Gaming

Diablo Trilogy (Screenshots)

When Diablo came out it revolutionized action RPGs. When Diablo 2 game out it revolutionized Diablo. Now the series is set to become and trilogy, and Diablo 3 is on the horizon. Will the third instalment of the popular franchise be a success, judging from the screenshots alone it will be a huge hit with fans. If the original play mechanics have been preserved, and not stripped out (more on that in a moment) it is almost money in he Blizzard bank. But early rumors hinted that the health belt has been removed, taking an exciting element out of the game that made gameplay so enjoyable. Before we jump directly into the screenshoots from Diablo 3, no matter how drool worthy they are let’s look at some classics. Diablo and its expansion (Hellfire) were very revolutionary for the time. The graphics were pre-rendered and looked great. The storyline was exciting and it kept the game moving. While the Hellfire Diablo expansion wasn’t actually handled by Blizzard it took the game’s graphics to another level. And when you see screenshots of it you can tell it help shape the sequel. Diablo 2 came out and blew players away. The graphics were light-years ahead of the first game and the gameplay had been refined. Hacking your way through dungeons, swamps, deserts and hellish realms took on a new life that would influence many action RPGs to come. Now, ten years after its release (with plenty of active players) Blizzard is about to do it again. Will Diablo 3 be just as revolutionary? Or will it leave fans disappointed? With WoW Blizzard has a cash cow they can milk (and have for many years, already) do they still need the Diablo series? The answer is yes, and with as much work as they’ve put into the game it should be an enjoyable romp through whatever twisted world they throw at us. The ninja is looking forward to it, and even with the various rumors that have been flowing around about the game he is going to wait until it is released to cast his judgement. Now, if Blizzard would ever release that other game they have been sitting on forever (he doubts that it will come out in 4Q 2010) the ninja would be truly happy. Diablo Screenshots Diablo 3 Trailer

Next-Gen Motion Control on the Horizon

If you have ever asked for more from your gaming experience, you will be pleased to know there is a next-generation controller on the horizon. Game developers Valve and Sixense Entertainment have partnered with gaming hardware developer Razer in a multi year deal. The goal is to develop a next generation controller that will be more adapted at immersing the player in the gaming experience. Producing a “revolutionary true-to-life, next-generation motion sensing and gesture recognition controller for PC gaming.” I know what you’re saying, sure this new next-generation controller will be able to recognize gestures as well as sense motion, but will it be accurate? The controller, to quote the developers, will be ‘ultra-precise one-to-one motion sensing controllers that use electromagnetic fields to track precise movements along all six axes.’ The control from Razer will be able to track its orientation within a single degree, if that isn’t enough it will also be able to track its position down to the millimeter. Pretty cool, considering the current systems leave a lot to be desired. The controller was demoed recently at CES. The game that was played was Left 4 Dead 2 and allowed you to get an early look at the prototype. There the project leader Chet Faliszek made the bold statement that “this release represents motion-enabled gaming that’s more integrated and visceral than any platform has so far achieved.” But with companies like Valve and Sixense teaming up, you can be sure there is some major backing behind the project. The companies co-founder and chairman, Avi Arid, has already made a huge stir in the movie industry by producing a long list of successful Marvel comic inspired films. He also has the movie rights to Mass Effect and is set to produce the Lost Planet and Uncharted movies. He has come a long way from toy maker in the eighties and early nineties. This next-gen controller looks like a winner, and it is surely something I will be keeping an eye open for. And I won’t have to wait long, the controller is scheduled to be released later this year.