| Diablo Introduction | Hellfire Introduction |
INTRODUCTION TO DIABLO
The game can be played alone or in groups, and there are two separate paths that
characters can develop along. The solo game is designed to allow a single
character
to travel the depths from level 1 down to level 16 alone, without restarting
otherwise assisted. The multi-player game (which can be played over the internet,
a local network, by modem, or via null cable) allows up to 4 people to play
together
in the same game. Multi-player characters are constantly saved, while the solo
characters are saved only when the player requests it. The multi-player
characters,
though, can start a new game whenever they want--allowing the same character to
clear the first dungeon level over and over, gaining experience, gold, and items
each
time. Multi-player games come in three difficulty levels, from "normal" to "hell",
while
the solo game only has one difficulty level.
Diablo uses a three-quarters isometric view; the graphics are all 640x480
Super-VGA
and 3-D rendered, heroes, monsters, and walls alike. The World View of your
surroundings takes up a little over 2/3 of the screen, from the top down. Here
you
see your hero in the center, and you can zoom in or out to enlarge or shrink
your
surroundings. The bottom portion is the Status and Options area, where you have
buttons to access your inventory (which then temporarily unfolds over half of
your
World View), spell book, disk options, and the like. Also included here is a
status
line, which updates things such as spells cast or objects acquired, and two
globes,
one red, one blue. These two globes represent your health and mana, respectively.
All interaction, excluding programmable macros, is done through the use of the
mouse, including battle.
There are three basic types of characters: Warriors, Rogues, and Sorcerers. Each
class has their own image set, strengths, and weaknesses. Any character can
wield
any weapon and wear any armor they find--so long as the base requirements for
the
item are met. Luckily, magical items can help boost stats--letting low-level or
weak
characters equip themselves with the heavy armor and weapons found in the depths
of the dungeon.
There are many items in the game--around forty different types of weapons,
several
dozen different types of armor, a hundred (or so) unique items. Weapons come in
five basic types: staves, for the Sorcerers; bows, for the Rogues; and swords,
axes,
and blunt weapons for the Warriors. Note that any character class can wield any
weapon, although the specific strengths and restrictions of each of the
character
classes lend themselves to the given pairings. Besides weapons and armor, there
are also rings and amulets--which are only useful when magical. Magical items
are
described by one or two special adjectives, which appear as either prefixes or
suffixes.
There are over 200 monsters in Diablo, and all have an incredibly fluid motion,
and
are very distinctive. Zombies shamble, skeletons rattle, acid beasts spit,
fallen
ones run away if you kill their fellows. Additonally, they all act different;
the various clans
of goatmen are cowardly, and will run when attacked, however if one counts on
the
blood knights behaving the same way, one shall most likely have an untimely
demise.
The differences include a unique appearance, different hit points, slightly
varying
behaviors, and sometimes alternate weapons or attacks. Each of these variants
also has its own Boss, or Light Source (so called because they emit light, like
a
candle or torch).
Both the solo and multi-player games have their own set of special quests that
provide intermediate goals before finally tackling Diablo himself. Quests in the
solo game, once complete, often reward the player with unique items that make
the journey easier. There are over 30 different quests that the game will
randomly
choose from to put into the solo game, although any single game will have (at
most)
half of those. Quests in the multi-player game, though, are not as large a part
of the
game, and are designed for killing of boss creatures on certain levels.
Battle is the most important of Diablo, and is hence the most varied. One cannot
use the same strategies for all situations. Combat is a very dynamic, fluid
process,
and varies wildly depending on the characters and monsters involved. Combat is
accomplished completely through the mouse, with 4 macros selecting spells (the
rest from the menu) a left click swings the equipped weapon while a right click
will
cast the selected spell. Weapon choice can also have an effect on combat, and
not
just due to damage range. Spells also "feel" different. The flash spell was
designed
to be used when surrounded, and fires extremely fast. The fireball, on the other
hand
takes a moment to cast, and is best used from a distance. Monsters also can be
resistant to certain spells, as well as certain weapons, and hence, one cannot
master
an ultimate spell to destroy all monsters, or use a super sword on them all
either.
Undead should be battled with blunt weapons, while demons seem to be most
susceptible to a sharp blade.
Story of Diablo
The kingdom of Khandaras has fallen into chaos. An unknown force of evil has
swept across the land, plunging it into civil war and terrorizing the populace.
A mad
king, his missing son, and a mysterious Archbishop are all pieces to the puzzle
that
faces you. You have journeyed to the source of the evil, the town of Tristram,
now
inhabited by only a handful of survivors. The cathedral there is built over the
ruins
of an ancient monastery, and now eerie lights and sounds are heard echoing
through
its abandoned halls. Perhaps the answer lies within the remains of a forgotten
past.
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