StarCraft-ESP WWI Preview

Posted 21st Jul 2008 07:12 PM by Leord

My newfound Spanish StarCraft friend pR0gR4m3R of StarCraft-ESP sent me a heads-up that they released a StarCraft WWI Preview a while back. Unfortunately just after I left for my holiday to Sweden.

He talks about the impressions they got during the Blizzard WWI in Paris, and has written quite a bit about it. Unfortunately for us, all in Spanish. If you can read Spanish, you can grab it here, and if you cant there is a Google Translation below:

[Post WWI08] Analysing the beta Starcraft2, pR0gR4m3R

Many people were expecting these lines on my part or anyone who has been with me in the WWI08 two weeks ago. Clopezi, Arghos and Ibinho have tried to make you reach your impressions from his vast experience in the first degree, or if Clopezi from their first steps since the original Starcraft not start playing until a few months ago, and if not by my insistence.

But for that matter, any of these preanalisis is valid for people who visitais us in this fansite. On the one hand, and Ibi Arghos be given a more detailed and in-depth information for the “old school”, while Clopezi habra spoken in a language more understandable and close to all that you have an age range of 13 to 20 years , And had proved the first StarCraft recently.

Personally, I was not having played much the beta WWI08, maybe an hour or so, since it was from here to there with events, coverage, meetings, etc. .. so it is not deep insights into which I shall give you, but my idea is to give you a few strokes of comparison between what Blizzcon07 and probe into what I tested in WWI08

You’re Andalusia sit in front of PC
The same screen presentation that Blizzcon07 .. only that on this occasion, the 3 races are playable, but what has changed is the only rival and level of difficulty. A vs. Zerga level was easy, as well as a vs. Protoss was a normal level, and against Terre already have a level quite difficult

Unlike the betas for the general public, which lasted 15 minutes in space pcs press we had unlimited time to take it calmly and concentrate all the time necessary. Here already we can not find a screen presentation with a mission to destroy a settlement enemy, this is like a multiplayer maps that are perfectly 2vs2

Playability
From the outset, the “feeling” or the initial feeling nothing but sit, is something to be known, but presenting news that never ceases to amaze me. The first word is the subject of gas and mineral, with the novelty that if the refinery has spent his vespeno, we can fill in the amount of gas vespeno using this button, which will cost us 100 ore and 30 seconds for the carry out the process.

I’m not very much in favour of giving my opinion on the matter, but if I find interesting take on the basis of departure of two geisers vespeno to double our resources to start anything else. From there everything is in the hands of developers to see how this can affect the mechanics of the game and that breeds that maps may be more advantaged.

From what if I am pleasantly surprised about the gameplay is presented to a base with a mineral yellow, which each collected reports twice a mineral normal. It might be interesting to study an option for vespeno of similar characteristics .. who knows ..

Over time I could have with each of the races, clearly shows that there is an evolution in Tech, and that these can be developed according to our strategy, and almost from the start .. an example being the barracks Terra, which can add an add on to produce an additional Marine unit in a double tail construction. Or on the other hand to add on other investigations and improvements of these units Tier 1.

Although we have been very critical with the elimination of Medical Terre, on the other hand having a combination of available Marines + Marauders makes this win a lot of versatility in the melee against Tier1 of other races. Of the remaining units, barely seen a lot of novelty on the above, the Jackal and still does not convince me that does not have the gameplay of Buitre, but anger is already seeing over time if their attack alongside worth

In the case Protoss, they still have a lot of viability in terms of speed of output, although its Tech Tree is maintained in a manner more “classical” that constantly reminds us of the first StarCraft, and that familiarity has allowed me to play intuitively in this case. But this aspect is lost when using the new units that present, with many developments behind, and with the particularity of being able to move troops along the map if we have the doors stellar prepared.

And so I will not deny that I have been much more time with Zerga, who were the big news that many people were anxious to prove, and the Queen being the most desired unit. If there is one word that could define the current state is versatile, since it not only allows the Queen Creep expansion or construction of Sunken defence of land or air. It also allows give greater coverage to those defenses on the verge of dying because they recharge life, or the ability to use the nearby buildings as firing defenses against enemy units nearby.

