Click on the pictures to see the videos:
SPACENET SITE |
StarCraft II
DOMINION SITE |
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty - Join the Dominion!
BATTLE.NET SITE |
StarCraft II
FACEBOOK |
StarCraft | Facebook
TWITTER |
StarCraft (StarCraft) on Twitter
RELEASE DATE | JULY 27, 2010 - WORLDWIDE
PLATFORM | PC, MAC
PRICE | $59.99 US ($99.99 CE)
GENRE | Real Time Strategy Simulation
DEVELOPER | Blizzard Entertainment
CONTENT RATING
ESRB | T
PEGI | 16
AU | M
Korea GRB | 15 (Censored)
Click on the pictures below to see the full reviews:
If you intend to purchase a digital copy of StarCraft II instead of a physical copy, you'll need to purchase it directly through Blizzard, rather than using other digital download services like Steam or Direct2Drive. You can already download the client now and install the game when the game is officially available for release on the 27th.
DOWNLOAD LINKS
North America:
Digital Purchasing - Information - Battle.net
Europe:
Digital Purchasing - Information - Battle.net
Oceania / SEA:
Digital Purchasing - Information - Battle.net
South Korea:
?? - ?? - Battle.net
PC REQUIREMENTS
PC Minimum System Requirements:
* Windows XP/Windows Vista/Windows 7 (Updated with the latest Service Packs) with DirectX 9.0c
* 2.6 GHz Pentium IV or equivalent AMD Athlon processor
* 128 MB PCIe NVIDIA GeForce 6600 GT or ATI Radeon 9800 PRO video card or better
* 12 GB available HD space
* 1 GB RAM (1.5 GB required for Windows Vista/Windows 7 users)
* DVD-ROM drive
* Broadband Internet connection
* 1024X720 minimum display resolution
PC Recommended System Requirements:
* Windows Vista/Windows 7
* Dual Core 2.4Ghz Processor
* 2 GB RAM
* 512 MB NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX or ATI Radeon HD 3870 or better
MAC REQUIREMENTS
Mac Minimum System Requirements:
* Mac OS X 10.5.8, 10.6.2 or newer
* Intel Processor
* NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT or ATI Radeon X1600 or better
* 12 GB available HD space
* 2 GB Ram
* DVD-ROM drive
* Broadband Internet connection
* 1024X720 minimum display resolution
Mac Recommended System Requirements:
* Intel Core 2 Duo processor
* 4 GB system RAM
* NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT or ATI Radeon HD 4670 or better
Click on the picture below to see the video:
If any commanders are not familiar with the original Starcraft, allow me to bring you up to speed. The original Starcraft was one of the most important Real-Time Strategy Simulations ever released. Its ability to let commanders control three totally unique factions is widely credited in fundamentally changing how future Real-Time Strategy Simulations were created.
Starcraft is a simulation that takes both macromanagement and micromanagement strategy in consideration. Just as on the actual field, you will need to make structures, gather resources, and give orders to your units. In the competitive online skirmishes, it's very fast paced. Battles can be won or lost within the first few minutes of the match. Scouting and learning your opponent is quite crucial.
There are two basic resources: Minerals and Vespene Gas. Minerals are generally found in small clusters, and you will need many workers to efficiently collect them. Vespene Gas requires an extraction building, but requires fewer workers to collect. In general, minerals are the raw materials that help us construct our armies, while vespene gas is useful to allow the construction of more powerful units and upgrades. Efficient use of these resources given is often the key to success in Starcraft.
There are three key races in Starcraft, being the three main factions that hold power in the Koprulu Sector: the Terran, the Zerg, and the Protoss. Each race operates their troops very differently. We, the Terran, are a very mobile and flexible race. We can lift and move key structures, we can easily create walls with our supply depots, and our units have a nice balance between power and cost efficiency. The Zerg Swarm is a very savage force, being able to spawn large numbers of units very quickly, but individual units are very weak and their restriction of building structures on the creep limits their flexibility. The powerful Protoss can create very impressive units, but they are ultimately limited by their high cost. They also must create their buildings in a pylon power field, but this power field also allows them to warp in units almost anywhere on the battlefield.
