Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[How Blizzard makes the StarCraft 2 races so iconic]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/25/how-blizzard-makes-the-starcraft-2-races-so-iconic/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/25/how-blizzard-makes-the-starcraft-2-races-so-iconic/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/25/how-blizzard-makes-the-starcraft-2-races-so-iconic/#comments The StarCraft 2 preview for Heart of the Swarm on display at BlizzCon 2011 last week was pretty much the same thing we saw a few months ago on the Blizzard campus. Fun as it was, we instead used our short time talking with with Blizzard's lead art director Samwise Dider to have him let us in on just how Blizzard is able to make StarCraft's three races so darn iconic.

His answer was pretty simple. "Protoss," he says, "they're basically elliptical and circular. Terran are basically angular and square, and Zerg are very erratic and organic and spiky." Sounds plain enough. But when one of the game's new units (specifically the Protoss' Tempest, a strong capital ship with some heavy anti-zerg ability) showed up on the screen during the Opening Ceremony, players immediately knew the 'toss were getting a new toy. Is it as easy as shapes?

"With Protoss," says Didier, "as long as you have a few of the basic things; big golden arcs and sweeping sort of angelic-looking wings and surfaces, you can make almost anything into Protoss. With Terran, they're all about the clunkiness, boxes, utilitarian. You take em out of the box, they're ready to go."

And the Zerg? They're "just a gumbo of teeth and snot and bile," according to Didier. "We wrap them in the movement of a snake or a spider or a roach, there's your Zerg stuff." Boiling these races down into their elements like that is just another reason why this company, and its games, are so incredibly popular. "It's very easy to tell these races apart, because they are so diametrically opposed," Didier concludes, before deconstructing the series completely: "Gold, gray, brown."

Gallery: StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm (10/21/11)

JoystiqHow Blizzard makes the StarCraft 2 races so iconic originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 18:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artboxesdesignpcprotosssamwise-didierstarcraft-2starcraft-2-heart-of-the-swarmterranzergTue, 25 Oct 2011 18:16:00 EST<![CDATA[StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm preview: Kerrigan, again]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/starcraft-2-heart-of-the-swarm-preview-kerrigan-again/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/starcraft-2-heart-of-the-swarm-preview-kerrigan-again/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/starcraft-2-heart-of-the-swarm-preview-kerrigan-again/#comments When Blizzard announced that StarCraft 2 would be split into three different games years ago, there was quite a bit of weeping and gnashing of teeth -- lots of complaining that the new corporate entity of Activision Blizzard was triple-dipping our wallets. But time heals all wounds and in this case, the great reviews of the full-featured first title didn't hurt either.

So it may come as something of a surprise to be reminded that as much fun as StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty was, you've got two more campaigns coming your way. At a recent press event inside Blizzard HQ in Irvine, California, we got to take a look at two single-player missions from Heart of the Swarm, the first expansion pack-priced followup, focused on the popular Zerg race.

One note of warning before we begin: There are story elements revealed in these missions that will sorta, kinda spoil the plot of Wings of Liberty if you haven't finished it yet. If you aren't done with Jim Raynor's Terran campaign, play that and then come back. Otherwise, feel free to read on.

Gallery: StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm (5/31/2011)

Continue reading StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm preview: Kerrigan, again

JoystiqStarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm preview: Kerrigan, again originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 31 May 2011 03:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbrian-kindreganchris-sigatyexpansionkaldirpcprotossstarcraft-2starcraft-2-heart-of-the-swarmstarcraft-2-wings-of-libertyzergTue, 31 May 2011 03:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Interview: Starcraft 2 lead producer Chris Sigaty]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/29/interview-starcraft-2-lead-producer-chris-sigaty/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/29/interview-starcraft-2-lead-producer-chris-sigaty/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/29/interview-starcraft-2-lead-producer-chris-sigaty/#comments
Chris Sigaty has been a faithful Blizzard employee for thirteen years and served as the lead tester on the original Starcraft. He's worked his way up the ladder on various titles, and is now hauling the reins of three different races as the lead producer on the followup Starcraft 2. Additionally, he's the rhythm guitarist in Level 80 Elite Tauren Chieftain and has a rockin' metal head of hair.

