IamA David Brevik, creator of Diablo and Diablo II, working on It Lurks Below. Ask me anything!

How awesome does it feel that a game you designed almost 20 years ago is still heavily played and considered an all-time classic?

Also, u gib soj?

no soj

It's incredible. It's really hard to comprehend, actually. There are very few games that are that well loved.

When I worked at Bungie Studios, one of the most difficult roadblocks to releasing truly innovative and amazing game experiences was fear. They had released several game titles, but none that took off like Halo. In fact, if you look at Destiny, it's heavily based in the halo gameplay experience. They were terrified that if they strayed too much from the formula, they'd anger their fanbase and spiral into oblivion.

How would you suggest that game studios explore their creative side without taking too big a risk in alienating their fanbase?

Superb question -- I don't think there is an easy answer. If there was, everyone would do it. Strangely this isn't just a problem with game studios. If a writer becomes popular for a genre everyone wants more books in the genre instead of something else the writer may have in mind. They way they often get around this is to use a different pen name. The way game studios do this is create new game studios, but sadly that means they often leave the thing that made them successful and so most people don't do it.

Related follow up. Is there a non Diablo project that you wish you had time to release to the world?

Well, I am working on a new game called It Lurks Below. I'm doing it all by myself (art, coding, music, etc) and I'm quite excited about it!

How does it feel to have created some truly spectacular games?

First, thanks for saying that, and I'm humbled by the entire process. I have had the privilege of working with some superb talent. I will admit that I never imagined that I would be so lucky. It was not my intent when I started making games.

Retrospectively, what where some of D2's & LoD's biggest flaws in your opinion and what would you do differently if you could make D2 & LoD again?

I don't like Stamina in D2 and wish we hadn't put that in. We had not thought of it at the time, but if I could go back, I would put instanced loot into the game. I hate it when I do all the killing and my buddy sucks up all the loot.

Follow-up question:

What about itemization in D2? Did you feel everything was okay with that, or are there any regrets (like Enigma or or certain uniques and RW's being too powerful)?

No regrets

What happened with Diablo II's act 4? Were there 3 additional quests and more areas in the initial project plan or was that the planned content right from the start?

Also, if Diablo 2 had plans for a steady flow of new content (like modern microtransaction-based games do), where would you want the game to go in terms of content?

I can't remember if all the quests made it into the game. Often times we have to cut things short to make deadlines. There is never enough time to do everything you want to do.

There was a design for a second expansion for Diablo II. In a lot of ways though, the game did have a steady flow of content post-release. That game had changes and patches for years.

I really miss Marvel Heroes. What do you think was the biggest failure of this game? BTW, thanks for all the masterpieces you gave us.

I miss it too! It is hard to say if there was a failure, because it did pretty well, but I think the pressure of having it be free-to-play was tough. I don't know if it would have been better to sell a box product or not and we will never know.

Diablo and then “It Lurks Below”... are you scared of basements? Caves? What terrifies you about the underground?

Aren't all of us afraid of what lurks in the dark corners of our basements?!

Fair point, but whenever I investigate it turns out to be my dog playing fetch with himself and that’s adorable not scary.

Yeah but did you look at that strange hole in the wall behind the water heater? Where does that lead?

Why didn't you work on 3?

Myself and others left Blizzard at the beginning of Diablo III development. We had some disagreements with the company that owned Blizzard and it was time to make my life healthy.

How much an inspiration was Mines of Moria/Angband in the creation of Diablo 1? I remember thinking, "This is a graphic version of the ascii game!"

Very much so -- that was the original concept. Take a lot of that game and add modern graphics. We added a bunch of other things, but that was the base concept. I loved those games and played them for hundreds and hundreds of hours.

If you're still a fan of rogue likes (and can handle ascii graphics), look up Tales of Maj'Eyal. It's the most successful of that branch (in my opinion). The heritage is Mines of Moria > Angband > Zangband > Pernband > Tales of Middle Earth > Tales of Maj'Eyal.

It's on steam; new expansion launches in a couple of weeks!

Thanks!

Does the perfect gem actually do anything? I've read (rumors) that it was initially created as a mature language filter but then scrapped since the game was rated 'M' anyways.

https://i.imgur.com/TS5NNhW.png

Also, thank you so much for creating a game that I would sink a good 40+ hours per week during my younger summers. If you ever feel like playing again, you should check out /r/slashdiablo ! It's an almost vanilla server with a ladder reset every 4 months or so.

The gem was not created as a language filter. That is false.

The gem is working as intended.

