David Brevik called it... D2 Remastered is NEVER happening

[lollermittens]

David Brevik, creator and director for D2, said that D2 remastered would never happen.

Guess he was right. Fuck, I'm so disappointed.

[Andonais]

Yeh thats why they have a whole Blizzard Classics team.

[valky94]

people have been saying the same about WC3 :P

[lollermittens]

people have been saying the same about WC3 :P

WC3 was for sure going to happen. The engine is already 3D; all it took was re-mastering the models and animations. Don't need to change physics or anything else.

D2 however:

1. The source code has been lost. Meaning they can never go back to the source and re-update from scratch.
2. David mentioned that the way AI functions depends on pixel and screen size. It might simply not be possible to customize a game with native 800x600 resolution to new 1080p/1440p resolutions. I was hoping to see some programming magic from the devs at Diablo but TBH it might not be technically possible.
3. Would it be profitable? The new generation of kids playing Blizzard games have probably never even played Diablo 2. It's arguably my favorite game ever but I'm old fart approaching 33 years old.

Anyways, I don't think it's happening. Fuck, I'm so sad.

[hydrium]

WC3 was for sure going to happen. The engine is already 3D; all it took was re-mastering the models and animations. Don't need to change physics or anything else.

D2 however:

1. The source code has been lost. Meaning they can never go back to the source and re-update from scratch.

Wait what?

[ReaperOwnz]

They're remaking WC3 with totally new models etc, would it be totally impossible for them to do the same with D2, including code etc?

Or just do what Nintendo did with Ocarina of Time 3D and outsource part of the work to another company.

[Mojo03]

WC3 was for sure going to happen. The engine is already 3D; all it took was re-mastering the models and animations. Don't need to change physics or anything else.

D2 however:

1. The source code has been lost. Meaning they can never go back to the source and re-update from scratch.
2. David mentioned that the way AI functions depends on pixel and screen size. It might simply not be possible to customize a game with native 800x600 resolution to new 1080p/1440p resolutions. I was hoping to see some programming magic from the devs at Diablo but TBH it might not be technically possible.
3. Would it be profitable? The new generation of kids playing Blizzard games have probably never even played Diablo 2. It's arguably my favorite game ever but I'm old fart approaching 33 years old.

Anyways, I don't think it's happening. Fuck, I'm so sad.

If you actually hear the quote he says he "thinks" it's probably lost. He hasn't even worked for Blizzard for 15 years.

They could always re-make it the way they are remaking WoW classic and use the D3 engine. It's really not that big of a game compared to modern games.

[Cthulhu fhtagn]

Today is all the days before and after today and time is not linear. This is what i'm taking away from this thread.

[rholan24]

that would have been so awesome too...

[BiggestNoob]

There's no "lost" source code, just clueless execs and people who make statements who don't understand engineering at all.

[lollermittens]

There's no "lost" source code, just clueless execs and people who make statements who don't understand engineering at all.

Please enlighten on how to "update" a game like Diablo 2 which was designed around two different resolutions; whose AI functions on said resolutions and its associated pixels; and even the loot drops are affected by enemy spawn locations which is dictated by the resolution itself?

I customized MapHack for years and that add-on gave me a really solid understanding of the way pixels are integrated into D2's functional code. How do you propose a D2 remaster nothing short of having to re-create the entire engine from scratch (include monster, item, character, location assets) which beats the point of a remaster altogether?

Why people are so quick to discard the opinion of the guy who literally created D2 is beyond me.

[Deleted]

Guys diablo 2 1.13c is playable up to 1920x1080. Check reddit for instruction how to make it work if interested but Brevik was right... when you pump your d2 up to 1920x1080 you will see monsters that you normaly should not see but its not really big deal. You can also play diablo 1 mod belzebub. This adds many cool features to the original game and also support higher resolutions. Fuck blizzard guys! These guys wont do anything. They rather add activision games to their battle.net launcher then their own classic games that made them rich and famous.

[Kpmk]

eh fuck that loser

[Naked Snake]

David Brevik, creator and director for D2, said that D2 remastered would never happen.

Guess he was right. Fuck, I'm so disappointed.

Why did he say it wouldn't happen? I'd rather have a new D3 expansion or a D4 anyway. Is that gonna happen?

[Zaktar]

Please enlighten on how to "update" a game like Diablo 2 which was designed around two different resolutions; whose AI functions on said resolutions and its associated pixels; and even the loot drops are affected by enemy spawn locations which is dictated by the resolution itself?

I customized MapHack for years and that add-on gave me a really solid understanding of the way pixels are integrated into D2's functional code. How do you propose a D2 remaster nothing short of having to re-create the entire engine from scratch (include monster, item, character, location assets) which beats the point of a remaster altogether?

Why people are so quick to discard the opinion of the guy who literally created D2 is beyond me.

His explanation doesn't preclude the possibility - I'm not too clear on why it couldn't be scaled up, with black bars of doom enforcing the same aspect ratio. Anyway it's always best to discard the "can't do it" opinions, because it almost always can be done.

Really liked his point about the stamina bar being worthless. Fucking worthless stamina bar. I WANT TO RUN, Diablo 2, just let me. #gripes-from-20-years-ago

[lollermittens]

His explanation doesn't preclude the possibility - I'm not too clear on why it couldn't be scaled up, with black bars of doom enforcing the same aspect ratio. Anyway it's always best to discard the "can't do it" opinions, because it almost always can be done.

