Darker, Emo "Diablo 3" Video Now Available

Marc "DjinniMan" Allie September 15th, 2008 at 11:00 PM

Sometimes, I love the internet, especially when it shows that real life is so much stranger than fiction. You may recall all the hullabaloo over the art direction in Diablo 3, particularly the brighter colors and even (the horror!) rainbows. It appears some fans like their Diablo dark and dingy, thank you very much. We poked fun at this phenomenon here, and the art director of Diablo 3 responded to some fan altered photoshops here. Now, the madness has been taken to the next logical level.

One of the infamous Diablo 3 videos has been entirely altered, using the much darker muted color scheme these rabid fans prefer. Yes, and entire, 12 minute video has been painstakingly changed frame by frame. I've been trying to think what kind of nutjob the author is. First of all, how much free time does this person have? Secondly, what's their life like? Is their existence is so gloomy and devoid of enjoyment that seeing actual colors and rainbows reminds them of that scary place beyond the front door (AKA outside)? In any event, you can check the video out here, at Shacknews. You may want to dye your hair jet black and play some My Chemical Romance first, though.

Tags: diablo

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36 Total Reader Comments

Blain at 11:10 PM on 9.15.2008

The problem is, the crazy emo fanboys are right. D3 has a different look and feel. It makes perfect sense as many of the people who made the earlier Diablo games left Blizzard. That's not the same as saying the game won't be fun and well made. I think we can all agree that Blizzard doesn't release bad games.

But from my vantage, the enthusiast press are, in this situation, mostly being dicks. Sure some of the more rabid fans are being dicks, too, but that doesn't make it okay.

To be clear, being a dick is when you say "I've been trying to think what kind of nutjob the author is" without doing any follow up. If you'd simply clicked the link on the shacknews article you cited, you could have read an interview with him. Does he sound like the picture you painted? (Keep in mind, English is his third language.)

"I believe the Diablo team will make the best game of the year when it is released despite the color discussions at this early stage of the first released gameplay footage."

"I'm in no position to say whats right and wrong, i have big respect to the D3 team. But as fanboy to the Diablo world, I felt, like many others, that the colors were presented didn't apply to that universe."

And as to the question of his free time, the splash page of his video points to his demo reel and to his resume. He's been studying and working in video editing and graphic design for years. While I don't think the amount of time he spent on the video was trivial, I also don't think "painstakingly changed frame by frame" characterizes the way someone who knows their way around Adobe After Effects gets the job done.

The young man has skills, cares about the game, and is respectful of the D3 team. If you want to do the right thing, put another article on the front page apologizing.

It's where you suggested that he was an emo slacker shut in. It's where you should apologize.

And if you don't want to do the right thing, I'll understand. It's par for the course with the enthusiast press. They're so tired of rabid fans criticizing their every spelling mistake that they're mostly grateful for the opportunity to tear down something fans have worked on. It's understandable.

But it's not right.

bapenguin at 02:37 AM on 9.16.2008

Gaming is serious business.

TheReaperCooL at 04:32 AM on 9.16.2008

I'm not Emo, I don't listen to MCR, and I don't dye my hair to Jet Black.
What I want to say is This darker D3 is much better than the WoW-styled, maybe it's because I hate WoW, and Diablo 1-2 didn't have too many colours...
It's a dark game, a horror-game, don't make it childish by using colours and stuff. And I'll play with D3, yes, but when a Patch comes out to darken the game then I'll see if it's better or worse than the original colours.
BTW did you know that the project leader who made the athmosphere and colours and stuff (so the design) for D3 quit his job? Interesting, huh?

bapenguin at 04:38 AM on 9.16.2008

People always seem to forget about the bright yellow desert levels of Diablo 2. Or the fiery red lava of the final stages of the games.

Or even the green forrest and jungle levels.

The game has always had plenty of colors.

DjinniMan at 05:31 AM on 9.16.2008

ReaperCool, check this news post, the second of the Co-Optimus links in the article. Indications are that the art direction will be unchanged, even after the guy's exit. I doubt the controversy had anything to do with him leaving.

I apologize if the news item came off as rude; I didn't mean to be a dick, it was just sarcasm, that's all. Goodness knows it isn't the first sarcastic post I've made here. I even make fun of myself! Fact is, I found it funny, and others feel the same way as I do. Of course there are those who feel the opposite, and that's fine too. Humor makes for interesting reading, and if you didn't get the joke, I'm sorry. No harm was intended. I'll let the guy who made the video PK me and keep my ear when D3 finally comes out, OK?

