02-20-2003, 07:08 PM
Hi,
Part of the reason D2 did not hold many's attention as long as D1 did (does, in some cases) was that it was largely "more of the same". The same "shoot, loot, scoot" that dates back to rogue and to the pnp dungeon crawls (i.e., D&D games with no role playing. Just fighting and looting). There were enough new things to make D2 interesting, but no real new game play to give it the great legs of D1.
The article that I saw just goes on to describe a D3 that is D2 with additions. Yep, a little more story line tacked on. Yep, new areas, new classes (I think -- didn't see part 2), new skills (I'm sure). Same old game.
Would making it a FPS help? Not really. There are a lot of FPS out there. How about MMORPG? Now there's a new idea (NOT!).
What D1 did was to put graphics on the dungeon crawl and give it a good feel. Rogue done right, one might say. Perhaps what Buzzard (Blizzard North, for the new comers) should do is try something really difficult. A for real *role* playing game. Do a sequel to D2 (story as in the linked article) or a prequel to D1 set at the time of the Sin War. Do it multiplayer as D2 or as a MMORPG. Classes and skills are details, but make the *role* all important. Pick a side (good, evil, selfish, selfless) and play a character on that side. But make the role more important than the clvl, more important than the items. Reward players who *can* role play rather than those who can just play all day.
How can Buzzard do this? Elifino. If I had the answer to that, I'd write the game myself, make my billions, buy out Bill Gates and turn Microsquish into an honest company ;) But it's Buzzard we're talking about. They are the big umpahs of gaming, so let them show it. Not just another "me too" game. Not just putting a new face on a twenty year old concept. Not just pretty graphics and special sounds. But actually doing something that all the other game companies either avoid or have tried and failed. Put the game back into the player's mind rather than at his fingertips and before his eyes. Make the player's mind the game -- what's on screen is just the part that's shared.
Sure it will be a challenge. But Buzzard's got the talent for much of it. Pictures and sounds are easy for them. But can they actually use those talents to make a truly NEW game? Or will they take the easy way out again and serve up leftovers?
--Pete
Part of the reason D2 did not hold many's attention as long as D1 did (does, in some cases) was that it was largely "more of the same". The same "shoot, loot, scoot" that dates back to rogue and to the pnp dungeon crawls (i.e., D&D games with no role playing. Just fighting and looting). There were enough new things to make D2 interesting, but no real new game play to give it the great legs of D1.
The article that I saw just goes on to describe a D3 that is D2 with additions. Yep, a little more story line tacked on. Yep, new areas, new classes (I think -- didn't see part 2), new skills (I'm sure). Same old game.
Would making it a FPS help? Not really. There are a lot of FPS out there. How about MMORPG? Now there's a new idea (NOT!).
What D1 did was to put graphics on the dungeon crawl and give it a good feel. Rogue done right, one might say. Perhaps what Buzzard (Blizzard North, for the new comers) should do is try something really difficult. A for real *role* playing game. Do a sequel to D2 (story as in the linked article) or a prequel to D1 set at the time of the Sin War. Do it multiplayer as D2 or as a MMORPG. Classes and skills are details, but make the *role* all important. Pick a side (good, evil, selfish, selfless) and play a character on that side. But make the role more important than the clvl, more important than the items. Reward players who *can* role play rather than those who can just play all day.
How can Buzzard do this? Elifino. If I had the answer to that, I'd write the game myself, make my billions, buy out Bill Gates and turn Microsquish into an honest company ;) But it's Buzzard we're talking about. They are the big umpahs of gaming, so let them show it. Not just another "me too" game. Not just putting a new face on a twenty year old concept. Not just pretty graphics and special sounds. But actually doing something that all the other game companies either avoid or have tried and failed. Put the game back into the player's mind rather than at his fingertips and before his eyes. Make the player's mind the game -- what's on screen is just the part that's shared.
Sure it will be a challenge. But Buzzard's got the talent for much of it. Pictures and sounds are easy for them. But can they actually use those talents to make a truly NEW game? Or will they take the easy way out again and serve up leftovers?
--Pete
How big was the aquarium in Noah's ark?