More than a dozen old Diablo 3 Screenshots have been released online. These were from when the game was still in development by Blizzard North, before  they were shutted down. Blizzard had since canned that version of Diablo 3 and started making their own from the Blizzard Irvine HQ.

Notice how, lighter and whiter the art direction was because Diablo 3 was originally supposed to take place in Heaven

Take a look.

http://diablo.incgamers.com/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/600/page/1

Original Source: http://kotaku.com/#!5761172/this-is-what-diablo-iii-looked-like-a-long-time-ago/gallery/1

Seems the favorite color for those devs were grey. To me the new direction is better than this.

Looks a lot more atmospheric than the current graphics :/

wow that looks plain and boring, glad they revamped the game.

Originally posted by TheIllusive

wow that looks plain and boring, glad they revamped the game.

lol and you are so far from the truth its not even funny.

guess it is taste. Truth is that the new type of graphics/art will apply to more players. I did not play the first Diablo games so that will take a huge part ofcourse.

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Originally posted by TheIllusive
I did not play the first Diablo games so

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I am so unhappy with how diablo III was turned into DIabloCraft III...

Now going by old Blizzard-North version screens, it seems that originally D3 had a wholly different storyline, which would ave directly followed D2. IT seems that the hell forces somehow got to and destroyed Heavens. How they got there? Most likely it would have had something to do with destroyed world stone or Tyrael's promise being broken...

Anyway, exploring a devoid of life, cold marble labyrinths of Heaven would have been both creepy and awesome..thats the game I could wait for decades to come out, not to mention that it actually loooked like diablo game...

Nevertheless, the current World of DiabloCraft III remake does not interest me even slightly...i find everything from its story changes, to ridiculous corny classes(witch doctor? uzi-crossbow demon huntress? orc barbarian...seriously?) to color schemes and "architecture" that looks like something out of Hello Kitty....i find everything of that repulsive...

Its no longer diablo i grew up with, its no longer that awesome franchise....current diablo III is a cheap rpg knock-off cashing in on the original's fame...

If only someone had a time machine...it would only then be able to be fixed...so the North version gets released and the current Diablocraft abomination is never made...ever...

Looks ok.. But I prefer the new look.

Also.. Just by looking at the screenshots the camera was probably going to be a pain. What was up with some of  those terrible angles? No wonder they revamped the game.

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Originally posted by SlyLoK
Looks ok.. But I prefer the new look.
Also.. Just by looking at the screenshots the camera was probably going to be a pain. What was up with some of  those terrible angles? No wonder they revamped the game.

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Considering the same guys latter on worked on mythos, the camera angles would most likely be adjustable or would change in certain scenes for more dramatic effect (that entering the crypt like place looks way better from the angle its presented in screenshot)

And no they revamped the game not because of that:
- The game originally was scraped(alongside starcraft Ghost) because blizzard feared that the whole "two faction" idea would compete with their would-be giant wow and decided to focus resources on wow.
- The revamp happened because blizzard thinks that by applying wow formula, style and cheese, it will gain more audience for its games.

It's easy to see just how much like WoW Diablo III looks, but after seeing those old screenshots, I mean wow. That is how Diablo III should have looked. It's a shame that now the long awaited third installment is comming, and I have no interrest in it. The Diablo series is what really got me into gaming years ago.

I would love to read the storyline to Blizzard North's Diablo III. As i'm sure it would be more of a true continuation to the original story than whatever Blizzard has come up with now.

Edit: It also makes me sad to think that what is left of Blizzard North is now working on Torchlight. Which, don't get me wrong, Torchlight was a fun game, and for a fair price. But, it is no Diablo or Diablo II. I suppose though, that after the failure that was Hellgate: London, they don't have an interrest in dark, serious games anymore.

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Originally posted by Unreal024
It's easy to see just how much like WoW Diablo III looks, but after seeing those old screenshots, I mean wow. That is how Diablo III should have looked. It's a shame that now the long awaited third installment is comming, and I have no interrest in it. The Diablo series is what really got me into gaming years ago.
 
I would love to read the storyline to Blizzard North's Diablo III. As i'm sure it would be more of a true continuation to the original story than whatever Blizzard has come up with now.
 
Edit: It also makes me sad to think that what is left of Blizzard North is now working on Torchlight. Which, don't get me wrong, Torchlight was a fun game, and for a fair price. But, it is no Diablo or Diablo II. I suppose though, that after the failure that was Hellgate: London, they don't have an interrest in dark, serious games anymore.

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All that is known of the previous D3 story is that it starts RIGHT a the end of lord of destruction and involves hell invading heaven(unknown how they managed to enter but most likely had something to do with the broken world stone or Tyrael's promise).

The game also would have had entirely new classes, one of which was "archangel" and would have brought trilogy to its conclusion, actually giving players a chance to fight in heaven and actually finishing the story. IT would have offered a gothic worlf, full of jerkass demons and just as jerkass angels, portraying both sides just as alien...

