Topic: The Starcraft mega thread - Rising from the ashes.

[bosshogx]

I'd like to assume that everyone has played, or at least heard of, Starcraft here on the NWR forums.  With all the information about Starcraft 2 coming down the pipe, I thought it was time to drum up some interest and see if anyone out there is looking forward to playing.  I'm deeply obsessed with this game and am hoping someone here is wanting to talk about either the current game or the new one.  I still play from time to time on battle.net and will gladly schedule a game with anyone who is willing.

In case you haven't heard, the Zerg were shown last night in Korea.  Here's a few links showing of some of the new units in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dsuiYcOQ0c (story line teaser stuff)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdJIauWjE8s (gameplay footage)

The Zerg are back to their swarming ways it seems.  Plenty of burrowing sneakiness and infestation as well.  Being mostly a Terran player, the thought of my Barracks getting infested and turning my own buildings against me scares the hell outta me.  It's one thing when you see a large swarm coming right at you, it's a totally different thing when the buggers unburrow right in the middle of my base.  Oh well, fun times ahead!

[Ceric]

I'm interested in playing this if they don't heavily favor it towards Multiplayer like Warcraft 3 (Every race had 1 unit that you never could build and use in Single Player)

[KDR_11k]

I have no idea how to play Starcraft, there seems to be some sort of RPS-system but I have no idea what it is.

[ReverendNoahWhateley]

While I think Starcraft has good gameplay in general, I have a grudge against the franchise.  Because of the Zerg, it's doubtful we'll ever see the Tyranid race in a video game ever again (1000 Crazy Style Points to folks familiar with the Tyranids).

[KDR_11k]

Didn't Relic say the only reason they're not adding the Tyries is because they feel they can't do them justice?

[Kairon]

Tyrannids are awesome, but seriously ReverendNoahWhateley, the existence of the zerg onl;y makes other inset-like races more likely to be introduced. I seriously doubt the Tyrannid would get scared off by some pansy overgrown ants with a crazy broodmother. That said, I love the zerg!

[ReverendNoahWhateley]

"We can't do them justice," is Relic's official statement, I believe, but if they can do Necrons, they could do 'Nids.  They wouldn't be THAT difficult to reproduce in a game.  They'd have a central, upgradeable mega-hub, much like the Necron Monolith (except it'd be a Norn Queen, on loan from a ship).  For resources, you could elect to have a mobile synapse unit become immobile over a strategic location, thus simulating the Hive Mind effect while giving Tyranids a reason to capture locations.  Also, it'd be a nice effect if creatures like Ripper swarms gained a points value as they fought and killed, only to be returned to the Norn Queen to be harversted for resources.  It's not a perfect fix, but it'd work well for an RTS.  I do hope that Kairon's right about the Zerg not preempting the Tyranids' role in video games, because they're really an interesting piece of fiction with a lot of history behind them.

But anyway.  Starcraft!

[bosshogx]

Well, I finally got to see my first ever live match of Starcraft 2.  It looks and feels like the speed of the original has been kept intact even with a 3-D makeover.  Here's a link to the video:

http://www.thisisgame.com/board/view.php?id=158786&category=104&subcategory=

Got to see the new Banelings and Queen units in action, in addition to the fast, swarming Zerglings.  The Banelings didn't seem to do a lot of damage, as 6 of them rammed a bunker and didn't destroy it.  Maybe they are only good versus units and not buildings?  Also got to see the after effects of a nuke drop... devastating.

The rally point lines and instant mining for the peons was a nice and much needed addition.  I'm sure it's been a staple of RTS titles for the last 10 years, but I really only play Starcraft, so they feel new to me.  Speaking of old Starcraft, anyone wanna play?  I'm always willing to break out my disk and try and shake off the rust.

Yeah, I had no idea what the Tyranid were, so I had to Google them.  Warhammer huh?  I've never played the table top or video game versions of that IP.  Is it any good?