Holy crap this is the AMA I didn't even know I wanted. My body is ready for this. Which Diablo is your favorite? And why????? Tell me things!

Probably Diablo II. I really enjoyed making Diablo, but when it was cheated so heavily it made it difficult to enjoy the end product. I think we fixed a lot of the problems in Diablo with Diablo II, but I don't think D2 had quiet the same atmosphere and class flexibility. That said, I think the overall product was better.

Diablo II was my favorite game for years. I'll never forget finding that Herald of Zakarum for the first time.

What was the biggest drawback to working for Blizzard?

It is hard to stay grounded when working for Blizzard. Having that much success can really screw with your mind. I loved working there and someday maybe we will work together. It was really good for me to leave however and take the journey I have taken.

In a previous interview you said that there was going to be a second D2 expansion which would bring two new classes and one of them would have been the Cleric, but what was considered to be the second new class for that expansion?

Thanks for creating Diablo btw!

I can't recall, sorry.

Love ILB. But I just got to the 5 eyeballed doom boss and I have to ask: why'd you do this to me? So hard.

:D

Are there plans for multiplayer in It Lurks Below?

Yes, I hope to add it post-launch.

What's your elevator pitch for It Lurks Below?

Starbound/Terreria crossed with Diablo.

Graphics and perspective similar to the first two with items, rpg elements, classes -- game mechanics -- like Diablo.

How soon after the final release of ILB do you foresee getting a Lego deal?

I hope pre-launch. Fingers crossed!

Would you rather fight 100 duck-sized Diablos or one Diablo-sized duck?

One Diablo-sized duck. Sure, that is a big duck, but it is still a duck. A Diablo can shoot fire. A hundred tiny fire breathing demons would be a nightmare.

You created two games that dominated my childhood. These games even influenced other awesome games like Path of Exile. How awesome is that? Have you played Path of Exile?

I'm a consultant for PoE helping them with China

What games are you currently playing and what is it about the game(s) that keeps your interest?

Right now, I'm not playing much. I working on my game a lot, so I have been focused on that. I do play some mobile games SW:GoH and the new Marvel Strike Force, but I haven't sat down and played something new in a few months. Last thing I played was Golf Story on the Switch. I'm eager to try a few things including Celeste and Into the Breach.

Does it bother you that in some ways you can't escape the diablo fame? I'm probably not the only one who wouldn't have bought ILB if it hadn't many of the diablo-like aspects like runewords,loot,difficulties etc in comparison to terraria for example.

Also since you named the difficulties the same as in diablo 2 in addition to using runewords, are there any problems in regards to copyrights from the diablo game in using those for your own game?

No, it doesn't bother me at all! I am super blessed to have Diablo on my resume.

Yes, it is similar and there are some concepts, but I'm not the only game with those concepts.

What classes where planned for Blizzard North's version of Diablo 3 and what were some of their skills?

I don't recall off the top of my head. I think we were sticking with the traditional classes we had done before. When we designed classes, they were often based off AD&D classes. I've always been a big believer in making classes relate-able and easy to understand.

How different do you think Diablo would've been had it remained turn-based, and never became a real-time game? Do you think it still would've had such a large impact on gaming?

It would have not been as successful for sure. I really think that the change took it from a nice game to a defining game.

I really enjoyed Marvel Heroes and was sad to see Gazillion go under. It seemed like the relationship between Marvel and Gaz was really tight because of all of the coordinated events based on the movies, the art/design/fighting styles. And I was always really impressed with the "fun factor" as compared to D3, the performance was really solid, and the developers seemed really into it. Most of us were surprised to see that game evaporate in a month or so, and it seemed like it happened basically because of bad business practices that seemed to have come about only after you left.

Can you tell us anything more about how that went down? Are there any important lessons to take away from a game development or business point of view?

I was really sad to see it happen as well.

I don't have all the details because I wasn't there. The rumors about Marvel and Gaz having a strained relationship about content wasn't really true.

The important lessons are more business related than game related, but I probably can't share them.

We are almost 1 week into the launch of your newest title in Early Access on Steam.

How has the launch been in terms of expectations, and how would you compare it to launches and/or major content updates for previous titles you've worked on?

I didn't really have any expectations because: 1) I've never released into Early Access before and didn't know what to expect 2) It's such a small game and there is so much competition these days that I wasn't quite sure how it would go.

That said, I'm super pleased with the reception. People have been quite positive on the game, which is great. The community has been really helpful. I'm having a great time working with them and improving the game.

