The Barbarian is not cartoony.

[havedeath]

For all the people saying the barbarian looks cartoony.


The old barbarian model was more unrealistic than the new one and looked much sillier. The new one is closer to a real life bodybuilder or muscular person and has a much more rugged look. The old one has blobby muscles and just bad anatomy and proportions in general.


http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/9575/d2d3barbariancomparisonco4.jpg

The old barbarian combat animations were terrible low-res prerendered 3d sprites doing the same attack motion over and over and whirlwind was just a rotating sprite with a whirling image pasted on top. The new Barbarian animations look so much more brutal and the blood and physics look awesome so it baffles me how Diablo fans could not like it. IT LOOKS SO MUCH MORE FUN.

Corpses disappearing is kind of lame but after a certain amount of time they disappear in Diablo II anyways as well. It was just a demo afterall though and the game is years out.

Witchdoctor is not a freaking Troll from WoW he's based on real life african witchdoctors. They have bone lip piercings, nose piercings, decorative outfits and tribal masks. They have NOTHING to do with WoW Trolls.

Health Orbs just make the game go faster they're no stupider than having a plate belt covered in wacky glue with 16 potions stuck to it that you can drink all at once.

It's not cartoony. I HATE WOW and I would hate if this game looked like WoW BUT.. it looks nothing like WoW it looks like God of War if anything not WoW.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=T4nGdOiGvqc&watch_response

That grass and background looks just like ACT1 of Diablo II. The boss is HUGE AND AWESOME... he bites the freaking barbarians head off in an awesome gorey fashion!!! The game just looks great to me and looks so much fun AND ITS JUST A DEMO.

[raveharu]

Ok, noted.

I find the D3 barbarian alot sexier than D2's :thumbup:

[ThulRasha]

But but but.... I don't want him to bite my head off!

[havedeath]

But but but.... I don't want him to bite my head off!

Then don't die :). I'm pretty sure it is the same as other games with death animations. It'll only do the kill animation if it lands a hit that would kill you at your current hit point level. So people shouldnt worry about being instantly killed unless they would be otherwise (not enough max hit points or just severely injured so you'd die anyways..etc.)

[Tsumaru]

I agree with everything you said except the health orbs. Although that's just because my criticism for them isn't based on realism - it's just a personal gameplay preference. Potions were something you could save up and use when necessary. If you're fighting a boss, how do you stay alive now? Either they will still have potions but you have to buy them, or health orbs will drop after certain amounts of damage but not ncessarily death (which, in my opinion, will REALLY suck and just not feel like Diablo at all), or you would have to keep going back to town to heal. The first option makes the health orbs redundant and you might as well have just had potions, the other two are just plain bad in my opinion.

[havedeath]

I agree with everything you said except the health orbs. Although that's just because my criticism for them isn't based on realism - it's just a personal gameplay preference. Potions were something you could save up and use when necessary. If you're fighting a boss, how do you stay alive now? Either they will still have potions but you have to buy them, or health orbs will drop after certain amounts of damage but not ncessarily death (which, in my opinion, will REALLY suck and just not feel like Diablo at all), or you would have to keep going back to town to heal. The first option makes the health orbs redundant and you might as well have just had potions, the other two are just plain bad in my opinion.

Potions are still in the game. Health orbs are there just so you don't have to go back to town as often.

edit: I'm pretty sure potions will still drop as well as being bought at towns.

[havedeath]

A thing that sets the health orb apart from potions dropped on the ground is that it heals your whole party if they're close enough and you dont have to equip it like a potion. Graphically they are no more out of place than skill shrines with big giant glowing hands and etc.

[Lord_Jaroh]

I find their representations within the gameplay different however, with the barbs being more cartoony in Diablo III than in II. The character select screen, not so much. The cut scene, I did not like the look of the characters though, but that is my anti-wowness leaking through.

EDIT: As far as the globes being unrealistic, I do find a difference between them and the shrines. Maybe it's because the shrines are mystical and can have "effects" so to speak (even though I prefer the shrines from DI myself), whereas people and creatures don't "drop" floaty orbs when they die. You can stretch their drops to items and gold, and potions, but not floaty orbs. Change their representation to something less flashy and I'd be okay with them I think.

