Software, Computers, Video Games and D&D UtilitiesGeneral discussion on computer software and hardware, PC and console games, and RPG utilities such as eTools, PC GEN, etc.
Anyhow, I hope they go all out with StarCraft II. If they give it the trademark style of graphics, but at the top end, with good maps, it will rock. If you look at some of the games these days like Company of Heroes and Supreme Commander, you can see some of the possibilities for how far advanced SC II will be over the original. Most importantly though, to live up to the original, it will have to be perfectly balanced, and scale up to zillions of units. I am really looking forward to the story of the campaign. Hopefully they will make it a long one.
__________________ -Kaodi
Good name in man and woman, dear my lord,
Is the immediate jewel of their souls.
Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something, nothing;
'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands;
But he that filches from me my good name
Robs me of that which not enriches him
And makes me poor indeed.
-Iago, Shakespeare's Othello, Act III. Scene III. Lines 180-186.
The Gaming Steve Podcast (run by Stephen Glicker, who has a lot of friends at Blizzard) has indeed confirmed that Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3 are being made. But considering how Blizzard completely scrapped Starcraft: Ghost, nothing is certain. They're making such a mint on WoW that none of this stuff has to come out until it's perfect.
Anyhow, I hope they go all out with StarCraft II. If they give it the trademark style of graphics, but at the top end, with good maps, it will rock.
Don't count on it--and I'm happy about that. Blizzard traditionally makes games that are playable on low-end systems. I hope they'll continue to do so, so that poor gamers like me can join in the fun.
Is Starcraft: Ghost really scrapped? I thought it was just endlessly delayed, another long Blizzard tradition.
Daniel
__________________ Everything's better with monkeys!
-Hypersmurf
The Gaming Steve Podcast (run by Stephen Glicker, who has a lot of friends at Blizzard) has indeed confirmed that Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3 are being made. But considering how Blizzard completely scrapped Starcraft: Ghost, nothing is certain. They're making such a mint on WoW that none of this stuff has to come out until it's perfect.
Stracraft 2 and Diablo 3 are really no-brainers. It is highly unlikely that it will be cancelled.
As for Starcraft: Ghost, it is a little less surprising -- Blizzard has not been in the console business for many years, and the new generation is now here (Ps3/Xbox360), which makes releasing their game much more difficult.
I fully epect Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3 to finish their development normally.
Fortunately, Blizzard is know for releasing relatively bug-free and polished games, so it should be good.
Unfortunately, Blizzard is know for releasing relatively bug-free and polished games, so it should be another 2 years before we see these games.
~Le
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On that note, I hope Starcraft 2 is better than Warcraft 3, which I thought stunk.
Very much so. Too bad, WC3 was/is very successful... I sure hope they realize, that it would have been twice as successful, if it was more like Starcraft.
Bye
Thanee
__________________
In our world, immortality is not for the living. The legend lives on!
In Memoriam Dave Arneson ( April 7th, 2009) & Gary Gygax ( March 4th, 2008).
Wondering what the Dungeon Tiles are like? Take a look here (up to DU5 Sinister Woods).
Very much so. Too bad, WC3 was/is very successful... I sure hope they realize, that it would have been twice as successful, if it was more like Starcraft.
Bye
Thanee
Well, it's really a matter of perception. I don't think WC3 would have been as successful if "Blizzard" was not attached to it.
I think as a RPG/RTS hybrid, Warcraft3 very much succeeds. The problem is that WC3 fails as an RPG or RTS seperately. I have always believed that WC3 was designed as a platform to help push World of Warcraft -- essentially Blizzard "sold out" to push WoW.
I am sure this won't happen with Starcraft 3, which I actually hope stays in 2d.
`LE
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Well, it's really a matter of perception. I don't think WC3 would have been as successful if "Blizzard" was not attached to it.
I think as a RPG/RTS hybrid, Warcraft3 very much succeeds. The problem is that WC3 fails as an RPG or RTS seperately. I have always believed that WC3 was designed as a platform to help push World of Warcraft -- essentially Blizzard "sold out" to push WoW.
Considering Blizzard killed a Warcarft adventure game to prevent it from harming the license, I'm not sure that I'd accept that WC3 was simply pushed out the door to sell an MMORPG two and a half years later. Certainly, it appears that you're in the minority in thinking that WC3 wasn't a very good game.
