Support NeoGAF

[Sorian]

Another thing I noticed about HotS which I don't think was in WoL.... what's with the "Streaming Data XX/YY MB" thing which pops up on loading screens in the bottom right corner? Is this some new always-online DRM they patched into SC2? My game is fully downloaded, so it's not like I should be lacking any data assets...

I was actually replaying WoL over the weekend and it was doing the same thing then too.

 

[duckroll]

I was actually replaying WoL over the weekend and it was doing the same thing then too.

Well I'm sure it does it now, since they're all running off the same client. I'm just wondering if I forgot it existed years ago, or if it's something they added over the years to the client. I... don't like it.

WoL has been doing that loading thing for at least the last few months. No idea what it's about.

Ah okay, so it's something they added then. Fucking always online shit! Lol.

 

[DopeyFish]

Another thing I noticed about HotS which I don't think was in WoL.... what's with the "Streaming Data XX/YY MB" thing which pops up on loading screens in the bottom right corner? Is this some new always-online DRM they patched into SC2? My game is fully downloaded, so it's not like I should be lacking any data assets...

I think they're streaming the cutscenes?

I notice the cutscenes don't appear to be in engine anymore (well... Real time in engine)

 

[profit]

Hm, did battle net go down?

 

[Jackben]

They probably aren't doing anything of any importance, just being boring dudes until Zeratul decides to take charge in the final expansion, and then you get to meet all sorts of new Protoss characters who will represent various feuding aspects of the Protoss, all unwilling to work together to believe in the "real threat", but Zeratul will KICK THEIR ASSES and make them see the truth, and then everyone will make a final push together to "take the fight to them" against the dark one at the end, Mass Effect 3 style.

:lol

FINISH THE FIGHT :lol

the lols actually hurt a little bit :/

 

[Bisnic]

That streaming shit while loading single player missions was there when i played WoL back in February. Don't know what it is, but i feel like the loading times are longer because of that. =/

 

[fallagin]

I think they're streaming the cutscenes?

I notice the cutscenes don't appear too be in engine anymore (well... Real time in engine)

The streaming seems to be happening to fast for it to be from online for me. I think it must be streaming from the hdd, otherwise I'd be waiting a lot longer than I am.

 

[The Lamonster]

Any word if theres a secret mission like in WoL? And if so, how to unlock it?

What was the secret mission in WoL? I either forgot or never knew about it.

 

[Mrbob]

Another thing I noticed about HotS which I don't think was in WoL.... what's with the "Streaming Data XX/YY MB" thing which pops up on loading screens in the bottom right corner? Is this some new always-online DRM they patched into SC2? My game is fully downloaded, so it's not like I should be lacking any data assets...

This got added to WoL as well. Not sure what it does.

 

[antitrop]

What was the secret mission in WoL? I either forgot or never knew about it.

It was called Piercing the Shroud: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwh4ZtSvDFY

http://starcraft.wikia.com/wiki/Piercing_the_Shroud

"It is accessed by destroying the science facility in Media Blitz mission and obtaining the secret documents within."

I believe it was required to be completed to unlock the "Complete all missions on Brutal" Achievement. That's why I did it.

 

[The Lamonster]

It was called Piercing the Shroud: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwh4ZtSvDFY

http://starcraft.wikia.com/wiki/Piercing_the_Shroud

"It is accessed by destroying the science facility in Media Blitz mission and obtaining the secret documents within."

Ah thanks, I'm sure I did it then. Still don't remember the particulars...maybe it's time to replay WoL after I finish HotS!

 

[Tacitus_]

Well I'm sure it does it now, since they're all running off the same client. I'm just wondering if I forgot it existed years ago, or if it's something they added over the years to the client. I... don't like it.



Ah okay, so it's something they added then. Fucking always online shit! Lol.

It's streaming from the HDD. As much as I wish, I can't load hundreds of megabytes in seconds on this shitty copper in my current flat.

 

[Last Hearth]

So how many campaign missions does this game have?


I enjoyed WoL purely for the single player campaign so will pick this up if it has a similiarly robust campaign.

 

[Artanisix]

Is the single player campaign any good?

I'm too old and farty to do multiplayer Starcraft these days, but I am interested in playing through the campaign.

