I didn't mention the Druid's resource, forgot to O.O, at this point might as well. There was no mention of the Necro's resource. I'm not sure how to explain, I'll try my best.
The concept of the Druid is that he can be relax to play but is for advanced players at the end-game, because of the way skills are as I showed but also because of the resource. A lot was talked about how to make the class fun / functional for the beginners or casual players for the campaign even though this casual playstyle (no strategy like put any skills on the bar)won't function at all beyond the campaign or the easier difficulties. The "challenge" that can break the druid is in the theory-crafting the build, and choosing among many possibilities for the resource. The gameplay requires careful attention to the resource, much more than the other classes.
The resource is split in three "horizons" (yeah there were images but no like ss it was only a small part of the hud) I don't recall the resource name *facepalm*. The expression used by them I remember exact was nothing is created nothing is destroyed everything is recycled this is the "idea". So the Druid never runs out of resource but as one raises another diminishes. The 3 parts make like a "landscape" when balanced. The top part is yellow is called heat (they associated with solar power). Middle part is gray (it's a fog, clouds) called wind. Bottom part is light blue called water. So heat-wind-water. There were many many ways they worked on as to how it worked and it was complex and uncertain, some ideas contradictions of others, I
didn't fully understand myself actually. Anyway the core is some builds need to maintain some equal balance some need to maintain a dominance of one part, some 2 parts, some need to alter(sounded a bit like CoE?) progressively or in order etc. It was complex, but it was player's choice how complex they want it, what build they want to design.
Now how you customize the resource for the build is through the druid-bard passives. Almost all his passives are resource related. Almost all sounded complicated or build defining or crazy, one passive what it did was it adds a 4th layer, between wind and water, a color green-brownish called earth. But even with the 3 landscape if you put some random passives and some random skills without thinking it is possible the druid is non-functional like he lost his mind lol? So he can't kill with skills or even cast the skills. There was mention to make him at first like HC mode was at first in D3 "you need one lvl10 hero to select this class" so that newbies don't take him as a first playthrough but there was mention that this could be confusing or make players sad or call technical support "Hi I can't druid is server down", it was not clear how they intend to protect the newbies-casuals from "thinking" (this is my words my analysis just for lol I like all casual players and welcome them). One that was implemented however is that the Druid gains passives at later levels than other heroes and that the druid "disabling" (if not thought about) passives are gained at high levels. The passive that adds an Earth layer was unlocked at level 99 last one.
Man I'm freaking sad, I never thought about this Necro "nerf" but you're right this seems blatant, I know about the Chinese restrictions that they modified D3 when released there, the art that's too much for them, illegal there I guess. But I never thought this could have anything to do with a main global release, with the Necro to make him less necro because of this, at first I read your thing and was lol you're delusional because I didn't want to admit this could happen. But the way you put it, the way this was specially mentioned in the doc and insisted on, armor parts on skels, golems, there was perhaps more hints but I didn't pay attention didn't look at it from your point of view I struggle to remember more now, I hope you're so wrong but man... it seems so plausible. If they camouflage pets and necro figure, and presence, his style nerf it for the whole world for China censors? That would be really lame and UNFAIR, I don't think they would, just for what to save work for China re-design they have to re-design anyway?? Man you sounded an alarm in my head with your suggestion, I like to think Blizzard can't screw the Necro he's a fan favorite everybody wants him back wtf??
Yeah that went beyond the facts, but I am a Diablo fanboy and I don't like that people used to bash Wilson anyway I added personal things that have no point being there, now that I re-read it all. The doc was not made for someone intrinsically familiar (IMO), it was a wide thing like for someone new to the game or the team, an executive maybe. I am in my borders of knowledge as I know the original engine / the physics etc. because I played D3 more than I can confirm. The report, several pages detailed the reasons to re-use the same engine, justified what is to gain or lose from making a new one or updating the D3 engine and then the conclusion was to update the engine, the buffs to the engine were then detailed and that's from where I know about those buffs.
Example of not pertinent details to hardcore fans, there were 2+ pages explaining the potions and the choice they made, explained what happened with pots in D3, giving several avenues for D4 the choice they made is to keep it like now but it is not set (was not) some in the team wanted the potions to stay at 60% but to be consumables that are spent again like in Vanilla D3 so that it is a choice to use a pot, player has to decide do I really need it and spend it rather than automatic click on Q, another thing mentioned is a middle ground, legendary potions having "charges" and having to be refilled for a cost.
Anyway IMO the D3 engine is great, so the D4 engine is great. But that's my opinion and not factual if you think the D3 game engine is crap, then it's possible the D4 engine is crap for you too.
It is a modified engine that supports new to the engine graphic lighting techniques that were not available when D3 was made or was too late in Dev. Obviously even this was very hard work. Parts of the engine had to be rebuild too I don't know if you remember but D3 always had problems with V-Synch was kinda fixed in RoS or patches but Band-Aid, fixing this that most people will see nothing different or upgrade, no benefit, was the hardest thing so far they worked on at that point of the leak and they were not done even and one reason that was a +for a new engine. Many people in D3, those that play at all MAX settings, some had beast PC graphics cards 1000$, dream pc all GG specs (not me sadly) then and D3 was running like crap for a long time. Even today sometime some threads pop-up about low fps / stuttering in D3 with like GG 2016 cards and I7 cpus... I think this takes a lot of work since the original engine D3 still has stuttering on power hardware even 4+ years after original release, I imagine it's hard, why so hard I've no idea I know very little about programming. Also I'm tired and I'm writing this all from memory and wrote way more than I though possible so apologies for my own appreciations, you're right it takes away from the trustworthiness.
Part12/12 @Cleglaw_Xendlar Music I have no idea, I don't remember I think nothing was pertinent about sound design either in the doc.
