Heart of the Swarm 2.0.2 Overview & Shadows of the Past

[Vengeancekael]

Patch -「2.0.2」

View Video's description for time stamps of different video segments.

(Note that the below list does not at all contain the full changes, it showcases some of the most significant changes)

Battle.Net:

• Groups are now available! [See Groups Overview]
• Matchmaking for Unranked Play is now available!
• The Players Near Me feature, which finds the closest people to you that also play SCII, is now available!
• The Arcade is now available! (Nothing new, exact version as the WoL one)

Game:

• A new AI Command system - Gives the player several options to change the AI partner's behaviour, ranging from his general play-style (Play economically, to rush, to go for air, etc.) and also specific orders such as scouting, attacking a specific player.

In-Game UI:

• New Display Options in [Options>Gameplay]! This is mostly for new players, such as a simplified Command Card View.

Editor:

• New Diamond Shape in Terrain Palette! [See Diamond Shape]
• New Data Navigator View in Data Module! [See Data Navigator]

「Groups Overview」

Visually similar to Clans, Groups are for communities and specific play-style groups.

• No Tag! Clan-only feature.
• Chat Channel is available.
• News Page is available.
• Info Page is available.
• Roster Page is available.
• Roster Size: Near Limitless
• A character can only be in 20 groups at a time.
• Public/Private Options available.

Groups are designed for casual players, for online communities such as the HiveWorkShop and other specific circles.
The Category Strategy and Coaching f.e. is for users that seek to share their latest strategy with other fellow players, while Online Communities is made for popular communities such as THW, wc3c.net, etc.
Finally, there is also a search option, allowing you to look for a group that appeals to you. Obviously, private groups will not show up in search results.

「Diamond Shape」

A new shape is now available in the Terrain Palette: Diamond.

「Data Navigator」

A new view, technically a new window, is now available in the Data Module: Data Navigator.
What it does is show the user everything that's connected to a unit, sound, animation, effect, etc.
It also has a small preview panel for selected items, such as showing a model in 3D and animated, or playing a sound.

[View Full Patch Notes for 2.0.2 - Editor Changes]

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Hosted Project -「Shadows of the Past」

Shadows of the Past, a hosted project of the HIVE maintained by former staff member -Kobas-, is a singleplayer RPG.
It features a beautiful and vast environment, an advanced UI, a lot of character customization options and more!
Its latest patch, 0.8.1.5, revamps the terrain, adds a new cinematic system along with new cutscenes and continues the main storyline!

 

[Dr Super Good]

Still no beta access here... Sigh.

If only I played StarCraft II more, but there are no good maps.

 

[Statharas]

Promising.

 

[aaron]

looks quite good actually.

 

[Blackhole]

Still no beta access here... Sigh.

If only I played StarCraft II more, but there are no good maps.

You got it wrong, buddy. In order to win SC2 beta, WoL retail and SC2 HotS, I had to enter various contests on forums that actually receive beta keys. That is for those that are not known to anyone.

My teammate got in beta because all Grandmasters and recognizable war3 players do... other than that, communities are your only way. Chances to get direct invites from Blizz if you're nobody... are slim. Playing some maps on custom won't get you anywhere too.

Also you could try SC2Mapster terraining contests if any still remain, at least they get keys unlike here, duh. Doing nothing and waiting it to fall from the sky, aint happenin.

 

[Deolrin]

I don't see a diamond shape. Looks like a square to me.

No Tag! Clan-only feature.

What's that actually supposed to mean?

 

[Vengeancekael]

[THW] would be the clan tag.

 

[Blackhole]

^ for a non-serious group of mapmakers where everybody wants to participate, creating a group is better than clan which is meant for gaming and players mostly and that's why up to 50 members is fine.