More Diablo II News

On Friday, we reported our impressions of the five character classes of Diablo II. That's the most immediate feature that you notice when playing the beta. However, Diablo II has a host of new features that are less obvious but equally impactful on the gameplay.

On the interface, there is a stamina bar that determines how long you can run for. Running is very useful in Diablo II because there is simply so much ground to cover in the game. In addition, it lets you flee from nasty melees; it's especially useful for the spellcasters, who can't afford to stay in a close brawl. Above the stamina bar is a thin white bar. This is the experience counter, which is great for gauging how close you are to leveling up. The interface also presents more information on your enemies. Mousing over a fallen shaman for instance, reveals his special ability, which is raising the dead fallen. Mousing over a boss monster shows its strengths and resistances. In addition, their name bar doubles as a lifebar that lets you know just how close or far the monster is to death.

The new trading menu is a big improvement over Diablo, where you had to dump your items on the ground and hope the other player paid you. Now, when you click on another player, you are requesting a trade. If he agrees, a trading window pops up, where you can place your items for trade and he can place his compensation. You both click when you are ready to finalize the transaction. It is not unlike the trading window for EverQuest.

Another new feature we noticed but that took us a while to comprehend was the socket items. You'll find weapons, shields, and helms in the game that have sockets in them. You'll also find gems in rare instances in caves and off of dead monsters' bodies. These gems can be placed in the sockets to convey special powers in the items, like the Materia system in Final Fantasy VII. A topaz, for instance, adds lightning damage if you place it in a weapon, but adds lightning resistance if you put it in armor. In our short time playing, we've already seen several different gems, including sapphires, emeralds, diamonds, and jeweled skulls. This adds yet another element to the already rich plethora of items you can find in the game.

Keep reading GameSpot News as we bring you even more information on the Diablo II beta, including our experiences with the quests and monsters, as well as more impressions of the classes and their new skills and spells.