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"For people who actually play StarCraft, there are a lot of feature on offer that you may also like. For instance, if you are trying for a high APM (actions per minute in SC terms), the keyboard can be set so that as you progress in APM it will automatically change colour to whatever you set the different APM intervals at. Also, say if your base or units were under attack, you can set it so that at these times the keyboard will flash repeatedly as an alert to tell you something went tits up."
Major League Gaming announced a brand new structure for their upcoming winter season earlier today which includes a week of online Regional Qualifiers and features StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty.
In this week's edition of Top 10 Tuesdays, Matt Beaudette of Gaming Irresponsibly gives his list of the best voice actors in the world of video games.
Major League Gaming announced the winners of their 2011 Pro's Choice Awards last week. The awards are given to players who are the best at certain aspects of the game as voted on by the players themselves.
PSBeyond's top 5 sci-fi games of all time. The top 5 games ever made to feature a prominent sci-fi element. In a setting shared by so many games, which ones pull it off best?
The 2011 Major League Gaming season comes to an end this weekend at the National Championships in Providence, Rhode Island. With over $600k in prizes, this event is poised to be the largest of the year.
Reportage from Lucca Comics & Games where traditional boardgames and video games were side by side with the presence of the major distributors and stands with the Lucca Modding Contest.
Major League Gaming set a new viewing record at last weekend's Pro Circuit event in Orlando. The continued growth of MLG this year is further evidence that e-Sports will break into the mainstream sooner rather than later.
"Major League Gaming (MLG), founded in 2002 by Sundance DiGiovanni and Mike Sepso, is a North American professional Electronic sports organization, headquartered in New York City, New York. MLG has held official video game tournaments throughout the United States and Canada. Major League Gaming competitions have been broadcast on television, ESPN.com, and other broadband sites. The company has also been involved in television production, and game development. MLG's aim is to elevate computer a..."
Default Prime columnist Matt Hearfield discusses how the idea of E-sports began to him as silly and somewhat of a joke, and how StarCraft II ultimately changed his mind.
"Valve's DOTA 2 isn't too far off from release now, and many excited fans are gearing up for its release. But do you know who else planned on using the name, "DOTA (Day of the Ancients)"? None other than Blizzard, who was making a new DOTA mod for StarCraft II."
Well, they've done it again! Major League Gaming recently announced that last week's Pro Circuit event at Anaheim was their biggest event yet as it absolutely shattered previous viewership records.
"It’s been awhile since we got a taste of some Starcraft 2 expansion details. Heart of the Swarm has been in development for quite some time and in true Blizzard fashion it looks as if we will still have to wait awhile. Until the day comes when we can finally say its out, jump for joy, buy it, and cry in each other’s arms we will remain impatient. Blizzard released some new details revolving around the expansions story and mod store."
The third event in the 2011 Major League Gaming season starts tomorrow on July 29th and runs through July 31st. Aside from just watching the competition unfold, there will also be plenty of thing for fans to do the entire weekend.
Major League Gaming announced today that the recent event at Columbus broke records for viewership and was the biggest MLG event to date. It even surpassed the 2011 NFL Draft in total viewers and you might be surprised at just how many more people watched MLG Columbus...
After suffering some issues on the first day of MLG Dallas, Major League Gaming announced today a new partnership with Streamworks for the remainder of the 2011 season.
Major League Gaming officially announced the remaining events for their 2011 Pro Circuit today including the National Championships to be held in Rhode Island.
Amazon.com is having a full day of video game deals today in their Gold Box including discounts on StarCraft II, World of Warcraft, Bulletstorm, and Dragon Age.
Blizzcon is an event that everyone would be able to attend at least once in their lives. Check out the full story to find out where you can buy tickets to one of the most coveted events of the year.
There are a select few who have been waiting for this day for months. They have been waiting for the day when Blizzard would be releasing the mod to take full advantage of the title. Check out the story for all the details.
Both being science fiction games, Halo and StarCraft are similar in a variety of ways. The parallels between these two franchises goes a lot deeper than trivial congruences, however. Dozens of minor details and art designs are eerily similar to one another.
"It’s Blizzard’s twentieth anniversary this year, and their own tribute video was pretty epic. Now they’re giving fans a chance to win a bunch of cool prizes by making videos of their favorite Blizzard moments, whether it be real life re-enactments of annihilating someone’s base in StarCraft II, raw gameplay footage, or any form of video showcasing a memory."
Daav from NoobFeed.com gathers all the nostalgia available, scattered throughout the decades, to muster up the most glorious games no one will ever see or even remember. Hailing from SNES to PS3, these technological wonders were just not meant to be and that's a shame!
The original Terran campaigns of Starcraft 1 has been imported over to Starcraft 2 by fans on sc2mapster with all 10 original missions, soundtrack, dialogue, and voice acting. There were some significant differences however, a little twist has been added by the developer to create a more interesting gameplay.
