Mercenaries

[Andrettin]

Wow nice
This is complete bard graphic ? All animations combat/town ?

Unfortunately, it is not complete. I thought the file I linked to had attack and walk animations as well, but apparently it only has standing ones. The author has shown dagger attack animations of the bard, though, and AFAIK he has made them for all directions. Another important question is if he did death animations.

So it seems that for now this can only be used for a new NPC, but not for a hireling. I asked the author and hopefully he will post the remaining graphics he has made.

And of course, there is still the question if the mod team will want to add this to the mod.

[Savrok]

This animation is very very very good for assassin class
Assassin with such a look that would be something fantastic !

[NakedSnake]

That looks nice, the bard I mean. This mod sure has some intresting possibilities. Can't wait for another update ^^

[SlapZ]

(...)
It's just that damned multiplayer that halted mod from any sort of progress for very long time. It's totally tedious to implement and makes this feel more like work then hobby... I'm not very happy about it.

Then for the good of both You and your mod: stop working on multiplayer for some time.

Seriously, this mod is great because you're a guy who likes and "feels" D1, and also likes to code. Take away fun, and the project can end up unfinished.

Shitloads of creations of all kind have meet their end like this, when the creators got sick of constantly working on something that was tedious and irritating.

[BrightLord]

I'm type of person that will hit wall till it falls or I break both arms.

[Corbie]

Uh, no. No. Please no mercs.

Aside from the mountaineous workload which such a change would put on the developer's shoulders, mercs would change the feel and gameplay extremely. Diablo 1 gets lots of atmosphere because you roam these halls alone. Ever noticed the anxious breath sound in the cave levels?
Diablo 2 is more character management, values and open battle than Diablo 1. Mercs do fit there. In Diablo 1, they would pretty sure be annoying, 'cause more space, more mobs, and less tactics based on your surroundings(use doors, lava, corners, enemy AI) would ensue.

This is, in my eyes, the biggest difference between the two games, so mercs would, other than the gameplay changes implemented so far, turn D1 into a minor D2 derivate instead of honoring the game's basic intentions.

[Andrettin]

Using mercs could increase monster level in a similar way to how adding a second player in multiplayer would. As a result, the game wouldn't need to be rebalanced to include mercs, and the feature would be entirely optional (characters wouldn't have difficulty progressing without mercs), so those who don't like it wouldn't face a problem.

[Corbie]

Hmm not really. Player characters don't need an AI that includes each specific way to treat a certain kind of opponent while supporting a certain character class who follows certain tactics.

Diablo 1 is a real deadly game for NPCs. The monsters deal lots of damage, armor needs to be repaired often if you don't employ good tactics, so mercs would likely need a cart to transport all their healing potions.
They tend to end up in the middle of the fray way more easy than the player, even in modern games.

These are only some shallow thoughts about the matter. I believe it would be possible to implement mercs, but with a real lot of work to get a balanced game that would still feel like Diablo1. It would be interesting to test the difference of multiplayer combat against single player with merc combat in some neat little game mechanics program like Machinations.

[radicool]

Diablo 1 gets lots of atmosphere because you roam these halls alone. Ever noticed the anxious breath sound in the cave levels?

Very true. The atmosphere is something Diablo 1 did very well. Mercenaries could impact on this. Having someone around you is comforting and can brighten a dark atmosphere. But then again, Diablo 1 is already multiplayer? So why are you so worried about a mercenary being added? This won't be like Diablo 3 where your mercenary kept saying these annoying and stupid quotes (far out Diablo 3 sucked). They would be silent. Don't forget you make Golems which follow you and the Necromancer has an army of skeletons. Diablo 1 already has minions/players walking around with you.

To further elaborate, I don't really like the argument "co-op ruins the scary atmosphere". People readily use examples like Dead Space, Resident Evil, etc to justify their point. They don't realise that these games atmosphere wasn't solely ruined because they could bring a buddy into the darkness with them, but was ruined because various other things were changed as well. Faster movement speed, lighter scenes, more action based mechanics, whilst removing silence, darkness, and that disturbing sound when metal clashed upon metal, echoing through the background. These games ultimately changed the very things that made them scary. Sure co-op was one of them, but not the only thing.

Sorry, I can say a lot about atmosphere because it's something I do value a lot in a game. I think as long as mercs aren't designed like Diablo 3, we'll be ok. Diablo was always a social game, yet still scary. co-op with fear. It can be done.

Diablo 1 is a real deadly game for NPCs. The monsters deal lots of damage..I believe it would be possible to implement mercs, but with a real lot of work to get a balanced game that would still feel like Diablo1.

I agree. This is the problem with mercs in Diablo 1. I can't see how they could work without them constantly dying. Diablo 1's gameplay doesn't work like Diablo 2.

[Wingard]

What if mercs were a one-time thing? Like a quest, we would have an oppurtinity to hire them to help us deal with one dungeon level or quest area, and then they would be gone. Once per difficulty level. I know some sorcerors that could use a psyhical damage dealer on levels with quad immunities monsters.
OR we would be able to hire them multiple times but only for one dungeon level. Going down to another would require us to pay again for merc to follow us there.
Merc's stats would depend of the amount of money weve spent to get him.
+ some penalty if our merc dies so him dying would be more impactful. For example a cooldown on "hire a merc" option and/or increased price for it.

I know that this would mean much less interaction than in Diablo 2, but it seems to be something in the middle of the two suggestions to have mercs from D2 (because thats a interesting idea) and to not have them at all (because it would ruin scary atmosphere).

[DREWPICKLES]

it's not good for mental health

Hehehe you got that right. It will burn your brain out.

You could always attempt to convert models from diablo II, or modify older ones. Though to be honest i have no idea if D2 stores it's models as sprites or 3d.

I'm not dying for mercenaries, honestly i would only use them in multiplayer. In single player i would be too pressured to gear them in regards to my own gear, hit breakpoints and all that. Though if they were balanced it would be a nice addition. Maybe just a caster merc and a melee merc.

Keep going though BrightLord, i believe in you. You are doing groundbreaking work here, nobody even thought something like this mod was even remotely possible in a reasonable timespan without a larger development crew. Although multiplayer will be a pain in the ass, once that is done you will have blown all of our respective minds again

[BrightLord]

Works on multiplayer go well but slow because of huge amout of things to take care of. It's not in phase that there would be anything interesting to show.

[Helliousdiablo]

Hi guys! Just asking if there could be a possibility to hire mercenaries in this mod, in the way of Diablo 2? It would be awesome! In the future, I mean.

Hmm this game needs Thaumathurgist with 0 str but a modified Pepin model and spells such as Ressurrect demon , turn allegience skill . Revive hero as follower (even the dying guy at the start of the game)

Maybe Horadrim cleric too with skills to cage demons and inquisition using modified Cain model

[Ogodei]

About mercenaries : i'd have a crazy, insane, riskful idea : what about the possibility to give equipment to mercenaries [same as character, with rings, belts etc] but - and here comes the crazy part - you aren't able to resurrect them if they die?