The gameplay keeps the fantastic thing Jay Wilson accomplished, the gameplay is freaking great like in D3. It is the same engine. Modifications are now the models for heroes, monsters, I don't know how graphics work, I mean they put more polygons in rendering the assets, more details, other thing is the lighting has been made better, effects where added that are supported by modern graphic cards but I don't recall the name of the settings or technology. The game world looks like in D3, no updates have been made, but it's an artistic thing some structures in D3 look great at max settings, shadows make a big difference in graphic output, if you don't play D3 with shadows at highest mode setting then yeah it looks crap I see lots of D3 pics been posted that obviously the game is not running at max settings.
Hell I hope I forget nothing anymore I think this time that's it.
Part11@Cleglaw_Xendlar
It's not steampunk I haven't seen the screenshots, only the written document leak, I used that word but Blizzard didn't use it. It was to say that they will be mechanized so in D2 skels friendly looked like normal skels if I remember, it could be confusing. The Necro's minion are still undead, it's just they have particular armor, you can see they are re-animated by the necro (no confusion). However yeah I agree IMO the golem being a spirit in a metal armor brought to life, that sounds like a robot, that sucks if the Necro is a mechanic. Keep in mind this class was in conceptual planning at that time of the leak. So this info is the most potential no more accurate of everything I know.
I talked about atmoshere, Act 1 will be short like an introduction and revisit a bit of all D3 Acts but totally destroyed, parts of Sanctuary falling apart, moslty everyone dead or sick or mad (you will have to kill mad "normal" humans too, some they will be enemies) so there is horror, it's catastrophic.
The other Acts are "gothic" like D2 probably. However there is no light radius it's like in D3 the lighting, that's a good thing IMO if you want exactly D2 you can replay D2.
Skovos is another story, it's already a vivid place by the sea but now with the angels having brought even more light, it won't be horror this is 100% my speculation but I could take a rainbow or 2 there.
PART 10 FU_k I forgot something, that is important so I have to unload it too BUT:
STORY SPOILER WARNING DON'T READ IF NOT WANTING A
MAJOR GAME EVENT
SPOILED.
THIS MIGHT BE EXPANSION STORY MATERIAL D4X1,
read at your own
risk.
Imperius. He knows what happens, his lieutenant guess guess who... Malthael is alive in the past too so he got inspiration to make him downfall, but for Imperius it is personal, he wants to kill the Nephalem himself. He can't take it anymore looking the Nephalem in the face. The Reaper of Souls ending foreshadowed this. For him the Nephalem is worse than Diablo. He wants to destroy sanctuary for angelic "good" reasons. He's been driven crazy, it's true the nephalem is a bit corrupted but still he fights for Sanctuary. This is a freaking spoiler, in Skovos, the angelic army descends on Sanctuary and prepares to destroy it along with the Nephalem and everything, most angels obey Imperius, however some nice angels defect obviously Tyrael too, inform the Nephalem about the Skovos situation that's why the Nephalem has to go there. Imperius will be an Act boss. How could I forget to mention this Nephalem goes to war with the high heavens too.
- PVP they iterated like hell on arenas competitive mode in D3 time but they can't do it and if they can't it means it can't be probably done. PVP is still called brawling but now has special areas and stats, but it is not a balanced mode, it is for fun, competition can be made by "player's own rules" is their view on PVP competition. However it is way more "balanced" than blood moor (D2) PVP "was" and it is way more diversified than D3 was, multiples "arenas" with different styles (full open, one big maze, one plenty cover, one is several floors in height, one has hazards I don't remember all there's even more)
- All D3 legendaries will be back but at max level only, all the one without a legendary property will have one. D3 sets won't be back, all new sets. Same legs probably because they existed before D2 in time? Low level legendaries will drop below level 99, but they will be only for transmogs and better damage numbers than low-level rares and stats like + 15% damage to undead and such no skill modifiers or build defining.
- Trading is in like it was in D2, they want rules but not so that there is 0 game economy (everything account bound besides present friends like D3). One option discussed is that heroes can visit a massive tavern or pubic square and to visit players shops and also have their own shop managed by a market NPC. There is an Artisan you can find in town during gameplay, that is the link between the your shop NPC and you. It is a small business so you can have a very limited number of items up for grabs (was 3 a that point). The shopkeeper to protect the market and his business "engraves and magically imbues" (exact terms hehe) any item sold through the shop, so it is bound-to-account to the one that buys it forever.
- There are clans like in D3. There will be adventure mode like in D3. There are seasons that are longer, 6 months per season plan, and they are now called Eras. There are no leaderboards or Eras for "non-ladder". There will be no Era or leaderboards at first, first Era will begin quite after launch 6 months is their early estimation. There will be a card-game activity in the game (battles with cards between players hero's) players can visit this "tavern" between adventures (an out-of direct play interface like the AH was), it is for fun in non-ladder but there are rewards and ranks in Eras and card collection is reset every new Era like everything (A new Era is like an alternate universe you begin again).
-There's lots of details that are not "game changing" or rather game evolving, uncertain, ideas that they were juggling with so things I don't remember or fully remember, I tried to remember everything great that I could for sure that striked me as fantastic. So I said it all I know nothing exclusive we all know the same is everyone happy, nah that's not gonna happen but I'm feeling fine now that I've unloaded everything. Now I'm out of here for good.
- You got to be crazy even crazier than me to think skill trees and skill points would be back or hell would be better for the game *smh*. Original characters will have 2-or 2+ new skills, all skills are back, however some are drastically changed. Good news, the Wizard has redesigned his primary shock pulse skill due to the state of the world. Freaking finally.
- For endgame only, there will be a seventh skill slot. However this one will have permanence, for that character, you can't switch skills in 7th slot. At a very high paragon level, every hero can choose to add one of his skills to the skill bar PERMANENTLY for this hero. The casuals are not confused because they might not reach paragon levels.