[ReverendNoahWhateley]

Table-top Warhammer is a lot of fun, but it's a serious drain on time and resources.  If you want to invest large sums of money in a portfolio of precious metals like lead and pewter, it's a perfect hobby.  The original WarCraft began its life as a Warhammer adaption, but the deal fell through and Blizzard called their new game WarCraft instead of Warhammer.  There exists a sci-fi version of Warhammer that most assuredly inspired StarCraft.

[Ceric]

Table-top Warhammer is a lot of fun, but it's a serious drain on time and resources.  If you want to invest large sums of money in portfolio of precious metals like lead and pewter, it's a perfect hobby.  The original WarCraft began its life as a Warhammer adaption, but the deal fell through and Blizzard called their new game WarCraft instead of Warhammer.  There exists a sci-fi version of Warhammer that most assuredly inspired StarCraft.

If it didn't cost so much and wasn't so hard to find a match Warhammer would appeal to me.  Though I'm still considering picking up some of the books that is more lore then rules because all of there universes intrigue me.

[Sundoulos]

Man, when I heard that Starcraft 2 was actually announced last year, it made me dig up a copy of the original to make a new playthrough.  I still need to play through Brood War again.  After all these years, it's still just as much fun as the day I bought it.  I can't wait for the new release, though I suspect it won't be released until 3rd quarter 2009 or something like that.  Hopefully, I'm wrong.

Anyway...I noticed in the trailer video that bosshogx posted, there was a Protoss at the end of the trailer.  I first I assumed that it might be Raszagal, whose mind had been taken by Kerrigan in Brood War, but then I remembered that she was killed in the end by Zeratul.  I wonder if this is just a sort of flashback or the introduction of a new character.

Just to show how nerdy I am, I've actually watched some of the professional Starcraft matches on youtube, at least the ones narrated by KlazartSC.  It's amazing how seriously some people are about this game.  I was, at best, always just an average player.

By the way, Terran, Protoss or Zerg?  I've always preferred the Protoss.

"En Taro Tassadar!"

[bosshogx]

Just to show how nerdy I am, I've actually watched some of the professional Starcraft matches on youtube, at least the ones narrated by KlazartSC.  It's amazing how seriously some people are about this game.  I was, at best, always just an average player.

By the way, Terran, Protoss or Zerg?  I've always preferred the Protoss.

"En Taro Tassadar!"

Watching pro Korean players on YouTube doesn't make you nerdy, well I hope not, because I do it myself.    I can't get enough of Starcraft, but I'm like you, only an average player at best.  When I get on to Battle.net, I either face pro's or complete noobs.  It's pretty tough to find someone at my level.  Oh, and no money maps.  That's lame!

Back to the game, I'm really digging the Queen.  She was all but useless in the first game and it seems like her role is much more defined this time around.  She seems to be all about the base and it's defenses.  All of her skills/spells are geared towards protecting or enhancing the Zerg buildings.  That's a nice direction to take a previously useless unit.  I'm definitely concerned the most about the Roach.  A Zerg unit that regenerates really fast screams "difficult to balance properly".  We'll see.

Can't wait for more info on the game, hey they could pull a Sakurai and do a daily update!  CraftDojo!  My God would that suck.  I can see it now:



The Zerg Zergling



Are those wings?  Yes, but it cannot fly.  Ha ha!  That would be dangerous!

The Zergling is a fast and ferocious melee attacker.  The little units use their speed to swarm and overwhelm larger units.  They are one of the weaker units in the game, but overcome this by erupting in pairs from their eggs.  That's right, two units for the price of one!



Zerg rush! ke ke ke ke!

[Svevan]

um that was a perfect Sakurai ten points to you sir

[NWR_pap64]

Because Brawl is so perfect and Sakurai is a God among men everyone is taking a cue from him and his masterpiece...

[bosshogx]

The Terran Marine



The staple unit of the Terran army.  The Marine is brash, rude, and downright mean which makes them the perfect unit to handle the hostile encounters with the technologically advanced Protoss and the alien Zerg.

