Make 'health orb' a 'fountain/spray/gush of blood' instead <

[Runes]

Make 'health orb' a 'fountain/spray/gush of blood' instead

Just an idea to make the game cooler. I always found the floating orbs from the videos a bit... meh... and not diabloish at all.
S
o why not, instead of floating orbs, just let a 'fountain/spray/gush of HEALTH' spray from the dead monster? If its a boss, it could just spray from a wound on its body while its still alive - sorta like the deathanimation of Diablo in D1...

IMO it would be alot more in line with the original unsettling diablo style/mood, while retaining the new D3 dynamic.

So, whaddya think?

 

[Astroquicky]

Re: Make 'health orb' a 'fountain/spray/gush of blood' instead

How would that work for range attacks?

 

[Runes]

Re: Make 'health orb' a 'fountain/spray/gush of blood' instead

How would that work for range attacks?

Im not sure I understand the question, but since it would primarily be a change in graphical representation, it wouldnt change the health globe mechanics.

HOWEVER

It would change the way boss-fights would work, if the current idea is for the boss to drop globes on a per damage rate... in that situation its safe for a ranged char to pick up globes when the boss is at a distance. If, instead of orbs, a fountain of HEALTH sprays from various wounds on its body, it would follow, that the character would need to get closer to the boss - to bet hit by the fountain... this could be solved 2 ways, as I see it...

1st - make the HEALTH spray very far - so the char wouldnt have to get in melee range of the boss. I favor this one.

2nd - make bubbling 'pools of HEALTH' on the ground, that the char could bathe in...

As a side-note, I guess the fountain of HEALTH idea could be applied to mana globes as well... never liked those either :S but I think a 'cloud of mana' (or a ghostly blue representation of the dead monster) would be more appropriate in a way - this would, however, be purely aesthetic...

 

[GuardianHadriel]

Re: Make 'health orb' a 'fountain/spray/gush of blood' instead

this is really ***...:coffee:

 

[reyoo]

Re: Make 'health orb' a 'fountain/spray/gush of blood' instead

They should turn it into a ceg of beer.

 

[Runes]

Re: Make 'health orb' a 'fountain/spray/gush of blood' instead

Another thought:

If the fountain of blood had a 'pulse', it could function as a timer - it would be fast and strong at first, and you would clearly be able to see when it was about to expire as it slowed down...

and/or: on a boss the blood could spray far at first, then gradually shorter as the wound closed...

Anyway - I would prefer my char to 'bathe in blood' to regain health instead of running into weird floating 'health globes' - but what think you? Is this idea totally off? :hang:

 

[Astroquicky]

Re: Make 'health orb' a 'fountain/spray/gush of blood' instead

I would say it's totally off, but hey... that's just me .

 

[Akimbo]

Re: Make 'health orb' a 'fountain/spray/gush of blood' instead

Totally off. As far as I know the characters arn't vampires and so blood is just blood.

 

[Runes]

Re: Make 'health orb' a 'fountain/spray/gush of blood' instead

Totally off. As far as I know the characters arn't vampires and so blood is just blood.

Hmmm... you have a point I guess... Im not into the vampire-thing either... the globes just annoy me...

call it 'fountain of health'! Problem solved

 

[Krugar]

Re: Make 'health orb' a 'fountain/spray/gush of blood' instead

These things will be so common and you will be playing Diablo so much, you will forget once you didn't like the orbs.

 

[raveharu]

Re: Make 'health orb' a 'fountain/spray/gush of blood' instead

Don't like it, sounds disgusting :yuck:

 

[Sir Mister]

Re: Make 'health orb' a 'fountain/spray/gush of blood' instead

These things will be so common and you will be playing Diablo so much, you will forget once you didn't like the orbs.

Ah, but therein lies the rub- of course we will eventually grow accustomed to them, and they will be relegated to the status of an accepted part of game mechanics- discussed still in terms of how to best use them, but never discussed for what changes need to be made to the fundamental mechanic or if they should exist at all.

But what if they didn't have to be "just" game mechanics? I'll eventually forget DIII used health orbs, just as I forget any game uses health potions. But if my character bathed in fountains of blood to regain health, though identical mechanically, I would never forget that. Yes, it's a "bit" off, but that's what makes it memorable. Add to it a Fallout style gore-control, so those for whom it is too off can toggle it down to "minimal" or "none" and have fun glowing health orbs instead, and I don't see an issue.

Personally, I like it :thumbup:

(though I would of course be open to alternate suggestions, I just think the point is valid that the mechanic can lose some of its generic lackluster and rise to one of the things that makes the game memorable with simple graphical switchouts. It's also something that can only be accomplished on an "M" title, and for which Diablo seems especially suited in terms of its overall dark character.)

 

[Krugar]

Re: Make 'health orb' a 'fountain/spray/gush of blood' instead

I can't argue with that. I'm all for memorable moments.

One interesting thing to D3 -- absent in D2 -- is that you now will have scripted encounters and events. Designers usually go wild on these things, so it's my bet you'll have quite your fill of memorable scenes. But health orbs? These will be prevalent throughout the game and can occur multiple times every minute. Any associated event more complex than just picking it up, risks not only taking too much "space" but also quickly changing from a novelty to a boring and repetitive nuisance.

The line between memorable and infamous is often very thin and almost always the result of... "too much". http://www.crunchyroll.com/media-249640/devil-may-cry-2-the-infamous-light-scene/ (liiiight!)

 

[Sir Mister]

Re: Make 'health orb' a 'fountain/spray/gush of blood' instead

Yes, valid point well taken, the raw prevalence of them would quite possibly make it more of a nuisance than a novelty, and it would be difficult to make them obvious without also pushing them to 'over the top' levels due to the game perspective.