 

[antitrop]

So how many campaign missions does this game have?


I enjoyed WoL purely for the single player campaign so will pick this up if it has a similiarly robust campaign.

Wings of Liberty had 29 missions.

Heart of the Swarm has 20, but it's also $20 cheaper.

 

[Lombax]

anyone have a decent protoss build that is working for them on the ladder? My old WoL build is shit.

 

[Tacitus_]

Is the single player campaign any good?

I'm too old and farty to do multiplayer Starcraft these days, but I am interested in playing through the campaign.

Yes, it's excellent.

Hm, did battle net go down?

Seems like it. Can't access my profile from inside the game.

 

[Wunder]

Is the single player campaign any good?

I'm too old and farty to do multiplayer Starcraft these days, but I am interested in playing through the campaign.

The mission variety and the way the units change/upgrade is pretty good I think. However I don't think it warrants a $40 purchase solely for the single player.

 

[duckroll]

It's streaming from the HDD. As much as I wish, I can't load hundreds of megabytes in seconds on this shitty copper in my current flat.

Is that confirmed? Because I was thinking that it's showing much more "extra" stuff it needs to download. Usually it's like "153/154mb" or "63/66mb" and so on.

Wings of Liberty had 29 missions.

Heart of the Swarm has 20, but it's also $20 cheaper.

Doesn't it say 27 missions in the game? I guess that's counting the Evolution missions though, which aren't really... missions.

 

[Tacitus_]

Is that confirmed? Because I was thinking that it's showing much more "extra" stuff it needs to download. Usually it's like "153/154mb" or "63/66mb" and so on.

Well, like I said, I can't download 180MB in a couple seconds on my current connection. Not to mention, it shows up when you replay a mission and when you load the mission archive menu after beating the campaign.
Has to be loading assets from the harddrive.

 

[Yoshichan]

disconnected from single-player

damn

 

[antitrop]

Doesn't it say 27 missions in the game? I guess that's counting the Evolution missions though, which aren't really... missions.

Technically, you can only do 26 missions in 1 WoL playthrough, 29 is counting the branching paths.

That 20 number for HotS may have a bit of wiggle room, as well, I'm not sure the exact number.

 

[duckroll]

Well, like I said, I can't download 180MB in a couple seconds on my current connection. Not to mention, it shows up when you replay a mission and when you load the mission archive menu after beating the campaign.
Has to be loading assets from the harddrive.

I guess I wasn't clear on what I was trying to say. What I mean is, it never starts from "0/152mb", but rather it's always almost complete when it pops up. It leads me to think that it's related to how the game can now be played without fully downloading the entire game. Maybe what it's doing is checking certain assets are fully downloaded before actually loading them?

Technically, you can only do 26 missions in 1 WoL playthrough, 29 is counting the branching paths.

I was referring to HotS.

 

[The Lamonster]

disconnected from single-player

damn

that cuts deep.

2013 gaming, my friend

 

[Vhalyar]

So, it looks like I've been locked out of my achievements?

I was playing the campaign when the message saying my achievements were disabled until further notice popped up. Now every time I login the message appears after a few seconds

Anyone else having this issue?

 

[Tacitus_]

I guess I wasn't clear on what I was trying to say. What I mean is, it never starts from "0/152mb", but rather it's always almost complete when it pops up. It leads me to think that it's related to how the game can now be played without fully downloading the entire game. Maybe what it's doing is checking certain assets are fully downloaded before actually loading them?

Mmh, could be. When I replayed WoL last month and started playing prematurely (which was bollocks since I had the client installed already) it did take a bit longer on some of those loads. But I had my client fully downloaded before starting HotS and it still shows up - and shows up for when you're loading into some other stuff as well.

 

[Tiamant]

If I keep facepalming like that at every retcon I'm going to finish this campaign faceless.

Holy shit Metzen, it's like you hate the original Starcraft game manual!

