Since its unveiling in May 2007, StarCraft 2 has been constantly either criticized or praised for the similarity to its masterpiece predecessor. Unlike the WarCraft and Diablo game series sequels, Blizzard’s StarCraft sequel is not radically different from StarCraft. At first glance, the Terran, Protoss and Zerg clash again, with only slightly modified arsenals and greatly enhanced graphics.

But that’s not all. Every RTS game has key concepts that stretch beyond unit armor/damage statistics and eye candy - concepts like the Terran flying buildings, the neutral heroes of WarCraft 3 or the superweapons of Command & Conquer. Concepts that define battlefield priorities, the amount of base management required, and very often compromise the mechanics that drastically change the flow of multiplayer battles.

StarCraft 2 includes many such concepts, which significantly differentiate it from its predecessor:

1) Selection and Automation: Unlimited Selection and Multiple building selection

One of StarCraft’s key troop management considerations was the 12 unit per group limit. Just like any other Blizzard RTS game, and unlike almost any Westwood RTS game, players had to divide units into controllable groups not just based on priority and comfort, but the ease of unified control. Having 15 marines and 7 Vultures usually meant that the player will have to control 3 groups(12+3+7), an artificially imposed handicap which had no real meaning.

StarCraft 2 changes all that. Players will be able to group units by control comfort, map location and unit roles - a drastic change which will affect the diversity and amount of engaged units.

Multiple building selection is a somewhat controversial concept which greatly streamlines production management across multiple buildings. This common control method, which already exists in WarCraft 3, has been criticized for easing production control beyond measure, thus eliminating a facet of skill superiority in matches. MBS liberates more time with which players can focus on controlling the battle, and removes another artificial hassle from the gameplay. Confirmed early on and not changed since, this feature will make it to the Gold version.
StarCraft 2 includes many new automation features, such as smart casting and auto-mining - we have covered them extensively several months ago.

2) Defenses: Terran Supply Depots, Protoss mobile Phase Cannons and the creeping Zerg base defenses

Every race in StarCraft 2 has received significant and original improvements to their defensive structures. The Terran have effectively acquired the first and only StarCraft equivalent of a gate. Despite always having the ability to block and unblock vital ground by lifting buildings off the ground and repositioning them, the size and nature of the new Supply Depots provide an unparalleled static defense flexibility for the Terran players.

The Protoss mobile Phase Cannons are a great way to ensure that every part of one’s base is covered by defenses - if they’re not there at present, they’ll be moved where they’re needed within a few seconds - but perhaps more importantly, they create a great economic advantage for the Protoss. While every other race possesses its own advantages in terms of “offensive towering”, the Protoss have become the only race to be able to recycle its defenses. Static defenses often become obsolete, especially when placed in expansions or offensive outposts, and this feature allows them to be used and reused throughout the game.

Protoss no longer see the Cannons as a waste of resources (even though current build information suggests otherwise) - they can be redeployed to new expansions, be used in a new offensive, or be sent to aid an ally in need.

Similarly, the newly introduced mobile Zerg defenses are a somewhat less aggressive implementation of this idea. While the mobile Protoss Cannons are able to move around even outside pylon range, Zerg defenses, like almost all other Zerg structures, require creep to be built or to move around on. Of course, as noted earlier by Karune - in Zerg Vs Zerg match-ups, offensive towering is extremely effective due to the Queen’s support.

3) Terrain: High-yield minerals, Terrain destructibility, High-Low Ground

One of the first things to be noticed during StarCraft 2’s initial unveiling were the Yellow Crystals. These were later confirmed to be high-yield minerals - a strategy changing concept, which has served Westwood well in its C&C RTS series of games.

The tactical implications of having super-valuable expansions in a macro-oriented RTS game, such as StarCraft, are vast. In 2vs2 battles, an economic advantage is very often all players need to gain a significant advantage over the other team.

Destructible terrain, despite adding an additional tactical twist to any battlefield, will likely become little more than an early game consideration. Blocked choke-points, well isolated expansions and unreachable cliffs will alter players’ priorties, often benefiting the player who correctly times the destruction of these obstacles.

Not unlike StarCraft, StarCraft 2 also has multiple levels of terrain height, but this time the Protoss and Terran are equipped with units specifically designed to hop between the different height levels. Colossi, Reapers and Stalkers have all been designed to take advantage of higher ground in battle. The ability to move between heights provides these units with a significant advantage over melee units, and greatly increases the survival chances they have in multi-tiered maps.

4) StarCraft 2 Production twists - Reactor Add-on and the Warp Gate

One of the most overlooked features at this point is the Terran’s Reactor add-on. As described in a recent Q&A, the Reactor allows a building to build two units at once, effectively doubling its production rate. This is a radical change in production, a crushing advantage for a race that has quite an arsenal of specialized units - as long as the player forfeits the Terran heavy-hitters.

The Reactor add-on can be attached to the production buildings that needs the doubled rate, and detached from production facilities which need to produce Tech-Lab dependant units.

The Protoss Warp Gate, on the other hand, grants the player the ability to summon units directly into expansions and allied bases. A team of Protoss players can provide each other with reinforcements in real time, an especially significant advantage on Island maps and siege situations.

Bear in mind that we have ignored the major implications of introducing such gameplay-changing units as the Zerg Queen and the new Terran Ghost on purpose, to put on emphasis on global aspects that affect production, control, base layout and economy. These concepts are far more likely to survive the many StarCraft 2 builds which have radically altered unit abilities time after time.