Overall, the numbers on the title pale in comparison to larger games I've worked on in the past. But it is Early Access, so I'm not surprised. I'm also super pleased with the numbers. The support has been great.

What is your favorite Diablo II class and why?

Barbarian. I like to melee things.

What exactly are the things that you are most dissatisfied about how Diablo 3 (2012) turned out to be?

Most of the stuff was changed. I think it is a good game now.

The soundtrack in Diablo always brings to mind Bauhaus. Did they inspire the music in the game at all or is it coincidental? Or am I just insane and seeing a similarity that isn't there?

I love Bauhaus. I'm sure that had a bit of influence, but you would have to ask Matt Uelmen who made the music.

Do you currently have pants on or off?

I don't have 5 subs yet

What has it been like transitioning from such a large company to a start up? Is it similar to how Blizzard was early in your career?

No, it has been very strange and wonderful. It is very different than anything I've ever done because the startup is just me. I'm working out of my house for the first time ever and doing it all myself. It took me 6+ months to adjust and even now it can be strange. I'm really happy and enjoying the process, but sometimes it can be daunting.

Do you have any evidence proving that you are not still working at Blizzard under the assumed name Jesse McCree?

I do not

Greetings to you, David! I'm a big fan of Diablo 1 and 2 games, Marvel Heroes. Many thanks for these games, create more!

Recently acquired early access to the game "It Lurks Below". The game is very fun, but it's very annoying that after death, I lose things from the inventory, and getting to them can be very, very difficult. Do you plan to somehow change this? Very annoying thing. PS: I apologize for not very good English.

No plans to change it. Yes, it is difficult, but some of the most rewarding times in the game come from that mechanic.

Thank you so much for the work you put into the Diablo games. They are crucial pieces of my video game memories growing up. What are some of the things you wished would have been put into either of those games that had to be cut for some reason or another?

The biggest thing that got cut from Diablo II that I wish was in was Battle.Net town. Instead of a chat-room, we were going to have you enter the game-world in a graphic town and create instances and chat and trade there.

Hi David, I'm a big fan.

What are some differences in the procedural generation between ILB and D1 & 2?

How does working in proper 2d change the process from iso 2d?

Does verticality have any interesting consequences you had to compensate for?

Any chance we can see the custom engine someday?

Any plans for mod support in the future?

How has early access been treating you so far? Do you feel more pressure than regular game releases now that people are already paying for it?

What is your advice for someone early in their career who wants to make games but doesn't want to be taken advantage of by larger companies?

I could write a long paper on all the differences, but in a nutshell: D1 is tile based and a bit like maze generation. D2 were small presets of tiles put together to form goals. ILB is very different because it is from the side instead of overhead. The caves are built first using this concept: http://www.roguebasin.com/index.php?title=Cellular_Automata_Method_for_Generating_Random_Cave-Like_Levels

I then add rooms on top of it and create a surface.

I don't think I will release the custom engine, but I do think I am going to do a video series on how to make your own and how I made this one.

Yes, I would like to add mod support but it is post-release for sure.

Early Access has been wonderful! I don't feel any more pressure than before. I put plenty on myself already ;)

Working at big companies can be helpful. You can build relationships and go through the process of making a game in a safer environment than doing it with a small indie group. That said, you won't be able to work on your own dream product, but it is valuable experience. If you are determined to do your own thing, work hard and stick with it. Finishing a game is very difficult.

Hey David. Thank You for giving me tons of hours worth of fun man!

What is your opinion on balance of runewords in D2? How would you do it now if you could change something?

I think runeword are great fun. I just wish the game somehow told you about how to make them rather than having to look them up on the internet.

Congrats David for being part of videogames that shaped up what what's gaming today.

Thank you and your team for your dedication, because you guys gave us countless hours of fun and memorable experiences.

I was very dissapointed about the deliver of Diablo3. It's inferior to D2 as a game (not as a product). So... Kudos for abandon that ship and defend your ideals.

What's your favorite videogame of the last decade?

Hrmmm... favorite in the last decade? Hard to choose one, but I will list a few that I haven't worked on: FTL, Stardew Valley, and Minecraft. Man.. there are a lot more. Zelda: BofW, WoW: Lich King, this list is getting too long..

How has social media and streaming changed your views of making and releasing games?

It has changed everything. I love the direct interaction with community. It was never really a thing years ago. Communication with your community was difficult. It is incredibly easy now and I think insanely valuable. I love making games this way. Getting feedback, changing things, iterating and working together to make something great.

