2nd Starcraft

starfeeder: Apple, Now With Dual Core Technology: http://t.co/2fglZsUq

Nina Adelson — Sun, 20 May 2012 09:57:51 +0000

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starfeeder: Paper Command Center: http://t.co/sAXrBUFZ

Nina Adelson — Sat, 19 May 2012 23:58:09 +0000

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starfeeder: Hug a Baneling today: http://t.co/jlhXE8mC

Nina Adelson — Sat, 19 May 2012 14:01:41 +0000

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starfeeder: StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void should add the The Indestructible Nokia 3310, a new massive Terran Unit that… http://t.co/HYNn0J3Y

Nina Adelson — Sat, 19 May 2012 03:59:56 +0000

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StarCraft II Wings of Liberty Patch 1.5.0 Info

Nina Adelson — Thu, 17 May 2012 02:52:24 +0000

Sorry if the formatting for the email is a little wonky. I just pulled it from the forum post I made.

Hey guys, I’m excited to tell you I got into the Patch 1.5.0 testing. They sent me a key and I’m going to download the client soon and use it to update my maps. For those who do not know, 1.5.0 is going to be aimed mostly at the map making community and custom games. The Arcade system Blizzard has been talking about is the forefront of that, making custom games more accessible for new players

Here’s a look at the new U.I.

If you have any questions about anything just ask. Here is the info from an email I received on what you have to look forward to:

Major changes are coming to StarCraft II with patch 1.5.0. The menu screen will be split into two distinct areas, and each will be focused on a distinct experience. The StarCraft II section will be where players go for head to head ladder competition, as well as custom games focused on traditional StarCraft II gameplay, such as melee maps and micro trainers. Meanwhile, the new Arcade section will the place where the community can find and play the vast array of custom games that explore the many possibilities of the StarCraft II editor. From tower defense to RPGs and beyond, the Arcade will bring your creations to players around the world.

We want the Arcade to offer the best experience possible, so we’re making changes to improve everything from the interface to the editor itself. Your input can help us refine it even further. Here are some of the improvements we already have planned:

Global Changes

Added StarCraft II & Arcade as game Types

- Creators define which basic type best fits the game that they have created. Each game will only appear in either StarCraft II or the Arcade.

Game Genres

- We’ve used community feedback and the existing game list to create a comprehensive menu of genres for creators to choose from. Now players will have tools to more easily find the games they are looking for, which in turn gives creators an easy way to find their audience.

Arcade

Game Presentation

Browsing

- Browsing for games is a totally new experience. Players can search for games based on genre, over all popularity, star rating, newness, and recent spikes in popularity.

Game Icons

- The game icon contains a large game image (provided by the creator), the game’s name, and star rating. Hovering over the icon displays the game description.

Game Info page

- Clicking on a game icon brings players into the Game Info page, a section devoted entirely to showing off what a game is all about, providing play instructions, and revealing other important information about the game.

- All the content in Game Info is under control of the game creator, except for reviews.

- Joining public matches and creating private games is done from the Game Info page. This will be the portal players return to again and again to play the game.

Game Info contains these sections:

- Overview: This will contain the game description, as well as screenshots that show off the action.

- How to Play: This is where players will find the Basic Instructions, How to Win, and Advanced Instructions sections. This is also useful space for additional images to help players understand how to enjoy your creation.

- Patch Notes: You’re able to update patch notes as often as you like, so players can see how the game is growing and improving.

- Reviews: After playing, players can give your game a star rating and enter a text review. Once enough ratings are provided, your game gets an Average Star Rating. Players can also mark each other’s reviews as “Helpful” which will ensure that the best reviews rise to the top.

Tutorial support

- Creators can now publish tutorials. This is a powerful way to introduce new players and give them a place to learn the ropes before they dive in.

- A “Play Tutorial” button appears on the Game Info page if a tutorial exists. Clicking the Play Tutorial button launches players directly into the tutorial game.

Game exclusive chat channels

- There is now a “Join Chat” button on the Game Info page that allows players to join a channel named after your game, which makes connecting with other players and creating a community around your game easier than ever before.

StarCraft II Platform

StarCraft II is now a streaming game.

- It will only be necessary to download a fraction of game data to get into the action. We expect to bring even more players into StarCraft II worldwide by making access to the game both easy and fast.

Editor

- Added UI XML Editor for adding and modifying SC2Layout files

- Editor updated to use Visual Styles in Editor

- Added high resolution minimap support

- Font Style editing added to Text Editor

- Added Data Editor horizontal auto-layout to better utilize available screen space

- User-defined data system, accessed through the new User type in the Data module as well as the corresponding functions in the trigger library.

Cinematic Editor

- New editor module with powerful tools for creating in-game cinematic sequences.

