"Still a source of discomfort for creator David Brevik after 25 years: The stamina bar in Diablo 2, a game that significantly influenced the RPG genre, continues to draw his criticism."
In the world of Action Role-Playing Games (ARPGs), the stamina bar mechanic was a common feature, but when Diablo 3 was released, most games had abandoned it. This shift was due in part to the criticism leveled at the stamina bar in Diablo 2, a game released 25 years ago that has significantly influenced video game design.
David Brevik, the creator and director of Diablo 2, has openly criticized the stamina bar mechanic, describing it as a major design flaw. Brevik, who is also the creator of Diablo, stated that the stamina bar "makes me cringe every time" and regarded it as a "punishing thing for new players" and "like a newbie tax almost." The stamina bar in Diablo 2 drains as the player runs, and once depleted, the character slows to a walk and stamina only refills after coming to a complete stop or using a stamina potion. Brevik explained the original intent was to prevent players from constantly running away from enemies, but he admitted that the mechanic becomes irrelevant later in the game and is ultimately frustrating, especially for beginners.
Lincoln Carpenter, a game writer for 11 years, including essays on Dwarf Fortress, has expertise in various games like Caves of Qud, Crusader Kings, and Monster Hunter. Carpenter compared the stamina bar in Diablo 2 to Path of Exile's item quality mechanic, where players can improve equipment stats. Carpenter views the stamina bar in Diablo 2 as a "mastery mechanic" that lets players feel satisfaction through progression and proficiency.
However, the stamina bar in Diablo 2 was not without its detractors. Wilson, a game analyst, suggested that the satisfaction of making the stamina bar irrelevant in Diablo 2 comes from progression and proficiency. Despite some merit in the stamina bar in Diablo 2, Brevik acknowledges that there could have been a better system designed. According to Brevik, players in Diablo 2 prefer to fight enemies and collect items rather than running away from them.
Designers seemed to agree that there could have been a better system designed for the stamina bar in Diablo 2. In practice, the stamina bar in Diablo 2 felt like an arbitrary obstacle to prevent a type of gameplay that most players weren't interested in. Many modern ARPGs have refined stamina or resource management systems to avoid the frustration caused by something like Diablo 2's stamina mechanic, often by offering less punitive or more seamless movement systems that do not slow player pacing or create artificial constraints on exploration and combat.
Brevik, despite his criticism, still sees value in the stamina bar in Diablo 2. He suggests that the stamina bar encourages combat, but still thinks there could have been a better mechanic. Diablo 2 characters have a stamina resource in addition to health and mana. Once the stamina resource is depleted, it will only start refilling when characters come to a complete stop or drink a stamina potion.
This critique highlights how early design choices, though well-intentioned, can impact player enjoyment and are often re-evaluated over time by their creators. Brevik's reflections on the stamina bar in Diablo 2 serve as a reminder of the importance of considering player experience in game design.
Lincoln Carpiker has been a News Writer at PC Gamer since 2024. Carpenter's expertise in various games and his insights into the industry make him a valuable voice in the discussion of game design and player experience. As games continue to evolve, it is essential to reflect on the past and learn from the choices made by designers in order to create better games for players in the future.
- In the future, game designers might seek to avoid a mechanism like the stamina bar in Diablo 2, as modern ARPGs have refined their stamina or resource management systems to minimize player frustration.
- Critics of the stamina bar in Diabl2 often argue that it creates artificial constraints on exploration and combat, making it a less enjoyable experience for some players.
- Lincoln Carpenter, now a News Writer at PC Gamer, believes that the stamina bar in Diablo 2 serves as a "mastery mechanic" that allows players to feel satisfaction through progression and proficiency, yet he acknowledges its detractors.
- During an interview, game creator David Brevik suggested that the stamina bar in Diablo 2, despite encouraging combat, could have been replaced with a less punitive system, as players generally prefer fighting enemies over running away from them.