We sat down with him recently to talk about the much anticipated sequel, which became a trilogy somewhere along the yellow brick road of development. Blizzard is still hoping to release Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty later this year, featuring the Terran single-player version of the game along with all three races in the multiplayer that you've come to love like a dear friend ... a dear friend that sucks up all of your free time and enjoys kicking you in the ribs when you're down.

Read on for all the Starcraft 2 goodies we could squeeze out of him, and find out why this title is poised to glue more butts to seats very soon.

Continue reading Interview: Starcraft 2 lead producer Chris Sigaty

JoystiqInterview: Starcraft 2 lead producer Chris Sigaty originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BlizzardChris-SigatyProtossRTSStarcraftStarcraft-2Starcraft-2-Wings-of-LibertyTerranZergMon, 29 Jun 2009 15:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Hands-on: StarCraft II multiplayer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/29/hands-on-starcraft-2-multiplayer/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/29/hands-on-starcraft-2-multiplayer/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/29/hands-on-starcraft-2-multiplayer/#comments
It's been nearly two years since we were first embarrassed in a StarCraft II multiplayer preview, but we recently got our long-awaited shot at redemption. During the interim, we've logged countless hours with the original StarCraft and its Brood War expansion (having picked up new, digital copies for a mere $15) in order to prepare for this opportunity. The bad news? We still managed to get owned. Although, in our defense, we were playing against some hardcore fansites, and the setup of Blizzard's recent hands-on event was not unlike being dropped into a televised StarCraft tournament match in Korea with an announcer saying, "Okay, and ... GO!"

That's the bad news. The good news is that StarCraft II looks simply amazing, and it plays even better. After you've pounded your brain with several hundred hours (for some of you, it's probably thousands of hours) of StarCraft, and you fire up StarCraft II, it's like being jolted by 1.21 jigawatts of mouse-clicking rapture -- which, thankfully, also numbed the pain of our ongoing losing streak.

Gallery: Starcraft 2 (6/29/09)

Continue reading Hands-on: StarCraft II multiplayer

JoystiqHands-on: StarCraft II multiplayer originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Blizzardhands-onMultiplayerProtossreal-time-strategyRTSStarcraftStarcraft-2TerranZergMon, 29 Jun 2009 12:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Eyes-on: Seven minutes of Starcraft 2 multiplayer footage]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/29/eyes-on-seven-minutes-of-starcraft-2-multiplayer-footage/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/29/eyes-on-seven-minutes-of-starcraft-2-multiplayer-footage/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/29/eyes-on-seven-minutes-of-starcraft-2-multiplayer-footage/#comments
click here for high-res gallery or here for multiplayer video
Seven minutes and six seconds, to be exact. That's pure, raw, Starcraft 2 footage coming at you just beyond the break, and it features Terran, Zerg, and Protoss units going at it. If you're still not sated, try out the direct video file here (it's 250MB), free from flash encoding.

See how much you can resist trying to move the screen around with your own mouse, continually forgetting that - alas! - it's just a video. For us it happened right at the very end when that swarm of Ultralisks started pounding on that poor Terran Command Center. Ouch.

To kill time until the game ships (hopefully) later this year, be sure to check out our new hands-on with the multiplayer and our interview with lead producer Chris Sigaty, both coming later today, and the new images in the gallery below.

Gallery: Starcraft 2 (6/29/09)

Download in HD (250MB)

Continue reading Eyes-on: Seven minutes of Starcraft 2 multiplayer footage

JoystiqEyes-on: Seven minutes of Starcraft 2 multiplayer footage originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BlizzardmultiplayerProtossreal-time-strategyRTSStarcraftStarcraft-2starcraft-iiTerranvideoZergMon, 29 Jun 2009 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard releases Starcraft 2 Battle Report]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/19/blizzard-releases-starcraft-2-battle-report/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/19/blizzard-releases-starcraft-2-battle-report/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/19/blizzard-releases-starcraft-2-battle-report/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Blizzard has released the first of what is to be a series of Starcraft 2 battle reports -- narrated videos of a match from the alpha version of the game. Here, we see associate game balance designers Matt Cooper and David Kim playing a 1-on-1 as Protoss and Terran, respectively, with commentary provided by lead designer Dustin Browder and e-Sports team member Robert Simpson.

The announcers are comically enthusiastic at times, especially when a particularly mobile Protoss probe manages to run circles around a marine. If that sounds like something you'd rather not hear or f you're trying to watch this at work, a transcript is available below the video so that you can follow along. The official Joystiq Crystal Ball[TM] is telling us that when SC2 is released (even it doesn't know when), the forums will light up with cries of unfair Marauder rushes.

