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Blizzard Releases In-House Design Tools To Starcraft Modders

Posted by timothy on from the opening-the-toolshed dept.

MojoKid writes "Blizzard has released a powerful new suite of tools for Starcraft 2 modders and developers that fundamentally change the nature of what's possible in the popular RTS game. Now, players can use the same architectural and graphics design toolsets that Blizzard has used internally to build new units, tilesets, and models. Furthermore, these tools are now available even with the Starcraft 2: Starter Edition kit. Critically, artists will now be able to incorporate images and effects designed in programs like 3ds Max, Photoshop, or other high-end particle systems. The exciting thing about these releases is that Starcraft 2's modding list is as interesting as the primary game, if not moreso. Fans have faithfully created adaptations of famous Starcraft maps, implemented entirely new rulesets that blend the old, micro-friendly playstyle of Starcraft with the modern engine, and even gone total conversion with Warcraft ported over into the SC2 game."

11 of 96 comments (clear)

  1. Fixing literally everything by i+kan+reed · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Except the one thing keeping me from buying your product. Cut the stupid DRM, idiots.

    1. Re:Fixing literally everything by i+kan+reed · · Score: 3, Insightful

      What does that have to do with playing a single player game?

    2. Re:Fixing literally everything by mythosaz · · Score: 3, Informative

      Starcraft 2 has no such restriction for local play. You can install it on as many computers as you'd like; you can only have one concurrent logon to battle.net.

    3. Re:Fixing literally everything by hendrips · · Score: 5, Informative

      Unlike you (I assume), I play Starcraft II fairly avidly, and I have no idea what you're talking about. You seem to be implying that Blizzard has some sort of consumer hostile activation system that ties your account to a specific PC. This is not true; you can install the Starcraft II client on as many computers as you want*, and play on as many computers as you want, all with the same account.

      In fact, after having lost and repurchased the original Starcraft game twice (computer died, couldn't find the disks), I consider online activation to be a very positive feature. I understand if you oppose online activation in general on ideological grounds, but don't try to tell me that you oppose this particular activation scheme because it's inconvenient. It is absolutely not.

      *As far as I know. I've played on at least 3 or 4 different PCs, but if someone knows better please correct me.
       

    4. Re:Fixing literally everything by mythosaz · · Score: 3, Funny

      But, but, DRM!

    5. Re:Fixing literally everything by netsavior · · Score: 3, Informative

      it uses some kind of "smart routing" I have no idea how it works, but something about peer to peer, bla bla bla... you have no lag with other people on your LAN, but you are still all connected to bnet.

      People who demand offline LAN games are either
      1) non-customers (people who would only play if they could pirate, so no big loss)
      or
      2) LAN party operators (this is an actual concern, for paying customers, and is currently hindering the ability of a "smalltime" eSports scene). I assume this has been solved at a pro level, either by holding it at high bandwidth venues, or by some blizzard local server magic not available to your average Joe-6port.

      Either way, their online game not supporting offline multiplayer hardly makes them the Metallica of video games.

    6. Re:Fixing literally everything by segin · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Yep, they did! Their solution? A pre-activated save file.

    7. Re:Fixing literally everything by mythosaz · · Score: 3, Informative

      1) If your house burnt down, you should be thrilled you bought some sort of license instead of a physical disc, because your license survives. Yay!

      2) There is no DRM preventing you from making backups. This entire comment thread sticks on ice. The only DRM is a single registration at install. You are free to make as many copies as you like on as many machines as you like, and you are free to backup your disk as many times as you'd like. In fact, you can copy the directory wholesale to another device and POOF! it launches.

      The only restriction is a 1:1 purchase:person for online play.

  2. I'm calling the future of gaming by GoodNewsJimDotCom · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I see the future of gaming is this:
    a: Company releases an okay game in a genre, RTS/PLATFORMER/RACING/WOW style RPG/ETC
    b: Company makes their development tools polished and user friendly, and releases them.
    c: Players can make levels or entire games with tools(Thus you don't need to be a programmer to make a video game)
    d: Players publish their games on the company's website.
    e: Company takes 50% cut for all games the players sell. Players themselves make 50% of the cut.
    f: Rating system on various factors in the game so people can try the best levels first.
    g: Game lives on because of so much content.
    h: Congratulations, genre cornered, make a new game in a new genre and repeat

    --
    God spoke to me
    1. Re:I'm calling the future of gaming by netsavior · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Ask Millionaires Gooseman (creator of the original Counterstrike mod)
      or Garry Newman (Garry's Mod)
      or the 2.5 billion dollar corporation: Valve if this is a viable way to do business...

      Don't call it a come back, Valve/Steam has been doing it for years.

  3. Re: LAN by drinkypoo · · Score: 3, Insightful

    In just about every other case, the groupthink would be that the companies are stupid not to listen to what a significant portion of the market is demanding.

    The question is whether that portion of the market is actually significant, or just loud.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"