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[DieH@rd]

Hey guys - based on what we know, does it look like my rig is on the higher or lower end of the spectrum and will I be able to use Ultra settings?

You need 4gigs of ram for ultra.
http://forums.battle.net/thread.html?topicId=23307581029&sid=5000

 

[TheExodu5]

You need 4gigs of ram for ultra.
http://forums.battle.net/thread.html?topicId=23307581029&sid=5000

No you don't. Applications can't use more than 2GB in 32-bit mode.

Anyways, here's CPU usage while watching a replay:

Running with a Q8300 @ 3.0GHz.

Game definitely is definitely only using 2 cores. Assuming it scales the second core completely (and my first core isn't limiting things), it would take roughly a 2.4GHz dual-core to not be CPU limited here (while I was maintaining around 60fps). This was in a very small replay with only a few dozen units. No telling if unit count actually has an effect on CPU usage.

Game runs and looks amazing. With my Q8300 @ 3.0GHz and GTX 275, I was getting 70fps out of battle and 50fps in battle. Performance still seemed silky smooth in battle though...controls were completely responsive which is what's most important in a game like this. Sadly, there appears to be no option for vsync. D3Doverrider it is. The graphics engine appears to have some slight delay with vsync + triple buffering, as expected. Thankfully, the game appears to use a hardware mouse and there's no input lag there at all.

Bringing the camera down with a lot of geometry on screen is taxing. As you can see, my framerate drops to about 40. That probably means the game is mostly GPU limited, which is a very good thing.

 

[InsertCredit]

I wanted to provide an update for players that attended BlizzCon and redeemed their codes, but have yet to receive a beta key invite email. The first wave of invites have already been sent out and a majority of the invites were sent out to BlizzCon attendees. Unfortunately, due to the sheer number of BlizzCon attendees, we could not get everyone in with the first wave. Rest assured that if you did not get into the first wave, you will be included in a future wave, possibly within the next two weeks.

The timing of the next wave will be dependent upon the amount of players that are playing and the load capacity of the servers. Thank you for your understanding and patience through this process.

Fuck yes.

I was almost ready to bend over on eBay.

 

[BishopLamont]

Replays are good to go! Yippee!

 

[TheExodu5]

To those worried about not being able to run ultra textures...don't sweat it. Only a few textures get bumped up....the rest remain very high quality still on high.

Here are some shots showing the differences. I put everything else as low/off just so you could more easily see what difference the textures alone have.

Lowest:

Medium:

High:

Ultra:

It's very difficult to see the difference in between high and ultra. The most notable changes are the crystals and the SCV drills.

Let me know if you guys want more graphics/performance shots and analysis. I'm going to be testing out each and every setting tomorrow.

 

[Wedge7]

Fuck yes.

I was almost ready to bend over on eBay.

Hrm, I thought that it was referring specifically to Blizz-Con 08 guys who were guaranteed a spot but didn't get in yet, not general opt-in.

 

[Smash88]

Hrmpf. Apparently my cd keys have already been authenticated, even though I haven't entered them. Contacted Blizzard to see what happens.

 

[BishopLamont]

Any pro replays going around?

 

[syoaran]

Looking forward to testing this on my mac when the mac client goes up, glad you can install the game on as many machines as you want for the beta. Still getting owned 80% of the time, decided to stick with Terrans to better understand the mechanics of just one race (really didnt spend much time with SC back in the day sadly). Going to spend any time I'm not working looking at SC2 videos online - seeing whats the best startup tactics.

 

[chris-013]

Some guys cracked the beta, we can now access the main menu and watch replay...
I hope we can play againt local player or the computer soon.

Anyway the replay UI is very good, there are a lot of tracking (units, production, income, ect... even APM) and if you use the player camera you can see exactly where the player click.

 

[poserdonut]

I can't login, it just gets stuck at the login screen after I enter my information.

 

[Minsc]

Let me know if you guys want more graphics/performance shots and analysis. I'm going to be testing out each and every setting tomorrow.

The only thing left I'm curious about still is the performance hit seen with 4 or 8xAA, I'm guessing your previous benchmarks of 50-70fps didn't have it, based on the shots? It's a little hard to tell, but there's a decent amount of jagged edges, along with some slightly smoother ones.

