PTR 2.4 Kills Legacy Graphics : Diablo (reddit.com)
PTR 2.4 is currently switching the backend’s graphics API to Direct3D, which has always been the worst way to play Diablo 2 since release. Textures are completely blurred and look like they’re covered in vaseline. Direct3D also had worse performance than both Glide (the preferred API) and DirectDraw. This is a really sad day and one of the things I was most happiest about with D2R (legacy graphics being authentic 1:1 pixel matching D2:LOD Glide) is being ruined by this change. RIP D2R Legacy mode.
I saw this Reddit post the other day and I do agree that the PTR legacy graphics look worse than they do compared to the current live D2R legacy graphics. It looks very blurry and muddy and horrible IMO.
I think the current live legacy graphics are alright, I think a lot of the initial comments about D2R’s legacy graphics looking worse stems from the fact that the contrast is set to 100% by default instead of the 50% that it usually is. After cranking down the contrast I think it looks nearly identical to the original graphics.
I hope this change doesn’t make it to live, while I don’t play D2R in legacy graphics most of the time I still like to switch back and forth to compare the new and old visuals, and this would skew the comparison. There’s also a lot of people that play D2R in legacy graphics for nostalgia/preference/hardware reasons, and they shouldn’t be forcefully downgraded.