire out their cinematic team?  Like, are they doing movie projects or commercials or other game developers cinematic movies?

[NiX]

They try to help with the development of WoW stuff.

[WindupAtheist]

It had better be Diablo fucking 3.  World of Shitcraft my ass.  Fuck Starcraft.

[Azazel]

Starcraft: Ghost makes a comeback. As a MMOFPS!

maybe.

[Ironwood]

What will Diablo III bring to the table ?

Genuinely interested.

[Nonentity]

What will Diablo III bring to the table ?

Genuinely interested.

A larger number!

I dunno, I heard a lot of rumors being thrown around, from fairly reputable sources.

Full 3D engine, landmass the size of WoW, heaven vs. hell pvp gameplay, etc.

[Simond]

It had better be Diablo fucking 3.  World of Shitcraft my ass.  Fuck Starcraft.

You are Schild in disguise and I claim my (UK) £5.

[Miasma]

What will Diablo III bring to the table ?

Genuinely interested.

Another of our nerd fights about what constitutes isometric.

[murdoc]

What will Diablo III bring to the table ?

Genuinely interested.

Another of our nerd fights about what constitutes isometric.

Ha!

I want Diablo 3, even if it's just a pretty expansion of Diablo 2, but I think I'll get Starcraft: Ghost in one form or another.

[El Gallo]

I would kill somebody, in front of their own momma, for World of Diablo.  And if anyone tries to testify against me, I'll gouge their eyes out.

[tazelbain]

Diablo is already half-mmo, seems like a no brainer to add the other half and charge a fee.

[NiX]

Diablo is already half-mmo, seems like a no brainer to add the other half and charge a fee.

Especially when you're trying to change your penis into money. Screw the hat, blizz wants money penises.

[Yegolev]

I am trying to not think about the inevitable Bad Stuff that D3 will bring to the table.  I'm thinking things like high system requirements or fewer monsters onscreen or less addictive loot.  What I hope it brings is simply a good alternative to battle.net, modern-ish graphics (I'd readily accept sprites of quality, but it would never happen).  It would be nice if it had a Matt Uelmen score to match the original, I loved his guitar work.

If it does not have the PING sound, many innocents shall die.

[Ironwood]

I would kill somebody, in front of their own momma, for World of Diablo.  And if anyone tries to testify against me, I'll gouge their eyes out.

Hell, most of the Diablo stuff got ported across to WoW anyway.  Why would you bother ?  You're just adding raiding morons to your enjoyable single player game !

[schild]

Hell, most of the Diablo stuff got ported across to WoW anyway.

WoW had zero of the appeal of Diablo 1 or 2.

[SurfD]

Hell, most of the Diablo stuff got ported across to WoW anyway.

WoW had zero of the appeal of Diablo 1 or 2.

I dont know.  Replicating a World of Diablo feel in the current World of Warcraft engine would be pretty easy i think.
- give every class a bunch of nasty aoe abilities
- retune mobs so you can handle hordes of them at a time
- increase drop rate of colored gear by a factor of 20 or so.
- reduce bag / bank space by half

and you pretty much have diablo, as a MMOG.

[NiX]

That sounds fucking awful.

[Ragnoros]

I am trying to not think about the inevitable Bad Stuff that D3 will bring to the table.  I'm thinking things like high system requirements or fewer monsters onscreen or less addictive loot.  What I hope it brings is simply a good alternative to battle.net, modern-ish graphics (I'd readily accept sprites of quality, but it would never happen).  It would be nice if it had a Matt Uelmen score to match the original, I loved his guitar work.

If it does not have the PING sound, many innocents shall die.

QFT on all counts. Schild would shit himself if they used high quality sprites ala Odin Sphere, also it would be funny seeing all the crazy $400 dollar video cards out there getting pwnt by 2d sprites. Time to dig up that old voodoo Matrox card!
Anyway anything new(ish) from blizzard would be nice, WoW was fun for it's time. But no one had a good endgame for blizzard to steal. And while SC2 will be fun, I'm guessing it's going to be major Déjà vu as blizz would be crucified if they tried to mess with the old formula very much.

In summery: GIVE US D3 OR GIVE US DEATH, OR FAILING THAT CAKE!

Edit: Corrected by squirrel.

[TheWalrus]

Wow, 85 guys to put together maybe ten minutes worth of cinematography a year, crazy.

Went back and played through starcraft 1 and expansion in prep for 2. Cinematics as old as they are, are still badass.

[squirrel]

QFT on all counts. Schild would shit himself if they used high quality sprites ala Odin Sphere, also it would be funny seeing all the crazy $400 dollar video cards out there getting pwnt by 2d sprites. Time to dig up that old voodoo card!

Considering the Voodoo was a card that had no 2D capabilities (have you forgotten the pass-through cable?) I'm not sure what that would accomplish. Now had you said time to pull out the Millenium, well then...

But I agree sprites have been overlooked as an art form and it's a pity. Some indie games seem to be bringing them back though in good games.

[schild]

Guys, sprites are expensive.

[trias_e]

[blasphemy]
I'm sorta hoping it's a new setting/genre.
[/blasphemy]

I like the blizzard charm and polish, but I doubt I would be too interested with another diablo.

Unless it was the third coming of robot zombie jesus.

[Ironwood]

Hell, most of the Diablo stuff got ported across to WoW anyway.

WoW had zero of the appeal of Diablo 1 or 2.

While I don't agree with you on Zero, I'm aware of what you're trying to say and you're right.  My point being that a Diablo Online at this stage would simply be seen as a cheap copy of WoW.  Like it or not, you know I'm right.

They need to distance Diablo from WoW with the third installment before they can do that shit.  Which brings us right back to my question and WHY I ASKED IT.  People around here seem to think my IQ has dropped sharply since I had a kid....

[TheWalrus]

Insanity is something you inherit from your children.

[fnddf2]

Hell, most of the Diablo stuff got ported across to WoW anyway.

WoW had zero of the appeal of Diablo 1 or 2.

When I read this, I knew it was true, but I couldn't think of why it was.  I think it's because Diablo simply had more action in it.  Things happen at a faster pace, and you can take on more enemies at a time.  You also had to aim a bit.  Otherwise, they appear to very similar on the surface.

I would probably go back to WoW if it was paced a bit faster, but I don't think it will ever happen.

[Yegolev]

Pacing is one of the big differences, since WoW is of course EQ at the core.  Even though there were quests and whatnot in Diablo, the point was to tear through waves of enemies in violent fashion in an explosion of loot.  I daresay it required more skill to play than WoW, as well.

[bignatz]

HPO

[rk47]

Hell, most of the Diablo stuff got ported across to WoW anyway.

WoW had zero of the appeal of Diablo 1 or 2.

I dont know.  Replicating a World of Diablo feel in the current World of Warcraft engine would be pretty easy i think.
- give every class a bunch of nasty aoe abilities
- retune mobs so you can handle hordes of them at a time
- increase drop rate of colored gear by a factor of 20 or so.
- reduce bag / bank space by half

and you pretty much have diablo, as a MMOG.

that's pretty much what i really missed while doing instances in WoW. I kept wondering why I spent my time hitting 70 and the crap I'm hitting takes 10 of us to take down. I would pretty much prefer if every instance runs lets every member take on 2-3 at once. Take away this 'me cloth, me healer' nonsense and let the shadow priests have their fun melting faces. DPS = Fun. Let the bosses be the only ones that took 10 of us to take down. Trashes are supposed to be weak-shits, not a 2 hit KO tank. The funny shit is some bosses don't even kill tanks that fast.