starcraft-ii posts

StarCraft II web site gets updated with screenshots, articles and more

by John Callaham Nov 19th 2009 @ 3:30PM

It's been a few months since there's been a lot of new content uploaded to Blizzard's StarCraft II web site. That changed today as the site added an additional 17 new screenshots for the upcoming sci-fi RTS blockbuster (we have reproduced them and put them in our ever growing StarCraft II gallery). The shots are a mix of gameplay visuals with some in-game engine cinematics like the shot you see above.

In addition to the new visuals, there are also some articles on the process of making 1v1 multiplayer maps for the game as well as how Blizzard's development team will be creating the single player story/campaign. There's even a new StarCraft II-based short story to check out that focuses on the new Zerg Changling unit. And no, there's still no word on the beta test . . . sorry.

Gallery: Starcraft 2

Filed under: RTS, Screenshots, Starcraft II

New Starcraft II screenshot reveals new (and big) Zerg unit

by John Callaham Nov 12th 2009 @ 1:00PM

It's not been a good fall season for StarCraft II fans. We've learned that Blizzard's upcoming RTS sequel won't be released this year but has been pushed back to the first half of 2010. We've also learned that not even the beta test will happen this year either.So when something new is revealed about the game we all sit up and take notice.

In this case the game's official Twitter web page has a link to a new screenshot from the game that shows off for the first time the Brutalisk, a new Zerg unit that gamers will have to deal with in the single player campaign. As you can see it towers over the puny Terrans. Details about the unit have yet to be revealed.

Gallery: Starcraft 2

Filed under: RTS, Starcraft II

All You Need To Know: Starcraft II

by James Murff Nov 11th 2009 @ 7:00PM

Games that are coming out soon have a lot of unknowns that the average person might not know. Who is this character inspired by? Is all the talk of volumetric fog or cel-shaded graphics really worthwhile? Do the game mechanics really seem solid, or are they lackluster? In All You Need To Know we provide information to help you fully appreciate what these upcoming games have to offer.

Feed your head after the jump.

Check out our collection of Starcraft II related downloads here on Big Download!

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Continue reading All You Need To Know: Starcraft II

Filed under: Features, RTS, Strategy, Starcraft II

StarCraft novel release delayed; is it a clue to StarCraft II's release date?

by John Callaham Nov 9th 2009 @ 1:00PM

Several months ago, back when Blizzard was still targeting a release of StarCraft II by the end of 2009, Pocket Books announced plans to release a prequel novel, StarCraft: Heaven's Devils, by author William C. Dietz, in December. Now that Blizzard is targeting a first half 2010 release date for the long awaited sci-fi RTS game, Pocket Books has delayed the release of the novel as well.

According to Amazon.com, the new release date for the novel is April 6, 2010 which certainly is in that broad time period that Blizzard has stated publicly for the game's release. It's possible that Pocket Books may know something about Blizzard's tentative specific release date for the game and adjusted the novel's release date accordingly . . . or they could just be guessing.

Gallery: Starcraft 2

Filed under: Culture, RTS, Starcraft II

No StarCraft II multiplayer beta until 2010

by John Callaham Nov 9th 2009 @ 10:00AM

If you were hoping that maybe, just maybe, Blizzard might give its long suffering StarCraft II fan base an Christmas present by launching the multiplayer beta for the long awaited sci-fi RTS game before the end of the year . . . well, it looks like it's not going to happen.

Fan site StarCraft Legacy, getting info from a Russian games convention that Blizzard attended this weekend, is reporting that the game's lead producer Chris Sigaty admitted during a presentation that the multiplayer beta, previously planned to launch last summer, won't start until sometime in 2010. As we reported last week, Blizzard has now said they are targeting a release date for the full game for the first half of 2010. If the multiplayer beta doesn't start until 2010, that likely means the full game won't be released until sometime in the April-June 2010 time frame.