"Activision, while dropping news today of the discontinuation of Guitar Hero for 2011 and layoffs at DJ Hero developer Freestyle Games, along with the outright cancellation of the upcoming True Crime: Hong Kong, announced a new free-to-play game in the Call of Duty franchise for the Chinese market."
"I won’t lie: this gaming year has been a difficult one for OXCGN’s staff. (Cue violins). It seems most of us have had a hard time balancing a lack of time, a lack of money, and a lack of interest in the current crop of gamer’s games.
The general lack of innovation and proliferation of sequels in hard-core games in a difficult economic climate has seen many of us often turn to alternative (and often cheaper) gaming experiences like on smartphones or XBLA and PSN. (okay, kill violins).
..."
"MMGN.com: "2010 was a big year for the gaming industry. The release of Kinect and Move for Xbox 360 and PS3 respectively has all but set in stone the direction which console gaming will be heading in the coming years. Long-awaited releases hit the stores and old franchises were rebooted with the help of keen developers.
There's no doubt that the console industry is flourishing. But what about PC gaming? This year has brought many to the conclusion that PC gaming is dead. But to say that th..."
Just in time for the excitement of the holidays. GameZone reveals the Genre awards and will continue to reveal the winners of all the other categories until we get to our Game of the Year. For all the winner’s check out GameZone.com
Just in time for the excitement of the holidays. GameZone reveals the Genre awards and will continue to reveal the winners of all the other categories until we get to our Game of the Year. For all the winner’s check out GameZone.com
Each of the current home consoles and portables had a good number of exclusives this year (well, Xbox 360 not so much). What were the top exclusives to watch out for in 2010?
BrightHub looks back on the games that crafted an identity all their own in their respective genres. Join BrightHub as they announce the winners for best game in the following genres: action-adventure, fighting, platformer, puzzler, racing, rhythm, RPG, sports, shooter, and strategy.
BrightHub gives you some more gift ideas for your PC game shopping needs with a couple of excellent retail titles. Feel like getting creative? Why not give someone a digital gift in the form of a downloadable title?
CVG list their top 10 games which have been released in 2010.
10. STARCRAFT II: WINGS OF LIBERTY
9. ROCK BAND 3
8. FIFA 11
7. CASTLEVANIA: LORDS OF SHADOW
6. ASSASSIN'S CREED: BROTHERHOOD
5. Mass Effect 2
4. HALO REACH
3. CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS
2. SUPER MARIO GALAXY 2
1. RED DEAD REDEMPTION
"Every Gamer knows that a platform succeeds and fails, rises and falls by its software line-up, more importantly it’s big ‘Killer Apps’. Xbox 360 has Halo, Forza and Gears. Playstation has Killzone, Uncharted and Gran Turismo. The Wii has Mario, Donkey Kong and Zelda. Well the PC also has its own set of Killer App titles like Starcraft, Warcraft, Total War, Guild Wars and The Witcher. There is a big difference, however, between a ‘Killer App’ on PC and a ‘Killer App’ on a console."
"Okay, I really don't have much of an excuse for this. Premier YouTube SC2 shoutcaster Mike Husky of HuskyStarcraft recently hit 300,000 subscribers on his channel, and to celebrate he got together with his buddy and cobbled together this awesome parody video..."
Do you like Starcraft 2? Then you will go nuts for GameZone's newest Starcraft show, The Overwatch- brought to you by ForceSC2Strategy. Get the latest low down on all of the newest Starcraft 2 news and updates here on the Overwatch. Check out the episode 1.
"So imagine my interest when I caught wind of EvolutionChamber on the teamliquid forum. For those who haven't run across this yet, EvolutionChamber is a program which, as the noise goes, discovers optimal Zerg build orders using genetic algorithms."
TK-Nation's Cassandra Khaw trawls the internet for more information about the upcoming Blizzard DotA. We're pleased to report that the Level 80 Elite Tauren Chieftain will be making an appearance in the map.
Do you like Starcraft 2? Then you will go nuts for GameZone's newest Starcraft show, The Overwatch- brought to you by ForceSC2Strategy. Get the latest low down on all of the newest Starcraft 2 news and updates here on the Overwatch. Check out the episode 1.
"Greetings, folks. Game Kudos is posting our Starcraft II review today. Why did we take so long? Because our reviewer wanted to be thorough with such an important release, and after 350 online matches under his belt, none of us on GK are willing to argue with his assessment of the game anymore. So, enjoy the review.
We are also kicking off our Starcraft II giveaway contest. Blizzard was kind enough to give Game Kudos a digital download of the full retail title, and we're going to give you ..."
"Blizzard started the month of October by banning 5000 cheaters in Starcraft II. Out to show they mean business, the developer is now going after the hackers who created the cheats and taking them to court."
Actually, I'm going to list some of it anyways. No hype, just facts: We have a panel discussion on downloadable games with Adam Boyes (Beefy Media), "Eka" (Monday Night Combat), and Robert Bäckström (Bionic Commando Rearmed 2), along with an interview with FIFA 11's creative director. We also look at the future of 3D and game coverage, the history of the medkit in video games, the Akihabara arcade scene, the latest on PlayStation Plus, and much more. And of course, all of the latest reviews a...
