Starcraft 2 To Be Split Into 3 Games; Blizzard Hires More Gnomes to Count Money October 10, 2008

According to Shacknews.com, Blizzard’s upcoming Starcraft II will be a trilogy. The first game is set to be titled “Terrans: Wings of Liberty”, the second, “Zerg: Heart of the Swarm,” and the third “Protoss: Legacy of the Void.”

 

The first game has the real meat, as the second and third “will be like expansion packs, but we really want them to feel like standalone products,” as per Blizzard’s Rob Pardo. Each game will have 26-30 missions, which compares favorably to the original Starcraft’s 30.  

 

Each campaign is slated to have “RPG elements”, whatever that means in today’s gaming world. Most disturbing, each race will have units specific not just to their race, but to their game. These units will not be available for multiplayer.

 

Blizz says they had to split this up to get the game out on time and as a quality product. I think this is the hand of Activision. Blizzard has never seemed to mind long dev times before. I, for one, don’t like the idea of paying anywhere from $90 to $150 on a game I’ve waited years to play, but if I’m actually getting three games’ worth of content, it might be reasonable.  Anyone else think Blizz is loading up lore for World of Starcraft?

 

Late note – Rob Pardo tells us that SC2 is on the three year “plan” (don’t hold them to this). Thus, if we see Starcraft II: Terran Pajama Party in 2009, you won’t see Protoss Pretty Ponies until at least 2011.

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Peter Molyneaux Needs to Shut His Damn Mouth Parts V and VI

Why am I a moron??

I didn’t realize this was going to be come a regular series, but so be it.

First, instead of fretting over having Fable II not become the laughingstock of the industry, Peter Molyneaux is fretting over the casual/hardcore divide. Of course, Fable II, which is all things to all people. Molyneaux is unhappy that Fable has been “pigeonholed” as an RPG, just because it has quests, leveling, character development, plot, etc. Poor, Peter Peter crow eater.

Second, if you ditch your dog in Fable II, you’re a terrible person who is going directly to Hell. Now I love me some animals, pups especially. That being said, I don’t like being made to feel guilty by games. Petey-boy says he decided not to have a dog disattachment option because “I wanted people to realize this dog loves you.” Of course, the first time you fight with the dog around he gets hurts, so that’s love, right?

That being said, Gabe and Tycho, I love you.

Preview: Wrath of the Lich King Content Patch Plans

Blizz blue posters Tigole and Kalgan sat down with the legitimate WoW press on Thursday evening and let slip some details about what to expect — but not when — from content patches for Wrath of the Lich King.

 

Patch 3.1 will include the 10/25 man raid of Ulduar, which is set in the Storm Peaks of northern Northrend. I wouldn’t look for this patch to go Live under well into 2009 since there will be plenty keeping folks busy in the Naxxramas / Obsidian Sanctum / Malygos progression. Unless you’re Nihilum or Death & Taxes, you’ll probably have your hands full. I would expect the final boss to of the Ulduar raid to be Loken, a sort of “fallen” Titan or servant of the Titans.

 

Patch 3.2 will include a new raid instance that is currently a mystery. A mystery, eh Blizzard? Well, what area doesn’t feature a raid and can be tied into the lore of Northrend? Remember Warcraft III, The Frozen Throne, when Arthas had to harrow the lowest depths of the Azjol-Nerub to get to Icecrown? During his journey he was beset the the hideous Faceless Ones, servants of a vile creature who was unseen. I believe this entity is Yogg-Saron, an Old God alluded to in quests in the Grizzly Hills and Storm Peaks, and that this monstrosity will be the final encounter of this unannounced raid instance.

 

Patch 3.3 will reportedly bring Icecrown Citadel and “resolve” the Ashbringer storyline. Frankly, I really, really want to have an Ashbringer in my inventory. I’m a Retribution Paladin, and nothing could be more fitting. As to when you might expect to look forward to this patch, my guess would be sometime in the first half of 2010, judging by Blizzard’s past history in delivering content patches.

 

Also coming soon to a content patch near you: the dance studio, a feature announced at BlizzCon last year but presently missing from the beta. Blizzard’s goal with the dance studio is not just to add new dances, but rather to allow players to piece dance moves together to create their own unique dances. That sounds like a lot of work — don’t hold your breath for a release in 2008.

 

You know how I feel about Blizzard charging us 950g to learn how to fly all over again. Well, Blizzard claims they’ll have a way wherein players who don’t train (or re-train, if you will) flying at 77 when it’s available will be able to borrow a “temporary” mount to get from point A to point B. No idea how this works yet, since it’s not in Beta to my knowledge, but I guess it’ll be seen at Blizzcon this weekend.

Welcome Araan!

Frequent Weinercaster Araan joins us today as a Contributing Writer. Welcome and write on!