In a world where players have been asking for alternate art in Hearthstone since its inception, their calls may finally be answered - only sort of.
Alternate art in Hearthstone has been a topic that both players and developers have been passionate about. On the player side, having fresh art for some of our favourite cards could help tell new stories or potentially better fit your deck to a special theme. The developers on the other hand while they have stated that alternate art would be cool, have reservations about it due to the complexity it adds to the game; Cards should be instantly recognizable on the field by their picture alone to keep the game familiar.
Tonight though, things are looking better for those passionate about alternate art in Hearthstone. Although nothing is confirmed yet and we won't be seeing Novice Engineer rocking any new sweet gear, Dean Ayala gave us some interesting insight into Diamond cards in his weekly Q&A.
Quote From Dean Ayala Are you planning on any more Diamond cards for us to get or earn on this expansion or other expansions?
At least 2 per upcoming expansion, at least for the next couple expansions. Also we want to go back in time and make one for every old expansion.
We actually had some issue making diamonds where the pose of the character wouldn't always translate to making a great diamond visual
Considering making the next set of diamonds we make an alternate art that is commissioned specifically with diamondizing in mind.
Diamond cards aren't apparently that easy to make if their poses won't always work for the animations! With the confirmation that Blizzard is at least considering doing some alternate art for these cards, and granted, there aren't going to be very many cards that will be Diamond because they want them to be special, it does give us more opportunities to see alternate art in the future should reactions be positive.
Hearthstone is already filled with quite a bit of alternate art, though not in the playable cards. The collectible Heroes we can earn to slap on our decks reuse the same characters in new themes constantly, and this has only become more true as the Book of Heroes sees our favourite characters' stories told alongside a shop release of one of their new artworks and the rewards track also brings them to life in new ways.
Obtainable in the Barrens Rewards Track (Level 50)
Heroes are a bit different than cards though because they don't need to be static to be in line with Blizzard's goal of being instantly recognizable. As a player, you're told who you're fighting at the start of the game and what their class is. In addition to the cards they will inevitably play cluing you into what you're fighting if you missed that queue, you can also see their hero power as well for a quick indicator of what to expect since the icons are shared.
Imagine if these were our original heroes!
So although we might not be seeing alternate art coming to most cards in the game, it's cool to see Blizzard considering exploring this realm with their most exclusive cards yet. If you haven't earned the two new Diamond cards yet, here's how you can grab them:
- Diamond Blademaster Samuro
- Instantly obtainable by purchasing the Forged in the Barrens Tavern Pass and claiming the card on the Rewards track.
- Diamond Bru’kan
- Obtained by completing the Forged in the Barrens Legendary Collector 5/5 Achievement (Collect all Legendary cards from the set.)
How do you feel about alternate art in Hearthstone? Let us know in the comments below!
Comments
Funny, I always in my blindness saw Blademaster slinging a Flagg. Now I see the sword!
If we get alternate card arts id honestly rpefer it to be just that and not be onyl for diamond cards.
I just really dont liek diamodn cards:How they look , i think they look far worse then regular and golden cards and not good a tall(and i wouldve persoanly rather had a normal or golden samuro from the tavern pass reward track instead of diamond one)
The perfect opportunity for alternate art was with cards like Giggling Inventor. Basically, if a card summons a specific token that is an old minion, why not summon it with alt art just because? The Annoy-o-Tron could have been depicted as being at Boom Labs. Same with Jan'alai, the Dragonhawk. The Rag could’ve been the same card but art showcasing him at the Gurubashi Arena. Then, give players ways to unlock these bits of art and a way to choose what version theyput in a deck.
I like the animations, but the diamond frame is just plain ugly :(
Im just weird I guess. Im not actually looking at the diamond card and critiquing the art of the borders. I just see it from a bird's eye POV and think it's shiny and unique. Golds can be crafted, opened, or just given as part of a bundle. For a diamond, you either had to pony up $20 or collect all of the legendaries which, funny enough, probably also means you had to pony up money as well.
So to me, which is harder? Getting a golden legendary or a diamond?
Sure, but the point of selling cosmetics is so they are appealing to the customer, they did not hit the mark, in my case anyway.
i dont even really like the animations aniamtions eitehr, they feel just icnrebdly off compared to golden ones.
Diamond cards feel weird to me, and part of the reason is that there are two per set. One of them is locked behind an expensive achievement that most people can’t even think about getting. The other is part of the battle pass, which is the no-brainer purchase you should get if you plan to spend any money in the game.
So which is it? Rare and special, or a tchotchke that half the players own? And is it special if so many people have the exact same card?
I’ve said it before: A key aspect of golden cards is that anything can be golden, so so ones you happen to get or choose to craft will be different than the ones I get. It feels like we’re building a collection. A Diamond card feels like we’re checking a box.
Alternate art: fine, if it doesn't confuse me. I've said this before, but I mulliganned a game wrong and lost before because I still confuse Sylvanas (Hunter, people, she's a Hunter) and Rogue.
But throw 'em in there. Me smart. Other pictures good.
I have made the same mistake many times. It's the fact that she's in the shadows! Messes with my brain.