Blizzcon 2011 News Thread
This thread is my continually updated news thread for Blizzcon 2011. Here I will add all information I gather at Blizzcon 2011.
STARCRAFT II
MODDING
ART TOOLS WILL BE RELEASED WITH HEART OF THE SWARM
Blizzard will be releasing all of their art tools with the launch of Heart of the Swarm. This includes a 3ds Max model exporter, as well as numerous sample files and tutorials.
ARCADE
The arcade is the name of the previously named Map Marketplace. Its name was changed as to not project the image that all custom games will cost money.
-Players will
NOT be able to sell their maps upon the release of Heart of the Swarm, but that feature WILL be implemented in future patches.
-The Arcade main page included a featured maps list (as determined by Blizzard), a Top 10 list of the most popular games, a list of high rated games, a list of games that are highly rated but have not been significantly played, and a list of recently published maps that have received favorable reviews.
-There is will be a 5 star rating system for custom maps.
-There will be a match-making system for certain custom maps.
-There will be a queing system for custom maps.
-While you are in the map-lobby, you can view a map overview, rules of the map, how to play, and reviews of the maps (using the 5 star rating system on top of the map reviews).
GALAXY EDITOR
-There will be a Trigger Debugger for the Galaxy editor, which programmers will find useful for debugging large amounts of code.
-There will be a visual Cinematic Editor, allowing you to edit all cameras objects, lighting, fog, doodads and much much more. This also includes a timeline that can be used for viewing scenes.
-There will be a UI EDITOR, in which the entirety of the UI can be edited visually. This also includes a built in XML editor and viewer. All UI can be viewed in an "in game" mode, and the values can be seen for every module in the UI. UI can also be dragged in this view and the values will be changed to the new position.
NEW PROTOSS UPDATES
Early this morning I got straight in line to play the HoTS demo. I played an elongated game as protoss against Zerg, so that I could get every new detail.
REMOVED UNITS
Carrier
Mothership
NEW UNITS
Oracle - The oracle is a new casting air-ship (~3 Population) with versatile (and in my opinion, very cool) abilities. They are as follows:
Phase Shift - Phases out a unit for ~45 seconds, preventing it from being attacked, using abilities, researching, or building.
Pre-Ordain - Gives vision of a target building and what it is constructing/researching for 2 minutes. Gives vision of hatcheries, but does not say what Larva are evolving into.
Entomb - Area of Effect Spell. Encases minerals in a shell, making them unharvestable for ~1 minute. The shell has 80 health and can be destroyed on each mineral field.
Replicate - A unit whose SOLE ability is to copy and turn into any unit (except massive units), much in the style of a changeling. However, the copied unit has all upgrades and weapons of the copied unit, and thus can deal out equal damage. ~4 population
Tempest - The new capital ship unit that replaces the carrier. Has a slow (3) anti air attack that deals 22 damage in an Area of Effect. Also has a ~35 damage air-to-ground laser. 300/300 build cost
NEW ABILITIES
The nexus is the only unit that has gained new abilities on top of chrono boost. They are as follows:
Arc-Shield - Costs 25 energy. Gives any building on the map of your choice a temporary anti-light cannon. It deals 7 damage normally and 20 damage vs. light (which is as much damage as a Photon Cannon deals). Goodbye Zergling rush?
Mass-Recall - Recalls all units in an area to the Nexus. Takes 5 seconds to warp in. 75 Energy
That is all new information on Protoss at the time. I will update this post again at approximantly 4 PM PST.
NEW ZERG UPDATES
Removed Units:
Overseer
New Units:
Swarm Host: A siege unit for the Swarm, the Swarm Hosts burrows to attack, simillarily to the Lurker, and launches infinite amounts of units, named Locusts, at an enemy fortified position. However, in contrast to the Reaver in Starcraft 1, the Locusts have no cost.
Viper: A new air casting unit to replace the overseer. It has versatile abilities, suitable to the swarm, that are as followed:
Blinding Cloud: Reduces the range of all attacks to melee range, and prevents the use of energy-based abilities.
Abduct: Pulls a unit to the position of the Viper (those poor collossi getting swarmed by zerglings)
Ocular Parasite: Plants a parasite that makes a target unit a detector.
CHANGES:
-Ultralisks now have a burrow-charge ability and deal MOAR splash damage.
-Hydralisks now have a speed upgrade.
-Corruptors have the
Siphon ability, allowing them to gain resources from enemy buildings.
-Banelings can now moved while burrowed.
NEW TERRAN UPDATES
NEW UNITS:
Battle Hellion - A transformation from the hellion, allowing them to dish out their same killer DPS, but with Heavy Armor, in exchange for their speed.
Warhound - An anti-air and long-range anti-mech unit with decent speed. Excellent for countering heavy Mutalisk play or Terran Mech play.
Shredder - Deploys an anti-unit radiation field, that deals HIGH DPS. A Stack of two cannot be bypassed by Speedlings. Cannot be used when friendly units are nearby. Must be deployed to work.
CHANGES
Thor - Thors can no longer be build in mass. Only one Thor can be built, but is an uber unit with high health, armor and damage.
