Blizzard Just Announced STARCRAFT 2

I'm so happy its not World of Starcraft .... tears of joy

Going back to F5 clicking in hope of ETA

I'm so happy its not World of Starcraft .... tears of joy

Going back to F5 clicking in hope of ETA

rajlshah

2012

[QUOTE="rajlshah"]

I'm so happy its not World of Starcraft .... tears of joy

Going back to F5 clicking in hope of ETA

Poedon

2012

I know its blizzard, but that would remove a lot of the thunder of this announcement IMO. 

First Pix of StarCraft

http://digg.com/pc_games/PICTURES_Early_shots_of_Starcraft

http://blizzard.com/press/070519.shtml?blah

 Official Press release from Blizzard.

 Still waiting for gameplay video 

Starcraft: 14 million sold.

Starcraft 2: New first day record for sales worldwide.

Finally! It's about time we got the sequel to this series! 

GAMEPLAY VIDS-

http://tvpot.daum.net/theme/ThemeView.do?themeid=122&lu=m_mono_1

Why can't it come sooner?? :cry:

Daum seems to be running slow for some reason...

I wish I knew more Korean vocabulary... 

So far I see the following new units:

Protoss Phoenix: New combat aircraft capable of charging up a multiple target beam that leaves them weakened after they attack.

Protoss Immortals: New Dragoon-type ground unit. Heavy shields that will only stop heavy weapons and is capable of withstanding and taking out grouped siege tanks in siege mode. Weak to weak weapons.

Terran Reapers: New Terran infantry with Jetpacks. Can move anywhere on land by jumping over obstacles instead of trying to find ramps.

Protoss Phase Prism: Creates a backup power field anywhere on the map, a moblie pylon that can be deployed.

Protoss Stalker: New Dragoon-type ground unit. Can blink to another position within range with a short cooldown timer in between. Can also blink over obstacles so they don't need to find ramps either.

Protoss Mothership: A flying fortress that has an ability to stop incoming missile attacks, a heavy lightning storm like ground attack and can summon some sort of black hole. Only 1 can be built apparently.

Protoss Colossus Fires 2 red lasers that seem to own infantry, can travel over obstacles and looks like a war of the worlds machine.

Protoss Zealot: Now will charge to the target at lightning speed once they enter a certain range.

-Protoss transports teleport units to the ground instead of landing.

-It also looks like the Protoss can waypoint units to teleport within any area that has a pylon or phase prism as soon as they are built.

-The Zerg have some sort of Sand Worms that act like unit transports.

-Zerglings can mutate into powerful explosives.

Yes! It's about time. I thought I felt some shockwaves. :P

I will get myself a new gaming PC before this game is released. At least I'll have plenty of games available once that happens until Starcraft 2 hits. :D

Looks like Blizzard waste no time in getting the Official site up-

http://www.starcraft2.com

Oh and some info from their unit section-

[spoiler] It looks like, from the description of the new Protoss units, that the Dragoon will no longer be used. [/spoiler]  

Did... did I just see a group of marines holding a line while a nuke goes off in the background?... I did... it's short, but it's there.

Dear god, Starcraft is back! I think... I think I'm going to cry. Someone hold me!

I'm so happy its not World of Starcraft .... tears of joy

Going back to F5 clicking in hope of ETA

rajlshah

LOL, I had no idea that f5 refreshed the website. I was like, why is everyone putting up images of f5.

Yea, I learned something.

Just know that most of the original Starcraft team is gone.VMan

Thats what scares me, but if theres no monthly fee to play online ill still get it

This is it. The game that will make me upgrade my PC.  This is a happy day.

Great news....I know this is the game many people have literally been waiting years for an announcement to happen.

This is probably the biggest announcement to happen in PC Gaming since Half Life 2 was revealed back in 2003......Starcraft 2 is definitely gonna be HUGE! 

...

...

Thank you, very, very much Blizzard. This makes my year. It looks so far in development too, wow. That CG trailer was amazing. 

Here's a copy and past of the official FAQ for anyone interested:

http://www.starcraft2.com/faq.xml

What will StarCraft II's story line be? Will any of the characters from the original StarCraft make an appearance in StarCraft II?

