Diablo 3 features: No custom stat increases and no corpse runs

December 17, 2:10 PMGames ExaminerDaniel Nations

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A few new goodies have come out recently about Diablo 3 including the revelation that players will not be able to customize their stats via points given when leveling. We also may have seen the last of corpse runs in the Diablo series.

Here's what Diablo 3 Community Manager Bashiok had to say about corpse runs and that checkpoint system seen at BlizzCon:

We had a checkpoint system in the BlizzCon demo we showed, where you would die and pop back up at the last checkpoint you came across. Some of that was for the convenience of the demo, but we do like the checkpoint system and intend to carry that forward in the same or similar form. We're not looking toward corpse retrieval currently.

Any death system we do have needs to allow players to get back into the action quickly, but not be so meaningless that you're just flinging your corpse against a wall of monsters over and over until you finally get through.

One trend I hate is the slow removal of death penalties games these days. While Bashiok did mention that there would be some sort of detrimental death system, the good old-fashioned corpse runs won't make an appearance. That's too bad because corpse runs could actually add to the fun of the game.

And, the lesser the death penalty, the lesser the excitement. I remember Everquest, and while the death penalty was certainly maddening at times, it also made it much more exciting to explore a new area or to have the excrement hit the fan while deep in a dungeon.

But it's the lack of stat customization that seems to have captured the most talk over on the Diablo III forums. Bashiok has a long post on the forum breaking the issue down into players worrying about a loss of customization, a loss of leveling achievement, and a loss of nostalgia. After re-assuring us that the new system is going to provide plenty of customization, he had this to say about the ability to customize through the use of an affix.

An affix is essentially is just a stat or modifying statement on an item. It may increase a basic stat like Strength, or it may do something a bit more interesting like cause an enemy to take nature damage over time. An example of the kind of post we're looking for (these aren't final):

Increased chance to find gold

Additional XP gained from killing monsters

Restores life for each successful hit

As for how the game is progressing, most of the classes are playable at the home office as is much of Act 1, but Bashiok is quick to note that Blizzard is big on looping through the game process, so even when much of the game is playable, that doesn't mean they won't be going back over it with a fine tooth comb and then a finer tooth comb.

And, after all, isn't that what we love about Blizzard?

Here's a few new Diablo 3 screenshots:

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