[Apocalypse]

bah realism in d3, since when do monsters run around holding some of the stuff they are holding? how can a swarm of itches even hold anything at all? the orbs are fine, cant say i completly agree with them but it will all be fine, wont ruin the game at all.

as for the corpses vanishing, it has to be done if they plan to have that many more monsters on screen at once

[Sincubus]

I don't mind anything of this all, in my eyes it doesn't look anything near WOW, it looks MUCH cooler.

The only thing I fear is blizzards mind... maybe they turn the entire game into a MMORPG just like wow... I HATE MMORPG games as I lack a stable internet connection...

FOr the rest I really like what I have seen so far!

[Tsumaru]

It's definitely not going to be an MMORPG. They have made that quite clear already.

[Funkopotamus]

*snip*

I think the Barbarian's armor looks cartoony. There's just... something about him. I think maybe his arms/shoulders might be too big and/or his midsection is too small. To compound it, all the images I can remember of the barbarian at this instance have gigantic shoulder armor.

[phool]

hardly cartoony (GW) (http://guildwars.wikia.com/wiki/Warrior_armor)
total charicature(WoW) (http://www.wowwiki.com/Warrior_sets)
quite cartoony (D3 alpha) (http://www.blizzard.com/diablo3/_images/screenshots/ss9-hires.jpg)

Actually I don't see why you have a thread title like "The Barbarian is not cartoony." but write instead about how D2's graphics weren't years ahead of their time. D3 is certainly less cartoony than Wow, but then Wow is more cartoony than the average cartoon. Other than the shoulders, I like what we've seen of D3's character models.

[havedeath]

I think the Barbarian's armor looks cartoony. There's just... something about him. I think maybe his arms/shoulders might be too big and/or his midsection is too small. To compound it, all the images I can remember of the barbarian at this instance have gigantic shoulder armor.

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/6696/barbarianshoulderpadseb6.jpg

I don't get how big spikey shoulderpads and a badass demon face with horns for a belt is "Cartoony". Spikey shoulderpads, loincloths and such are just traditional accesories for savage barbaric races in fantasy settings.

I dont think he looks very much like an Orc from warcraft. The textures look alot dirtier and crisp than WoW.

Warcraft Orcs = Savage, Barbaric.
Barbarian = Savage, BARBARIC (obvious).
Spikey leather shoulderpads = Barbaric.

Even if there are some similiarities I really don't care if they look a little similiar to Warcraft orcs. They look cool to me and better than anything in WoWs ugly stretched out textures. Plus they're not the only shoulderpad graphics in the game if you really hate them that much.

People are also forgetting about how ridiculous looking alot of barbarian items in d2 were like the jawbone caps and other crazy helmets. When barbarians wore plate mail in D2 it looks absolutely nothing like real platemail, would you consider that cartoony too? They can wield 2 oversized two-handed weapons at the same time and spin a circle.. Isn't that "Cartoony" or "unrealistic"...Who cares? It's cool, it's fantasy and its about beating the crap out of demons.

It doesn't look like a cartoon it's just a pair of spikey shoulderpads on an old barbarian dude who wants to kick some demon ***.

[Funkopotamus]

*post*

I didn't say anything about Warcraft.

It's just over exaggerated. The horns on the belt are a little much but neat. It's the giant shoulder armor. Not only that, it looks like you can see a gap between his shoulders and the armor, like it's floating around his shoulder instead of resting on it.

[havedeath]

hardly cartoony (GW) (http://guildwars.wikia.com/wiki/Warrior_armor)
total charicature(WoW) (http://www.wowwiki.com/Warrior_sets)
quite cartoony (D3 alpha) (http://www.blizzard.com/diablo3/_images/screenshots/ss9-hires.jpg)

Actually I don't see why you have a thread title like "The Barbarian is not cartoony." but write instead about how D2's graphics weren't years ahead of their time. D3 is certainly less cartoony than Wow, but then Wow is more cartoony than the average cartoon. Other than the shoulders, I like what we've seen of D3's character models.

