Diablo 3 's new game director, Josh Mosqueira, got his start at Blizzard working to convert the popular and controversial action-RPG for console play, according to a new blog post . Mosqueira writes that some possible upcoming tweaks include changes to character customization and loot drops, as well as a reduction of the auction house's effect of the game.
"While we think the feature does provide a lot of value, it shouldn't feel like the end-all-be-all force driving character progression," writes Mosqueira.
The ways in which the auction house in Diablo 3 may or may not influence player activity has been a contentious issue for a while now . Item recovery after slicing up some hellspawn is such a core part of the game's interactive feedback loop and is what many of us find so compelling about the experience. The idea that around the next corner I might find the item that will change everything is what always brings me back to the action-RPG genre, and to see it simply as an economic transaction interrupts that experience. It's heartening that Mosqueira acknowledges the issue in his first message as game director.
"We want items to feel more meaningful, and we want players to be excited about the next loot drop" he writes. "Our goal is to make the loot experience more enjoyable for ALL players. This includes reducing the amount of loot that drops while improving the overall quality, introducing targeted Legendaries, and giving players ways to directly customize their character's armor—both visually and mechanically."
Mosqueira's gaming background includes work on pen and paper RPGs as well as games such as Company of Heroes, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, and FarCry.
Hat tip, Gamasutra