- Sets no longer boost skills with % damage at all, this was a required band-aid for D3 but reduced build diversity to 4 or 5 if noset-set was viable per class. Sets can alter skills in crazy ways but not in %, they are not mandatory anymore. There are no sets without a level 99 requirement no low-level sets.
- Max level is 99 (paragon is infinite)
- For endgame, the % damage (like from D3 sets) can now be applied to every damage skill through "+1 to skill" runes. There is no +1 to all skills. This means that for mainstream players they don't need to worry about skill points and choices for the campaign but for end-game you can design your own build. There are no runes for utility skills that do no damage. Legendary gems are back but don't have ranks anymore. Skill runes drop from greater rifts, greater rifts can only be entered at max level. They got ranks. Urshi is not back though. There is a skills runes artisan in towns. Each skill has his own rune so one skill might be + 10% per rank, another + 50% per rank. Greater rifts are infinite but skill ranks have diminishing returns example before rank 40 it's + 10% per rank, rank 41 is +5% rank 100 is + 2% etc.
- Bosses. What could we ask for more or dream for more than what is happening LOL??!! For casuals, newbies or even most that played D2, this will be like new bosses, so maybe 99% of customers, for the other 1% it's pure freaking joy, what new boss could be better than Mephisto, Andariel etc.? We don't IMO need more bosses and it's freaking epic to slaughter Baal again I mean I was amazed when I learned this I find it hard to believe that a Diablo fan could be like meh, it's not a fan then, Diablo has a rich history we don't need "novelty" or whatever trendy term.
- All of this is known from a breached document that was both development progress and game direction / decisions justifications that's why there's lots and that's why it is accurate.
- Expansion 1 will have one new class, no idea what it is or if Blizzard themselves know what it is, it will be the final class expansion 2 will not have a new class.
- The D3 second expansion class will be one of the new classes for D4. It is not a pure druid, I don't know the class name but it is an animal shapeshifter that is also charmer, bard. It has a unique playstyle. The druid part, the intent is that you are not in animal forms at all time, animal power is used for shorts bursts of utility or rampage. You do not become a living animal like in D2, you become like a spirit animal, the force of nature, well it looks like animal (wolf form is back not bear though) but it is an energy form not a flesh form. The charmer part is used against every type of enemy but works totally different on demons, so each (bard) skill is like 2 skills in one. The main unique playstyle is mind control type skills, you can take control of lower enemies in many ways, you do not control two heroes, the druid takes possession and inhabits the zombie or whatever, this does not last long as the
zombie will be sacrificed lol for rampage (you do not play in minion form I mean you do but it is for a few seconds) the other minions are aware you "killed" and took the form of their pal so they target you, they are not fooled, but you use that minion power, affected by the bard skill chosen to do the slaying. Demons can't be mind-controlled or inhabited, every bard skill has a different effect on demons (mostly CC).
- About the other class, I said it in my original post, I mean it was obvious right... he's back, one of the disciples of the D2 Necromancer has finished his training just in time to join the other nephalems. Hell yeah!! He will be a different necro though, he fused the teachings of Rathma with industry / steampunk? Skelly summons are with mechanical armor, golems are undead spirits in metallic enclosure, the direction of the class is that the new Necro uses undead energy to power his inventions. I know nothing more about it as it was in very early development. The druid is done because it was already done for D3X2.
*Sigh* I was sure this was over with but now one guy "accused" me of being like the ones I'm blasting, of keeping info so that I'm the one in the know? YEAH it seems like that and can be argued to be "true" but WTF this was done to keep surprises for Blizzcon I said enough, more than enough, but fine I'll mention everything I remember for sure because: the leak is not new (recent) and also I didn't learn about it yesterday but it's been know for a while before I knew something and that's been a while too.
Also to users saying Postandflee is full of crap, a troll etc., perfect I don't mind hell I even prefer it that way, as long as this is known by some members of the community, this troll story making-up fantasy, the effect is the same, scums loses leverage and their mighty bravado and all their garbage thoughts and plans. The intent of my post was not to be right, pertinent etc. I specifically pointed my intent in that post.
So I'm back but this is the freaking last time, because I've got honor and didn't enjoy being "suspected" of withholding information for my "exclusivity"; that was not the case but I understand that argument so I'm unloading what I've know and remember well enough.
All of this is subject to change and all of it might have been changed already but here we go, I'm not doing bullet points, I'm telling the story as I know it, details I remember to be exact.
-D4 base will be Act 1 as said then 1 Act for all D2 acts besides Hell so 5 Acts in total (not in the same order as D2). First expansion will, yes finally, it will be Skovos, seriously. Last expansion will be Act 4 from D2 so Hell but will be very different, expanded, but the expansions are not 100% in stone obviously however since the story is completed it is possible this will not change and Metzen did everything right as everyone knew that was his last efforts / work / creations for Blizzard and they respect etc.. Even with the leaks I don't think this will change... So the important thing is only what I just said in this paragraph... It is published so that not some random clique of losers that are disloyal to the franchise they "love" and the community and such, that they can't have some exclusive influence on the development (even if a very minor one) of a crucial thing like going back to all the D2 places and all that it entails from a design perspective, gameplay, skills, everything. I said the other things before to give some credibility to this crazy thing and connect some dots (but this still has zero credibility because I sure as hell am not posting proof; however, the corrupted Crusader hint, reveal, tease is very official and it paints very well the heroes aesthetics for D4, what to expect, I still find it epic troll success by Blizzard that no one really looked more closely into this last year).
-Don't ask me for anything, as I finish posting this it is like I do not exist anymore. I really would like it better to not post this but what choice do I have I choose the lesser evil thus I think (hope?) it is a greater "good". The persons that know of the leak or that managed to get information can't be reasoned with, have no values of any merit, and their intentions are despicable and negative to the whole game development process and in such to the whole community, whole fanbase. There might be mistakes / confusions in this but I am not reviewing it because I want to get this done and not think about it anymore, yeah I'm mad a bit but I am in this position.
