Campaign Overview confirms suspicions

gearoidof

So, I saw this on kotaku this morning:

http://kotaku.com/5596296/starcraft-ii-singleplayer-the-idiots-guide-by-blizzard

It's basically a campaign overview, but there is no base building I can see in it. Pretty much confirms my suspicions that the 1on1 will be similar to dow2's.

I.e. you have some units with which to complete missions, and they take the econ aspect out the player's hands.

DirkVoodoo

I hope you don't mind me including a youtube link, that video was causing me streaming issues:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exYb53GzAgE

Given the "rag tag" nature of Raynor's band of rebels, along with lessons learned from WC3 and WoW, it's not too surprising to see them ditch a lot of the base building. As I understand it, you purchase units and upgrades on the Hyperion as you go. Works with the whole branching storyline I guess.

EDIT: Should have watched the whole video, I used "rag tag" before I saw it pop up on screen

gearoidof

I have no problem with it, I suppose, but seeing as the head designer for Dow2, Jonny Ebbert, moved to Blizzard a while ago, I called it.

DirkVoodoo

Yeah he certainly isn't a fan of base building and the lack of continuity between missions in the older RTS format. It makes sense though, why would you need to upgrade armour again in a single player mission, get rid of those incompetent scientists!

I like base building as much as the next guy, but it's good to see they are not simply recreating the same mission structure we had in Starcraft, even if they might just be ripping it off DoW.

Hopefully it will make the campaign more immersive!

Dacian

I had previously read that the SP mode would prepare you for MP.

Didn't really love the DoWII SP campaign. I don't mind the lack of economy in some missions, but the entire campaign? grumble...grumble....grumble...

Branoic

Jesus, the voice over in that video is really, really distracting!

Gummy Panda

Didn't like DoW2 single player not due to the lack of base building but to how shallow and boring it felt. It felt like a bad dungeon crawler. Fight these guys then head to here in a linear path and fight this boss in a secluded area.

Company of heroes has no base building and feels more involving then DoW2.

murphm45

There's obviously something i'm missing but i just don't see how its that different from the original.

As far as i can gather all you do is purchasing new unit types and buy upgrades for your units which i presume you then need to researched in the mission(although i'll stand corrected on this). this seems almost identical to the first where as you progress through the campaign more units and upgrades became available. There just seems to be a bit more onous put on the player to make the "right" choices.

Can someone point out where I'm wrong? i don't mean this to be smart i'm genuinely curious to know how i've so badly misinterpreted the premise/underlying dynamic of the game.

DirkVoodoo

Your decisions seem to have long lasting consequences, so rather than researching the same technology in each mission, once it is researched you have it for good and it opens up new options for either purchasing new units or recruiting mercs.

Aside from that, you have to take on side missions to earn extra funds, you can no longer expand across a map, amassing resources and technology that will last you only for that mission.

Personally I think this makes it far more dynamic, it's not simply a case of fortifying a position and churning out units until the balance of power shifts in your favour and you are left with the classic RTS "mop up" time.

Knowing blizzard and their storytelling, the campaign won't be short of interesting action and twists. Fear not Gummy Panda, I can see this being a good move for SC.

Although, 30 missions will require an awful lot of variety and innovation to stop the formula being stale, so maybe there will be the odd base building mission.

Dacian

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Knowing blizzard and their storytelling, the campaign won't be short of interesting action and twists.

Although, 30 missions will require an awful lot of variety and innovation to stop the formula being stale, so maybe there will be the odd base building mission.

I too hope for a bit of choice in the SP campaign. I played Mechwarrior 4 Mercenaries where the mission you choose to do could prevent you access to certain tech/missions but offer others in their place.

I have no problem with this style of campaign. I would be annoyed with an illusion of choice covered in reality a linear game. (In practise the campaign will ultimately be 'linear',after all their have the cinematics done already!!)

And the odd base building misison can't be that bad. I still love the idea of "the zerg attack in 15 minutes, you better start building base defense NOW" type of mission briefing.

DirkVoodoo

Dacian wrote: »

I too hope for a bit of choice in the SP campaign. I played Mechwarrior 4 Mercenaries where the mission you choose to do could prevent you access to certain tech/missions but offer others in their place.

I have no problem with this style of campaign. I would be annoyed with an illusion of choice covered in reality a linear game. (In practise the campaign will ultimately be 'linear',after all their have the cinematics done already!!)

And the odd base building misison can't be that bad. I still love the idea of "the zerg attack in 15 minutes, you better start building base defense NOW" type of mission briefing.

Ah, original campaign mission terran mission 3. First time I played that I loved it, it was so well executed. Nothing else to do except try and survive for 30 mins. I wish I could play that again as a rookie player, I found it tough when I first got the game.

Fingers crossed!

Gummy Panda

Well the campaign is very entertaining so far. Its much better then DoW2 so my fears have been put to rest.