 

[Ikael]

Blizz's storytelling rut is due to Metzen going soft and Blizzard going big (...) What would have been the natural extension of the BW storyline? WoL would have been Jim Raynor, haggard, lonely and probably drunk, living for his chance to kill Kerrigan, avenge his dead friends, and maybe save the Korporlu sector from being consumed by the Zerg. The most likely conclusion for him involves a coffin. And what would the Zerg campaign entail? After BW Kerrigan is a full fledged monster. She's killed millions of people. Her goal is to kill everything and absorb what is left over into the swarm. Is the Blizzard that turned WoW into the most successful IP of the last decade going to release a full retail title where the main character is a mass murderer? There was never a chance.

I fucking hate it. SC/BW has a really cool story. This isn't meant to excuse Blizzard, just try to figure out how they ended up here.

A full fledged epic zerg invasion of the Earth, for starters, a now not naive hero doing horrible things to good people, even helping Mengsk in exchange for the greater good of a strong united human rule in the upcoming battle, a Protoss race in disbelief seeing how their Xel Naga gods are bloothirsy monsters and basically being forced to kill what they once considered benevolent fathers.

They could have aimed for greatness. They decided to settle for safety and mediocricy instead. It is understandable. And unforgivable. Curse you, Blizzard, curse you, Mentzen.

That's not even the worst of it. The entire plot twist surrounding the Zerg and the Overmind's true intention is pretty much pulled straight out of Warcraft, with the "Dark One" and his "totally way more evil than the original bad guys" force giving off some pretty strong Burning Legion vibes.

The anger reaches unsumourntable levels once you start to knwo about the changes that he made in order to shoehorn "the dark voice" into a role that was originally intended for the Xel Naga race as a whole, which were suppoused to be far different from the bening image that the Protoss had of them.

SC2 is not really much cheesier than SC1, which is basically a WH40k Black Library novel made into a game. Cheese that's dark and broody and filled with blood and betrayal is harder to notice. It's also, to me and I suspect a lot of the general gaming demographic, more entertaining than cheese that's filled with noble heroes, misunderstood villains and the ultimate triumph of good over evil just in time for the end credits.

Is not a question of cheese, but rather of a more coherent, better built and written story. And SC original plot shits in every aspect over SC 2's one, there's no contest.

 

[antitrop]

Loading StarCraft II is literally the only reason I want an SSD.

 

[EscapingJail]

See, I definitely remember the WoL campaign being really fun, and really cool to play. Something about HotS's campaign isn't impressing me in the same way yet, and after Diablo 3, I'm starting to question whether I imagined WoL's campaign quality. >_<

I think one thing which annoys me about the HotS missions so far is that I feel they basically tell you exactly how to play them, with voice overs and highlights on the screen and so on, and as long as you follow exactly what is said, you basically can't lose. It feels like autogaming and I hate that. It also feels like I'm just interacting with a storybook, rather than playing a game with actual options. Most of the time I don't see any variation in terms of strategy.

Played about 7 missions so far. I'm actually looking forward to replaying some of the previous missions for missed achievements because they sound more challenging than the actual mission objections (including the bonus objectives which I always get). I'm not even looking for a hard game here, since I'm not that good with RTS games anyway, I just don't want to feel like I'm following exact instructions all the time.

I'm playing on Brutal my first playthough and don't feel any of that. The mission where you are supposed to use swarmhosts I just massed mutas because fuck swarmhosts.

I think there are a ton of ways to to play each level aside from the solo hero ones.

 

[Wunder]

A full fledged epic zerg invasion of the Earth, for starters, a now not naive hero doing horrible things to good people, even helping Mengsk in exchange for the greater good of a strong united human rule in the upcoming battle, a Protoss race in disbelief seeing how their Xel Naga gods are bloothirsy monsters and basically being forced to kill what they once considered benevolent fathers.

UED is really strong.

 

[Spruchy]

Does anyone have a good place with some tips (text)? I would say I'm a gold level player but I'm still ass.

 

[Tacitus_]

UED is really strong.

It's not like Metzen remembers the faction unless someone reminds him of it.

 

[abunai]

Just started playing the single player. Oh my goodness the writing manages to be worse than usual. How do you do it blizzard? How?! Loving the actual missions though, enjoying them more than what I can remember in WoL.

 

[EscapingJail]

Does anyone have a good place with some tips (text)? I would say I'm a gold level player but I'm still ass.

http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft2/Strategy
For specific race strategy look on the left sidebar.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Holy shit, this already came out?