Really liked his point about the stamina bar being worthless. Fucking worthless stamina bar. I WANT TO RUN, Diablo 2, just let me. #gripes-from-20-years-ago

Well, anything can be done, really, following this logic.

At the end of the day, it comes down to if investors and those who manage such decisions see the value of spending millions to recreate a game that's 15 years old. The only reason why I'm skeptical as why it couldn't be done is this time we have the actual guy who created the game giving valuable insight as to why it might be very difficult. Using WC3 and WoW Classic as precedents doesn't really work since those games' engines were highly customazible and created based on a 3D engine.

When we're entering the 2.5D isometric realm, things that apply in today's modern gaming landscape go out of the window.

To give you an example: the hand pointer in D2 (the little gauntlet icon) registered the pixels on your screen when you clicked on it. Clicking on a certain pixel range "wakes" monster up around you and then a whole slew of mechanics are activated to have such monsters run after you. MapHack essentially scanned the pixels rendered upon generating a game and created the map for you. It was using the same logic that Blizzard North coded into the game to generate the maps and worlds for you in the first place.

From a technical standpoint, with a lot of effort, time, and money, I'm pretty sure they could re-create the game in a more modern engine. But the AI... that would have to be re-designed from the ground up and you'd have to toss everything created in the garbage can. At this point, you're not modernizing a piece of software, you're literally creating a new game.

[Zaktar]

Well, anything can be done, really, following this logic.

At the end of the day, it comes down to if investors and those who manage such decisions see the value of spending millions to recreate a game that's 15 years old. The only reason why I'm skeptical as why it couldn't be done is this time we have the actual guy who created the game giving valuable insight as to why it might be very difficult. Using WC3 and WoW Classic as precedents doesn't really work since those games' engines were highly customazible and created based on a 3D engine.

When we're entering the 2.5D isometric realm, things that apply in today's modern gaming landscape go out of the window.

To give you an example: the hand pointer in D2 (the little gauntlet icon) registered the pixels on your screen when you clicked on it. Clicking on a certain pixel range "wakes" monster up around you and then a whole slew of mechanics are activated to have such monsters run after you. MapHack essentially scanned the pixels rendered upon generating a game and created the map for you. It was using the same logic that Blizzard North coded into the game to generate the maps and worlds for you in the first place.

From a technical standpoint, with a lot of effort, time, and money, I'm pretty sure they could re-create the game in a more modern engine. But the AI... that would have to be re-designed from the ground up and you'd have to toss everything created in the garbage can. At this point, you're not modernizing a piece of software, you're literally creating a new game.

Interesting, makes sense - and of course the question always comes down to cost vs benefit. My guess remains that you could cheaply scale it up with a nice pretty top layer designed to scale to modern monitor sizes, but still limited to the original aspect ratios since that looks inescapable without the effort he and you are describing. Let the player have windowed mode, or some kind of letterbox option if they want fullscreen. That cheap solution might not have much of an audience, and it sounds like the expensive solution sounds like it couldn't possibly have enough of one. Still, I'm rooting for it, and I suspect the game could pay off either investment. It was pretty fun =D

[Chromu]

Back in the day Diablo 2 was enchanced for a "niche" API: glide 3dfx (which the old voodoos were the top gpus), which isn't updated since 2003.

But i believe the main reason blizzard doesn't want to make a Diablo 2 Remaster is because it would prove how junk Diablo 3 actually is.

Blizzard North > Blizzard "classic" team + Diablo 3 team. A pity they are gone from the Diablo Universe.

[Icoblablubb]

WC3 was for sure going to happen. The engine is already 3D; all it took was re-mastering the models and animations. Don't need to change physics or anything else.

D2 however:

1. The source code has been lost. Meaning they can never go back to the source and re-update from scratch.
2. David mentioned that the way AI functions depends on pixel and screen size. It might simply not be possible to customize a game with native 800x600 resolution to new 1080p/1440p resolutions. I was hoping to see some programming magic from the devs at Diablo but TBH it might not be technically possible.
3. Would it be profitable? The new generation of kids playing Blizzard games have probably never even played Diablo 2. It's arguably my favorite game ever but I'm old fart approaching 33 years old.

Anyways, I don't think it's happening. Fuck, I'm so sad.

ya sure source code lost .. thats why we got so many D2 mods like PoD,Resurgance with the original sourcecode /facepalm

- - - Updated - - -

Please enlighten on how to "update" a game like Diablo 2 which was designed around two different resolutions; whose AI functions on said resolutions and its associated pixels; and even the loot drops are affected by enemy spawn locations which is dictated by the resolution itself?

I customized MapHack for years and that add-on gave me a really solid understanding of the way pixels are integrated into D2's functional code. How do you propose a D2 remaster nothing short of having to re-create the entire engine from scratch (include monster, item, character, location assets) which beats the point of a remaster altogether?

Why people are so quick to discard the opinion of the guy who literally created D2 is beyond me.

thats why there are also multiple mods with higher res and there is no prob with monster spawning loot drop location etc plz dude ..

[thesmall001]

There's no "lost" source code, just clueless execs and people who make statements who don't understand engineering at all.

I'm an engineer. A software engineer. A software engineer who has built entire game engines from scratch.

And I'm here to tell you, sir or madame.

It is entirely f'ing feasible that an entire engine source was lost, literally, in a stack of hard drives over a decade ago.

And, yes, I am speaking from experience. Software Engineers were heckin' hopeless before cloud-based versioning became wide spread.