I apologize for my english, I used google translate because it’s not my native language.
I compare D4 with D3 in some aspects of the interface and style (not graphics and gameplay) because this is a continuation of the game series, and it should be better in every way.
D3 has its own unique and excellent style of the interface and its elements. It is convenient and intuitive. Everything in it looks harmonious.
Now let’s talk about D4. After playing a bit over the weekend, I didn’t see the quality that was in D3, and that’s not a compliment. It seemed to me that part of the style was taken from D2, and there is nothing wrong with that. But this style was not implemented very well. Somewhere it looks normal, but somewhere out of place. Yes, I remember that D3 at the start was also not the same as it is now, but why repeat the same mistakes in the new series of the game?
Personally for me, D4 is a downgrade in terms of quality of style (again, I’m not talking about graphics and gameplay). And I honestly don’t understand why some of what I’ve described below wasn’t added to the game right away. Some things are so obvious and noticeable.
And I do NOT think that a beta test 2 months (!) before the release is needed just to get an opinion on the quality of the product. This is primarily a test of servers, load, advertising, selling pre-orders, increasing interest. Editing the balance of classes / skills, interface and other things 2 months before the release? Oh, I doubt it. Only if it was an old version of the client without significant improvements (which I also doubt).
In general, I will wait a year after the release, I think the quality will be improved … sooo I hope so, because I like the franchise and I want it to be successful!
And here are my observations.
Cone lighting towards the character’s gaze. Oh no, my immersion!
Remove this effect. It looks weird because the character ALREADY has a light source around him. And our character is not wearing a mining helmet with a lantern.
Reflection of the character’s invisible light source on wet, metallic, icy surfaces.
Turn off reflection. Diablo 3 has the same light source but no reflections.
Enemies highlight.
Add an option to turn on/off the highlight of the selected enemy (red outline).
Add an option to enable/disable button labels on the character panel (1, 2, 3, 4, T, TAB, Q, etc.) and “TAB Map & Journal” under the minimap.
This option should always be in the settings.
Character window. Oh boy, here we go.
Split Materials & Stats button into 2 different buttons.
What do players most often want to see, a list of Materials or Stats? Stats. Separate buttons are the most logical and convenient option.
Add inventory tab for gems.
Diablo 4 doesn’t have a lot of inventory slots and i’m not sure(!), but it might be possible to accidentally insert a gem into an item just trying to swap them.
Bottom line of the Character window (Gold, Red dust, Obols).
Reduce the font size and remove the vertical separator (it is completely unnecessary there).
Line separators in the inventory tab.
Make them less visible.
Buttons with gray textures.
This texture is too prominent and doesn’t fit the style.
Fonts. Oof.
Font used on inventory/aspect buttons, window tabs, material list, quest names, etc.
It doesn’t fit, I think, especially in the list of materials and on the buttons.
Main font.
Looks okay but at minimum font scale (can be changed in settings: Screen - Font scale). But it could be better.
Bad visibility of item names on the ground on light textures.
Too transparent background. Make it slightly less transparent or add an outline shadow (Accessibility option).
Font size of names of dropped items on the ground.
Add an option to change the font scale of item names. There should be an option to make it even smaller (Accessibility option).
Aspects/Challenges windows.
Design could be more attractive.
The color of the names of the dropped gems.
In Diablo 3, gems had their own color separate from other items. This will make it easier to spot them.
Item description.
Insert a separator between item description and lore.
What do you think guys? Am i wrong somewhere?
(im sorry, something wrong with “akismet”)