Starcraft II to have Pay-to-Play DLC

[Evil Avatar]

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

Shacknews has the word (http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/60148) that Blizzard's new Battle.net service will support paid DLC and maps for titles like Starcraft II.

"We want to make sure that the best amateur game designers out there are making maps for StarCraft 2, and not for Kongregate or Steam or anything like that," said Blizzard's Rob Pardo.

"Think about it like this: something like Defense of the Ancients, I think, would be something like a free map because it doesn't have a lot of original content," he added, while noting that Blizzard made the announcement today in order to give map makers time to start thinking about ideas.

"We totally intend for there to be a lot of free content," he assured the crowd.

Who didn't see that one coming?

[Hagetaka]

One of the many reasons I will be skipping over this game.

[lockwoodx]

ditto

.....

[Nezabyte]

yup, not buying this one anymore.

[Demo_Boy]

so defense of the ancients, which is cooler than warcraft 3, would be free, but some kid could roll 50 multiplayer maps in a couple days and charge 3 bucks for them - something wrong with that model

yeh ill be skipping

Activision Presents What Was Once Starcraft 2

[pwnophobia]

Does this mean they will handle maps differently than in SC/WC? I'm talking about how they are files that can be easily transferred and stored in a "maps" folder. As soon as a really sweet map comes out that is $1.00, lets say, it'll be all over Torrent sites and Rapidshare within days.

[Sasori the Medic]

The game is seriously gonna be shit anyway. Go watch a Battle Report and tell me you're excited about this lame, dated shitfest.

[Exodus]

To be perfectly honest at this point, I would like to know what the author of defense of the ancients has to say. EvAv, time to do some real journalism.

[Curi]

One thing that this news post doesn't make totally clear is that the person who makes the map/scenario/whatever gets money from the sale of their content-- it's not just Blizzard selling people's content and taking all the money. It's a way to incentivize the production of premium content (fully realized downloads with custom art assets, etc.), and doesn't prevent people from creating/distributing free content.

That said, there are still certainly issues (for instance, people who might have released stuff for free before might charge for it now, meaning a smaller audience for it and less fun for everyone), but I don't see this as a 100% bad thing either.

[Darcydian]

Ya, this isn't "We're making all the good maps and then selling them" this is Hey, modder community, want a way to actually make some money for your work? Well make an awesome map, if it's good enough we'll let you charge for it!
Really what other company endorses this besides Microsofts XNA stuff?

[brandonjclark]

Does this mean they will handle maps differently than in SC/WC? I'm talking about how they are files that can be easily transferred and stored in a "maps" folder. As soon as a really sweet map comes out that is $1.00, lets say, it'll be all over Torrent sites and Rapidshare within days.


I dunno about that one, bro. Think of it like this:

You know how Steam "locks" or encrypts some files and they have to be "unlocked" or unencrypted once it's ready to play and verification has taken place? Well, why couldn't Battlenet 2.0 do the same thing, except always keep them encrypted until you've verified your account.

I could be way off base here, but to me it seems like an easy thing to shut out.

[bean19]

I am ridiculously bad at RTS games, but I loved Warcraft 3 because of the two modes I can play in it that I'm competitive at (as opposed to getting rolled like a 3 year old playing Halo on XBL): Defense of the Ages (I CAN manage to control one character well while making broad strategic choices), and Tower defense.

I'll probably be getting Starcraft because I don't normally play a single RTS long enough to ever access ANY player-made maps and this announcement will have no effect on me. Plus, I want to see what all the fuss is about. . . the old game is so old and bad (to a new unseasoned user who is also not a fan of the genre) that I couldn't bring myself to get through a single level.

[Ulysses]

Hilarious. This gets better and better.

[ElfShotTheFood]

How is giving users the option to make and sell maps a bad thing?

[vallor]

I am of mixed minds about this. I think the Mod community is well served since it recognizes pretty quick what the outstanding pro quality mods are and pays them back for it. They still can leverage that success to get into the industry (ala Counterstrike and Loki back in the day).