"Blizzard Entertainment has announced that their much anticipated StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty is indeed the mega-hit that many predicted it would be. The PC game has sold over 3 million copies worldwide since its release on June 27 making it the fastest-selling real-time strategy game of all time."
Here is an editorial from DualShockers showing some of the extreme lengths one must go to planning out initial moments of each match strategically and the effect the game has on some long term.
The Luchacast returns with another exciting episode in "Episode 3: Mario Might Be Evil"! Join Samuel Cooke, Charles Alan Ratliff (that's me!), Eric Shepard, and Mr. Popovic himself as we discuss the true nature of Mario, naked camera fun with Uno, the future of open-world games, Quake beginners and Quake III, the latest StarCraft II update, Persona 3 Portable and being banned from the playground, Scott Pilgrim, the awesomeness of the Phoenix Wright musicals, griefers, and more! 5/5 Stars, bab...
"Now when most people think of sexually attractive characters in gaming, they usually assume it’s only female characters. Developers know that the men of gaming also have to “look good” too. That’s why we’ve sprinkled in a couple of the hottest men in video games as well."
"One of the most anticipated PC releases of 2010, Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty has hit the shelves selling over 1.8 million copies on day one. After playing through the campaign and being drawn into the multiplayer league system it’s not hard to see why."
Although here at All Age Gaming we primarily devote ourselves to console gaming and more specifically to the Xbox 360 and PS3, one of our reviewers, Ian Crane likes to dabble in the PC Gaming scene and picked up the highly anticipated Starcraft II. Being one of the biggest PC games for a while, Ian has put the game through its paces and brought us his review of the game as well as letting us know whether Starcraft II should appear on a console or not.
Issue #3 of the new hit magazine, The Luchazine, is here! Featuring interviews with Carrie Gouskos (Producer, Warhammer Online) and Dino Ignacio (Lead UI Designer, Dead Space 2), you'll also get numerous reviews for recent titles such as StarCraft II, Persona 3 Portable, Limbo, Monkey Island 2 Special Edition, and more! Plus: SSFIV highlights at EVO, an RTS retrospective, games that need HD remixes, and a bunch of other awesome stuff you don't want to miss!
Blizzard has announced that 2010 will be the most exciting year for Blizzard and all of their hardcore fans. With Diablo III on the way, what could possibly go wrong?
Community Manager “Lylirra” explains why Blizzard is removing select user-created maps in the popular PC real-time strategy game, StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty.
You don't need to be a true professional to advance far in league play. With these basic tips and strategies, you might surprise yourself in StarCraft II.
Amazon has revealed the top 10 best-selling games on their website for the month of July. Also listed are individualized charts for the Nintendo Wii, PC, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 in addition to the top 25 best-selling overall video game related products (hardware, software and accessories) for the month.
"E4G and Gladriel (the game marketplace) have teamed up to give away the community of E4G the StarCraft II Collector's Edition.
Rules:
Users of the E4G staff can not enter
Open to US and Canada residents only"
"July had its up and downs, but when the month came to a close, it was apparent that PC gaming has received the kick in the behind that it needed to get the industry buzzing again about the platform. That adrenaline shot was StarCraft II, and, boy, does it have gamers and the media talking."
Blizzard today revealed the first-day and 48-hour sales results for their highly-anticipated PC real-time strategy game, StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty.
This year’s July new releases was packed with many big-named games and hidden gems. Here are the top five best titles that were released in the previous month.
War is coming, with all its glory and all its horror. The best line ever to introduce Starcraft II. War will end the universe but there is one person that can stop it from happening...
"The biggest PC game launch of the year hit today with StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty and stores across the country had eager gamers showing up before Midnight on Monday to purchase their copies of the game. Metro Atlanta was no different as almost thirty people packed a local Norcross, GA GameStop to pick up their copy."
"Releases of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, HydroThunder, and Arc Rise Fantasia help get this week's game releases past the typical summer lull period. We also get an oddity this week in Clash of the Titans. Movie tie-in games are typically released alongside the theatrical release. This time, the game was delayed to release alongside the DVD release of the film. Now we'll have to see if that makes a difference in the quality of the game."
"This week's deals are kind of overwhelming thanks to GameStop's Power Saver sales and Toys R Us running a buy one get one 50% off sale. There is a lot to choose from to spend your gaming dollar on but the good news is is that you'll be able to stretch it pretty far."
According to a recently published article by The Wall Street Journal, the budget for Blizzard's highly anticipated game wasn't actually $100m as originally claimed. Instead the figure given was for the online interactive RPG game, World of Warcraft. This would have meant the highly anticipated sequel to Starcraft wouldn't have had a higher budget than Rockstar's very own Red Dead Redemption.
Blizzard have also announced there will be no reviews written for Starcraft II until it's release l...
"It´s July, the quiet period is in full swing, and the developers at Blizzard have StarCraft II - one of the most anticipated games in recent memory - ready for store shelves. Twelve years since the launch of the original title, and the world is waiting with bated breath, longing for any news, previews or tidbits about the hottest of hot RTS properties."