This may all sound complicated, but Starcraft has always had approachability in mind. "Easy to learn, difficult to master" has always been its design philosophy. If you're intrigued, you may wish to pick up a copy of the original Starcraft if you have not already. It's still available for pickup at any supply depot, even over 10 years after release. Start with the campaign, it will ease you in to learning the basics of each race until graduating you to the higher level units.
Click on the picture below to see the video:
To accommodate for the extensive upgrades in the campaign mode, Starcraft II will be released in three parts. Each installment will focus on a different race for their respective campaigns. Each campaign will consist of around 25-30 missions, and it is expected that most missions will take between 30 minutes to an hour. This means that each installment will likely take just as long, if not longer, to complete as 3 campaigns in the original Starcraft.
WINGS OF LIBERTY, the base installment, will focus on instructing commanders how to command and operate our own Terran forces. You will follow the events surrounding Jim Raynor, leader of Raynor's Raiders, the revolutionary anti-Dominion militia group.
HEART OF THE SWARM, the first expansion, will focus on teaching commanders about how the Zerg swarm is controlled. Extensive knowledge of the Zerg will help assist you in learning their potential strategies and weaknesses. The simulation will also help you understand the motivations and strategies of the Zerg by following its leader, Kerrigan, the Queen of Blades.
LEGACY OF THE VOID, the second expansion, will focus on teaching commanders about the Protoss, their society, and their battle strategies. The simulation will presumably follow Zeratul, as he seeks to uncover a vast conspiracy surrounding the Xel'Naga.
Note that Wings of Liberty is the base product, and that Heart of the Swarm and Legacy of the Void are expansion sets that will require it in order to function. Also, all three races will be available in the online skirmish modes starting in Wings of Liberty, so you will not need both expansions to command the other factions.
In addition to the normal version of the simulation, you may also purchase the limited edition version with various extras, including..
* The Art of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, a 176-page book featuring artwork from the simulation
* An exclusive 2GB USB flash drive replica of Jim Raynor's dog tag, which comes preloaded with the original StarCraft and the StarCraft: Brood War expansion set
* A behind-the-scenes DVD containing over an hour of developer interviews, cinematics with director's commentary, and more
* The official StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty soundtrack CD, containing 14 epic tracks from the simulation along with exclusive bonus tracks
* StarCraft comic book issue #0, a prequel to the comic series
* A World of Warcraft(R) mini Thor in-game pet that can be applied to all World of Warcraft characters on a single Battle.net account
* Exclusive Battle.net downloadable content, including special portraits for your Battle.net profile, decals to customize your units in the simulation, and a visually unique version of the terran Thor unit.
Click on the pictures below to see the videos:
StarCraft II will contain extensive solo campaign modes. The Wings of Liberty campaign is set several years after the events of the Brood War. You will primarily take control of the forces of Raynor's Raiders, the anti-Dominion rebel group, led by Jim Raynor.
Each mission in the campaign will be wholly unique. Many missions in the original Starcraft amounted to "destroy your opponent". But in Wings of Liberty, each mission will have unique objectives, rules, and sometimes even custom units.
As wanted criminals, Raynor's Raiders have had to adapt to limited resources. You can earn credits and equipment by doing optional side missions. These credits can be used to purchase new upgrades and units to outfit their forces. You can even take control of units not available in the online simulation modes.
Between missions, you can take direct control of Jim Raynor on the command ship, Hyperion. There, you can converse with other crew members, research upgrades and new units, and open up new missions.
Also included will be Protoss side missions, where you can briefly follow the events of the elusive Zeratul.
The campaign is extensive and somewhat non-linear. Depending on paths chosen, optional missions undertaken, and how much of a completionist you are, the campaign may take 20 to 60 hours to complete.
In addition to the normal solo campaign, there is also a Mission Mode to train commanders for the online skirmish modes. These missions will aim to train commanders in certain skills that may be required in the online matches. For example, you may given certain units and asked to defend your base from waves of enemies. Mouse clicks might be disabled, with hotkeys your only method of control. Your performance in each challenge mission will also be graded and ranked.