Honestly those Guild Wars armor sets are just as "Cartoony" as the D3 sets but look much worse and that game was craptastic with slow boring combat + WAYYY too much bloom. 99% of the guild wars armor sets have no basis on reality or real armor. I don't really see the difference except for Diablo 3 looks grittier and darker.

The only class in Diablo II that had realistic armor at all was the Paladin. Every other class looked totally unrealistic and fantasy based as far as armor goes. That's fine too it is a videogame, as long as it looks cool and fits the context of the world it is in it doesn't matter if its realistic or not.

The screenshot of the female barbarian is a still frame up close shot going down some stairs. The game is supposed to be played zoomed way further out. In screenshots you get Jagged lines on the outside but trust me it looks much better in full motion. I admit it doesn't look that great in that crappy screenshot but I just explained why and the armor itself looks fine for a fantasy game. It doesn't really stretch any boundries of the diablo universe.

Everyone needs to stop getting "Cartoony" mixed up with "Fantasy". If the game was totally realistic there would be no demons, skills, town portals, spells, magic items, magic runes, undead and well that you can drink the entirety of instantly + 1000 other things.

[phool]

People are also forgetting about how ridiculous looking alot of barbarian items in d2 were like the jawbone caps and other crazy helmets. When barbarians wore plate mail in D2 it looks absolutely nothing like real platemail, would you consider that cartoony too? They can wield 2 oversized two-handed weapons at the same time and spin a circle.. Isn't that "Cartoony" or "unrealistic"...Who cares? It's cool, it's fantasy and its about beating the crap out of demons.

Actually I'm pretty sure In D2 none of the char models had massive gargoyles sticking out of their stomachs. Unrealistic isn't a strong enough word, absurd would be more appropriate.

The proportions In WoW, and to a lesser extent D3 alpha, are caricatures of actual human beings. GW, among other many other games, bothers to maintain humanoid dimensions. I'm not sure how you can not see this.

[raveharu]

I didn't say anything about Warcraft.

It's just over exaggerated. The horns on the belt are a little much but neat. It's the giant shoulder armor. Not only that, it looks like you can see a gap between his shoulders and the armor, like it's floating around his shoulder instead of resting on it.

I think you are just picking at every tiniest of flaw, which tends to be more of senseless than constructive feedback.

[havedeath]

I didn't say anything about Warcraft.

It's just over exaggerated. The horns on the belt are a little much but neat. It's the giant shoulder armor. Not only that, it looks like you can see a gap between his shoulders and the armor, like it's floating around his shoulder instead of resting on it.

I dont think the shoulders are floating. The barbarian has pretty huge shoulders even without those pads on and as far as I can tell the modelers are smart enough to make them not float off the shoulders.

It is other people in threads/petitions/etc. that make the Warcraft comparisons.

[havedeath]

Actually I'm pretty sure In D2 none of the char models had massive gargoyles sticking out of their stomachs. Unrealistic isn't a strong enough word, absurd would be more appropriate.

Absurd you mean like the massive horns on the great helms which were just as big and useless as the ones on the barbarians belt? Do you mean absurd like leaping 50 feet in full platemail? Maybe you mean absurd like conjuring a gigantic iceball weighing hundreds of pounds flying across the screen shooting dozens of three foot long icicles at 500lb maggots in the depths of hell?

[MooCQ]

For all the people saying the barbarian looks cartoony.

Yea, he is cartoony.. throughout the ENTIRE DIABLO SERIES! NOT ONCE HAS HE EVER APPEARED "REALISTIC" ! Not even CONAN appears realistic.. why not?? cause he was on roids!!! Realism is overrated.. especially in an animated series.. ..

[raveharu]

Absurd you mean like the massive horns on the great helms which were just as big and useless as the ones on the barbarians belt? Do you mean absurd like leaping 50 feet in full platemail? Maybe you mean absurd like conjuring a gigantic iceball weighing hundreds of pounds flying across the screen shooting dozens of three foot long icicles at 500lb maggots in the depths of hell?