"Activision CEO Bobby Kotick has recently made the statement that, “The Call of Duty franchise is a force of nature. I think it is the closest thing this generation has to a Star Wars. I think it’s unique and bigger than any musical act or any movie franchise in that capacity.” While we appreciate Mr. Kotick’s enthusiasm for his product, we don’t believe there’s been a game that has come close to the cultural impact that Star Wars had when it was released in 1977. However, we humbly submit fiv..."
Starcraft 2 is getting closer and closer. Blizzard has put out a new trailer for the game called "Ghosts of the Past" and updated Battle.net with a slew of screenshots. Don't watch if you're worried about spoilers.
"Has the end of been told? These are potential spoilers so if you do not won’t to know look away NOW.
Kuangtu reported that on a small image found in the SC2 game we would find spoilers. A quite a few people have been saying it for a couple of days now. Here’s the picture"
The news is clear and simple: you can download StarCraft 2 right now on your PC. You will find the digital copy ready to buy on Blizzards website only. This is quite a surprise knowing that they had decided to give an up-front to retailers given them a couple of days before they put the digital version for download.
"It’s a series of portraits and most of them were never seen before. We already know these characters: we saw them before in gameplay demonstrations or in the beta.
You will know who they are, where they come from and why they are back in StarCraft 2."
"This video is taken from a Chinese website which is Youtube competitor. It reveals footage of a possibly leaked collector’s edition of Blizzard’s upcoming RTS: StarCraft 2!"
Blizzard's recent decision to include real names on their forums caused a gigantic uproar all over the internet. Apparently, Blizzard listened to the complaints and has just announced a backtrack on the decision
Blizzard's upcoming policy of using forum posters' real names in their posts is controversial at best, and people are in an uproar about it. Are they doing the right thing, though? Community management is an elegant art, and one that it seems Blizzard is not interested in managing. An Icrontic op/ed.
The top 10 best-selling games on Amazon for the month of June. Also included are individual charts for the Nintendo Wii, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 in addition to the top 25 best-selling video game products overall (software, hardware and accessories).
"If the year 2010 was to be called the year of anything in the video game world it would probably be called "The Year of 3D announcements" as the number of big name games such as Killzone 3 and Crysis 2 announcing 3D support continues to grow. The latest game to do so is Blizzard's StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. But don't expect to jump into the war between the humans, Protoss and Zerg in 3D right away."
Sometimes being a Best Buy Rewards Zone Gamer Club member has it's perks. Not only can you get $10 back for pre-ordering StarCraft 2 but for just being a member you can take part in a Live Chat Session with developers from Blizzard and ask them any questions you still have about their upcoming game StarCraft 2. Read more on what you have to do to participate in the chat.
The top ten best-selling games overall for the month of May on Amazon. Also included are individual charts for Nintendo Wii, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 games.
"While StarCraft II is a a traditional RTS at its core, the included modding tools allow for a great deal of creative freedom. Take YouTube user SkriK’s latest creation for instance, a complete recreation of the staple turn-based Final Fantasy battle system utilizing the engine that powers Blizzard’s upcoming sci-fi sequel."
"BlizzCon 2010 will be held on October 22nd and 23rd in Anaheim, California. Gamers and Blizzard fans will be able to attend panels, play demos, participate in tournaments, and much more in the Anaheim Convention Center."
"Joystick: We did a few special things on twitter
FoxyKazoo: yeah, i saw the retweet for Xbox points, i did not win
Joystick: yeah, and WrathChild attempted to win, she tried to finagle her way in, we had to tell her she couldn't do that. So I do wish to formally apologize for last week. It was a little rude of me, and in case some of you are wondering what it is that I did, the one thing that I am apologizing for, not everything am I apologizing for, but the one thing. I apologize for makin..."
"The lead designer of Starcraft 2 has told CVG that Blizzard may take the game to console in future.
Chris Sigaty said that the move wouldn't happen anytime soon - but it was something that the developer was interested in exploring."
The top ten best-selling video games and game re-related products on Amazon during the month of April. Also included are individual charts for the Nintendo Wii, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.
"Blizzard announced just moments ago that the company is working to integrate elements of Facebook with their Battle.net matchmaking service. Beginning with the launch of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty on July 27, players will be able to add other Blizzard gamers that are friends on Facebook to their Battle.net friends list."
"The highly anticipated sequel to one of real time strategy’s finest showcases, Starcraft II Wings of Liberty, has been given an official release date by Blizzard Entertainment. The game which was a questionable release for this year, has been officially slated for launch on July 27th, 2010. Players will be able to purchase the game directly from Blizzard Entertainment following the retail launch."
Starcraft is a massively popular series in Korea, so it may come as a disappointment to many fans that the Korean Games Rating Board has given Starcraft II an adults-only rating.
Hilarious video posted on CollegeHumor from a lady clearly upset with her ex-boyfriend. Here she shreds a StarCraft 2 beta key in a rage -- basically any Blizzard fan's nightmare.
