Diablo III to Use Checkpoint System

[Shawn Zipay]

Fans of Diablo II may either be outraged or delighted to hear of a new checkpoint system Blizzard is implementing in Diablo III. Let's let a staff member from Blizzard break it down for us fans of the "click, click, click" series.

A Blizzard staffer going by the username 'Bashiok' was quick to offer up an answer as to how death is being handled in the new Diablo title. And there's a stark difference between the new system and the one found in Diablo 2: rather than being sent back to town and having to venture back to where you perished to recover your place (without any of your gear, mind you), you'll now be sent back to a checkpoint. These checkpoints are scattered throughout the world and "generally" at the end of each level of a dungeon. When respawning at a checkpoint you'll be left with a small amount of health.

Bashiok added, "It's just too early to put a ton of thought in to what penalties there should be, if any, added on top of it." That doesn't make me particularly optimistic that we'll soon be playing Diablo 3, but at least we're getting some insight into how things are changing from Diablo 2.

This means a lot less back tracking or constantly relying on your buddy to toss up a portal for you.

Source

[imported_Whiskey]

Re: Diablo III to Use Checkpoint System

This means a lot less back tracking or constantly relying on your buddy to toss up a portal for you.

I tossed up a portal once...it wasn't pretty.

I think Two-Worlds had a similar system, with lots of checkpoints scattered around, and when you croaked, it started you again at the nearest one.

[Kotae]

Re: Diablo III to Use Checkpoint System

Part of the fun of D2 was the waypoint and portal system - if you were playing alone, you had to avoid any enemies you didn't kill and get to your body. Not fun if you were trying to kill Diablo. And when playing with friends, it could only lead to comedy with the portals. I remember playing it last September, and running through portals only to die and die again.

I don't really like the checkpoint idea, but I'm sure I'll get used to it once I play D3 when it comes out. I can't ever really get upset when there's finally a new one coming out. <3