I just wanted to say thank you. While I had more hours of game play with Diablo II, Diablo's atmosphere (music, narration, level design, sound effects) and relative simplicity (compared to D2 and other games) of character building will always be a pinnacle of a gaming experience for me. I always thought the core story and some bosses of Diablo would make a fantastic horror movie.

I'm much more fond of contained environments than expansive and open-style level design.

2 questions

1. What are some of your fondest memories of working on the Diablo series?

2. Will It Lurks Below give me the fix I've been yearning for since the first Diablo?

1) Working with that team and that time in my life was amazing. Looking back at what we were doing and the people I was working with are some of the greatest times in my life.

2) I hope so!

David, love the game so far and looking forward to updates. From what I've seen so far, there is a lot of support for the game and you personally in developing this game alone. Your work on diablo and diablo 2 has shaped so many people over the years, including other developers. It makes you wonder how far that inspiration reach actually is, since there are so many game that use the loot like the diablo games. How does that feel so many years later and being able to see the branches of these types of games?

Was seeing other single creator games like Eric Barone's Stardew Valley a major inspiration to do your own thing?

And you've mentioned multiplayer being a long term MAYBE depending on success. Has your view on this changed now that Stardew's multiplayer just hit public beta, and ILB is in early release?

Seriously though as for the real question, how many upvotes for the pants to come off?

It is incredible to see Diablo and Diablo II still loved like it is today. I'm truly blessed.

Yes, seeing other single-creator games or even micro-team (Rebel Galaxy) was a big inspiration to do my own thing.

Yes, I still want to add mutliplayer. My game is different from Stardew. I'm designing it to be ready for multiplayer from the beginning.

I need 5 subs for the pants ;)

Did you design the loot to bounce in It Lurks Below just to mess with players having to chase it towards other monsters? In Diablo or Diablo 2 was anything added specifically to mess with players?

I usually design stuff to mess with players :P

In all seriousness, I do add things that make it a challenge. I think creating interesting situations in the game, even bad ones, makes the game better. Nothing like the loot bouncing down into a pile of monsters.

I routinely watch your talk about the creation of Diablo, is there anything similar for Diablo II? I'm a shitty programmer but know just enough to be fascinated by the technical parts (the wall dillemma was great to hear about).

Not a similar talk yet, but the 20th anniversary of D2 is coming up...

When it comes to updating It Lurks Below, do you plan on pushing out many small updates, or release less frequent larger updates?

Can't wait to see how the game progresses, Diablo 2 is my favorite game of all time and I'm excited to see the amount of pure fun from you and ILB.

Right now I'm patching every day. I don't think I will keep that up, but I'm trying to address a lot of bugs.

I will probably end up going to a every week or 2-week schedule pretty soon.

Hey David! What inspired you to create Diablo?

Probably the biggest influences were old ASCII games like: Rogue, Nethack, Moria, and Angband.

Hey David!

The very first time I played one of your games was way back in the late nighties playing diablo 1 coop on the ps1 (funnily enough with a friend of mine called David). The amount of endless hours of fun we had in that game between laughing at Farnham’s ramblings and being terrified facing down the butcher in the dungeons below, you truly have created the best gaming memories I’ve ever had and for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Now as for my question, at the time when you were making Diablo 1 and 2, did you feel that you were making something special and magic? I mean I’ve played some great ARPG’s but nothing can ever come close to the story telling and fun that those games created.

And a random personal question, what’s your favorite dessert?

Yes, I knew we were making something magical. It didn't feel that way until we changed it from turn-based to real-time. After that, many of the employees wouldn't go home at the end of the day. They would stay and play the game late into the evening. I knew it was something special then.

Favorite Dessert: Ice cream

Could you explain the reasons why the music in d2 is so good? Has Matt Uelmen somehow influenced the development of D2 or has he created the music after the team entirely created every act?

(My mother used to hate the cover of diablo 2 with the skull, until she said: "OMG, the music in that game is amazing")

Because Matt is a music and straight-up genius. He worked on the music while the acts were in development, not after they were done.

Jay Wilson said the gem did nothing. Can you confirm that?

I cannot.

With Marvel Heros, did working with adapting well established characters make things easier or harder?

Harder for sure, but that was part of the exciting challenge for me. I love Marvel so it was a project I wanted to see happen.

What elements, if any, set It Lurks Below apart from similar looking games like Terraria and Stardew Valley? I've heard it called an ARPG but ILB seems firmly rooted in the aforementioned pixel-survival game style rather than something like Diablo or Path of Exile.