-Setting before Act 2 that people should no fully know that Act 2 will start in........ the Rogue Encampment !!! this is planned to not be revealed before players find out at release,where they will time travel back to, but the people that know of the leak know this so you understand why I am doing this now, perhaps, it's a freaking crazy leak !!!: Diablo is still the prime evil. However that was not enough, nephalem destroyed him. Before extinction he is infused by a black dragon (this had also been organized by Adria in case big D screwed up again...), the evil of the cosmos?, the origin, and has one chance to make things right. Yep he can time travel but only once as the dragon will sacrifice himself for it (dragon was wounded when fighting a long time ago the prime "good" angel). Now Diablo has to choose when so he figures that with his brothers alive but him still the prime evil and knowledge of the future, he will get it done with Sanctuary once and for all.
-Act 1 is the world, that is in its final moments... total armageddon. Players, the bruised, tainted, cursed almost dead nephalem that killed the prime evil, will travel to all Acts of D3 including Westmarch, to empower the primal angel the one that wounded the dragon but is weak also, so that he can sacrifice himself to time travel the nephalem and his party to the time Diablo had went back to and changed everything. Nephalem succeeds, then is Act 2 of D4, that is Act 1 of D2.
-Cain is back, and he's a bit younger.
-So it is all in now Nephalem at full universal power of good VS Diablo at full universal power of Diablo. The brothers are aware, Azomdan and Belial joins forces with the primes and the prime prime because they know what's up, Andariel, Duriel step up their game. Diablo destroys the hero that killed everything and saved everyone in D2. The ultimate nephalem's quest begins.
-The D3 engine is fantastic, D4 will be on an updated version. Always online of course. Warden (or a new thing) will also be reinforced so things like maphack will be insta-banned (at least the the design goal) unlike what happened to D3. Hopefully this will screw bots faster than it happened in D3. They are very aggressive about this, this time, about game integrity.
-All classes from D3 will be back and 2 more at launch (they are not pertinent for me to spoil, you will know this at Blizzcon anyway, but one of them is a fan and, one of mine too, favorite...), however they will be very different because of the events in D4.
-Last freaking year there was a freaking HUGE D4 clue at Blizzcon and almost nobody gave a damn??!! WTH guys??!! On really big panels where you saw all of Blizzard's franchises, there was a female Crusader representing the Diablo universe, however she was tainted, hurt, corrupted but still fighting for the light... she was not "normal" it was obvious but people didn't look into it like at all if I remember lol. Diablo 4 was already in development for quite some time (unknown how long exactly). She was not representing Diablo 3. She was representing Diablo 4. Go take a look and be amazed.
-There is a video of a guy explaining how the Diablo D4 dice (part of Diablo themed dices in Blizzcon 2016 goodies bag that the press I guess got samples in advance) is not a manufacturing mistake but a cryptic clue at D4's existence. That guy is a smart cookie, he totally nailed it. It is not a manufacturing or design mistake. I mean this could be obvious to some but his analysis is really on point for others.
-The classes will all be hurt and changed like the Crusader girl, this will explain why some skills, mechanics etc. change from a lore or rational perspective (to interate on D3, to make it even "better", D3 has gotten pretty good over the years).
Okay I will post in parts, sorry for the multi-post spam, but I keep getting auto-spam classed because of length.
So Part2:
Here we go, including roadmap details:
-Diablo 3 was supposed to have 2 expansions. The Auction House was supposed to be a lifelong feature of the game. That plan had to change for the sake of the game.
-The second expansion was in development, however the team realized that they could not realistically finish the story of the franchise with respect and sense and coherence with only one more expansion and the constraints they had to deliver it (D3 was, at first supposed to end the "normal" Diablo trilogy, not the whole franchise though).
-Also all Blizzard modern games are monetized beyond purchase, example Overwatch has to be bought and then there is in-game $$$ money transactions that are not P2W but add an amount of revenue (a considerable amount). D4 will be a full release and there will be in-game $$$ transactions, but not P2W. So what is about to happen next makes sense from an executive position.
-The second D3 expansion was canceled, content done was recycled in around 1 and a half year duration of free content patches for the Reaper of Souls expansion. The D3 team was totally reduced, only key people remained or essential tasks folks.
-The D4 team was formed. D4 is the direct continuation of D3.
-An important person at Blizzard left to take care of family and such, Chris Metzen. He is the father of Leah, he does the stories and more. However he did the whole D4 storyline before leaving and also the 2 D4 expansions, it is for sure this time D4 will have two full expansions.
I just posted a post and want to get rid of this but it's been marked as spam *facepalm* It is no big deal but I'd rather not make an account in other place someone unspam it lol
Hey guys, stay a while and listen, I've got a wall-o-text to deliver.
The reason I am posting this is:
There was a Diablo related major leak. Some people know about it, and perhaps about way more than will be revealed at Blizzcon I presume. But they don't want to share anything with the community, a little clique has built around the leak origin. Now why would I care and share, well it is not to go public. It's because these persons could have influence over the direction of the game (not sure it'd be a proper influence) being the only external group knowing pertinent details (it is quite likely Blizzard is not aware of the leak) and could use social engineering to get to have an influence over the crucial phase of game development Diablo IV is in right now. Why should a small group of people that have information obtained in perhaps illicit ways; it having been leaked so there's nothing to do about it; keep it for themselves and laugh at the whole Diablo community's speculations, hopes, despairs etc. like if they're some secret worthy chosen arcane society. Fuck those losers. Really. As for me, I'm just doing what has to be done, I don't care, I'm posting this and that's it for me on the subject. From a bogus account, obviously.
Here we go, including roadmap details:
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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I didn't mention the Druid's resource, forgot to O.O, at this point might as well. There was no mention of the Necro's resource. I'm not sure how to explain, I'll try my best.
