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StarCraft 2 as a third-person zombie shooter
With StarCraft 2 out in homes, mixing it up on over a million motherboards, the modding community's efforts are finally bearing fruit with the Galaxy Map Editor. This latest mod, which turns the real-time strategy game into a third-person shooter, comes courtesy of Denmark's own Mads. Rush past the break and check it out.
StarCraft 2 sells 1m day-one, 1.5m in first 48 hours, roughly 620K in the US
Blizzard just trumpeted the sales numbers for StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty, the first installment in its long-time-coming sequel to the strategy classic. The numbers: "a day-one sales milestone of more than 1 million copies sold worldwide" and "1.5 million copies in its first 48 hours." The context: It's already the "best-selling PC game of 2010 within its first 24 hours of availability" and now holds the "record for fastest-selling strategy game of all time." With a global launch spanning five continents and over a dozen countries, not to mention a dozen years of anticipation, solid sales were to be expected. A source inside Blizzard confirmed the information with Joystiq, saying that approximately 1.2m StarCraft 2 accounts had been activated – not necessarily sold! – worldwide as of 4pm PT on the 28th, less than two days after the game went on sale. Roughly 620K of those accounts were in the US. Now that we're a full week out from launch, it's anyone's guess how many copies have been sold by now ... though we imagine if sales keep up, it won't take long for Blizzard to share its success again.
Review: StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty
StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty isn't just traditional, it's a tradition.If any other company but Blizzard had simply put new graphics over the same old interface, it would have resulted in an interesting novelty at best. But within moments of putting my hands on StarCraft 2 during the open beta, it was clear this was no mere novelty. It's been more than a decade since I played the original, but the sequel feels both instantly fresh and familiar. It's not a game that will be forgotten in the rush of the coming months' releases. It feels timeless.%Gallery-66757%
StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty Collector's Edition hands-on (and more StarCraft 2 stories)
While some of you may be waiting on line at this very moment, queued up for the midnight launch of the much-anticipated first installment of StarCraft 2, reading this post from your phone (or the Joystiq iPhone app?), your pals at Joystiq got our copy a little early. And not just any copy, but the truly fancy Collector's Edition. Now, hold on, before you get angry let us explain! Sure, Blizzard sent us a copy so we could get some early time with the game, even if it is just a few hours. But instead of doing that, we spent the entire day photographing the box and all the included goodies – like the art book, the comic, the guest passes, the dog tag slash USB drive – and then painstakingly hand-assembling the below gallery, just for you. So while you're waiting on line, reading this post, you know just what it is you've got to look forward to. Still angry? We thought not. Not waiting on line anywhere? No worries, we'll be giving this bad boy away soon enough. Check out some more StarCraft 2 links from Big Download after the break. %Gallery-98239%
Blizzard responds to common Real ID concerns
Nethaera (Blizzard community manager) posted answers to some of the common Real ID questions and concerns on the forums today. With the PR disaster that was Blizzard's original Real ID on the forums concept, a follow-up aimed at easing tensions in the community -- even after the retraction -- was to be expected. While Blizzard offered some good news on things people have been requesting, they also dodged other points for the moment in true Blizzard style. Some highlights from the announcement: no current plans for an online handle to be used in game with Real ID instead of your name feature to disable your name's appearance in Friends of Friends list coming around the time of StarCraft II plans for some sort of unique ID on the WoW forums The full announcement is after the break.
Thaddius encounter recreated in StarCraft II
Ever wonder what happens to raid bosses when they get bored? For Thaddius, it seems he has been spending some time moonlighting over in StarCraft II. While he was there, it also seems like he's picked up a few more tricks and upgraded his armor. After all, Naxxramas was only a setback! IIam4 used Thaddius as an inspiration for his entry into the custom ability contest on SC2Mapster by recreating his Polarity Shift. While he was recreating this ability, he also decided to add a few new features of his own. Shocking Grasp A random target will be paralyzed and take damage over time. If any other unit comes within range of the afflicted unit, Shocking Grasp will jump. This can create a chain reaction. Spawn Volatile Spark Two volatile sparks are spawned, serving as summoned adds that should be DPSed down right away. These abilities combine to create a very interesting and creative boss battle using the StarCraft II editor. The amount of micromanagement required to keep all of your units alive adds a nice level of complexity to the boss encounter. I personally like that Thaddius is a giant Maruader unit. This video is a nice showcase of the tools that were available even in the beta and exactly what could be done with enough motivation. StarCraft II is set to release on July 27, 2010. While I'm absolutely certain it will be a fantastic game in its own rights, I can't help but wonder if we will see any more player-created World of Warcraft crossovers with the tools that are shipping with SC2. Can you imagine a campaign where the end boss is casting Defile while you try to micromanage all of your units safely around it? How about navigating your troops into position for a Shatter or managing Burning Adrenaline. Maybe a little Doomfire for good measure! This could bring a whole new level of fun to Tower Defense and Mastermind-style game mods! So, if you could recreate any one boss or ability from WoW in a StarCraft II fight, what boss would it be?
StarCraft 2 TV spot wants you to know 'war is coming'
Blizzard wants the masses to know that something big is on the horizon -- even if this extremely pretty CGI teaser airing on TV might have people thinking StarCraft 2 is really a sci-fi movie. For the rest of us, it's a taste of the epic cinematics we'll be treated to when the game ships July 27.
