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//: StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty |OT| GL HF GG

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ZealousD

Makes world leading predictions like "The sun will rise tomorrow"
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-> Click here for the short version of this thread's OP <-


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SPACENET SITE | http://www.starcraft2.com
DOMINION SITE | http://us.starcraft2.com/dominion
BATTLE.NET SITE | http://beta-us.battle.net/sc2/en/
FACEBOOK | http://www.facebook.com/StarCraft
TWITTER | http://twitter.com/starcraft

RELEASE DATE | JULY 27, 2010 - WORLDWIDE

PLATFORM | PC, MAC
PRICE | $59.99 US ($99.99 CE)
GENRE | Real Time Strategy Simulation
DEVELOPER | Blizzard Entertainment

CONTENT RATING
ESRB | T
PEGI | 16
AU | M
Korea GRB | 15 (Censored)

MIDNIGHT OPENINGS
GameStop
BestBuy
Wal-Mart (US)
FutureShop

Official Blizzard Opening (L.A. - Fountain Valley)
Official Europe Openings


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If you intend to purchase a digital copy of StarCraft II instead of a physical copy, you'll need to purchase it directly through Blizzard, rather than using other digital download services like Steam or Direct2Drive. You can already download the client now and install the game when the game is officially available for release on the 27th.

DOWNLOAD LINKS
North America
Europe
Oceania / SEA
South Korea


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PC REQUIREMENTS
PC Minimum System Requirements:
  • Windows XP/Windows Vista/Windows 7 (Updated with the latest Service Packs) with DirectX 9.0c
  • 2.6 GHz Pentium IV or equivalent AMD Athlon processor
  • 128 MB PCIe NVIDIA GeForce 6600 GT or ATI Radeon 9800 PRO video card or better
  • 12 GB available HD space
  • 1 GB RAM (1.5 GB required for Windows Vista/Windows 7 users)
  • DVD-ROM drive
  • Broadband Internet connection
  • 1024X720 minimum display resolution
PC Recommended System Requirements:
  • Windows Vista/Windows 7
  • Dual Core 2.4Ghz Processor
  • 2 GB RAM
  • 512 MB NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX or ATI Radeon HD 3870 or better

MAC REQUIREMENTS
Mac Minimum System Requirements:
  • Mac OS X 10.5.8, 10.6.2 or newer
  • Intel Processor
  • NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT or ATI Radeon X1600 or better
  • 12 GB available HD space
  • 2 GB Ram
  • DVD-ROM drive
  • Broadband Internet connection
  • 1024X720 minimum display resolution
Mac Recommended System Requirements:
  • Intel Core 2 Duo processor
  • 4 GB system RAM
  • NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT or ATI Radeon HD 4670 or better



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If any commanders are not familiar with the original Starcraft, allow me to bring you up to speed. The original Starcraft was one of the most important Real-Time Strategy Simulations ever released. Its ability to let commanders control three totally unique factions is widely credited in fundamentally changing how future Real-Time Strategy Simulations were created.

Starcraft is a simulation that takes both macromanagement and micromanagement strategy in consideration. Just as on the actual field, you will need to make structures, gather resources, and give orders to your units. In the competitive online skirmishes, it's very fast paced. Battles can be won or lost within the first few minutes of the match. Scouting and learning your opponent is quite crucial.

There are two basic resources: Minerals and Vespene Gas. Minerals are generally found in small clusters, and you will need many workers to efficiently collect them. Vespene Gas requires an extraction building, but requires fewer workers to collect. In general, minerals are the raw materials that help us construct our armies, while vespene gas is useful to allow the construction of more powerful units and upgrades. Efficient use of these resources given is often the key to success in Starcraft.