Check it at the source.
Blizzard Entertainment has revealed the collector’s edition of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. Also announced are the pricing for both the regular and premium editions.
"Mike Morhaime, CEO and co-founder of Blizzard Entertainment said, "We're looking forward to providing another great show filled with entertainment, competition, and the latest information about Blizzard Entertainment games."
All new screenshots from Blizzard's Star Craft 2 have released! These new images are from the games multiplayer beta that is going on right now and show off a bunch of action.
It was recently announced that Battle.Net would be getting a major facelift. In an interview with G4TV, Blizzard co-founder and senior vice president Frank Pearce said that he would like Battle.Net to enter the web 2.0 experience and become the Facebook of gaming.
"+1
votes
First General Issues with StarCraft II Beta
First General Issues with StarCraft II Beta
Source ugdb.com General Issues:
"
Blizzard today announced that their popular match-making service, Battle.net, will be receiving a major face lift sometime in the future, likely corresponding with the Starcraft II release.
"If ever a gaming genre has become a lightning rod for brow-knotting aphorisms, it’s real-time strategy. Conventional wisdom dictates that RTS has failed to crack the console market in this or any other generation, despite repeated attempts from talented teams, and its native PC home has been relentlessly attacked by pirates in recent years. It’s a two-pronged assault to which even the biggest names in games have apparently no answer, say the worriers."
"As of this writing, we’re already three weeks into 2010. The “new” year is already practically ancient, and pretty soon we’ll have run out of time to make wild, erratic, entirely factual predictions about things that will happen over the next 11 months. So with January nearly over, we’re going for the jugular and answering the question that’s on everyone’s mind: between the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii and PC, which gaming platform will claim victory by the end of this year.
Experts antici..."
"We’re barely two weeks into 2010 and there’s already enough must-have games to choke one of Avatar’s six-legged horses. January alone is home to seven big-name releases, with February, March and April continuing the trend. Hell, we even know what’s coming in the summer and in some cases (like Halo Reach) we’re even certain of the fall’s heaviest hitters.
Collected here is every game that matters (so far) in 2010. Obviously some games will slip and others will be announced in June at E3, bu..."
2010 is looking to be yet another awesome year for us gamers. Hype, developer potential, nostalgia, series’ past sales and successes, all counted towards VGB's unbiased Top 100 list of this years biggest games. See anything you like?
Blizzard finally set it straight on when and what are going to be release next year for their line up. Battle.Net, Starcraft II, and World of Warcraft: Cataclysm is set for their line up for next year, but what about Diablo III?
"To be honest I'm totally clueless when it comes to Starcraft. Besides attempting to play it at a PC lounge after a 12 hour all nighter I never tried the insanely popular RTS game. Maybe it's the fact that I'm not much of a PC and RTS gamer but I never really felt compelled to play the game.
I think this may change based on this new Starcraft 2 Battle Report video. Sure, it may be more of the same but it does look pretty interesting and I did enjoy playing the recent Command & Conquer game..."
The first cinematic trailer to the single player of StarCraft II has just been released entitled "Old Rivals". It is available in HD so go check out it.
Continuing the saga, StarCraft II pits you back into the world of the Terran, Protoss, and Zerg. These three unique races will once again fight it out for supremacy.
"The largest event of its kind, BlizzCon is a celebration of Blizzard Entertainment’s Warcraft, Diablo, and StarCraft game universes and the global player communities surrounding them. At the closing ceremony on August 22, Ozzy will unleash a thunderous spectacle of rock to put the Lich King in his place and cement his own title as the one true Prince of Darkness."
The 'good news' episode of The Bender. Mostly for us, but still good news. Lots of ground covered, including a little touching of the "games as art debate", James taking on the "10 day detox" of video games, and much more. Grab us/stream through iTunes or download the mp3 here
Gamingshogun reports that in a financial report issued today, Activision Blizzard has announced it is pushing back the hotly-anticipated StarCraft2 to the first half of 2010 for a better financial year as well as to give their upcoming BattleNET service more dev time. Originally, StarCraft 2 was thought to be looking at an end-of-2009 release however that, obviously, is no longer accurate.
"he cause of the concern is the company's up-coming release slate. Analysts agree that Activision has the best slate of games heading into the 2009 holiday season. The latest sequel to its blockbuster "Call of Duty" franchise -- dubbed "Modern Warfare 2" -- is widely expected to be the biggest selling game title of the year.
But the game business is volatile because publishers often have to shift release dates to allow developers time to finish. Activision has already shifted one title call..."
After the original Starcraft, Blizzard have known that it's going to be a challenge to trump the original while pleasing their fans. In a controversial move, they've announced that they've axed LAN support for the highly anticipated sequel. The fans have certainly wasted no time in responding with one of the most polite petitions (filled with gratuitous ass-kissery) that you'll ever find. It's so polite and respectful that it makes you wonder if Blizzard will even bother reading it, let alone...