StarCraft 2 beta extended to June 7
As if your Zerg rushes needed any more fine-tuning, Blizzard has gone ahead and announced an extension to the StarCraft 2 beta, to June 7. Originally set to conclude on Monday, this gives players an extra week to see which race is the most dominant. Protip: it's totally the Protoss. StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty lands at retail on July 27. [Thanks, David]
Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty Zerg rushing retail July 27
You know all those summer plans you have? Well StarCraft 2's first piece -- the human-based Wings of Liberty -- was just given a July 27 release date for "stores throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Mexico, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and the regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau." What, no Kyrgyzstan? Allergic to stores? Unfortunately, Blizzard won't be offering the game directly to consumers through its website until "shortly after retail launch." Seems like you might wanna rethink those summer plans, eh? Remember, this is Blizzard, so ... maybe not.
Blizzard's Dustin Browder talks StarCraft 2
Dustin Browder isn't just the lead designer on Blizzard's StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty -- he's also in the game! Well, sort of. According to a Blizzard spokesperson, "There are a few examples of Blizzard employees making it into the game. The portrait of the Vulture pilot was based on the likeness of Jason Huck, a level designer. Brian Sousa, a senior 3D artist was the inspiration for the regular Goliath pilot. A running joke amongst the team is that Brian and Dustin look similar enough to be brothers – so the extension of that joke was to make the mercenary goliath pilot (Spartan Company) look like Dustin." So there you have it. If you want your face in a multimillion dollar game, just get a job working on it. Easy enough, right? We talked to Dustin about StarCraft 2 last year, and this time he gives us more details about the development of this eagerly awaited title, and not just his vanity unit portrait. He discusses multiplayer plans, balancing, Blizzard's hardcore fans, and more, just beyond the break.%Gallery-91324%
Hands-on: New StarCraft 2 single-player missions
click to enlarge Blizzard has been handing out Starcraft 2 beta keys like free lunch, but it's not just for the benefit of starved-craft fans. "Oh, we don't think of this as a demo," Blizzard's Dustin Browder told me during a recent studio visit, "It's a beta test." So-called testers are contributing piles of feedback data, which has led to nine game patches so far, with more surely in the works. "The Archon has been on my chopping block for months," Browder muttered, referring to the powerful Protoss ground unit. The focus of my recent visit to Blizzard HQ was not to talk beta, however. It was to preview three new single-player missions from StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty. In doing so, I learned more about how the developer is incorporating at least one other race into the Terran-centric game and tried out some new game-altering mechanics and the new tech upgrade process. %Gallery-91324%
New StarCraft 2 gameplay footage: This is not a drill ...
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/New_StarCraft_2_Gameplay_Footage_This_is_not_a_drill'; It's a Laser Drill! Check out the awesome power of this anti–Zerg Rush weapon, featured in this new footage from the most eagerly awaited "Adults Only" game in South Korea. Don't worry -- it's just StarCraft 2 and the video's totally Safe For Work. We'll have our hands-on impressions of three new single-player missions posted later today. In the meantime, enjoy the gameplay video above and the new screenshots in the gallery below. %Gallery-91324%
'Epic' StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty Collector's Edition announced
Click to enlarge e-pic Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime calls it an "epic" Collector's Edition, fit for celebrating the long-awaited return of real-time strategy behemoth, StarCraft. The special StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty set includes: a 2GB USB thumb drive which mimics protagonist Jim Raynor's dog tag (and comes loaded with the original StarCraft and its Brood War expansion); a 176-page art book; a behind-the-scenes DVD with interviews, cinematics and developer commentary; a soundtrack CD; a prequel issue in the StarCraft comic series; a mini Thor in-game pet for World of Warcraft; and "exclusive" Battle.net content, such as alternate character decals, skins and profile portraits. The space treasure trove will set you back $100 -- a cost that is likely to generate much less discussion than the price of the regular edition (picture), which will retail for the atypical suggested price of $60. Blizzard also intends to distribute the game in digital format shortly after launch. Of course, if you've become enamored with StarCraft II's ongoing beta as we have, you're ready to exchange every one of your Liberty Dollars for the privilege of knowing the release date. That, Blizzard says, "will be announced in the coming weeks." %Gallery-90048%
StarCraft 2 release still targeted for first half of 2010
The StarCraft II beta is currently underway and already has us pining for the full release. As for exactly when that will happen, all we've known is that Blizzard plans to release the game in the first half of 2010. According to the latest BlizzCast, that's still the plan. During the podcast, production director Chris Sigaty stated that the beta should last "three to five months" and added that Blizzard is "still targeting the first half of this year." With a three to five month beta window, that puts the end of the test somewhere between May and July. Of course, there's no telling how soon the game will release after the close of the beta, but hopefully it won't take too long. The universe won't save itself, after all. Finally, for those out there lucky enough to be in the beta, you should know that the first patch is now available. You can check out the list of changes on the Battle.net forums. [Via Big Download]
Interview: Starcraft 2 lead producer Chris Sigaty
Chris Sigaty has been a faithful Blizzard employee for thirteen years and served as the lead tester on the original Starcraft. He's worked his way up the ladder on various titles, and is now hauling the reins of three different races as the lead producer on the followup Starcraft 2. Additionally, he's the rhythm guitarist in Level 80 Elite Tauren Chieftain and has a rockin' metal head of hair.We sat down with him recently to talk about the much anticipated sequel, which became a trilogy somewhere along the yellow brick road of development. Blizzard is still hoping to release Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty later this year, featuring the Terran single-player version of the game along with all three races in the multiplayer that you've come to love like a dear friend ... a dear friend that sucks up all of your free time and enjoys kicking you in the ribs when you're down.Read on for all the Starcraft 2 goodies we could squeeze out of him, and find out why this title is poised to glue more butts to seats very soon.