Now for current DiabloCraftIII, even those who have played it seem to agree that apart from name Diablo and similar setting, it has nothing in common with previous games both story-wise and gameplay-wise - its not "gothic", it is a high fantasy world now with shiny armor clad angels wanting to help humanity, brave shiny humans fighting orcs and evil pesky demons...

Oh and for the note about Diablocraft3:
- There is crafting.
- less loot dropped more crafting materials.
- NO ATTRIBUTE OR SKILL POINTS.
- You are limited to having 7 predefined skills you get as you level up.
- mmo-like roles of healing and shit.
- no lan.
- max 4 players.
- "facebook integration"...

Yeh, one does not even have to loot at the messed up story, "features" should be enough to make people turn away from this abomination.

Sadly, knowing its blizzard (aka they can practically take some dirt, put it in a box, tag a sticky logo of theirs and everyone will buy it), it will most likely get a "critical acclaim"

AS for Runic...well...having your entire work scrapped most likely leaves scars...if Torchlight II (which is kind of DIablo 2,5 and a bit less colorful than I) does good and they finally get TorchMMO rolled out, they might create something else, more dark hopefully...

Talking about torchlight what i loved form the gamescom hands on is that TLII is seemingly fully embracing the "dynamic light sources" that made Diablo II and I so awesome.Sadly Diablocraft II is not doing that...

Originally posted by Yuui

 

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Originally posted by Unreal024
It's easy to see just how much like WoW Diablo III looks, but after seeing those old screenshots, I mean wow. That is how Diablo III should have looked. It's a shame that now the long awaited third installment is comming, and I have no interrest in it. The Diablo series is what really got me into gaming years ago.
 
I would love to read the storyline to Blizzard North's Diablo III. As i'm sure it would be more of a true continuation to the original story than whatever Blizzard has come up with now.
 
Edit: It also makes me sad to think that what is left of Blizzard North is now working on Torchlight. Which, don't get me wrong, Torchlight was a fun game, and for a fair price. But, it is no Diablo or Diablo II. I suppose though, that after the failure that was Hellgate: London, they don't have an interrest in dark, serious games anymore.

---

All that is known of the previous D3 story is that it starts RIGHT a the end of lord of destruction and involves hell invading heaven(unknown how they managed to enter but most likely had something to do with the broken world stone or Tyrael's promise).

The game also would have had entirely new classes, one of which was "archangel" and would have brought trilogy to its conclusion, actually giving players a chance to fight in heaven and actually finishing the story. IT would have offered a gothic worlf, full of jerkass demons and just as jerkass angels, portraying both sides just as alien...

 

Now for current DiabloCraftIII, even those who have played it seem to agree that apart from name Diablo and similar setting, it has nothing in common with previous games both story-wise and gameplay-wise - its not "gothic", it is a high fantasy world now with shiny armor clad angels wanting to help humanity, brave shiny humans fighting orcs and evil pesky demons...

Oh and for the note about Diablocraft3:
- There is crafting.
- less loot dropped more crafting materials.
- NO ATTRIBUTE OR SKILL POINTS.
- You are limited to having 7 predefined skills you get as you level up.
- mmo-like roles of healing and shit.
- no lan.
- max 4 players.
- "facebook integration"...

Yeh, one does not even have to loot at the messed up story, "features" should be enough to make people turn away from this abomination.

Sadly, knowing its blizzard (aka they can practically take some dirt, put it in a box, tag a sticky logo of theirs and everyone will buy it), it will most likely get a "critical acclaim"

 

AS for Runic...well...having your entire work scrapped most likely leaves scars...if Torchlight II (which is kind of DIablo 2,5 and a bit less colorful than I) does good and they finally get TorchMMO rolled out, they might create something else, more dark hopefully...

Talking about torchlight what i loved form the gamescom hands on is that TLII is seemingly fully embracing the "dynamic light sources" that made Diablo II and I so awesome.Sadly Diablocraft II is not doing that...

HOLD UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You cant seriously mean that can you??? CAN YOU?? If its 7 predefined skills instead of skill tree, Im totally not buying D3 anymore.  Seriously... SERIOUSLY!!! o.o WTF?!?!?!

Originally posted by Castillle

Originally posted by Yuui

 

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Originally posted by Unreal024
It's easy to see just how much like WoW Diablo III looks, but after seeing those old screenshots, I mean wow. That is how Diablo III should have looked. It's a shame that now the long awaited third installment is comming, and I have no interrest in it. The Diablo series is what really got me into gaming years ago.
 
I would love to read the storyline to Blizzard North's Diablo III. As i'm sure it would be more of a true continuation to the original story than whatever Blizzard has come up with now.
 
Edit: It also makes me sad to think that what is left of Blizzard North is now working on Torchlight. Which, don't get me wrong, Torchlight was a fun game, and for a fair price. But, it is no Diablo or Diablo II. I suppose though, that after the failure that was Hellgate: London, they don't have an interrest in dark, serious games anymore.