The player community is less well served. They do get to save time dashing through crap mods to check them out however the best mods will have to be paid for, which sucks.

On the other hand I think the point of bringing "Defense of the Ancients" up was to show that Blizzard isn't charging for simple mods that reuse assets, no matter how good they are, they will only charge for mods that take the game in completely different directions.

That said with this system a mod like DotA would never get the level of recognition it has because people would be less likely to take a look at it unless it were "blessed" as a great mod by bliz and showing up in the pay for section.

I dunno, like most things SC2 related I am pretty torn.

[Exodus]

I am of mixed minds about this. I think the Mod community is well served since it recognizes pretty quick what the outstanding pro quality mods are and pays them back for it. They still can leverage that success to get into the industry (ala Counterstrike and Loki back in the day).

The player community is less well served. They do get to save time dashing through crap mods to check them out however the best mods will have to be paid for, which sucks.

On the other hand I think the point of bringing "Defense of the Ancients" up was to show that Blizzard isn't charging for simple mods that reuse assets, no matter how good they are, they will only charge for mods that take the game in completely different directions.

That said with this system a mod like DotA would never get the level of recognition it has because people would be less likely to take a look at it unless it were "blessed" as a great mod by bliz and showing up in the pay for section.

I dunno, like most things SC2 related I am pretty torn.

Well that's the thing. I would expect that if he were to take his concept and bring it to starcraft 2 then we can expect a series of maps not just ONE map. It would be pretty damned shitty if I were stuck on that one map...insane in fact...

[Bacarat]

Anyone who buys this game is a huge SUCKER! and the CEO thanks you for further lining his pockets and taking it up the ass by his greed. Activision is now much WORSE than EA, CONGRATS!...

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/4140/richking080709.jpg

[Exodus]

Sometimes I wonder if the mods here at EvAv word their topic/titles in such a manner so that people will post and make an absolute fool of themselves on purpose. Would they do something like that? o_O...

That's evil.

[Mozgus]

After playing Relic's RTS offerings, I cant figure out why StarCraft still has a following. It's stupid dated bullshit. SC2 looks to make absolutely no changes to the formula.

[Steve_Erhardt]

Sometimes I wonder if the mods here at EvAv word their topic/titles in such a manner so that people will post and make an absolute fool of themselves on purpose. Would they do something like that? o_O...

That's evil.
Dance, puppets! DANCE! :D

[Azriel77]

Since the announcement of SCII and Diablo 3, every following announcement about the "features" or "changes" of the games have made me less and less wanting to buy it and instead started to make me hate blizzard. They are not the same blizzard that started out years ago and I can say I will not be buying any of the games.

[Exodus]

Since the announcement of SCII and Diablo 3, every following announcement about the "features" or "changes" of the games have made me less and less wanting to buy it and instead started to make me hate blizzard. They are not the same blizzard that started out years ago and I can say I will not be buying any of the games.

I give this guy 1 day. Any takers?:rolleyes:

[randir14]

After playing Relic's RTS offerings, I cant figure out why StarCraft still has a following. It's stupid dated bullshit. SC2 looks to make absolutely no changes to the formula.

Koreans love mindless repetitive clickfest games, just look at every MMO from Korea.

[lockwoodx]

Does this mean they will handle maps differently than in SC/WC? I'm talking about how they are files that can be easily transferred and stored in a "maps" folder. As soon as a really sweet map comes out that is $1.00, lets say, it'll be all over Torrent sites and Rapidshare within days.

Good luck logging into battle.net with maps you didn't map for.

[julienb01]

As someone said below, Evil Avatar writers really have a tendancy to write news in a way that confuses everybody...

When you read this news you really understand "Blizzard will sell its DLC on Battlenet" when what was said at Blizzcon was really: "MODs community will be able to sell their work"

And then... What are you guys exactly fed up with? The fact that people who work have the opportunity to live of their work?????

Plus this is not going to be mandatory so people can still post free maps, as AGAIN, Blizzard stated at Blizzcon.

Evilavar: please check your sources & be careful with how your write news. It proves again that Video Games journalists are just not very good journalists...

