Game Information - (Contains News, Interviews, and Gameplay Videos/Trailers)

Official Diablo III Website

Lots of stuff to report here since this is a new forum. I will keep editing this post as I enter things in for all the stuff that has been reported to this date. Feel free to add on news I haven't gotten to and I'll try to link to it from this original post.

General Game Notes
- Will take place 20 years following the events of Diablo II
- The Worldstone, which Tyrael protected at the end of DII LoD, has been destroyed, no longer shielding the world of Sanctuary from Heaven or Hell
- Can choose the gender of your character
- Along with the regular storyline, there will be class-based quests
- Stat assigning will be automatic as you level up, reducing different types of builds within the same class

Classes
Barbarian - Same class as Diablo II version that adds some moves from the warrior class of World of Warcraft.
Witch Doctor - Class similar to the Necromancer. Raises undead to fight with him (such as zombies) and has own magic attacks as well.
Wizard - Basic magic using class, similar to the old magic classes of previous Diablo games, this class now has new tricks like Slow Time and Disintegration.

Bestiary
Scavenger - Similar to Dune Threshers, they resemble burrowing Leapers.
Dune Thresher - A more dangerous Sand Maggot. Burrows underground and pops out to attack its victims.
Undead - Self-explanatory. Similar to undead from previous Diablo games.
Khazra - They are the Goatmen from Diablo II with a new name.
Gnarled Walkers - Evil walking trees of DOOM! Think of treants, except more deranged.
Dark Cultists - The pic of them makes them look like Darth Maul with his face melting, inhabited by a green glow. After reading about them, the closest I can compare them to are the Zakarum Priests from DII: Act III.

World Map

Environments
New Tristram - Essentially, a "new" Tristram was built by merchants outside of a Cathedral (sounds like the old Amazon Encampment). It's nearly deserted and is run down, but according to that web page it sounds like you'll meet Deckard Cain there early in the game.
Caldeum - A once major and proud city, it has become run down and filled with ill citizens after their Emperor died. The Zakarum are located in this city, and the web page mentions they quarrel with a "mage class." Possible mention of another class right there.

Dungeons
Tristram Cathedral - Sounds similar to the Cathedral in previous games. This Cathedral is located in the old Tristram itself, built over the remains of the imprisoned Diablo. Since that time, the Zakarum have encamped themselves on the inside. The web page mentions the Fallen are in this dungeon, a returning enemy not yet mentioned in the bestiary.

Lore
Deckard Cain's Journal - This brings up an interactive book that tells the story of what occurred in Diablo and Diablo II. You click the bottom corners of pages to turn the pages.
Diablo Timeline - Brief history of the events from Diablo and Diablo II.

Further Information

IGN Interview with Rob Pardo
That name reminds me of the Saturday Night Live announcer That interview contains numerous gameplay videos as well, so check them out. Some major information from that interview are:
- Going to be more of an action game than Diablo II
- More questing and role-playing elements than the previous Diablo games
- Boss battles that are more "epic" (Legend of Zelda was mentioned as an example)
- Game will once again be separated into acts
- Will have indoor and outdoor elements like DII, except the maps will be less randomized
- 5 classes with Barbarian and Witch Doctor confirmed (WD sounds similar to Necromancer in style)
- Likely to be released a year to a year and a half from now (maybe holiday 2009 season to early 2010)

Blizzard Fans Q&A

First Gameplay videos are listed one post below.
Official Diablo III Trailers and Wallpapers - That page apparently contains a 20 minute gameplay demo, so check it out

60 Screenshots - Gameplay views looks similar to the camera views from Diablo II and Dungeon Siege.

[color=#666666]This message was edited by The Omega on Jan 25 2009.

Where'd your videos go? Unless they were the 20 minute gameplay video I linked to. I didn't watch it yet so not sure, I'll fix my original post accordingly to the journal and the video info. Still updating as I go section by section on their website.

I didn't want to mess my first post up with additional views on features, but I wanted to mention some things about the World Map. You'll find the locations of older places on there (spread across the map, making it seem like the game isn't as massive as first thought). You'll be able to click on the locations on that map to go to their page on the website, and right now only two places are selectable. Obviously, there's no Hell on there since you had to get there via portal in DII

So far this game looks very awesome. With the character move videos on the class pages, this game is definitely more action oriented.

Holy freaking sh*t! I just watched the gameplay demo and it looks absolutely incredible. When D3 was first announced, I wasn't too sure whether I should get it, but now I KNOW I have to get it. It's just too awesome.

Release date?

I mentioned in the first post that in the IGN interview, Bliz mentioned they normally announce games about 1 1/2 years before they are set to release (and sometimes they are delayed), so expect it in late 2009 or Spring 2010. I will be CRAVING this game until it comes out. Each time I see my desktop wallpaper (the one showing Tristram dark and beaten down), I imagine myself running through it and fighting hordes of monsters.

Yeah, check out the Gameplay demo and they do mention BattleNet (online service they use for most Bliz games).

I hope that battlenet will remain free unlike bloody WoW