---

All that is known of the previous D3 story is that it starts RIGHT a the end of lord of destruction and involves hell invading heaven(unknown how they managed to enter but most likely had something to do with the broken world stone or Tyrael's promise).

The game also would have had entirely new classes, one of which was "archangel" and would have brought trilogy to its conclusion, actually giving players a chance to fight in heaven and actually finishing the story. IT would have offered a gothic worlf, full of jerkass demons and just as jerkass angels, portraying both sides just as alien...

 

Now for current DiabloCraftIII, even those who have played it seem to agree that apart from name Diablo and similar setting, it has nothing in common with previous games both story-wise and gameplay-wise - its not "gothic", it is a high fantasy world now with shiny armor clad angels wanting to help humanity, brave shiny humans fighting orcs and evil pesky demons...

Oh and for the note about Diablocraft3:
- There is crafting.
- less loot dropped more crafting materials.
- NO ATTRIBUTE OR SKILL POINTS.
- You are limited to having 7 predefined skills you get as you level up.
- mmo-like roles of healing and shit.
- no lan.
- max 4 players.
- "facebook integration"...

Yeh, one does not even have to loot at the messed up story, "features" should be enough to make people turn away from this abomination.

Sadly, knowing its blizzard (aka they can practically take some dirt, put it in a box, tag a sticky logo of theirs and everyone will buy it), it will most likely get a "critical acclaim"

 

AS for Runic...well...having your entire work scrapped most likely leaves scars...if Torchlight II (which is kind of DIablo 2,5 and a bit less colorful than I) does good and they finally get TorchMMO rolled out, they might create something else, more dark hopefully...

Talking about torchlight what i loved form the gamescom hands on is that TLII is seemingly fully embracing the "dynamic light sources" that made Diablo II and I so awesome.Sadly Diablocraft II is not doing that...

HOLD UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You cant seriously mean that can you??? CAN YOU?? If its 7 predefined skills instead of skill tree, Im totally not buying D3 anymore.  Seriously... SERIOUSLY!!! o.o WTF?!?!?!

I need a proper link source confirmation before i say anything because that is like 2 steps and a fucking 2 mile sprint backwards if that is true.

How unfortunate...

http://www.diablowiki.net/Skill_tree

Originally posted by DeserttFoxx

How unfortunate...

http://www.diablowiki.net/Skill_tree

Quoted from the link you provided :

"The whole skill system is being reworked, and Blizzard has said that the skill tree system is being removed completely. Bashiok mentioned Blizzard is "implementing and will be testing a new system that changes how skills are acquired." (Nov 20, Blizzard’s @Diablo channel at Twitter). Also, on an interview between Diablofans.com and Jay Wilson, the latter explained a bit about how the new skill system might be. Removing the tree-type architecture and moving into a purely skill-based system. How the skill system will exactly work remains unknown for the time being.

Jay Wilson: ...We've decided to remove the tree-type architecture and we are moving into a purely skill-based system. This new system is still in the development stages and if it does not work, we still have plenty of options to fall back on. Right now, we're just trying different things and getting a feel for the few ideas in regards to the skill system that we have going on right now. It differs from the World of Warcraft/Diablo II type hierarchical styles and is more of a skill pool/path than a tree per se."

 

 

So while it seems they are moving away from the trees, nothing is obviously set in stone yet either. I'll wait and see before passing judgement.

@Luui: Woah, no LAN?? You can't be serious. Can you cite a source for that?

Originally posted by theinvader

@Luui: Woah, no LAN?? You can't be serious. Can you cite a source for that?

Well, everything is done through battle.net now. SC2 doesn't have lan, iirc, logical would follow that D3 won't either. Not a dealbreaker for me, but I'm not exactly happy either.

Originally posted by Unreal024

It's easy to see just how much like WoW Diablo III looks, but after seeing those old screenshots, I mean wow. That is how Diablo III should have looked. It's a shame that now the long awaited third installment is comming, and I have no interrest in it. The Diablo series is what really got me into gaming years ago.

 

I would love to read the storyline to Blizzard North's Diablo III. As i'm sure it would be more of a true continuation to the original story than whatever Blizzard has come up with now.

 

Edit: It also makes me sad to think that what is left of Blizzard North is now working on Torchlight. Which, don't get me wrong, Torchlight was a fun game, and for a fair price. But, it is no Diablo or Diablo II. I suppose though, that after the failure that was Hellgate: London, they don't have an interrest in dark, serious games anymore.

wow torchlight? no wonder the game is so good

i hope there would be an expansion pack with campaigns set in heaven. I really like Blizzard North's take on heaven... really eerie and creepy...

... yeah and bring back the paladins!

Looks a bit dated but cool. I have no issue with the new look though. Should be some mindless, clicky fun. Lewt!

Yeah! bring back the paladins (or any knight archetypes!)

Back to topic: Seriously, these screenshots are a whole lot better to what Blizzard is showing us. Oh well at least we are getting a new Diablo game. Too tired of playing the same old MMOs (and as much as Torchlight feels a lot like playing Diablo... it's too cartoony for me).