StarCraft 2 Q&A; Sessions Discover the latest updates in the StarCraft 2 development phase by reading the Battle.Net Q&A; Sessions. Each week Blizzard Entertainment brings us a new set of questions and answers from the community plus announcements on changes in the development path. More >
Terran Gameplay Video! Blizzard Entertainment released a brand new gameplay video from StarCraft 2, featuring the Terran race and its new units and buildings. Don't miss it! More >
Unreal Tournament 3 Play the UT3 beta demo with all your friends, awesome!
Interview: Lead Designer Check out GameSpy's exclusive talk with StarCraft 2's Lead Designer Dustin Browder.
BlizzCon Retrospective Relive the revelry of BlizzCon 2007, or experience it for the first time, with Blizzard's new video trailer of the event. This video captures the sensory impressions and experiences of being at BlizzCon as well as the atmosphere of fun and camaraderie that was the true lifeblood of the show.
1. What helps to delineate the Thor and Battlecruiser as both being high-tier support units? Lots of concern over this duality?
Currently, the Thor has splash damage, whereas the Battlecruiser has direct damage in its attack. We definitely agree with most of the community that the Thors role overlaps with various other roles on the Terran Faction, thus we may modify that role or possibly cut the unit.
Tuesday, 9 October, 2007 – Planet Starcraft News
Fan Site Interviews Chris Metzen of Blizzard[ Comment ] 22:05 PST | Rylin | Print News | Category: StarCraft 2SC:Legacy recently had the chance to interview Chris Metzen, Blizzard's Vice President of Creative Development on some pressing questions regarding the lore behind the StarCraft series. Some of which include Selendis, the newly-elected Executor of the Protoss Fleet and the hinted fate of Tassadar.
You referred to Tassadar as a "twilight messiah" during the lore panel on BlizzCon - is there ever a chance of seeing his return in some form or another?
What goes around comes around. You know our Blizzard heroes: they roll back from the brink of death more often than the original X-Men. Seriously, though – given what the Khala is, and some of the other upcoming themes we’ve devised – it’s probable that Tassadar’s spirit is out there somewhere. However, I wouldn’t count on his pulling a "Medivh" any time soon... (if ever).
Battle.net Q&A; Session 16 Notes Upgraded Bunker[ Comment ] 14:37 PST | TheAcolyte | Print News | Category: StarCraft 2 - Battle.netThe sixteenth StarCraft 2 Q&A; session brings us six more answered questions on the Terran, the Protoss, and general game matters. Additionally, Karune brings us the announcement from the development team that Terran Bunkers have been increased in both map size and hit points, making the structure a more powerful tool for defense.
1. Does the Time Bomb ability of the Mothership stop a Nuclear Missile (just like other missiles) when used on the area where the Nuclear Missile is about to explode?
The Time Bomb ability of the Mothership is designed to stop a Nuclear Missile if used at the right time, making a powerful counter in the hands of a skilled Protoss Player. This ability has still yet to go through the needed balance to make sure this is not over powering, but it is our intention to try and get that ability in the final version as designed.
Halloween 2007 Pumpkin Carving Contest[ Comment ] 9:18 PST | TheAcolyte | Print News | Category: General Blizzard NewsBlizzard Entertainment announced this year's Pumpkin Carving Contest, which happens to be the fifth of its kind. Carve away and submit photographs of your creations based on the StarCraft, Warcraft, and Diablo game series for a chance to win one of ten Logitech G51 Surround Sound speaker systems, suitable for all your gaming and multimedia needs.
Between 12:00 a.m. PDT on October 5 and 12:00 a.m. PDT on October 29, the RPSA will be accepting submissions for the World of Warcraft Pumpkin Contest. The shutterbugs who submit the most outstanding photos of their work will have their pictures proudly displayed on WorldofWarcraft.com and Blizzard.com on Halloween. In addition, the ten most interesting, original, and well-carved pumpkin designs will be recognized for their merits with a pair of Logitech 51 Surround Sound Speaker System designed specifically for gamers. Special thanks go out to Logitech for these prizes!
Carrier Has Arrived[ Comment ] 9:12 PST | TheAcolyte | Print News | Category: StarCraft 2Blizzard Entertainment's web team added a new StarCraft 2 Unit Special to the game's official site for the Protoss Carrier. The new and improved version is thinner with a more menacing appearance than the ship from the original game.
Interceptors are automatically manufactured and serviced inside the carriers’ bays, and a number of prepped interceptors can be launched in rapid succession. In battle, carriers appear to be virtual hornets’ nests of activity as their agile offspring dart out to launch their attacks and retreat just as rapidly to repair any damage they sustain. Terran scientists have long yearned for an opportunity to study just how the smoothly orchestrated operations of a carrier are achieved in detail.
Along with the featurette, we are treated two three new screenshots and two new concept artwork pieces.
Blizzard Launches New Support Web Site[ Comment ] 15:10 PST | TheAcolyte | Print News | Category: General Blizzard NewsBlizzard Entertainment opened a new Technical Support web site for its games, providing a convenient and searchable format organized by its game universes. The new system organizes support issues in a frequently asked questions category format and most answers provide detailed responses and solutions.
Unfortunately, at this point it appears that getting to patch information on the new support interface takes a little effort. Rather than linking to patch information on each game title's support home, it takes a search.
