Diablo III dev diary talks game testing challenges

The boys at Blizzard are assuredly glad to know that Diablo III is on track for it's May 15th release. Still it wasn't an easy road to get here. Here the game's development team (Jay Wilson, Christian Lichtner, and Jason Regier) reconvend to discuss some of their biggest challenges going into the Diablo III testing and localization phases in this third video installment of Developer Diaries.

Very interesting is the talk of polishing up the game. After all, once you've got an awesome title, what parts do you improve upon knowing how much content could be tuned up? They also discuss the localization and testing processes. Definitely a cool look at what runs through a dev's head… but no game footage? C'mon guys!

Will you be picking up Diablo III when it drops in May?

Game info: Diablo III is a fantasy Action Role-Playing Game (RPG). Only the third major release in what is considered by many gamers as the most iconic RPG franchise of all time, Diablo 3continues the land of Sanctuary's battle against a reoccurring demonic evil, and provides players around the world with the opportunity to create the ultimate hero to quest against it with friends online, or on their own. Features include: classic dungeon crawling gameplay, a new batch of character classes, multiplayer options with friends and single player support with the help of AI companions, a new take on character skill assignment and health, online item auctioning, and compatibility with Windows and Mac operating systems.

Darkness Falls. Heroes Rise

Two decades have passed since the events of the Diablo II: Lord of Destruction expansion pack, in which the demonic lords, Diablo, Mephisto, and Baal, set out across the world of Sanctuary on a vicious rampage, twisting humanity to their unholy will. Yet for those who battled the Prime Evils, the memory fades slowly. When Deckard Cain returns to the ruins of Tristram Cathedral seeking clues to defeat new stirrings of evil, a fiery harbinger of doom falls from the heavens, striking the very ground where Diablo once entered the world. This fire from the sky reawakens ancient evils, but also calls the heroes of Sanctuary to defend the mortal world against the rising powers of the Burning Hells once again.

Key Game Features

• Rediscover the enthralling RPG gameplay of the iconic Diablo franchises in is first game release in nearly 11 years
• Explore fully realized realms of Sanctuary – the living, breathing gothic fantasy world of Diablo III
• Battle the unholy forces of the Burning Hells with five character classes, including the otherworldly Witch Doctor, or with re-imagined warriors from Diablo's past, like the powerful Barbarian
• Rain hell on your enemies and use the interactive environment as a weapon: lay cunning traps, turn destructible objects against your foes, and use environmental obstacles to your advantage – all powered by the Havok physics system
• Experience the intensity of multiplayer Diablo III over an all-new, wickedly enhanced Battle.net platform with numerous enhancements to make connecting with your friends easier, and cooperative gameplay more fun
• In single player quests utilize up to three AI followers, from three different classes who can be equipped with basic items and leveled up
• Skills and abilities are now automatically unlocked as you level, and players are able to actively use more of them simultaneously than ever before
• Experience a new approach to in-game health as the previous reliance on mana and potions is appended by resource types unique to each class, as well as health globes
• The ability to craft unique items with found objects is drastically improved through association in-game blacksmith and Jeweler artisans
• Sell unique items found within the game for in-game gold or real money via online Auction House functionality
• Win/Mac media format ensures that the game is playable on most operating systems