The lights are on
In the past few weeks of playing the StarCraft II beta, I've seen just how brutal multiplayer for this real-time strategy behemoth can be. Blizzard seems confident that they'll be able to pull in players of all skill levels when the final game releases later this year, but it sounds like they'll be expecting players to avoid one-on-one battles at first.
In our recent talk with StarCraft II design director Dustin Browder, we asked him how Blizzard plans to introduce new players to competitive multiplayer. Browder noted that beta users should not think of the beta as a demo -- it's still being balanced and has a much harsher ratio of hardcore players to newbies than the final game should.
Browder also revealed Blizzard's belief that players should begin with cooperative play against the AI and then move into team battles, saving 1v1 match-ups for last. In fact, Browder suggests players might want to get anywhere from 30 to 60 hours of time played under their belt before jumping into 1v1.
From the interview:
"We're definitely going to be looking at Achievements and other tools to encourage our players, once they graduate from cooperative vs. AI to move into team play before they move into 1v1. We're going to offer 4v4 and 3v3 to encourage them to get into a team play environment [and] get with a team. It's a much more casual environment than the 1v1. You've got somebody to help you to play with, you've got allies who can come to your rescue if you get into a little bit of trouble. We really consider the 1v1 the final endgame arena-style gameplay that we hope players will only get to after 30, 40, 50, 60 hours played depending on their enthusiasm for it."
"That's my hope as a designer, but whether any of that works out is anyone's guess," Browder admitted. "We're going to try to do anything we can with the UI and with the Achievements to encourage players to follow some kind of arc like that so that by the time they get to 1v1 hopefully they're feeling very comfortable with the game and they're ready for it -- they're not just thrown into the deep end."
Sixty-plus hours seems like an incredible time investment to get the best multiplayer a game has to offer, but with a community as hardcore and dedicated as StarCraft's, that might just be what it takes to break in. When StarCraft II hits, are you planning to put in the work to try and succeed in 1v1 battles, or are you content sticking with single-player and more friendly multiplayer content?
I don't think I'd even attempt to go into 1v1 right off the bat. Sixty hours isn't that insane tho. I've got about half that in a few weeks in BC2 and there are some dedicated Starcraft fans that'll play it non stop.
Having played the original for quite some time, and not being the best at it, I think I plan on staying away from the 1v1 until I know I can not get destroyed within the first 15 minutes.
1v1 is difficult; if you're playing with other teammates you have the chance to learn/adopt/modify their strategies.
Playing in groups is probably the way to go until you can hold your own ground
I like team battles better anyhoo.. I guess I'm just a team player! Slap that *** on my resume!
Can't wait to get in to the beta.
1v1 requires such an understanding of all three races... Group play encourages mastery of one race.
Don't worry Blizzard, I know infinity isn't enough time to make me good enough for 1v1. Like what Vote 4 Pedro said... I'm just terrible at this kind of game.
I am currently a beta tester for StarCraft 2, and I can tell you I've won about 10 1v1 matches and about 25 2v2 matches. I've played about the same number of each. 1v1 is brutally difficult, but I think as less hardcore gamers and more casual players enter the fray, things will balance out a bit. Their ranking system definitely helps pit you against players of similar skill, and I can imagine having a larger pool of users to draw from would make the match-ups even more fair.
More friendly player content. My 1 v 1 days were over after Red Alert 2. I just got into the beta so I'll be checking out how brutal it is eventually.
People can always play custom maps if they don't want to get into the super competitive 1v1 ladder. With how powerful the galaxy editor sounds, you could play hundreds and hundreds of hours in SC2 and never even touch a single ladder game.
Do not care for 1 v 1 personally.
This makes me want to play the old version....
Sixty Hours! That's way too much! I'll probably go into a coma trying to play that long.
I'm very intrested by this game. I never played the original and I want this to come out so I can play it and see y south Korea is addicted to the original and the beta.
This game looks pretty awesome. I never played the first one, but i've been a longtime fan of blizzard. If anything, it'll be worth getting just to say that i own it and have tried it. I never really get into competitive multiplayer though. I usually suck at RTSs, and the most i'll do is team battles, usually its at least 3v3.
To be honest I will probably be playing majority team oriented game types with my buddies anyway. Never have been very good at the 1v1 thing. At any rate I can't wait for this game. Been waiting for a decent RTS for years.
hah
Wow that is probably gonna be needed especially with how rediculous people are into the first one.
I am a starcraft noob but I love the game and I can do pretty well in team games (mass zealots) and my partner does his thing and we usually do pretty well but by myself I get killed faster than anything u can think of