TheReaperCooL at 05:48 AM on 9.16.2008

I get the humour, I was just writing my opinion. And I do remember D1 and D2, cuz I play it once a week

Blain at 12:29 PM on 9.16.2008

Did you even read my post?

Being decent to your fellow gamers / human beings was the point. As someone trying to build a community (and possibly even attempting to build a literal business out of that community), you couldn't possibly have read my post and written that comment. My brain couldn't process that much irony.

DjinniMan:
I'm not trying to hurt your feelings, but I want to be clear here. This is not about how the item "came off" or about my perceptions. The item contains what any reasonable person would consider a cheap shot. When a news item specifically asks who a person is and proposes insulting details about them rather than expending the slightest effort to actually find out, what other name for it is there?

All groups of sufficient size have morons in them, gaming or otherwise. And the Diablo Traditionalists, or whatever you want to call them, probably have more than their fair share. I get the joke, and if you'd only been joking about the audience for the clip, I would have ignored it. But that isn't what happened.

It's not like the "penance" I'm suggesting is so terrible. You get another news post out of it. You get to be gracious. You get to look good for going the extra mile and looking beneath the surface of a story. You get to be a site that brought some sanity to a troublesome ongoing flame war.

It always makes me sad when I have to spell it out so directly, but class is good for business. This goes triple for community building sites like this one where being friendly, being inclusive, and setting good examples for your users are so important.

biosc1 at 12:49 PM on 9.16.2008

I still don't "get" why a more colourful Diablo 3 is bad? I've played enough of Diablo 1 & 2 since the days they came out and, again, within the last month after the announcement of Diablo 3. What I noticed most about 1 & 2 is that they contain some very uncolourful moments...basically, the palette is limited.

I've listened to a podcast with the Diablo 3 guys (GFW Radio, I believe) and they stated very clearly that the colours allow for contrast.

I don't know. I was going to rant, but I decided not to. This game looks great and I, for one, welcome our new colourful Diablo overlords

bapenguin at 02:14 PM on 9.16.2008

I did, and I understand your point of view. But I also don't think you understood the tone of the original article or my post.

The original post doesn't directly attack the person, but rather the idea behind it. Which you have to agree is pretty outrageous on any level, regardless of medium. I agree that there may be some interest about the author, and it may make another news post, but that doesn't change the fact you took a satirical news post and read it entirely serious.

DjinniMan at 05:53 PM on 9.16.2008

What else can I say? I apologized for being rude. I said I meant no harm. I even put forth the olive branch with the whole "PK me and take my ear" bit. I would think that a fan who is intelligent enough to do what the author of the video did is also wise enough to realize that doing so is just putting fuel on the fire. I probably did go a bit too far, but it was all intended to be tongue-in-cheek anyway. I don't mean the fellow any ill will and if the sarcasm didn't come through, I'm sorry. This whole thing is a real tempest in a teapot.

Also, for someone who is so concerned about being nice and considerate to others, I find it odd that you called me and the enthusiast press dicks. Way to "show class, be friendly, and be decent to your fellow gamers / human beings".

TheReaperCooL at 05:07 AM on 9.17.2008

Believe it or not, I've read your comment, and read it again. I still hold onto my opinion, though
I respect them too and stuff, but I dunno how great this game will be (time will tell )

Blain at 05:47 PM on 9.17.2008

Not really. Diablo 3's lead designer Jay Wilson basically threw down the gauntlet, publicly criticizing fan photoshops and saying that the fans' ideas wouldn't work in motion. Is it outrageous to respond to that?

Also, the general idea doesn't strike me as outrageous either. PC gamers, have been modding game graphics for decades. The idea that they'd have strong opinions before a major game's release doesn't seem unusual.

To the extent that some fans are saying "We know better than Blizzard" and are captioning D3 screenshots with phrases like "WoW gayness", yes, that is outrageous. But that doesn't appear to be the case here. This guy's hoping, not demanding.

My hope is that Blizzard opens up enough of Diablo 3 that modders can make whatever they want. Make bleak versions, make Simpsons skins, and make a "hater hater" version that turns all the models into Care Bears and My Little Ponies, the spells into rainbows, and the landscape into something that looks like a kid swallowed a two pound bag of jelly beans and threw up on it. As long as the mods don't screw up the gameplay, they'll add welcome variety to a game people will probably be playing for a long time.