Protip: HD version available on Big Download.

JoystiqBlizzard releases Starcraft 2 Battle Report originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardMacPCprotossstarcraftstarcraft-2starcraft-iizergFri, 19 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard VP: Starcraft 2 Trilogy on the 3-year plan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/blizzard-vp-starcraft-2-trilogy-on-the-3-year-plan/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/blizzard-vp-starcraft-2-trilogy-on-the-3-year-plan/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/blizzard-vp-starcraft-2-trilogy-on-the-3-year-plan/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Blizzard's Vice President of Game Design Rob Pardo wants us to think about Starcraft 2's two followups, containing the Zerg and Protoss single player campaigns, as expansion packs, so does that mean they won't contain as much gameplay as the Terran-based initial game? Plus, you'll have to wait at least whole year between "expansions." Said Pardo, "With any luck, it would be like a year for each successive one, but that's going to be a target date, that's not a promise."

Since SC2 won't be out until 2009, you won't be able to play the Protoss single player until at least 2011. That's a long time to wait. Check out what Rob said after the break, and start yer speculatin'.

Continue reading Blizzard VP: Starcraft 2 Trilogy on the 3-year plan

JoystiqBlizzard VP: Starcraft 2 Trilogy on the 3-year plan originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 13 Oct 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BlizzardBlizzConblizzcon-2008breakingnewsMacPCProtossRob-Pardostarcraft-2starcraft-iistarcraft2TerranTrilogyZergMon, 13 Oct 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BlizzCon 2008: New Starcraft II gameplay footage and images]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/11/blizzcon-2008-new-starcraft-ii-gameplay-footage-and-images/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/11/blizzcon-2008-new-starcraft-ii-gameplay-footage-and-images/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/11/blizzcon-2008-new-starcraft-ii-gameplay-footage-and-images/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Been itching for some Zerg action? Now you have it, in video form. Check out the new Starcraft 2 video above, and the new screenshots down below, straight from BlizzCon. We'll have a full hands-on with Starcraft 2 and the Zerg experience later.

Gallery: BlizzCon 2008: Starcraft II

JoystiqBlizzCon 2008: New Starcraft II gameplay footage and images originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BlizzardBlizzConblizzcon-2008MacPCProtossstarcraftstarcraft-2starcraft-iistarcraft2TerranZergSat, 11 Oct 2008 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Starcraft II WWI '08 panel part 2: Protoss]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/starcraft-ii-wwi-08-panel-part-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/starcraft-ii-wwi-08-panel-part-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/starcraft-ii-wwi-08-panel-part-2/#commentsFiled under: , ,


The Protoss are a force to be reckoned with
Pardo moved on to talk a bit about how the Protoss are progressing in the development of the game. Their psionics are the key theme to their race and Blizzard pushed that further, but also pulled back on the emphasis on spellcasting.

First he showed an example of their new force field ability used to control the battlefield. A video showed a swarm of zerglings rushing a Protoss base, but the Protoss force threw up a series of connected force fields that formed a funnel forcing the zergs into a choke point where they were easily destroyed.

While high damage Protoss spells like Psi Storm are returning, Blizzard also wanted to introduce some early game casters. Nullifiers were mentioned. And Stalkers were given a teleport ability that had interesting strategic potential. In another video of game play, force fields were raised forcing an attacking army to go around it. The Stalkers then teleported themselves to the other side of the force fields, behind the attacking army, and took them out from behind.

The return of the Mothership
The Protoss Mothership also makes an appearance. While not as powerful as the Zerg Queen, it has been given powerful support abilities. It is now a mobile battlefield teleporter, able to zap in troops to wherever it is at. It is also heavily armored and has an emergency ability called Time Bomb which renders it immune from damage for a short period of time. Since it isn't as versatile as the Zerg Queen, Protoss players will be able to have more than one Mothership in play at once.
NEXT: The Terrans and the diminishing Hero ===>

JoystiqStarcraft II WWI '08 panel part 2: Protoss originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardPCprotossprotoss-mothershiprob-pardostarcraft-2starcraft-iistarcraft2starcraftiiworldwide-invitationalwwi08Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:23:00 EST