Diablo 2 is famous for its dense atmosphere. How the fourth part wants to connect to this, the developers have now impressively explained in the quarterly update.
While action RPG fans are still shredding their way through the outstandingly successful remaster of Diablo 2, Blizzard has published new information about the development of Diablo 4 on its blog after a long time.
In the last quarterly update, some new monsters and detailed character models of the heroes were presented. This time, however, there are no new facts about the gameplay or game mechanics. Rather, the developers explain how they want to master a discipline in which the predecessors already excelled.
How the sounds for Diablo 4 are created
The importance of good sound design was recently brought to mind by Diablo 2: Resurrected. Every Diablo veteran should have some of the distinctive sound effects directly in their ears as soon as they imagine them. For example, the jingling sound when killed enemies lose gold or the hollow sound of a skull gemstone being dropped.
In the latest blog entry, sound supervisor Kris Giampa now explains how the audio backdrop of Diablo 4 is to become just as unforgettable. As an important point, he mentions the goal of making the sounds as high-quality and credible as possible. Particularly impressive is the process of how creatively the developers approach the creation of the various handmade effects.
Sorceress skills: in a short video, the audio professionals demonstrate the dubbing of the sorceress skills, which, fittingly for the game, took place in the desert of Death Valley in California. For the classic fireball, for example, a burning staff was waved around in front of the microphones.
Take a look for yourself at how this creates a coherent sound experience in the end:
Monster: A new monster species in Diablo 4 is the Fly Host – a nasty zombie that unleashes swarms of flies on its enemies. To make it sound as disgusting as it looks, the sound designers apparently raided the nearest supermarket. In their recording studio, they tore and crushed cabbages and melons and misappropriated mayonnaise and other sauces to create the slimy and disgusting sounds:
Diablo 4 unveils new game director
After many developers had to take their hats in the wake of the sexism scandal at Blizzard, the successor of game director Luis Barriga has now been presented. His successor is Joe Shely, who previously worked as lead game designer on Diablo 4 and now addressed the fans directly with some warm words:
Over the past few years, we’ve assembled a strong team with an incredible passion for Diablo IV. You, the fans of Diablo, are an important part of that team. With the help of your valuable feedback, we have continued to refine and deepen the game experience. We still have a long way to go, and while much has changed, our commitment to the game remains unwavering.
The most exciting question for many fans, when Diablo 4 will be released or enter the beta phase, remains unanswered.
