It is our opinion that the graphic elements that characterize the Diablo universe are not fully present in this sequel, Diablo universe is made of:
- Gothic and obscure scenarios, cryptic, dark and shadowy dungeons
- Graphically realistic world with realistic, dirty and muddy textures
- Realistic armory and weaponry without over-sized and exaggerated proportions like big shoulder guards
- A macabre, dark and realistic art style
- Light radius, as all of you can remember, Diablo dungeons were characterized by the combination of a light radius system with shadows, everything that resides outside of the character vision sight is shadowed.
What we got in Diablo III:
- Cartoon'ish art direction, obviously influenced by the Warcraft universe, Diablo isnt Warcraft.
- Hand made, pastel looking textures with bold lines, defined contours, smooth colors and clean shapes.
- Dungeons with a blue/green environment lighting, technique used in cartoons to depict a dark, creepy and scary feeling but once again, this is Diablo, a mature game, dungeons should have a dark aura with the occasional lights from candles, just like we got in the previews Diablo's.
- Character models defined by cartoon characteristics like over-sized and exaggerated parts, vivid colors and unrealistic elements, almost directly taken away from World of Warcraft and pasted to Diablo.
- Outside scenarios with vivid colors, beautiful forests with colorful vegetation, shinny and beautiful waterfalls where even rainbows take place.
- Cartoon'ish and unrealistic weaponry and armory, over-sized and stylish armors, over-sized weapons, items that look pasted directly from World of Warcraft.
- Blocky, cartoon'ish graphic elements like big, over-sized fire braziers in dungeons, heavily influenced by the World of Warcraft art style, over-sized and cartoon'ish scenario decorations like smiling statues, Warcraft styled architecture and decorations.
What we want:
- A darker, gothic, cryptic and creepier environment.
- A more realistic artistic direction, more independent from the Warcraft universe art direction.
- Darker dungeons without a blue/green environment, Diablo dungeons are dark and shadowy.
- The return of the light radius / shadow system from Diablo 1 and 2, a concept modified picture made by me roughly shows and suggests how the shadow system should work on Diablo 3:
http://i31.tinypic.com/2zta5o7.jpg
- Slightly less colorful and less vivid outside scenarios, they are too heavily influenced by the World of Warcraft ones.
- Darker and less colorful landscapes, Tristam never was colorful and beautiful: here's how it looked in Diablo 1 (before the evil was released across the lands):
http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/5194/tristram2jh.jpg
- And most importantly: An independent and renewed artistic direction, not a recycled art direction taken from the Warcraft world, Diablo never was meant to be as cartoon'ish as Warcraft, they shall have independent and distinct styles, this isnt happening in Diablo 3, at first sight it looks like a remake of World of Warcraft, graphically and artistically speaking.
- Example of the heavy influence from World of Warcraft that we dont think it fits the Diablo universe:
http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/6795/diabloiii20080628035157dw4.jpg and
http://www.blizzard.com/diablo3/_images/screenshots/ss9-hires.jpg
