Author: Blizzard prototyped Diablo in space Only one more week until Shacknews posts a full chapter from Stay Awhile and Listen, David Craddock's upcoming book on Blizzard Entertainment. And to make the tease even more enticing, today's story from Craddock talks about a Diablo clone set in space.

Only one more week until Shacknews posts a full chapter from Stay Awhile and Listen, David Craddock's upcoming book on Blizzard Entertainment. And to make the tease even more enticing, today's story from Craddock talks about a Diablo clone set in space.

"Have you ever finished a round of Diablo and said, 'You know, I bet that addictive slot-machine formula would be a blast in a science fiction setting?'" Craddock asked. "Blizzard North thought so, too. After D2, the company split into separate teams: a Diablo team, and a 'We love Diablo but it's time to try something new' team. They started and scrapped more than half a dozen ideas before a few team members suggested making a Diablo clone, but set on a space opera stage.

"The project earned the nickname Starblo for its mix of a space setting and the action-RPG formula that made Diablo so successful," he said. "Like Diablo 2, Starblo would take place over several acts, but rather than journey across a single world, players would board their customizable spaceship and travel to new planets, killing and looting the space creatures they found there. By the time Dave Brevik and the Schaefers left Blizzard North in summer 2003, the Starblo team had produced a few playable builds of the game, but still hadn't come up with a proper name."

If you want even more stories, the n check in next week when we bring you a full chapter from the book, and in-depth interview with Craddock, and your chance to win copies of the book.

Author David Craddock has been working on his book about Blizzard Entertainment since mid-2008. Entitled Stay Awhile and Listen, the unauthorized book talks to nearly 80 former employees, including those who used to work at Blizzard, Condor (later Blizzard North), and Silicon & Synapse (Blizzard's original name when it was founded), as well as people who had regular dealings with Blizzard head honchos Mike Morhaime and Allen Adham. Shacknews is pleased to offer a steady stream of stories from the book each Monday leading up to October 29. The book launches early next year. and will be published by Digital Monument Press.