It looks like Terraria and Starbound but the gameplay is like Diablo or other ARPGs. You have character classes, random item affixes, runewords, unique items, character stats, a survival skill tree, class skills and many other things.

Another question, I love Diablo btw it was amazing, how do you organize your ideas when it comes to building such a massively in-depth game like that?

I guess I just take it one step at a time and never stop thinking about it. It consumes me. It is mostly what I think and even dream about when I'm working.

Can you recall how you felt the first time you heard Matt Uelmen's work for Diablo? I still listen to those soundtracks. Really loving It Lurks Below, btw. Thank you so much for all your hard work.

It's funny -- I can't recall. He worked on different parts of different pieces at different times. His office was always near mine so I would hear him working on stuff often. It always sounded great!

Have you ever sat down and played your own games for fun?

Yes. I do go back and play Diablo and Diablo II every now and then. I played a lot of Marvel Heroes when it was launched. I stream on Twitch and play my games with the community, get feedback and improve them. I've been playing a lot of It Lurks Below these last few months.

What's your take on the current state of gaming?

It is an incredible time, but there is an overwhelming amount of content and competition. In some ways it the best it has ever been, but in others it is easy to get lost even with a good game.

The biggest thing is that the overall quality of games continues to rise. I remember when games were difficult to install, hard to play and barely ran. You see a lot less of that these days.

Was there any particular feedback for It Lurks Below that stood out and caused changes to the initial design?

How do you feed the development cycle with the feedbacks you gathered so far? Is there a particular method you follow?

Well the initial design was to cross Minecraft with Hellgate. I started doing that game by myself and realized after a few months that it was going to take years to finish, so I simplified the concept and made it side-view.

I read and interact with the community every day. Getting feedback from a variety of places: Discord, Twitter, Steam forums, Twitch and Reddit.

I'm addressing their problems, answering questions and listening to feedback and implementing changes every day.

What do you think it says about the gaming community, if anything, that we really seem to enjoy games that have very simplistic old school graphics like Undertale, Terraria, Stardew Valley, and now your new game? Is this decision made because it’s easier to pull off and there’s less development time and cost? Forgive me because I don’t know your whole game resume, but do you see yourself ever making games that are cutting edge game changers for graphics? Or do you see yourself sticking with a simplistic formula that just works?

For me it was about a few things: 1) I enjoy pixel-art games. I think they are great. 2) It allows me to put a lot into the game in a timely manor.

There more realistic you make your graphics the harder it is to make it look good and you spend a crazy amount of time not making the game more interesting, but making sure it looks good. I want the game to be fun and have a lot of cool gameplay features more than hyper-realistic graphics. I've always been a gameplay-first gamer.

Who started the initial joke with the cow level?

Were the cows in the town just randomly there, or was it part of the plan all along?

The cow level comes from a Diablo rumor. There were cows in the game and there was a rumor on message boards that you could get to a secret cow level. So we put a secret cow level in D2.

Diablo I and II are some of the best games ever created. Did you feel any joy at the awful reception to Diablo III? That game sucked.

I'm sorry you didn't like it and I felt no joy. I think the game became quite good after the expansion.

Wondering how you prioritize work when you're doing everything yourself? What takes priority and why; bug fixes/patching or content creation? This seems especially difficult to balance when you have a Discord channel where there is what seems like an overwhelming amount of user reports of bugs and ideas.

Got to say that I'm having a blast with the game so far. It's been a lot of fun playing this style of game again with the added changes that you've brought to the genre. I also want to thank you for your patch release speed and the transparency with everything so far. It's great to be a part of the game so early. Thanks again!

Thanks!

It isn't easy to balance. Obviously crash bugs, or bugs that prevent play are the biggest priorities, but other than that, I listen to the community and balance that with what I feel like adding. I have a huge list of stuff I want to add, so I just take something off the list and put it in.

I've always wondered what work you've done with Grinding Gear Games regarding Path of Exile, and if you ever intend to work with them again in the future? All I've ever heard was that it involved something in China.

I helped with feedback on PoE and getting the game ready for the Chinese market. I'm still working with them.

My cousin thinks diablo 1&2 suck basically because they are old. How would you prove him wrong?

Have him play.

Have you participated in any videos/podcasts talking about your experience with Diablo or Diablo 2, that you could point to? :)

This is a great one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VscdPA6sUkc

I was completely and utterly addicted to Diablo 1 and 2. What about It Lurks Below will feel familiar to those games?