There are three key races in Starcraft, being the three main factions that hold power in the Koprulu Sector: the Terran, the Zerg, and the Protoss. Each race operates their troops very differently. We, the Terran, are a very mobile and flexible race. We can lift and move key structures, we can easily create walls with our supply depots, and our units have a nice balance between power and cost efficiency. The Zerg Swarm is a very savage force, being able to spawn large numbers of units very quickly, but individual units are very weak and their restriction of building structures on the creep limits their flexibility. The powerful Protoss can create very impressive units, but they are ultimately limited by their high cost. They also must create their buildings in a pylon power field, but this power field also allows them to warp in units almost anywhere on the battlefield.

This may all sound complicated, but Starcraft has always had approachability in mind. "Easy to learn, difficult to master" has always been its design philosophy. If you're intrigued, you may wish to pick up a copy of the original Starcraft if you have not already. It's still available for pickup at any supply depot, even over 10 years after release. Start with the campaign, it will ease you in to learning the basics of each race until graduating you to the higher level units.​



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To accommodate for the extensive upgrades in the campaign mode, Starcraft II will be released in three parts. Each installment will focus on a different race for their respective campaigns. Each campaign will consist of around 25-30 missions, and it is expected that most missions will take between 30 minutes to an hour. This means that each installment will likely take just as long, if not longer, to complete as 3 campaigns in the original Starcraft.

WINGS OF LIBERTY, the base installment, will focus on instructing commanders how to command and operate our own Terran forces. You will follow the events surrounding Jim Raynor, leader of Raynor's Raiders, the revolutionary anti-Dominion militia group.

HEART OF THE SWARM, the first expansion, will focus on teaching commanders about how the Zerg swarm is controlled. Extensive knowledge of the Zerg will help assist you in learning their potential strategies and weaknesses. The simulation will also help you understand the motivations and strategies of the Zerg by following its leader, Kerrigan, the Queen of Blades.

LEGACY OF THE VOID, the second expansion, will focus on teaching commanders about the Protoss, their society, and their battle strategies. The simulation will presumably follow Zeratul, as he seeks to uncover a vast conspiracy surrounding the Xel'Naga.

Note that Wings of Liberty is the base product, and that Heart of the Swarm and Legacy of the Void are expansion sets that will require it in order to function. Also, all three races will be available in the online skirmish modes starting in Wings of Liberty, so you will not need both expansions to command the other factions.​



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In addition to the normal version of the simulation, you may also purchase the limited edition version with various extras, including..

  • The Art of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, a 176-page book featuring artwork from the simulation
  • An exclusive 2GB USB flash drive replica of Jim Raynor's dog tag, which comes preloaded with the original StarCraft and the StarCraft: Brood War expansion set
  • A behind-the-scenes DVD containing over an hour of developer interviews, cinematics with director's commentary, and more
  • The official StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty soundtrack CD, containing 14 epic tracks from the simulation along with exclusive bonus tracks
  • StarCraft comic book issue #0, a prequel to the comic series
  • A World of Warcraft(R) mini Thor in-game pet that can be applied to all World of Warcraft characters on a single Battle.net account
  • Exclusive Battle.net downloadable content, including special portraits for your Battle.net profile, decals to customize your units in the simulation, and a visually unique version of the terran Thor unit
 

ZealousD

Makes world leading predictions like "The sun will rise tomorrow"
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StarCraft II will contain extensive solo campaign modes. The Wings of Liberty campaign is set several years after the events of the Brood War. You will primarily take control of the forces of Raynor's Raiders, the anti-Dominion rebel group, led by Jim Raynor.

Each mission in the campaign will be wholly unique. Many missions in the original Starcraft amounted to "destroy your opponent". But in Wings of Liberty, each mission will have unique objectives, rules, and sometimes even custom units.

As wanted criminals, Raynor's Raiders have had to adapt to limited resources. You can earn credits and equipment by doing optional side missions. These credits can be used to purchase new upgrades and units to outfit their forces. You can even take control of units not available in the online simulation modes.

Between missions, you can take direct control of Jim Raynor on the command ship, Hyperion. There, you can converse with other crew members, research upgrades and new units, and open up new missions.

