Your Mom Likes Starcraft 2

[modeps]

http://www.evilavatar.com/images/thumbs/starcraft2.jpg

Lets face it, Starcraft wasn't the most accessible game in the world. To be truly good at it, you had to be clinically insane. MTV Multiplayer (http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2008/10/30/starcraft-ii-to-be-mom-friendly/) has a story up where they spoke with Starcraft 2 producer Chris Sigaty who admitted that Blizzard is trying to make the latest edition of this beloved franchise easy enough that even his mom can play it.

“It’s definitely a very challenging tight rope walk,” he said of trying to make the game for both e-sports players and a broader audience. “We’ve trying to make sure that it’s perfectly balanced for e-sport, but look — I’m going to try to get my mom to play this game. I mean, I know she can’t [micromanage] at the level that these pro gamers can, so we’re actually experimenting back in the opposite direction… so that even the layman can come in and get a grasp of these cool things in the game.”

Sigaty explained that “StarCraft II” is in its alpha stage and is being tested by two former pro gamers on staff as well as pros at the conventions. However, his mom hasn’t gotten to try the game yet. But he said, without going into specifics, that they’re trying different things for more casual players.

What do you all think? Would you want a Starcraft game that your mom could beat you at?

[RMan]

What do you all think? Would you want a Starcraft game that your mom could beat you at?
Seems a poor interpretation of the statements, I could play every strategy game ever made, but doubt I could beat competition players. I'd love to see this type of game, in fact all types of games, be more inclusive, my ego can take it :).

I'm not convinced they can pull off general mom approval, but I'm all for having multiple levels of management. I've never felt micromanagement and hotkey skills were particularly strategic, and although I can handle these skills, doesn't mean I really enjoy them and they're a 'good' part of the game, they're just not bad enough to make me stop playing. When done correctly, 'appealing to the casual players' in my mind means the same thing as 'removing annoying crap and making things more fun', so I'm certainly all for it (and it's Blizzard, so they get massive benefit of the doubt).

[gawaintheblind]

I would like to take this opportunity to point out that "...even the layman can come in and get a grasp of these cool things in the game..." is the reason spore went from being potentially awesome to sucking like a Tijuana prostitute.

This is the song that never ends. It just goes on and on, my friends.

[RMan]

I would like to take this opportunity to point out that "...even the layman can come in and get a grasp of these cool things in the game..." is the reason spore went from being potentially awesome to sucking like a Tijuana prostitute.
Nobody I knew that was interested in Spore cited it being difficult to understand as part of the attraction, and I never saw it promoted as such. I think Spore failed because it was over-hyped, and many people just assumed that the things they didn't see were as cool as what they did. Cool technical presentations do not necessarily make for a compelling, cohesive experience.

There are many reasons a game can fail to deliver, and frankly, all too often gamers throw out 'dumbing down' as a fallback reason when they just don't know why something didn't work. Many of these players, ironically, would happily play Guitar Hero. I can't recall a game that has been less fun because it was made more accessible, but I've seen plenty of games that were made more accessible and were also less fun, but that's not evidence of anything.

[AlwaysOn222]

What is this shit? Are they trying to make SCII some kind of casual shit game now? Is it not enough ripping customers off by releaseing it in 3 expansions simply out of greed? I was so looking forward to SCII before Blizzcon but since then all this game gets is bad news... :S

[Wyrm]

I wouldn't be terribly worried. Blizzard has always walked this line with cautious care, and they've succeeded in the past. They go into making every game with the mindset of "how can we make this accessible to more people without losing the fun and depth?" And so far, they have yet to disappoint me.

If they make Starcraft even more accessible, I'm all for it. Even though I would consider the first one the most accessible RTS game ever created, there are always ways to improve on the design. I trust them, even if splitting the game into three episodes doesn't really sit well with me.

[lockwoodx]

Diablo 3 is looking the same way. Barney never died, he went to go work for blizzard.

[riposte101]

This is not surprising coming from Blizzard. I mean this philosophy worked pretty well for them in WOW why would they change it? These guys are the industry's best at pulling this off. With their track record I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

[Antdude]

What is this shit? Are they trying to make SCII some kind of casual shit game now? Is it not enough ripping customers off by releaseing it in 3 expansions simply out of greed? I was so looking forward to SCII before Blizzcon but since then all this game gets is bad news... :S

Chill, have a drink, relax. Nibble a Xanax.

Having played SCII at Blizzcon a couple times now, I can tell you the basics are almost identical to the first game. You've forgotten the first rule of RTS design: Easy to learn, difficult to master. That's how you get people into playing your game. And more people buying your game is a good thing.

Before Starcraft, I never 'got' RTS games. I couldn't see the appeal of moving tiny, pixel-y units around. First time I saw the first CnC game, I couldn't believe this butt-ugly thing had so many fans. And collecting resources to build structures? Sounded too much like work for my Duke Nukem short-attention span. So I guess I was a casual until I tried Starcraft. That was the first time I could see the fun in it. And I don't remember anyone saying the gameplay was dumbed-down to make it more accessible back in '98. Now I love RTS games, even if I still suck at them.

I'm not at all worried about the game being dumbed-down, especially since the goal is to make SCII a real, world-class competitive e-sport title. It's not going to be Fisher-Price-craft. There will be enough hard-core for the hard-cores, and people who never played the first one probably won't be overwhelmed by the possibilities.

Blizzard hasn't struck out yet. Let's withhold judgement until there's a finished game to critique.