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<ref>[http://xxx.com/ Jay @ BlizzCon 2010] - IncGamers October 25, 2010</ref>
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Numerous types of [[weapons]] (but not [[armor]]) are restricted to certain classes in Diablo III. The developers have given two reasons for this limitation. They want weapons to be appropriate for the classes that can use them, and it would be a huge amount of more work to make animations for every item on every character, and as seldom as some classes would use some item types, the development time is better spent working on other aspects of the game.
===Armor Limitations?===
Armor is not limited the way weapons are. All characters can use different types of armor.<ref>[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/bashiok-on-class-specific-items-part-two/Bashiok forum post] Each type of armor will look different and appropriate on each class- IncGamers August, as well.[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog2010</comments/wds-wont-just-wear-leaves-after-all/]ref>
Each type of armor will look different and appropriate on each class, as well.<ref>[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/wds-wont-just-wear-leaves-after-all/ Bashiok forum post] - IncGamers February, 2010</ref>
::The Witchdoctor’s thematic palette is proving to be very broad. He can wear a lot of cool armor and still look like a Witchdoctor.
Info released later that year, in October 2010, seemed to indicate that the Monk's weapon restrictions had been eased a bit. <ref>[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/more-on-class-weapon-restrictions/Bashiok forum post]- IncGamers June 2010</ref>
::'''Bashiok: '''He can’t use 2handed axes and maces, uh, wands, orbs, I think that’s about it.
==Explanations==
The developers and their proxies have spoken about this issue at length. The most detailed explanations came from Diablo III Community Manager [[Bashiok]] in a pair of posts in July 2009<ref>[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/bashiok-on-class-specific-items/Bashiok forum post]- IncGamers July 2009</ref><ref>[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/bashiok-on-class-specific-items-part-two/Bashiok forum post]- IncGamers July 2009</ref>, and another long one in March 2010<ref>[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/blizzard-on-diablo-3-class-specific-weaponsBashiok forum post] - IncGamers March 2009</]ref>.
July 2009:<ref>[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/bashiok-on-class-specific-items/Bashiok forum post]- IncGamers July 2009</ref>
::'''Bashiok''': we do now have some restrictions on weapon types usable by each class. It’s been part of the game for a while now. Allowing every class to use every weapon type was actually going to require a huge amount of time and effort and it would have meant cutting out or cutting into other features. We evaluated really how often people would want to have their class holding a weapon type that (traditionally) contradicted their class-style versus that work going in to other features - specifically having a lot more skills and a lot more skill-rune effects.
July 2009: <ref>[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/bashiok-on-class-specific-items-part-two/Bashiok forum post]- IncGamers July 2009</ref>
::'''Bashiok''': The list of what weapon types are or aren’t allowed for each class aren’t final and could change. They’re fairly logical choices and what is most commonly seen as closely tied to the hero archetypes. In our current game the wizard can’t wield a two-handed sword for instance, but can still use a one handed sword and shield if so desired.
March 2010:<ref>[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/blizzard-on-diablo-3-class-specific-weapons/Bashiok forum post]- IncGamers March 2010</ref>
::'''Bashiok''': It’s important to note that we aren’t going to just slap on animations. We’ll do it right or we won’t do it. There is some overlap in weapon animations, but generally every weapon needs a full range of adaptation to the character. We can’t animate a 1h sword and then equip a 1h axe and be happy with it being wielded in the same manner. In addition we don’t want weapons disappearing whenever the hero does anything but a basic attack, so they have to be animated into emotes, idles, and a lot of skills and abilities. Every weapon. Some people noticed weapons disappear during some of the monk abilities. We don’t like that. Most of that was due to time constraints to get that demo finished. Again there is some overlap - staves share a lot of the same animation with the other 2h weapons, but to dismiss it as “just animate it and slap it on and it works!” is seriously oversimplifying our processes. Maybe some other games do it that way.