Also included will be Protoss side missions, where you can briefly follow the events of the elusive Zeratul.

The campaign is extensive and somewhat non-linear. Depending on paths chosen, optional missions undertaken, and how much of a completionist you are, the campaign may take 20 to 60 hours to complete.

In addition to the normal solo campaign, there is also a Mission Mode to train commanders for the online skirmish modes. These missions will aim to train commanders in certain skills that may be required in the online matches. For example, you may given certain units and asked to defend your base from waves of enemies. Mouse clicks might be disabled, with hotkeys your only method of control. Your performance in each challenge mission will also be graded and ranked.


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To take advantage of the online skirmish modes, you will need to log onto Blizzard's SpaceNet simulation portal, Battle.net.

You may recognize Battle.net from other Blizzard products, including the original Starcraft. Several modes will be available to use, including ladder matches, custom matches, and even user created maps made through the Starcraft Galaxy Editor. There have been significant changes to the original Battle.net service, enough that Blizzard is calling it "Battle.net 2.0".

Ladder rankings have undergone more than several modifications. Commanders will now be ranked into separate "leagues" based on their combat ability: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. These leagues are further split up into divisions, and you will be ranked within your division.

Prior to being placed in a league, you will go through 10 placement matches. Based on your performance in these matches, you will be placed in a league. After that, your division ranking and sometimes even your league placement will change based on your performance. You don't need to feel intimidated, because the system is advanced enough that it can pretty accurately place you amongst other commanders of your skill level. Every commander should have a win rate that is close to 50%.

Ladder matches will come in 4 basic flavors. 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, and 4v4. Team matches can either be done with set teams or random teams. You will be ranked individually in each of these modes. You can pick from any of the three major races or even the Random option in any of these matches.

Another important feature is the auto-replay feature. Every single match that you do is automatically recorded and stored on your hard drive. This means that you can easily study every match for flaws in your strategy or execution.

Starcraft II will also feature support for user-made maps and scenarios. Through the Starcraft Galaxy Editor, users can create custom scenarios and simulations. This editor is the most expansive and powerful editor that has ever been made available for real-time strategy simulations.

Also important to note is that if your computer is connected to the internet, you will be logged into Battle.net even if you are working through the solo modes. This means that colleagues will be able to message you regardless of what portion of the simulation you are working in.​



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You can access these recordings and replays of Starcraft II in action through your local terminal.

Note: Some videos may not be representative of the final product. During development, units and abilities were constantly changing.

OFFICIAL STARCRAFT 2 VIDEO PAGE

CINEMATIC TRAILERS
Announcement Trailer
Ghosts of the Past
TV Commercial
Zerg Reveal Trailer
Zeratul Cinematic

WINGS OF LIBERTY CAMPAIGN FOOTAGE
Return of the Zerg Story Cinematic
Raynor and Tycus Cinematic
Raynor and Zeratul Cinematic
Evacuation of Agria Gameplay
Single Commander Missions

BATTLE REPORTS
Blizzard Battle Report #1 PvT
Blizzard Battle Report #2 ZvT
Blizzard Battle Report #3 ZvP
Blizzard Battle Report #4 PvT

INTERVIEWS / PANELS
Starcraft 2 Blizzcon 09 Gameplay/Editor Panel
Starcraft 2 Blizzcon 09 Lore/Voice-Actor Panel
Starcraft 2 Fansite Q&A



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How will StarCraft II be different from StarCraft?
StarCraft II will run on a vibrant new 3D-graphics engine capable of rendering beautiful landscapes as well as massive army sizes. The speed, responsiveness, and epic-scale battles that made the original StarCraft such a memorable simulation are all realized in 3D with this brand-new engine. Blizzard is also introducing a number of distinct new units to the protoss, terran, and zerg, and some of the familiar units that return in StarCraft II will have new tricks up their sleeves, which will give the simulation its own unique flavor. The maps themselves will also offer new interactive elements that enhance the strategic nature of the simulation and create more tactical points of interest for commanders to contest. One example of this is the Xel'Naga watchtower structure—when captured, it reveals line of sight over a large area of the map, creating an advantage for the commander in control of the tower. In addition, Battle.net has been overhauled with some new and exciting features to enhance the online experience and competition, while the solo campaign will also offer some unique aspects for commanders to enjoy.