I was super into SCII for a couple of months after it first came out.

How is the single player campaign in this? The story was lame as hell in Wings of Liberty, but I had a blast playing through the missions.

 

[Last Hearth]

So stories that don't go in the direction I want them go is automatically shit?

SC has always been cheezy pulp scifi. Maybe the people who expected "art" are looking in the wrong place?

 

[Tiamant]

Btw, I LOVE raptors but holy shit they make the game unplayable when I mass them, like 5 fps unplayable. Strange because my pc handles crazy monobattles on high settings like a boss :/

 

[EscapingJail]

So stories that don't go in the direction I want them go is automatically shit?

SC has always been cheezy pulp scifi. Maybe the people who expected "art" are looking in the wrong place?

I agree with this. I think too many people in here have this "New is bad" mindset. They have these preconceived notions of what the characters should be. Everyone changes.

 

[Wunder]

Btw, I LOVE raptors but holy shit they make the game unplayable when I mass them, like 5 fps unplayable. Strange because my pc handles crazy monobattles on high settings like a boss :/

its coz of the little wings

 

[Bisnic]

I wonder who would win in a GAF contest of bad writing if it was Chris Metzen vs Mac Walters.

 

[Tacitus_]

So stories that don't go in the direction I want them go is automatically shit?

SC has always been cheezy pulp scifi. Maybe the people who expected "art" are looking in the wrong place?

It's more of the "we're going to abandon previous plot threads and characterizations and asspull something new" that irks people. And the dialogue that seems to be aping the quality of the Star Wars prequels.

 

[FaintDeftone]

So what's the consensus? Worth it?

 

[duckroll]

I'm playing on Brutal my first playthough and don't feel any of that. The mission where you are supposed to use swarmhosts I just massed mutas because fuck swarmhosts.

I think there are a ton of ways to to play each level aside from the solo hero ones.

Maybe I should set the difficulty up. How hard does it get? I'm playing on Normal because I'm a wuss, but I'm already kinda regretting it. Lol.

 

[Tacitus_]

Maybe I should set the difficulty up. How hard does it get? I'm playing on Normal because I'm a wuss, but I'm already kinda regretting it. Lol.

Hard is still kinda easy (for me anyway, only brutal gave me a challenge in WoL, so YMMV) but you can definitely lose if you do something stupid.

 

[Dysun]

Remember when they split the 3 campaigns up so we could get full fledged games from each? Now we get 2/3 of WoL already short campaign for $40!

 

[duckroll]

Hard is still kinda easy (for me anyway, only brutal gave me a challenge in WoL, so YMMV) but you can definitely lose if you do something stupid.

Sounds good. Thanks. I'll toggle with difficulty and replay some missions to see how I like it. I like losing if I do something stupid. I just don't want the challenge to be so great it'll overwhelm me. Getting too old to micromanage everything quickly. >_<

 

[Draft]

I agree with this. I think too many people in here have this "New is bad" mindset. They have these preconceived notions of what the characters should be. Everyone changes.

The preconceptions are based on the story from the first game. A lot of the unhappiness with SC2's charactertization of Raynor and Kerrigan is that it's unearned. It just doesn't make sense based on where those characters were at the end of the first game. Apparently their behavior and relationship were drastically altered in some books released between the games, but for real, fuck a book about video games, and double fuck it for becoming canon. That is dumb.

 

[Tanolen]

Loading StarCraft II is literally the only reason I want an SSD.

It is still kinda slow at loading, i cant imagine how bad it must be without one.

 

[sixghost]

Maybe I should set the difficulty up. How hard does it get? I'm playing on Normal because I'm a wuss, but I'm already kinda regretting it. Lol.

I started off on Brutal, and there have been a few spots that were tough. The biggest problem for me so far is that they are trying to shoehorn the zerg into the Terran/Protoss style mission of rolling around the map wiping out outposts and bases. But Zerg units are so inherently disposable, that I've just run out of minerals on a few occasions.

I never finished WoL on Brutal, but the missions I did play were much easier. There's nothing the CPU can throw at you that mass MMM with upgrades can't stop. Especially early on in the missions where you have nothing but queen/zergling/bane against terran. You need to re-macro almost every time you attack into bunkers/tank/MMM.