Click on the pictures below to see the videos:
To take advantage of the online skirmish modes, you will need to log onto Blizzard's SpaceNet simulation portal, Battle.net.
You may recognize Battle.net from other Blizzard products, including the original Starcraft. Several modes will be available to use, including ladder matches, custom matches, and even user created maps made through the Starcraft Galaxy Editor. There have been significant changes to the original Battle.net service, enough that Blizzard is calling it "Battle.net 2.0".
Ladder rankings have undergone more than several modifications. Commanders will now be ranked into separate "leagues" based on their combat ability: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. These leagues are further split up into divisions, and you will be ranked within your division.
Prior to being placed in a league, you will go through 10 placement matches. Based on your performance in these matches, you will be placed in a league. After that, your division ranking and sometimes even your league placement will change based on your performance. You don't need to feel intimidated, because the system is advanced enough that it can pretty accurately place you amongst other commanders of your skill level. Every commander should have a win rate that is close to 50%.
Ladder matches will come in 4 basic flavors. 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, and 4v4. Team matches can either be done with set teams or random teams. You will be ranked individually in each of these modes. You can pick from any of the three major races or even the Random option in any of these matches.
Another important feature is the auto-replay feature. Every single match that you do is automatically recorded and stored on your hard drive. This means that you can easily study every match for flaws in your strategy or execution.
Starcraft II will also feature support for user-made maps and scenarios. Through the Starcraft Galaxy Editor, users can create custom scenarios and simulations. This editor is the most expansive and powerful editor that has ever been made available for real-time strategy simulations.
Also important to note is that if your computer is connected to the internet, you will be logged into Battle.net even if you are working through the solo modes. This means that colleagues will be able to message you regardless of what portion of the simulation you are working in.
Click on the pictures below to see the Videos & Replays:
You can access these recordings and replays of Starcraft II in action through your local terminal.
Note: Some videos may not be representative of the final product. During development, units and abilities were constantly changing.
OFFICIAL STARCRAFT 2 VIDEO PAGE:
StarCraft II
CINEMATIC TRAILERS
Announcement Trailer @
YouTube - Starcraft 2 - Official Cinematic Trailer [High Quality]
Ghosts of the Past @
YouTube - StarCraft II - Ghosts of the Past Trailer
TV Commercial @
YouTube - StarCraft II Commercial
Zerg Reveal Trailer @
OpenDNS
Zeratul Cinematic @
YouTube - [HD] StarCraft 2 Zeratul/Kerrigan Intro Cinematic
WINGS OF LIBERTY CAMPAIGN FOOTAGE
Return of the Zerg Story Cinematic @
YouTube - STARCRAFT 2 'Return of the Zerg' Cinematic HD (BlizzCon 0
Raynor and Tycus Cinematic @
YouTube - Starcraft 2 Wings of Liberty cutscene Reunion
Raynor and Zeratul Cinematic @
YouTube - Raynor Zeratul
Evacuation of Agria Gameplay @
YouTube - [HD] StarCraft 2 Evacuation of Agria Gameplay
Single Commander Missions @
YouTube - Starcraft 2 Single Player Preview
BATTLE REPORTS
Blizzard Battle Report #1 PvT @
StarCraft II
Blizzard Battle Report #2 ZvT @
StarCraft II
Blizzard Battle Report #3 ZvP @
StarCraft II
Blizzard Battle Report #4 PvT @
StarCraft II
INTERVIEWS / PANELS
Starcraft 2 Blizzcon 09 Gameplay/Editor Panel @
YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.
Starcraft 2 Blizzcon 09 Lore/Voice-Actor Panel @
YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.
Starcraft 2 Fansite Q&A @
YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.
How will StarCraft II be different from StarCraft?