Blizzard is celebrating 10 years of StarCraft and would like everyone to join in on the fun:

In celebration of StarCraft’s 10-year anniversary, we’d like to invite every one of you to participate in our “I <3 SC” photo mosaic project. This is your chance to be a part of StarCraft history, as we bring together 10 years worth of StarCraft players from all age groups and nationalities into one massive wall of StarCraft.

Here’s a good example by StarCraft’s #1 fan, Sam Didier:

Note the expression of dedication on his face. A true sign of a fan!

For your reference, here’s a fan that won’t receive a prize. Look closely at his disrespectful, uninterested face:

What is the prize, you ask?

50 of these entries will be chosen to win an “I <3 SC” T-shirt. Please make sure you fill out all the required fields in the submission form to be considered for the “I <3 SC” contest.

 

All entries should be submitted using the entry form located here. All entries should be submitted using the ‘Submit’ button below by 23:53 p.m. CET on April 28, 2008. Results will be posted within two weeks of the contest’s end date.

The short Q&A further explains the rules of participation:

Can we create fan art, hand-drawn images, cinematic stills, etc. with the “I <3 SC” logo for the contest?

 

Yes. The requirement for each image is that it be 1024×768 in size or larger and have the “I <3 SC” message clearly visible. As long as those conditions are met, photos, hand-drawn images, pictures created with third-party programs, and pieces made in any alternate medium are all acceptable.

 

If my picture doesn’t get picked as one of the top 100, will it still be possible to be featured in the final mosaic?

 

Yes. We will end up selecting thousands of images to make up the StarCraft 10-year anniversary mosaic.

What should you, the loyal StarCraft fan, do next to join the party?

1. Download the picture:
   • Print-ready .pdf (8½” x 11″)
   • High resolution .png (3696 x 1600)
   • High resolution .psd
2. Take a picture worth remembering while holding the sign
3. Submit it to Blizzard here
4. Eagerly await the “I <3 SC” T-Shirt

Have fun!

The official StarCraft 2 website has bee updated, and now includes a brand new page dedicated to the StarCraft Board Game. Most of the details about the game have been unveiled several months ago during BlizzCon and GenCon conventions, and pre-ordered game sets have already been delivered to customers in October 2007.
The game doesn’t seem to suffer from any availability issues, as more than 600 people have already rated the game, and plenty of sets are already available on eBay.

Including a total of 180 plastic figures with dozens of unit types, StarCraft: The Board Game features an innovative modular board which guarantees a new experience each and every game. An exciting card-driven combat system allows players to modify and upgrade their faction with a wealth of powerful technologies. Players can unleash a Zergling rush, use powerful Protoss shields to halt an enemy invasion, or even dispatch cloaked Ghosts to guide nuclear missiles to their target.

The StarCraft Board Game is published by Fantasy Flight Games and there is plenty of detailed information about the game available at the publisher website, along with an interesting piece covering the artistic challenge of creating the highly detailed graphics for the game’s cards.

While the sites do provide a healthy amount of information about the game, if you are serious about buying one, you should definitely read the following documents (PDF) first:
Download the full StarCraft Board Game rule book
Download the full StarCraft Board Game FAQ

A Blizzard-sanctioned fansite tournament is about to take place in two weeks. Many fansites have already signed up for this bracketed, two versus two tournament - sending their writers and admins to represent them.

Blizzard, in their infinite kindness, are providing an incentive to the participants. The winning players will get:

3 G51 Logitech Surround Sound Speaker Systems

3 StarCraft 2 Shirts

The SC2 Blog is giving our readers the opportunity to enter this tournament and win the prizes for themselves. That’s right - two of our loyal readers will get to represent the SC2 Blog in this friendly tournament and collect the reward.

If you want to represent the SC2 Blog in this battle of the fansites tournament and win the prizes for yourself as our official representative, you need to:

1) Write a comment to this post, mentioning that you wish to play in the tournament.
2) Mail XalKurat at Gmail.com with your full details, using the following format:

Real name: Zetaras Xal’Kurat

 

Alias: The Twilight Arbiter

 

Full Address (prize shipment): 51 Tassadar St., Talematros, Shakuras

Make sure the email address you use to mail your details with is the one you wish to be contacted at. Please put “StarCraft Tournament” in the mail subject.

3) Tell us about your StarCraft background. Are you a pro gamer? A total newbie? Let us know. Do not be discouraged if you don’t play StarCraft daily or have trophies at home - this is a friendly tournament!

The chosen players will become official representatives of the SC2 Blog. A qualifying, in-house tournament will be held to determine which of the players get to participate in the official tournament.

Tournament rules and details:

• Games will be played using StarCraft BroodWar with the latest patch.
• If a team does not show up after 30 minutes past the round start time they automatically forfeit their match.
• There are no official pauses during any match, be sure to take the appropriate pee breaks before hand.
• After each game that is played, all teams are allowed to take a 10 minute break before starting the next game.
• Games cannot start until teams on break have returned in under 10 minutes between games.
• Starfeeder admins have the final say.
• No observers are allowed except for Starfeeder staff, commentator DiggitySC, or Blizzard’s Karune.
• Seedings will be randomly drawn.
• Games will be played on Battle.net East, tournament channels will be announced closer to game day.
• The tournament will consist of two 16-team brackets, single elimination best of 5, no losers bracket.
• First Round Map will be The Lost Temple
• Second Round Map will be Azalea
• Third Round Map will be LUNA
• Fourth Round Map will be Python
• Finals will be best of 7 and order of maps follows (1)Lost Temple (2)Vampire (3)Luna (4)Python (5)Lost Temple (6)Azalea (7)Python (Obs versions of these maps will be used)

Download the tournament maps here.