Is anyone else freakin' pumped to play some Starcraft with upgraded graphics?! I've been watching various Twitch streamers for a couple of weeks in anticipation. I'm thinking I might attempt to make some new D&D/RP maps for the occasion, especially if they improve the map editor to the level that the 3rd-party tools are at.
EDIT: For those who haven't seen the video: Link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ypU9j4w3_w)
I'm super stoked for this. If Underdeep didn't reveal it, I'm a huge Starcraft fan. I'm really looking forward to getting to play the game all over again.
I hope they don't overly update the map editor, though. Starcraft 2's map editor made things - too - complex, IMO. I'd love something more in line with Warcraft III level, at most.
Quote from: Xathan
I'm super stoked for this. If Underdeep didn't reveal it, I'm a huge Starcraft fan. I'm really looking forward to getting to play the game all over again.
I hope they don't overly update the map editor, though. Starcraft 2's map editor made things - too - complex, IMO. I'd love something more in line with Warcraft III level, at most.
Accidentally edited your post at first instead of quoting it :P
I think it'd be good if they did the following:
1) Increased the maximum map size (e.g. doubled the edge length from 256 to 512)
2) Doubled or even quadrupled the number of "doodads" (i.e. trees and scenery bits) that can be added to the maps
3) Added simplistic Warcraft 3-style hero creation, and all of the trappings that comes with
4) Kept the scripting system, but increased the maximum number of scripts per map (I think there was a limit)
5) Incorporated the no-clip features, extra faction colors, and bridge/ramp doodads (etc.) that have become standard in SCMDraft 2 (the third-party map editor of choice)
I think it's unlikely we see all or any of these, and even if we do, most of these features (except maybe #5's doodads) won't appear in the ladder/pro maps. They'd all be super cool though!
I was never a big Starcraft fan, mostly because I'm a horrible scrub who couldn't win a multiplayer game to save his life. I have, however, many times thought "they should just re-release [insert great old game here] with a few fixes and better graphics," and I think it's pretty funny that Blizzard apparently decided to do exactly that.
Quote from: Polycarp
I was never a big Starcraft fan, mostly because I'm a horrible scrub who couldn't win a multiplayer game to save his life. I have, however, many times thought "they should just re-release [insert great old game here] with a few fixes and better graphics," and I think it's pretty funny that Blizzard apparently decided to do exactly that.
My thoughts exactly. I expect they're going to monetize it in the "pay to be cool" way that DotA, Lol, Overwatch, etc. are going now. It's not like the original game looks awful, either. From what I've read since my previous post it doesn't sound like there will be many additions, which is unfortunate, but I can't complain too much.
EDIT: I had originally claimed that the new Remastered version would be free-to-play, but that no longer seems to be the case. The original is, however.
Quote from: PolycarpI was never a big Starcraft fan, mostly because I'm a horrible scrub who couldn't win a multiplayer game to save his life. I have, however, many times thought "they should just re-release [insert great old game here] with a few fixes and better graphics," and I think it's pretty funny that Blizzard apparently decided to do exactly that.
This seems to be a trend in roleplaying games and adventure games as well right now.
Full Throttle just got a nice remastered version with a very pretty facelift, and
Planescape: Torment also got an enhanced edition with fixes & better resolution.
I'm also loving this slowly emerging trend of "Just polish old games and re-release them."
QuoteFrom what I've read since my previous post it doesn't sound like there will be many additions, which is unfortunate, but I can't complain too much.
While that's a shame, all I really want is Starcraft but prettier, so I'm happy with whatever I can get.
I don't think I really can relay well how important Starcraft was to me at one point in time. That game influenced so many of my tastes: I fell in love with some of my favorite tropes because of that game:
- Psionic powers + crystals
- Alien swarms with a hive-mind
- Constantly evolving foes/genetically engineered weapons
- Corruption of a strong character
- Religious fanatics as foes
- Mecha
- Gonzo sci-fi
And it goes on. Like, when they announced they were remastering Starcraft, at first I was terrified one of my favorite games was going to get just...ruined. Then they said it was literally just "Same game, better graphics and some bug fixes" and I breathed a huge sigh of relief.