(Though I still like the concept... I think perhaps in a Ninja Gaiden/ Devil May Cry or similar title? If a demonic sword was draining the strength of either your or your enemies, it would make sense for their blood to rejuvinate you, and a 'pull-health-orb-to-you' style maneuver would result in blood rushing along the ground towards you from the corpses of your foes, which no matter how often it happened would be a visual treat. Hmmm... one I'll have to keep on the back burner.)

Oh well, for Diablo 3, the rather abstract health orb is probably a better call

 

[Runes]

Re: Make 'health orb' a 'fountain/spray/gush of blood' instead

Ah, but therein lies the rub- of course we will eventually grow accustomed to them, and they will be relegated to the status of an accepted part of game mechanics- discussed still in terms of how to best use them, but never discussed for what changes need to be made to the fundamental mechanic or if they should exist at all.

But what if they didn't have to be "just" game mechanics? I'll eventually forget DIII used health orbs, just as I forget any game uses health potions. But if my character bathed in fountains of blood to regain health, though identical mechanically, I would never forget that. Yes, it's a "bit" off, but that's what makes it memorable. Add to it a Fallout style gore-control, so those for whom it is too off can toggle it down to "minimal" or "none" and have fun glowing health orbs instead, and I don't see an issue.

Personally, I like it :thumbup:

(though I would of course be open to alternate suggestions, I just think the point is valid that the mechanic can lose some of its generic lackluster and rise to one of the things that makes the game memorable with simple graphical switchouts. It's also something that can only be accomplished on an "M" title, and for which Diablo seems especially suited in terms of its overall dark character.)

Thank you, and yes - the point would be to darken the mood compared to d2, make it unsettling in a way that sticks with you the same way the Butcher and his room stuck more Grimm Brothers less HC.Andersen :badteeth:

 

[GoldenBird]

Re: Make 'health orb' a 'fountain/spray/gush of blood' instead

Heheheheh I would love that... but then again I laughed at Texas Chainsaw Massacre... :badteeth:

Definitely agree with the memorable thing... and would really add to the atmosphere...

And, well, D2 was M rated, why can't D3 be.

I'm totally for this

 

[sicilian]

Re: Make 'health orb' a 'fountain/spray/gush of blood' instead

Thank you, and yes - the point would be to darken the mood compared to d2, make it unsettling in a way that sticks with you the same way the Butcher and his room stuck more Grimm Brothers less HC.Andersen :badteeth:

I don't really think this darkens the mood so much as makes the player feel gross and wanna take a shower. Having blood splatter on you when you crit an enemy (which Bashiok explained would happen) seems nice and subtle enough that it adds the visceral feel, but doesn't go overboard.

Really really obscure reference here, but has anyone seen the made for Sci-Fi movie recently, Living Hell? Terrible movie (as most made for sci-fi movies are), about an organism that feeds on all energy and grows out of control. Well, the movie COMPLETELY loses what little credibility it has, when it is discovered one man's blood keeps the organism away, so there's this whole scene of him cutting himself and rubbing blood all over this naked woman to keep her safe. Really sensual, dramatic music in the background too, while she's being coated in blood I couldn't help but laugh.

That's how I see the "health" fountain idea. It's an over the top representation of a character with bloodlust who feeds off of it. My interpretation of the orbs is that they are a graphical representation of whatever your imagination wants them to be really. My feel is that they are basically a controlled adrenaline boost, that you gain from killing in battle, but rather than just having the bonus be passive (which would make it like life leech), they use the globes to add strategy.

 

[Gamekk]

Re: Make 'health orb' a 'fountain/spray/gush of blood' instead

It can't work, but it's a great idea.

From a designer perspective, it will be too hard to see in the middle of a fight. And lore wise, how could every character want to drink blood? They're not undead...

To make a good game you need to take logic in consideration and that'll lead to a more arcadish game, unfortunately.

 

[stillman]

Re: Make 'health orb' a 'fountain/spray/gush of blood' instead

I find the thought too gross and Blizzard would have to come up with some shrewd excuse as to how getting gushed with something actually closes up wounds. With globes, they are a healing item like potions or power ups we're already familiar with.

Suppose you are only catching a few drops of the the gush...why does that heal you the same amount as a full blast? Why is evil monsters' blood designed to heal their enemies? Such questions are unnecessary if they stick with globes.

Also, I feel the idea is in part for the mere sake of injecting more gore into the game, which can start to look desperate after a while. There's going to be enough gore, I think. The health system doesn't have to gush blood all over you. Idk, it's kind of like every footstep your chr takes leaves a big lake of blood and brains mixed together on the ground. Some things can be taken to far and you can't just toss in more gore to make the game better.

 

[Runes]

Re: Make 'health orb' a 'fountain/spray/gush of blood' instead

It can't work, but it's a great idea.

From a designer perspective, it will be too hard to see in the middle of a fight. And lore wise, how could every character want to drink blood? They're not undead...

To make a good game you need to take logic in consideration and that'll lead to a more arcadish game, unfortunately.

Well, the idea wasn't really that they drank the blood - it would just heal the character when it splattered over them. 'you are strengthened by the blood of your enemies' - the healing would be due to the moral boost of feeling the enemies blood.
But well - some people find blood very gross, and I respect that, though I dont really share that emotion on a pixel level... if grossness should factor in, I guess they should remove corpses, ie. 'dead people' from the game - death and violence is gross IRL - and while I respect that sentiment, I really dont think it should apply to a game, especially not Diablo 3.

I don't think it would be impossible to see in the middle of a fight - they could just add more, heheh

I DO agree that it would make the game more arcadey - but in a good way I think (I like Mortal Kombat...), and while true, the same applies to the 'globes' - though bouncing globes remind me of Mario, not MK...