[insane_cobra]

Originally Posted by Aj_

If you take out hybrids(because it's not the same gameplay), and console RPGs(because you can't move full stop in them), how many RPGs let you attack and move at the same time?

Why would you take them out? Are you suggesting Diablo is a pure RPG? (there's no smiley big enough to attach to this)

Aim, right-click.

Right, in the first game that combination was reserved for spellcasting and skills. Was it the same in Diablo 2? The same button for skills and spells?

No, this is part of the gameplay, you are stationary when casting/shooting/hitting, unless you use a skill that moves and does one of those things.

So you can't maneuver and shoot at the same time. You right-click, your character starts moving in that direction and then you shoot. If you want to adjust the movement, you have to stop shooting. That may not be a big problem in Diablo's case (because gameplay is cleverly designed around the interface), but in a game involving modern ranged combat it would definitely be noticeable, if not disastrous. There are ways to implement mouse-only simultaneous running and gunning; Heavy Weapon and Cannon Fodder do that, but that's exactly what I'd call clunky.

If you spent some time with it, it would be quite obvious that it's a major factor.

I finished Diablo at least a dozen times and one of the things that annoyed me the most was having to fiddle with its interface. Don't get me wrong, there were many good things about it, but I was often reminded of its clumsiness, especially when not playing a meelee character. I've learnt to live with it, but suggesting it couldn't be any better is absurd. Again, maybe they did radically improve it for Diablo 2, I wouldn't really know.

Good luck playing Diablo with Crimsonland's interface, they're pretty different games.

I knew you're gonna say that.

Yes, they're pretty different games, but we're talking about movement schemes, and in that regard I would have absolutely no problem playing Diablo with Crimsonland's interface.

That has no effect on how perfect Diablo 2's interface undoubtibly is.

Undoubtedly? Well, that leaves no room for debate then, you win.

I wasn't saying that other RPGs should adopt Diablo's interface, that'd be horrible, I'm saying that if Diablo had a different interface, it wouldn't be half the game, and that the interface it has is pretty much perfect for the game.

Of course it wouldn't. That's because, when designing the interface, Blizzard opted for a good balance between power and ease of use learning and then designed the game around that interface. That's very smart of them, that's how it should be done. But that doesn't make the interface per se that great.