How many cinematic cut-scenes will be included?
Blizzard knows commanders will expect to see some Blizzard-quality cinematic content in the simulation, and they have definite plans to include multiple pre-rendered cinematics, starting with the intro movie. StarCraft II's advanced 3D engine also allows them to create numerous in-engine cutscenes to help tell the sector's epic story. The Blizzard cinematics team is working closely with the StarCraft II development team to ensure that these in-engine cutscenes are as enjoyable and compelling to watch as the pre-rendered cinematic scenes.

How many races are in StarCraft II?
In StarCraft II, commanders will see the return of the protoss, terran, and zerg races. They're also introducing a number of new units to each race, as well as modifying some of the familiar units returning in StarCraft II. With these design refinements and the new features they have planned for the solo and online skirmish elements of the simulation, StarCraft II will offer a next-generation StarCraft experience.

Will we still be able to do online skirmish matches of StarCraft II with all three races?
Yes! From the beginning, StarCraft II will be a fully featured simulation, and all three races will be available for competition.

How will the expansion sets impact the online skirmish matches?
The expansion sets will add new content to each race for use in online skirmish matches. This could include additions such as new units, abilities, and structures, along with new maps and Battle.net updates.

If I buy StarCraft II but don't buy any of the expansion sets, will I still be able to participate online?
Yes. This will work similarly to Warcraft III and the original StarCraft, which maintained separate online lobbies and ladders for expansion set commanders and commanders with the base Warcraft III or StarCraft.

How long are each of the campaigns?
StarCraft II's terran campaign will consist of approximately 26 to 30 missions, and each expansion set will include a similar number of missions. This means that the complete StarCraft II Trilogy will include as many as 90 solo missions. This allows them to create a truly epic story experience with a great variety of unique missions.

Why did they decide to release each race's campaign separately?
They're aiming to push the boundaries of storytelling and character development in RTS simulations through the unique solo campaign design of StarCraft II. Commanders will be able to choose their mission path and technology upgrades for their army as they advance through the campaign. In order to make these choices meaningful while creating an epic story and well-developed characters for each faction, they felt they needed to focus on a single race for a large number of missions. The Trilogy also allows them to create more cinematics to tell the story in between missions. There will be more interactive sets and elements for commanders to explore during each campaign, along with other interesting design elements to differentiate the solo campaign from online skirmish matches. For example, the technology choices within the terran solo campaign will include special upgrades and unit types that are unique to the solo campaign. These could include the ability to purchase classic units such as the wraith or firebat to add to Jim Raynor's army.

Are these three separate products? How much will all of these cost?
The StarCraft II Trilogy will consist of the base StarCraft II simulation and two expansion sets. Pricing on these expansions hasn't been determined at this early stage; however, they've always charged an appropriate price for the content the commanders receive, and they will continue to release high-quality simulations that offer great value.

How long will it take to ship each expansion set in the Trilogy?
It's too early to provide an estimate on how long it will take to develop each of the expansion sets in the trilogy, but as always, they will take as much time as is needed to create the best possible simulation experience with each expansion set.

Will we still be able to play the original StarCraft on Battle.net after StarCraft II is released?
Yes, you will.

What steps are being taken to prevent cheating in online skirmish matches?
They don't want to tip their hand to the people who may try to cheat on Battle.net, so they couldn't go into too much detail, but security is one of their top priorities as they redesign and overhaul Battle.net, and they will take every precaution to ensure fairness in their online simulations.

