StarCraft II

Sitting patiently in this over-airconditioned space (I feel so sorry for the cosplayers who aren't wearing very much at all!), we're waiting for the next panel, which is all about the gameplay in StarCraft II. It'll be interesting to see what they've got up their sleeves today - sounds like there's plenty of fans here!

Nobody's quite sure what to expect - but that seems to be the theme of the day. I've got my seat, and I'll wave at any television cameras I see. Stick around, we'll be walking through the panel in its entirety, maybe we might learn something!

LIVE BLOG:
(most recent event first)

9:28am : ...and that, my friends - is the real end.

9:24am : Well, helloooooo Sarah.
This is... wow.

9:22am : Rather than focussing on Raynor as we have so much today, we're taking a moment to spend some time with Zeratul. Mmm.

9:22am : No, wait. He's a dirty tricker, with one more bit up his sleeve. It's a first-look at a pre-rendered cinematic - one minute of the four-minute ingame intro to StarCraft II.

9:21am : ...and, apparently - that's all there is...

9:21am : In the first title, you will be able to play a Protoss Mini Campaign, centering around Zeratul and the greater threat. Even though each game will have one major campaign, this will give you a taste of the other races.

9:20am : Future campaigns
The meta game mechanics different in each campaign - you'll have different experiences playing each race.

9:19am : That was pretty cool, actually. (*blinks*

9:16am : ...and after hyping up the Dream Movie - they don't have it here to show us. Instead, we're taking a look at some behind the scenes elements of how the cinematics are made.

9:15am : Movies:
More in-game and pre-rendered cinematics will be added
...and "Kerrigan's Dream Movie" added, which explains about her history, the storyline, and fills in things a bit for newcomers.

9:14am : ...and if you thought you were missing out, each game will feature approx 26-30 missions if the player goes through and does everything available.

9:13am : Mission-wise
- more branching missions (including Easter Egg missions)
- the ending is set, but the middle has branches.

9:13am : So - the new story content:
More sets
More characters
More props (like the ingame jukebox)

9:12am : What does this mean?
Nothing changes for multiplayer or skirmish mode. All three races are fully implemented from the get go.
Each campaign will feel like an epic story - not a cliffhanger into the next one. They will each have separate arcs that have a clear start, middle, end - and you will feel like you've really finished *something* at the end of each game.
More content than we'd previously planned - many more Movies, Missions, etc.

9:10am : #3: Protoss: Legacy of the Void

9:10am : #2: Zerg: Heart of the Swarm - all about Kerrigan :)

9:10am : The first game to be released - Terrans: Wings of Liberty - all about Jim Raynor as a freedom fighter, trying to resolve his relationship with the Queen of Blades.

9:09am : ...and the winner is: STARCRAFT 2 TRILOGY

9:09am : ...and now, we're taking a vote on those options.

9:09am : Option A:
Simplify the campaign (more linear, less choice, less characters) - aka: giving up

Option B:
Make each campaign EPIC, but release each one as a separate product - aka: go big or go home

Option C:
Compromise in the middle, but delay the game greatly - aka: not really make anyone happy, or make anyone sad

9:07am : So - what should we do?

9:07am : Now we're looking at the challenges faced:
- Three HUGE stories
- Story mode demands 3-4x as much as previous games
(alternate missions / extensive use of in-game cinematics / lots of characters means lots of development)

9:04am : As you click on the planets, they will show a new character and a message - and after you complete the planetary mission, they will change. Pretty nifty :)

9:03am : There is a star map - we're seeing a very early version of it - and it will eventually be the way you can get from planet to planet. As you unlock new locations, they become available here.

9:03am : Interesting to see how they're going to implement this - clicking on the window will give you a view of "outside", and various other things will have different reactions. Very nice.

9:02am : Hello, Matt Horner. You are not our writer, Matt Warner, but you are a character in the game, who explains things to Jim, bringing him updates on the world and the various enemies.

9:00am : Now we're in the armory, meeting new people and looking at what technology is available within the game. Some will be revealed in specific missions, but the general idea is that they want to make the game as customisable as possible, so you can really tweak your personal play style.

8:59am : You're lead to believe that Raynor is fairly down on his luck - but, honestly - that's not necessarily the case. A new setting sees you in a cantina, meeting a lot of new characters, talking to them, interacting, watching video screens... you are in fact on a spaceship, having taken various bits of the bar with you.

8:57am : I can confirm: the Queen of Blades has returned. She's come to finish the job!

8:57am : ...nice. Warp jump. I'm hoping we maaaay have some of these videos able to be shared with you shortly after the panel.

8:56am : "But wait, there's more!"

8:56am : ...and we skip ahead to the end of the mission to see another more exciting bit - these are still basically training missions, so they're fairly simple.

8:55am : ...and we get to see Zerg Creep (do not eat!), and some of the ways that it all matches up in game. It looks like a map where the player has to defend some bridges - or stop the Zerg from crossing over to where the player's base is... almost like a Tower Defense.

8:53am : Looking at the third mission in the campaign. They look like "very good StarCraft missions" apparently :)

8:53am : Introducing gamers to the story mode includes a handful of pre-organised missions. You can learn more about what's going on through the television, or through incoming transmissions.

8:51am : Not quite sure what people are making of this somewhat future-Western theme that's going on here. It's very quiet, which could be a good or a bad thing, really. Hmm. It's very different, and somewhat strange.

8:50am : Now, let's just insert a cheat code here... and here's one we prepared earlier - skipping over the actual mission and just getting to the next part of the game.

8:49am : This is all designed to teach you about backstory - or to perhaps tell a little bit about what's upcoming.

8:48am : Technically that's considered an in-game real time cinematic, rather than a standalone video, too. Very cool. It looks like they're setting up almost a point and click adventure game type element to the game - clicking on various points on a bulletin board that are interactive - a jukebox, etc...

8:46am : Tychus is all strapped into his Marine suit, Jim is looking more battle-scarred, , wearing dirty worn clothes and drinking what looks like whiskey. Interesting interplay, they're really setting up the story - seems like former colleagues... and now new partners.

8:44am : ...we're being shown a video showing the interplay between Tychus and Jim. I quite like the name Tychus, just by the by. The volume on this video is ridiculous.

8:43am : "Gameplay demos! OMG So WiP!"

8:43am : Who is Tychus Findlay?
...a new character, introduced in the first cinematic trailer being strapped into his Marine suit. Has an interesting relationship with Jim Raynor, fits in neatly into the game history.

8:42am : The Terran Campaign
The player is Jim Raynor, you are directing him - his actions, his decisions...
It starts on Mar Sara - a planet that was very important in the original StarCraft - first contact when the Zerg first invaded Terran space.

8:40am : Another goal - to immerse the player in the StarCraft universe. Of course.

8:40am : He promises that they are putting a lot of emphasis on single player, this time around - there may be things that people see in singleplayer that don't then show up in multiplayer!

8:39am : Starcraft 2 Campaign Goals:
- New approach to RTS Single Player
- Emphasise player choice (missions / technology / interaction with characters)
- Varied and Interesting missions

8:37am : After some technical difficulties which will see a slightly delayed bit of World of Warcraft coverage later today, we're back on track and all set up for the live coverage of StarCraft II, hoorah!

Start : A member of the British press just turned to me and asked what the Big Announcement will be this year. It seems there's more than a few gamers who are feeling a bit cheated by the lack of any surprises in the Opening Ceremony. Hm.