This week on The Bender, we bring you a discussion between Perry and Mike over digital downloads versus owning a physical copy of a game, we give Scribblenauts some attention, and a whole lot more, check the show notes in the quote. Grab the podcast off iTunes by clicking here or download the mp3 directly here.
A small development team is making a flash tower defense game out of Starcraft 2 units. From the Screenshots it looks very much like the real Starcraft 2. Hopefully, it will be finish soon.
"Finally, [Blizzard president Mike] Morhaime said that the highly anticipated StarCraft II is on schedule to be released by the end of the year. But if the game is not ready, it will be delayed as Blizzard doesn't release anything before they feel it's done. A beta test is scheduled for this Summer."
"All you StarCraft junkies can get your StarCraft II fix early with the beta-opt in. You may have to non-stop refresh on the site but it will be well worth it when all your nerd friends get crushed because of your beta-nerd experience."
It isn't the first time this sort of thing has happened of course, but the fact Canadian retailer Futureshop has Starcraft II listed on their main PC games page does say something.
The outlet currently lists the game (the first installment, Wings of Liberty, it's assumed) as coming to shops this Halloween -- October 31, 2009; a lengthy background on the game accompanies the date.
I've been asked to start blogging again - a major undertaking given I have no time for anything other than showing the world how awesome UGO is deep down inside, and gaming. Not to mention I have a terrible habit of stream-of-consciousness writing without making the effort to proof read, or spell check... yeah, I'm supposed to have a grad degree. *shrug*
That said, I am unfortunately a fanboy. A fan boy that, from time to time, likes to engage in the silly x vs. y forum debates. Last night...
"Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. today announced plans for its fourth BlizzCon gaming convention, to be held at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California on Friday, August 21st and Saturday, August 22nd. BlizzCon is a celebration of the global player communities surrounding Blizzard Entertainment's Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo universes. In response to the festival's increasing popularity, this year's event has been expanded from three convention halls to four."
A list of upcoming games to look forward to in 2009. Blend Games writer' Nathan Ochiltree lists games like Final Fantasy XIII, Punch-Out Wii and Star Ocean: Second Evolution as some of the prospective highlights for 2009.
Blizzard has kicked off a 'Battle Report' for StarCraft II -- basically staff matches with commentary. You can check the video out at the source.
The two players in this Protoss vs. Terran match are associate game balance designers Matt Cooper and David Kim; commentary is provided by Dustin Browder and Robert Simpson from e-Sports.
The game is currently in alpha, and as always, has no release date (though Canadian retailer Futureshop has it as May 31, 2009, for some reason, while GameSt...
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"Patch 1.16 offers some optimizations: "[StarCraft] now only uses as much CPU as it needs to run smoothly." In-game chat (excluding whispers) is now saved in the replays. There's some bug fixes and the removal of several exploits including Terrans drop-anywhere nukes and some additional Zerg exploits as well."
"However, speaking to VideoGamer.com this afternoon in London prior to the midnight launch of World of Warcraft expansion Wrath of the Lich King, Paul Sams, chief operating officer, Blizzard Entertainment, gave his word that the decision was about providing a better experience, and not about making more money.
He said: "The fact of the matter is, it's absolutely, positively untrue about us trying to stretch it out and milk it. People think that it was a monetary driven decision. I can absol..."
The ability to modify the User Interface in World of Warcraft is an ability many WOW players can't live without. Yet when asked about this important feature, Blizzard stated they will "try to get to it in the expansion" for Starcraft 2. Included below in the attached photos is just an example of how radical the user interface can be changed in WOW, which includes many changes that are quite efficient.
Read the attached article to get the full scoop on User Interface Modding, Battle.net 2.0...
GameIndustry.biz got a chance to speak to Frank Pearce of Bllizzard Entertainment about a wide assortment of things, ranging from Warcraft and Warhammer, to the current MMO scene, to upcoming RTS and how they expect to build on past experiences with Diablo III. We also get a little bit of a look at the inside workings of the company. Worth a look for all interested in seeing where Blizzard Entertainment is going to be going next!
"With over one hundred performers - including a number of international musicians - and even more people behind the scenes, Echoes of War is a fitting tribute to the epic legacy that Blizzard Entertainment has established with its music..."
For over a decade BattleNet (Blizzard's online network) has kept Starcraft, Diablo and Warcraft players nice and happy at no extra cost. It looks like this will be a thing of the past however, come BattleNet 2.0, which is to debut with Starcraft 2. Diablo 3 director Jay Wilson when questioned admitted Blizzard is looking to monetize the new BattleNet. What form this will take either through subscriptions, expansions or micro-transactions is yet to be seen.
"Thousands of rabid Starcraft fans packed the Anaheim Convention Center at BlizzCon 2008 for the Starcraft II gameplay panel. The air was absolutely electric as Chris Metzen, Rob Pardo and Dustin Browder appeared on stage. With every morsel of news about the single player campaign dropping from their table, the audience grew that much fatter with joy, licking the sweet sugary goodness from their fingers. New characters and bigger emphasis on storytelling. Good. The ability to choose from multi..."
