Bashiok: Corpses and More

Diablo 3 CM Bashiok has returned to action today, and posted a couple of interesting items on the battle.net forums.

On corpses vanishing in the WWI gameplay movie:

	Blizzard Quote:
	The main reason for the corpses not being able to stay permanently is the potential number of them on screen at one time, and specifically that each corpse is affected by physics, allowing them to be blasted and thrown all over the place by the force of player abilities. It's one of the trade offs when integrating new technology, you can get really awesome effects, but they do have a cost. In a 2D world, a sprite of a dead creature doesn't really cost any more (system requirement-wise) than a sprite of something that's alive. Probably less. In a 3D world where a creature dies and then needs to have physics calculations thrown onto it so it can bounce and fall and fly around, they cost substantially more. We remember fondly those situations where you've just completely obliterated a camp of Fallen, and as you're picking up items - marvel in your destruction. That's a feeling and part of the gameplay where if we can realistically keep some of it without sacrificing features or having insane system requirements we'd definitely like to, but no promises.

What does that mean for the corpse skills we so enjoyed in D2? (This was one of the questions we submitted for the upcoming Blizzard Podcast.)

	Blizzard Quote:
	We haven't announced any abilities outside of those listed on the website, so by discussing what is or isn't in the game I would be essentially making an announcement, which I'm not prepared to do.

Is Diablo 3 an MMO?

	Blizzard Quote:
	MMO's are generally categorized as being able to support hundreds of thousands of simultaneous players in a persistent world. While Battle.net can certainly support that many players at one time, the lack of a persistent world and restrictions on how many players can be within each "world" (game) would keep Diablo III from being categorized as an MMO.

Thanks for 10 years of great games:

	Blizzard Quote:
	Well, thank you. We all work here because we love games. Personally, "my game" before coming to work here was Diablo II. So being in a position that's not only at the company producing the Diablo games, but to be so closely involved in the project is extremely exciting. I wouldn't dream of taking credit for the history of the company, but I definitely share in your thanks. One thing to remember while ... well, being alive, is that there will always be someone ready to complain about anything, and while it isn't your job to really deal with that and interpret the overall sentiment properly, it is my job. For me, this kind of thing is old-hat. I'm more than capable of dealing with it, and more than capable of reading what needs to be read, delete what needs deleting, and (more often than not) laughing at what needs to be laughed at. I realize for many here it may be a new experience. The gaming public now has focus on Diablo again, and with it comes the modern-age of trolling and jackassery. These types of reactions have become commonplace, and beyond that easily and widely spread, mimicked, and perpetuated. It's become commonplace for feelings of question or doubt to turn immediately to ire and disdain. Perhaps it's the nature of anonymity on the internet, perhaps it's a nationally bred sense of entitlement, or perhaps it fills some sort of primal urge that many lack fulfillment of in their day-to-day lives. Whatever the case, it's a game, it's a forum, and it's best not to get too wrapped up in it all. We're going to keep working on making games. All things in moderation, and all things in perspective.

Tags: bashiok

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Comments

Uldyssian

34 days ago

The "Thanks for 10 years" Response was awesome. It's nice to get Blizzards stance on the nerd-core QQ'ing. Grats to Blizzard. /Cheer!

SCFreelancer

34 days ago

Nice, I was waiting for some more official info on d3

As for Bashiok.. who is he? What is his real name?

Flux

34 days ago

He has not publicly released any biographical information as of yet. I doubt much will be revealed; Bliz likes to keep their CMs and web staff secretive these days, after some embarrassments in the past.

CaptainDingo

34 days ago

Excellent reply from Bashiok. He's basically saying he too is kind of just laughing at the people who can't take what they've seen in Diablo 3 in perspective and try making it "better" by demanding the whole game be gray and red and stuff like that.

Rock on Bashiok, you keep doing what you're doing.

CaptainDingo

34 days ago

Also, I realize he had to answer the question, but why do people even ASK if Diablo 3 is going to be an MMORPG? Why do people even ASK if there's going to be a monthly fee? These very questions seem ignorant, and from people who have never even heard of Diablo.

Epogy

34 days ago

Its true, there are alot of 'bad eggs' out there on both sides of the Cartoony/not cartoony debate. But probably mostly on the cartoony side. I suppose when you feel passionately about something things can get ugly quick. I have the view that while I don't like the new art direction in Diablo 3, I am not so big-headed to believe that Blizzard can do anything less than whatever they want with their franchise. However, I do voice my opinion (which I don't think anyone can argue is wrong), and hope that Blizzard takes it, as well as many other fans' opinion, into consideration while designing the game. After all, we are the ones who will be buying and playing the game so it's like a form of... lets say study group, we are after all their audience. So to sum it up: *****ing/moaning/whining-bad. Tactful tasteful criticism- Good. and I hope Blizzard feels the same way.

Gamekk

34 days ago

The Bashiok quote on what Blizz thinks about QQers.

One quote to rule them all!

I couldn't say it better, Bashiok is one very good head man for speaches.

Gamekk

34 days ago

The Bashiok quote on what Blizz thinks about QQers.

One quote to rule them all!

I couldn't say it better, Bashiok is one very good head man for speaches.

compres

33 days ago

No corpses is the most retarded "feature". If they don't put corpses back it will never be better game play than before. It will also look very unrealistic to say the least...

I can't even believe they are considering this...

Iceglow

33 days ago

It has nothing to do with them considering it at all. They have chosen a new design approach which limits their choices as far as physics in the game is being handled. I for one can somewhat agree with what has been said about "realism" and ambiance, but I'm sure they will make the best of the tools they have to play with. After all it's Blizzard, how many bad games have they released so far?

C45P3R

33 days ago

I agree Uldyssian Bravo on the "Thanks for 10 years"