The Diablo 3 fits into consoles because Blizzard has done very innovative UI development and tailored Diablo 3 so its fits both to PC and Console input devices.
Introduction:
This background article explains why Diablo 3 fits into consoles.
We have been doing research on how its possible to convert Diablo III inputs to console devices and how its possible to play Diablo 3 on consoles.
Joypad:
The Consoles Joypad is the key element that makes it possible to control movement, character, menus, etc. inside Diablo 3.
Joystick:
Joystick is what found left of side of the joypad and which make it possible control the Diablo 3 character movements.
Joypad Keys:
Joypad’s 4 keys found on the right side of the joypad, which will control the “hotkey” bar in Diablo 3. There is also 2-4 keys in the upperside of the joypad which can contol other Diablo 3 features. (such as 2 extra secondary hot-keys)
Here is the thing, Diablo 3 use 6 hot-keys insteed of 10 hotkeys usually used from PC games (f1-f10). Therefore it is possible to control Diablo 3 with joypad keys.
HOTBAR: Bottom of the picture describes that there is 4 main hot-keys abilities and 2 for others purposes.
Easy loot system:
The Diablo III developers has made it easy to pick-up (loot) item by just move over them (potions and items), which makes it easy to consoles. It might also make sense why Blizzard removed the potions ’shug’ feature from Diablo 3. (a Diablo 2 feature that gave you endless life by constantly drinking potions).
Controlling spells and abilities:
The direction of spells in Diablo 3 can be controlled by the secondary joypad joystick.
Menu Options:
The menu system can be accessed from the “options/start” key on the joypad.
Inventory:
The Diablo 3 inventory system can be easily controlled by the jaypads joystick and hotkeys, as we have seen this feature from previously games.
Mouse/Keyboard:
The game can be played without a mouse and only via a Joypad. There is also no need to have a keyboard to play Diablo 3.
Why Diablo 3 on Consoles?
From a Blizzard developer: Diablo 3 is the game that fits best of all Blizzard games, so it would make sense to implement Diablo 3 to consoles.
Diablo 3 - Just Fit:
Because Diablo 3 is very fast phased game, which most console games is, it fits well in this category of games.
Blizzard President Suggests Diablo 3 May Come to Console:
Mike Morhaime says there’s “a pretty good argument” Diablo 3 may work on 360 or PS3.
There’s yet to be any official confirmation that the upcoming Diablo 3 will be released on anything other than the PC, but according to recent comments made by Blizzard president Mike Morhaime, it certainly seems like they’re strongly considering console versions of the highly anticipated sequel at some point in the future.“Every game we have the discussion about which platforms make the most sense,” said Morhaime in an interview with Shacknews at BlizzCon. “As Diablo 3 takes shape, I think we’ll do an evaluation. I think there is a pretty good argument to be made that that type of game might work very well on consoles. There might be some technical limitations though that we might need to get past.”
Backing up Morhaime’s comments were those made by Diablo 3 director Jay Wilson, who also thinks console versions of Diablo 3 could work well. “We haven’t really decided to take the [console] plunge,” Wilson said. “We’ve really come to the conclusion that Diablo 3 is probably the best fit because the control scheme is actually not that incompatible. So if we were to make that decision, Diablo would be the natural choice.”
What Blizzard won’t do, however, is do a quick and dirty port. “If we did it, we would want to do a really high quality version — we wouldn’t just want to do a port,” Wilson said. “We would never make that decision if we thought we had to compromise the overall quality…we could probably do it at any time, we could release the game and then decide we wanted to do an Xbox 360 version or a PlayStation 3 version.”
Seeing a console version of Diablo 3 down the line wouldn’t be unprecedented — the original Diablo eventually received a port on the PlayStation, and there have been countless action RPGs in the Diablo mold released on consoles as well (Phantasy Star Online comes to mind). And that was back in the Dark Ages when online gameplay on consoles was mostly unheard of.
Supported by Rob Padro VP, Blizzard Entertainment:
“I’d love to see what you guys do with the Wii,” to which the Blizzard exec smiled and raised his eyebrows, but stayed silent.
Blizzard Hire Console Xbox specilist:
Blizzard has hired a top POP Games, XBox live specilist .
Blizzard’s employee Bob Colayco said that Greg Canessa a PopCap Games/ Xbox Live Arcade) has joined Blizzard to work on the new Battle.net 2.0
Blizzard talk on Consoles at GDC
Speaking at a GDC luncheon with several game industry luminaries, Blizzard’s game design EVP Rob Pardo said that Sony and Microsoft need to “come up with new forms of gameplay and new mechanics.”
Suggesting that the two companies should look to Nintendo and work on improving their input devices, he said, “If [Sony and Microsoft] don’t come up with a way to come up with new forms of gameplay and new mechanics, than there is no point in giving us new hardware, because then it’s just about cloud computing.”
“This is going to make or break console companies this time around,” Acclaim’s David Perry added. “I’m not aware they’re really putting a big amount of effort into finding out what the people who are making the games want.”
Junction Point’s Warren Spector speculated, “I think they’re so focused on the all-in-one device…I’m not sure they’re actually thinking about the games that are actually going to come out. It seems kind of crazy.”
Bottom line:
It is sure thing that Blizzard have thinked well about input devices when they designed Diablo 3. As this article explained its now a fact that its rather easy to implement Diablo 3 on consoles. If Blizzard is going to take this step is yet unknown, but the current background information indicates that Blizzard have interest to port Diablo 3 to consoles. After all because the Diablo III developers have been creative about designing GUI and to minimize the amount of key inputs used in Diablo 3.
diablo3x.com/diablo-3-fits-on-consoles
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