[pwnophobia]

Good luck logging into battle.net with maps you didn't map for.

I can only assume its going to be all cloud

[julienb01]

Btw... I wonder why it has become so hype to bitch on Blizzard? A good topic for journalists ;)

[lockwoodx]

As someone said below, Evil Avatar writers really have a tendancy to write news in a way that confuses everybody...

When you read this news you really understand "Blizzard will sell its DLC on Battlenet" when what was said at Blizzcon was really: "MODs community will be able to sell their work"

And then... What are you guys exactly fed up with? The fact that people who work have the opportunity to live of their work?????

Plus this is not going to be mandatory so people can still post free maps, as AGAIN, Blizzard stated at Blizzcon.

Evilavar: please check your sources & be careful with how your write news. It proves again that Video Games journalists are just not very good journalists...

Instead of fanboys attacking the haters, they are going after the journalists/EvilAv?

http://startupblog.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/popcorn.jpg

[lockwoodx]

Btw... I wonder why it has become so hype to bitch on Blizzard? A good topic for journalists ;)

It started with activision's long history of greed, and the removal of LAN from SC2. The makings of a perfect storm.

[Exodus]

Instead of fanboys attacking the haters, they are going after the journalists/EvilAv?

http://startupblog.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/popcorn.jpg

I'm not, I'm actually enjoying everyone else getting tricked into getting on a podium and announcing their displeasure. It's so dramatic I wish they made a tv show on gamerTV of just this. It'd make me fucking laugh all day!

[julienb01]

(someday there should really be a "edit" button on this forum)

I just wanted to add that too be totally faire this news should have also dealt with what Blizzard said at blizzcon just after the DLC topic: the fact that they want to support TONS of free stuff on Battlenet, as you can find on the AppStore.

[lockwoodx]

I'm not, I'm actually enjoying everyone else getting tricked into getting on a podium and announcing their displeasure. It's so dramatic I wish they made a tv show on gamerTV of just this. It'd make me fucking laugh all day!

Who was tricked? Blizz is perpetuating this shitstorm nicely on their own. It's only natural for long time fans of both gaming and blizzard to voice displeasure over shady pratices.

[julienb01]

[QUOTE=lockwoodx;1782687]Instead of fanboys attacking the haters, they are going after the journalists/EvilAv?
[QUOTE]

My post was not about a fanboy being offended with someone trashing a company (blizzard). My post was about saying that it's better to bring double checked news, so that :

1/ readers dont get misleaded
2/ fanboy & haters can then troll each about the RIGHT thing :)

[Ulysses]

Wonder what kind of fool will actually pay for a map.

[julienb01]

Btw isn't this news some kind of duplicate of the battle net news that was posted earlier on? :)

And this older news stated things correctly so I apologize for my comments... almost :p

[bean19]

As someone said below, Evil Avatar writers really have a tendancy to write news in a way that confuses everybody....
Reread the news post. One idiot came to a false conclusion and I think the rest stepped in line.

[Wyrm]

Does this mean they will handle maps differently than in SC/WC? I'm talking about how they are files that can be easily transferred and stored in a "maps" folder. As soon as a really sweet map comes out that is $1.00, lets say, it'll be all over Torrent sites and Rapidshare within days.

I'm assuming that this is probably part of the delay. They need to figure out a way to package the maps into their service like Steam, so that people can't pirate them.

I fear for what this means. To me, this seems like the absolute wrong direction for this system. Open, free sharing of all custom maps is the way of the future, not this crap.

[yutt]

I'm not sure what the big deal is here. Developers can make money off their work. Do you get paid for your job? I do. If you don't want to buy the additional maps created by the hard work of independent developers, you don't have to.

I'm not sure why you feel you are entitled to receive other peoples' creations at no cost, if they desire to help fund the development. Hundreds, even thousands of man hours go into the development of mods and maps. If a dev wants to pay his rent with that effort, s/he should certainly have that option.