It's a little too early to get into details on the story. Once we're able to discuss the single-player campaign in detail, we'll also share some exciting information about the story line for the game.

How many cinematic cut-scenes will be included?

We know that StarCraft II players will expect to see some Blizzard-quality cinematic content in the game, and we have definite plans to include multiple cinematics, starting with a cinematic intro. We'll provide further confirmation once final determinations have been made. How many races are in StarCraft II? In StarCraft II, players will see the return of the Protoss, Terran, and Zerg races. Our goal is to ensure that all the factions in the game play even more distinctly from one another than in the original StarCraft, while still maintaining the fine balance that helped make StarCraft such a ****c.

We're also introducing a number of new units to each race, as well as modifying some of the familiar units returning in StarCraft II. With these design refinements and the new features we have planned for the single-player and multiplayer elements of the game, StarCraft II will offer a next-generation StarCraft experience.

StarCraft II has some big shoes to fill - is there added pressure in developing a follow-up to one of the most beloved games of all time? We recognize that the bar is set pretty high, but this type of pressure is not new to us. Warcraft III had to follow in the footsteps of Warcraft II, and Diablo II had to follow the original Diablo. Creating a StarCraft game that's bigger and better than the original is definitely a big challenge, but it's one that we fully intend to meet and exceed. Will the game be released in multiple countries? Will the release be simultaneous? Which countries and what languages will the game be localized in? Our goal is to release the game simultaneously across the world in multiple languages. As we get closer to release, we'll have more details to share.

Will there also be an expansion, and if so, what features will it contain?

Our focus has been and will continue to be on developing and refining the core StarCraft II experience, so we haven't really had much time to consider what types of things we would include with an expansion for the game if we were to do one.

Will there be a console version of StarCraft II?

StarCraft II is being developed for the PC. We have no current plans to bring the game to any console platform.

Will Battle.net be overhauled? Will there be new features?

There will be some exciting new changes and features to Battle.net that will help us ensure that StarCraft II will be the ultimate competitive online real-time strategy game. We're not quite ready to discuss those features at this time, but we look forward to getting into more detail in the future.

Will we still be able to play the original StarCraft on Battle.net after StarCraft II is released?

Yes, you will.

Will there be clan management?

We're not quite ready to discuss specifics related to Battle.net at this time, but we look forward to doing so in the future.

What steps are being taken to prevent cheating in multiplayer games?

We don't want to tip our hand to the people who may try to cheat on Battle.net, so we can't go into too much detail, but rest assured that security is one of our top priorities as we redesign and overhaul Battle.net, and we will take every precaution to ensure fairness in our online games. We've taken an aggressive stance against cheating in all of our games, and our players have overwhelmingly supported us in that, so we don't have any intention to make any changes in that regard.

How much will StarCraft II cost? Where can I buy this game?

Pricing and availability will be determined and announced much closer to the release date.

What will StarCraft II's rating be?

We are aiming for a T-rating in the US, and similar ratings elsewhere in the world, but those details won't be finalized until we get closer to release.

Will there be a closed or open beta? How about a trial or demo version?

Decisions related to beta testing and trial or demo versions are usually made further along in the development process. We don't have any details available on these topics at the moment, but we will be happy to share the news once final decisions have been made.

Will there be a collector's edition?

Decisions related to the types of retail packages available will be made much closer to the game's release date.

What are the system requirements for StarCraft II?

We'll have more details on specific system requirements closer to the release date.

Will the game run natively on Windows Vista?

StarCraft II will be fully compatible with Windows Vista, as well as XP. We'll have more details on system requirements closer to release.

Will StarCraft II be available on Mac simultaneously with PC?

As with all of Blizzard's recent releases, StarCraft II will ship on both PC and Mac simultaneously.

Will StarCraft II take advantage of DirectX 10? What other graphical goodies are included?

The game will be compatible with DirectX 10, and we're still considering whether there will be exclusive DirectX 10 graphic effects, but the graphics engine will also be very scalable to ensure that a wide range of different systems will be capable of running StarCraft II. The new engine is also capable of rendering very large units, as well as large numbers of units on screen together. Havok physics have been integrated into the engine for added realism as well.