 

[Arzehn]

Some guys cracked the beta, we can now access the main menu and watch replay...
I hope we can play againt local player or the computer soon.

Anyway the replay UI is very good, there are a lot of tracking (units, production, income, ect... even APM) and if you use the player camera you can see exactly where the player click.

Where can I find more information about this? Like a guide.

 

[maniac-kun]

Where can I find more information about this? Like a guide.

since this is piracy. dont.

 

[InsertCredit]

Hrm, I thought that it was referring specifically to Blizz-Con 08 guys who were guaranteed a spot but didn't get in yet, not general opt-in.

Well, he was replying to the Blizzcon questions but they will be taken along into the next scheduled wave.

Basically every week / few weeks a new wave including opt-in accounts triggers with the majoritiy of the blizzcon emails being handled in the next two.

 

[Arzehn]

since this is piracy. dont.

Ah, I guess it's still unauthorized use of material that is covered by copyright law... :\

 

[Minsc]

Here are some shots showing the differences. I put everything else as low/off just so you could more easily see what difference the textures alone have.

There's a 1-2 comparison of Ultra textures with the rest of your options altered (ultra vs low I believe).

The Ultra textures + low options actually gives the appearance of the textures being a bit worse than the Ultra textures + high options, I guess something else is enhancing the textures with detail (like the emblem on the building).

Edit: I didn't notice it earlier, but maybe the textures are missing from the building because it was in the process of being built? That'd make much more sense!

 

[Lostconfused]

The Ultra textures + low options actually gives the appearance of the textures being a bit worse than the Ultra textures + high options, I guess something else is enhancing the textures with detail (like the emblem on the building).

The textures look the same. My guess is its probably the lack of lighting that's the difference.

Edit: But everything in that picture is missing decals since you can see them on marines as well, so I don't really know.

 

[FromTheFuture]

Oh my god what! Replays? What are the chances of Blizzard punishing those who try the crack to the point of removing that person from the beta or something? I really want to check it out when I get home.

 

[Enosh]

Hrmpf. Apparently my cd keys have already been authenticated, even though I haven't entered them. Contacted Blizzard to see what happens.

I have the same problem -.-

I contacted them some year ago and they told me to send them the whole game I buyed to the US, couldn't be bothered to do that a year ago since the beta was still a long time away. Contacted them now again to see if I can do something without having to send the game to the US

 

[Johann]

Oh my god what! Replays? What are the chances of Blizzard punishing those who try the crack to the point of removing that person from the beta or something? I really want to check it out when I get home.

I just got off the phone with Tony Johnson and he warned me against the replay hack since it could be a virus in disguise. He also said that any non-authenticated user of replays will be permanently expelled if caught.

 

[FromTheFuture]

I just got off the phone with Tony Johnson and he warned me against the replay hack since it could be a virus in disguise. He also said that any non-authenticated user of replays will be permanently expelled if caught.

Thanks for the heads up. Damn, I just really want to see the game in all it's glory. The streams and vids just aren't cutting it. Man, I can't wait for the next wave of invites.

 

[The Lamonster]

You guys are the shit. Thanks for all the screen shots and info.

 

[syoaran]

Using an 3870X2, Ultra is very easy to achieve with a ton of stuff going on. Very nice to see that its going to be quite easy to play on a laptop on the go which is nice.

Played a few 2v2's, with one of the opposite team dropping out (because of connection problems) on the other end. Does the other person on the team control their troops, or does the AI for that team just default? Not really sure whats going on there yet.

 

[nilbog21]

I just got off the phone with Tony Johnson and he warned me against the replay hack since it could be a virus in disguise. He also said that any non-authenticated user of replays will be permanently expelled if caught.

Who is Tony Johnson?

 

[paskowitz]

Do you know painful it is waiting for this game for years and years... getting in the beta... and then forgetting you battle.net password. I sent blizzard an email but so far no dice. Its painful... really painful.