How about tiny flying hammers that kill most monsters and you in 1 hit?

Naked amazons who can punch arrows, and naked barbs who can kill you in one punch?

[Funkopotamus]

I dont think the shoulders are floating. The barbarian has pretty huge shoulders even without those pads on and as far as I can tell the modelers are smart enough to make them not float off the shoulders.
I know he has huge shoulders, I mentioned that earlier. Even so, I'm looking at the character select screen mock-up on the D3 website and his shoulders aren't that big. It's clearly very large shoulder armor. At the point I see in that picture, and many others, it looks cartoony to me. Ever heard of the saying "Too much of a good thing"?

It is other people in threads/petitions/etc. that make the Warcraft comparisons.

Okay, but I wasn't doing it in that post.

[Tsumaru]

I think people need to distinguish between cartoon, unrealism, and fantasy.

Cartoony, to me, means graphics which don't have good textures and/or have unrealistic proportions. Like a cartoon.
Unrealistic is anything which is, obviously, unrealistic.
Fantasy is unrealism for the sake of entertainment, but balanced with a bit of good sense and generally not taken too far.

Throwing ice-balls may be unrealistic, but it's fantasy so it's okay. Leaping 50 feet into the air with plate armour may be unrealistic, but it's fantasy so it's okay. Nobody wants to play a medieval-based RPG where you fight demons in Hell and yet you're restricted to realism. That's just stupid.

But at the same time, just because there is unrealistic or fantasy stuff - that doesn't make it cartoony either. So maybe some big huge shoulderpads are unrealistic. But it's fantasy. If the proportions are still half-decent and there are good textures - I don't think it's cartoony. It's just fantasy.

That having been said, the complaint that it looks kind of like the shoulder pads are floating - that's a comment about the distorted proportions etc. That's when you can make a valid cartoony criticism. The horns on the belt, well, I don't think you can call it unrealistic or cartoony. In this case you just say "it looks crap". And personally I would agree with that. The barbarians are savage and brutal - but that doesn't mean they have these elaborate demon-faced belts with horns coming out which would completely get in the way of any attempt to fight. It just looks out of place to me.

The way everyone calls everything cartoony just isn't making sense to me.

[ill logic]

I'm gonna play it even if it the next unveiled character is Daffy Duck. In any case, the Barb is impressive aesthetically and he doesn't look overly cartoony. However, I think the Hammer of Ancients skill is gonna....take some getting used to. I wasn't expecting a huge hammer to come out of nowhere. But I thought Blessed Hammers looked funny at first as well

[Funkopotamus]

However, I think the Hammer of Ancients skill is gonna....take some getting used to. I wasn't expecting a huge hammer to come out of nowhere.

I did not even notice that. I take it back. A giant hammer appearing out of no where to smash your enemy with? The barbarian isn't cartoony at all.

[Lord_Jaroh]

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/6696/barbarianshoulderpadseb6.jpg

I don't get how big spikey shoulderpads and a badass demon face with horns for a belt is "Cartoony". Spikey shoulderpads, loincloths and such are just traditional accesories for savage barbaric races in fantasy settings.

I dont think he looks very much like an Orc from warcraft. The textures look alot dirtier and crisp than WoW.

Warcraft Orcs = Savage, Barbaric.
Barbarian = Savage, BARBARIC (obvious).
Spikey leather shoulderpads = Barbaric.

Even if there are some similiarities I really don't care if they look a little similiar to Warcraft orcs. They look cool to me and better than anything in WoWs ugly stretched out textures. Plus they're not the only shoulderpad graphics in the game if you really hate them that much.

People are also forgetting about how ridiculous looking alot of barbarian items in d2 were like the jawbone caps and other crazy helmets. When barbarians wore plate mail in D2 it looks absolutely nothing like real platemail, would you consider that cartoony too? They can wield 2 oversized two-handed weapons at the same time and spin a circle.. Isn't that "Cartoony" or "unrealistic"...Who cares? It's cool, it's fantasy and its about beating the crap out of demons.

It doesn't look like a cartoon it's just a pair of spikey shoulderpads on an old barbarian dude who wants to kick some demon ***.