I'm sure it's just me, but I think it's looking pretty crappy. I'll pass :oMyopicCanadian

Someone obviously isn't familiar with Blizzard's games, which are never about graphics and always about gameplay. Also, since when where RTS games ever about graphics and looks? :|

Starcraft II isn't an FPS, Action, or Action adventure game where a big selling point is the visuals or fancy engine.

People said World of Warcraft's graphics were "crappy" too.....wanna know the result....Here you go.

Looks incredible, but I won't be playing it for a looooooong time. PCs, too expensive :(Last_Stand

We should wait for the system requirements to be announced. Blizzard's RTS games never really push the envelope when it comes to hardware muscle.

*waits patiently for UpInFlames to show up and make him look bad....again*

I'm greatly excited about some things and pissed about others, I would like to know if this is just me or most of the people don't like those things, because everybody had many hopes in SC2, if they were different blizzard could only piss some people, but if more people think the same way then it is a blizzard's mistake.

When will the SC2 board be up and running?

... awesome. And I don't even care if turns out to be just starcraft in 3d in the end; I'm just happy it's not an MMO.

Don't really like the graphics style too much... looks a little too warcraft like to me. And I hate what they did with the seige tank in seige mode. Looks too... spider-like or something now. Everything else looks great to me though.

Oh, and dammit - the time bomb was one of my ideas... as was the reaper's jet pack thing [though my thought was to have it as an upgrade for the firebat to make them less useless.] These people always think of everything...

-The Zerg have some sort of Sand Worms that act like unit transports.

-Zerglings can mutate into powerful explosives.

 

 Atrus

The Zerg Rush Shall NEver Die!!! 

[QUOTE="rajlshah"]

I'm so happy its not World of Starcraft .... tears of joy

Going back to F5 clicking in hope of ETA

Poedon

2012

Dude...you're freaking crazy:lol:

2015 

To all who are complaining about the graphics...

12:11 AM - StarCraft 2 will be an RTS largely in the same vein as its predecessor. The game will feature the same three races: Protoss, Zerg, and Terran. Action will unfold on the same type of 2D plane as before, with multitiered maps that ground units must use ramps to move between. Graphics have been updated significantly, many new units added, and some old units removed. Blizzard was unwilling to divulge much about how the Zerg and Terran forces have changed, but shed some light on the new developments for the Protoss. Story specifics are still being kept under wraps, though from the concept art it seems Kerrigan will somehow be involved. The game will release "when it's done" for PC and Mac only. It's currently in pre-alpha stages of development, and has been in production at Blizzard since the release of WarCraft 3: The Frozen Throne in 2003.

Calm down and wait for the final product before judging.

We should wait for the system requirements to be announced. Blizzard's RTS games never really push the envelope when it comes to hardware muscle.

*waits patiently for UpInFlames to show up and make him look bad....again*SteelAttack

:lol:

I strike when you least expect it, you're safe for now. Nah, you won't see me saying anything particularly positive when it comes to Blizzard. In my opinion, Blizzard is one of the most over-rated developers in history, and when it comes to RTS games - Relic has been the top dog of the genre since 2001 as far as I'm concerned. I'm rather indifferent to Starcraft II (although I'll definitely give it a shot) and these screens look pretty bland to me (stylistically speaking) - I wasn't impressed back in 1998, and I sure as hell ain't now.

[QUOTE="MyopicCanadian"]I'm sure it's just me, but I think it's looking pretty crappy. I'll pass :oRobnyc22

Someone obviously isn't familiar with Blizzard's games, which are never about graphics and always about gameplay. Also, since when where RTS games ever about graphics and looks? :|

Starcraft II isn't an FPS, Action, or Action adventure game where a big selling point is the visuals or fancy engine.

People said World of Warcraft's graphics were "crappy" too.....wanna know the result....Here you go.

When I said "looking pretty crappy" I meant it in a general sense, since I was looking at the game and have not played it.  I was not implying simply graphics. 