Blain at 08:13 PM on 9.17.2008

Don't forget the fans. It's also what I called some of them.

Bad behavior deserves to be called out, whether it's fans or press or devs. I could have used more delicate language, but in my experience gamers don't have delicate sensibilities, especially on message boards.

I am sorry for swearing on Co-Optimus. Looking around I can see this is a more family friendly environment, and it was inappropriate.

txshurricane at 09:14 PM on 9.17.2008

Actually, Djinniman is a pretty cool fellow by my count. His reviews are entertaining and well-thought. He plays video games with his kids; what kind of interesting and press-stopping life do YOU lead?

I don't care one bit about the original topic here, but what's getting to me is the cavalier way you're raking a volunteer writer over the coals. Our names are included in each post so that we get the credit -- both positive AND negative -- for sacrificing our time to try and put informative and ENTERTAINING bits of the ever-moving gaming world into your hands; if you don't like the way someone writes, you have the option to pass over their posts.

That said, reader opinion is not completely ignorable. Coming from myself -- and ONLY myself, not affiliated with the site -- I thank you for speaking your mind.
On that note, however, it is not wise to crow "objectivity" at someone if you're going to be so blunt yourself. Djinniman injected a bit of satire into his post, satire that the majority of readers apparently understood and empathized with; his intent was to take a game that has been hammered by fanatics to the point that exhausts its value in interesting news, and make somewhat readable post, all while introducing the latest video feed. I'd say that he was fairly successful in that, wouldn't you?

You seem to have a good grasp on grammar and punctuation, as well as a knack for getting your point across. With a bit of originality and an apology to bapenguin and Djinniman for being so crass, you might have a chance at getting your foot in the door as a staff writer (since you seem to have the only copy of the fabled "How to Write a Blog Post Without Causing Any Discrepancy Whatsoever").
Then again, this is a gaming community; you might be better suited for a political news blog.

Blain at 10:08 PM on 9.17.2008

Oh wow. That quote is what DjinniMan posted in his news story. That's priceless.

All I asked for was for DjinniMan to make an apology as public as that insult, the insult you are citing as an example of what a mean person I am.

I'm not saying he's not a cool guy. I'm sure he is. I'm saying the same thing you are. What he posted was rude, especially for a front page news item, and he should apologize.

And just to clarify, satire is when you send up someone's faults. DjinniMan invented faults. I'm sorry to nitpick, but you and BAP are both accusing me of missing something I didn't miss. If you want to say his post was tongue in cheek and I missed that, go ahead. It's not true, but it's also not worth debating.

I'm so crass because of what DjinniMan wrote. Awesome.

Dude, hit me up at PAX next year. You have made my day and totally earned a high five.

txshurricane at 10:12 PM on 9.17.2008

So because he used the quoted passage first, and then you used it to describe him...doesn't make it inappropriate in your case?

Being indignant doesn't make you right. Where are your supporters, oh Logical One?

Somebody hand this clown a cookie so he'll crack a smile. Obviously, a joke isn't going to do it.

Blain at 10:37 PM on 9.17.2008

Being popular proves nothing. And I apologize in advance for being a smartass, but why do I need supporters when I have you?

I'm so sorry. But it's true! You may hate me, but you've totally got my back, and it's awesome!

txshurricane at 11:05 PM on 9.17.2008

DjinniMan was being rhetoric. You're being a jackass. Sorry, but it's true.

Shazoo at 01:41 AM on 9.18.2008

Where did this guy come from? IGN boards?

bapenguin at 02:48 AM on 9.18.2008

The idea that's ridiculous is the fact that some fan of any medium has the right to tell the professionals how to do it.

That's what's ridiculous.

You know how people tell them when they are wrong? They don't buy the product.

pheriannath at 04:52 AM on 9.18.2008

As someone who does graphic design and all sorts of things like this for a living, I can tell you this guy didn't have to spend too much time working this video up. I think everyone here is forgetting that fan videos/edits have been a part of gaming since such tools became readily available. Ever searched for game footage on YouTube? Seen the fan videos on GameTrailers or GameVideos? People do this shit all the time.

The fact is, Blizzard will make the game they want to make, and they will sell a metric ton of copies. In the end, it will come down to gameplay, not what the graphics are like. Let the people who hate the word saturation without the prefix de attached have their fun. It's harmless.