The concept of the Druid is that he can be relax to play but is for advanced players at the end-game, because of the way skills are as I showed but also because of the resource. A lot was talked about how to make the class fun / functional for the beginners or casual players for the campaign even though this casual playstyle (no strategy like put any skills on the bar)won't function at all beyond the campaign or the easier difficulties. The "challenge" that can break the druid is in the theory-crafting the build, and choosing among many possibilities for the resource. The gameplay requires careful attention to the resource, much more than the other classes.
The resource is split in three "horizons" (yeah there were images but no like ss it was only a small part of the hud) I don't recall the resource name *facepalm*. The expression used by them I remember exact was nothing is created nothing is destroyed everything is recycled this is the "idea". So the Druid never runs out of resource but as one raises another diminishes. The 3 parts make like a "landscape" when balanced. The top part is yellow is called heat (they associated with solar power). Middle part is gray (it's a fog, clouds) called wind. Bottom part is light blue called water. So heat-wind-water. There were many many ways they worked on as to how it worked and it was complex and uncertain, some ideas contradictions of others, I
didn't fully understand myself actually. Anyway the core is some builds need to maintain some equal balance some need to maintain a dominance of one part, some 2 parts, some need to alter(sounded a bit like CoE?) progressively or in order etc. It was complex, but it was player's choice how complex they want it, what build they want to design.
Now how you customize the resource for the build is through the druid-bard passives. Almost all his passives are resource related. Almost all sounded complicated or build defining or crazy, one passive what it did was it adds a 4th layer, between wind and water, a color green-brownish called earth. But even with the 3 landscape if you put some random passives and some random skills without thinking it is possible the druid is non-functional like he lost his mind lol? So he can't kill with skills or even cast the skills. There was mention to make him at first like HC mode was at first in D3 "you need one lvl10 hero to select this class" so that newbies don't take him as a first playthrough but there was mention that this could be confusing or make players sad or call technical support "Hi I can't druid is server down", it was not clear how they intend to protect the newbies-casuals from "thinking" (this is my words my analysis just for lol I like all casual players and welcome them). One that was implemented however is that the Druid gains passives at later levels than other heroes and that the druid "disabling" (if not thought about) passives are gained at high levels. The passive that adds an Earth layer was unlocked at level 99 last one.
@Cleglaw_Xendar
Man I'm freaking sad, I never thought about this Necro "nerf" but you're right this seems blatant, I know about the Chinese restrictions that they modified D3 when released there, the art that's too much for them, illegal there I guess. But I never thought this could have anything to do with a main global release, with the Necro to make him less necro because of this, at first I read your thing and was lol you're delusional because I didn't want to admit this could happen. But the way you put it, the way this was specially mentioned in the doc and insisted on, armor parts on skels, golems, there was perhaps more hints but I didn't pay attention didn't look at it from your point of view I struggle to remember more now, I hope you're so wrong but man... it seems so plausible. If they camouflage pets and necro figure, and presence, his style nerf it for the whole world for China censors? That would be really lame and UNFAIR, I don't think they would, just for what to save work for China re-design they have to re-design anyway?? Man you sounded an alarm in my head with your suggestion, I like to think Blizzard can't screw the Necro he's a fan favorite everybody wants him back wtf??
@Solanium
Yeah that went beyond the facts, but I am a Diablo fanboy and I don't like that people used to bash Wilson anyway I added personal things that have no point being there, now that I re-read it all. The doc was not made for someone intrinsically familiar (IMO), it was a wide thing like for someone new to the game or the team, an executive maybe. I am in my borders of knowledge as I know the original engine / the physics etc. because I played D3 more than I can confirm. The report, several pages detailed the reasons to re-use the same engine, justified what is to gain or lose from making a new one or updating the D3 engine and then the conclusion was to update the engine, the buffs to the engine were then detailed and that's from where I know about those buffs.
Example of not pertinent details to hardcore fans, there were 2+ pages explaining the potions and the choice they made, explained what happened with pots in D3, giving several avenues for D4 the choice they made is to keep it like now but it is not set (was not) some in the team wanted the potions to stay at 60% but to be consumables that are spent again like in Vanilla D3 so that it is a choice to use a pot, player has to decide do I really need it and spend it rather than automatic click on Q, another thing mentioned is a middle ground, legendary potions having "charges" and having to be refilled for a cost.
Anyway IMO the D3 engine is great, so the D4 engine is great. But that's my opinion and not factual if you think the D3 game engine is crap, then it's possible the D4 engine is crap for you too.
It is a modified engine that supports new to the engine graphic lighting techniques that were not available when D3 was made or was too late in Dev. Obviously even this was very hard work. Parts of the engine had to be rebuild too I don't know if you remember but D3 always had problems with V-Synch was kinda fixed in RoS or patches but Band-Aid, fixing this that most people will see nothing different or upgrade, no benefit, was the hardest thing so far they worked on at that point of the leak and they were not done even and one reason that was a +for a new engine. Many people in D3, those that play at all MAX settings, some had beast PC graphics cards 1000$, dream pc all GG specs (not me sadly) then and D3 was running like crap for a long time. Even today sometime some threads pop-up about low fps / stuttering in D3 with like GG 2016 cards and I7 cpus... I think this takes a lot of work since the original engine D3 still has stuttering on power hardware even 4+ years after original release, I imagine it's hard, why so hard I've no idea I know very little about programming. Also I'm tired and I'm writing this all from memory and wrote way more than I though possible so apologies for my own appreciations, you're right it takes away from the trustworthiness.
Part12/12 @Cleglaw_Xendlar Music I have no idea, I don't remember I think nothing was pertinent about sound design either in the doc.