...also, this is really making me want to do some kind of sci-fi game or setting.
Quote from: XathanI'm also loving this slowly emerging trend of "Just polish old games and re-release them."
I must dissent, and emphatically so.
While there may be some merit in an upgraded remaster of some old game so that it's more in line with modern expectations, I also think that this is the lazy way out. The old game, after all, hasn't ceased to exist; you can usually still play it fine. So, aside from fancier graphics-- and I already think graphics are a bit overemphasized these days-- what's really the point?
There's little enough originality in big-name game releases as it is. Now we're going to settle for them releasing literally the exact same game?
I'd for sure agree with you sparkletwist, if Blizzard hadn't made Overwatch last year, probably the best MOBA/multiplayer-only-fps I've ever played. If they want to re-release an old gem they've polished up to help fund future projects like that, I'm fine with it.
Quote from: sparkletwist
Quote from: XathanI'm also loving this slowly emerging trend of "Just polish old games and re-release them."
I must dissent, and emphatically so.
While there may be some merit in an upgraded remaster of some old game so that it's more in line with modern expectations, I also think that this is the lazy way out. The old game, after all, hasn't ceased to exist; you can usually still play it fine. So, aside from fancier graphics-- and I already think graphics are a bit overemphasized these days-- what's really the point?
There's little enough originality in big-name game releases as it is. Now we're going to settle for them releasing literally the exact same game?
I totally get where you're coming from here, but on the flip side, I don't see a harm here. Like Steerpike said, Blizzard made Overwatch recently, and keeps making DLCs for their existing games. Meanwhile, getting Starcraft to run at a resolution that doesn't look like ass is hard (many monitors are too high rez to actually make it look as good as it originally did). On top of that, at the same time they made the original free so you can still play it - there's no downside I can see here.
The only downside I could see is that it could discourage companies from developing new games and rather devoting resources to old ones. But at least in Blizzard's case, this doesn't seem to have prevented them from doing some fantastic new stuff, and it seems possible that in the long run re-releasing old, dependably-profitable titles could actually help companies take cool risks.
I'm taking Sparkletwists side on this one. We are heading into dark times, and I see the rereleasing of old games as a symptom of that. What's happened to movies with Hollywood seeming to make only remakes of old movies, and the music industry which seems to be stuck between hyper processed music, or indie music, is what's happening to gaming. We are now stuck between big, bloated AAA gaming, or indie gaming. I don't see this fixing itself for a long time.
That said, I'm happy for the Starcraft fans here. Blizzard does make good games (Ones which I don't play for personal reasons), so I hope it turns out great for all of you.
I don't disagree with that general assessment of the gaming industry, I just wonder whether re-releasing old games might actually be progress in the right direction.
I'm not saying that this is how developers/publishers etc think, but if given the choice between 2 cliched games/trite sequels or 1 remake of a brilliant game and 1 risk-taking original, I'd pick the latter. I suppose the worry is that companies would just go with 1 cliche and 1 remake, but that doesn't seem inevitable.
Quote from: Steerpikeit seems possible that in the long run re-releasing old, dependably-profitable titles could actually help companies take cool risks
Possible? Maybe, but I'll believe this when I see it. Major game publishers generally do not take risks. It seems more likely that releasing old, dependably-profitable titles will be used as a way to
avoid taking risks, because they are just releasing a game that has been, you know, dependably profitable.
Anyway, it may well be that Blizzard is one of the best of a bad lot. I haven't actually looked into them in any depth but they don't seem as bad as, say, EA. Not that saying that is glowing praise or anything, but as I noted above in my first post, the Starcraft thing may well have some merit. The statement from Xathan that I quoted was about an emerging trend, and the trend as a whole was what I was criticizing.