I disagree that the profit motive is the only one taken into consideration on this project, but obviously that is a large consideration, it is a business and there is nothing wrong with that.
I don’t think this is an either/or situation though.
I see a possibility for a win/win/win here.
Players that want FFA loot can play it.
Players that want personal loot play it.
Blizzard profits. Everyone wins.
It certainly does go far beyond just personal loot in Diablo 3. I witness the concerns around what was coming first hand in the forums before the launch of the game.
I would alter my elitist view slightly, but not much on the topic if everyone was at least able to see it. Not having the possibility to pick up everything in the game is not authentic to the original. That’s not really an opinion.
they speak with to tongue`s . the also said this
Blizzard 19th Feb 2021
At it’s core we want this to still be the same. So right away things the balance, the monsters you see, spawn rates, item drops and things like that are the same.
And what we’re doing is trying to take any of the rough edges you see: compatibility issues, resolution issues, and obviously the art - improving the art as well… all these kind of things you come to know from a remaster but still very much maintaining what the game is.
Andre Abrahamian - Lead Designer
What the developers say and know what the players want is, well, just not what blizzard does sometimes my friend lol. I’m not really sure where you heard these changes were still on the table though. During the deep dive with developers they repeatedly stated that they wanted the game to feel the same as the original.
I have asked this before. Have you seen the D2R survey that Blizzard sent out last week to a subset of their playerbase?
i still belive the survey dosent mean enything, just like this mean northing.
Blizzard 19th Feb 2021
At it’s core we want this to still be the same. So right away things the balance, the monsters you see, spawn rates, item drops and things like that are the same.
And what we’re doing is trying to take any of the rough edges you see: compatibility issues, resolution issues, and obviously the art - improving the art as well… all these kind of things you come to know from a remaster but still very much maintaining what the game is.
Andre Abrahamian - Lead Designer
I have seen it mentioned, yes. Let me explain something though.
This is basically what’s happening internally if you can imagine what corporate looks like -
There’s a meeting with a big wig, with all the managers on the project. The big wig being the guy multiple positions above you (you know, the guy that you don’t speak out against in fear of losing your job). He asks “how is the community taking the news of D2R?”. Community manager reply’s with “well, I do see a lot of debate going on in the forums about x, y and z etc”. The big wig, his job being to enforce project budgets, time lines and things of that nature to ensure profitability for a big fat bonus, says “okay well let’s look into it, send out a survey”. Meanwhile Andre Abrahamian (who clearly played a butt load of D2) is sitting in the corner biting his tongue off knowing damn well these changes are not authentic to Diablo 2, but will have his hand forced to change them depending on the outcome of the survey. This is literally how corporate operates.
They were already discussing balance changes if players wanted them during the Blizzconline time period.
Okay, that’s fair. But the debate isn’t about what would be more authentic. Auto gold pickup and shared stashes are also not “authentic,” yet they are coming. Why? Because mule characters for example, however “authentic” they were to the original D2 experience, aren’t really going to be missed.
The debate is about what would “feel better,” or perhaps more accurately: what’s more fun? A lot of players on here love the post kill free for all, like kids diving on the candy when the pinata finally breaks. And sure, I get that. If that’s your cup of tea have at it. If that’s fun for a sizable group of people, by all means that experience should be preserved.
A lot of posters, however, don’t seem to care for that, just as maybe they don’t care for clicking on every little mound of gold or having to make a dozen mules for all their gems and runes. And it seems to me that there are just as many on that side of the debate. Call them “snowflakes” or “D3 lovers” if you want, but personal attacks are a waste of time and only hurt your argument.
Everyone here pre-paid for D2R. Clearly we all want to play it. If Blizzard is able to satisfy players on both sides of this debate, why shouldn’t they?
You should read this post linked below to get a glimpse of how Blizzard likely works within their infrastructure.
Read it for yourself. Check out screenshots 6, 7 and 8 in particular.
Screenshot of Blizzard Survey - Diablo II: Resurrected / General Discussion - Diablo 3 Forums
the right away part is the oppersite or the survey, wher the ask about ploot at restart.
thats what i mean. you cant say no such changes right away. and then ask for people if the changes should be at launch.
If I was the author of survey, I would have asked the questions differently, too.
For example, if you were thinking about truly replacing FFA loot with personal loot?
I would ask:
If I was thinking about giving a personal/instanced and FFA loot options:
Sorry my friend but no one will ever convince me that the kinds of interactions with “big wigs” or executives do not take place and the hands of developers are forced to change something even if the developer knows it’s bad. Blizzard of course would never admit that something like that ever happens. They want you believe that all our their hard work is for each and every single one of you because we love you, the gamer. Not your wallets. Pffffft pleaaaaaase. That’s is not how any successful corporation has functioned basically ever with maybe some exceptions. Blizzard is not one of them, look at the track record.
Considering a lot of the questions about changes are clearly not aligned with what Andre was saying during the deep dive.
Did you read MissCheetah’s post?
In addition, Blizzard has given multiple interviews at and after Blizzconline. You need to look at things in their totality. One thing that is clear to me is that I have stayed much more abreast of the D2R interviews and ongoings.
Yes, let me change a single word about what she said and add additional context for the change.
They have a group of statisticians who do user research who would be the team who does the questions and study design based on what the Devs NEED to learn.
The group of statistician are part of a “process improvement” team that would be working along side departments to collect date to report to early stated big wig (middle- higher management) about their findings. Said findings determines that kind of hammer the big wig swings down back onto the developers in the case of a gaming company.
I worked for a large corporation for years. This is literally what happens. It’s budgets, profits, cutbacks, standardization, continued budget efficiency and rinse and repeat. That is all people above the developers care about.
So if it is “NEED” and not “want”, it still means that presumably someone in power who can influence decisions want player feedback on possible changes.
This survey did not go out unless it was approved by the internal Blizzard architecture and presumably someone (or several) in management’s approval.
Yes, the player feedback that leads to higher profits. Gives you direction on areas you can cut etc. However, this player feedback may not be what Andre the lead designer knows is core to Diablo 2
Correct. I do not know who has the final say if Blizzard’s management says: "we need to do X and Y and the developers only want to do X. " If management sincerely thinks doing X and Y will increase profits, then they may be firm in their demands. Certainly, this could make a game worse or better.
Well I am not debating whether or not it will increase profits. Unless the data they receive is somehow completely wrong. It will increase profits. All I am saying is that doesn’t necessarily meant it is what Andre was speaking about when he was saying “the core of Diablo 2”. It very well could be the majority of people that want these changes. Still does not correlate to what is “core” of the original classic game.