Kudos to Blizzard for doing this in a way that is simple for indie devs to utilize and profit from.
Koreans love mindless repetitive clickfest games, just look at every MMO from Korea.Wow. I expected to find idiocy in this discussion, but not blatant racist.

[Ulysses]

So people actually work full time at creating maps ? Hm.

[yutt]

I'm not sure what the big deal is here. Developers can make money off their work. Do you get paid for your job? I do. If you don't want to buy the additional maps created by the hard work of independent developers, you don't have to.

I'm not sure why you feel you are entitled to receive other peoples' creations at no cost, if they desire to help fund the development. Hundreds, even thousands of man hours go into the development of mods and maps. If a dev wants to pay his rent with that effort, s/he should certainly have that option.

Kudos to Blizzard for doing this in a way that is simple for indie devs to utilize and profit from.
Koreans love mindless repetitive clickfest games, just look at every MMO from Korea.Wow. I expected to find idiocy in this discussion, but not blatant racist.

[greenapple]

The Evil Avatar readership: once again proudly proving that it has a strong illiterate contingent that lacks basic reading comprehension skills.

[blackzc]

HAHAH DLC on the PC, good luck with that homie, hey blizzard, suck it.

[Mephistopheles]

I'm assuming that this is probably part of the delay. They need to figure out a way to package the maps into their service like Steam, so that people can't pirate them.

I fear for what this means. To me, this seems like the absolute wrong direction for this system. Open, free sharing of all custom maps is the way of the future, not this crap.

As much as I'd like it to be otherwise I think it's the way of the past.

What Blizzard are proposing here strikes me as being similar to mobile application markets: there will be small teams - even one man teams - producing a small product that they release for free or sell for a couple of bucks, with the owner of the platform taking a percentage of sales.

I'll hold off calling it good or bad until I know more.

[Jack9]

Guinsoo has already moved on to his own private company game League of Legends. IceFrog has not stated anything publicly about DotA, since until someone has access to the final tools to make free custom maps (if at all possible to make "free" maps)...there's no point in talking about it AFAIK.

[blackzc]

As much as I'd like it to be otherwise I think it's the way of the past.

What Blizzard are proposing here strikes me as being similar to mobile application markets: there will be small teams - even one man teams - producing a small product that they release for free or sell for a couple of bucks, with the owner of the platform taking a percentage of sales.

I'll hold off calling it good or bad until I know more.

I dont know, the open way of gaming is pretty much been the standard for years and people love it. If to many gaming companies do this crap all its going to take is some new startup to come in and do it the old way and teh PC gamers will flock to them. This DLC bullshit wont last. Maybe on consoles but those guys are morons.

Here is an idea blizzard, make a goddam game and when you want to sell us more shit, make another fucking game...retards.

[blackzc]

Guinsoo has already moved on to his own private company game League of Legends. IceFrog has not stated anything publicly about DotA, since until someone has access to the final tools to make free custom maps (if at all possible to make "free" maps)...there's no point in talking about it AFAIK.

Ive had a couple but what they hell did you just say?

[brandonjclark]

The Evil Avatar readership: once again proudly proving that it has a strong illiterate contingent that lacks basic reading comprehension skills.

I'm glad you've come to that realization, now take it somewhere else if you really think that poorly of all of us.Now, what if we're looking at this all wrong. What if Acti-Blizz, in all of it's infinite, present-day wisdom, decided that this was the way to go in order to control mods.

Look at Counter-Strike, and how successful that is. Why couldn't Acti-Blizz just be forecasting any future map or mod success and wrapping a legal umbrella around it, securing future rights and income?

Maybe this is the intention, no?

[sgtslappy]

To be perfectly honest at this point, I would like to know what the author of defense of the ancients has to say. EvAv, time to do some real journalism.

Pretty sure IceFrog won't care. He's stated numerous times he has no plans to charge for DotA.

Secondly, if you skip Starcraft 2 because of this.. you're an idiot.

[Bacarat]

Koreans love mindless repetitive clickfest games, just look at every MMO from Korea.

Uhhhhh, I hope your not calling Starcraft an mindless click fest? If so then you sir are a complete idiot. Starcraft = The greatest competitive skill based game ever made.

