Diablo III: Reaper of Souls - Interview @ Ausgamers

Ausgamers interviwed lizzard's Julia Humphreys & Matthew Berger to talk about the console version of Diablo III: Reaper of Souls, and other topics.

We’re no strangers to Diablo in any form here at AusGamers, and when it comes to the recent expansion Reaper of Souls, we delved right on in with lengthy and in-depth diary entries and analysis. But the series has moved onto other pastures by way of console, and while the fundamental experience is largely the same, there’s something to be said about the main differential between the console and PC experience where multiplayer is concerned. And that’s one built around a same-screen social event.

“Multiplayer is one of the best features of Diablo III,” enthuses Julia Humphreys -- senior producer on Diablo III: Reaper of Souls Ultimate Evil Edition. “We think it’s the best way to play Diablo III; with your friends, and of course on the console version we have same-screen co-op, so all of you on the couch, you can kick back and we think this is a unique way to play it.”

In many ways, it’s a no-brainer the game should be played this way, and while it’s really the only main multiplayer difference between the two, there are other subtle changes that have been added to the console version of the game, especially where current-gen is concerned.

More information.

For any of you here who might play D3 on a console, how does multiplayer co-op with all your friends sitting on the couch work? Does the TV screen get chopped in half or into 4 quadrants? I watch my kids play call of duty like that, the screen size seems really constricting although my kids don't seem to care…

The screen doesn't get chopped for Diablo 3. I believe there is one primary player (I haven't done it, just read how it works), and the screen moves with them, and everyone else tries to stay on screen with them. Inventory/skill management takes up the whole screen, so everyone has to take turns with it.

My guess is it probably works fine with two people, but four may become a hassle with inventory management.

Even the original Diablo had great couch co-op. Basically, you both share the same screen and try to stick together. It was a lot of fun but inventory management became pretty brutal later on in the game when the enemies got hard. I recall having to fill my entire inventory with potions just to survive, lol. It was brutal.

I've never played a Diablo for console, but I played a fair amount of Champions of Norrath with local multiplayer. That was basically a Diablo-like made for consoles. Honestly, in that title it was fine. With three players, you might need to take turns with your inventory a bit, but it really wasn't that hard.

Originally Posted by Burress
The screen doesn't get chopped for Diablo 3. I believe there is one primary player (I haven't done it, just read how it works), and the screen moves with them, and everyone else tries to stay on screen with them. Inventory/skill management takes up the whole screen, so everyone has to take turns with it.

Thanks for explaining how it works. I think I'd just rather they chop the screen in half or in quarters.

What about playing D3 multiplayer on console with others on the internet? I'm sure that form of multiplayer would be just like PC with each person having their own screen and able to do their own thing? I'm thinking about picking this up for console but just want clarification in advance if I can get it.

Everyone has their own screen with online multiplayer. You can chat over Xbox live, and you can set up games with friends only or public.

If you are thinking about getting this, the 360 and PS3 versions seemed to be pushed to the limits with vanilla D3. The game ran at 560p on both instead of the usual 720p. The article mentions that adventure mode works differently on the 360/PS3 versions than the next gen because of hardware limitations, so that is something to consider.

I plan on getting it for the Xbox One. I am really looking forward to this.

What I find really, really strange is that despite all the arguments about how Diablo Pc version had to be online only, they managed to make the console version without that limitation. My son is happily playing single player Diablo 3 on the Xbox without being connected to the internet while I still have to be connected on my PC to do anything with it.

PC version originally had an "economy" with the AH and RMAH, so it needed to be online-only to avoid cheating. Granted, you could argue they could have provided an offline mode where you'd never have access to AH and RMAH, but their logic was likely that it was in their best financial interest to ensure all players had RMAH access.

Or, it could just have always been a PC anti-piracy measure as many suspected.