sicilian
28-07-2008, 22:15
For boss fights we don't really want to just start throwing "damage decals" on them. It can very easily be too subtle if you're fighting a smaller boss or one that has odd geometry to it, and it can also end up that no matter the flavor, style, and cool look to a boss you just end up fighting a big gory mess.
Also we think that we can go a lot further than just simple decals and get something much cooler out of a boss fight. So what we hope to do for at least the bosses where it makes sense is to show more apparent and visually noticeable damage states. Instead of a blood splatter they may actually lose a limb, or a piece or armor, or - like the Thousand Pounder - may transform in some dramatic way changing how the fight progresses. We want to go a lot further than just showing sword slashes and instead use dramatic and noticeable (which can be difficult in a game like this) ways to indicate a boss' current state.
Speaking of battle damage though, and I don't think this came across in the gameplay video or any of the screenshots as of yet, but when an enemy dies a critical death it actually drenches your hero in blood if you're within proximity of the spray. It's awesome.
This was posted on the battle.net forums. Two things I took from it... one, it gives me hope that boss fights are going to have some variety to them, which in turn might answer the question, "How will health orbs work in a boss fight?" Either they'll appear at these changeover times, or the emphasis of the fight will be on surviving without the use of the orbs.
Two, the devs want this game to be as gory as we do :)
Link to thread: http://www.battle.net/forums/thread.aspx?fn=d3-general&t=310419&p=1&#post310419
Also we think that we can go a lot further than just simple decals and get something much cooler out of a boss fight. So what we hope to do for at least the bosses where it makes sense is to show more apparent and visually noticeable damage states. Instead of a blood splatter they may actually lose a limb, or a piece or armor, or - like the Thousand Pounder - may transform in some dramatic way changing how the fight progresses. We want to go a lot further than just showing sword slashes and instead use dramatic and noticeable (which can be difficult in a game like this) ways to indicate a boss' current state.
Speaking of battle damage though, and I don't think this came across in the gameplay video or any of the screenshots as of yet, but when an enemy dies a critical death it actually drenches your hero in blood if you're within proximity of the spray. It's awesome.
This was posted on the battle.net forums. Two things I took from it... one, it gives me hope that boss fights are going to have some variety to them, which in turn might answer the question, "How will health orbs work in a boss fight?" Either they'll appear at these changeover times, or the emphasis of the fight will be on surviving without the use of the orbs.
Two, the devs want this game to be as gory as we do :)
Link to thread: http://www.battle.net/forums/thread.aspx?fn=d3-general&t=310419&p=1&#post310419