 

[The Lamonster]

Do you know painful it is waiting for this game for years and years... getting in the beta... and then forgetting you battle.net password. I sent blizzard an email but so far no dice. Its painful... really painful.

imagine if you didn't get in the beta at all, jerk

 

[Dynoro]

imagine if you didn't get in the beta at all, jerk

I feel your pain; just hope I (and many others on gaf) get in in the next wave

 

[dallow_bg]

Gah! You always take the worst PC screenshots Exodus! Like with some Dragon Age pic you posted a while back :lol
(and i don't mean the test with textures)

 

[darkpaladinmfc]

Gah! You always take the worst PC screenshots Exodus! Like with some Dragon Age pic you posted a while back :lol
(and i don't mean the test with textures)

I think the screenshot wasn't for show, but to demonstrate:

Bringing the camera down with a lot of geometry on screen is taxing. As you can see, my framerate drops to about 40. That probably means the game is mostly GPU limited, which is a very good thing.

 

[InsertCredit]

Do you know painful it is waiting for this game for years and years... getting in the beta... and then forgetting you battle.net password. I sent blizzard an email but so far no dice. Its painful... really painful.

boo hoo.

 

[BuddhaRockstar]

This is why people get their accounts stolen...

I know this is like a page late, but I just wanted to point out the hilarity that the guy who made this was so lazy he used his Youtube account from another Blizzard scam (Free WoW gamecards) to make fake comments on this one. I really hope people don't go- "Well if it worked for WoWGcExpander01 I'm sure it will work for me!" The other account, BroodFA is the exact same thing only for Diablo III beta keys (lol).

 

[moafuka]

LOL at the tabs.

 

[Calavera520]

LOL at the tabs.

hehe

 

[Zzoram]

http://www.wegame.com/watch/1v1-pvp-starcraft-2-beta-game-2/

this is a VOD of a guy playing with pretty low settings, so you can see what that looks like

almost no shadows, minor decals gone, textures are just smooth instead of having minor detailing, it might be easier to tell what's going on in a low-res VOD with low settings

 

[Toonami 99]

http://www.thejayzone.com/pics/random/lolhax.png
:lol classic tranny tab

 

[Zzoram]

wrong thread

 

[JSnake]

Hey guys I totally suck ass at this game but I'm enjoying it! Add me at JSnake.gaf

 

[Zzoram]

I can't stop watching the Teamliquid streams. This game looks so good. I think I'm going to be a Terran player just because of the music.

 

[Calantus]

can you link to the teamliquid stream? now that i know the basics of starcraft, i think watching some games will help me out

 

[maniac-kun]

This is why people get their accounts stolen...

tranny, shemale tab
cant unsee

 

[TheExodu5]

I just got off the phone with Tony Johnson and he warned me against the replay hack since it could be a virus in disguise. He also said that any non-authenticated user of replays will be permanently expelled if caught.

If it's a hack, then Blizzard has some serious security flaws in Starcraft 2. I'll take my chances.

As for being caught by Blizzard? Impossible. You never log in with the client.

 

[snack]

People are cracking the beta? Damnnn!

 

[Spruchy]

People are cracking the beta? Damnnn!

Just like every other Blizzard beta?! Blasphemy!

 

[shibby]

Yeah, I try to mass Scourges in desperation, but I ALWAYS run into a lack of Vespene problem (unless I'm playing on BGH). I guess I should focus more on disabling the production of Science Vessels before they get a chance to get enough energy.

I don't think you really need to mass scourge. I usually get about 10 of them, and set 2 or 3 to just patrol around the parameters of every base. That usually stops a science vessel from getting close enough to do an irradiation on drones.

 

[Zzoram]

can you link to the teamliquid stream? now that i know the basics of starcraft, i think watching some games will help me out

They have a number of streams online/offline at any given time.

http://www.teamliquid.net/beta/

 

[John Harker]

how'd we net out with the "buy this laptop to play this game right" debate?

or is one better off waiting to launch?
it's been years since i got back into PC gaming... hell, at home i only have a first gen mac mini

 

[scoobs]

I read somewhere there is no way to turn on AA/AF in this game w/o forcing it?? What has this world come to?!?

 

[TheExodu5]

I read somewhere there is no way to turn on AA/AF in this game w/o forcing it?? What has this world come to?!?

And no VSync either.

Anyways, I'll do some more performance analysis today. Sorry you don't like my screenshots dallow_bg. :lol

 

[Minsc]

how'd we net out with the "buy this laptop to play this game right" debate?

or is one better off waiting to launch?
it's been years since i got back into PC gaming... hell, at home i only have a first gen mac mini

Pay attention to K. Jack's advice for laptops.