Blizzcon 08 is in swing and releasing details left right and center about all things Starcraft, Diablo and Warcraft. At a live panel earlier today focusing on Starcraft 2 some particular juicy details were released. The not so great news that 3 separate versions of Starcraft 2 would be sold, each with a expansive unique campaign featuring one of the races. And that a similar system would be used in Warcraft 4, which confirms the games existence.
"Fresh from BlizzCon 08 are cinematics from Blizzard's upcoming strategy sequel StarCraft II. In classic Blizzard style, we're given a rendered scene full of awesomeness."
According to a source that remains anonymous and is close to Blizzard, they revealed to BattleForums that most of the StarCraft 2 development will be delayed until Diablo III is good and ready.
Blizzard has not confirmed or denied this yet.
"Improved Battle.net In-Game Functionality
Any quote from Blizzard clearly states that while they won't talk much about Battle.net 2.0, we will be blown away or be very impressed. It's a given that all current features for Battle.net will be included - and improved! Blizzard has said they have learned a lot from WoW on infrastructure, and features from WoW will definitely also be seen. So Battlenet 2.0 WILL feature:
* Excellent Ping
* Channels and Chat in-game
* Ladders and R..."
"Next year's offerings from Activision Blizzard should include highly anticipated PC strategy title StarCraft II, the sequel to one of the world's most enduringly popular games.
While this isn't a bold statement by any measure, it's nice to hear that communication inside the massive company talks in the terms of "2009" rather than "sometime in the distant future". Most predictions of StarCraft II's release date range around 2009, so fans will not get overly surprised by this announcement."
"We dont have the resources or time to add a fourth race to the launch of StarCraft II, but Im sure in the event that we decide to do an expansion set its a feature thatll come up for discussion, the company boss told VG247.
StarCraft II will feature the three races from the first game - the Terrans, the Zerg and the Protoss - but a fourth had been considered early on in development.
We talked about the possibility of a fourth race early on, but we felt like we had a finite amount..."
When speaking to Videogamer at the 2008 Games Convention in Leipzig, a question popped up asking if there is any chance we may see a console version of StarCraft 2. How much chance is there? "Very close to zero", Blizzard said.
Frank Pearce, the Senior VP of Blizzard, said "It's not something we're specifically planning for right now. The development team is working on the game and the interface with the PC and the PC interface peripherals in mind."
""Looks like after a barrage of folks whacking Blizzard servers, taking them offline several times, all the tickets for the upcoming BlizzCon expo have been sold. Blizzard is holding the event on October 10th and 11th at the Anaheim Convention Center (in Anaheim, CA). Tickets were $100 dollars a piece and there is no word on how many were sold.
What we do know for sure is that we have been offered two press passes for the event and will bring you the latest coverage from the expo as it unfo..."
"Eventually, our plans are for the Achievement system to become an account-based system, [lead World of Warcraft designer Jeff Kaplan] explained.
When the new Blizzard Accounts are active, a players WoW points can be added to an overall score dubbed an account holders Blizzard Level. Its basically a gamerscore, Kaplan said, when I made reference to Xbox Lives Achievement system. For now the points are just a WoW character score. As we graduate to that Blizzard Account syste..."
It's no secret that the South Koreans love their Starcraft. But have you ever seen a professional Starcraft tournament? Well you're about to ... and they're damn serious! If you manage to watch the entire "Game 3" video, the players start getting pretty emotional towards the end. It's like watching a professional sport!
Game 2
Game 3 - Final
(Go to the source for the full tournament)
Wegame.com showcases videos of various aspects of gameplay from the highly anticipated Starcraft 2, including; The Jackal in Action, Medivac in action, Terran Battle Cruiser in action, Terran Campaign footage, Mutalisks in Action, Hydralisks in Action, Protoss Mothership and other new units in action.
Screens showing off the environments and characters of the Starcraft II world are here for your viewing pleasure.
As for a release date, you'll get it when you get it!
"Many froth-mouthed fans of Blizzard's intergalactic real-time strategy masterpiece Starcraft have anxiously been awaiting word on when the next installment of the series would land in their anticipatory laps. Blizz has been characteristically tight-lipped about the title's launch window, though we were recently informed that an online SKU search for Starcraft II on Best Buy, Circuit City, and Gamestop's web sites reveal the same supposed release date of December 3, 2008. With no confirmation ..."
"Specifications for Starcraft 2 have leaked out of Blizzard HQ and are unusually high... for Blizzard, at least.
Minimum Requirements:
GFX: GeForce 7/8 Series or Radeon 1000/2000 with 25Mb RAM
CPU: Pentium 4
RAM: 1Gb
Internet: ADSL 1 MBit
Recommended Requirements:
GFX: GeForce 8000 or Radeon 2000 series with 512Mb RAM
CPU: Core 2 Duo or Athlon X2
RAM: 2Gb
Internet: ADSL 3 Mbit
Optimal Requirements:
GFX: Geforce 9000er or Radeon 3000er Series
CPU: Core 2 Duo 3 Ghz or ..."