AI Editor

- New editor module for user friendly management of AI wave timing and composition.

Galaxy

- Trigger Debug Window support for breakpoints, stepping through functions, and variable inspection

- Galaxy script code memory limit increased; 4x -10x more memory can be utilized depending on how scripts are being used.

- Added support for passing structure, array, and function references as function parameters

- Improved Galaxy error message output

Actor

- Camera Actor added for controlling camera through actor events

- Scene Actor added for controlling global actor settings (Halo settings, Power visual hiding)

- Light Actor added for creating lights in the world

- Terrain Actor added for physics impact FX support

- Creep Actor added for higher performance creep effects including creep engulfment

- Ragdoll deaths and support for combat driven physics impulses

- Added support for water ripples and physics collision based water splashes

- Terrain squib support for tileset specific dust or snow clouds FX

- Line and Arc targeting cursor support

- Added ActorInfoDisplay cheat for live actor debugging

Game Engine

- Max selection size increased from 255 to 500.

- Added trigger event for Behavior apply/remove

- New Stunned flag for Behaviors that allows queuing commands

Graphics Engine

- Added support to define lighting regions in the game world

- Lighting can now be set per player

- Added unit specific Halo support for pre-targeting

- Anti-aliasing support

User Interface

- Custom unit status bar support added

- Added new in-game pathing display that shows the path a unit will take on the minimap

- Added self-cast hotkey support

- Added Font Glow support

- Added powerful control over frames, portraits, status bars, text, trigger dialogs and more. Full details, tips, and tutorials are being created to help creators take full advantage of these tools.

StarTools

We’re making our internal art tools available to the public.

StarTools is a set of plugins for Discreet®’s 3ds max®, these tools allow advanced users to create, modify, and quickly preview models and animations, including particle and ribbon effects, that can be used in StarCraft II custom maps.

Updating Your Game for Patch 1.5
All game types
Set up your Type and Genre

- Games published prior to Patch 1.5 will still be available on the service when the patch goes live. All user created games will default to appearing in Arcade, under the “Other” genre.

- Creators will need to re-save their game in the 1.5.0 client version and select the Type and Genre where they want to their game to appear.

Arcade game types

Add a Game Icon Image

- The icon image is the first thing players see. It’s a great opportunity to make a first impression on potential players – check out existing app-stores for inspiration.

Game Icon Images are added through the StarCraft II Editor.

Add Game Info

- Game Info is where players learn about your game and see what cool experiences it has to offer. At a minimum, you’ll want to provide a complete Description, easy to understand How to Play Instructions, and some screenshots that make your game look awesome.

- Going a step further and creating customized images (e.g. a diagram of game controls, or a simple guide map of the play area) for Game Info will really help you stand out. The old saying about “show not tell” should be your motto here!

Game Info is added through the StarCraft II Editor

Set up a default mode

- From the Game Info page, there’s a big “PLAY” button that most players will use to get into your game. This creates or joins a public lobby, of the default mode you define for your game.

- This means you likely want to set the default to what you consider your “core” game experience.

- Alternatively, some games have players set up gameplay parameters after they load into the match. This is fine, but it’s recommended to make the setup process as streamlined and user friendly as possible so new players aren’t scared off right when they start the game.

Build a Tutorial

- Tutorials are a powerful way to introduce new players.

- Ideally you’ll give players a smooth introduction to game mechanics in a fail-safe environment, teaching them everything they need to have fun before they start playing your main game mode.

- Tutorials can also be built and used as a practice mode for players to experiment in a sandbox type environment.

- To use the Tutorial feature, first publish the tutorial map to Battle.net. Then you can configure your main game to point to the tutorial.

View full post on Starcraft I and Starcraft II Guide. CreepColony’s Skillful Starcraft

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starfeeder: Adopt a pet Zergling today: http://t.co/EydW5w4O

Nina Adelson — Wed, 16 May 2012 05:58:27 +0000

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starfeeder: Why Nikola Tesla was the greatest geek who ever lived * Via The Oatmeal http://t.co/3KCVpJ23

Nina Adelson — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:58:40 +0000

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Diablo III Now Live!

Nina Adelson — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:46:38 +0000

DIABLO® III NOW LIVE

It’s a bad day for demons . . .

IRVINE, Calif. — May 15, 2012 — Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. today announced that Diablo^® III, the highly anticipated next chapter in its award-winning action–role-playing-game series, is now available in retail stores throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and the regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. Gamers in the regions above as well as in Mexico, Argentina, Chile, and Brazil are also able to purchase Diablo III digitally via the game’s official website (http://www.diablo3.com).

In the wake of a Blizzard record of more than 2 million preorders^*, and following more than 8,000 midnight launch events earlier today at retail stores worldwide, gamers across the planet are now storming Sanctuary in hot pursuit of the Lord of Terror.