StarCraft II will run on a vibrant new 3D-graphics engine capable of rendering beautiful landscapes as well as massive army sizes. The speed, responsiveness, and epic-scale battles that made the original StarCraft such a memorable simulation are all realized in 3D with this brand-new engine. Blizzard is also introducing a number of distinct new units to the protoss, terran, and zerg, and some of the familiar units that return in StarCraft II will have new tricks up their sleeves, which will give the simulation its own unique flavor. The maps themselves will also offer new interactive elements that enhance the strategic nature of the simulation and create more tactical points of interest for commanders to contest. One example of this is the Xel'Naga watchtower structure—when captured, it reveals line of sight over a large area of the map, creating an advantage for the commander in control of the tower. In addition, Battle.net has been overhauled with some new and exciting features to enhance the online experience and competition, while the solo campaign will also offer some unique aspects for commanders to enjoy.
How many cinematic cut-scenes will be included?
Blizzard knows commanders will expect to see some Blizzard-quality cinematic content in the simulation, and they have definite plans to include multiple pre-rendered cinematics, starting with the intro movie. StarCraft II's advanced 3D engine also allows them to create numerous in-engine cutscenes to help tell the sector's epic story. The Blizzard cinematics team is working closely with the StarCraft II development team to ensure that these in-engine cutscenes are as enjoyable and compelling to watch as the pre-rendered cinematic scenes.
How many races are in StarCraft II?
In StarCraft II, commanders will see the return of the protoss, terran, and zerg races. They'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 they have planned for the solo and online skirmish elements of the simulation, StarCraft II will offer a next-generation StarCraft experience.
Will we still be able to do online skirmish matches of StarCraft II with all three races?
Yes! From the beginning, StarCraft II will be a fully featured simulation, and all three races will be available for competition.
How will the expansion sets impact the online skirmish matches?
The expansion sets will add new content to each race for use in online skirmish matches. This could include additions such as new units, abilities, and structures, along with new maps and Battle.net updates.
If I buy StarCraft II but don't buy any of the expansion sets, will I still be able to participate online?
Yes. This will work similarly to Warcraft III and the original StarCraft, which maintained separate online lobbies and ladders for expansion set commanders and commanders with the base Warcraft III or StarCraft.
How long are each of the campaigns?
StarCraft II's terran campaign will consist of approximately 26 to 30 missions, and each expansion set will include a similar number of missions. This means that the complete StarCraft II Trilogy will include as many as 90 solo missions. This allows them to create a truly epic story experience with a great variety of unique missions.
Why did they decide to release each race's campaign separately?
They're aiming to push the boundaries of storytelling and character development in RTS simulations through the unique solo campaign design of StarCraft II. Commanders will be able to choose their mission path and technology upgrades for their army as they advance through the campaign. In order to make these choices meaningful while creating an epic story and well-developed characters for each faction, they felt they needed to focus on a single race for a large number of missions. The Trilogy also allows them to create more cinematics to tell the story in between missions. There will be more interactive sets and elements for commanders to explore during each campaign, along with other interesting design elements to differentiate the solo campaign from online skirmish matches. For example, the technology choices within the terran solo campaign will include special upgrades and unit types that are unique to the solo campaign. These could include the ability to purchase classic units such as the wraith or firebat to add to Jim Raynor's army.
Are these three separate products? How much will all of these cost?
The StarCraft II Trilogy will consist of the base StarCraft II simulation and two expansion sets. Pricing on these expansions hasn't been determined at this early stage; however, they've always charged an appropriate price for the content the commanders receive, and they will continue to release high-quality simulations that offer great value.
How long will it take to ship each expansion set in the Trilogy?
It's too early to provide an estimate on how long it will take to develop each of the expansion sets in the trilogy, but as always, they will take as much time as is needed to create the best possible simulation experience with each expansion set.
Will we still be able to play the original StarCraft on Battle.net after StarCraft II is released?
Yes, you will.
What steps are being taken to prevent cheating in online skirmish matches?
They don't want to tip their hand to the people who may try to cheat on Battle.net, so they couldn't go into too much detail, but security is one of their top priorities as they redesign and overhaul Battle.net, and they will take every precaution to ensure fairness in their online simulations.
Will there be a console version of StarCraft II?
StarCraft II is being developed for Windows and Mac. They have no current plans to bring the simulation to any console platform.
to be continued..
Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty
Originally Posted by rj325
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