"On March 31, 1998, Blizzard Entertainment released StarCraft, a revolutionary real-time strategy game pitting three powerful and distinctive races against each other in a war-torn galaxy. In StarCraft, the resourceful terrans, mysterious protoss, and relentless zerg find themselves in a confluence of events that has only one possible outcome: an epic war for conquest and survival."
Blizzard have release a new video of the Zergs in action for Starcraft 2. Many unit types have been shown, the graphics are crisp, and the people of Korea have yet to internally combust. Can't wait. Hit the jump to see the new video in it's full glory.
During the Morgan Stanley Technology Conference being held at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, California, Activision CEO, Bobby Kotick had to say this about StarCraft II:
quotebecause it is a short-session experience, [StarCraft II] can actually be the model for in-game advertising and sponsorship and tournament play and ladder play for the future.
According to a community manager at Blizzard for StarCraft they had this reply to Kotick's comment:
quoteWe have no plans to have ...
"With this year's gaming harvest already played and beaten and filed away into memory like so many saves, it is time now to look on.
Past the bulbous shores of 2007, far off in the distant recesses of release schedules, lies the gone-golden bounty of untapped potential. And while many may slip their surly bonds and give flight to the year 2009, more still will cement their crusted plastic into delighted hands. Here we mark the prophecy of the PC legacy, a concrete, yet tumultuous hour of re..."
PC fans, you've gotta love their calm and assured sense of being when it comes to high-quality gaming. And who could blame them when the likes of Crysis, Rage, StarCraft II, Age of Empires III, HellGate: London, and Tabula Rasa are all on the cards... and ALL exclusive. Not GamerSquad. Take a look at some of the collected goodness on offer on the PC format and perhaps take a step back from all that Xbox 360 vs. PlayStation 3 nonsense for a moment. Clarity is a beautful thing.
"This weekend in Anaheim, California is scheduled to be packed full of action with everything from World of Warcraft tournaments to live concerts. One of the most highly anticipated features, however, is the playable StarCraft 2 demo. Although the Blizzard team announced the game at the Worldwide Invitational in South Korea back in May, only a few videos of the actual in game action were released."
For all your Post-E3 Blizzard information, here's the re-cap on what they offered. From details on World of Warcraft's expansion to some eye-candy from Starcraft II, there's no dull moment with this developing company.
Starcraft II features full online supposrt, a brand-new 3D engine, huge army to control, and chaotic battles. Not too much we didn't already know in this department, though.
The Burning Crusade will soon get a patch that includes a built-in voice-chat. We'll also get the...
The Swedish Magazine, Super Play have had a chance to get their hands on Starcraft 2, and in the few pages that they published, they have given us new information from the game. The information is mainly Terrain units, Terran buildings and Terran Mech Transformers.
GosuGamers has also been nice enough to translate the information for you from the images...
"Talking to Gamasutra, Frank Pearce, founding member and senior vice president of product development for Blizzard revealed that the company has a third team hard at work on a new title, separate from World of Warcraft and StarCraft II.
The comment came amid discussion of the company's current workforce. "Our global headcount is 2,700," said Pearce, "And most of that is customer service for World of Warcraft! In terms of development staff its probably around 350. World of Warcraft is about..."
"Blizzard Entertainment, the firm behind the likes of World of Warcraft and Diablo, has announced today that those lucky individuals attending their second BlizzCon convention at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, will be offered the chance to play the much anticipated PC real-time strategy title, StarCraft II."
PC Gamer just recently did a preview of the units (Protoss only, so far) for StarCraft 2. A few new units can be seen in the video along with their names.
Some of these units are not even on the official StarCraft 2 website, yet.
"StarCraft II will not be released this year, Blizzard has confirmed. The likely launch window for the sequel, recently revealed at an event in Korea, would seem to be late 2008, although even that tentative prediction is subject to Blizzard's traditional "It'll launch when it's ready" approach.
With just over six months remaining until the Christmas run-in, a 2007 launch seemed overly hopeful. But fanboys across the internet had prayed that, given the near finished state of the game in the..."
For your viewing pleasure an assortment of eye candy with eleven trailers and videos of videos from Blizzards recently announced Starcraft II.
It's unfortunate that some of the video's aren't of the highest quality but they at least give you an insight of the game and are definitely watchable. Be sure to visit the official Starcraft II site: http://www.starcraft2.com
Related articles: That's it Starcraft 2 has arrived
I've come back from the grave for one reason, to bring you the great news of SC2! With all the rumors and such going around lately, there was doubt of Starcraft 2's coming, it was thought that it may have come off as just another way to get people interested in something different, but it's real, no more lying, no more hiding, 100% confirmed SC2.
Just found a new link too that some people may be interested in considering it's blizzards site and it just came online.
http://www.starcraft2.com/
![Box shot of Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty [North America]](http://i.neoseeker.com/boxshots/R2FtZXMvUEMvU3RyYXRlZ3kvUlRT/starcraft_ii_wings_of_liberty_frontcover_small_V55c43QcXHjIKrU.jpg)