If you can't see the similarity between your image and this one:

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/7766/woworcrr3.th.jpg (http://img253.imageshack.us/my.php?image=woworcrr3.jpg)

Then you are clearly insane. Here, I'll even help you:

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/5389/orcbarbarian2pj9.th.jpg (http://img253.imageshack.us/my.php?image=orcbarbarian2pj9.jpg)

They are clearly similar.

[Nezumi]

Almost all fantasy images are over the top.
I have always found the should pads on most character designs ridiculous. Try swinging a weapon around half of the "fantasy" gear most characters are designed with. Ain't happening. Look at the size of most weapons - totally unrealistic.

But this is a fantasy game. Not a medieval combat sim.

As for similarity... I am not that fond of the WoW art style. I thought part of what set Diablo apart as its own universe was the different art style. When the project moved from Bliz North to Bliz Irvine I feared it would be taken under the same art direction as their existing, successful fantasy title. So far the images I have seen seem not TOO derivative of WoW and that gives me hope that D3 will retain it's own visual universe.

Diversity in fantasy is a good thing.

[Dacar92]

Diversity in fantasy is a good thing.

Couldn't agree more.

This game will have better graphics than D2 no doubt. Everyone here got hooked on D2, which was made when, 8 or 9 years ago? Those graphics look cartoony to me and to you, probably, too. But yet, we still were hooked on the game. D3 will be so much better, graphics wise. Don't put a lot of stock in how the game looks now. The graphics will change, and usually that change, before the alpha test, will be for the better.

[GUFF]

There have been some good points made in this post.

I remember a developer mentioning how they wanted an "over-the-top" design plan when it came to D3 and that the barb was a perfect example.

They definately succedded in their goal.

I started a barb character the other day in LOD just tinkering around and yes the barb armour even in D2 was not as good looking as say the same armour on the Paladin.

However, it was at least somewhat believeable, somewhat mideavil (sp?) like. The armour above is not even close.

Lord_Jaroh's post with the orc pic is actually the first image that I thought of when i seen the barb equip his armour in the gameplay video.

From what I Have seen so far I feel the developer's need to tweak the armour/weapon/character models (Specifically Barbarian).

I am very worried how the rest of classes will look with their armour and weapons....

[sneakytails]

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/9053/d2armorsmediumtk0.jpg


I would like to see a return of the plate type armors in D3. The Assassin looks so cool in gothic plate. Many of us dislike the "flaps and straps" approach. I feel that both visual types could make it into the game and please more people.

These armors would look hella cool in the new 3d engine. acid etched plate armor...woot!

When fighting hell spawned demons thicker heavier armor just makes sense to me in the diablo series world.

[RTK]

That demon face isn't badass...is simply ridiculous.Those damn horns make no sense...I don't see how that would protect the barbarian but I do see plenty of ways it could get in his way while fighting.

[Epogy]

I think anyone would agree, as it's been pointed out repeatedly in this thread, that Diablo is by its very nature (being a fantasy role playing game), unrealistic. However, I think most people would agree that there should be some sort of limit on HOW crazy things get. Most fantasy universes have their own set of rules and laws, be it D&D or Marvel Comics. Just because that guy from Final Fantasy 7 swings around a massive 6 by 2 foot blade around with little trouble, does that mean we would want to see that in the Diablo? I mean where do you draw the line? Maybe from whats already been established by previous Diablo games? If you use that logic, I would argue that the images we've seen of Diablo 3 are not consistent with what has already been portrayed in the other Diablo games. They simply do not fit. IMO of course.



Personally I would rather see the barbarian wearing the armor in the style it's supposed to look like and not have it magically transformed into some crazy barbarian style gear when he puts it on. I mean, he's a BARBARIAN, when I think of what a barbarian is, I think of a savage who rapes and pillages and steals, among other things, armor and weapons, and uses those things like a savage effin' beast, not a pomp and proper paladin with his polished shoulder pads and nice shiny shield. No, I see a barbarian picking stuff off DEAD paladins (that he may or may not have killed) and mixing and matching, maybe he happens to get a nice shiny suit of armor, maybe not, whatever he loots is what he wears. I don't see a barbarian uh 'upholstering' full plate with animal hides and fur and then welding horns onto it or what not. But obviously he's not a barbarian in that sense, and I'm sure theres been plenty of literature written on the "barbarian culture" (hows that for a contradiction of terms?), but a man can dream.