“This launch is a culmination of many years of hard work by our development team, and many years of passionate, dedicated support from gamers around the world,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “We’re grateful for the enthusiasm of our players, and for the help of our beta testers in getting the game ready for release. Now that Diablo III is live, we hope everyone’s ready to have a hellishly good time slaying demons and collecting loot in Sanctuary.”

Diablo III is available for Windows^® XP/Windows Vista^®/Windows^® 7 and Macintosh^® at a suggested price of $59.99 USD for both the retail DVD-ROM version and the digital version sold directly from Blizzard. A special alabaster-white Collector’s Edition, sold exclusively in retail stores while supplies last at a suggested price of $99.99 USD, includes the game on DVD-ROM, a behind-the-scenes Blu-ray/DVD two-disc set, the Diablo III soundtrack CD, a 208-page Art of Diablo III book, and a 4 GB USB soulstone (including full versions of Diablo II and Diablo II: Lord of Destruction^®) and corresponding Diablo skull base, as well as exclusive in-game content for Diablo III, World of Warcraft^®, and StarCraft^® II: Wings of Liberty^®. Diablo III has received a Mature rating from the ESRB.

Players in the Latin American countries listed above and in Russia will be able to purchase Diablo III at local retail locations starting June 7. Digital availability via http://www.diablo3.com for the Russian version of the game will also begin June 7. In addition to the English version, Diablo III is fully localized into Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, French, German, European Spanish, Italian, Polish, Russian, Korean, and traditional Chinese.

Diablo III continues the epic Diablo storyline, with players taking on the role of one of five heroic characters — barbarian, witch doctor, wizard, monk, or demon hunter — and embarking on an epic quest to save the world of Sanctuary from the corrupting forces of the Burning Hells. As players adventure through rich and varied settings, they’ll engage in pulse-pounding combat with hordes of monsters and challenging bosses, grow in experience and ability, acquire artifacts of incredible power, and meet key characters who’ll join them in battle or aid them in other ways. The game features the intuitive interface, fast-paced action, and visceral gameplay that Diablo players have come to expect and enjoy.

Designed from the ground up to leverage the full functionality of the Battle.net^® platform, Diablo III also provides gamers with industry-leading matchmaking and communication tools, allowing adventurers to seamlessly join forces for cooperative play. Battle.net also provides the infrastructure for the Diablo III auction house, a feature-rich marketplace that Sanctuary’s heroes can use to trade their hard-earned treasures. To learn more about the auction house and the other features of Diablo III, please visit the official website at http://www.diablo3.com.

With multiple games in development, Blizzard Entertainment has numerous positions currently available — visit http://jobs.blizzard.com for more information and to learn how to apply.

* Includes units preordered as part of World of Warcraft Annual Pass promotion, as well as retail and digital preorders.

About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft® and the Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® franchises, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard Entertainment’s track record includes thirteen #1-selling games and multiple Game of the Year awards. The company’s online-gaming service, Battle.net®, is one of the largest in the world, with millions of active players.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Blizzard Entertainment’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Blizzard Entertainment generally uses words such as “outlook,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “might,” “remains,” “to be,” “plans,” “believes,” “may,” “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “estimate,” “future,” “plan,” “positioned,” “potential,” “project,” “remain,” “scheduled,” “set to,” “subject to,” “upcoming” and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause Blizzard Entertainment’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include, but are not limited to, sales levels of Blizzard Entertainment’s titles, shifts in consumer spending trends, the impact of the current macroeconomic environment, the seasonal and cyclical nature of the interactive game market, declines in software pricing, product returns and price protection, product delays, retail acceptance of Blizzard Entertainment’s products, competition from the used game market, industry competition and competition from other forms of entertainment, rapid changes in technology, industry standards and consumer preferences, including interest in specific genres such as real-time strategy, action–role-playing and massively multiplayer online games, protection of proprietary rights, litigation against Blizzard Entertainment, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, customers, licensees, licensors, vendors and third-party developers, including the ability to attract, retain and develop key personnel and developers who can create high quality “hit” titles, counterparty risks relating to customers, licensees, licensors and manufacturers, domestic and international economic, financial and political conditions and policies, foreign exchange rates and tax rates, and the identification of suitable future acquisition opportunities, and the other factors identified in the risk factors section of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Blizzard Entertainment and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Blizzard Entertainment nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Blizzard Entertainment or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.

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starfeeder: The Internet compared with the Outernet: A Handy Guide http://t.co/6AIAeoUm

Nina Adelson — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:58:31 +0000

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starfeeder: The Perfect Place http://t.co/BzDKLX7M

Nina Adelson — Mon, 14 May 2012 03:59:15 +0000

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