[Mojopin]

Uhhhhh, I hope your not calling Starcraft an mindless click fest? If so then you sir are a complete idiot. Starcraft = The greatest competitive skill based game ever made.

Pot.... kettle.... black?

[Exodus]

I really don't understand what everyone has a problem with. If a mod wants to charge for his or her map good for them. Blizzard's not charging you the author of the mod/map is. Why anyone is getting upset about this considering it's not 'blizzard in-house developed content' that we're missing out on...if anything you should be hating on the mod/map makers are doing this if you believe that their effort isn't worth the money spent.

[LobsterMobster]

Btw... I wonder why it has become so hype to bitch on Blizzard? A good topic for journalists ;)

They've come out and admitted that they're chopping the game into three parts so they can sell it three times, that they took out LAN play so they can sell more copies, and now that they're doing microtransactions. There are also rumors that the new Battle.net will be a subscription service.

So I guess the reason it's "hype" to bitch on Blizzard is that they appear to be getting arrogant and greedy after WoW taught them that they can found religions.

[BGSS]

If you guys know the internet as well as I do, you would know that many people will release quality maps for free. As far as I can tell, you aren't forced to put a price tag on your created content if you don't want to. The solution is simple, don't buy the priced maps, and download the free ones.

As far as this being an angle to earn more money, or in fact draw higher quality amateur designers to work on their games instead of Unreal or HL/TF2 etc is up the air for me. Either way, this announcement won't really affect my enjoyment of the game. I'm sure there will be plenty of non paid user maps to play.

And if one day, some guy makes a really awesome mod that I enjoy, I wouldn't mind throwing down a couple bucks for it. After all, mod creators put hundreds of hours of their own time making an experience for people to enjoy. If it's $2-3, I wouldn't mind thanking him for his hard work with my dollars. That doesn't apply to Blizzard created DLC which I would hope is free, but Blizzard doesn't usually create DLC.

[BGSS]

They've come out and admitted that they're chopping the game into three parts so they can sell it three times

They've sold all of their other games two times, this is only one more. ;)

[Antdude]

They've come out and admitted that they're chopping the game into three parts so they can sell it three times, that they took out LAN play so they can sell more copies, and now that they're doing microtransactions. There are also rumors that the new Battle.net will be a subscription service.


Everything you just said is completely wrong and mis-informed. Thanks for playing.

The rest of the people here with no clue, are just proof that when a game company, especially a big one like Blizz lets out a few facts about an upcoming title, they have to find something in it to attack so they can feel like their opinion matters.

News flash: At least half the haters here will buy the game on Day One. Of that, there is no doubt. Let us all know how long you held out there with your 'principles' guys.

Everything I saw at Blizzcon tells me that this game rock. The End.

[southwick]

They've come out and admitted that they're chopping the game into three parts so they can sell it three times, that they took out LAN play so they can sell more copies, and now that they're doing microtransactions. There are also rumors that the new Battle.net will be a subscription service.

So I guess the reason it's "hype" to bitch on Blizzard is that they appear to be getting arrogant and greedy after WoW taught them that they can found religions.

So much anger over rumors.

[Exodus]

They are selling the game in modules and I half agree with the outrage, you have to PAY to play as the protoss? you have to pay to play as the zerg? And the only way I can justify it to myself is, is that they plan to give just as much attention to those campaigns as if they were a single player campaign by itself. Meaning I will half to wait a year or two between each finished campaign(SUCKS).

The micro transactions aren't a rumour they do plan to add vanity items you can buy to some b.net store they have planned but that has nothing to do really with mod/map authors who can sell their own maps. The battle.net subscription service is stupid and was shot down by blizzard pr asap.

None the less I'm buying sc2/diablo 2 and we'll see how the vanity items turns out. it hasn't hurt world of warcraft none and I think they know how to handle it in diablo 2. besides if you're working, you can oh i don't know, SKIP those mcdonalds meals and make your own like you should be to justify laying down a dollar or two for something you want in a game.

[Exodus]

errr diablo 3