Then there are those who will say "it's a game so it can be as unrealistic as we want". I don't want it to be THAT unrealistic is the problem. IMO again.

[phool]

It is quite possible to depict the fantastic in a believable, immersive fashion.
http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/movie/gallery/1127213/photo_06_hires.jpg
Likewise, it is possible to depict both the real and fantastic in an unbelievable fashion...
http://caricatures.emersonart.com/galleries/politicians/images/thumb_6.jpg

Now I certainly don't want D3 looking like Saving Private Ryan but I'd definitely like a move away from the current parody we've seen with the heavily armoured barbarian. Immersion and cartoon proportions make poor bedfellows and whether you conciously realise it or accept it, decreased ability to identify as your character will harm the game's entertainment value for you.

edit:I don't mean to imply anything by my choice of first picture being one featuring darkness, grime and a prevalance of point lighting. I just got bored fast of finding suitable pics.

[Tsumaru]

I hated Frodo with a passion. He basically ruined the LotR trilogy.

[popodomo]

The biggest issue seems to be with the size of the shoulderpads and the way the belts are designed right? Its still early and Samwise himself has said art doesn't stop until they ship a game. So, you can be sure they will go through many styles. Whether they will agree with a group of fans that the shoulders/belts need to be toned remains to be seen.

Though after complaints from fans about the look of the Terran buildings/vehicles in SC2 as being too shiny, they did give it a more worn look, same with the change in the siege tank.

So, just continue voicing your opinions and I'm sure Blizzard will take note of it.

[sneakytails]

It is quite possible to depict the fantastic in a believable, immersive fashion

Agreed. I think a decent example of this from the diablo series is qual-kheks armor from d2lod. Its in the image I posted above (if anyone bothered to look). Its not over the top with 2 foot spikes. In fact he is wearing a chain mail suit uderneath his breastplate and shoulder plates. It looks very nice. An updated version of this armor in 3d is really what I had in mind for the d3 gothic plate for the barb.

I was happy with the looks of armor in d2lod (esp the plate types)and would like this to be taken to the next level in 3d.

[Funkopotamus]

I'm not implying I'm an art wiz, but I like this clumsy photoshop I just made.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y186/zanpanzer/geekery/barbarianshoulderpaddiet.jpg

[Hodl Pu]

@Funk
Yes those shoulder pads are a reasonable size. As for the belt, seems a bit odd but It's not as bad as over sized shoulders that block your side view.

You didn't edit the belt did you?

[Funkopotamus]

No.

I think the belt is weird too, but that's about it. It's like someplace to rest his arms or something.

[Dacar92]

He could impale himself on that belt. At least cut his arm. Just be patient. Things will definitely change.

[Funkopotamus]

On the other hand, he could hold on to them and make car noises with his mouth.

[popodomo]

On the other hand, he could hold on to them and make car noises with his mouth.

Which would be a funny dance emote would it not?! Then again, there should be no dancing emotes in Diablo, that just wouldn't be Diablo.

I'm a fan of psuedo-realism so I also would like the horns on the belt to go but I don't have much problem with the big shoulderpads. I've always been a fan of big shoulderpads.

I get the feeling it will stay in though, for the sake of different looks. Not like it will matter much with us busy killing things at a fast pace.

[Ghoulz]

Ya know, that armor isn't very efficient. I'd be more concerned about protecting my heart instead of mah belly. So the shoulder pads were actually higher?

[MooCQ]

What the devil is wrong with the belt? I like that! It reminds me of all the Fantasy .. Conan the Barb, Willow.. Legend, LOTR, Krull, Skeletor.. they all wear funky belts with skulls and huge spike protuding armors.. if i can just find some pic..

http://goldenaxe.classicgaming.gamespy.com/daimages/Images2/fanart/3)-Thulsa-Doom-original.jpg eh thats the best i could find..

