If D3 looked like D2

[5zigen]

So I picked a screenshot and modded it, since that's ALL The rage right now. Here is what I feel like people are asking for from D3. To look more like D2.

http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm102/Guygin/D3/ss16pxl.jpg

So what do you guys think!?!? I think if D3 were D2, this is what it would look like.

Then I modded another one and added noise, because people are complaining about "grit" so I did this picture

http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm102/Guygin/D3/ss19ns.jpg

I really desaturated both one and added noise to this one, increased brightness and contrast. I guess it looks better but I think people will say they're both too colorful still.

The origonal pictures (since I dont want to strain my photobucket acct)

http://www.blizzard.com/diablo3/_images/screenshots/ss16.jpg
http://www.blizzard.com/diablo3/_images/screenshots/ss19.jpg

Now there's some things I wanted to point out. People are complaining about the colors and I admit they could use a LITTLE desaturation, but the thing is picture one is blue, and picture 2 is green. That gives both pictures largely different feelings in terms of dungeons.

Let's imagine now that both were very gray, they eliminated most of the blue light from both pictures. Yeah, it might look more "diabloish" to some, but the sacrifice would be too great. That sacrifice would be that ALL the dungeons would look the same and have the same mood. Grey doesn't do nearly as much to alter your mood as blue or green do. And sure, a gray dungeon would be fine, but let's not demand that all these internal stone structures be gray, because that is demanding homogenity, which I don't think is what we want. At least, it's not what I want.

[Neferim]

I can't speak for other people, but I am much less concerned about the resemblance to Diablo 2 or the "grittyness" or whatever and more concerned with the bright blue and green filters that runs over everything in the dungeon. If it's a visibility thing, why not just make the light sources a little brighter? You could even have there be an appropriately orange/red glow outside of the actual light radius of the torches/candles to give even more vision AND add color. The only difference is that it's a color that actually makes a little bit of sense as opposed to neon green. Even outside of modifying the already-present light sources, there are other ways to add color without making your dungeon glow. Want a nice, natural green? Moss and mold are green, they would not be out of place in an area called "Forgotten Tomb", and they would only add to the mood, not subtract. To summarize, there are ways to add color without just directly laying the color over everything else.

[Funkopotamus]

http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm102/Guygin/D3/ss19ns.jpg
I like this one. Toning down that green ambient lighting really helps. I can't tell the difference noise-wise but it does look less super clean. Actually like a dungeon level and not like somebody's castle was just invaded with zombies hours ago.

And it doesn't look like the guy's wearing the ridiculous shoulder pads that kill my spirit.

That just instilled a little more excitement into the Diablo part of my brain.

[MooCQ]

Speaking of gloomy.. don't forget the screen resolution 640x480!

[Matora]

The problem with adding green stuff is it's supposed to be dark. You'd need a fair light source to see these things otherwise they fade to gray like everything else =\

[RyTEK]

LOL, make the first pic 640x480 and you have it! Seriously - I think they should keep the game how it is before it is turned to a Doom 3 or Gears of War clone.

We have these video cards that we pay massive bucks for that can display millions of colors, and all people want to do is make every game a shade of brown or gray.

Seriously, look at Fallout 3... people say that game looks good. Are you kidding me? It is set in a post-apocalyptic period... I didn't know that if you destroyed a RED BRICK building, it instantly turned into a PILE OF GRAY/BROWN BRICKS. I also didn't know that if you destroy a BLUE car it turns into a BROWN/GREEN rust bucket in 5 years time.

So applying the same thing to Diablo 3, apparently an orange/red flame should just put out a muddy brown light aura. And those frost spells should only put out just enough light so that you can barely see that a spell was cast... as long as no bright blue light is linked to the spell.

What a freaking joke.

[Funkopotamus]

Seriously, look at Fallout 3... people say that game looks good. Are you kidding me? It is set in a post-apocalyptic period... I didn't know that if you destroyed a RED BRICK building, it instantly turned into a PILE OF GRAY/BROWN BRICKS. I also didn't know that if you destroy a BLUE car it turns into a BROWN/GREEN rust bucket in 5 years time.
What kind of environment are these objects in and how long have they been there? If something's been sitting outside for 5 years with little to no maintenance it's unlikely it'll look very colorful, says all my bikes as a kid and the entire contents of my grampa's poorly constructed garage.

So applying the same thing to Diablo 3, apparently an orange/red flame should just put out a muddy brown light aura. And those frost spells should only put out just enough light so that you can barely see that a spell was cast... as long as no bright blue light is linked to the spell.

What a freaking joke.
You'll be hard pressed to find anybody wanting that exaggeration applied to Diablo 3. Enjoy your venting though.

[PlasmaTorture]

I really desaturated both one and added noise to this one, increased brightness and contrast. I guess it looks better but I think people will say they're both too colorful still.

I disagree - I think they're both great. The first one is (obviously?) kinda a joke, but I appreciate it's efforts. The second one is pretty much perfect. They aren't too colorful, nor are they grossly dark and destaruated (actually, if anything the second one is on the verge of too desaturated).


Now there's some things I wanted to point out. People are complaining about the colors and I admit they could use a LITTLE desaturation, but the thing is picture one is blue, and picture 2 is green. That gives both pictures largely different feelings in terms of dungeons.

Aren't they supposed to be the same dungeon, though?

Let's imagine now that both were very gray, they eliminated most of the blue light from both pictures. Yeah, it might look more "diabloish" to some, but the sacrifice would be too great. That sacrifice would be that ALL the dungeons would look the same and have the same mood. Grey doesn't do nearly as much to alter your mood as blue or green do. And sure, a gray dungeon would be fine, but let's not demand that all these internal stone structures be gray, because that is demanding homogenity, which I don't think is what we want. At least, it's not what I want.

I think everyone (or at least most everyone) would agree with you here, except a completley grey dungeon would not be Diabloish at all.

[teh_Thrasher]

ew if d3 looks like d2 with the bad graphics and poor resolution i dont think i would buy it. plain and simple. this is a next gen stuff boys and girls i want high quality graphics with the ability to have HUGE resolutions and anti aliasing. i dont want old fashion pixelated gritty graphics

[AkumaSlayer]

First pic is a joke, in case anyone didn't get it (looking at you teh_Thrasher :p).

Second pic is slightly better than the original pic, although they look almost identical IMO. Increasing the contrast a tiny bit and desaturating it a little more (to compensate the contrast increase) would be enough to make it look twice as good as it does now. I think there's enough noise, anymore and it would have that shimmering effect when the screen moves.

The dungeons should still have the blue/green lights so they feel different from one another, but atm they are too bright.

[Jetfusion]

as long as it runs on my computer and doesn't look like a cartoon :p