I wasn’t always an online terror. Many years ago, I was content to kill computer controlled pixels, completely divorced from any “real consequences.” I didn’t know the joy of player-versus-player combat. I had never read the exhilarating “smack talk” on my computer screen from opponents whose real location I could only guess about, or opened an e-mail from a victim threatening eventual revenge in a virtual world.
Eight years ago I responded to a friend’s invitation which would change that forever. Jeff had several computers at his house networked together and a cable connection, a commodity much rarer in 2000 than it is today. It was through him I discovered a treasure that would forever change my gaming world: Battle.net. Jeff introduced me to my first online game. That game was Diablo.
It was a shock at first seeing other players in dungeons flinging spells and arrows at each other. I was a complete n00b, and within moments of my initiation into this strange realm, an online adept was slinging “hacked” gear to me so that I could join him on his murderous player-hunting rampage. Despite the gifts given me by my new online friend, I died: HORRIBLY. I was hooked.
Several weeks later, I found myself again at Jeff’s apartment, this time to be introduced to a game that would capture my attention for well over a year: Diablo II. He and I played on his LAN at first, and for hours, we teamed together to defeat the evil hordes the game generated in randomly spawned environments. The day quickly succumbed to evening, and eventually, it was time for me to leave. I came back for more a few days later.
Within a few weeks, I was online at home, playing Diablo II at my leisure. After getting the expansion, Lord of Destruction, I quickly discovered “hardcore mode,” where character death was permanent, and was again quickly victimized by older denizens due to my inexperience. A few weeks later, after learning a few of their tricks, I had formed an alliance with several other players, and we embarked on our adventures together, finding ways to virtually murder the hapless. This continued for many months until I discovered the beta for Lineage II and continued my online rampage there.
Rumors of the development of Diablo II’s sequel were alive even in 2001, fueled by the hopes of the faithful Diablo players who even then were salivating for the next chapter in the epic story Blizzard had created. Last Saturday Blizzard finally made an announcement that many of us have been awaiting for eight to 10 years. Diablo III is finally coming!
When I read the announcement, I was elated! As you can see from the cinematic trailer, this new installment in the Diablo universe promises to be every bit as dark and brutal as its predecessors.
Thank you, Blizzard, for introducing me to the wonderful world of PvP. My gaming existence would have been much less colorful without you. Thank you for agreeing to continue the franchise that started me on this journey. What to do now? I think I am going to pick up the Diablo Battle Chest and walk down memory lane to rekindle an old flame. See you online!
July 1st, 2008 at 3:14 pm
The game looks like it will be a winning. I am looking forward to its release. Thanks for the update John!
July 1st, 2008 at 10:13 pm
John: I have to admit… I’ve spent an obscene amount of time playing Diablo I and II, and I’m not even a huge fan of role-playing games. Blizzard just always seemed to make great games in the series.
I’ll be watching for Diablo III.. Thanks for the heads up… I didn’t realize that it was in the works.
July 2nd, 2008 at 9:31 am
I already picked up the battlechest. Yep, the graphics in the older games are bad by today’s standards, but it’s just as fun as I remembered it.
July 17th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
So very true, and much like how I started playing Diablo!
I remember it like it was yesterday that I heard that this new game was comming.. Diablo2! However it was a few weeks till release (blessed I was, only learning about Diablo2 weeks before it came!)
Somewhere around in my room I knew that I had some Blizzard-game pack with Starcraft, Diablo and Warcraft II in it, so I found the cd’s and tried that Diablo game that I never really cared about till then!
Days passed and my solo playing career changed into a hillarious 2player lan episode where I remember the words “ARGGHH FRESH MEAT” beeing screamed out on the speakers; me and my mate were inches away from needing a new lan-daiper each, thats for damn sure!
Im looking forward to many hours of epic gaming with this new title - now its just time to.. freeze myself and wait the few years it will most likely take before it hits the stores