The gameplay keeps the fantastic thing Jay Wilson accomplished, the gameplay is freaking great like in D3. It is the same engine. Modifications are now the models for heroes, monsters, I don't know how graphics work, I mean they put more polygons in rendering the assets, more details, other thing is the lighting has been made better, effects where added that are supported by modern graphic cards but I don't recall the name of the settings or technology. The game world looks like in D3, no updates have been made, but it's an artistic thing some structures in D3 look great at max settings, shadows make a big difference in graphic output, if you don't play D3 with shadows at highest mode setting then yeah it looks crap I see lots of D3 pics been posted that obviously the game is not running at max settings.
Hell I hope I forget nothing anymore I think this time that's it.
Part11@Cleglaw_Xendlar
It's not steampunk I haven't seen the screenshots, only the written document leak, I used that word but Blizzard didn't use it. It was to say that they will be mechanized so in D2 skels friendly looked like normal skels if I remember, it could be confusing. The Necro's minion are still undead, it's just they have particular armor, you can see they are re-animated by the necro (no confusion). However yeah I agree IMO the golem being a spirit in a metal armor brought to life, that sounds like a robot, that sucks if the Necro is a mechanic. Keep in mind this class was in conceptual planning at that time of the leak. So this info is the most potential no more accurate of everything I know.
I talked about atmoshere, Act 1 will be short like an introduction and revisit a bit of all D3 Acts but totally destroyed, parts of Sanctuary falling apart, moslty everyone dead or sick or mad (you will have to kill mad "normal" humans too, some they will be enemies) so there is horror, it's catastrophic.
The other Acts are "gothic" like D2 probably. However there is no light radius it's like in D3 the lighting, that's a good thing IMO if you want exactly D2 you can replay D2.
Skovos is another story, it's already a vivid place by the sea but now with the angels having brought even more light, it won't be horror this is 100% my speculation but I could take a rainbow or 2 there.
PART 10 FU_k I forgot something, that is important so I have to unload it too BUT:
STORY SPOILER WARNING DON'T READ IF NOT WANTING A
MAJOR GAME EVENT
SPOILED.
THIS MIGHT BE EXPANSION STORY MATERIAL D4X1,
read at your own
risk.
Imperius. He knows what happens, his lieutenant guess guess who... Malthael is alive in the past too so he got inspiration to make him downfall, but for Imperius it is personal, he wants to kill the Nephalem himself. He can't take it anymore looking the Nephalem in the face. The Reaper of Souls ending foreshadowed this. For him the Nephalem is worse than Diablo. He wants to destroy sanctuary for angelic "good" reasons. He's been driven crazy, it's true the nephalem is a bit corrupted but still he fights for Sanctuary. This is a freaking spoiler, in Skovos, the angelic army descends on Sanctuary and prepares to destroy it along with the Nephalem and everything, most angels obey Imperius, however some nice angels defect obviously Tyrael too, inform the Nephalem about the Skovos situation that's why the Nephalem has to go there. Imperius will be an Act boss. How could I forget to mention this
Nephalem goes to war with the high heavens too.
Part 9/9
- PVP they iterated like hell on arenas competitive mode in D3 time but they can't do it and if they can't it means it can't be probably done. PVP is still called brawling but now has special areas and stats, but it is not a balanced mode, it is for fun, competition can be made by "player's own rules" is their view on PVP competition. However it is way more "balanced" than blood moor (D2) PVP "was" and it is way more diversified than D3 was, multiples "arenas" with different styles (full open, one big maze, one plenty cover, one is several floors in height, one has hazards I don't remember all there's even more)
- All D3 legendaries will be back but at max level only, all the one without a legendary property will have one. D3 sets won't be back, all new sets. Same legs probably because they existed before D2 in time? Low level legendaries will drop below level 99, but they will be only for transmogs and better damage numbers than low-level rares and stats like + 15% damage to undead and such no skill modifiers or build defining.
- Trading is in like it was in D2, they want rules but not so that there is 0 game economy (everything account bound besides present friends like D3). One option discussed is that heroes can visit a massive tavern or pubic square and to visit players shops and also have their own shop managed by a market NPC. There is an Artisan you can find in town during gameplay, that is the link between the your shop NPC and you. It is a small business so you can have a very limited number of items up for grabs (was 3 a that point). The shopkeeper to protect the market and his business "engraves and magically imbues" (exact terms hehe) any item sold through the shop, so it is bound-to-account to the one that buys it forever.
- There are clans like in D3. There will be adventure mode like in D3. There are seasons that are longer, 6 months per season plan, and they are now called Eras. There are no leaderboards or Eras for "non-ladder". There will be no Era or leaderboards at first, first Era will begin quite after launch 6 months is their early estimation. There will be a card-game activity in the game (battles with cards between players hero's) players can visit this "tavern" between adventures (an out-of direct play interface like the AH was), it is for fun in non-ladder but there are rewards and ranks in Eras and card collection is reset every new Era like everything (A new Era is like an alternate universe you begin again).
-There's lots of details that are not "game changing" or rather game evolving, uncertain, ideas that they were juggling with so things I don't remember or fully remember, I tried to remember everything great that I could for sure that striked me as fantastic. So I said it all I know nothing exclusive we all know the same is everyone happy, nah that's not gonna happen but I'm feeling fine now that I've unloaded everything. Now I'm out of here for good.
Part 8:
- You got to be crazy even crazier than me to think skill trees and skill points would be back or hell would be better for the game *smh*. Original characters will have 2-or 2+ new skills, all skills are back, however some are drastically changed. Good news, the Wizard has redesigned his primary shock pulse skill due to the state of the world. Freaking finally.
- For endgame only, there will be a seventh skill slot. However this one will have permanence, for that character, you can't switch skills in 7th slot. At a very high paragon level, every hero can choose to add one of his skills to the skill bar PERMANENTLY for this hero. The casuals are not confused because they might not reach paragon levels.