[Via Eurogamer]

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Filed under: Betas, RTS, Starcraft II

StarCraft II targeted for first half 2010 release; still no word on beta launch date

by John Callaham Nov 5th 2009 @ 5:45PM

During Activision Blizzard's financial conference call. Blizzard president Mike Morhaime stated that they are currently targeting the long awaited sci-fi RTS sequel StarCraft II to release sometime in the first half of 2010. Previously Blizzard would only admit to a release of the game sometime in the 2010 time period.

While Morhaime stated during the conference call that the development team is working towards the game's beta test launch, he would not confirm any dates on when the beta will actually begin. Last June at E3 the company stated they hoped to have the beta launch during the summer but had to retract that plan when their plans to release StarCraft II changed from their previous fall 2009 date.

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Filed under: RTS, Starcraft II

Latest official StarCraft II Q&A trickles out the info

by John Callaham Oct 21st 2009 @ 8:00AM

While all of us wait patiently for Blizzard to light the candle on the StarCraft II beta test (remember when they said it was going to happen last summer? Good times) we check out any info we can get on the upcoming sci-fi RTS game. Recently the game's official forums posted up the latest fan Q&A about the game (the 54th, in fact).

The questions, as usual, get extremely specific (these are die hard StarCraft fans who are asking these questions to Blizzard after all) and deal with issues like Zergling vs. Zealot ratios, being able to dodge an EMP attack in the game and allowing maps and mods for StarCraft II to have their own launcher. Meanwhile we wait for the beta test . . . and wait . . . and wait some more.

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Filed under: RTS, Starcraft II

New StarCraft II fan Q&A reveals more info

by John Callaham Oct 6th 2009 @ 2:00PM

Hey, do you remember any news about an upcoming RTS game called . . . StarCraft II? Why sure you do. Yes, we are all very upset that Blizzard won't deliver the long awaited sequel by the end of this year but that doesn't mean we should be bitter. Just think of it as an excuse to learn more about the game before it comes out.

And one of the ways to do just that is with the latest StarCraft II fan Q&A on the Battle.net message boards. The developers answer a few more of the fan questions like how many voice actors worked on the game (58), any word on additional map features (Nope) and a question about terrain sets (terrain sets are named after planets and there will be more flexibility to modify terrain sets in the final game). Now you know and knowing is . . well, you get the idea.

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Filed under: Interviews, RTS, Starcraft II

Upcoming StarCraft novel excerpt now available to read online

by John Callaham Aug 31st 2009 @ 12:00PM

During out BlizzCon 2009 coverage last week we checked out the Pocket Books booth where they were showing off their previous and upcoming novels based on Blizzard's games. Among the books featured was StarCraft: Heaven's Devils, an upcoming hardcover prose novel from author William C Dietz.

Now Pocket Books has posted up an except from that novel on its web site. Designed to be a prequel to StarCraft II, the novel will be tell the story of the first meeting between Jim Raynor (hero of the first StarCraft game) and Tychus Findlay (the space marine that's the subject of the first StarCraft II CGI trailer). The novel is due in stores in mid-December.

Gallery: Starcraft 2

Filed under: Culture, RTS, Starcraft II

StarCraft II could still have LAN-like features

by John Callaham Aug 24th 2009 @ 8:00AM

Blizzard seems to be sticking to its guns for the most post on the subject of not offering a traditional offline LAN multiplayer mode for StarCraft II. While lots of players would like to see it happen, Blizzard wants the sci-fi RTS sequel to link up more to its Battle.net service.

However, it does look like that Blizzard is at least thinking about ways to give a LAN-like experience while not doing away completely with the online Battle.net connection. Chatting with Shacknews, Blizzard's Greg Canessa states, "Maintaining a connection with Battle.net, "I don't know if it's once or periodically, but then also having a peer-to-peer connection between players to facilitate a very low-ping, high-bandwidth connection.. those are the things that we're working on." Whether or not fans will be happy with that sort of compromise remains to be seen.

Gallery: Starcraft 2

Filed under: Multiplayer, RTS, Starcraft II

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