I'm kinda amazed that people are already complaining about the graphics, one of these days I swear some company is gonna put millions into developing a game with the most amazing ground breaking graphics ever and completely say screw the gameplay and make one of the worst games ever yet its gonna sell 20 million copys cause its so pretty.  Not to mention the game was just annouced and we've only seen footage from the earliest stages of development to give us an idea of some of the new units and such, the game will change a ton between now and its release.

Being Blizzard there are 2 things you can pretty much always count on with their games.

1. The game will be horribly horribly delayed

2. The game will be freaking amazing

So basicly I'm saying the game will come out around 2011 and we will all be mad but when it comes out it will be good enough we forget how pissed we were at the delay.

BTW Stalkers are freaking awesome

Do wish blizzard will distinguish it from war3's cartoony look, but war3 still looks superb even 5 years later so I can't complain. Well here's a nice screenshot of starcraft's early days (looks very messy compared to war2 imo).

I'm kinda amazed that people are already complaining about the graphics, one of these days I swear some company is gonna put millions into developing a game with the most amazing ground breaking graphics ever and completely say screw the gameplay and make one of the worst games ever yet its gonna sell 20 million copys cause its so pretty. Not to mention the game was just annouced and we've only seen footage from the earliest stages of development to give us an idea of some of the new units and such, the game will change a ton between now and its release.

Being Blizzard there are 2 things you can pretty much always count on with their games.

1. The game will be horribly horribly delayed

2. The game will be freaking amazing

So basicly I'm saying the game will come out around 2011 and we will all be mad but when it comes out it will be good enough we forget how pissed we were at the delay.

BTW Stalkers are freaking awesome

NamelessProphet

It will be about before the decade is over. Remember they said it has been in development since 2003 already. I would say the earliest release will be a winter of 2008. And the lastest a winter of 2009. Im pretty sure they are going try to place it in there. See...But I really do not know where because of a wild card...Im referring to the next WoW expansion.

But I think this actually brings up the most interesting thing...Could the next Diablo game be an MMO? Or maybe they are going to do another W3 then to WOW. Or in this case SC2 to WOS 

[QUOTE="MyopicCanadian"]I'm sure it's just me, but I think it's looking pretty crappy. I'll pass :oRobnyc22

Someone obviously isn't familiar with Blizzard's games, which are never about graphics and always about gameplay. Also, since when where RTS games ever about graphics and looks? :|

Starcraft II isn't an FPS, Action, or Action adventure game where a big selling point is the visuals or fancy engine.

People said World of Warcraft's graphics were "crappy" too.....wanna know the result....Here you go.

All blizzard's game looked superb when they came out (with the exception of diablo 2 back in 2000. Looked worse than diablo imo. Seems blizzard made a last minute move to reduce the gamespace display area - ala diablo with zoomed mode on where everything just becomes very pixelated - to accomodate lower system req and server bandwidth. Starcraft is still the best looking 2D 640 x 480 resolution rts on the market. 

How many players this game will attract?Bampaz

All of South Korea's population, for starters, lol.  

[QUOTE="SteelAttack"]We should wait for the system requirements to be announced. Blizzard's RTS games never really push the envelope when it comes to hardware muscle.

*waits patiently for UpInFlames to show up and make him look bad....again*UpInFlames

:lol:

I strike when you least expect it, you're safe for now. Nah, you won't see me saying anything particularly positive when it comes to Blizzard. In my opinion, Blizzard is one of the most over-rated developers in history, and when it comes to RTS games - Relic has been the top dog of the genre since 2001 as far as I'm concerned. I'm rather indifferent to Starcraft II (although I'll definitely give it a shot) and these screens look pretty bland to me (stylistically speaking) - I wasn't impressed back in 1998, and I sure as hell ain't now.

I'll agree that Blizzard is overated. I give companies that actually take risks innovating a lot more credit than a company that does nothing but polish existing genres. But Blizzard does polish to a degree that no one else seems willing to and I still have incredibly fond memories of the original Starcraft. (maybe second only to Dune 2 in RTS vivid memoryness) After WC3, I decided that judging an RTS's graphics on still shots is impossible. Fluid animations or great effects are only impressive in motion. (especially in the case of 3D)