- Sets no longer boost skills with % damage at all, this was a required band-aid for D3 but reduced build diversity to 4 or 5 if noset-set was viable per class. Sets can alter skills in crazy ways but not in %, they are not mandatory anymore. There are no sets without a level 99 requirement no low-level sets.
- Max level is 99 (paragon is infinite)
- For endgame, the % damage (like from D3 sets) can now be applied to every damage skill through "+1 to skill" runes. There is no +1 to all skills. This means that for mainstream players they don't need to worry about skill points and choices for the campaign but for end-game you can design your own build. There are no runes for utility skills that do no damage. Legendary gems are back but don't have ranks anymore. Skill runes drop from greater rifts, greater rifts can only be entered at max level. They got ranks. Urshi is not back though. There is a skills runes artisan in towns. Each skill has his own rune so one skill might be + 10% per rank, another + 50% per rank. Greater rifts are infinite but skill ranks have diminishing returns example before rank 40 it's + 10% per rank, rank 41 is +5% rank 100 is + 2% etc.
- Bosses. What could we ask for more or dream for more than what is happening LOL??!! For casuals, newbies or even most that played D2, this will be like new bosses, so maybe 99% of customers, for the other 1% it's pure freaking joy, what new boss could be better than Mephisto, Andariel etc.? We don't IMO need more bosses and it's freaking epic to slaughter Baal again I mean I was amazed when I learned this I find it hard to believe that a Diablo fan could be like meh, it's not a fan then, Diablo has a rich history we don't need "novelty" or whatever trendy term.
Part 7:
- All of this is known from a breached document that was both development progress and game direction / decisions justifications that's why there's lots and that's why it is accurate.
- Expansion 1 will have one new class, no idea what it is or if Blizzard themselves know what it is, it will be the final class expansion 2 will not have a new class.
- The D3 second expansion class will be one of the new classes for D4. It is not a pure druid, I don't know the class name but it is an animal shapeshifter that is also charmer, bard. It has a unique playstyle. The druid part, the intent is that you are not in animal forms at all time, animal power is used for shorts bursts of utility or rampage. You do not become a living animal like in D2, you become like a spirit animal, the force of nature, well it looks like animal (wolf form is back not bear though) but it is an energy form not a flesh form. The charmer part is used against every type of enemy but works totally different on demons, so each (bard) skill is like 2 skills in one. The main unique playstyle is mind control type skills, you can take control of lower enemies in many ways, you do not control two heroes, the druid takes possession and inhabits the zombie or whatever, this does not last long as the
zombie will be sacrificed lol for rampage (you do not play in minion form I mean you do but it is for a few seconds) the other minions are aware you "killed" and took the form of their pal so they target you, they are not fooled, but you use that minion power, affected by the bard skill chosen to do the slaying. Demons can't be mind-controlled or inhabited, every bard skill has a different effect on demons (mostly CC).
- About the other class, I said it in my original post, I mean it was obvious right... he's back, one of the disciples of the D2 Necromancer has finished his training just in time to join the other nephalems. Hell yeah!! He will be a different necro though, he fused the teachings of Rathma with industry / steampunk? Skelly summons are with mechanical armor, golems are undead spirits in metallic enclosure, the direction of the class is that the new Necro uses undead energy to power his inventions. I know nothing more about it as it was in very early development. The druid is done because it was already done for D3X2.
Part 6.
*Sigh* I was sure this was over with but now one guy "accused" me of being like the ones I'm blasting, of keeping info so that I'm the one in the know? YEAH it seems like that and can be argued to be "true" but WTF this was done to keep surprises for Blizzcon I said enough, more than enough, but fine I'll mention everything I remember for sure because: the leak is not new (recent) and also I didn't learn about it yesterday but it's been know for a while before I knew something and that's been a while too.
Also to users saying Postandflee is full of crap, a troll etc., perfect I don't mind hell I even prefer it that way, as long as this is known by some members of the community, this troll story making-up fantasy, the effect is the same, scums loses leverage and their mighty bravado and all their garbage thoughts and plans. The intent of my post was not to be right, pertinent etc. I specifically pointed my intent in that post.
So I'm back but this is the freaking last time, because I've got honor and didn't enjoy being "suspected" of withholding information for my "exclusivity"; that was not the case but I understand that argument so I'm unloading what I've know and remember well enough.
All of this is subject to change and all of it might have been changed already but here we go, I'm not doing bullet points, I'm telling the story as I know it, details I remember to be exact.
Phew part 5/5
-D4 base will be Act 1 as said then 1 Act for all D2 acts besides Hell so 5 Acts in total (not in the same order as D2). First expansion will, yes finally, it will be Skovos, seriously. Last expansion will be Act 4 from D2 so Hell but will be very different, expanded, but the expansions are not 100% in stone obviously however since the story is completed it is possible this will not change and Metzen did everything right as everyone knew that was his last efforts / work / creations for Blizzard and they respect etc.. Even with the leaks I don't think this will change... So the important thing is only what I just said in this paragraph... It is published so that not some random clique of losers that are disloyal to the franchise they "love" and the community and such, that they can't have some exclusive influence on the development (even if a very minor one) of a crucial thing like going back to all the D2 places and all that it entails from a design perspective, gameplay, skills, everything. I said the other things before to give some credibility to this crazy thing and connect some dots (but this still has zero credibility because I sure as hell am not posting proof; however, the corrupted Crusader hint, reveal, tease is very official and it paints very well the heroes aesthetics for D4, what to expect, I still find it epic troll success by Blizzard that no one really looked more closely into this last year).
-Don't ask me for anything, as I finish posting this it is like I do not exist anymore. I really would like it better to not post this but what choice do I have I choose the lesser evil thus I think (hope?) it is a greater "good". The persons that know of the leak or that managed to get information can't be reasoned with, have no values of any merit, and their intentions are despicable and negative to the whole game development process and in such to the whole community, whole fanbase. There might be mistakes / confusions in this but I am not reviewing it because I want to get this done and not think about it anymore, yeah I'm mad a bit but I am in this position.