Reapers - Reapers now regenerate out of battle.
Battlecruisers - Now have an ability that increases their speed greatly for a time, allowing them to catch their prey.
HoTS Lore
Sarah Kerrigan is now not only attempting to reunite the swarm, but is also on a slash and burn campaign for revenge, letting no one, not even James Eugene Raynor, get in her way of taking down Arcturus Mengsk. Yet, Mr. Metzen states that although Kerrigan is the queen piece in the grand cosmic chess-board, she is only slightly aware of that fact. Zeratul is the only one who has unlocked the answers. Slowly, the former Queen of Blades will discover her true purpose. Whether she chooses to heed it, or simply ignore it on her path of revenge, is her choice.
-Narud has been "confirmed" as Duran
-Hybrids will play a very large part in HoTS, and there will be significantly more types than before.
-Choices you decided to make in Wings of Liberty will carry over into Heart of the Swarm.
-The UED is pre-occupied with problems in its own sector, and wont be visiting the Korprulu sector anytime soon.
WORLD OF WARCRAFT
Mists of Pandaria CONFIRMED
This expansion is designed to be the calm before the storm before we go up against the final foe in the "last" WoW expansion. It is here the horde and the alliance will learn about themselves... before all out war.
-New Race Pandarens - Both Alliance and Horde (fun fact: Pandarens were originally the Alliance race in Burning Crusade, but were switched out for the more suitable Draenai)
-New Class Monk
-Level Cap Raised to 90
-New Talent System
-New PvE events
-New Pet Battle System
DIABLO III
Angiris Council
The Angiris Council is a council consisting of Five Archangels that deal with all administrative tasks in the High Heavens. they all have their own spheres of influence. The angels and their spheres are as followed:
Tyrael, the Angel of Justice: An Angel that was originally strong-willed and rigid, Tyrael slowly began to be the first Angel to believe in mortals hopes, and thus began to take action for their cause. Described as the "outlawish" attitude character.
Auriel, the Angel of Hope: A female-like character. Is upbeat, but is also serious, wise, and of course, hopeful. She wields a "Cord of Hope" that bestows blessings. She is holds the council together.
Malthael, the Angel of Wisdom: A softspoken type character who is usually always right, that irritates some members of the group. When the worldstone is moved into a different dimension (Sanctuary) he begins to darken and become a grim character.
Imperius, the Angel of Valor: The commander of heavens forces, this goliath of an Angel wears golden armor into battle. He has slain billions upon billions of demons. He is loud and strong in his opinions, slightly "bullying/intimidating" people into his decisions. His valor is dangerously close to becoming pride. Imperius and Tyrael's opinions and characters usually clash and lead to confrontation.
Itherael, the Ange of Fate: Forsees all possible strands of the future. He rarely speaks or voices an opinion, but is usually beseeched by the rest of the council for advice on which path to take. However, as mortals were not meant to exist, Itherael cannot see them.
Lords of Hell
At the conclusion of the most recent Diablo games, 5 of 7 of the original Lords of Hell were destroyed. The two that remain are taking full-advantage of the now shattered world-stone. These two are:
Belial, the Lord of Lies: Doesn't to get his own hands dirty. Thus, he uses his minions, the Dark Cultists and the Snakemen, (who can disguise themselves, usually as humans) to do his bidding. He prefers to corrupt people and civilizations from within.
Azmodan, the Lord of Sin: The new "King of Hell", Azmodan prefers raw-power, and is not afraid to flaunt it. He is also calculative, always two steps in head of the player. The Lord of Sins has, at his command, 7 powerful lieutenants, each representing the 7 Sins. The only revealed one is
Sadea, Maiden of Lust who prefers the same psychological torment that Belial loves.[/u]
LORE
With the Worldstone now shattered, the Lords of Hell are taking full advantage of the weaknesses in the plane. Azmodan, the new King of Hell, is leading an all-out invasion from hell into the World of Sanctuary, an invasion long predicted by Deckard Cain. Caldeum, the trading center of the world, has lost their great Emperor under unknown circumstances. As the son of the emperor, only a boy, assumes the throne, the government is thrown into disarray. The Iron Wolves come to protect and advise the Emperor, but they are cast out into the desert, as are a great number of the lower caste, for a new, unknown Imperial Guard, dressed in purple clothing. As the refuge crisis worsens, food and water supplies fail as the desert becomes infested with hellish creatures. Thousands die by the day.
Yet with the discovery of this new “Black Soulstone” hope arises for the forces of good. This soulstone could potentially be used by the player to imprison Azmodan eternally. Yet, the Lord of Sin is aware of this, and makes plans to use this Soulstone to become the Ultimate Evil, with power far greater than that of the Prime-Evils. But with an object so powerful, the possibility of a third-party, unaligned with either side, arises.
This is the time for the race of mortals to heed their ancient past. With the Worlstone that once restrained their bloodline, mortals begin to realize the power locked within their veins. The hybrid power of Angels and Demons, one that exceeds the gods. Thus, the Great Task of expelling the chaos of total war within Sanctuary, begins.
~Asomath
