Dusting Browder Interview

Wired.com - November 01, 2008

Dustin Browder recently sat down with Wired's reporters and gave an interesting interview about Starcraft 2 .There are many juicy bits of information in it, including comments about Starcraft 2's map editor, its E-Sports policies, and Blizzard's overall design methods for Starcraft 2. Read on for the information!

ANAHEIM -- StarCraft is one of the most successful games in history thanks to a combination of endless strategic depth and Blizzard's seemingly endless devotion to its fans. From everything I've seen, StarCraft II is living up the high standard set by its predecessor, thanks to the efforts of a design team lead by the outspoken Dustin Browder. Mr. Browder was kind enough to sit down with me during Blizzcon to discuss the stunning overseas success of the first StarCraft, the controversial decision to split StarCraft II into a "trilogy," and why the game simply won't work on an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3. (My interview with Mr. Browder is the second part in a series of interviews which began with my recent talk with World of Warcraft lead producer J. Allen Brack. Expect chats with vice president of game development Rob Pardo and Blizzard CEO and co-founder Mike Morhaime...

Click here to read the entire interview.

Karune Q&A Batch 45

Battle.net - October 30, 2008

After some time, Karune released Q&A batch 45 which is highlighted below. To view the entire batch, visit our Q&A page.

1. Do enemy Zerg units also get a boost on your Creep? (StarCraft 2 Forums)

Yes, enemy Zerg units will still get the speed boost when on creep. Currently, the creep shares no affiliation.

2. Are there abilities that remove creep? (TheWarCenter)

The 2 ways to push that expanding creep is to kill the burrowed creep tumors, or kill those Queens building them. On another note, the creep no longer damages enemy buildings. Through testing, the ability actually affected players adversely in team games where players allied with Zerg players would end up having their units damaged by their friend’s creep. In 1vs1 matches, the usefulness of this mechanic was hardly ever used, amongst all the new cooler Zerg strategies that have spawned.

3. Does the creep speed boost apply to zerg air? (TheWarCenter)

No, they do not apply to air units or drones.

4. Won't Reapers, Marauders, Hellions, Siege Tank's splash damage, and Stimpacks be too powerful against a Zerg player? All of that seems pretty well suited to counter masses of low-hp units, like most Zerg ground units. (StarCraft Legacy)

As you know, there is still much balance to be done since we have not even entered into a beta phase yet. With that said, there are several counters still to these Terran units, but Zerg players will be forced to adapt with new units and strategies veering away from some of the original StarCraft strategies. For instance, Roaches and Lurkers are excellent counters to Hellions and Reapers. At a later tech, Infestors simply rock massed units such as Marauders with Fungal Infection, causing them to explode when they die. All the new mechanics and abilities will add many new strategies to your bag of tricks.

5. Can Allies ‘merge’ their Nydus networks? In other words, can you enter through the Nydus Warren of player A, and exit through the Nydus Worm of player B? (TheWarCenter.net)

No, allies can’t share Nydus networks between networks, but allied units can enter into another ally’s Nydus network.

6. Is the Thor still an anti-air unit? Does it fulfill this role effectively? – Thelorme (Battle.net)

Yes, it is still an anti-air unit with the longest range against air units of any unit in StarCraft II. Visually, we are moving to give the Thor anti-air missiles that will fire from his shoulders, unleashing a devastating barrage from a remarkable range.

Blizzcon 2008 Update 2: Starcraft 2 Trilogy!

starcraftzone.com - October 10, 2008

Pardo has announced that Starcraft 2 has been announced to be a trilogy! Each campaign will be separated into an individual game, with the order of release being: Terran, Zerg, Protoss. In his announcement, Pardo stated that:

The second and third games] will be like expansion packs, but we really want them to feel like standalone products

Prices and release dates have yet to be announced, but there are probably going to be many questions and debates about Blizzard's actions. Here is a brief Q&A for those who want some unofficial opinions and answers (Note that plans may change any minute and that these answers are not official):

Q: What are the names of the three separate trilogies?

A: Terran: Wings of Liberty, Zerg: Heart of the Swarm, Protoss: Legacy of the Void

Q: Will Multiplayer be affected?

A: Multiplayer will not be affected by this change and all three classes will be available with the first release - Wings of Liberty. Any further information about what discs will be included in which game and how multiplayer will be installed is not available as of now.

Q: Will release dates be affected?

A: While this is an opinion, with only one campaign to focus on, Blizzard will definitely have less on their hands to worry about. The release of the first game should be sooner than before. Blizzard is pushing the game onto the gamer as it finishes, instead of waiting until all campaigns have been completed.

Q: How long is the campaign?

A: Each campaign will be roughly 30 scenarios long (with plenty of cinematics).

Please post additional questions in the forum so we may update this FAQ with updated information.

Blizzcon 2008 Update 1

starcraftzone.com - October 10, 2008

Blizzcon 2008 has begun and Blizzard CEO, Mike Morhaime, has given his opening speech to an enormous crowd of fans. In the speech he outlined the history of the Blizzcon conventions, beginning with the first one in 2005. Morhaime proclaimed that while the Blizzcon 2005 was able to sell out in three weeks, Blizzcon 2008 was sold out in 15 minutes.

After a brief reminder that all of Blizzard games - Diablo 3, Starcraft 2, World of Warcraft, and Warcraft - would be playable at the event, and a flashback of the Worldwide Invitational in Paris this year, Morhaime announced that there would be tournaments for the Warcraft mod DotA and Starcraft 2. Afterwards, he reiterated World of Warcraft: Wrath of the King's release date of November 13 and proceeded to announce the new Diablo 3 class, the Wizard. A few notes:

• The Wizard has many magical spells at her disposal. 
• Classical spells include the Blizzard, Electrocute, and Magical Bolts
• The Wizard has an interesting Time Warp spell that slows movement in a specified area.
• New "runes" added to Diablo 3 gameplay which allows modification of classe's abilities.

Morhaime released Diablo 3's latest cinematic trailer and a clip showing off the new Wizard. Finally, Morhaime provided some information about the Starcraft 2 beta - which Starcraft 2 is not in yet - and the contents of the Blizzcon goodie bag.

New information will be released constantly, so stay tuned!

Released Movies:

Starcraft 2 gameplay videos

Blizzard Wizzard Trailer