Ah, found some spikier armor...
http://www.millenniumfalcon.com/episode3_JRGrievous_willowhomage_GeneralKael1.jpg
hah whatya know, even in reality it looks.. RIDICULOUSO!

http://www.freakingnews.com/pictures/11500/Bean-Barbarian--11709.jpg

Yea, ok find any pic of Conan, the barb is half naked.. seriously only weak barbarians need armor.. GEESH!

[johntorrio]

I understand there is going to be some deep discussion about what we have seen presented to us about Diablo 3. However lets not get to upset with the current look of a pair of shoulder pads. We've only seen a small fraction of what the game has to offer. As for the belt with horns. To me it looks awesome. Practicality sometimes takes a back seat when trying to give off a bad-*** look. Horns have been added to many forms of armor from different areas around the world. What practicality did the horns on the Vikings helmets play? Such unpractical armor was used century's ago in battle to give off a more powerful look and intimidate others. There is a psychological approach to such a thing. Its not all black and white.

[Funkopotamus]

I don't remember Skeletor wearing big, skull covered, spiky armor. Which is a shame because he really didn't wear much at all. He must shop at the same Straps 'n' Loin Cloths as Conan.

I do also agree with practicality taking a back seat to looking bad-*** but I'm more of the type that would take that as like the above picture with the fancy design all over his armor. The helmet is really pushing it though. Are those snakes for horns?

[MooCQ]

I don't remember Skeletor wearing big, skull covered, spiky armor. Which is a shame because he really didn't wear much at all. He must shop at the same Straps 'n' Loin Cloths as Conan.

I do also agree with practicality taking a back seat to looking bad-*** but I'm more of the type that would take that as like the above picture with the fancy design all over his armor. The helmet is really pushing it though. Are those snakes for horns?

I forgot, Skeletor wears a leotard, oops.. but I do agree the arguement is valid, bad-*** and larger than life plated armor and helms are a good thing, even practical. In nature, snakes, elephants, meerkats.. they all try to appear larger, the Cobra for example, puffs it's body so that it appears larger, and subsequently deters its enemies.. as a psychological victory..

Puffy armor, with huge spikes.. its a deterrance, its valid!

[Funkopotamus]

I don't think I'd go as far as to say it's practical. Hypothetically, would you be willing to trade off 2/3 of your field of vision and freedom of movement to demoralize creatures who fall in between "too stupid/corrupt to care" and "too smart to care"?

I guess whether or not "puffy armor" impresses fictional creatures could be debated all day. I still agree in unnecessary steps to look cool, I just prefer it on top of my function. Referencing your picture again - like the standard looking armor, sans helmet, with the cool design on top of it. And that snake scepter thing would make one awesome like... halberd-like skull buster hammer.

[Klumpeduns]

What practicality did the horns on the Vikings helmets play?

Actually vikings didn't have horns on their helmets. It's a common misconception/myth. It's a feature that's been added in more modern times. I don't remember the story behind it though.

[johntorrio]

Actually vikings didn't have horns on their helmets. It's a common misconception/myth. It's a feature that's been added in more modern times. I don't remember the story behind it though.

That seems to be correct from what I have just looked up.

Learn something new everyday.

[a brick]

Funk, have you ever worn a real suit of armor or anything like that? even seen any?

Thats some flashy stuff... The medival knights could barely move! the suits were extremely heavy and awkward. hard to stand up in and stay standing cus its so uneven says one guy at a renaissance fair I went to years back.

Ive worn full body chainmail before over the arms and body. thing weighed easily over 90 lbs. This stuff in DIII could be realistic; The horns on the belt is something is flashy and scary. Knights were flashy with huge flags, large sheilds, and draperies over their horses i think. Not very useful in battle but they did it none the less.

Its fantasy too dude, take it down a notch in terms of realism...