I hope so! It has a lot of the same mechanics. Many people are saying it feels similar.

which gaming engine are you using? and What programming language? How many devs were working on D1 and D2?

I made my own custom game engine.

I use C and some C++

D1 had about 20-25 devs at the end, D2 about 60

What do you have as your next biggest "roadmap items" for It Lurks Below?

Finishing the survival tree, adding alchemy, key rebinding plus new options, working on the bosses and adding the fourth boss, plus more item content.

I've played about 12 hours so far and am having a blast! It is exactly what I was hoping for and brings new life to a style of game I thought I was done with.

First, do you have any plans on making the world a bit larger? I've guessed from my time so far that you've pushed content vertically rather than horizontally, so the limited time I've put into the game may be making it feel smaller than what it actually is.

Secondly, is the game 2d and 3d mixed or is the parallaxing just THAT good on the blocks?

Thanks -- I'm glad you are enjoying it!

I don't think I am going to make the world much larger than it is currently. Most of the content is about going down into the dungeon and I'm happy with the focus.

It is a mix of 2d and 3d geometry. Thanks for noticing!

I've been playing ILB and having a lot of fun! Just beat the first boss. For me, the first 30 - 40 mins. of the game was a stark contrast from actually getting into the dungeon below, which was the fun part.

So I guess my question is: How much more do you have planned for the game, and you going to be adding new stuff, or are you going to be going back and improving what you've already made?

Yes, I will be working on the game quite a bit. Adding new stuff and making the stuff in the game better. I'm glad you are liking it!

Thanks so much for D1 and D2. Those games stole hundreds of hours of my childhood. I'll definitely be checking out your new game.

What did you think of Hellfire, and the numerous mods for D2? Did you check any of them out?

Hellfire is a long story, but I was not happy with it. It was not made by Blizzard North.

I haven't played any of the D2 mods, sorry.

Is your new game going to be less button-mashy?

LOL -- well... maybe a bit. You can click and hold, but it has a lot of action ;)

I've been playing Diablo 2 on off since release on a regular basis and the game truly never gets boring for me.

It Lurks Below is the closest I have come to a game that is as entertaining as D2 was for me when I just started playing.

My question:

Are there any elements from the Diablo series you really wanted to implement in It Lurks Below, but chose not to because of the 2D format?

I can't think of any... The design needs to be different because of the different perspective, but the concepts can be the same.

How would a perfect ARPG skill system look like in your opinion?

Would you separate active and passive skills so that they don't compete for the same points?

Would you implement synergies again?

Would it also have components of D3's skill system, like runes that enable you to change the effect of the skill (e.g. to change between Fire Hydra, Lightning Hydra, Arcane Hydra, Frost Hydra ...)?

Hard to say, but I'm working on a game right now that has a different skill system than anything I've done before. I don't think there is such thing as a perfect ARPG skill system, but I do believe having an interesting one can make a game great.

I like both passive and active skills and I don't mind that they compete for points. Having players make decisions is what the entire concept is about.

I think skill modifiers can be interesting, but they are not mandatory for a game to be fun.

Which is your favorite of the current big ARPGs? Are you sick of the genre or is it something you can always go back to play?

I haven't really been playing almost anything. I'm so focused on making my new game that I haven't had much time. My wife has been playing a lot of PoE lately and I am a consultant on the game.

I previously aspired to design games, and learned about how hard it can be to coordinate things with others. What team is generally the hardest to work with? Not due to personal differences but the nature of the work?

The larger the team the harder it is to work with. Everyone wants to put their touch on the game and feel important. Trying to convince many people of something can be difficult. That said, they can make your ideas better, so it can be rewarding. In the end, the larger the team the more communication it takes to get something done and miscommunication over an idea happens a lot.

Diablo 1 and 2, as far as I know, were really the first games to have a true market where people were making real money selling their accounts. At the time, did you feel you the developer deserved a piece of that pie? Thanks

I don't think we did. I can't recall thinking that.

Where do you spend the vast majority of your time, idea creation or actually helping the developers with the code?

Right now, I'm doing the entire game by myself, so I would say programming, followed by ideas and then art.

Why was there such a huge difference between Diablo 1 and 2? I played (and to this day continue to play) Diablo 1 to death. The slower pace, the exploration, the randomization, it all made for a dark and challenging experience.

Diablo 2 felt like a giant rush and a bit of a mess.

I'm sorry you didn't like Diablo 2. Many liked it more. I agree that it didn't have as dark of an atmosphere but that was on purpose. We wanted to explore the world more than another dungeon.