__________________ "I'd say it's more appropriate to say that videogames are RPG-ish, wouldn't you?"
or our older WizarDru's Story Hour? You Should.
I ain't linking to Piratecat's story hour...no sir, I just won't do it. He can just get the next half-million reads on his own.
Did I mention that I have a Livejournal? It's possible that I have.
Considering Blizzard killed a Warcarft adventure game to prevent it from harming the license, I'm not sure that I'd accept that WC3 was simply pushed out the door to sell an MMORPG two and a half years later. Certainly, it appears that you're in the minority in thinking that WC3 wasn't a very good game.
Hey, I think it's a fine game, but I just don't think it was as good as Starcraft or as revolutionary as Warcraft II.
Did I like it? Not really, no. The single player campaign was fun enough, but the multiplayer sucked and the upkeep limit was very anti-starcarft. All all the emphasis on heroes was just blah. I have no idea what the game was like now, but when I played you pretty much lost the game once your heroes died.
Now don't get me wrong, WC3 was in development for a long time. I believe that it Started out as a true sequel to WC2. However, the overall story arc and feel of the game definitely feels more like a prequel to World of Warcraft than a sequel to Warcraft 2.
And once again, I don't think it would have sold as well or would have gotten as good reviews if it did not have the "Blizzard" logo on it.
I'll take Warcraft 2 and Starcraft anyday over the hero-fest that is WC3.
Not that it matters... I am mostly playing Diablo 2 and World of Warcraft these days.
`Le
__________________ My Shameless Advertisement:
(d20) Unorthodox Pirates! (d20) Unorthodox Sorcerers! (d20) The Dragonlord Monk! (d20) Unorthodox Paladins! (d20) New Ranger Spells! (d20) Sexy covers! Available now!
Well, consider that if StarCraft II had graphics that were top end today, by the time they were released they would be low end. Your point is well taken however. Something Blizzard has been really good at in WarCraft II, StarCraft and WarCraft III (and probably WoW) is making games that have graphics that are still aesthetically pleasing on some level. Yes, they're dated, but they still look good. Anyway, I can't wait until they finally show us the first details and screens for StarCraft II... I wouldn't be surprised if it is the most highly anticipated RTS, ever.
__________________ -Kaodi
Good name in man and woman, dear my lord,
Is the immediate jewel of their souls.
Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something, nothing;
'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands;
But he that filches from me my good name
Robs me of that which not enriches him
And makes me poor indeed.
-Iago, Shakespeare's Othello, Act III. Scene III. Lines 180-186.
Just curious, as I'm not a MMORPG player (somehow, the idea of plunking down money for software followed by monthy fees to play when I have limited play time bothers me) -- why is it that DDO seems to be doing so poorly? I'd think with the D&D name, it would have a real shot at success?
__________________ "The Soul of D&D?It's rolling a natural 20 when you're down to 3 hit points and the cleric's on the floor and you're staring that sunnavabitch bugbear right in his bloodshot eye and holding the line just long enough to let the wizard unleash a fireball at the guards who are on their way, because they're all that stands between you, the Foozle and Glory." - WizarDru
Just curious, as I'm not a MMORPG player (somehow, the idea of plunking down money for software followed by monthy fees to play when I have limited play time bothers me) -- why is it that DDO seems to be doing so poorly? I'd think with the D&D name, it would have a real shot at success?
First off, there is alot of teamwork required in the game. That itself makes the game less accessable to casual games. This is also it's strength however.
Next, it has some mighty stiff competition with Guild Wars, World of Warcraft, and Everquest.
Finally, this review excerpt is probably the most telling reason:
"Unfortunately, there isn't a lot to do while waiting to get in a group for a dungeon. There's no crafting, no player-versus-player combat, no random monsters to beat up, and no auction house. This is true to D&D -- I won't deny that. But in an MMO environment, it can lead to a lot of thumb twiddling. There really is nothing to do. You can turn in some dungeon drops to collectors (more on that in a minute), repair your gear, sell your spoils of war to a vendor, and look for more quests. Other than that, there isn't really any actual game to play. You can't go into a dungeon on your own, unless it's small and you're at least one level above the requirement. But in this situation, it's over quickly and you don't get a lot of experience points. D&D's party- and dungeon-oriented system just doesn't slide smoothly into the MMO model."