Will there be a console version of StarCraft II?
StarCraft II is being developed for Windows and Mac. They have no current plans to bring the simulation to any console platform.​



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GameTrailers.com said:
If judged solely on its failure to resolve its story, Wings of Liberty could have been a disappointment. But with a production so carefully thought out, masterfully designed, and flawlessly executed, it's impossible to come away from the game with a negative impression. Starcraft II is the sequel that we've been waiting for.

Giant Bomb said:
StarCraft II expertly walks the line between remaining faithful to its design legacy and evolving everything about itself that can evolve without fundamentally changing what the game is. I'm so enamored with it that this review is now officially getting in the way of playing more of it, so I'll just say in closing that anyone with even a passing interest in real-time strategy games should absolutely give Wings of Liberty a look. There's a good reason the original StarCraft persisted for over a decade, and its sequel is fully equipped to pick up the torch and carry on for at least as long.



 

ZealousD

Makes world leading predictions like "The sun will rise tomorrow"
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STARCRAFT 1 BONUS MAPS

STUKOV TRILOGY
These missions are considered to be canon. Unbeknownst to many, Stukov's fate at the end of Brood War isn't quite what it appeared to be.

1. Deception - Download all maps on this page at once to access. This map briefly hints on Stukov, but does not make him a major plot issue.
2. Mercenaries II - Download all maps on this page at once to access. Stukov is part of the story line of this map, but is not a visible unit.
3. Ressurection IV - Previously available only as a secret mission in Starcraft 64. Remade for Brood War. You can download either the solo or co-op version at the bottom of this page. Stukov is a major part of the plot in this mission, and can be interacted with. If you download only one map from this trilogy, download this one.

Precursor Campaign
Download these missions to experience the events of the original Starcraft demo. These missions take place before the events of the first Terran campaign.

Enslavers Bonus Campaign
This bonus campaign is available to commanders with both Starcraft and Starcraft: Brood War.

Unused Missions
Two missions were cut from the original Terran SC1 campaign. You can view these missions HERE and HERE. Also included in this package are a couple of other incomplete maps.



AVATARS

To make a claim on an avatar, simply post "claimed", followed by the name of the avatar you've claimed. EX. "Claimed Archon". The avatar will eventually be removed from the list.

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CONCEPT ART




WALLPAPERS



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The depth and complexity of Starcraft has created a lot of jargon. If you need help sorting through the talk between other commanders, consult this list.

# POOL - eg 6 Pool, 13 Pool, etc. The number of drones made before building a Spawning Pool. Variants of this term extend to other races and situations, eg 10 Depot, 9 Pylon, 10 Rax Reaper, etc.

_v_ - Refers to possible race matchups. eg, TvZ = Terran vs Zerg. PvP = Protoss vs Protoss. 4v4 = 4 players vs 4 other players.

1/1/1 - A specific Terran "build order". 1 barracks into 1 factory into 1 starport.

APM - Actions Per Minute. The number of clicks and button presses that a commander performs in a single minute. Used as a measurement of a commander's speed.

BC - Battlecruiser.

BIO - Biological units. Usually in reference to Terran units that come out of the barracks.

BL - Brood Lord.

BM - Bad Manners. Can refer to "rage quitting", insulting an opponent, etc.

BUILD ORDER - The set order and timing as to when certain structures and units are built.

BW - Brood War, the expansion set to the original Starcraft.

CC - Command Center or Cybernetics Core.

CHEESE - High risk/reward early game strategies, sometimes viewed as unorthodox. Most successful against novices. If a cheese strategy fails, then the commander executing the cheese usually loses. eg. Photon Cannon rushes, "Proxy" Gateways, "6 pool", etc.

CRACKLINGS - Zerglings with the attack speed upgrade.

DANCING - A "micro" technique. Refers to attacking a unit, moving away, attacking, moving back, attacking, moving back, etc. Meant to maximize the damage given to the enemy while minimizing the damage received. May also refer to "getting down with it", or "doing a little jig".

DT - Dark Templar

ECONOMY - The health of a commander's resource collection. A commander with good economy generally has lots of workers mining resources.

EXPO - Expansion. An additional base that is built to improve a commander's economy.

FE - Fast Expand. A strategy of building a mining expansion very early into the match. Most commonly associated with Zerg.

FF - Force Field.

FFA - Free For All. Matches with multiple participants where every commander is fighting against every other commander.

GG - Good Game. Most often said by a commander when he concedes the match. If one does not declare "GG" before leaving a match, or says it first when not intending to concede, it can be considered "BM", or rude.

GL HF - Good Luck, Have Fun. A common greeting at the beginning of a match.

HARASSMENT - Using hit-and-run attacks to damage, but not intend to destroy, an opponent. Important units and structures are generally the target of harassment the most. For example, a commander might "harass" an enemy by sending mutalisks to destroy a player's workers.

HATCH - Hatchery.

HT / HIGH TEMPS - High Templar.

HYDRAS - Hydralisks.

KEKEKEKE - A Korean laugh. Generally used for humor, often associated with zerg rushes.

LINGS - Zerglings.

LOTS - Zealots.

MACRO - Actions performed by the commander that is centered around their base. "Macro" actions include things such as building units, building structures, researching upgrades, expanding, etc. A commander with good macro manages their resources well.

MACRO MECHANICS - The specific macro-related abilities that each race in the game has. The Zerg Queen, Protoss Chrono Boost, Terran Orbital Command.

MBS - Multiple Building Select. A new feature in Starcraft 2, which allows you to select multiple buildings at a time to enable faster unit building.

MECH - Mechanical units. Usually in reference to Terran units that come out of the factory.

MELEE - The standard Starcraft II game type. Uses the default units and starting conditions.

MICRO - Actions performed by a commander when they are controlling their army. Micro actions include focus firing, "dancing", getting units into position, "harassment", etc. A commander with good "micro" generally gets to most out of their units.

MMM - Marines, Marauders, and Medivacs. Common strategy of using a mass of basic Terran infantry units with healing and mobility backup from medivacs.

MUTAS - Mutalisks.

NATURAL (EXPANSION) - The closest possible expansion to your base. Most expand to their natural first as it is the easiest type of expansion to defend.

PROXY - Building structures close to your enemy, usually far away from your main base. In the early game, it allows faster rushing, but is more risky if the rush fails. Protoss may build "proxy" pylons close to an enemy to allow for faster warp ins.

RAX / RACKS - Barracks.

RINES - Marines.

ROBO - Robotics Bay.

RUSH - Making a quick attack, intending to kill an opponent before they build up to higher tier units.

SIMCITY - Building placement when concerned with large numbers of buildings. A commander with a good "sim city" will place his many buildings intelligently. Reference to the Maxis game of the same name, where you would be the creator of your own metropolis.

SPEEDLINGS - Zerglings with the speed upgrade.

TC - Twilight Council

TD - Tower Defense. A common UMS map-type.

TIMING PUSH - A vague term. Generally refers to pushing out with your army when your opponent is weak, maybe due to the fact that they are teching or expanding.

TL - Team Liquid. A well-known professional/high-level Starcraft community.

ULTRAS - Ultralisks.

UMS - Use Map Settings. Refers to custom made maps that feature unique simulation types beyond the standard melee-type game.

WALL OFF - The strategy of building structures and units at your base's choke point to help guard against early rushes. For Terran, this usually means 2 supply depots with a barracks. For Protoss, this usually means making the choke even smaller with structures and then closing the choke with zealots in the hold position.


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ZealousD

Makes world leading predictions like "The sun will rise tomorrow"
The StarCraft 2 Complaint Dep't

Okay, so we know you're dying to share your complaints about Starcraft 2 before you even get a chance to play. The thing is, we've heard all this stuff before. Before you start complaining about this or that, consult this handy list and save us the trouble. Each complaint will also come with an appropriate response, which might be satisfactory for you. If you go and post a complaint about the game and it's on this list, you'll find that most of us are already tired of hearing what you have to say. We've discussed these issues ad naseum already.

COMPLAINT: StarCraft 2 is ignoring years of RTS innovation. It doesn't have feature X, Y, or Z! The StarCraft design is old! It's just like the original game!
RESPONSE: So lots of people have been playing recent RTS games which seem to be following a trend. Macromanagement, ie resources, base construction, etc seem to be deemphasized while micromanagement, ie unit control, is emphasized. There's nothing that's wrong with this trend necessarily, it's just different play styles. But don't confuse this recent trend with "evolution". Lots of people really like macromanagement. In fact, this recent trend seems to be decreasing sales of RTS games more than anything. Notice how C&C4 was so much less well-received than C&C3? C&C4 fell into the trap of drastically changing its gameplay to a micromanagement style and it suffered for it. You may also be saying StarCraft 2 is of an old design because it doesn't implement a fairly new but cool feature in other recent RTS games. Now keep in mind, Blizzard isn't stupid or blind. Blizzard hasn't necessarily ignored the past 10 years of RTS change. But Blizzard may feel that certain features aren't appropriate for StarCraft or the direction they want to go. StarCraft is meant to be an exciting, fast-paced RTS that emphasizes both Macro and Micro in such a way that a wide skill gap can be created, which would make the game particularly good for e-sports. Everything StarCraft 2 does, it does for a reason. Further, any complaints about StarCraft 2 not being "sequel" enough are complaints born out of first glances. The single-player has received a massive restructuring, interface and control mechanics have received numerous changes, and while the multiplayer unit composition and tech trees are similar to the StarCraft 1 counterparts, there are definitely numerous changes and new mechanics that give StarCraft 2 its own identity and distinct feel. There are more changes and improvements to StarCraft 2 that justify it as a sequel than what passes for sequel for MOST games nowadays.

COMPLAINT: You can still rush in this game!? But I hate rushing!
RESPONSE: The possibility of rushes make matches more exciting, especially for e-sports. StarCraft 2 would be boring as an e-sport if you had to watch players sit around and build stuff for 10-15 minutes before doing anything. Rushes are hard to deal with when you're first learning, but once you get acquainted with the idea you'll like the fact that you can be attacked at any point. Just remember that no rush is unbeatable.

COMPLAINT: Why are we only getting a third of the game! This trilogy business is stupid!
RESPONSE: Okay, yes, each product has a different campaign, and Starcraft originally had 3 campaigns per set. But the campaigns in StarCraft 2 are much more massive than those in StarCraft 1. Each campaign in the original game was maybe 9-10 missions long, with little variety between missions. Each campaign in Starcraft 2 is around 25-30 missions, with tons of mission variety, and lots of stuff outside of the missions, like walking around in the Hyperion or researching upgrades and tech choices. The time it takes to complete a single campaign in StarCraft 2 will take just as long as it took to complete 3 campaigns in StarCraft 1. The only real difference here is that the single player races will be spread differently and we're getting one extra expansion pack. And yes, Heart of the Swarm and Legacy of the Void really are expansion packs and will be priced accordingly.

COMPLAINT: Why doesn't StarCraft 2 offer LAN support?
RESPONSE: Blizzard's done this for several reasons, but it's more to protect themselves than anything. Disabling LAN support reduces piracy and gives them greater control over e-sports. It's not ideal for customers, but it is what it is. Maybe they'll enable it for the expansion packs, there's certainly been enough complaints.

COMPLAINT: No chat rooms? Why!?
RESPONSE: Well, there are chat rooms... sorta. You can form chat rooms between friends through "conversations". The only real difference is that you have to have to be invited into these chats and you don't automatically join one of these rooms when you log in. Also, Blizzard has stated that due to fan feedback, they will be adding chat channels in a future patch.

COMPLAINT: What's with the region locking?
RESPONSE: Blizzard has region locked the multiplayer component to greater control their pricing structures. Different regions of the world are getting different pricing options, and Blizzard wants to ensure that people don't end up buying a different client of the game in order to save money. Blizzard has said that they are looking into options for allowing cross-region play, but it's likely the structure won't be free.

COMPLAINT: $60?!?!
RESPONSE: Okay, yeah, this kinda sucks. I would have preferred $50, too. If you don't think the game is worth $60, don't buy it. But lots of people are perfectly willing to pay $60 for a product that's as high quality as StarCraft 2, so just leave the rest of us alone about it.

COMPLAINT: What's this I hear about your real name being required on the battle.net forums?!
RESPONSE: Blizzard had previously decided that your full first and last name would be required to post on the StarCraft 2 and WoW forums, but they cancelled this policy after fan feedback. If you're still hearing this, you've been misinformed.
 
Dear Blizzard,

I know you read GAF and I'm wondering if you can nerf terran please. They're more overpowered than paladins

Sincerely, Everyone
 

ZealousD

Makes world leading predictions like "The sun will rise tomorrow"
Starcraft 2 Official Thread - The Abridged Version

It comes out July 27th for PC and Mac.

Blizzard made it.

It's good.
 

Thorhald

Member
so can you download the game now even if you aren't getting the digital copy version, or will that not work, and I have to wait to install my hard copy?
 

fatty

Member
Great OP. It's finally almost here.

Now it is my mission to finally beat that last bonus Zerg mission from SC before SC2 comes out, but boy it is a tough one.
 

~Kinggi~

Banned
Got the CE preordered on Amazon. Cant believe its next week. Im mainly gonna be playing for the campaign and single player skirmish shit. Im not a big multiplayer gamer, but i may give it a shot. I figure this game is so insanely competitive i wont stand a chance.
 

ZealousD

Makes world leading predictions like "The sun will rise tomorrow"
Here's the Wall of Shame from the beta thread.

wallofshame.jpg


Hazaro wins... by a single post!
 

-tetsuo-

Unlimited Capacity
Ill try the beta out again. I never thought that I wouldn't really care for it but Relic has ruined this type of RTS for me it seems :(
 

Kryor

Neo Member
stalkerportrait_static.jpg


Claimed! Thanks a lot, looking forward to the 27th

EDIT: Damn someone got it before me :lol

Claiming this one instead:

marineportrait_static.jpg
 

Instro

Member
Im in, I enjoyed what I played of the beta, which wasnt a ton but I got in a good amount of matches. Better to save most of my playtime for the actual game.

Im holding off on the digital version just in case a nice deal pops up somewhere next week.

On a related note: Claimed
ghostportrait_static.jpg
 
Gravijah said:
adjutantportrait_static.jpg


CLAIMED! No idea WTF that is, all I know is it looks cool. :lol
Oh my, that looks exactly like those half-built real dolls from that thread...

Ill try the beta out again. I never thought that I wouldn't really care for it but Relic has ruined this type of RTS for me it seems :(
TOO LATE!

I played one last game today and managed to beat a Terran. Went hardcore Stargate rush and then tech hopped to 7gate and a prism while he massed vikings. I actually felt guilty for how lazy it is to dupe someone like that.
 

JdFoX187

Banned
OP of the fucking forever?

Played through the original StarCraft when it originally came out and I'm definitely looking forward to this. Amazon even bumped my CE shipping up to one-day after I got Prime. Had that puppy preordered for months now.
 

ZealousD

Makes world leading predictions like "The sun will rise tomorrow"
Fucking a'.

I forgot about the forum automatically resizing avatars if the width is under 90 pixels.

Anybody that's claimed one of the OT avatars should probably remove them for now. I'll get them fixed and reuploaded in a minute.
 

Johann

Member
Great opening. I think you should add that Warcraft 3 was $60 when it was released.

Gravijah said:
adjutantportrait_static.jpg


CLAIMED! No idea WTF that is, all I know is it looks cool. :lol

It's an Adjutant, which is basically an animatronic advisor for the Terrans. I think they are also used for the Science Vessel.
 
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