Battle.net Q&A; Session 15 Reveals Starbase Removed[ Comment ] 12:32 PST | TheAcolyte | Print News | Category: StarCraft 2 - Battle.netThe StarCraft 2 development team decided to axe the Starbase building upgrade for the Terran Starport, Karune revealed in the latest Battle.net StarCraft 2 Q&A; session. The extra upgrades provided by the Starbase instead now require a Tech Lab add-on building to the Starport. This marks an interesting departure from the trend toward direct building upgrade in StarCraft 2, as the Starport was one of the few buildings for which this was the case.
The fifteenth Q&A; session focuses primarily on the Terran race, confirming that the Command Center cannot be mobilized once it is upgraded to a Surveillance Station (or Planetary Fortress) and revealing that Ghosts can simultaneously call a Drop Pad and launch a Nuke. A Protoss-centered answer indicates that caster units such as High Templar still lack a standard attack in StarCraft 2.
StarCraft 2 Battlecruiser Special Added[ 1 Comment ] 10:59 PST | TheAcolyte | Print News | Category: StarCraft 2The official StarCraft 2 product web site now features a new Terran Unit special, highlighting the new and improved Battlecruiser mega-ship. The feature profile shows the new Plasma Torpedoes special attack, which is essentially an array of high-powered phasers, as well as the beautiful new animation for the Yamato Cannon.
The old Behemoth-class battlecruiser has proven to be an enduring design when kept up to date with periodic upgrades. Even the more modern Hercules- and Minotaur-class ships have retained the distinctive hammerhead shape which so defines the classic terran battlecruiser. Research has led to the development of two alternative weapon upgrades that can be retrofitted into a battlecruiser hull to supplement its already formidable armament.
Recap on StarCraft: Ghost on "5th Anniversary"[ Comment ] 23:15 PST | TheAcolyte | Print News | Category: StarCraft: GhostIn reverence to the game announcement's fifth anniversary, BlizzPlanet offers up a feature touching at the heart of all the fans crushed when Blizzard Entertainment shelved the StarCraft: Ghost project. The brief article recaps some key moments and interviews, including a quoted explanation for why the project was cancelled.
Instead of the console game that kept looking better and better, Blizzard Entertainment and Pocket Books released the novel Nova based on the main character and the storyline meant for the game. BlizzPlanet's feature suggests that a sequel to the novel may be in the works.
The StarCraft II team is looking for an artist specializing in the design and creation of user interface art. This artist will conceive and create in-game background screens, UI containers/borders, item icons, command card buttons, unit wireframes, etc. While his or her focus will be on 2D concept and asset creation for the UI, the successful candidate may also contribute to the creation of 3D models and textures for both UI and game elements if they have the talents and interest to do so.
StarCraft Board Game Interview[ Comment ] 23:00 PST | TheAcolyte | Print News | Category: StarCraft - General Blizzard News - StarCraft 2GameShark interviewed Fantasy Flight Games on StarCraft: The Board Game, produced in partnership with Blizzard Entertainment. The feature discusses the gameplay design, the challenges of recreating the game universe in board game form, attracting gamers back to the traditional format, and the future of the StarCraft franchise.
Looking over the rules to StarCraft, the game was clearly designed with the StarCraft world in mind. How did you match up strictly board game mechanics with real-time strategy concepts and what are your feelings on illuminating theme and meaning in the structure of board game rules? How do you feel that board game design presents a different set of challenges in this regard as opposed to electronic game design?
Since StarCraft has such an amazing back story it was important for us that the theme was very central to the game. Each of the three races plays very differently and uses the same strengths and weaknesses that they have in the video game. When creating a board game, our objective was to capture the theme and feel of the beloved video game while not emulating the game 1 for 1. A computer game like StarCraft keeps track of so much information, that it would be impossible to emulate with physical components. We therefore had to create innovative mechanics that simplified while emulating the StarCraft video game. For example, instead of creating a real time board game, we created an innovative order system that simulated this by having players plan many actions at once.
Fantasy Flight Games is a board games publishing firm located in Minnesota that has worked with Blizzard Entertainment in the past, producing the World of Warcraft Board Game. The organization has also published adaptations of DOOM, Lord of the Rings, and Beowulf.
StarCraft Q&A; Session 14 Posted[ Comment ] 20:16 PST | TheAcolyte | Print News | Category: StarCraft 2Karune from Blizzard Entertainment posted StarCraft 2 Q&A; Session 14, answering six more questions from the fan site community and the Battle.net forums on various features and gameplay elements in the upcoming game. Here's a preview:
5) Will Dark Templars be invisible when warping in, or susceptible to attack for a few seconds before it fades out?
No, currently the Dark Templar will be invisible the instant it begins to warp-in, though of course we are still testing this for balance as it makes the Dark Templar quite strong in back door drops.
BlizzCon Professional Photo Gallery[ Comment ] 7:59 PST | TheAcolyte | Print News | Category: BlizzCon - General Blizzard NewsBlizzard Entertainment posted a new gallery of BlizzCon 2007 photos from the event, taken by professional photographers. The photos largely catalog the major parts of the convention excluding some of the developer panels, for example. It's a great overview of Blizzard's rare, exclusive fan event.
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