Okay part 4:
-Setting before Act 2 that people should no fully know that Act 2 will start in........ the Rogue Encampment !!! this is planned to not be revealed before players find out at release,where they will time travel back to, but the people that know of the leak know this so you understand why I am doing this now, perhaps, it's a freaking crazy leak !!!: Diablo is still the prime evil. However that was not enough, nephalem destroyed him. Before extinction he is infused by a black dragon (this had also been organized by Adria in case big D screwed up again...), the evil of the cosmos?, the origin, and has one chance to make things right. Yep he can time travel but only once as the dragon will sacrifice himself for it (dragon was wounded when fighting a long time ago the prime "good" angel). Now Diablo has to choose when so he figures that with his brothers alive but him still the prime evil and knowledge of the future, he will get it done with Sanctuary once and for all.
-Act 1 is the world, that is in its final moments... total armageddon. Players, the bruised, tainted, cursed almost dead nephalem that killed the prime evil, will travel to all Acts of D3 including Westmarch, to empower the primal angel the one that wounded the dragon but is weak also, so that he can sacrifice himself to time travel the nephalem and his party to the time Diablo had went back to and changed everything. Nephalem succeeds, then is Act 2 of D4, that is Act 1 of D2.
-Cain is back, and he's a bit younger.
-So it is all in now Nephalem at full universal power of good VS Diablo at full universal power of Diablo. The brothers are aware, Azomdan and Belial joins forces with the primes and the prime prime because they know what's up, Andariel, Duriel step up their game. Diablo destroys the hero that killed everything and saved everyone in D2. The ultimate nephalem's quest begins.
Part3 now:
-The D3 engine is fantastic, D4 will be on an updated version. Always online of course. Warden (or a new thing) will also be reinforced so things like maphack will be insta-banned (at least the the design goal) unlike what happened to D3. Hopefully this will screw bots faster than it happened in D3. They are very aggressive about this, this time, about game integrity.
-All classes from D3 will be back and 2 more at launch (they are not pertinent for me to spoil, you will know this at Blizzcon anyway, but one of them is a fan and, one of mine too, favorite...), however they will be very different because of the events in D4.
-Last freaking year there was a freaking HUGE D4 clue at Blizzcon and almost nobody gave a damn??!! WTH guys??!! On really big panels where you saw all of Blizzard's franchises, there was a female Crusader representing the Diablo universe, however she was tainted, hurt, corrupted but still fighting for the light... she was not "normal" it was obvious but people didn't look into it like at all if I remember lol. Diablo 4 was already in development for quite some time (unknown how long exactly). She was not representing Diablo 3. She was representing Diablo 4. Go take a look and be amazed.
-There is a video of a guy explaining how the Diablo D4 dice (part of Diablo themed dices in Blizzcon 2016 goodies bag that the press I guess got samples in advance) is not a manufacturing mistake but a cryptic clue at D4's existence. That guy is a smart cookie, he totally nailed it. It is not a manufacturing or design mistake. I mean this could be obvious to some but his analysis is really on point for others.
-The classes will all be hurt and changed like the Crusader girl, this will explain why some skills, mechanics etc. change from a lore or rational perspective (to interate on D3, to make it even "better", D3 has gotten pretty good over the years).
Okay I will post in parts, sorry for the multi-post spam, but I keep getting auto-spam classed because of length.
So Part2:
Here we go, including roadmap details:
-Diablo 3 was supposed to have 2 expansions. The Auction House was supposed to be a lifelong feature of the game. That plan had to change for the sake of the game.
-The second expansion was in development, however the team realized that they could not realistically finish the story of the franchise with respect and sense and coherence with only one more expansion and the constraints they had to deliver it (D3 was, at first supposed to end the "normal" Diablo trilogy, not the whole franchise though).
-Also all Blizzard modern games are monetized beyond purchase, example Overwatch has to be bought and then there is in-game $$$ money transactions that are not P2W but add an amount of revenue (a considerable amount). D4 will be a full release and there will be in-game $$$ transactions, but not P2W. So what is about to happen next makes sense from an executive position.
-The second D3 expansion was canceled, content done was recycled in around 1 and a half year duration of free content patches for the Reaper of Souls expansion. The D3 team was totally reduced, only key people remained or essential tasks folks.
-The D4 team was formed. D4 is the direct continuation of D3.
-An important person at Blizzard left to take care of family and such, Chris Metzen. He is the father of Leah, he does the stories and more. However he did the whole D4 storyline before leaving and also the 2 D4 expansions, it is for sure this time D4 will have two full expansions.
I just posted a post and want to get rid of this but it's been marked as spam *facepalm* It is no big deal but I'd rather not make an account in other place someone unspam it lol
Hey guys, stay a while and listen, I've got a wall-o-text to deliver.
The reason I am posting this is:
There was a Diablo related major leak. Some people know about it, and perhaps about way more than will be revealed at Blizzcon I presume. But they don't want to share anything with the community, a little clique has built around the leak origin. Now why would I care and share, well it is not to go public. It's because these persons could have influence over the direction of the game (not sure it'd be a proper influence) being the only external group knowing pertinent details (it is quite likely Blizzard is not aware of the leak) and could use social engineering to get to have an influence over the crucial phase of game development Diablo IV is in right now. Why should a small group of people that have information obtained in perhaps illicit ways; it having been leaked so there's nothing to do about it; keep it for themselves and laugh at the whole Diablo community's speculations, hopes, despairs etc. like if they're some secret worthy chosen arcane society. Fuck those losers. Really. As for me, I'm just doing what has to be done, I don't care, I'm posting this and that's it for me on the subject. From a bogus account, obviously.
Here we go, including roadmap details: