[:1]In what way is that bad narrative?
The game deals with what's relevant. The manuals are the prequels.
Him being the same barb was acknowledged in game by Decard Cain. Do all of the NPC have to know him or what?|||Quote:
In what way is that bad narrative?
The game deals with what's relevant. The manuals are the prequels.
Him being the same barb was acknowledged in game by Decard Cain. Do all of the NPC have to know him or what?
I can't believe I have to sit here and explain this, but sure. I usually get paid for this kind of thing. You get a freebie!
Let's start with a bit of analogy. When you go to see a movie, do they hand out a pamphlet that tells you about the characters and the setting?
Say they did. Say you went to see Batman and they had a character bio for the Riddler in it. Now you watch the movie, and the Riddler isn't in the movie. It's stupid. There's no other way to say it. If you are going to say that the manual is an extension of the narrative, then it has to function as one.
Have you ever heard the old Chekov's Gun rule? It's there for a reason.
There is a very, very critical element in any narrative, especially one that is based upon Fantasy, whether it is high or low, and that is a concept known as verisimilitude. Whenever I write a story, I have two basic principles that I adhere by: Clarity, and Purity of Purpose. Keep that in mind if you ever write a story. Any kind of story. Verisimilitude is what you stick to in order to sell the story and everything in it to your reader. If the reader stops to ask a question that you didn't answer in the narrative, you have totally failed as a writer. Have you ever walked out of a movie with your friends where you all proceed to pick apart the logic and/or plot holes of the film? I'm sure you have. That's because it lacked verisimilitude and it failed. Guess what would create giant vacuums of plot holes?
I don't recall Deckard Cain acknowledging that he was the same barb, but as for your question, do all of the NPCs have to know? Good question. I don't know, it depends on the NPC, but let's get this factor straight: the barbarian always has to know, and it has to be communicated to the player that he knows. That would get monotonous for everybody very fast, but if the devs don't acknowledge it? People are going to ask "why not?". That is a layer of complexity added into the narrative for no reason other than fan service. It serves absolutely no function other than to convolute events.
The function it does serve well is to simply be cool but people seem to refuse to want to admit that. There doesn't have to be anything wrong with it simply being cool, but I won't sit here and be told that it's good narrative.|||Your analogy would be right if the game is missing content.
Here's an accurate example:
You watch a movie about Batman and the Riddler. That movie is about them, so tells their background and their struggles (just like what the movie did do).
You read comics about the Joker, Ivy, Clayface, etc.
More movies expand on that comic lore.
*Translates to Diablo*
The D1 manual has various bits of info on the Great Conflict, Exile, Sin War, etc. The game deals with what Diablo's doing right here, right now. You find tomes explaining the past again.
D2 has many chars, whose background is explained in the books. Some are alluded to, but not in as much detail as the book. Natalya says a secret order. She doesn't say she's a mage killer specifically trained to defy demonic corruption. The barb homeland is briefly mentioned, but the Ancients themselves are explained elsewhere, but the NPCs acknowledge that they were special, just not how.
D3's barb would have a big section in the manual, and the game have bits hinting at it, but not copy / pasting it.
Diablo has always told the story in the present tense, and left lore as a side thing to be explored whenever. It's the point behind an ARPG. The games kill fast. The books tell you why.
Your arguments about fan service can be reflected the exact same way at your points. Why include it in the game 100% if it's skipped or is for fan service with no gameplay impact?|||some valid and interesting points, but in the end all that really matters is if he's fun to play
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