DjinniMan at 07:32 AM on 9.18.2008

I totally agree with Pheriannath; this stuff is harmless. The author and those who agree with him have every right to their opinion. I have that same right. Again, I was having a bit of fun at the author's expense, and I apologize for that, if he is offended, AGAIN. It was all in jest, I say!

The funny thing here, is that I myself am just as much of a "nutjob" as you will find. I collect toys. Yup, full grown, 34 years old, and I have more Transformers than your average Toys R Us. In fact, this past summer, I bought a second copy of a toy I already had (movie Optimus Prime) and bought paint, brushes, etc. just so I could have a movie-accurate sword-arm-thingy on my toy. It took me several hours and many tries to do it right, but I love the end result!

Now, folks, that's about as weird as you can get before the dudes in white coats and butterfly nets show up at your door. I realize this, and if someone called me crazy and told me to get a real life, I'd laugh and agree with them! When you do odd stuff like that, you should expect people to make fun of you. I learned that facing off against the bullies in middle school; I was about as cool then as I am now!

Can't we all just get along?

Blain at 12:49 AM on 9.19.2008

Saying "The original post doesn't directly attack the person" was bad enough, but if you can't even read responses directly to you, just don't post. You aren't even making a minimal effort to be a part of this discussion, much less contribute to it.

Blain at 12:54 AM on 9.19.2008

<claims of harmlessness and repeated apology snipped>

<obviously awesome Optimus Prime painting section snipped (but still awesome)>

We definitely can. Well, you and I can. BAP and TH never made a good faith effort, so I'll leave them to their prejudices. But I'm not giving up on you yet. Please just read what I've written and try to see things from something approximating Sozuo's point of view.

If you can't see it, if what I'm saying still makes no sense to you, that's fine. But I'm feeling like I'm the only one who's even making an effort here, and I need to know you at least tried.

bapenguin at 02:50 AM on 9.19.2008

I'm not going to admit the post was anything more than satire. If you expect me to issue an apology to him just because he claims to have put in all this hard work with a level head, that's not going to happen. It doesn't change the fact, regardless of how or why the video was created, the the general idea of it is comical.

I've read everything you've written. And apparently you've read everything we've written - way too much. You are reading into things way too deeply here.

I think it's time to let it go, and just agree to disagree.

DjinniMan at 04:10 AM on 9.19.2008

If the posts were clearly made in a tongue in cheek, satirical manner, I would absolutely be okay with it. Laughing at yourself is Basic Nerd Self Defense 101. I know there are some mean spirited folks who are taking direct posthots at the guy, and their intent is to belittle him. My news post was totally intended as satire, like trash talking between friends. No harm was intended, and again, I apologize. You are reading far, far too much into this.

Plus, you had to go and make fun of my clown bed. It's not plastic, it's rubber, DUH.

(Psst that was sarcasm.)

txshurricane at 07:40 AM on 9.19.2008

I think we have our answer, Shazoo: he's not from IGN, he's from Kotaku. Figures.

Blain at 04:01 PM on 9.21.2008

I don't expect you to issue an apology. You've assumed I'm wrong because you associate me with people who are wrong, people I don't even agree with.

Some people have demanded that D3 look more like D1 and 2. That is outrageous. You are right to call them out / make fun of them for it.

Sozuo is asking for D3 to look more like D1 and 2. That is not outrageous. That's like saying "I hope the targeting works" is an outrage. That's like saying "I hope there's co-op in the game" is an outrage.

bapenguin at 04:45 PM on 9.21.2008

We discussed this a bit tonight on the Co-Opticast. Hopefully that puts this all to bed.

Google [Bot] at 11:21 AM on 9.25.2008

Google [Bot] at 11:54 AM on 9.25.2008

Google [Bot] at 06:47 PM on 9.26.2008

Gaming is serious business.

Google [Bot] at 07:30 PM on 9.26.2008

Believe it or not, I've read your comment, and read it again. I still hold onto my opinion, though
I respect them too and stuff, but I dunno how great this game will be (time will tell )

Google [Bot] at 09:44 PM on 9.27.2008

I get the humour, I was just writing my opinion. And I do remember D1 and D2, cuz I play it once a week

Google [Bot] at 10:25 PM on 9.27.2008

Gaming is serious business.

Google [Bot] at 07:26 AM on 9.29.2008

I get the humour, I was just writing my opinion. And I do remember D1 and D2, cuz I play it once a week