As if the Queen is not a powerful drive from the beginning, but as we succeed in its evolution is becoming much more interesting in their abilities and is robust in its capabilities. Theoretically, and this raised as a Queen in its third evolution (Queen Mother, I think it was called) is a hard bug that would make it difficult to peel and any incursion into enemy base Zerga.

It was also eager to prove with the Roach (cockroach) and I must confess that at first glance seems a unit normal, but then once investigated his rapid regeneration of life, it becomes very very interesting towards skirmishes. I can assure you, regenerates his life in a few seconds and then be available to deal with whoever ..

Perhaps one of my disappointments is that the small attack Mutalisco not bounces off the nearest unit, with all the gameplay advantage and that this had .. and so we should turn them into Guardians, which have an advantage, there where their impact projectiles, creating a small bichitos, so 6 Guardians firing long range may be all a show.

Nor do I wish to dwell much on this, because over time we have seen that “builds” or versions that teach us in these events can vary substantially within a few weeks or months. Right now each race has its own identity and a series of characteristics that make them feel unique, and nothing comparable to the remaining races of the game.

Graphics
Here again see a new development that is evident in many points.

First, the scenarios continue to show a lot of dynamism, and even life playability due to the highlands and elevations, which are now no barrier for some units like the Giants or Reapers. While in Blizzcon07 we saw a scene of satellite colonized, now we have been able to enjoy a jungle ruins and a dark planet that recalls much to Shakuras.

Eye at this data for playability. At the scene of Jungle with ruins we had to step open to other areas through rocky obstacles that made us need to destroy .. so that you can imagine the possibilities that can give.

And after a year’s continuous evolution graphed according to the latest data given. The Terre look different in their units, being more attractive and clearly identified, as well as the buildings no longer appear as polished and can be viewed dirt and scratches on them. And if that were not enough, when constructing be seen as if lifting dust or smoke from a building, which deserves a look with better zoom for detail.

In the case Protoss, one thing that has been corrected favourably is that movement of fans, along with their appearance, which was widely criticized by ninjas seems more than anything else. Apart has been greatly improved in the graphics bright when it comes to “convene” to a building Protoss, but still has some similarities to recall WC3 ..

.. Zerga and on the side, everything is so new to see each building gestarse as an embryo with tentacles, which has certain parts transparent to zooming can be viewed as creatures moving inside. So alive, viscous and dangerous at the same time .. but certainly we will see further changes within the “sunken”, as the current in WWI were very basic

Emphasize that finally appears in the box where the image of each unit, largely for units races are repeating the same character of the box, especially in the more advanced Tiers.

Music
Clearly the same as ever in every race, and even quite repeating the same voice in the more advanced units Tiers Tech. More particularly in English, obviously

THE BOTTOM LINE
The game has suffered an evolution, but also has taught us is now much more than what I saw last August. It would be too risky to assume that the Blizzcon08 of October can bring something different to reach the beta WWI08, although there is always room for novelty and one might think that adding the ability to play multiplayer team, or even a phase Campaign Terra, the only developed so far (as Blizz clear .. ..)

Visually this is following a correct path, but there is still much to move, because this “build” a remarkable evolution in all aspects. Blizzard will not even give any information on specifications charts, but stressed again that will maintain the same spirit of the first StarCraft and its adaptability to hard for the teams that have fans at that time

On the gameplay we can not rule out that they can leave and enter any more unit developments not yet known, because at a press conference with fansites, Sam Didier admitted that there were never tested units that have come to light, and perhaps never heard of They never .. Sometimes it is difficult to see some unity changed (eg attack Mutalisco ..) but we can not anclarnos in the past, and it is better to think with an open mind to a new revolution in the genre that has StarCraft marked with letters gold ..

Now I do not want to think about beta or anything like that, just know which will be the next steps in the evolution that Dustin Browder keep in mind for the game. Maybe my vision too optimistic in the first beta Blizzcon07 took me to predict that the game was well under way .. to today, after nearly 12 months, and seeing how time has passed, that nobody is afraid to think about Christmas ... 2009

.. and be patient as long as you leave another masterpiece ..