Armed with a Guass rifle, the Marine can shoot both ground and air targets.  He is the only unit that can fire from a distance amongst the starting units for all three races.  Marines don't last very long on their own, so make sure to move them in groups and try and keep their lady friends, the Medic, near by to give them a much needed health boost in the midst of combat.



Here the brave and cocky Marines lead an assault on a Protoss base.  Get those cannons!



Remember, smoking is bad for you. Though the Marine is already a bad man so it's ok for him.

[vudu]

Oh God, those screen shots make me want to reinstall Star Craft on my PC.  I need to find that disc ... and about 20 hours to play.

[bosshogx]

The Protoss Zealot



The Protoss Zealot is back and badder then ever.  Sporting twin psi-blades and personal shielding, the Zealot is a force to be reckoned with.  A single Zealot has been known to take down four Zerglings or Marines all by himself! 



My life for Aiur!



The brave Zealots draw Terran fire to the North, so that the Dark Templars can attack from their flank from the East.  Hey stop shooting us!

[Ceric]

In that Picture the Terrains Buildings look like there made from Plastic.

[bosshogx]

In that Picture the Terrains Buildings look like there made from Plastic.

Yeah, they still have more work to do on the buildings, but it's still early.  The buildings used to be a lot more colorful and vibrant.  I'm sure that the Terran will be even more dirty and nasty by the time it's all said and done.  Now, you wanna talk about plastic, wait until you see the Protoss Dragoons.  They may make an appearance later this week.

[KDR_11k]

I wonder if the time you need to waste on the interface will be reduced so you can focus on playing instead.

[bosshogx]

The Zerg Hydralisk



The Zerg Hydralisk (or Hydra for short) makes it’s return to Starcraft 2 with a deadlier look and a power increase too.  The Hydralisk is the first air to ground attacker that the Zerg army can put forth to the field of battle.  The Hydra attacks by shooting spines out of its body at high speed.  The spines can rip apart even heavily armored units like Battleships and Carriers!



Live for the Swarm!



What is this? A new strain of Hydralisk?! No, it’s just an origami Hydralisk.  Isn’t it cute!

[bosshogx]

I wonder if the time you need to waste on the interface will be reduced so you can focus on playing instead.

Do you mean the more generalized macro functions?  If so, they have already stated that a lot of the more common place RTS standards are being implemented in Starcraft 2.  Setting rally points now show a line from the building to the point.  In addition, setting a rally point for workers on resources will have them go straight to gathering without being told to.  Also, there will be a on screen icon to select worker units that are idle after finishing a building.

Units can be selected in to much larger numbers as opposed to the original limit of 12.  Currently there is no limit to a group size, but that may change in the final product.  Buildings can still be hotkeyed to number keys, but now you can assign more than one building to a number.  So, let's say you assign your 4 barracks to the "1" key.  After that you can press "1" then "m" to have each barracks make 1 marine each.  Even better, just before you start an attack, you could press "1", "m", "m", "c", and right click at the entrance to the enemy base.  This would have all 4 barracks make 2 marines followed by 1 medic all of which would walk right to the enemies front door.  Meanwhile, you can concentrate on the fighting and not on the reinforcements.  By the time your guys are dead, fresh troops would be waiting to keep the pressure on! Hotkeys FTW!  God, I love Starcraft.

[bosshogx]

The Terran Reaper



The Terran Reaper is a new type of hit-and-run specialist who excels at base raiding.  Using their jump packs, the Reaper can navigate high and low terrain like a breeze.  This makes opponents weary of protecting their resource line even more than before.  The reaper attacks using paired hand guns to pick on smaller units. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbC5i6Vh2ys

Here are the Reapers in action!



Reapers are the most hardened of criminals.  Don’t accept candy from them!

[Ceric]

There's Candy?  Best... Craft... Ever...

[mastro]

Cannot wait for SC2 loved the first game and I am sure I will love this one as well. I am very excited about the zerg more than ever. I remember starting as a protoss player mostly because they are the easiest to use but after awhile you realize the zerg are just plain awesome.