My two cents

[Punkonjunk]

I'm gonna play it even if it the next unveiled character is Daffy Duck. In any case, the Barb is impressive aesthetically and he doesn't look overly cartoony. However, I think the Hammer of Ancients skill is gonna....take some getting used to. I wasn't expecting a huge hammer to come out of nowhere. But I thought Blessed Hammers looked funny at first as well

So did I, man. Blessed... Hammers? Why would god bless hammers? Seriously, hammers? Why not bolts of holy light, or arrows, or something more... heavenly?
Hammers? I mean, what?
To this day, I've still yet to make a hammerdin. It's been like 5 years. Maybe it's almost time, huh?

[Funkopotamus]

Funk, have you ever worn a real suit of armor or anything like that? even seen any?

Thats some flashy stuff... The medival knights could barely move! the suits were extremely heavy and awkward. hard to stand up in and stay standing cus its so uneven says one guy at a renaissance fair I went to years back.

Ive worn full body chainmail before over the arms and body. thing weighed easily over 90 lbs. This stuff in DIII could be realistic; The horns on the belt is something is flashy and scary. Knights were flashy with huge flags, large sheilds, and draperies over their horses i think. Not very useful in battle but they did it none the less.

Its fantasy too dude, take it down a notch in terms of realism...

My two cents
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/aams/hd_aams.htm#weight_b
Maybe he was wearing show armor or something?

I'm not against the horns on the belt, they just fall well out of bounds of my personal regions of bad-***, cool, or even neat. It did however land in the land of weird and rolled towards funny. And I am tired of my own corny analogies on this.

[konfeta]

unk, have you ever worn a real suit of armor or anything like that? even seen any?

Thats some flashy stuff... The medival knights could barely move! the suits were extremely heavy and awkward. hard to stand up in and stay standing cus its so uneven says one guy at a renaissance fair I went to years back.


I am pretty sure that's a myth....

[johntorrio]

So did I, man. Blessed... Hammers? Why would god bless hammers? Seriously, hammers? Why not bolts of holy light, or arrows, or something more... heavenly?
Hammers? I mean, what?
To this day, I've still yet to make a hammerdin. It's been like 5 years. Maybe it's almost time, huh?

Probably because Jesus was a carpenter; hence the hammers.

[Hodl Pu]

So did I, man. Blessed... Hammers? Why would god bless hammers? Seriously, hammers? Why not bolts of holy light, or arrows, or something more... heavenly?
Hammers? I mean, what?
To this day, I've still yet to make a hammerdin. It's been like 5 years. Maybe it's almost time, huh?
Hammers also represent judgment. The paladin was kind of a judge of evil and good, therefore, the hammers "judged" the demons be killing them. Although this skill is ironic since paladins use it for PKing a lot. :crazyeyes:

Oh and the barbs belt again, I suppose he could to pelvic thrust attacks with those horns, oor ya know, charge into things hips first. That'd be pretty awesome to see.

[Dacar92]

So did I, man. Blessed... Hammers? Why would god bless hammers? Seriously, hammers? Why not bolts of holy light, or arrows, or something more... heavenly?
Hammers? I mean, what?
To this day, I've still yet to make a hammerdin. It's been like 5 years. Maybe it's almost time, huh?

I have never made a hammerdin either, and I have been playing for a few days now. Mainly because I prefer a little strategy to just standing there smashing everything in sight.

Your post made me LOL.

[konfeta]

Because blessing hammers has been a staple of fiction since DnD and Warhammer did it first? Hell, you might as well go back to Nordic Mythology while you are at it.

[raishi]

Thor and his hammer mjinor *i know the spelling is butchered*...

I still think the hammers shouldn't spin but thats a different issue...

Light armor is better to move around in then full plate mail...ever wonder why they are always mounted...because they can't move very fast between the platemail and the chain mail they are lucky they don't just go splat...the spikes are for coolness and tackeling...ever play D&D they are just armor spikes which can be added to any piece of armor...

[Funkopotamus]

I'm pretty sure knights are "always mounted" because it looks better in photos and in films.

[qOcOp]

Its a fake fantasy world the demon belt gives him demon powers without the demon belt he would not have demon powers

[shizzz]

lol i still think he looks good :x