It's more than polish, it certainly isn't the art (cartoony art direction in WoW was a smokescreen to reduce system requirements)...
While I certainly won't argue that WoW's cartoony art direction helps reduce the system requirements on my older system, Guild Wars has very non-cartoony yet still beautiful graphics and runs just as well on my system as WoW does.
I'm not sure how the latter was done, but it probably shouldn't come as a surprise that Anet correctly took the same path as Blizzard did in regards to the lower system requirements to allow more people to play comfortably. After all, Jeff Strain, one of Anet's co-founders, was one of WoW's lead designers.
-G
__________________ - What's the difference between roast beef and pea soup? Anyone can roast beef...
- Two wrongs don't make a right, but two Wrights do make an airplane.
No danger of that. The first expansion for WoW is due out this fall, but it's just bumping up the level cap and adding some new areas/content. Blizzard is talking about making one expansion a year to follow up. So I don't see a WoW 2 for a minimum of 3-5 yrs.
It turns out that the expansion has just been delayed from November 2006 to January 2007.
-G
__________________ - What's the difference between roast beef and pea soup? Anyone can roast beef...
- Two wrongs don't make a right, but two Wrights do make an airplane.
However, it is more than a coincidence that the press release came out right before the release of their WoW card game.
I suspect they didn't want to leech off of card game sales.
So you believe that Blizzard, who is now more financially secure than they've ever been, would do short-shrift to their runaway blockbuster online game that has nearly 7 million active subscribers across several continents for a licensed TCG product that, while it will certainly proved popular, is several orders of magnitude smaller in customer base, product reach and overall sales? Considering Blizzard has already killed two games just to protect their licenses, I think it's much more likely they decided the product wasn't ready...especially with the changes they've decided to make to the Blood Elves. I doubt Upper Deck pressured them into delaying their software for a licensed product, but YMMV.
__________________ "I'd say it's more appropriate to say that videogames are RPG-ish, wouldn't you?"
or our older WizarDru's Story Hour? You Should.
I ain't linking to Piratecat's story hour...no sir, I just won't do it. He can just get the next half-million reads on his own.
Did I mention that I have a Livejournal? It's possible that I have.
So you believe that Blizzard, who is now more financially secure than they've ever been, would do short-shrift to their runaway blockbuster online game that has nearly 7 million active subscribers across several continents for a licensed TCG product that, while it will certainly proved popular, is several orders of magnitude smaller in customer base, product reach and overall sales? Considering Blizzard has already killed two games just to protect their licenses, I think it's much more likely they decided the product wasn't ready...especially with the changes they've decided to make to the Blood Elves. I doubt Upper Deck pressured them into delaying their software for a licensed product, but YMMV.
Stop using your logic to deflate peoples intricate and far more interesting conspiracy theories. Next thing you'll be telling us that Aliens weren't behind the Pearl Harbour attack.
__________________ "We are all Individuals! They chanted in unison...
Stop using your logic to deflate peoples intricate and far more interesting conspiracy theories. Next thing you'll be telling us that Aliens weren't behind the Pearl Harbour attack.
Who Sent YOU?!?! It was them, wasn't it?!?
[drops phone and runs....]
__________________ "I'd say it's more appropriate to say that videogames are RPG-ish, wouldn't you?"
or our older WizarDru's Story Hour? You Should.
I ain't linking to Piratecat's story hour...no sir, I just won't do it. He can just get the next half-million reads on his own.
Did I mention that I have a Livejournal? It's possible that I have.
It's more than polish, it certainly isn't the art (cartoony art direction in WoW was a smokescreen to reduce system requirements)...
Yeah, it's a smokescreen to have WoW characters look like Warcraft series characters, when clearly, the way to continue a franchise is to jettison the art style of a game series that has sold more than 10 million boxes to date.
I know. I'm contemplating moving my toons from Kul Tiras to a RP server for that reason. I can't take anymore chuck norris chat over the LFG channel.
We get a little of that still on Silver Hand, but as a general rule, if you leave the General channel, life on an RP server is a much better experience than general or PvP servers.
Very much so. Too bad, WC3 was/is very successful... I sure hope they realize, that it would have been twice as successful, if it was more like Starcraft.
The world has enough StarCraft clones already. Blizzard doesn't need to make one.
Warcraft III -- with a team that started with the Brood War team -- had to be something different, just for the sake of the programmers' sanity.
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