Starcraft 2 Post-Announcement Round Up

I can already feel my productivity slipping away as I read about all the details revealed at WWI for Starcraft 2. I’m going to do my best to summarize what I’ve read and I’ll list the sources at the bottom, but first watch these videos!

Details below.

• The official site for the game has launched here. Its pretty slow as its probably getting hammered today. You can view some protoss units though. Nothing much for zerg or terran.
• Protoss, Terran, and Zerg are all back for the sequel. Information is mixed about a fourth race. The official site makes no mention of a fourth race. The live blogging I’ve seen from the event does’t seem to mention much about it, outside of a number of rumors that have been circulating as of late. Most of the rumors seem to point to a race of Kerrigan-like creatures. Half Zerg, half something else. One rumor I read stated the race would be a hybrid zerg/protoss race called the Vanix. I’m a little surprised that the Xel’Naga, the mysterious parent race of the classic 3 races, have not been more prevalent in the rumor mill.
• You can definitely select a lot more than 12 units at a time
• You are able to zoom in, out and change the view angle of the environment
• Has been in the works since Warcraft 3: Frozen Throne came out in 2003
• Maps will be 2-D terrain able to have tiers that must be traversed via a ramp or innate ability of unit
• Races will have some new units, new buildings and plenty of new upgrades (some old units have been removed)
• Battle.net will allow for 14 player games
• Alliances will be made before the game starts and will not be able to be changed during game play!
• Settings can be changed such as day or night, fog and its thickness, etc
• Pilots of vehicles will be able to eject and be used as infantry
• Falling airships will actually cause damage to units underneath it (not currently in the demo)
• Exploding vehicles may cause damage to units around it (not currently in the demo)
• Pylons will be mobile
• Zerg Units
  • Hyperlisk – Evolved form of Ultralisk; faster, stronger and can burrow; upgrade to trample over ground units!
  • Creeper – non-attacking unit; moves underground for spying (similar to protoss observer only underground as near as I can tell)
  • Acid Colony – sounds more like building than a unit to me, but attacks both land and air
  • King – similar to a Queen but can attack and infest any unit producing building (air, ground, and personell)
  • Bladeling – bigger, upright version of a zergling with blades for arms
• Terran Units
  • Reapers – think marines with jetpacks and pistols
  • Rocketeers (might be the same thing as Reapers, can’t tell) – shoot rockets, splash damage
  • Heavy Cruiser – improved Battlecruiser will have an Omega cannon instead of a Yamato cannon
  • Wraith Bomber – pretty self explanatory
  • Wraith Kamikaze – similar to zerg scourge but can attack as well
  • Cannon – not like protoss cannon. used for strategic attacks. think howitzer; immobile
• Protoss Units
  • Mothership – Mixed reports either a Carrier on ‘roids. holds 20 interceptors. stats are beefed up OR some crazy big ship like in Independence Day with a death ray and can warp time and space.
  • Nomad – improved zealot with rifle
  • Immortal – replaces dragoons, heavier shields for heavy attacks. Tanks do little damage. Easily taken out with reapers and smaller weapons that won’t set off the shields
  • High Archon – meld of High Templar and Dark Templar; can mind control and attack
  • Stalker – sounds like an Immortal, might be the same thing. can teleport
  • Walker – combined 5 dragoons; slow but strong
  • Exploder – Kamikaze Observer
  • Colossus – BIG spider like vehicle that has crazy lazer beams on their fricken’ heads!
  • Phoenix – anti-air airship, can do a crazy laser overload to take out a bunch of enemies but will render it innert for several seconds
  • Warp-ray – airship; laser weapon of some kind.
• There are unconfirmed rumors that Blizzard will shut down the old Starcraft servers on Battle.Net to assure this game’s success.
• Whatever the fourth race is, it sounds like they’ve just started to work on it.

Most of this news hails from starcraftnews.com